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Chapter Text

** Italics means they're speaking in Kryptonian

Kara is forced out of the familiar darkness of sleep when the pod she's in jolts violently. Her eyes fly open and she grips the seat beneath her tightly at the sight before her. She's made it to Earth, and it’s beautiful in a different way than Krypton is… was. She tries not to think about her dead planet and her parents as the pod accelerates toward the ground.
Kara doesn’t dare to take her eyes off of the planet in front of her. It’s a mixture of blues and greens-well at least from she can see through the fire licking at the window. She's going too fast towards the ground. The pit in her stomach grows as she realizes she's going to crash. Kara's about to accept it, accept that her death is inevitable, just like her planet’s, just like her people’s when she remembers Kal-El. He's the whole reason she was sent here. She can't leave him alone on a strange planet.

“We are going too fast towards the ground.” She says desperately as she watches the ground come closer and closer.

“Fear not, Kara Zor-El.” The mainframe says in a monotone voice. “Adjusting speed.”

Kara breathes a sigh of relief as their descent visibly slows, but even with the Kryptonian technology, the mainframe can't slow them down enough for a smooth landing.

The pod smashes into the ground hard enough for her to nearly smack her head on the control panel. Kara stays in the pod for a moment, taking everything in. She made it to Earth. She survived.

The pod doesn’t let her dwell on everything which Kara is thankful for since she doesn’t want her first moments on Earth to consist of her crying over what she's lost. The glass part lifts with a hiss and she hesitantly stands. The white smoke billowing around the pod makes it difficult to see anything of this new planet.

Kara steps out of the pod onto the ground, still warm from the pod’s impact. She studies her pod for a moment with a frown, knowing it will take some repairs in order for it to be able to fly again. Kara hears movement and looks up, squinting against the smoke. Her vision sharpens and she can make out a figure coming closer, walking slowly like they're cautious about approaching her.

They come close enough for her to see them and she steps back with a gasp. He was wearing the symbol of the House of El on his chest. Had another survived? She had never seen this man before.

“Who are you? Why do you wear the symbol of the House of El?” Kara demands, not letting her voice waver with fear or hope.

“I am Kal-El.” The man says with a friendly smile.

“Kal?” She breathes, studying him once more. “It cannot be you. You were a baby when we left Krypton.”

“Kara Zor-El,” the mainframe interrupts, making Kara flinch at the unexpected sound. “We were thrown off course by the shock wave of Krypton’s explosion. The pod was thrown into the Phantom Zone and trapped for twenty four Earth years before it gathered enough energy to propel itself out.” Kara slumps against the side of the pod, staring blankly at the green ground beneath her feet. She had lost twenty four years? She failed her family, failed to take care of Kal-El like she had promised… “Unknown being, do you consent to a scan?”

“Yes.”

A green light emits from the control panel and quickly scans the man. The mainframe speaks moments after the scan is completed. “Species: Kryptonian. Name: Kal-El, cousin to Kara Zor-El. No threat detected. Shutting down.”

The sound of the mainframe powering down snaps Kara out of her daze. She looks up at Kal-El in disbelief, unable to think of anything to say to him.

He gives her a soft smile and places a comforting hand on her shoulder. “You are young, Kara. You are still physically thirteen.” Kal-El clenches his jaw and looks away. “I cannot take care of you in the way you need.”

“So I must live alone in this strange world?” Kara asks.

“No, I know someone who might be willing to take you in. You will have to learn to act like a human in order to survive. Not all of the humans who inhabit this planet like aliens being among them.”

Kara nods, remembering how her mother warned her of that. “I am aware.”

“Good. If you are ready, I can take you to the people who may take you in. The language humans speak is much different than our language. You will not be able to understand them at first.”

Kara takes a deep breath and nods to him. “I am ready.”

Kal-El gently picks her up and holds her against his chest. With his other hand, he easily picks up the pod and Kara’s eyes widen. Her mother had been right when she said they would be stronger and have extraordinary powers on Earth.

Kara yelps in surprise when she sees his feet leave the ground. She looks up at Kal-El as they slowly float up higher. “We can fly on this planet?”

“We can,” he confirms with a quiet chuckle. She clings to him as he starts flying faster towards wherever they're going. “I will hide your pod before we arrive just in case they are not as hospitable as I think they will be.”

Kara nods, not taking her eyes off of the ground flying past them. She takes in her new home with awe, seeing plants she had never heard of and animals she had never dreamed could exist. She nearly shrieks in shock when she sees a flying, winged beast flying lazy towards them. Kal-El dodges it easily and the creature seemed wholly uncaring that they were hurtling towards it.

“What was that?” Kara asks.

“That was a… there is no Kryptonian word for it. It is called a ‘bird.’”

“What a fascinating creature,” Kara breathes. “Are there many of them here?”

She can feel Kal-El’s laughter as his chest moves with the sound. “There are many of them, yes. And we are getting close, little cousin. I will land soon to hide the pod.”

“I am not little!” Kara protests.

“You are little to me, little cousin.” She can hear the teasing in his voice and huffs at him.

Kal-El lands near a small cave, a hole that is the perfect size to hold her pod in the side of a steep hill. He sets her down on a nearby cliff to properly hide the pod. Kara watches as he quickly hides the entrance and covers the pod itself with a thin coat of dirt and rocks to disguise it. Kara picks at the green strands sprouting from the ground, studying them intently as she waits for him to finish.

He picks her up again and flies them even faster than before. When he slows down, Kara can focus her eyesight enough to see what they're headed towards. It’s an oddly shaped building on the top of a hill made almost entirely of large stones.

“What is that?”

“A castle. It is where the monarchs of this kingdom live.”

Kara nods, wondering who in there they are going to be meeting with.

He lands in front of a large wall that goes around the castle like a stone barrier. He sets her down and she walks with him on a stone path towards a break in the wall. There are two people in some sort of metal armor and sticks with points in their hands. One turns towards them as they get closer and she flinches, moving closer to Kal.

They speak to him in an odd language and she frowns, cocking her head and trying to make sense of the nonsensical sounds. Kara frowns but can't understand a thing they say. The person Kal has been talking to nods to him and then heads toward the castle with Kal following behind them. Kara hurries behind him, taking in the sights around her. The stone path is lined with carvings of creatures and the beings that inhabit this planet. She cannot help her fascination and pauses to stare a few times, causing her to have to run to catch up to Kal.

Large wooden doors are opened for them by another set of people in metal. They walk through a high ceilinged hall lined with paintings of some of Earth’s inhabitants with jewels and funny hats on their heads. A person sees them and rushes away from them, making Kara's steps falter. Did they scare the person? She asks Kal and relaxes slightly when he gives her a kind smile.

“He just went ahead to tell the Queen we are coming.” He tells her.

Kara nods slowly. She understands the concept of Queens and Kings, she just never dreamed she would be anywhere near them, let alone meet one, which she assumes they will be doing. She nervously smooths her white dress, pleased when she notices that the small pieces of dirt comes off with a brush of her fingers.

They keep going straight until they reach a large room that is mainly empty except for three big chairs that must be thrones against the opposite wall and a rectangular to the side near the thrones. The one chair in the middle is the most lavish, with the ones on either side of it are slightly less magnificent and slightly smaller, but still spectacular in their own rights. They seem almost tailored to specific humans and their personalities with the way the wood is intricately cut.

They wait at the entrance of the room, Kara trying (and failing) to hide her nervousness. She shifts in place and keeps her eyes on the beautiful red carpet beneath their feet leading up to the thrones. Three people enter through a hallway on the right side of them, flanked by what can only be guards. The guards settle in place easily, like they have done so a hundred times before and lead the three up to the thrones.

Kara takes a moment to study each person, hoping it will at least slightly ease her anxiety. A smiling, kind looking man sits to the left of the center throne, looking at her with unbridled interest. There is a young, scowling girl on the right that does not look like she is much older than Kara wearing shorts and a shirt that is still wet with sweat. The woman who must be the Queen is sitting regally in the center looks her over curiously before turning her attention to Kal. She gestures and Kal walks forward, quietly telling her to follow him. They stop at the steps before the thrones.

Kal bows to her and hastily Kara copies him. They rise when Kal gets some verbal cue to do so from the Queen.

“Not that it isn’t good to see you Superman, but what are you doing here? Usually when you want to meet with us, you make sure to send a messenger ahead to tell us.” The Queen asks. Kara shifts again, the fact that she cannot understand their language making her more uneasy and anxious.

“This is my cousin, Kara.” Kal says, making her perk up at the sound of her name. “She just landed on Earth and I can't take care of her. The only ones I can think of that I trust to are you.” He explains their situation as the trio listen, their faces twisting with sympathy for the young alien girl with too much on her shoulders.

“She is your cousin?” The man asks, leaning forward. “Does she have the same abilities as you?”

“I don’t know, she just got here and I immediately took her to you.” Kal says. “Please, will you take her in?”

“We must discuss it. Give us a moment.” The Queen says and Kal nods in understanding.

They may have helped him when he was figuring out his powers and they may be good friends and better allies, but this is a rather large favor he's asking of them.

He walks back to the entrance to the room with Kara, who looks at him curiously. “They are discussing it now, whether they will take you in.”

Kara nods and looks over at the family with wide eyes. These are the people her cousin wants to leave her with? A royal family? She is no stranger to being high in a hierarchy, being from the Great House of El, but being royalty is another thing entirely.

They speak their foreign tongue, their voices just loud enough to reach Kara's ears, though she cannot understand a word they are saying. She focuses on their body language and the tones of their voices instead. The young woman seems to be pleading with the Queen, who looks hesitant. Kara cannot tell if she is pleading for her to say yes or say no. The man chimes in and the women both stop look at him with calm understanding in their eyes.

Kara wonders what he said to make them respond like that and is on the verge of asking Kal, who is looking at her with sympathy for some reason, when the Queen speaks loud enough that Kara knows they are meant to hear. With a gesture of Kal’s hand as he moves towards them, she understands that they want them to approach again.

Have they already made their decision? Kara fiddles with her fingers and avoids their gazes. In her thirteen year life (well, if she does not include her time in the Phantom Zone), she has seen very few decisions made this quickly, and none of them have been good news for her or for her planet.

A hand on her shoulder makes her head snap up at the sudden touch, looking at the three people in front of her.

“They said yes,” Kal-El murmurs gratefully. “They are going to introduce themselves now.”

“Will you stay?” Kara asks hopefully.

Kal frowns and Kara tries not to show how much that reaction makes her throat close up and the pit in her stomach grows a little more. “No, I cannot. I am sorry, Kara. I have my own life to get back to in another city. I am a hero there, I help people. I cannot stay away for long. I have a job and a girlfriend to get back to. I promise that I will visit when I can, and send letters when I cannot.”

Kara nods and turns her attention to the three people now standing in front of their thrones, smiling down at her. Even the young woman is smiling at her, a small one that she returns.

“Eliza Danvers,” the Queen greets her with an outstretched hand. Kara presses her palm against the Queen’s hesitantly and Kara gives her a shy grin when she laughs. She enunciates it and repeats her name again and Kara hesitantly says it to her, making her smile even wider.

“Jeremiah Danvers,” the man introduces himself with the same gesture.

He seems just as amused as the Queen was when she presses her palm to his, wondering if she is doing this wrong somehow and if they find it too endearing to correct her. He repeats it like Eliza did and beams proudly at her when she stumbles over the pronunciation of his name.

The young woman is the last of them to introduce herself and surprises Kara by throwing her arms around her instead of the palm greeting. She pulls away and her smile is slightly bigger than before.

“Alex Danvers. I’m your new big sister!” She says enthusiastically.

Kara doesn’t understand what she says after the now familiar name ‘Danvers.’ She wonders why they all have it in their names. Perhaps it is a way of discerning Houses like they did on Krypton. She does not mind when Alex stays by her side while the others talk in a language she does not understand.

“Superman, we need you to write down your powers and at what age you started to develop them,” Eliza says. “We will need to be prepared.”

A man rushes up to Kal and hands him paper on a clipboard, a quill, and ink.

“Of course,” Kal agrees. “Here is my address and a device that I created that will immediately contact me in case there is ever an emergency.”

“Fascinating. How does it work?” Jeremiah asks, studying the device.

“I am not entirely sure. I had a friend assist me in making it.” Kal says honestly.

“There is a room being prepared for you both, hers across from Alex’s and yours in your usual room. Will you be staying here long?” Eliza asks before they can get lost in talking about science and technology.

“No, not long. I have to get back to Metropolis soon. I plan on staying for two nights, making sure Kara settles in.” Kara perks up at her name and looks at them curiously. “Kara, they will teach you about Earth and how to live on this planet, as well as how to speak their language. Jeremiah has been developing a book that translates Kryptonian into their language.”

“He can speak Kryptonian?” Kara asks, surprised.

“Not well,” Kal-El laughs. “I am going to get your pod so they can put it in storage. Will you be okay with them?”

Kara nods, not trusting her voice to betray her fears and concerns about being alone with them so soon. They are kind while Kal is gone, with Jeremiah asking her in crude Kryptonian whether she is hungry. When she nods, he rushes off and comes back with a plate full of food that she has never seen before. She eats it cautiously at first with the odd utensils they provide her, but when she realizes that it is good and that she is hungry, eats it all quickly enough to make Alex gape at her.

Jeremiah laughs happily and has a guard run off, coming back with another plateful of food. Kara gradually gets more used to their presence and when Kal comes back, he grins when he sees that she is relaxing.

True to his word, Kal stays for as long as he can before his worries about his city outweigh his concerns about his cousin, who has been doing surprisingly well.

She is smarter than he expected and has picked up English faster than he thought possible. Already, after just three days, she can have basic stilted conversations with the Danvers’ and understands more about this world. He doesn’t hide how proud he is of her when she gets something right. She feels like the little sister he never knew he wanted. Kara's already learning about how much the yellow sun increases her powers; she had discovered her strength on her first day when she accidentally ground a spoon into dust. Alex has been helping her a lot; from teaching her to control her powers to helping her learn English to helping her understand the Earth and the Kingdom they live in.

She knows now that they are in the Danvers Kingdom and that Kingdoms around here are usually named after the last name of the ruling family. She knows that the Danvers Kingdom was the first to be openly pro-alien and accepting of alien refugees. She knows that Alex is a Squire training under the head of their military, J’onn J’onzz, who was the first openly alien person in the military fifty years ago after the Danvers family announced themselves as pro-alien.

And now the time has come for Kal to leave, after staying one more day than he intended to, and Kara is clinging to him in front of the castle’s main entrance. The Danvers family is nearby in the gardens Eliza carefully maintains, watching them.

She's not crying but somehow that fact makes it worse. He wishes he could be there for her like she promised to be there for him but he just… he just can't. Kal isn’t ready for that level of responsibility, he isn’t as strong as she is and he's nearly twice her age. “This is not goodbye, Kara.” He murmurs, hoping his words will make her feel at least a little bit better. “This is ‘see you later.’”

After another few minutes of hugging, Kara loosens her tight grip on Kal (he would never complain about a tight hug, though he is starting to think she might grow to become stronger than him). She lets him go with a sniffle and he smiles sadly down at her before taking off towards Metropolis.

Chapter Text

Alex dodges the green fist flying at her, moving out of J’onn’s range so she can watch him move. She keeps light on her feet, glad she's used to keeping up with Kara when she sees him coming towards her with superspeed. She blocks it and despite the fact J’onn always holds his strength back, the impact still makes her grit her teeth. Alex sweeps her legs, making him fall. Her smirk of satisfaction quickly falls when she sees him stop himself by floating an inch above the ground and righting himself in the air before his feet touch the ground.

“J’onn, using your flying powers is cheating!” She grumbles.

He just smiles proudly at her and they both look up when they hear the sound of approaching footsteps. Kara's walking toward them, but the furrow in her brow tells Alex that she's not here to make small talk or demand that they join her and her friends for food.

“Is anything wrong, Kara?” J’onn asks worriedly.

“No, no. At least I don’t think so. Eliza wants us to get ready for dinner.”

Alex groans and Kara gives her a sympathetic look, knowing how much her sister hates it. Whenever Eliza sends someone to tell them to get ready for dinner, its code for “I have an announcement/guest and you should wear a dress, Alexandra.” Alex doesn’t really mind wearing a dress, she just likes to on her own time when she actually wants to. Not because there's a stuffy diplomat kissing her mom’s ass at every opportunity. She hates that almost as much as she hates people calling her Alexandra.

“Come on Alex, I’ll help you pick something out.” Kara suggests with a smile. Alex nods and walks over to her sister. “Oh and um, J’onn, Eliza wants you at dinner too.”

J’onn looks surprised, “I cannot imagine why if there is a diplomat. I have heard he is from the Luthor Kingdom and is as pleasant as their ruler.”

“Lillian’s falling apart, has been since Lex was killed.” Alex remarks. As the closest threat to their Kingdom and as a major threat to Kara, she's been having her spies watch the Luthor Kingdom closely. “She's in a downward spiral. There's no way she’ll be in power too much longer.”

“I wonder if her daughter’s more accepting,” Kara muses. “We really don’t hear much about her.” She shakes her head. “Anyway, I’m sure he won't be displaying his xenophobia here. Everyone knows how the Danvers family’s accepting of aliens. Now Alex, let’s go! Dinner will be ready soon and I don’t want to be late!”

Kara drags Alex along toward the castle until she could jog fast enough to keep up with Kara's fast pace.

“The food isn’t going anywhere, Kara.” Alex teases. “It’ll still be warm if we get there thirty seconds late.” Kara pouts at her sister until Alex rolls her eyes. “I know, I know. I’ll be quick, Kara. I have you to help me.”

“Ooh,” Kara exclaims. She's practically skipping as she walks backwards to face Alex, who's significantly less excited. “You should wear the blue dress, you look great in that.”

“I don’t want another creepy old guy staring at my boobs again. Mom won't be happy if I break another diplomat’s fingers.” Alex replies drily.

Kara nods thoughtfully, “Yeah. He definitely deserved that, though. Okay, what about that long black dress?”

Alex considers it. She always feels great in that particular dress, and it doesn’t expose too much. “Fine. Now go change into your own dress, you excitable puppy.”

Kara beams at her sister and bounces off, skipping towards her room across the hall from Alex's. Alex shakes her head in amusement and goes into her room to change. When she reemerges, she meets up with Kara, who looks as eager as she always does for the way-too-common fancy dinners. She's wearing her dark blue dress and pushes up her glasses, grinning at her sister.

“How are those glasses? Are they any better?” Alex asks after deciding that walking to the dining table in silence would be way too boring for her.

Kara has been wearing glasses since a few days after she fell to Earth. Jeremiah and Eliza had developed the lead-lined glasses for Kal-El when he came to them about his powers and they happily made one for Kara. Alex has been trying to improve them in her lab, especially since Kara has a bat habit of breaking them when she fiddles with them nervously. Alex has been working on making it more Kara-proof, and the latest version she deemed ready for Kara to try out only a few days ago.

“It’s been great! I got nervous talking to J’onn about my powers yesterday and they didn’t break!” Kara says cheerfully.

“Good,” Alex responds.

She tries not to let her pride at her improvements that apparently work better than she expected show but she knows Kara notices anyways.

Alex holds the door to the dining room open for Kara. The guards used to insist on doing it for her, but after she knocked one of them out for implying she can't open doors for herself because she's a princess, they’ve left her alone. She takes a slightly calming breath before heading inside.

She resists the urge to scowl when she sees who the diplomat is. The universe must hate her because of course, out of all the pompous idiots it just has to be Maxwell Lord. He smiles cockily when he sees her, straightening his suit.

“Alexandra, it’s lovely to see you again.” Maxwell says, giving her what she assumes he thinks is a charming smile, but it just makes him look constipated.

“It’s Sir Alex to you.” She barely manages keep the ice from her tone. It’s only Kara's hand on her arm that keeps her from betraying how much she loathes him.

“Sir Alex, then.” He smiles again, stressing her title in a way that makes Alex want to punch him in the face.

Kara and Alex make their way over to Eliza, who's sitting at the head of the table with Jeremiah to the left of her. Kara sits to the right of her and Alex sits next to her sister, relieved to see that J’onn is sitting across from her. Sometimes, when Eliza wants to set her up with some arrogant rich boy, she’ll make them sit across from her.

The chefs bring out the food and set it in front of them. Eliza takes the first bite and then everyone else picks up their utensils and begins eating as well.
As much as Alex wishes she could just stuff her face and leave, she knows her mother is going to make some kind of dramatic announcement soon. Sure enough, after everyone has finished eating and some of the servants are clearing away the dishes, Eliza straightens her posture and waits for all eyes to be on her before she speaks.

“I’m sure you are all wondering why I've gathered you here today. It isn’t just because of Mister Lord’s visit. We would like to announce that we're getting another person to join the Guard.”

That’s hardly news. The Guard here either stays for years or transfer after a few weeks, so there must be something more to it.

“Alex,” Jeremiah says, making her look over to him. “She will be working alongside you with your research and work. J’onn, she will be working under you.”

Alex doesn’t miss the pronouns her father’s using and keeps her face carefully blank so she doesn’t show her surprise. While having female Knights has become more common, especially since she was knighted, there still aren’t very many. And for this Knight to be joining them here, working with J’onn and the DEO (which is what they call the group of Knights and Guards that study aliens), she must be really good.

“Good,” J’onn nods in approval. “We could use another brilliant mind on our team.”

“She?” Maxwell inquires, leaning back in his chair. Alex clenches her jaw and hopes he doesn’t say something sexist again, because she won't hesitate to punch him. “You know, I don’t think girls should be Knights. It’s a dangerous job and the… frailty of women just doesn’t do well with that.”

Alex glares at him, wishing she had heat vision like Kara. She really wants to melt that smirk off his face.

“This frail woman happens to be Queen of this Kingdom,” Eliza says calmly. “One of my daughters happens to be a Knight, and an amazing one at that. If you can't accept that women can be exceptional and strong, perhaps you should leave.”

Maxwell’s eyes go comically wide and he hastily bows his head. “Apologies, Your Majesty. I meant no disrespect.” Alex wants to yell ‘bullshit’ at him, but somehow manages to hold her tongue.

“Speak like that again and you will never set foot in this castle again,” Elisa threatens in an impressively calm tone.

“Yes ma’am.” Maxwell bows his head to her. “May I ask if I can have the lovely Danvers sisters show me around the city?”

Alex raises her eyebrows, unable to stop her reaction. He's been here a few times (sadly) and she knows he's been to National City. He must be up to something. She looks to J’onn, whose calm expression betrays nothing but his eyes do. He's thinking the same thing as her. She exchanges a look with him and he nods subtly. She knows he will be increasing the number of guards around the castle during the rest of Maxwell’s stay.

“If they want to, I'm okay with it.” Eliza says.

“Oh, Alex can we?” Kara asks, her eyes shining.

“Sure,” Alex responds, looking at Maxwell with thinly veiled suspicion.

Kara really doesn’t get out too much, with her busy training schedule. She works out and tests her powers in the DEO facility daily as well as helping Eliza and Jeremiah with political things.

J’onn clears his throat and looks to Eliza. “Now that that’s settled, who is this woman you were talking about earlier? Who's going to be joining our team?”

“Sir Maggie Sawyer.”

Chapter Text

"Sir Maggie Sawyer."

J'onn lights up slightly, but since he's such a stoic man it's really obvious. Especially to Alex, who has been working with him for years. "Sir Maggie? I have heard of her, she's an incredible knight. We'll be lucky to have her with us."

Now Alex is even more intrigued. J'onn rarely ever has high praise for people, let alone people he's never met.

"When will she be arriving?" Alex asks.

"Tomorrow," Jeremiah answers.

Alex's eyes widen. That means the DEO will have to do a lot to prepare for her arrival, she won't be getting much sleep tonight if any at all. They have so much paperwork to print out, a new room to prepare...

"The others and I will take care of it, Alex." J'onn tells her before she can think more about all they have to do. She frowns at him and is about to object when he speaks again. "You are going to be spending the day tomorrow with Kara showing Mr. Lord around. You will need your rest."

"I hate mind reading." Alex grumbles, though J'onn knows her so well by now he probably didn't need to.

"Let's go to bed, Alex." Kara says quickly. "It's getting late."

Alex frowns deeper. Kara usually isn't like this; dessert hasn't even been served yet. And she isn't mad at J'onn or ready to yell at anyone to make her sister so desperate to get her out of here so something else must be going on. Her eyes immediately go to Maxwell, who's unabashedly staring at her with hunger.

Alex's skin crawls and her jaw clenches and she knows Kara can hear her heartbeat increase as her anger rises closer and closer to the surface but she can't bring herself to care. Her fists tighten in her lap. Now J'onn has inevitably caught on, he once told her that he automatically tunes into her thoughts and emotions whenever she's distressed and he's nearby.

"Alex," J'onn says. "Perhaps it is best if you two go to sleep."

Not wanting to ruin the day by punching Maxwell Lord in the face (even though he more than deserves it), Alex stands and lets out a quiet, shaky breath.

"Fine, let's go Kara. Goodnight everyone," she nods politely. "Maxwell, I will see you tomorrow."

He smirks at her in that infuriatingly cocky way that makes her want to march over there and tell him what she really thinks of him. She refrains (barely).

Alex gives her parents a kiss on the cheek, following her sister's example automatically, before following Kara out the door. Kara takes her hand and they walk down the halls until they get outside Alex's room.

"Are you okay?" Kara asks worriedly.

Alex gives her the most genuine smile she can muster up. "I will be, yeah. I just hate having that creep look at me." She lets out a breath. "At least you'll be with me tomorrow. I don't know what I would do without you."

"Break his nose," Kara teases with a grin, making Alex laugh. "Maybe his arm too if he tries to touch you."

"That's true," Alex admits. "No promises, Kara. And I'm wearing my armor." She says with finality.

"Your cool armor?" Kara gasps excitedly.

"My cool armor," Alex confirms.

"But you said it's just a prototype! You haven't even let me see it!"

"It's ready for its first field test."

The "cool armor" as Kara has been calling it, has been Alex's side project for the past year. She hasn't let anyone see it or read her notes aside from J'onn. She finally got it all together and ready for its first test about a week ago, but she's been so busy training and trying to find a particular alien that's annoyingly good at hiding that she hasn't had time to test it. Alex has made sure that it's light enough for her to move around freely in and tough enough to withstand a sword strike, but testing hasn't gone further yet.

"Oh, this is going to be so awesome." Kara bounces up and down excitedly.

"It would be more awesome if we didn't have to be around him," Alex sighs.

"We can ditch him if he gets too terrible." Kara suggests.

"You would risk Mom and Dad yelling at you?" Alex asks, surprised.

Kara isn't always a sticker to the rules (after all, she did fly Alex around the Danvers Kingdom one night when they were younger) but it's not often that she does something that could incur the wrath of Eliza and Jeremiah.

"It's better than having to listen to him saying prejudiced things." Kara says, fiddling with her glasses. "Sometimes I want to punch him too."

"Ma'ams?" A hesitant voice says.

Alex automatically straightens up and looks over to see Vasquez walking towards them carrying an unsealed cardboard box.

"Vasquez," she greets.

"J'onn told me to take this to you. Goodnight." Vasquez gives them a smile and then heads back the way she came.

"Goodnight." Alex responds absentmindedly. What could this be?

She opens up the flaps and rolls her eyes. Of course J'onn knows she wanted to try it out tomorrow. She hadn't even thought about it at the dinner table, so he must have just known.

"What is it?" Kara asks curiously, peering over her shoulder.

"It's my armor," Alex says.

"It's... Black." Kara remarks, cocking her head.

If anyone else said that, Alex would take offense but she knows that Kara is just surprised.

"So is most of the other things I wear," Alex points out.

The DEO doesn't regulate what their agents/knights wear (the title depends entirely on whether or not the person has been knighted or not). However, most people Alex works with wear black because of their own preferences. Not to mention the fact that it makes it a lot easier to pick out someone on your side in the field when they're all wearing similar or the same color.

Personally, Alex loves wearing black. It makes her feel more confident in her own skin, like she can blend into the shadows easier. So of course she made her armor in that color.

"That's true," Kara nods and smiles at her. "We should go to bed soon if you want to be able to wake up in the morning, Alex."

Alex grumbles good-naturedly and pokes her sister in the side, wishing not for the first time that Kara could be ticklish. Kara giggles nonetheless, humoring her sister.

"Goodnight, Kara."

"Goodnight!" She kisses Alex's cheek. "If I don't hear you up by eight, I'll wake you up myself."

Alex groans, making Kara laugh. She goes into her room, closing her door behind her which muffles the sound of her laughter. Alex rolls her eyes but knows Kara's "threat" is probably for the best.

Alex hates waking up early, always has. She's gotten good at it because of her work at the DEO, but she doesn't hate it any less than she did when she was a teenager. If it were up to Alex, she would sleep in much later, especially with her tendency to work into the wee hours of the morning.

And Kara's method of waking her up is less than pleasant. At first when she was hesitant about touching anything because she was afraid of breaking things, Kara would wake her up by singing some beautiful Kryptonian song about Rao. Now that she has control over her powers, she jumps on Alex's bed until she gets up. She's broken four of Alex's beds that way.

Alex sighs and slips out of her dress, hoping she'll be able to wake up before eight. Her current bed can't take too much more and it's always really embarrassing to ask for a new bed. She knows her parents believe her about how Kara broke it, but some of the guards give her knowing looks like they think she broke a different way. Like she would ever let a man touch her like that, she scoffs.

Alex pulls on her sleep clothes and blows out the lone, flickering candle on her bedside table and crawls into bed. She sinks into her covers with a happy sigh, pulling her quilt up to her face and snuggling in.

As Kara likes to tease her about, it's not exactly a sleeping position you would imagine her in. Whenever she does that, Alex reminds her she sleeps with her blankets wrapped around her like a cocoon.

Kara usually relents after that, but sometimes she keeps teasing her until Alex uses logic on her. The way Alex sleeps is comfortable and she can quickly get up if she needs to. Plus she has easy access to her sheathed knife she keeps under her pillow.

Alex falls asleep quickly, exhausted by the day and the mere thought that she has to spend the next day with Maxwell Lord.

***

Somehow, Alex does manage to wake up before eight. Barely. She's woken up by Kara bursting into her room, grinning at her sister when she pouts at seeing that Alex is awake.

"Ha, take that Kara." She mumbles as she ungracefully rolls out of bed.

"Come on, come on! Breakfast is waiting for us!" Kara says, bouncing up and down.

Alex shoos her sister out of her room so she can get dressed, promising to meet her at the dining table for breakfast.

She puts on her armor, moving around a bit to make sure it fits as well as she remembers, getting used to the feel of the material on her skin. Alex proudly looks down at her work. It doesn't even look like armor, it looks like ordinary clothes she would wear.

She puts on her utility belt and after a moment of debate, grabs her swords too. Lord is planning something and it's best that she's prepared. She sheathes them in her second favorite place to keep them, in a holster attached to her back. She prefers to keep them on her waist but shrugs, figuring having her tool belt is more important than having her swords there.

She heads out to breakfast, barely managing to escape from Maxwell Lord when she sees him walking in the hallway. Alex sighs in relief when she's safely seated next to her sister, away from the obnoxious man they'll have to be around for at least a few hours.

She finishes faster than normal, just wanting to get the rest of the day over with and spends the rest of the time watching Kara devour a lot of food.

They walk to the entrance of the castle, where they meet Lord, his smug expression making Alex even more suspicious than usual. Luckily for him, he doesn't remark on her appearance or Kara's. She's not in the mood to deal with his superiority complex or any of his many other flaws. She's more in the mood to punch him where it hurts if he gets out of line.

Knowing that he hates horses from their too many discussions together where he talks and Alex tries not to punch him, she doesn't offer to ride to National City. It's not far, they just have to walk outside of the castle walls and they're in National City.

Alex makes sure they don't walk too slowly; she doesn't want to spend any more time around him than she has to. Kara does most of the talking, telling Maxwell little facts about the places they pass. Some people stop them to greet Kara or Alex, being the princesses of the kingdom has them well liked and respected.

Eventually, Kara's stomach growls so often that Alex makes her go get some food. Alex isn't hungry yet and Maxwell claims he isn't either but she suspects that he just wants her alone. They stay where they are so Kara can find them easily but Alex has a bad feeling about all of this. Maxwell's looking around like he's looking for something. Or someone. Alex rests her hands on her daggers, ready for a fight if he's foolish enough to initiate one.

She can see that Kara is cheerfully walking towards them, eating potstickers.

"Kara," Alex murmurs. Kara looks at her and pauses. "I think something is going to happen soon. Keep an eye out." Kara nods.

Maxwell's eyes rest on one place and his smirk grows. Alex looks over in time to see two daggers being hurled at her by a cloaked figure.

Chapter Text

Kara doesn't think; she just reacts. She doesn't think of the consequences, of what might happen to her.

The only thing that's running through her mind is that she has to save Alex. The world slows down to a crawl as Kara uses her superspeed and runs in front of Alex, putting herself between her sister and the daggers. They bounce harmlessly off of her raised arms, ricocheting to the ground.

In the confusion, its silent and it feels like everyone is holding their breaths, waiting for something else to happen

Kara, on the other hand, is angry in a way she rarely lets herself be. She scowls at the hooded figure and stalks over to them, pushing back the hood to reveal a dumbfounded white man she doesn't recognize. She grabs him by the ear and drags him back toward Alex, knowing her sister will want to hear this.

Alex has Maxwell Lord by the arm, pressing it into his back and holding back just enough so his arm doesn't break. Yet.

Kara pushes the man, making him stumble while she takes her place next to her sister.

"You tried to kill my sister," she accuses.

The man doesn't confirm or deny it; he just stays silent until he pulls another dagger from a hidden sleeve in his coat.

He moves quickly for a human, thrusting the dagger at Kara's gut. Kara doesn't even flinch as the dagger shatters against her stomach.

"What the-" the guy says.

Alex lets go of Maxwell and cuts the man off with an uppercut to the jaw that makes his head snap back. He drops to the ground, unconscious.

"That's for trying to hurt Kara. Idiot." Alex resists the urge to spit on him.

"What are you?" Maxwell asks, looking terrified.

Alex freezes and pales, looking around, remembering they have an audience. Crap. There are so many witnesses, so many citizens staring at the Danvers sisters. Even J'onn won't be able to cover this up. Shit. Maybe they can say its new armor or something.

Alex mutters expletives under her breath that at any other time would make Kara blush but the intensity of the situation isn't lost on her.

"Princess Kara?" A citizen asks hesitantly. "Are you and Sir Alex alright?"

"We're okay," Kara says reassuringly.

A glint in the sunlight catches her eye and she sees someone who somehow managed to get a gun aiming subtly at them. Before Kara can shoot it out of their hand, they fire and the explosive sound has all of the citizens panicking and ducking for cover.

Kara focuses and can watch the bullet's approach. The familiar burning behind her eyes comes and for once, she welcomes it. She uses her heat vision to disintegrate it midair and then trains her vision on the person who shot at them. His clothes catch fire and he screeches, frantically trying to pat himself out. Some nearby citizens help him put it out before restraining him and bringing him over to Kara and Alex.

"Thank you," Kara smiles.

"We should go back to the castle, Kara. Everyone's going to want to know about this." Alex says.

"Do you need help taking them with you?" A citizen asks.

Kara cocks her head, listening. "No, thank you. There are some guards coming here. They can help us out."

The citizen nods, looking dumbfounded. Alex has to admit, they're taking it better than she expected. Though that could just be the shock. Now that she thinks about it, it probably is the shock. So they should get going as soon as possible.

Thee guards come over a few moments later, answering Alex's silent hopes. They pause when they see the Danvers sisters, then rush forward.

"Ma'ams, are you okay?" A guard asks, looking them over.

"We're fine," Kara says in a soothing tone. "But we need to get these three back to the castle. J'onn can deal with them."

The female guard looks at their prisoners with pity. No one wants have J'onn deal with them, everyone at the castle knows he sees Alex and Kara as his own kids.

Alex pulls a rope from her tool belt, cutting off a smaller piece of it. Maxwell's eyes widen as she comes near him again, seeming to be paralyzed in fear. Alex smirks at him. Oh, she's going to enjoy this.

She roughly turns him around and yanks his hands behind his back. He yelps in surprise. Alex purposefully ties his hands together a little too tightly, glad she brought this specific rope. It's scratchy and painful and his wrists are already turning a soft pink. Though that could also be because of the decreased circulation.

The female guard takes him, looking almost as happy as Alex feels to have that skeezy man tied up. The other guard takes the terrified looking man who tried to shoot them while Kara bends over the unconscious man.

"You don't need to do that," the last guard says gently. "I can carry him back to the castle."

"No thanks," Kara says sweetly. Though Alex can hear she's annoyed that the guard so much as implied that she can't do it. "I've got this."

Kara easily slings the still passed out man over her shoulder and skips past the guard, who's jaw has dropped open. Alex doesn't let her smugness show but she's proud of her sister putting him in his place. Alex knows that even if Kara weren't Kryptonian, she's muscular and strong enough to carry the guy anyway.

A lot of people underestimate her because of her shyness or her awkwardness or her kindness. But the truth is Kara is stronger than they'll ever know. And Alex doesn't just mean physically. Kara has lived through the destruction of her planet, has heard the sound of her planet exploding behind her, lost everything. And she's somehow managed to be the compassionate, amazing person she is today. The darkness that lurks in her mind is pushed away by her blinding brilliance.

Alex and Kara walk side by side, following the guards. They head past whispering people and distrustful looks aimed at them. Alex purses her lips and it's only Kara's hand on her arm that keeps her from punching a few people. She's still tempted, though. Very tempted. Especially when she feels the hurt radiate off of her sister when a man takes a step back as she walks past him, looking scared.

"We'll talk to Mom and Dad about this, okay?" Alex murmurs, knowing Kara will hear her. "We will figure this out."

The only response she gets from Kara to show that she heard is her squeezing Alex's arm tighter for a moment but it's enough to calm Alex down more. They'll figure this out together, no matter what.

"Oh, the new girl might be there!" Kara exclaims as they walk inside the castle's gate.

"I kind of hope she isn't." Alex sighs.

"Why not?" Kara asks, worry creeping into her voice.

Alex takes a moment to think of how to word it. "I just... I don't want to have to make pleasantries with a stranger on the most stressful day of my life so far."

Kara lets out a soft "oh" in understanding. They continue walking in silence, heading to the doors that lead to the DEO.

J'onn is where he usually is, in their command center where they keep and gather all of the information. It's mostly about aliens, but not all of it. He looks up when they come in, a soft smile on his face that fades almost instantly when he sees who's with them. He rushes over, looking Alex and Kara up and down with concern. To Alex's relief, there isn't an unfamiliar face in sight. J'onn must have told her to settle in to her new room in the castle or something.

"What happened? Are you alright?"

"We're okay." Alex reassures him and then nods, giving him silent permission to read her mind.

His jaw clenches as he looks over at the three boys. "We will take them into custody. We need to find out who wants you dead and why. Until we figure that out, no leaving the castle walls."

"No way," Alex crosses her arms.

J'onn relents a moment later like she knew he would. "Very well. You will go nowhere alone. Got it, Sir Alex?"

Alex nods seriously. "Got it, sir."

"Good. Vasquez, Thompson, escort the Danvers sisters take these three to their new living quarters." J'onn orders.

The agents nods and lead the way to the rooms where they keep the empty cages. They're glass so that they can see in and see what their prisoners are doing but made of a strong material that won't break. They're small rooms, and even smaller containers for the prisoners themselves, who will get no privacy unless they're transferred to a prison.

They put the three men in, one at a tine, in separate rooms. Vasquez changes the labels on the doors and Alex writes down what they've done. She only knows Maxwell's name, so names won't help her.

"We will question Maxwell first." J'onn says and holds the door open for Alex and Kara to make their way in as well. "Sir Alex, if you would like you may start the interrogation."

He walks in behind them and shuts the door, missing Alex's happy grin.

"Maxwell Lord," Alex drawls. "I have to say, I'm liking your new home. Suits you."

Maxwell scoffs and paces, the small enclosure only allowing him to take a few steps before he has to turn around.

"This wasn't supposed to happen," he grumbles unhappily. He speaks loud enough for all of them to hear them.

"And what was supposed to happen? My death?" Alex guesses, taking a step forward and making him reflexively take a step back. "Kara's death? Yeah, I don't think so." She pauses, letting the tension in the room get to him before she continues. "Who do you work for?"

Chapter Text

“Who do you work for?”

Maxwell scoffs at her, “Wouldn’t you like to know.”

“Yes,” Alex responds calmly. “I would.” She takes a step forward and his back hits the back of his cage in his efforts to get away from her. “So either you tell me now, or you find out exactly what I can do to make you talk.”

Maxwell pales and stumbles over, sitting on the bed. “Okay, okay. It was CADMUS.”

J’onn and Alex frown and exchange a look. They have never heard of the organization, and it’s not on any of their lists of known enemies, at least that they can think of. Alex makes a mental note to talk to Winn after she and Kara talk to their parents.

“Who is the leader of CADMUS?” Alex asks.

Maxwell vigorously shakes his head, looking even more terrified. Alex is almost insulted that there's someone he fears more than her. “I won't tell you, I can't. She’ll kill me.”

So a woman leads it? Alex makes a mental note of that as well.

“Why does CADMUS want Kara and me dead?” Alex asks.

“You and your family are pro-alien,” he states like that explains it all. “You’ve gone as far as allowing them to live among you, to give them citizenship.” Maxwell spits out, his lip curling up in disgust. His eyes go to Kara and he sneers at her. “Though now I understand why. You have your own pet alien.”

Alex's jaw clenches and she resists the urge to burst in there and punch him. That’s her sister he's talking about.

“I suggest you keep your xenophobia to yourself if you want to survive.” J’onn says lowly. “You're only here until we have no more use for you. Then we will send you to a high security prison. And in the Danvers Kingdom, we don’t segregate our prisons so you will be put in with aliens and humans alike.”

His words make Maxwell blanch and Alex enjoys the horror on his face.

They're stopped from asking any more questions by Vasquez, who walks in hastily. “Ma’ams, the Queen wants to talk to you both. J’onn, she says you're welcome to come.”

J’onn nods and they walk out of the room. He gives orders to Vasquez before they leave the DEO to keep an eye on the prisoners. They head to the castle’s main entrance, none of them bothering to greet any guards as they hurry to throne room.

They slow down as they near it and Alex silently prays to whatever deity that her mom won't yell at her, even though she knows it’s more than likely.

“Alexandra Danvers,” her mother’s voice booms, echoing loudly.

Alex winces and Kara puts a hand on her back, smiling at her sister comfortingly. She can see the disapproving look from here and it gets worse as they get closer, especially when Alex sees the concern on her father’s face. She fidgets nervously with the sleeve of her armor.

“What happened?” Jeremiah asks worriedly from his throne.

Kara and Alex explain with J’onn standing stoically by their side.

“Kara, you revealed yourself.” Eliza sighs, leaning back.

“I know, I just couldn’t let Alex…” She trails off, looking at the ground in front of her.

“Kara, I would’ve been fine.” Alex tells her quietly. “I’m wearing my armor, it wouldn’t have hurt me.”

“No Alex, you wouldn’t have been.” Kara says, her voice wavering slightly.

“What do you mean?” Alex asks.

“They aimed at your head, not your armor. Alex, if I hadn’t stepped in, you would be…”

Kara swallows and blinks rapidly against the tears in her eyes. Alex reacts immediately and pulls her sister into her arms, holding her while she lets some of the tears fall.

“I never did thank you for saving my life.” Alex murmurs in her ear.

Kara lets out a watery laugh, “I’m just glad you're okay.”

Eliza lets out a quiet sigh as the sisters break apart but keeps holding each other’s hand as a silent comfort.

“We need to figure out what we’re going to do next,” she says. “This is not something that will just go away. We should release something so that the rumors and speculation doesn’t get out of hand.”

Kara's eyes light up, “You mean-”

“Oh, my ears are burning.” A voice drawls from behind them, the confident click of heels getting closer and closer.

Kara lets go of Alex's hand and launches herself at the visitor with a happy squeal. She hugs an amused Cat Grant, who to Alex's surprise, actually hugs back. She knew they were on good terms and like each other (which is shocking in and of itself because Cat Grant likes very few people), but she didn’t expect the hugging. They pull apart and Kara walks alongside her towards the thrones.

“Cat! You're here!” Kara says excitedly, practically bouncing up and down.

“Of course I’m here,” Cat says like it’s obvious but smiles at her. “You just revealed yourself to the public as an alien.”

“Thank you for coming, Miss Grant.” Eliza says formally. “We hope you can listen to us and print the truth to minimize the backlash.”

“I always print the truth,” Cat remarks. “Now Kara, feel free to let me know if there is anything you say that you don’t want me to put in the article. Speaking of which, Your Majesty, would it be alright if I stay here while I write it?”

“Of course.” Eliza waves her hand at a guard, who rushes off to prepare Cat’s preferred guest room. “And I trust you will allow us to read over it before you print it?”

“Yes, and I will make whatever changes are needed.” Cat bows her head before turning to Kara. “So Kara…”

***

Kara relays her story about Krypton and everything that’s happened while Cat takes extensive notes. Which is about as boring and tedious as it sounds. But Alex stays for Kara, sitting on her throne because there's no way she's standing for hours listening to that. J’onn stays as well and they refrain from speaking, even though Alex wants to know what the plan is, what they're going to do next.

“This is more than enough for an entire newspaper,” Cat says happily when Kara's done talking. “One last thing, Kara. Any plans to become a hero like your cousin?”

The room falls silent and Alex’s brain screeches to a halt. Kara, becoming a superhero? She's been told her entire time here to hide her powers, to work in the shadows despite wanting to help people.

“I would like to,” Kara admits. “But I would want to do it like Kal-El, by having a superhero name and a suit or something. It’s something we’ll all have to discuss, though. Um, if you wouldn’t mind not putting that in until we decide something that would be great.”

“Of course,” Cat nods. “I’ll get started in my room and let you all talk about this.”

Eliza waits until Cat is out of sight until she speaks. “Kara, no. It’s too dangerous, just today people tried to kill you and your sister.”

“But I’ll be able to help people,” Kara protests. “Just like Kal, I-I want to do it.”

“She can work with the DEO,” Alex suggests.

Kara nods and gives Alex a grateful look. Jeremiah is looking at his adoptive daughter thoughtfully while Eliza frowns.

“Pardon me for interrupting,” J'onn says and all eyes are trained on him. “Ultimately, it is Kara's choice. I know this is something she has wanted and something you two have fought against. However, her secret is out. There is no point in her hiding who she is anymore. Knowing Kara, it does not matter if you forbid her from doing this. This is something she feels strongly about and will do anyways. It is safer for you to concede and allow her to work with us.”

“I’m alright with it,” Jeremiah says. “It’s up to you, sweetie. Just promise you’ll try to be safe.”

“I will,” Kara beams at him.

“Very well,” Eliza sighs after a few minutes of silence. “I can't stop you, I know that. And I think a suit is a wonderful idea. You should go to Winn, that boy is a magnificent craftsman. I’m sure he would happy to make it. We can tell Miss Grant while you do that.”

“Thank you!” Kara hugs Eliza and Jeremiah.

“Alex and I will join you. We need to speak to Winn as well.” J'onn says.

Kara nods and practically skips towards where Winn works in the castle. He is their head nerd, in Alex's words. He researches aliens, among other things and is Kara's best friend.

“Winn?” Kara calls as she pulls open the door to his office, which is connected to the library (something he insisted on).

“Kara!”

Winn’s head comes out from behind the many large stacks of books and papers on his desk. It’s gotten so bad that he has a second desk where he has space to actually work.

“Hey! Have you heard what happened?” Kara asks.

“Yeah, I'm glad you're both okay. So what are you all here for?”

Alex gestures for Kara to go first. “I want you to make me a Supersuit.”

Winn's mouth drops open and he stares at her in shock. “You… You want me to make you a Supersuit?” He lets out a breath and beams at Kara. “Man that is awesome! Do you have any ideas on what it should look like?”

“Nope,” Kara says cheerfully. “I’m giving you creative freedom! Just nothing skimpy.”

“Who even says skimpy anymore?” Winn teases, making Kara laugh and playfully punch his arm. “Alright, I've got an idea. I’m guessing you want a skirt?”

“Yeah!”

Winn sketches and speaks without looking up at them. “So Alex, J'onn, what do you want?”

“Tell us about CADMUS,” Alex says.

Chapter Text

“Tell us about CADMUS.”

“Sadly, we don’t know much.” Winn stops sketching and looks up at Alex and J'onn. “They’re an anti-alien group that believes that aliens should be exterminated. It’s believed that it originated in the Luthor Kingdom. They have not been behind any large scale events, but I think they're dangerous.”

“They are,” Alex replies. “They’re the ones that tried to kill Kara and me today.”

Winn’s eyes go wide. “Dang, I did not expect that. Why? Did they know about Kara being a Kryptonian?”

“Not until she revealed herself. They tried to kill us because we’re pro-alien.”

J’onn frowns, “That is what makes little sense to me. Why try to kill you simply because of that?”

“I have no idea. Maybe they're just… not smart,” Winn suggests.

“I doubt it,” Alex murmurs.

She isn’t one to underestimate her enemies and she has a gut feeling that whatever they are up to, it isn’t good. By not good, she means that they could be plotting the deaths of all aliens everywhere. The Luthor Kingdom is known for its’ smart yet calloused people. Alex has little doubt that this CADMUS is a problem that will go away on its own.

She exchanges a look with J’onn and knows he is thinking the same thing.

“Do you know anything else?” J'onn prompts.

“I think so, hang on.” Winn frowns and picks up a nearby leather bound journal, flipping through it. “Aha! Here it is. Um, it says here that CADMUS is backed financially by…” He takes a breath and says, “Lillian Luthor, the devil’s incarnate. Here’s a picture of her.”

Alex looks at the slightly yellowed paper at the drawing of a wrinkled, scowling woman that seems to be giving her a death glare even when she's a sketch.

“She certainly looks like the devil’s incarnate,” Alex mutters.

Winn hums in response, drawing again. “So not like this, Kara?”

Kara leans over his shoulder and gasps. “Winn!”

She smacks his shoulder as he laughs. Curious, Alex looks and smirks at her blushing sister. He drew an outline of Kara and then added what appears to be a very revealing bikini.

“The abs is a nice touch,” Alex remarks. Kara gives her sister an affronted look. “What? Yours are way better, anyway.”

“Wait, you actually have abs?” Winn gapes at Kara.

Kara adjusts her glasses and gives him a shy smile that makes Alex look away, not wanting to see Winn’s heart eyes for her sister again. It’s a hopeless crush that she hopes he’ll get over eventually.

Alex taps the back of Winn’s head, making him wince theatrically. “Stop drooling over Kara and tell us what your ideas for her suit are.”

“I wasn’t…” He trails off and grumbles quietly, digging through one of his many stacks of notebooks. “Found it!” He holds one up triumphantly.

Alex raises an eyebrow at him. “How do you find anything in this mess?”

Winn pouts at her but she's impervious to his charms since she grew up on Kara's infamous pouts. She still can't resist those for some reason. Alex chooses to think that it’s a Kryptonian superpower, even though she knows that she would never bend to Kal so easily.

“It’s organized chaos,” Winn says.

“It’s chaos alright.” Alex replies, grinning when Winn starts complaining under his breath again.

“Anyways, Kara!” Winn says excitedly, making the Kryptonian perk up. “I have been looking forward to this day for literal years. So I give you… your suit design.”

He pulls open the notebook to a pre-marked page, grinning proudly. Kara gasps and covers her mouth with her hand, her eyes shining both with happiness and tears. Alex nods to him, impressed. She sees he even made notes along the side about what it could be made out of.

It’s exactly Kara's style and made in a way that she will not reveal too much of her body. The skirt is short, but not scandalously so, and long enough to cover everything. The boots are a great touch and Alex knows she’ll have to compliment him about it later. It really is ingenious. And what Alex knows Kara loves the most about it is the large symbol on her chest for the House of El.

Kara hugs Winn tightly and thanks him again and again.

J'onn clears his throat, making them look at him. “Alex and I will be heading back to the DEO now. Winn, let us know if you need any assistance acquiring materials or anything. Kara, would you like to stay here or come with us?”

“I’ll come with you. I want to see the new knight,” Kara says eagerly. “I will come back soon, Winn.”

“I’m expecting you to be here the whole time I’m making your suit saying ‘are you done yet? Are you done yet?’” He says the last bit in a high pitched voice and bounces in his chair, beaming up at an amused Kara.

“That does not sound like me,” she complains, still smiling.

“It really does,” Alex says. Kara pouts at her and she laughs. “Come on, let’s meet the new recruit.”

Kara nods and says goodbye to Winn after thanking him again multiple times. She, Alex, and J'onn walk down the corridor only to be stopped by a dramatically raised hand from Cat, who strides over to Kara.

“You need a superhero name,” Cat says bluntly.

“A superhero name? Like Superman?” Kara questions, looking ecstatic then deflates. “But wait, everyone already knows who I am. Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of a superhero name?”

Cat waves her off. “Small details. It doesn’t matter. The people of National City could use a superhero and every superhero needs a flawless name. And you,” she points a finger at Kara, “will be known as Supergirl.”

“Why Supergirl?” Alex asks. “Why not Superwoman?”

“It’s easier to differentiate the names that way. What if Kara and Superman are in the same city and hear two cries for help? What if they can't tell which one wants which of them? Then they waste valuable time bickering like school children about who saves who.”

Kara nods along but Alex isn’t impressed by her reasoning.

“I like it,” Kara provides. “It sounds cool!” She puts her fists on her waist like she sees Alex do at the DEO. “Supergirl,” she breathes.

Alex shrugs to herself, knowing that there's no going back now since Kara likes it. She does have a feeling that the superhero name going to stick.

“That settles it. Okay, I will get back to my article on Supergirl.” Cat smiles at Kara and allows her to hug her again.

“Thanks, Cat!”

“No problem, Sunny Danvers.” Alex gives her a look. That’s a new one, but accurate. “I just wanted to name the world’s newest superhero.”

Cat winks at Kara and saunters away.

“Come on, we are going to be meeting with Sir Maggie shortly.” J'onn says and the sisters resume walking behind him.

They head to the main DEO room where most of the agents and knights work together in the open. There's an unfamiliar woman with her back to them, looking over a report. That must be Maggie.

“Sir Maggie Sawyer.” J'onn’s voice isn’t loud but it carries his authority and the woman straightens her posture, setting down the papers on the nearest empty desk. “Come here, please.”

“Yes sir.”

Maggie strides over, confidence oozing from her in a way that should make Alex dislike her like she dislikes Maxwell but her eyes are so warm and nonthreatening that she just feels at ease. Maggie's eyes are on J'onn but Alex has no doubt she noticed her and Kara in her peripheral vision.

“This is Kara Danvers,” J'onn nods to her.

Kara beams at the newcomer, who seems kind of taken aback. Alex cannot tell if it’s because Kara's smile could outshine the sun or the surprise of seeing the Danvers Kingdom’s beloved princess in person.

Maggie gives her a small smile and shakes Kara's hand politely. Alex studies her more closely and notices that her hand shakes slightly when she pulls away, making her come to the conclusion that Maggie's nervous about all of this.

“It’s nice to meet you, ma'am. I have a lot of good things about you,” Maggie says.

Kara cocks her head slightly, “Have you heard what happened today?”

Maggie nods. “I got to interrogate one of those bastards. He didn’t give me anything we didn’t already know.”

“Darn,” Kara mumbles.

J'onn clears his throat again, making all eyes turn to him. “And this is Sir Alex Danvers.”

Maggie's eyes widen and she looks at Alex, her face breaking out into a wide smile that reveals her dimples. Alex is awestruck; her breath catching in her throat because holy crap, no one ever told her the new recruit is gorgeous. Maggie holds out her hand and Alex automatically shakes it, still in a daze.

“Uh, hey. Welcome to the DEO.” Alex says, mentally cursing herself because she's never been so inarticulate before.

“Thanks.” Maggie does this thing where she tilts her head, still smiling and of course it’s right when Alex thinks she's caught her breath. “You know, you becoming a knight was the only reason my parents accepted me when I told them I wanted to become one.”

“Alex paved the way for a lot of knights,” Kara remarks proudly.

“That she did,” Maggie agrees. “So J'onn, I'm guessing you didn’t just call me over to introduce me to these lovely ladies.”

She winks at Alex, who's grateful for her DEO training that keeps her from turning as red as a tomato, though she knows Kara can see the faint blush in her cheeks.

“You are correct, Sir Maggie. You and Alex are going to be partners.”

Chapter Text

“You and Alex are going to be partners.” J'onn says in his usual no nonsense voice.

There's a moment of silence as both knights process his words in disbelief.

“Seriously? J'onn I don’t need a babysitter,” Alex says, crossing her arms. She glances over at Maggie, who looks just as unhappy as she does. “No offense, Sawyer.”

“None taken, Danvers. I don’t do well with partners.”

“My decision is final.” J'onn states clearly, giving them both a hard look. “Sir Maggie, the DEO works differently than you are used to. Alex can show you the ropes. And Sir Alex, you were nearly killed today.”

“Nearly,” Alex points out but goes quiet when she sees the worry in his eyes.

“Maggie can keep an eye on you, watch your back.” J'onn continues. “Just like you will watch hers. Again, this is not up for discussion. This is your only option unless you want to stay on desk duty, Sir Alex.”

Alex sighs. He knows how much she hates being cooped up in the lab. Not being able to patrol or fight bad aliens is like torture to her.

“Fine. You in Sawyer?” She raises an eyebrow at her new ‘partner.’

“I don’t have much of a choice, Danvers.”

Maggie's smile has returned and Alex has to focus on breathing to make sure she doesn’t make a fool of herself. Not again, at least. Alex gives her a small smile back and knows Kara is definitely going to ask her about why her breath keeps catching and why her heart skips a beat a few times. She is really not looking forward to that conversation.

“Good,” J'onn says. “I know you well after all of these years working together, Alex and from what I have heard of Sir Maggie, you should work well together. Now get some rest, the three of you. We will undoubtedly have a busy day ahead of us due to Kara coming out as an alien.” He smiles at Kara, taking the edge out of his words. “Head to dinner, I will be there shortly.”

“Yes sir.” Alex says, noticing how late it is.

The high up windows in the DEO’s main room has the last bits of the sunset shining through them. Dinner is probably nearly finished being cooked. Luckily for Alex, since Maxwell is no longer their guest, she doesn’t have to wear anything fancy.

“Dinner,” Kara gasps. “Good, I'm starving.”

“You're always hungry,” Alex teases her.

“I have a fast metabolism,” Kara pouts at her amused sister. “Now come on, let’s head to the dining room.” She starts practically skipping towards the door with Alex trailing behind her. She stops and looks back after a few steps. “Sir Maggie, are you coming?”

Maggie blinks, surprise evident on her face. “Uh, yeah. I just wasn’t aware I would be eating with the Royal Family on my first day. I would have worn something nicer.”

Alex looks Maggie over as subtly as she can, taking in the leather jacket that fits her shoulders perfectly, her soft gray shirt underneath it, and her jeans that Alex has to look away from so she doesn’t stare.

Alex wants to reassure Maggie but she doesn’t trust her voice quite yet. She might say something stupid like “holy crap you're gorgeous” or “fuck I'm so gay.” That second one worries her more than the first because she's never told anyone that. Not even Kara. But that might change tonight and that makes the anxiety in Alex's stomach bubble up to the surface.

“You look beautiful, you’ll be fine.” Kara assures her as they start walking, Alex on one side of her and Maggie on the other. “Plus, Alex and I are going in what we are wearing right now. It’s not a fancy affair.”

“Alright, Little Danvers.” Maggie says, making Kara grin at her.

“I’ll have you know I am taller than Alex.” Kara replies happily.

“I can tell, Little Danvers.” Maggie teases and then winks at Alex, who blushes. “Sir Alex has an intimidating air around her that makes her seem taller. And you are the younger one.”

“Technically I’m older,” Kara says in a semi-whining voice. “I was stuck in the Phantom Zone for twenty four years.”

Maggie’s eyebrows raise and she looks Kara up and down. “You don’t look like you're almost fifty.”

“I didn’t age in the Phantom Zone,” Kara explains.

“What is the Phantom Zone?” Maggie asks curiously.

“Alex can explain it better than I can.”

Alex relaxes slightly. This is something she can talk about. She studied it extensively once Kara revealed why she took so long to get to Earth.

“It was discovered by the Kryptonians, who used it to imprison their criminals in a place called Fort Rozz. There, they were stored. It was easy to contain them because in the Phantom Zone, they didn’t require sustenance and did not age.” Alex explains.

“That’s incredible,” Maggie says and turns to Kara. “Did it feel like any time had passed when you came out?”

“No, I was still thirteen. I didn’t even recognize Kal. He was all grown up,” Kara smiles softly.

“Kal?” Maggie prompts.

“Kal-El is her cousin, Superman.” Alex says, holding the castle’s door open for them.

“So you're related to Superman?” Maggie asks, awe in her voice.

“Yeah,” Kara says, grinning at her newfound friend.

“Sorry I'm asking so many questions, I've just always been fascinated by aliens.”

“It’s fine,” Kara promises with a smile that makes Maggie believe her. She pauses in front of double doors. “We’re here, by the way. Are you ready to meet Eliza and Jeremiah?”

Maggie lets out a nervous, shaky breath. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

Kara holds the door open and they walk in to greet her adoptive parents, who are already seated in their usual spot.

Eliza and Jeremiah stand and walk over to their kids and new knight. Kara can hear Maggie's heart rate increase as they approach. When they get close enough, Maggie automatically kneels on one knee before them, her head bowed in respect.

Eliza and Jeremiah stop where they are, just a few feet away. Eliza allows her to stay down for a few moments.

“Rise, knight.” She orders and Maggie stands, hands clasped behind her back. “You must be Sir Maggie.”

“Yes ma'am,” Maggie responds when there's a pause for her to reply.

“I have heard of you for years from J'onn.”

Maggie blinks in surprise. She has been a knight for about as long as Alex has, and she knows she has done much for the Kingdom. She has done enough to earn a few medals, even though she's not straight or white or a man. That was something her fellow knights disliked about her, how she was able to rise above their hatred and prejudice and do her job just as well as them, if not better.

She just wasn’t aware anyone was tracking her career. Especially not someone like J'onn, who was also an inspiration for her. Openly alien, a Martian, the last of his kind, and living with the body of a black man yet unafraid of the obstacles he has faced.

“You’re a wonderful knight, Sir Maggie. I am glad to have you here, particularly in this difficult time.” Eliza gives her a smile. “And here, you do not have to bow to us. We are all equals in this Kingdom. Now come, sit. The food should be here shortly.”

They all take their seats, with J'onn joining them along with Winn and Cat. Alex somehow ends up between her sister and Maggie because the universe loves testing her self-control by putting her next to a beautiful woman she's pretty sure she is developing a crush on. Wonderful.

“Kara,” Cat greets her as she sits down. “James will be arriving here later tonight to paint a picture of you tomorrow for the newspaper.”

“James is coming?” Kara gasps.

She brightens and bounces happily in her chair for a few moments. Maggie’s honestly surprised that Kara could be happier than she already was.

“Is James Kara's boyfriend?” Maggie asks Alex, who looks momentarily startled that she's talking to her but regains her composure quickly.

“No but there was a point in time where we all thought they would end up together, even Kara and James thought so. When they tried it, it didn’t feel right so they went back to being best friends. He’s actually the one that helped her improve her painting skills.”

“Kara can paint?” Maggie asks, surprised.

“Yeah, really well.” Alex says proudly. “Have you seen the paintings around the castle and in the DEO?”

Maggie nods, thinking of the beautiful ones she's seen that seem almost otherworldly. “Yeah, they're incredible. Those are Kara’s?”

Alex nods, “They are mainly of what she can remember of Krypton.”

Before Maggie can ask anything more, Kara's excited voice interrupts her. “Is Lucy coming too?”

“That’s Major Lucy to you,” Alex says, imitating Lucy’s voice.

Kara and her burst into laughter and Maggie stares, captivated by the way Alex seems so happy and free in this moment.

“Yes, Major Lane will be coming as well.” J'onn answers for Cat, who's watching the Danvers sisters in amusement. “She will be helping us figure out a plan in case the people do not respond well to their beloved princess being an alien.”

That makes the room quiet, everyone sobered by his words. They have no way of knowing what will happen in the coming days, if the people of the Danvers Kingdom will accept or reject Kara.

Chapter Text

The rest of dinner is a quieter affair, with everyone quietly worrying about how the people of the Danvers Kingdom will respond to Kara being an alien.

Alex tries to tell herself it will be fine. After all, the people that were around when Kara revealed herself seemed okay with it. She knows they could have easily been in shock. Alex resists the urge to sigh, knowing Kara will hear her and worry. Though Alex is a pro at pretending everything is okay, she had always been terrible at lying to herself.

The others all say goodnight to Kara and Alex when Alex gets tired of being around people. Sometimes she thinks Kara knows her better than she knows herself. They leave together and Alex can tell her sister is dying to ask her about everything that has happened today.

Nerves bubble up in her stomach as Alex tries to mentally prepare herself for this conversation.

"So what's been going on?" Kara asks when they pause in the halls outside their bedrooms. "And do not say you have been worried about me, because I know that isn't it. Not all of it, at least."

Alex's mouth opens and closes but she can't get the words to come out. Or herself, apparently. She lets out a shuddering breath and glances around anxiously. There are guards out here, and they are the worst gossipers in the castle. If she is going to come out now, she's going to do it on her own terms.

"Come on," Alex says quietly.

She opens her door and lets Kara go inside her bedroom first before she does. She closes the door behind her and locks it. Alex doesn't want any surprise visitors. People in the castle know she values her privacy and that she will not hesitate to fight anyone that comes in uninvited. After she punched a particularly annoying and sexist DEO agent in the face for walking into her room like he owned the place, no one comes in without knocking. Except for Kara and her parents, of course.

Now that she is in her room with Kara, the quiet gets to her like an oppressive smoke. She paces back and forth, trying to figure out how to start this. Alex has imagined coming out to her sister dozens of times but now that the moment is here, none of her speeches seem good enough.

"Alex?" Kara's soft voice comes from her bed, where she's sitting. Alex bites her lip, hearing the concern in her sister's voice. "Are you alright?"

"It's just... A lot, you know?" Alex responds quietly.

It's not exactly an answer but Kara lets it go. They have a pact where they won't keep anything bad from each other. And this, this isn't bad. She knows it's not. Alex accepted it a while ago. But thinking something and being able to say something, to tell someone is an entirely different matter.

"Alex," Kara repeats her name, patting the bed next to her. "Come sit."

Alex hesitates so Kara pats again, just as softly as the first time. Alex complies and sits next to her sister. Kara raises an arm and Alex snuggles up against her, taking solace from her warmth. Kara rests her arm over her shoulder. She swallows and lifts up her head enough to face Kara but not enough to look her in the eye.

"Alex, why is this so hard for you to tell me?" Kara asks, keeping her voice low and kind. "You know you can tell me anything."

"I know Kara," Alex breathes out. "I just, I don't know. I don't know," she repeats.

"Take all the time you need," Kara reassures her. "You don't have to tell me now. Or today. Or this year."

"I'm just not ready yet," Alex says quietly. If it were anyone else, they would not have heard her.

"That's fine." Kara frowns and speaks quicker as she starts to ramble. "Unless it's something dangerous or sad. It's not something dangerous or sad, is it? Is it anything I should be worried about?"

"No, nothing like that. I'm okay, Kara. I am not ready to tell anyone just yet." Alex says.

She can feels Kara nod. "Alright, Alex. I can tell it's important to you, but we both know I can wait forever."

Alex makes a joke to try to lighten the mood. "You are well known throughout the lands for your patience, Princess."

She doesn't have to look to know her sister is pouting. "I can be patient."

"Only if you're talking about being a patient to a doctor," Alex teases.

"Hey!" Kara whines, gently slapping Alex's arm.

The smile she can hear in Kara's voice tells her that she doesn't mind. They sit in silence until Alex breaks it.

"You will be the first to know." She promises.

Alex knows she will need Kara's strength to be able to come out to anyone else. At the very least, she will have her sister by her side and that's enough for her.

They stay on the bed like that for a while until Alex nearly falls on the floor when she starts falling asleep. Kara helps her keep her balance so she doesn't end up falling on her face.

"Okay," Kara laughs. "I think it's time for bed."

Alex grumbles, forcing herself to wake up enough so she can speak a coherent sentence. "Can you stay here tonight? I don't want to be alone."

"Of course," Kara says sweetly. She waits until she's sure her sister can keep sitting up before letting go of Alex. "I'm going to go change and brush my teeth. I will be right back."

Alex nods and rests her eyes. Kara rushes away, leaving behind a gust of wind that makes Alex shiver. To make sure she does not fall back asleep, Alex listens to the sounds her sister makes. Doors slam and there's the sound of rustling, which Alex has come to recognize as the sound of her sister going through her nightly routine using her super speed.

She remembers that she locked her bedroom door and frowns. She hopes Kara didn't smash through it again, she hates having to get it replaced. Alex doesn't want to open her eyes long enough to check if her door has survived Kara.

Kara comes back into her room, still using super speed. Her door shuts behind her.

"My door doesn't have a Kara sized hole again, does it?" Alex asks.

"That was one time," Kara says.

"Three times," she corrects under her breath.

Alex opens her eyes and is pleased to see that her door survived. Kara is in her usual pajamas, a white and black plaid button up and gray shorts. On cold nights, Alex curses her sister's Kryptonian ability to never get too cold.

Kara sets her glasses on the nightstand, the one she uses whenever she sleeps over in Alex's room. They don't do that as much as they used to. Alex yawns, prompting Kara to speak.

"I can use my super speed to get you dressed and brush your teeth." Kara offers.

"I will take you up on the dressing part, not the other part. My teeth always feel weird whenever you use super speed to brush them."

"That's because they get so clean." Kara says, grinning.

Alex rolls her eyes but doesn't respond, standing up two feet away from the bed. By now, she knows the drill. Kara used to help her put on her pajamas pretty often, especially during her drinking days. The feeling of her clothing being rapidly removed and replaced is still weird even after all of this time.

Alex thanks her sister and heads to her bathroom, where she brushes her teeth. She heads back to bed to see that Kara's already under the covers, near the center of the bed. Alex slides in and scoots over until she can rest her head on Kara's shoulder.

She yawns and closes her eyes. Kara uses her freeze breath (with minimal freeze) to blow out the candles until they're surrounded by darkness.

Now that Alex is in bed and the lights are off, her mind starts racing just like she feared it would. First, she thinks about her failure to come out.

She knows Kara understands and will be supportive of her, but she just... choked. It's not that she isn't sure, either. She knows, she has known she's gay for years now. She can't think of a reason as to why she could not get the words out except for she is just not ready. And she doesn't know why.

That's when her thoughts turn to Maggie. How she had smiled at her, how she looked, her adorable dimples...

"Alex, I can hear the gears turning in your head from here." Kara whispers. "Turn that genius brain of yours off and sleep."

Alex hums in response and tries to clear her mind. It sort of works, but she still falls asleep picturing Maggie's face.

Chapter Text

When Alex wakes up, the bed is no longer warm where Kara used to be, so she must have been gone for a while. While that is unusual, it isn’t anything for her to panic about. Yet. Alex feels better rested than usual and sits up, stretching. She frowns at the sudden onset of coldness that seeps into her bones as her upper body comes out from under the covers.

She rubs the remaining tiredness from her eyes and then opens them. The first thing that catches her eye is a sheet of paper on the nightstand on Kara's side of the bed. Alex picks it up and reaches for her glasses, bulky ones that she doesn’t like wearing but her sister always says she looks good in them. Alex always dismisses that because she is her sister and therefore biased.

She reads the note, smiling softly at Kara's familiar messy scrawl. “Alex, sorry you're waking up alone! I woke up early and you were still sleeping. You looked so peaceful, and we both know you don’t get enough sleep, so I didn’t wake you. Anyway, I’m off to talk to Cat about her article! And don’t worry; I'm going to tell J'onn that you're sleeping in. Remember that I'm here for you, even if you aren’t ready to talk about it yet! *smiley face* Love you! Kara.”

Alex shakes her head fondly. Only her sister would draw a smiley face on a note. She reads it over again to make sure she didn’t miss anything and frowns. Kara told J'onn that she would be sleeping in? She looks up at the clock on her wall that she built a year before Kara came down. She blinks in surprise and does a double take. Alex rarely sleeps past eight, even when she has a day off. So for her to have slept a little past nine is really unusual.

She gets out of bed and rushes over to her closet, pulling out one of her DEO uniforms. She quickly puts it on and grabs a quick breakfast from the kitchens, eating while she walks towards the DEO.

Some agents look at her weirdly but no one dares to ask her why she came in late. Based on some of the leers she gets, they must think she got laid last night. Alex ignores them and heads right for the main room.

J'onn looks up and nods to her as she walks in. “Good morning, Sir Alex. Sir Maggie?” He calls.

Maggie looks up from the desk she has been assigned in a room connected to the main one. There is only one other desk here, along with a bunch of lab equipment she doesn’t know how to work. She found a few manuals that look like they’ve been looked through a few times and has been reading them because J'onn hasn’t assigned her a case.
Maggie puts a bookmark in the one she's currently reading and sets it on the larger pile of unread manuals. She gets up and walks over to her boss and new partner. They stand close together, and something about how they have been interacting tells Maggie that they have been working together for a while and are closer than just boss and knight.

“Yes sir?” She asks, stopping a few feet in front of them.

“You and Sir Alex are going to train in the courtyard today.” J'onn says.

Maggie carefully hides the disappointment she feels, but she is pretty sure they can tell anyways. At least, Alex can. She gives Maggie a knowing look then turns back to J'onn.

“Yes sir,” Alex says.

She starts walking towards the exit and Maggie follows her. She has studied the map of the castle intensively, so she knows where she's going. She walks alongside her new partner, taking in her surroundings as they go.

They walk through the Queen’s gardens to get to the courtyard, which Maggie knows isn’t necessary but she appreciates Alex showing her this. It’s just as beautiful as she has heard. There are all kinds of plants, some she doesn’t even recognize so they must be from another Kingdom. She has studied plants as well; it’s helped her more than once when she was on a difficult mission with little food or needed quick medicine for a comrade.

Maggie notices that she has paused and is looking at the gardens and hurries to catch up to Sir Alex again, noticing that her pace is slower until she's back by her side. So the incredible, seemingly unapproachable Sir Alex is secretly sweet. This new realization makes Maggie relax slightly, even though she's still intimidated by Alex's renowned brilliance.

They reach the courtyard quickly after that and Maggie studies it. Alex is silent, letting her look. They are in a field, and the place they're going to train must be where the soft grass ends and the dirt begins. There is a small building on one end of the training field where Maggie assumes the training weapons are stored.

Maggie decides to break the silence. “J'onn knows I’m a knight, right? I can fight.”

Alex's lips turn up into a smile and Maggie swears her heart skips a beat. It’s unfair that her new partner is the gorgeous, awesome genius that she is pretty sure she already has a crush on. Luckily for Maggie, it is just a crush because she hates when she falls for straight women.

“You don’t know how to fight like we do,” Alex replies.

Maggie gives her a skeptical look. She was top of her class and the best student her mentor ever trained. She isn’t cocky like some of the men she has been forced to work with, but she is confident in her abilities as a knight. She once took down five men alone after they kidnapped a little girl that was the daughter of a nearby citizen. She was only alone because the other knights wouldn’t bother because the parents had little money to offer them. Greedy bastards. She snaps out of her memory at the sound of Alex's voice.

“Alright, Sir Maggie.” She tries to ignore how good her name sounds falling from her lips. “If you're so sure, come on. Show me you know how to fight like a DEO agent. We will start with hand to hand.”

Alex steps onto the dirt and her entire demeanor changes. Her muscles relax and she seems more at home, more calm. She pulls off her top layer and then Alex is in a black tank top. Maggie knows for sure she is in trouble now. Alex has muscles, which she really should have expected but they're still impressive. And really hot.

She takes off her leather jacket, both not wanting to drool any longer like a creep or get warm in the middle of training. She doesn’t miss Alex's appraising eyes that make a small sliver of doubt appear in her mind because maybe she isn’t as straight as Maggie thinks. She dismisses the thought, not wanting to get up her hopes again.

Maggie sets her jacket on the grass, taking Alex's discarded shirt and gear and placing them beside it. Alex nods to her in thanks as she starts to stretch out her muscles. Maggie forces herself to look away as she rejoins her on the dirt, deciding to start on her stretches as well. Her back is to her new partner so she doesn’t see how Alex’s eyes focus on how her muscles move under her t-shirt.

Alex has to force her gaze away, shaking her head and finishing her stretches. This partnership is sure to be interesting. Maggie turns back to her when she's done and Alex gets into her stance.

Maggie studies how she's standing and notes that her stance is textbook perfect, no glaringly obvious weaknesses given away even to her trained eye. She gets into her stance as well, shifting on her feet. They circle each other for a while, watching how the other moves.

Alex is the first to throw a punch and Maggie takes advantage of it leaving her right side open. She ducks her punch and twists to kick Alex's side. Maggie holds back so it doesn’t do much more than wind her partner, who looks impressed.

She gets back into her stance and they go back and forth for a while. Maggie's almost always the one who ends up in the dirt and she has to admit to herself that Sir Alex is better than she is at hand to hand combat. She does learn a lot from their nearly silent training, watching how Alex deflects or dodges a particularly difficult attack. The only time either of them speaks is to offer advice on how to improve something and honestly, it’s the most fun Maggie has had in a while.

They are about to stop for lunch when they hear someone approaching. Both of them are in training mode and draw out their daggers. Lucy comes into view, clad in her uniform and looks amused at how they both look like they're ready to stab her. They sheathe their daggers, both breaking into smiles when they realize it’s her.

“Sir Maggie,” she greets her first. “Congratulations on the promotion.”

“Thanks, Luce.”

They hug and Alex is a little confused. “You know each other already?”

Lucy gives Alex a hug as well. “Yeah, we have worked together on a few cases.” She explains. “She's pretty good, Danvers. Oh and there was that one night when James and I had broken up… Where was that, Maggie?”

“It was a camp an hour and a half from Gotham.” Maggie reminds her.

Alex tries not to act as shocked as she feels. She knows Lucy is bi, she told Alex when they became friends and she has heard whispers from the other knights about Sir Maggie's sexuality since she's gotten here. She just didn’t expect that they knew each other, especially not intimately.

“Yeah,” Lucy nods. “That was a great one night stand. Oh Maggie, I’m back with James now.”

“Good, I hated seeing you so broken up over him. He had better not break your heart again. And Major, congratulations on your promotion.” Maggie grins proudly at her friend.

Chapter Text

Maggie talks to Lucy for a little longer, enjoying her friend's presence. Alex stays silent and she keeps watching her out of the corner of her eye. Other than the initial surprised expression she makes at Maggie, Alex is pretty emotionless. Polite, but emotionless. She's not sure whether she should be impressed or intimidated by her blank expression as she listens to Maggie and Lucy talk.

"So how is Kara doing?" Lucy asks Alex once she and Maggie have caught up enough. Since they're both pretty stoic military type women, it doesn't take long. "Is she okay?"

"Yeah, she's okay." Alex is quick to assure her. "Kara's nervous and excited. Do you have any idea how the people will react?"

Lucy purses her lips and shakes her head. "No I don't. Sorry, Alex. The people I have heard talking about her have all been in awe and afraid of Kara. Not enough to be alarmed about, but enough to be noticeable."

Alex sighs and runs a hand through her hair. "Then that article is going to have to come out sooner rather than later. It's better for them to know the truth than to have a bunch of whispered theories. Hopefully her connection to Superman will reassure them."

Lucy nods thoughtfully. "I'm surprised he isn't here right now."

Alex scoffs quietly and rolls her eyes, assuming they wouldn't notice. After all, she is used to being the second favorite sister. But of course they do and Maggie speaks up about it.

"You don't like Superman?" She asks curiously.

It isn't in the tone she is used to when she accidentally lets slip that she doesn't like him or worship him as much as the public does. Maggie sounds genuinely interested in Alex's response.

Alex pauses and thinks of how to word it. "I respect what he does and why he does it. But as a person and as Kara's cousin, no I don't like him. He just dumped her here, abandoned her. He was her last living tie to Krypton and he left after a few days."

"Doesn't he visit?" Maggie asks.

"Sometimes, but not often. It sometimes feels like he only comes out of pity instead of actually wanting to see her. And..." She trails off for a moment, ready to let out the words she has been holding in since she was fourteen years old with a new alien sister. "He acts like she's this fragile thing. Like she needs to be protected from all the bad in the world by him."

"I forget how my brother-in-law is a terrible cousin sometimes." Lucy murmurs then speaks louder. "I don't understand why he acts like that, she's stronger than he is."

"Literally," Alex remarks.

Maggie blinks, taking in this new information. "Literally as in mentally or physically?"

"Both." Alex says confidently, smirking proudly at how impressed Maggie looks. "We've tested her strength against Superman's. She is stronger. Plus, she saw her entire planet die. Everything she knew and lived was ripped away from her yet she's..." Alex waves her hand vaguely, not sure how to word it.

"She's a puppy wrapped in a blanket of sunshine," Lucy provides.

Alex laughs at her friend's description.

"I don't know how she does it," Maggie says honestly, then squints up at the sky. "Hey, Danvers. Is that...?"

Alex looks up, following her new partner's line of vision. Her eyebrows raise as she recognizes the familiar sight of her sister flying around. She's doing it more freely than she used to. It is different seeing her like this than when she would have to fly in the dead of night so she would not be seen. Alex grins when she hears her sister whoop happily.

Kara turns towards them and sees them in the courtyard. Her face breaks out into a wide smile and she does some loops in the air. Being able to fly, to feel the wind in her hair, without having to worry about being seen is even more incredible than she used to fantasize about. Feeling the sun on her face as she flies is so much better than she expected.

The suit Winn made for her is holding up nicely and she loves how the cape snaps in the wind. She makes a mental note to gush over it to him later.

Kara does a few more tricks and loops in the air before she lands in front of her sister. The impact of her feet hitting the ground nearly makes the girls fall.

"Kara, you landed a bit hard." Alex remarks when she regains her balance.

"Oh!" Kara's eyes go wide. "Sorry! I'll work on that!"

"It's fine, Little Danvers." Maggie says.

Kara pouts at her for a moment because of the nickname then perks up when Lucy laughs. She squeals and rushes over, picking up Lucy and swinging her around happily.

"It's so good to see you again, Lucy! Or should I say Major Lane?" Kara asks, pride evident in her voice.

She sets down Lucy but stays close to her.

"Either's fine, Kara. Now, what's this I hear about you revealing yourself to the world?" Lucy raises an eyebrow, looking unimpressed but Alex can see a hint of a smirk.

"They could have killed Alex!" Kara retorts.

"I heard. I also heard you have the idiots that tried to kill you." There's a glint in Lucy's eyes that makes even Alex nervous. "Take me to them, I'll make them talk."

"Torture doesn't work," Alex reminds her.

"Who said anything about torture?" Lucy raises an eyebrow at her. "I'm pretty good at talking."

"Talking," Alex repeats. "Sure, Luce. If you really want to, talk to J'onn first."

"Fine. Kara, come on." Lucy takes Kara's hand and starts walking towards the DEO. "We have so much to talk about."

Maggie turns to Alex as they watch them walk away. "I'm impressed by how well they get along. You know, considering the while James situation."

Alex hums in acknowledgement. "Kara isn't the type to hate someone or to hold grudges, and they were good friends even when they both liked him."

"That is something I couldn't manage with any of my exes." Maggie remarks, mentally going over the depressingly short list in her mind. "Yeah, I would highly doubt that any of them would like to see me again." She shrugs, already used to the idea that she could die alone. Even if it horrifies her family. "What about you, Danvers?"

"Um, exes?" Alex's voice is slightly higher than normal and Maggie immediately starts paying more attention to her. "I really haven't dated anyone in a while."

Maggie wants to press, to find out why, to see if her crazy hope that maybe Alex is into girls is true. Though even if that were true, she might not be Alex's type. She snaps her mind out of that line of thinking, mentally scowling at herself. Alex seems uncomfortable at the subject of her dating life, so despite her curiosity, Maggie drops it.

"I bet I can take you down next round." Maggie says instead in a teasing tone.

Alex sputters for a minute, eyes wide. "What?"

"I meant, I will beat you next time we spar."

She smirks at Alex, fully aware of what her dimples does to gay women (it's helped keep her bed warm on a few cold nights ). Alex blushes and looks at the sky, seeming flustered.

Maggie's smirk gets bigger. "Why, what did you think I meant?"

"I, uh." Alex trips over her own words. "Nothing." She clears her throat and steps back into the clearing. "There's no way you'll be able to beat me." Alex sounds cocky and Maggie can't decide whether she likes flustered Alex or confident Alex better. "You haven't yet."

"Oh yeah?" Maggie goes worth the taunt. "There's a first time for everything. Bring it on, Danvers."

They spar until the sun starts to set, then they head back inside the castle. Maggie carries Alex's shirt and gear out of chivalry despite her shaky, tired limbs. Alex doesn't even seem winded after all of their training and Maggie is impressed by her stamina. She wonders what Alex's stamina in- No. She cuts off that line of thought as well.

"You know I can carry my own stuff, Sawyer." Alex says as they walk towards Alex's room to drop her things off.

"It's your reward for managing to win a couple times." Maggie responds.

"A couple times?" Alex sounds amused. "Maggie, you were on the ground about as often as you were fighting me."

"That's because you cheat, Danvers." Maggie scoffs, bumping her partner with her hip.

"At hand to hand combat?" Alex asks incredulously, snorting out a laugh which makes Maggie start laughing too.

They calm down after a moment and drop Alex's stuff off in her room. Maggie can't say she is surprised by how orderly it is. Everything has it's own place.

"Do you think J'onn will let us go out tomorrow? At least to patrol?" Maggie asks as they head to the dining hall.

"I don't know," Alex shrugs. "It was a few months after I became a knight before he let me out into the field."

Maggie sighs. "Darn. No offense Danvers, but I don't really want to stay here and train every day."

"None taken. If I give him my version of Kara's puppy dog eyes he might cave and let us take down someone in the city."

"You have your own version of them?" Maggie questions.

Alex stops her from walking and trains the cutest pleading gaze in her Maggie has ever seen. She barely resists the urge to do something stupid like go "aww" or kiss her new partner.

To make Alex laugh and to distract herself from her thoughts, Maggie turns to her incredible sense of humor. "Are you sure you and Kara aren't related?"

Chapter Text

Alex and Maggie head for the dining room, neither of them happy about having to rush. They lost track of time joking around in Alex's room and wider up not having time to change out of their sweaty workout clothes.

Kara, Lucy, and James are already sitting down and talking to one another. James grins, standing when he sees them enter.

"Hey Alex." He greets her with a hug. When he pulls back, he raises an eyebrow at Maggie. "And who is this?" James drawls, giving Alex a pleased look.

She freezes, recognizing that gleam in his eyes. It's the same one he had when he thought she had a thing going on with Vasquez a year or so ago. He thinks she is dating her? Alex normally hides her emotions well but for some reason there's a blush coloring her cheeks.

"Sir Maggie Sawyer." Maggie saying, holding out her hand and they shake.

"James Olsen," he greets. He gives her an impressed look. "A knight, huh? Congratulations."

James gives Alex a pointed look, letting her know he's silently giving his misguided approval.

"She is Alex's new partner," Kara chimes in.

Alex resists the urge to groan as James' smile grows. Why would she phrase it like that? Alex sneaks a look at Maggie, who luckily does not seem to notice that James thinks they're girlfriends.

She has to admit, it's kind of funny that James has a better gaydar than her sister does.

"Alright, kids. Sit down," Cat orders as she strides into the room followed by Eliza and Jeremiah. "I have news."

They all sit down at the table in roughly the same spot that they were the night before. Which means Alex is sitting next to Kara and Maggie again. James catches her eyes from across the table. He winks at her and then gives her thumbs up. Alex glares at him, silently urging him to shut up. She doesn't want him shoving her out of the closet, though she knows he is too good of a person to do that.

Cat clears her throat as food is set down in front of them, drawing all eyes to her. "We will be publishing the newspaper tomorrow morning."

Alex's eyebrows raise. "So soon?"

"We think it would be best to do this as soon as possible." Eliza answers. "We don't want misinformation spreading."

"Are you ready for this?" Alex asks Kara.

She lets out a breath. "As ready as I'll ever be." Alex takes Kara's outstretched hand in hers. "Just..." She trails off for a moment, then continues in a small voice. "What if they hate me for being an alien."

"We are the most accepting Kingdom of aliens, you will be okay. And if you aren't, I will personally kick each and every one of their xenophobic butts." Alex promises, smiling when it makes her sister giggle.

"You can't just fight everyone who doesn't like me." Kara points out after she finishes laughing.

"Watch me," Alex deadpans. She gets an idea and turns toward J'onn. "Sir, can we patrol tomorrow?" He purses his lips. At this rate, she might just have to resort to her puppy dog eyes. "People know my face, they can come up to me and ask questions about Kara if they're curious. Plus, I can show Maggie around the city."

J'onn is silent for a moment longer but she can tell by the look in his eyes that he has already made his decision. "Fine."

Alex resists the urge to whoop victoriously and settles for grinning widely. She snickers to herself when she sees Maggie wiggles a bit in her seat happily at the good news. Alex can tell her partner is trying to be subtle about her adorable little happy dance so she doesn't say anything.

"Thank you, sir." Alex says. "You won't regret this."

"I better not," he says in a harsher tone than usual. She knows it's because he will worry about them. He softens his voice when he starts speaking again. "It's good to see that the two of you are getting along."

Alex shrugs one shoulder, a small smile playing on her lips. "Sawyer isn't terrible."

"You getting soft on me, Danvers?" She hears Maggie ask.

Alex turns to look at Maggie and her breath catches in her throat. She's cocking her head and beaming at her, dimples on full force. Alex tries not to act as hopelessly gay as she's feeling right now. She didn't know gay was emotion she could physically feel until now. Crap, she's really gay and why does her partner have to be so gorgeous?

"Pfft, no." Nailed it.

Alex knows she's blushing again and looks away from her unfairly beautiful partner. Lucy is raising an eyebrow at her and Alex knows her friend at least suspects her sexuality now.

Dinner continues after that with everyone discussing what could happen the next day. Alex once again is the first to get up afterwards to leave.

"I'll come with you," Maggie offers.

She seems completely unaware of the knowing look James and Lucy exchange.

"Uh sure. I can walk you to your room." Alex responds. She inwardly curses her awkwardness around pretty girls.

"Thanks, Danvers." Maggie smiles at her again and Alex swears she can feel herself melt a little hit.

They walk towards Maggie's room and Alex shoves her hands in her pockets. They make small talk about what they might run into the next day, each scenario getting even more absurd than the last. Alex honestly can't remember a time she laughed this hard around anyone other than Kara.

Maggie pauses in front of a door and smiles. "This is me, Danvers. I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow," Alex responds shyly. "Meet you at the DEO at 8?"

"So early?" Maggie sighs and Alex thinks for a moment that maybe she should change the time until Maggie chuckles at her. "I'm kidding Danvers. You should have seen your face!"

"Thanks, Sir Maggie." Alex says sarcastically and then struggles to find something to say after that. "Anyway, good job today. You're better at fighting than I expected."

Maggie's expression softens further. "You're sweet." She partially opens her door, knowing she should go before she kisses her new partner. "Goodnight, Alex."

Maggie gives in slightly and kisses Alex's cheek, resisting the urge to laugh at her wide eyes and surprised expression. She goes inside her room, leaving Alex standing there, frozen. The door clicks shut behind her, snapping her out if her cute girl induced gaze.

Alex is blushing even harder than before and reaches up to touch where Maggie kissed her. Her skin burns where her partners lips touched her. She walks all the way back to her own room with a dopey grin on her face that actually scares some of the guards on duty.

Alex shuts her door behind her and leans back against it, running over the events of the day in her head. She sighs happily and thinks about Maggie. How good she looks even when she's sweaty after training for hours. How her dimples show up when she's smiling. How she made Alex's heart skip like thirty beats within minutes when she took her leather jacket off and showed off her muscles. How she...

Alex cuts herself off. Hang on. Does she have a crush on Maggie? Alex starts pacing and thinks about it. She has only known her for a few days and she has already become a big part in Alex's life. It's too soon to have a crush. Right? She hasn't had a crush since her high school years when she liked her straight best friend. Which was a few years before she even knew she's gay. She is not an expert with crushes.

She is however an expert in Kara's crushes. Perhaps she can use her sister's tells for when she has a crush and apply them to herself. She makes and goes through a mental checklist.

Does she think about her pretty much constantly? Check. Does she get that far away dopey look when she thinks about her? Double check. Does she want to be around her all of the time? Quadruple check. Does she want to kiss her? Infinite checks.

Alex stumbles over to her bed on shaky legs and sits down. She focuses on her breathing for a few moments before she regains control of herself.

She tips her head back and lets out a string of quiet explicit is. She has a crush. Already. It can only get worse from here.

It's barely a minute later when Kara bursts through her door (thankfully not literally) with a worried expression. She must have heard Alex swearing.

"Hey," Kara murmurs.

She sits next to Alex on her bed, enough distance between them for her to pull away if she wants to. Alex rests her head on her sister's shoulder.

"Are you okay, Alex?" Kara asks.

"Yeah, just..." She trails off, letting out a loud breath. "Everything's happening at once."

"Would you like to talk about it?"

Alex realizes she kind of does. This is a big thing for her and she doesn't want to have to do this alone. She knows she isn't quite ready to come out to anyone else, but she is ready for Kara.

Alex steels herself for her sister's reaction and takes the plunge. "I'm gay."

Chapter Text

** So much dialogue from the show **

"I'm gay."

Alex can feel Kara's body freeze up beneath her. She lifts up her head so it's no longer on her sister's shoulder and looks up at Kara. Alex notes with relief that she looks more surprised than anything else.

"So you're..." Kara trails off.

Alex takes a few seconds longer than usual to respond and uses that time to try to calm herself.

"Yeah," she says breathily.

Kara turns to look at her, a confused expression on her face. "So what brought this on? Why tell me now?"

Alex didn't expect this question, not before others like 'how did you know?' or 'are you sure?' or 'wait but you've dated boys' or something like that.

"I kind of like someone." She answers and watches as Kara looks at the wall behind her instead of at her. She nods in response but says nothing. "Are you not okay with this?"

That makes Kara's eyes widen and she finally looks at Alex, who's starting to lose the fight against her anxiety and panic.

"What? No!" Kara cries out. "I'm so okay with it!"

"Are you sure?" Alex challenges, mentally trying to beat away her emotions with a stick. It's not working well, if the tears that are forming in her eyes are any indication. "Because something's wrong."

"No there isn't!" Kara retorts but deflates when she sees Alex's glistening eyes. "How can you tell?"

Alex taps the space between her eyebrows. "Crinkle."

"Crinkle," Kara groans. "It's not that you're Alex." She reassures her, raising an arm like they've done so often. Alex hesitates for the first time in a while. "Come here," Kara asks. "Please."

"Fine," she says softly.

Alex relents and scoots closer to her sister, cuddling up against her side. Kara wraps an arm around her shoulder and kisses her forehead. Alex rests her head back on her shoulder.

"I just... I realized all the time we spent together talking about everything, growing up together... It's always been about me." Kara's tone gets even softer. "Me, my secret, Krypton, the person I liked that week." She smiles sadly. "There's never been room for you."

"Kara..." Alex says, trying to think of something to say.

Kara shakes her head. "Please let me say this Alex." She waits for Alex to nod. "I'm so sorry that I didn't create a space for us to talk about you, to talk about stuff like this. This is such a big thing and knowing you, you just went through it alone and didn't talk to anyone. And I'm so sorry you had to go through that."

"Kara." Alex murmurs, not as an interruption but both as a way of forgiveness and support.

She runs her hand through Kara's hair and listens to her as she continues talking.

"And... I know it's not the same at all, but." Kara hesitates for a moment. She continues talking slower than normal at first like she's unsure about how to word it. "I do know what it's like to keep a secret, to keep a part of yourself hidden. And I know how lonely that can be."

Kara's words feel like a blow directly to her heart and Alex chokes on her emotions. Her questioning of her sexuality had not been easy, she had been absolutely horrible to herself in hindsight. It was a low in her life where she tried to convince herself she was straight. Which didn't work. Obviously.

She lets out a shuddering breath and pulls away so she can look her sister in the eye. "I can't do this without you."

Kara wraps both arms around her. "You don't have to. I'm here, I'll always be here."

They stay there for a while until they both feel calmer. Alex wipes away the tears, sniffling and gathering herself. She stays where she is, though. It's too comfortable and comforting for her to want to move.

"So who's the girl? What's she like?" Kara asks curiously.

"It's um. Maggie." Alex says quietly.

If Kara didn't have super hearing, she would have to strain to hear her answer.

"Sawyer?" Kara gasps. "The knight? Your new partner?"

"Do you know another Maggie?" Alex teases. Kara pokes her in the side, making her giggle. "Yeah, that Maggie."

"Tell me about her," Kara prompts.

"You know Maggie, you've met her."

"I meant tell me what you like about her. Like how I gush about people." She nudges Alex playfully. "It's your turn to gush now."

"I don't gush," Alex scoffs.

She tells her sister about Maggie anyway, about how she fights, about how she looks, about everything and anything she can think of (that's PG-13 of course, she doesn't want to scar Kara). She talks to Kara until the wee hours of the morning and realizes she has to get up in like three hours to meet Maggie.

"I should go to sleep," Alex yawns.

It's going to be interesting tomorrow. She has trained herself so she can go a few days on little sleep but she doesn't like to be sleep deprived unless it's absolutely necessary.

"Alright. Night." Kara flops face first onto Alex's bed, scooting gracelessly under the covers and snuggling up to Alex. "And hey I just realized we can talk about girls instead of boys now!" She says enthusiastically.

Alex frowns. Her sister sometimes words things weirdly. "What does that even mean?"

"Well, we both like girls so we can talk about them now!"

That makes Alex a hundred times less tired. "Wait. You like girls?"

"And boys. Anyone really, gender doesn't matter. Everyone on Krypton is pansexual."

"Huh?" Alex lets out, completely dumbfounded.

"You didn't notice?" Kara cocks her head like a confused puppy. "Ever since I got here I've told you about people I like. They haven't always been boys. Like remember how I said I would want to date Lucy?"

Alex's mind is being blown. She thinks back over all of their talks and remembers how Kara has talked about cute girls and other gendered people, not just guys.

"Oh my god," she groans.

All this time she thought Kara had a bad gaydar but her own doesn't work well either. Which is further proved when she recalls how surprised she was the Maggie and Lucy slept together.

"Now that I think about it, you really didn't notice." Kara muses. "I always wondered why would push me to ask out the guys but not anyone else."

"I thought you were straight," Alex sighs.

Kara laughs quietly. "I once told you that I kissed a girl."

"I thought it was a fluke!" Alex says while Kara continues giggling. "Man, I'm so bad at this."

"It's endearing." Kara assures her as her laughter fades. She blows out the last candle that's been lighting the room. "Now come on, we both have a big day tomorrow and you need sleep more than I do. You have to get up before eight."

Alex grumbles for a bit but falls asleep relatively quickly. She's woken up by someone shaking her.

"Nooo," she groans.

Kara chuckles but doesn't relent. "Come on, sleepy head. I tried waking you up at seven but you were dead to the world."

Alex opens her eyes slowly, squinting against the light filtering into her room. She must have forgotten to close her curtains last night. Or more likely, Kara opened them to help her wake up.

"What time is it?" She asks, her voice raspy from sleep.

"Seven twenty."

Alex curses and gets out of bed. She gets dressed in what feels like record time and after a moment of debate she grabs the revolver her dad got her when she became a knight. She has only had to use it a couple times in the field but she never knows when having a long range weapon like this could be useful. It's much easier to carry than a bow or a crossbow, though when she can she prefers to use a crossbow.

Alex gives Kara a kiss on the cheek and wishes her good luck before she practically runs out of the room. She walks quicker than she normally does down the hallways but doesn't run. She only does that when something bad has happened and she doesn't want to worry the guards.

Alex heads straight for the kitchen to grab a quick breakfast before she goes to the DEO. She stops in her tracks when she sees Maggie in the kitchen, eating toast and sipping coffee.

Maggie looks up and smiles at Alex, who's looking at her in the doorway. She snaps out of her dimple induced haze when a cook asks her to move out of their way when they enter. She apologizes and enters, hoping her partner didn't notice her staring.

"Hey Danvers." Maggie greets as Alex cooks herself some toast as well. A chef starts making her some of her favorite coffee. "I didn't expect to see you here so late. I had you pegged as an early bird."

"I usually am," Alex admits. "I just stayed up late last night talking with Kara."

"How's she doing?" Maggie asks.

"We didn't really talk about it, but... She's worried. She has a bunch of people to support her if it goes bad, though. She will be fine." Alex answers.

Maggie nods. "I have no doubt about that. Plus, the people love her. I don't think she will have too many problems."

Alex sits down next to her with her food and coffee, reassured by Maggie's words. She sips her coffee and hums, relishing in the taste. She doesn't have it often, just when she's tired or when she needs something nice to make the start of her day better. Today, she needs both.

She and Maggie talk about some of their most ridiculous cases they've worked while they eat and leave together when it's time to head to the DEO.

Chapter Text

Alex and Maggie head to the DEO and are immediately greeted once they enter by a grim J'onn. They stop in front of him.

"Knights," he greets them politely then gets to business. "You are going to be patrolling National City. You are not to leave the city limits unless there is an emergency. I suggest you observe the people, take in how they are acting today. Sir Alex, I know you keep a notebook on you. Write down anything out of the ordinary."

"Yes sir," Alex responds.

"Remember your mission. Do not start anything, Danvers. No fighting unless something happens. Understand?" The partners nod and J'onn relaxes his stance slightly, satisfied. "Good. Now go."

They turn around and walk out of the DEO. Once they're outside, Maggie looks at Alex and speaks.

"You carry around a notebook everywhere?"

"You don't?" Alex responds, grinning when Maggie doesn't reply. "It's come in handy a bunch of times. Whether it's remembering small details during a mission or if I suddenly have an idea."

"What kind of idea?"

"To improve of fix something I'm working on in the lab. One time I figured out a way to improve Kara's glasses in the middle of fighting an alien."

"Impressive. What are her glasses for, anyway? I wouldn't think someone with powers like Kara would have bad sight." Maggie asks.

"She doesn't exactly need them, but they help her. Kara's powers were really overwhelming for her when she first got here. The glasses are lead lined, which dulls her powers a little and helps her focus."

"Smart." Maggie says.

They step out of the castle's gates and are immediately more alert. Their backs automatically straighten and they look around more.

People are going about their days, most sparing nothing more than a quick glance at them. A few catch Alex's attention and she pulls out a small black notebook and jots a few observations down. Maggie gives her some input as they go, telling her partner about some unusual activity while she writes.

"Why not write it down in your own notebook, Sawyer?" Alex teases.

"I like watching you write," Maggie says honestly. "Your handwriting's cute."

"What?" Alex gives her a weird look. "How is handwriting cute?"

"Your handwriting is definitely not what I expected. I thought it would be perfect, like a typewriter made it or something. But no, your handwriting is pretty much indecipherable." Maggie laughs at Alex's insulted expression. "It looks like literal chicken scratch."

"It's not that bad," Alex grumbles.

"Oh yeah? Then what does that say?" Maggie points to a word on the page Alex has it open to.

Alex squints and frowns. "Alien? Alone? Ugh, I don't know." She points at Maggie, who's grinning at her. "That doesn't prove anything."

"Whatever you say, Danvers. Now come on, you're also supposed to be showing me around." Maggie takes Alex's hand and starts pulling her toward a busy street. "So be my tour guide."

For the next hour or so, they walk around the more crowded areas in National City. They get stopped a few times and Alex gets asked a lot about her sister, but she refrains from answering anything that isn't already in the article. During one of the times Alex is distracted by a citizen, a woman sees Maggie and stops in her tracks.

"Maggie?" The woman asks, stepping closer. She breaks out into a smile. "Hey! It's been a while."

"It has. How are you doing?" She asks.

"I'm doing much better. I really can't thank you enough for all you have done for me and my family."

By now, Alex has finished her conversation and has noticed the woman with Maggie. Heat bubbles up in her stomach but it's not the good, loving kind. It feels more like jealousy. She subtly moves closer to her partner.

"It was my pleasure, really." Maggie says earnestly.

"I want to do something for you. You've been helping aliens like myself for a while and I know it can't be easy without many resources. There's a bar near here that a friend of mine opened up exclusively for aliens and for true allies such as yourself." Her gaze flicks over to Alex and then down to where her hand is still entwined with Maggie's. "As long as she is as good a person as you, you can bring along your mate as well."

Alex's eyes practically bug out of her head and she can only stare in shock as the alien woman smiles warmly at her.

"That's amazing, thank you Serana." Maggie says. "Where is it?"

Serana looks around the crowded street mistrustfully then leans in and whispers in her ear. Maggie nods along to her words, committing them to memory.

"Thank you again on behalf of me and my family. Have a good day." Serana waves and walks away, disappearing in the throng of people.

Maggie pulls out her notebook and writes down what she was told. "It's near here. We can check it out another time."

"Alright."

She pushes away the jealousy in her, reminding herself that Maggie probably saved Serana and her family at some point. Alex rolls her shoulders and glances around.

"Hey, are you okay Alex?" Maggie asks worriedly.

Alex blinks, surprised by her partner using her first name.

"I'm okay." Maggie raises an eyebrow, giving her a skeptical look. "I am," Alex insists. "I just feel like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. Kara came out as Kryptonian today." And as pansexual this morning, Alex adds mentally. "Not everyone's going to be cool with this. Something's going to happen."

Maggie nods in understanding and they're quiet for a couple of moments before she speaks. "I wonder how the Luthor Kingdom's going to take this."

Alex groans. "Definitely not well. Their Queen is extremely xenophobic. I think J'onn or my parents sent the daughter a messenger to tell them that the Queen funds the group that tried to kill Kara and me. We should be hearing back from her soon. I hope she's better than her family."

"Yeah. I haven't heard much about her, other than the fact she apparently exists." Maggie frowns.

She likes knowing things, especially important things like the next possible ruler of the Luthor Kingdom.

They're interrupted from saying anything else by the sound of a scuffle in a nearby alleyway. Alex and Maggie exchange a look and nod. They make their way over and both discretely pull out a dagger after letting go of each other's hands.

Alex looks around the corner, glad her training helped her pick out the sound of someone in a fight. A one-sided fight if the way someone beating up another person who isn't even trying to fight back, just ducking and trying to minimize the damage being done to them.

Alex steps out and clutches her dagger. "Stop!"

The man who's been beating the other pauses and looks back at her. His lips curl up into a sneer when he sees her and gets back to what he was doing, ignoring her. Maggie walks up next to Alex.

"Didn't you hear the lady? Stop." Maggie says in a no nonsense tone.

He doesn't respond and Alex and Maggie move in unison toward him. They sheathe their daggers, knowing they won't need them to take down this guy. Maggie bodily pulls him away from the other person, who flinches when Alex reaches out her hand.

"We'll take care of him, okay?" Alex murmurs, using the same tone she used to use when Kara had a nightmare about Krypton.

The boy nods and leans against the wall of the alley while Alex turns back to Maggie and the man. Maggie has his arm twisted behind his back in a painful way.

"Why do you care?" The man spits out. "He's just a stupid alien. Go back home, you freak."

Alex looks at the boy closer and notices the light blueish tint to his skin and his long fingernails. The species he is escapes Alex's memory for the moment but she does remember they're typically nonviolent.

"My sister's an alien." Alex tells the man. "If anyone here is stupid, it's your xenophobic self."

The man scoffs and starts spouting out hateful things until Alex smacks him upside the head to shut him up.

"Ow! Who the heck do you think you are?" The man snaps angrily.

"Sir Alex Danvers," she replies calmly. She grins when the man pales. "And that woman is my partner, Sir Maggie Sawyer. As you may know, discrimination is illegal in this Kingdom. Your hate speech alone gives you up to six months in prison. But beating up a kid?" Alex clicks her tongue with disapproval. "That adds years to your sentence."

Maggie grins happily and pulls out her handcuffs she keeps with her. "You're under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can..." She goes on, listing the laws.

It's new, something Alex herself fought to pass a few years after Kara came down. It's not that her parents didn't like it when she said 'hey, people should know their rights when they're arrested' it was more like the knights needed convincing. It was an uphill battle.

When Maggie's done, Alex can't resist asking her a question. "So you just keep handcuffs with you?" Most knights don't, relying on nearby supplies like ropes when arresting someone.

"You never know when you might need them." Maggie winks, making Alex blush.

Chapter Text

The disgruntled man is handed to the nearest guard by Maggie to be taken into custody. She takes back her handcuffs and the guard uses his own. He will be heading to their normal jail, not DEO jail. He spits at her as he's dragged away and tries to elbow away from the guard, threatening to punch her. That prompts the guard to tell him he just added "threatening a knight" to his list of crimes. He goes quiet after that.

Maggie practically runs back to where she left Alex and the boy who was being beaten up. She slows when she nears them and nearly melts when she sees what has been going on while she was gone.

Alex is sitting in front of the kid, relaxed. She's close enough for him to know she is there, but far enough away to respect his personal space and how he probably doesn't want to be close to anyone after what just happened. Alex is talking to him in a quiet, soothing voice.

Maggie leans against the wall in the alley, not wanting to disrupt what her partner is doing. The boy eventually looks up at Alex instead of staring blankly at the ground.

"What do I do now?" The boy questions.

Maggie notices that he has a slight accent, enough for her to know he didn't grow up here. It is not an accent Maggie recognizes, so he must be from a planet she hasn't met anyone from.

"We've actually been working on a program for people like you." Alex says in a low, kind voice. "There's a place downtown that we bought recently. It's called Krypton, do you know where it is?"

"Yes. Why is it called Krypton?" He asks.

"It's named after the planet my sister came from. She and I are the ones who came up with the idea for this and put it into motion. It's a dojo, a training place, where aliens and others who are discriminated against can learn to defend themselves. The classes are free and if you tell the instructor what species you are or what planet you come from, they should be able to come up with something that works with your abilities."

Maggie's eyebrows raise. She didn't know that such a program existed so it must be pretty new.

"I don't want to fight." The boy says in a small voice.

"And that's perfectly fine, I can't make you go. It's a self-defense class and you might never need what you learn. But it's nice to know how to fight for those times where someone starts something with you. Like today." Alex pauses for a moment before asking a question that has been stuck in her head. "Does this happen often?"

The boy nods hesitantly. "Yes."

"Next time this happens, I want you to tell the nearest guard or knight, okay? And if they don't believe you, get their names and come up to the castle to talk to me. I'll yell at them until they cry." Alex says seriously, smiling when the boy laughs.

"Alright," the boy says. "Thank you , Sir Alex. I'll go to the classes too so I can protect my friends."

Alex smiles, "Protecting friends and family is a great reason. You know, you remind me of me when I was younger."

The boy stares at her with wide eyes. "Really?"

"Yup. You know, if you or any of your friends want to, you could become a knight. My mom made a law saying that anyone can be a knight."

"My sister would love that!" The boy says excitedly.

"Then maybe you could tell her about the training classes, too. Sometimes people who teach people to become knights come and watch to see if there's anyone they want to train." Alex says.

"She'll be so excited!" He stands and so does Alex. "Thank you so much!"

The boy throws himself at Alex, wrapping her in a hug. She lets out an "oof" sound at the suddenness of it but happily hugs him back until he pulls away.

"You're welcome, kid." Alex says.

The boy thanks her again before rushing off. He smiles at Maggie as he runs. Alex turns around and sees her partner. She jumps, not expecting her to be there.

"Maggie? How long have you been standing there?" Alex asks shyly.

"Long enough to know you're great with kids." Maggie replies, ignoring the fluttering in her stomach that picks up when she realizes Alex called her by her name.

"Pfft," Alex tries to wave it off.

"You are," Maggie insists. She takes a step closer and notices how Alex is blushing. "That was amazing, Alex."

"It wasn't-"

"Take the compliment, Danvers." Maggie says, amused.

"Fine. Thanks, Sawyer. Now let's keep patrolling."

Maggie rolls her eyes at her partner's inability to take compliments but follows her as she leads the way out of the alley.

They continue their patrol but other than a few people curious about Kara's superpowers, nothing really happens. Well, not until they're nearing the end of it and hear the sound of hooves hitting the cobblestone streets at a pace too fast to be really safe in a large city like this. For the person to be riding that fast, their horse is either out of control (though the hooves are hitting the ground at regular intervals so it isn't that) or there's an urgent message to be delivered, most likely to the castle.

Sure enough, moments later a courier comes into view, their horse nearly galloping. He sees Alex and makes his horse stop.

"Sir Alex," he greets with relief and exhausted in his voice. "It is so great to see you."

"What's so urgent?" Alex asks worriedly.

"It's about the Luthor Kingdom." The courier says.

That makes the blood in Alex's veins turn to ice and the heat of anxiety churns in her stomach. She nods and slips into her "Agent/Knight Danvers mode" as Kara likes to call it.

"Get to the castle as quick as possible. We will be there soon. Do not start without us there. Understand?" Alex asks.

"Yes ma'am." The courier nods.

"Now go!" Alex orders.

The courier squeezes the horse's sides with his legs and clicks his tongue. The tired yet determined horse takes off almost instantly.

"How are we going to get there in time for them to wait?" Maggie asks, concerned.

"You'll see. Are you okay with flying?" Alex questions.

"Um. Sure?"

"Good. Now let's start running."

Maggie doesn't question her partner further, trusting that she has a plan. She and Alex run, Maggie lagging a step or two behind because of her shorter legs.

"KARA!" Alex yells and Maggie flinches at the sudden sound. She yells again after a moment. "KARA!"

Kara lands in front of them in her super suit and they skid to a stop.

"What's wrong?" Kara looks them over worriedly, using her X-ray vision to make sure nothing's broken.

"Take us to the castle. I'll explain on the way."

The urgency in her tone makes Kara nervous but she does as her sister asks. She picks them both up and takes off, the sound of the wind nearly muffling Maggie's surprised yelp.

"There's a courier heading to the castle." Alex says in a normal volume, knowing her sister can hear her. "He has urgent information about the Luthor Kingdom."

"Good or bad?" Kara yells so Alex can hear her.

"We don't know yet. Could you take us right to the throne room?"

"Sure."

They land in front of a surprised Eliza and Jeremiah a moment later. Kara gently sets them down.

Maggie takes a second to gather herself and is thankful she was lazy this morning and out her hair up in a ponytail because otherwise, she would probably have some really windswept hair. Which usually is not something she cares about but she's literally standing in front of a Queen.

Maggie also makes a mental note to ask Kara to take her flying again sometime. It could have been fun but her surprise and worry sucked all of the fun out of it.

"Kara? Alex? Sir Maggie?" Eliza asks. "What's going on?"

"There's a courier coming with urgent news of Luthor Kingdom." Alex explains.

Eliza turns to her other daughter with a grave, concerned expression. "Kara, get J'onn and Winn. They should hear this, too."

Kara nods and dashes off to go get them. She's back with a frazzled looking Winn after a moment and it's barely any time before J'onn arrives.

The courier dashes in and looks confused when he sees how many people have gathered, especially since Maggie and Alex were on foot and arrived before him. He brushes it off and bows to the Queen.

"Your Majesty, I have news of Luthor Kingdom." The courier says when he straightens. "Lillian Luthor learned of Kara being Supergirl and threatened to kill her and declare war on the Danvers Kingdom. Her daughter, Lena, overheard. Lena overthrew Lillian."

Chapter Text

"Lena overthrew Lillian." The courier reports.

It's deathly silent in the room for a few minutes until Eliza speaks again.

"You're sure?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." He bows lowly to her. He then seems to remember something and rummages through his satchel. "She wrote a letter and personally handed it to me to give to you."

The courier gives Eliza the letter. She breaks the wax seal and gently unfolds the paper before starting to read. She reads through it and the room is once again quiet. Alex fidgets in place a little, anxious about what it could say. It feels like an eternity before Eliza lowers the letter again, her expression still carefully blank.

"What does it say, dear?" Jeremiah prompts gently.

"Lena has suspected she may have to overthrow her mother for some time." Eliza begins. "It sounds as though she has been preparing for this since Lex was killed."

Alex's eyebrows raise. He had been killed years ago. "That long?" She asks before she can stop herself

"Yes," Eliza answers, thankfully not seeming to mind being interrupted. "She doesn't go into detail about what her plans are for fear of the courier being caught or intercepted by someone loyal to Lillian. She says she isn't like her adoptive family. She also says that she will be arriving in a week to talk about a truce and an alliance between our Kingdoms."

"An alliance?" J'onn repeats, frowning. "These are the Luthors we're talking about."

"I'm well aware of that, J'onn." Eliza says drily. "We have a week to prepare to receive her and those she brings with her. We will increase our guards and our patrols. But we will not be the first to draw our swords. Understand?"

Everyone bows their heads to the Queen. Alex feels worry creeping up her spine. This could easily be a trap. Before she can delve into thinking about what could happen, someone interrupts her thoughts.

"And that's it?" Kara questions.

Alex gets the feeling she peeked with her X-ray vision and saw something else.

"No. She also warns that she knows she won't be able to kill her mother and that Lillian will not give up. Lena says that she will tell us more about what she could be planning after she gets here." Eliza says.

Jeremiah, sensing his wife has explained everything, turns to the courier. "Thank you for all that you've done. There's a room that has been prepared for you in the guest quarters and you and your horse will be looked over tomorrow. A knight can take youth your room now." He gestures and a guard walks over from their post.

"Thank you, sir." The courier smiles and bows one last time before following the guard out of the room.

"Is there anything you need us to do?" Alex asks her parents and J'onn once the door clangs shut behind the courier.

"No. You kids can do whatever you would like to." Jeremiah says after exchanging a look with J'onn.

"Alright. Goodnight."

Alex gives Eliza and Jeremiah a kiss on the cheek and nods to J'onn. Kara goes in after her as she rejoins Maggie, who looks a little overwhelmed by everything.

"Come on, Sawyer." Alex says.

Maggie starts to walk alongside her while Kara jogs to catch up. Winn calls a goodbye to them and dashes off.

"What now? I'm too wired to go to sleep." Kara says.

"You're always hyper, Kara." Alex teases, making her very mature sister stick out her tongue at her.

"If you two don't want to go to sleep yet, we could always check out the bar."

Alex lets out a quick breath, having nearly forgotten about it. "Oh, fuck yeah. I know I could really use a drink after such a crazy day. And maybe they have something that can get Kara drunk."

Maggie laughs. "I would pay to see that happen."

"Alcohol can't get me drunk." Kara points out, confused. "We tried, remember?"

Maggie gives Alex a questioning look and she shrugs. "We were bored. It was an experiment." Maggie shakes her head at that, grinning. Alex looks back to Kara. "No, this bar she's talking about is for aliens."

Kara blinks, open mouthed. "For aliens?"

"Yeah. An alien I helped a few years ago told me about it today." Maggie explains. "It might have some food and drinks not from Earth. Do you want to come, Little Danvers?"

"Yeah!" Kara exclaims, practically floating at the thought of being around people like her.

"Alright. I know where it is, so I'll lead us there." Maggie says.

Alex nods and frowns when she realizes something. "Should we change out of our DEO uniforms?"

Maggie shrugs. "It's up to you if you eat to, but we look great. We'll be fine either way."

Alex is glad Maggie's back is turned because her sister gives her a suggestive look at Maggie's words. She gives her sister a pleading look and Kara luckily understands and drops it. Alex knows it's only a matter of time before her sister teases her about her crush. She bets she has until the second Kara gets her alone and then the relentless questions and teasing will start.

Kara winks at her sister then continues excitedly chattering with her, speculating about what the bar could be like. Just to see Maggie smirk and Kara pout, Alex weaves extravagant theories about a hole-in-the-wall dive bar. It's a hilarious contrast to what her sister hopes it's like.

Kara babbles about what she thinks it could be like. So basically a coffee shop with alien food where everyone can get together and crap rainbows. Well, maybe not that last part but Alex finds Maggie's witty commentary hilarious.

Maggie leads them through National City with ease, not once having to ask Alex for directions. Alex makes a mental note of this, knowing that either means her partner's great with directions or she memorized the city's layout. Either way, this helps prove that Alex is right, Maggie is a heck of a lot smarter than she lets on.

Alex exchanges a confused look with Kara when Maggie stops in front of a random rusting metal door. Maggie knocks twice on it and steps back, standing up straight but somehow managing to still look casual. Alex definitely doesn't stare until Kara nudges her a second later.

Alex nearly jumps out of her skin when a slot she didn't notice opens. She scowls to herself, not happy that she got so distracted by Maggie's good looks that she didn't see it.

A pair of eyes peek out, impassive and cold. "Password?"

"Dollywood." Maggie says confidently.

The slot closes with a clang and Alex hears the sound of metal sliding against metal. When the door is unlocked, it swings open for them and they walk down stairs into a bar not unlike the kind Alex used to frequent. Except with more aliens.

A musician is playing on a small stage, and the slow, almost wistful tune echoes through the bar.

Alex's fingers twitch, unused to being around so many aliens without any being hostile. She stops herself from doing something rash and stupid and instead follows Maggie further in.

Some people look up from where they're seated or playing a game of pool and give them all a once over. Alex tries not to give into the urge to punch someone when a guy openly leers at Maggie until Maggie puts her hands on her hips, revealing that she's carrying swords. The man rolls his eyes and turns back to the bar.

"This place is amazing!" Kara gushes.

"Really? It doesn't seem like a place you would like. This is more like what Alex described." Maggie points out.

"I know. And I stand by my idea that they should sell cupcakes and cookies here. But still! It's a place for aliens to be themselves! What's not to like?"

"That's a good way of looking at it." Maggie says, grinning. "Now come on, let's see what kind of cool stuff they serve here."

"I'll get us a table." Alex offers.

Kara and Maggie both seem to love this place and while Alex is curious, she isn't as interested as she can tell they are. Plus, they're going to need a table anyways.

"You sure?" Maggie asks hesitantly. "What do you want to drink?"

Alex shrugs one shoulder. "I'll have whatever you're having. You seem like you have good taste."

"I do have great taste." Maggie confirms, looking Alex over. She isn't sure her partner is talking about drinks anymore. "Lets go check it out, Little Danvers."

Alex watches them go with a fond expression before she scans the room, looking for somewhere to sit with a good vantage point. She finds a booth against a wall that seems just big enough to squeeze in three people. And it's right next to an unoccupied pool table.

Alex sits down, promising herself that some time she'll come back here and play pool. She hasn't done that in a while.

Chapter Text

Maggie and Kara come back empty handed. Kara sits across from Alex at the shorter end of the booth. That forces Maggie to sit next to Alex. Kara winks unsubtly and Alex can't decide whether she wants to strangle or hug her sister for this.

"So what happened? Where are the drinks?" Alex asks.

"The bartender will bring them over soon. She's just dealing with an alien that keeps trying to get in her pants." Maggie explains.

Alex looks over and sees a smirking man, the same one that was staring at Maggie when they first came in, leaning against the bar. Judging by the bartender's unimpressed and faintly disgusted expression, his advances aren't welcome.

Alex has an idea that she knows Kara would call stupid and rash, so she looks him over. There are no bulges, no hint that he's carrying a weapon. Though he is an alien, so it's entirely possible that he has powers. She has her sword and her gun as well as Kara and Maggie by her side if this goes sideways.

She grabs the small metal bowl that used to have nuts in it until Kara's vacuum of a stomach got to it. She throws it at him and it arcs perfectly in the air until it hits him in the back of the head.

His head snaps around and he gives Alex a death glare. The bartender leaps easily over the bar and murmurs something obviously threatening to him, her eyes flashing red for a moment. He grumbles and leaves, giving Alex another glare before he walks out.

"Nice shot, Danvers." Maggie remarks, sounding impressed.

"Alex, he could have been dangerous!" Kara points out. "That was reckless!"

"It was," another voice confirms. Alex looks up to see the bartender placing drinks in front of them. "I had that handled."

"You know on this planet, when someone helps you out, usually you say thank you." Alex remarks.

"Thank you, human." The bartender says. "And don't drink your alien friend's drink unless you want to hallucinate or go into a coma for a week."

Alex eyes the blue liquid set in front of her sister warily. "But it's okay for her to drink? It won't hurt her, right?"

"The only thing that will happen to her is that she'll get drunk." The bartender answers.

"I can't wait to see drunk Kara." Maggie says excitedly. "Thank you, M'gann."

Kara squints at the bartender. "The way your name is pronounced is super cool, but it also seems familiar... What are you?"

"Oh my god." Alex says quietly and then speaks louder. "Kara, you can't just ask people 'what are you?' It sounds really rude."

Alex lifts her beer to her lips, surprised by how much she likes it. Maggie does have good taste.

"It's alright," M'gann reassures. "I'm a Martian."

Alex chokes on her beer and Maggie pats her back. Normally, she would be blushing but this is too much of a surprise for her to feel anything other than shock.

"You're a what?" Kara gasps out.

Alex can't tell if her eyes are sparkling like she thinks they are because her eyes are watering a little from the choking.

"You're not kidding, right?" Alex asks when she gets ahold of herself.

She has to make sure. She doesn't want to tell J'onn only to have it be some sort of cruel joke.

M'gann doesn't answer verbally and a red light spreads across her body. She turns into a slimmer, shorter version of J'onn when he's in his Martian form. Even the transformation looks the same.

"That's incredible." Maggie remarks as M'gann changes back.

"J'onn would love to meet you!" Kara says excitedly.

Alex notices how that makes M'gann nervous. "J'onn?" She repeats. "I don't know..."

"Please?" Kara begs. "It'll make him so happy to see another Martian."

M'gann shifts on her feet and sighs. "Alright. I will."

"Thank you!" Kara practically cheers, squirming happily in her seat. "Come to the castle anytime and ask a knight to take you to J'onn. Come whenever you're ready!"

"I will. If you will excuse me." M'gann gives them a smile.

She walks back to the bar and talks to the other bartender before leaving.

"That was unexpected." Alex comments.

"It was," Maggie agrees. "Now come on, we're at an alien bar with alcohol after a long, weird day. Let's drink!"

They clink their glasses together and take a sip. Kara sputters for a moment, then giggles.

"This stuff is strong. Whoa, it's already hitting me."

"Lightweight," Alex teases.

Maggie takes another drink then leans forward on her elbows towards Kara. "So, Kara. You grew up with Alex."

"I've been with her since I was 13." Kara nods.

Maggie grins, her dimples making Alex's mind repeat 'fuck I'm so gay' over and over.

"So I bet you know a bunch of embarrassing stories about her." Maggie prompts.

Kara's face lights up and Alex shakes her head. "Kara no."

"Kara yes." Kara retorts. "I like your new partner, Alex. She's more fun than you. One of my favorites is the story of her punk phase."

Alex groans and buries her face in her hands. "Kara..."

"Punk phase?" Maggie questions, amused.

"Oh yeah. She wore all black and sulked all the time."

"How is that any different from now?" Maggie nudges Alex, winking when her partner looks at her.

"She would only listen to fast music, but not by anyone else. She didn't like any of the bands that came to National City, so she played her own music. The worst part was when she first started doing that, she had no idea how to play the guitar."

"It wasn't that bad," Alex tries to downplay it.

"Alex, I have super hearing. It was really bad. I considered flying over to Metropolis to escape from it so my ears wouldn't start bleeding." Kara laughs.

Alex kicks her sister's shin under the table, despite the fact she knows that didn't hurt anyone other than herself.

"I'm good now," Alex points out. "You beg me sometimes to play the guitar for you."

"You are full of surprises, Danvers." Maggie remarks, her eyes twinkling.

Alex has to look away after a moment and ignores Kara's knowing look. She must have heard Alex's heart beat pick up.

"Just wait until I tell you about the time she tried to build herself a better sword."

"Hey, it was a good idea! It just didn't turn out well." Alex says.

"Alex, you nearly blew up a forge." Kara points out.

"Accidentally!"

They go back and forth, telling Maggie embarrassing stories about each other. Alex finds that she actually doesn't mind much. The way Maggie laughs and smiles makes it more than worth it. And it's funny to see Kara get even more drunk as time goes on.

"Kara, are you slurring your words?" Alex questions, intrigued.

"Am I? Choc-o-late." She slurs, repeating the word a few times before giggling.

"She's actually drunk," Alex observes. "She barely drank half of her drink."

"She is." Maggie says. "How are you feeling, Kara?"

Kara smiles widely. "Floaty!"

She actually floats up a few inches only to have Alex gently guide her back down on her seat.

"Careful, Kara." Alex reminds her.

It's okay for her to use her powers in public now that she's out as an alien, but she's drunk. Alex isn't sure how much self control she has at the moment.

"You be careful." Kara says seriously before she giggles again and taps Alex's nose. "Alex, Alex. What do you think Lena looks like? All scowly like Lillian?" Kara gasps softly. "Maybe she looks like a human version of a flower!"

"Maybe. And maybe we should start heading home." Alex suggests. "Maggie and I will walk with you."

Kara snorts. "I'm not flying, that's for sure."

Maggie laughs and goes over to help Kara stand on shaky legs. She weaves on her feet with a grin on her face the entire time.

Alex heads over to the bar and pays for their drinks. She rejoins Maggie and they walk on either side of Kara as they leave. Kara calls out a loud goodbye to the other aliens, who either look amused or ignore her.

Kara stumbles a few times only to have Maggie or Alex catch her before she falls. They take Kara to her room first and Alex tucks her into bed. Luckily, Kara falls asleep almost right away.

Alex rejoins Maggie, who stayed out in the hall while Kara changed and got into bed.

"Hey," Alex says in a hushed voice. She leans on the door to her own room. "Sorry that you had to help with Kara."

Maggie gives Alex one of her smiles that makes Alex turn to gay mush inside. "It was no problem, Danvers. I had a great time. Plus I got to hear some pretty great stories about you, so it was more than worth it."

Alex groans and Maggie laughs quietly. "Never repeat those stories."

"I won't," Maggie promises. "I thought they were cute."

"Pfft," Alex ignores the blush on her cheeks. "I'm not cute."

"You're adorable, Alex."

Alex breath catches in her throat at the sound of her name coming out of her crush's mouth and she glances down to Maggie's lips. She quickly looks back up only to see that Maggie is looking down at her own lips. Alex's mind is racing, only quieting when Maggie leans in and kisses her.

Chapter Text

Alex's eyebrows shoot up in shock but she doesn't let her surprise stop her from thoroughly enjoying this. She reaches up to gently cup Maggie's face and pulls her even closer.

It's a slow kiss and it's nothing like any of the other kisses Alex has had. Well, the only other ones were either with men or hidden away so no one would see. This is so wonderfully different and Alex wonders if this is what Kara feels like when she flies.

Maggie only pulls back from Alex when their lungs are screaming for air. She rests her forehead against Alex's, grinning at how dazed the other girl looks.

When Alex can breathe enough to get the words out, she speaks. "So... you're saying you like me?" Maggie chuckles and Alex grins, loving her dimples even more when she's the cause of them. "That's... That's what I got."

"Of course." Maggie cocks her head at Alex in that way that makes her gay brain turn to mush. "You're not going to go crazy on me, are you?"

Alex nods, still smiling. "Probably, yeah."

She's looking at Maggie with a soft expression that makes her breath hitch. Alex runs her fingers through Maggie's hair, gently pulling her back towards her.

Their lips meet again and Alex is glad she's leaning back against her door because holy crap, this is what kissing someone is supposed to feel like. It has never felt like this before, not even with the laughably small amount of women she has kissed. It has always been hurried, stolen kisses in the backs of bars without any emotional connection.

The next time their lips pull apart, Alex is the one to pull back. Maggie gives her a concerned look and starts to pull away to give her space but Alex's hand on her waist keeps her from going too far.

"Hey, so. Um. Do you want to maybe go to the bar sometime? Shoot some pool?" Alex asks nervously.

Maggie does that adorable head cocking thing again. "Danvers, are you asking me out?"

"Um. Yes?"

Maggie chuckles again and quickly kisses Alex again, making her relax slightly. "Alex, we just spent the last ten minutes making out. Yes, I want to go on a date with you. And be prepared to lose at pool."

Alex's confidence shoots back up at the confirmation. "Lose? Oh you're going down, Sawyer. I'll have you know I am the best pool player in all of National City."

"Really?" Maggie leans in closer so their lips brush again.

"Mm-hmm. There was a tournament, which I won." Alex murmurs in response.

"Well then." Maggie rests her hands above Alex's waist, making her partner flustered all over again. "I guess you'll have to teach me how to be better, Danvers."

Alex ignores the blush on her cheeks and leans in again, closing the distance and kissing Maggie. They get lost in each other for a while until Alex gets seriously tempted to drag her into her room. Maggie can tell she's hesitant and kisses her quickly and sweetly.

"So Danvers. When's our date?" She asks, her voice a few octaves lower than normal.

"Tomorrow night at eight. It's just the alien bar, so it's nothing fancy."

"Alright. See you in the morning, Danvers." Maggie says, unable to keep from kissing Alex one more time before she backs away a few steps.

"It is morning, Sawyer." Alex points out, smiling when Maggie groans. "See you in a couple of hours."

Alex opens the door behind her, continuing to look at Maggie. Her hair is messed up from Alex running her hand through it and she turns away before she marches over there and kisses her again.

She gives Maggie one last smile that's probably too dopey for this early in their relationship but she can't find it in herself to care. Especially when Maggie seems like she's just as smitten with her, leaning against the wall next to Kara's door and breathing hard.

Alex closes the door behind her and leans back against it. She lets out a shuddering breath, letting her emotions show on her face. Alex grins so widely that she is surprised it doesn't break her face in two. That was so much more incredible than she ever could have imagined. She didn't just kiss her crush, she made out with her! And she has a date with her tomorrow!

Alex gingerly touches her tingling lips, her main evidence that it wasn't just all in her head. That, plus her hair is messy from Maggie tangling her fingers with it and how her clothes are a little out of place. They didn't really do anything, but Maggie kept grasping at her shirt like she wanted to say 'screw it' and toss it on the floor. Especially during those last few minutes of their make out session. Alex half expected Maggie to touch her abs or something.

Alex changes into her pajamas and slips into bed, falling asleep easily to the memories replaying in her mind of kissing Maggie.

She's not surprised when Kara crawls into her bed in the wee hours of the morning. Alex wraps an arm around her and goes back to sleep, dreaming of the possibilities of their date tomorrow.

Alex snaps awake to the sound of her sister groaning. She smirks when she sees Kara carefully holding her head and curled up in a ball, trying to burrow under the covers.

"Now you know what a hangover is like." Alex murmurs and Kara groans again.

"I'm going to dieeeeeee..." Kara whines.

"Calm down, Supergirl." Alex says, trying to keep from laughing at her sister's dramatics. "You have super metabolism and everything, you'll be fine soon. I'm going to get up and get dressed, I have to go to the DEO soon."

Kara peeks out from under the blankets and squints at her. "Who are you and what have you done with Alex?"

Alex rolls her eyes and slips out of bed. She reaches over and ruffles her sister's hair.

"I'm still me, Kara." Alex speaks in a normal tone as she pulls out her DEO uniform and changes into it.

"Sure you are. So what happened? Why are you smiling like you just got to punch Maxwell in the face twenty times?" Kara asks. Alex blushes, which makes Kara sit up quickly in bed. "Oh Rao, I moved too fast. Ugh. Was it Maggie? Did you kiss? Did you make out? Did you ask her out? Did you confess your undying love for her?"

"That's a bit dramatic." Alex mumbles, sitting on the chair next to her bed that Kara uses when she's sick. "But um. Yeah, kinda."

Kara squeals excitedly and Alex winces at the high pitched sound. "Oh my Rao! What happened?"

"We, uh. We kissed." Alex confesses, unable to keep that dopey grin off her face. "A couple of times."

A second after telling Kara that, Alex has a lap full of an excitable Kryptonian. She's hugging Alex and practically vibrating happily.

"See? Told you that you would recover fast." Alex murmurs.

"No," Kara pulls away and points at her. "You are not changing the subject, Alexandra Danvers. What happened? Tell me everything."

"Alright, alright. So the first time, she kissed me. We made out for a while and then I confirmed that she likes me. Then we made out again and then I asked her out. She said yes."

Kara's mouth drops open, her eyes wide and her expression almost comically full of glee. "I knew she likes you! What happened next?"

"We made out again and said goodnight."

"So going to that bar was a good idea! When's your date?" Kara questions.

"Tonight. At the bar. I'm going to beat her at pool."

"You're taking her somewhere nice next time, right?" Kara pokes Alex in the stomach.

"Yeah, of course. I just need to make sure I get a next time first. And being at that bar, I'll be able to get to know more about her. Hopefully she won't be put off by the fact I'm only out to you."

Alex frowns, anxiety bubbling up in her stomach. What if Maggie doesn't want to be with someone who's so new to all of this?

"It will be fine, Alex. Besides, if she's not supportive, I'll kick her ass." Kara threatens.

"Thanks Kara. That won't be necessary. I can take care of myself, I'll be fine." Alex reassures her. They sit in silence for a few more moments, Kara not moving from her lap. "Maybe I should just come out to Mom and Dad now."

"Only if you're comfortable and ready." Kara says.

Alex mulls it over in her head and nods to herself. "I'm ready. Will you come with me?" She asks in a smaller voice.

"Of course. When do you want to do this?" Kara questions.

"Now," Alex answers. "So I don't freak out and worry too much today and psych myself out."

"You're sure?" Kara asks to make sure as she stands up.

"Yeah," Alex lets out a breath. "Lets do this."

Chapter Text

Kara watches Alex worriedly as they walk toward the throne room. Her sister is practically radiating nervousness and Kara finds herself having to smile reassuringly at some concerned guards on the way.

She holds Alex's hand, something that isn't very unusual except for the fact that she is doing it to try to calm her sister down.

"Lets do this quick. I have to meet Maggie at the DEO soon." Alex remarks.

Kara is probably one of the few people that can hear the anxiety hidden behind her words. She squeezes her sister's hand gently, careful not to hurt her.

"It'll be okay, Alex." Kara says. "Eliza and Jeremiah will be okay with it."

She would use more words, but Kara knows that Alex would want to tell people herself, so she words what she says carefully.

Alex lets out a nervous breath and runs her hand through her hair. "Have you told them?"

"Not exactly, but they know. They caught me kissing a girl once." Kara answers.

"Do I know her?" Alex asks curiously, noticing the blush on Kara's cheeks.

"Um. Yes. But I'm not telling you who! Besides, it was just that one time. We didn't even go on a date." Alex, distracted just like Kara hoped she would be, pouts at her. "Nooooo, stop that Alex. Okay, okay. Fine. Itwasvasquez." She rushes out.

"What was that? I didn't catch what you said."

Kara clears her throat, silently hoping her friend will be okay with her telling Alex that they kissed. "It was Vasquez."

"What?" Luckily for Kara, when her sister is shocked by something, Alex doesn't yell like Kara does. She just whispers harshly to her. "Vasquez? Like Agent Vasquez?"

"No, her twin sister. Yes Agent Vasquez! Again, a one time thing." Kara says back.

"Okay, we are so coming back to this." Alex points threateningly at her.

"No we won't, you will be too busy gushing about Maggie." She teases, nudging Alex.

Kara mentally pats herself on the back for her brilliant deflection and how she steered the conversation away from her.

Alex rolls her eyes but the playfulness disappears as they stand in front of the entrance to the throne room. Kara squeezes her hand again and Alex takes in a shuddering breath before heading inside, still holding her sister's hand. Alex makes a mental note to thank Kara for being there for her as she walks towards her parents.

Eliza and Jeremiah look up from where they're looking over something at the table at the sound of footsteps. They stand up, straightening their postures as their kids approach them.

Eliza sees the gentle concern on her adoptive daughter's face and the anxiety in Alex's. She steps forward, immediately concerned.

"What happened? What's wrong?" She asks.

"Nothing's wrong," Alex is quick to assure her mother. "I just, I need to to tell you guys something." She is even more grateful for Kara holding her hand because otherwise, she would be pacing right now. She takes in a deep breath. "I'm... I'm gay."

Eliza lets out a small sigh of relief and Jeremiah smiles proudly at Alex. She subtly gestures for her husband to come forward and together they wrap their daughters in a hug. Kara joins in almost instantly and Alex does too after a moment of stunned silence.

"We're proud of you, Alex." Jeremiah says.

Alex's jaw trembles and she looks up at the ceiling, breathing harshly out through her nose as she tries not to let her tears fall.

"We love you, Alexandra, however you are." Eliza says and Alex can't stop herself from crying any more.

Alex sniffles quietly and they pull away after a moment as she brushes the few tears that escaped away. She murmurs out a thank you and clears her throat softly, gathering herself.

"So, Alex." Jeremiah has his typical smile on his face but she recognizes the inquisitive look in his eyes. "Do you have a girlfriend?"

"Not... Not yet." Alex answers.

Jeremiah's grin widens and he happily claps his hands together. "That's not a no. I told you, dear, there's a reason that she has been happy lately instead of really worried about Kara."

After giving Alex a pleading look and receiving an affirming nod, Kara speaks. "She has a date tonight!"

"That's our girl!" Jeremiah says proudly and Alex fights the urge to blush. "Who is it with?"

"Sir Maggie Sawyer." Alex answers shyly.

She looks at her dad, confused when he seems to suppress laughter. "You know, when J'onn said you two would be good partners, I don't think he realized how right he was."

Eliza gives her husband a half-exasperated half-amused look as he laughs at his own joke, only Kara joining in with some giggles. Kara bumps her sister's shoulder as Alex's face flushes.

"I think she'll be good for you," Eliza says after Jeremiah calms down. "You will have to let know if it goes well, sweetie."

"I will," Alex promises.

If the giddiness she feels just thinking about Maggie is any indication, then people will definitely be able to tell if her date goes well. Alex wonders if the other DEO agents who have known her for years will be creeped out or scared if they see her smiling like she knows she does when Maggie's around.

"We have to get to the DEO." Kara says.

Eliza nods understandingly. "Alright. Have fun tonight, Alex. Stay safe."

Alex kisses her parents' cheeks before she and Kara leave the room, glad that her mom didn't go in depth about how she should stay safe. She did that before Alex's first date with a man and it was... Incredibly uncomfortable. As was the date. In fact, she has never been on a date she has enjoyed. But Alex has never been on a date with a woman, either.

Kara and Alex walk side by side to the DEO. She no longer needs her sister's emotional support, so they're not holding hands anymore.

"Danvers!" Alex hears a familiar voice yell as they enter the DEO.

Maggie's standing at the command center next to Vasquez, with J'onn standing next to Winn as they look at some old book.

"Sawyer!" She calls back in greeting.

"You're late, I thought I would have to kick Vasquez's ass instead of yours." Maggie says, her voice still slightly louder than normal as Alex and Kara near them.

"Like you could beat me," Alex taunts.

"You don't deny that she could beat me?" Vasquez raises an unimpressed eyebrow at her. "I'm wounded by your lack of faith, Sir Alex."

"Vasquez, you can shoot better than almost anyone. You're just not good at close quarters combat. Sir Maggie could easily take you." Alex points out.

Vasquez shrugs at her and spins back around in her chair to do some undoubtably boring paperwork.

"Sir Alex," J'onn says as he walks towards them. "You and Sir Maggie will be training again today. And I want you both to know we have been tracking some rogue people of the Luthor Kingdom who have been following Lena Luthor."

"Are they with her?" Alex questions.

J'onn shakes his head. "No, I'm afraid not. One of our scouts overheard them discussing a plot to kill Miss Luthor. They are now on Danvers Kingdom territory and could start a bloody war if they succeed. I may send Kara over to help guard Lena Luthor as she heads here."

Alex frowns, looking between her sister and J'onn. "But she's still a few days journey away. That means Kara could be gone for a few days."

"Yes," J'onn confirms. "Ultimately, it is up to Kara but she is best for this."

Alex's frown deepens, trying not to think about how she won't be able to help her sister while she's gone if she agrees to go.

"I'll do it," Kara says after a moment of contemplation. "When do I leave?"

"Preferably soon. I apologize for the short notice, but this is urgent."

Kara nods solemnly and goes over to Alex to give her a hug.

"Not yet," Alex steps away. "If I hug you now I won't let you go. Come find me in the courtyard when you're ready to leave, okay?" Kara nods. "I love you."

Kara smiles softly at her, kissing her forehead quickly. "I love you too. I'll be ready to go soon. J'onn, where is she?"

As Kara, J'onn, and Winn look over a map, Alex turns to Maggie. Alex isn't needed here right now and she could really use some stress relief. By which she means training, of course.

"Ready to go train?" Alex questions.

"Yeah. Are you going to be alright with Kara gone?" Maggie asks as they walk out of the DEO.

"I don't know, nothing like this has happened before. But I can guarantee I'll be worried." Alex admits.

Maggie smiles at her empathetically. "Well, I'm here if you need anything Danvers."

"Thank you."

Alex gives Maggie a quick kiss before pulling back with a gentle, dopey grin. She doesn't even care that they kissed out in the open or anything. She reaches down and takes Maggie's hand. They walk toward the courtyard together.

Chapter Text

Maggie somehow seems to understand that training helps Alex relax without her saying anything. She pulls out two of the wooden swords from storage and tosses one to Alex. She catches it easily and Maggie twirls her sword, getting used to its weight.

Alex and Maggie don't speak much while they train, the only sounds coming out of them being grunts and recommendations on how they can improve. Alex appreciates it because fighting, especially with swords, has always been something that has calmed her mind down. And Maggie is a good opponent and gives feedback that actually helps.

By the time Kara lands by them, they're both sweaty, only wearing their shirts and pants. Their jackets are on the ground near the edge of the clearing, tossed aside when it got too warm to keep them on. She watches them for a moment until they stop almost at the same time. Kara can't help but be impressed by how in sync they are already.

"Hey," Kara greets.

Alex smiles at her but it's tinged with sadness and worry. "Hey. I like the super suit."

Kara beams at her sister. "Thanks! It feels really natural. I love the cape!"

"It suits you," Maggie says.

Alex groans good-naturedly. "Sawyer, was that a pun?"

"I didn't notice, thanks Danvers." Maggie admits. "But it is now."

Kara grins and hugs Alex. "Stay safe."

Alex chuckles, blinking back the tears in her eyes. "That's my line." She pulls back slightly and pokes her sister's House of El symbol on her chest. "Don't do anything stupid or reckless, okay?"

"I won't. And I'll be back in a few days, Alex."

Alex nods but her throat is closing up again because her little sister is going on a dangerous mission that she can't help her on. She tugs Kara back and hugs her as hard as she can. Kara understands and hugs back just as hard, holding back just enough that she doesn't crack Alex's ribs.

"Okay." Alex lets out a breath and steps back. "Okay, I'm good."

Kara smiles and squeezes her sister's hand gently. She then goes over to Maggie, who has been watching at a respectable distance and hugs her.

"Oh, we're hugging now." Maggie says, sounding surprised but she still hugs back.

Kara pulls away slightly. "Is that okay? I just assumed, sorry I'm usually all about consent and-"

"Breathe, Little Danvers." Maggie says, chuckling. "Yeah, it's okay. It was just unexpected."

"You sure?" Kara asks nervously.

"Yeah. Now come here." Maggie hugs Kara tightly for a moment before she steps back. "Be careful."

"I will. Take care of Alex." Both Maggie and Kara ignore Alex's protests behind them.

"I will. Now go. Save the world."

Kara grins and hugs Alex one last time. "She's a keeper." She murmurs to her, too low for Maggie to hear.

Alex blushes but quietly agrees, watching as her sister flies away. She stares at the sky for a moment until Maggie's hand gently touches her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" She questions.

For once, being asked that doesn't make Alex bristle. Instead, she lets out a breath and looks at the beautiful woman who's concerned about her feelings.

"I have to be. I'll be better when Kara comes back."

Maggie nods and slides her hand down Alex's arm to entwine their hands. "Do you want to postpone our date until Kara's back? If you, I understand."

"No, no." Alex shakes her head. "Um. Being around you quiets my mind. And this is something I'm really looking forward to. I might talk about Kara a lot, she's a bit part of my life. That's okay, right?"

Maggie chuckles softly and squeezes her hand. "Yes, that's alright. It's a date, we can talk about anything we want."

Alex lets out a sigh of relief. "Good. The only dates I've been on, I haven't been able to talk about Kara because they either don't know she's Kryptonian or they just wanted to get in my pants, so they didn't care." Alex admits.

"Sounds like you've been on some terrible dates," Maggie remarks.

Alex chuckles to herself. "You have no idea. And uh. I just, um. You're the first woman I've ever gone out with."

Maggie's eyes widen slightly but Alex can tell she's not put off, she's surprised. "Really? Well, then definitely tell me if things start to go too fast or if you feel uncomfortable, okay?"

"I will. And you do the same with me."

Maggie blinks, seeming surprised by Alex's response. It makes her wonder if the other girls Maggie has gone out with haven't treated her with the same respect that Maggie has treated them with. She tosses those thoughts away, not wanting to get angry. So she changes the subject.

"Ready to get your butt kicked, Sawyer?" Alex asks, picking up their training swords and handing Maggie one.

"Oh bring it on, Danvers."

***

Kara grins as she flies, loving how the wind whips around her and how her cape snaps. She uses her mental map of the Danvers Kingdom to find where Lena Luthor was last. She isn't there anymore but Kara can hear the sound of hooves a coming up the path. She hides in the trees surrounding the road just in case it isn't Lena.

Sure enough, a moment later some knights on horses come up to where she is and stop. One woman gets down from her horse and touches the hoof beaten road. Her grin is feral as she stands up and dust off their pants.

"She's only half a day's ride ahead of us." She says as she gets back on her horse, speaking to the man who is evidently the group's leader.

"Good. Let's go." The man orders.

Kara waits for them to be out of sight before she flies up and along the road, passing them too quick for them to register the sight of her. It's something she practiced for months with J'onn and Alex so she could fly without people below her noticing.

Ahead of the group of the people that must be the ones who want to kill Lena Luthor, there's another group. They seem more regal and though Kara recognizes none of them, she knows this must be Lena's group. There are around twenty guards and a few people that look like nobles.

Then there's the woman who has to be Lena. She's sitting up tall on her all black horse, her dark hair in braids that frame her face perfectly. And wow, Kara definitely likes girls because Lena is absolutely beautiful. Like heart stoppingly, drop dead gorgeous. Kara's so distracted by the beauty she's flying above that she nearly crashes into a particularly tall tree.

Her ungraceful dodging makes her flight less silent than it was before and Lena's eyes snap upwards. She pulls a bow that Kara didn't even notice from her back and aims at Kara.

Kara's eyes widen and she quickly lands on the road by the group of people. Lena stares at her, stunned but she still aims at her. Kara puts up her hands in the universal 'I surrender' gesture and gives her a bright smile that Alex tells her is disarming. The horses have stopped in their tracks and the guards all have their weapons weapons pointed at her.

"Hi! Sorry I scared you. I um, I nearly hit a tree." Kara apologizes.

"Who are you?" Lena demands.

"Oh! I didn't introduce myself, that was rude. Um, I'm Kara. Kara Danvers."

Lena looks at her closely and Kara resists the urge to squirm under her piercing gaze.

Lena puts her arrow back in her sheathe. She holds up a hand and her knights put down their weapons, still eyeing her warily.

"Yes. I recognize you from pictures in CatCo newspapers. So it is true, then. That you're an alien. And apparently from the same planet as Superman."

Kara nods. "Yeah, Superman's actually my cousin."

Lena hums in response and then clicks her tongue. The horses start moving and Kara flies slowly alongside Lena, trying not to get too close because Kara has learned that flying girls spook horses.

"So why are you here?" Lena questions.

"Your life is in danger." Kara says.

Kara doesn't expect Lena to laugh. "It always is, Kara Danvers. What's so special about this time?"

"You're on Danvers land about to become allies with us. Plus, the people following you seem like nasty people."

"You've seen them?" Lena asks, her voice serious. "Can you describe them to me?"

Kara nods and does, explaining what they looked like and what they said. When she's done, Lena's frowning.

"Just like I feared. They're my mother's lackies."

Kara's eyes widen and she fights off the urge to hug Lena. "Your own mother is trying to kill you? I'm so sorry!"

Lena shrugs one shoulder. "It's nothing new. She has always hated me. Not to mention the fact that I just overthrew her and she's crazy. And hates aliens and the Danvers Kingdom." She glances at Kara. "No offense, Miss Danvers."

"None taken. And please Miss Luthor, call me Kara."

"If I'm calling you Kara..."

Kara ducks her head, blushing. She automatically reaches up to adjust her glasses, momentarily forgetting that she's not wearing them.

"Lena it is."

Chapter Text

Thanks to Maggie, the day passes relatively quickly and Alex doesn't end up working herself into a worried frenzy thinking about Kara. All day, Maggie has been training with her. When they're taking a break, Maggie makes sure not to let Alex's mind wander and they end talking about everything and nothing. Alex appreciates what Maggie has done for her, and she hopes that she can more than make up for it tonight.

Their first date starts in less than an hour and she finds herself missing Kara even more. She isn't there to help Alex. On one hand, Kara can always tell what looks good on her, even better than Alex can. And maybe having her sister around would be good for helping calm the anxiety and nervousness she's feeling.

Alex bounces up and down on her heels as she looks at her clothes, neatly organized by type and color. She rifles through a few sweaters, wondering what Maggie would like to see on her. Alex keeps glancing at her clock until even she is annoyed with herself.

She chooses (finally) and changes quickly, and then looks at herself in the mirror. She's not wearing what Kara would suggest for a first date. Kara always encourages her to wear dressed on first dates but Alex rarely feels like it on first dates. Today, she's too nervous and the exposed feeling of a dress would make her feel even more vulnerable and shy than she already feels.

Alex nods to herself, and grabs her gun to for her holster on her belt. If Kara could see her now... Her sister always teases her for taking weapons on dates but they have come in handy. Maybe not against aliens or any hostile citizens, but against unwanted advances they are very effective. She figured out early on, back when she was trying to convince herself that she liked men, that when they know she's carrying a knife or a dagger, her dates are a lot less handsy. Not that she wants that with Maggie.

Alex tugs on her favorite leather jacket to top it all off and lets out a shaky breath. She glances at the clock again and nods, mentally psyching herself up for this. It's getting close to seven thirty, the time she and Maggie agreed that Alex would come get her.

Alex walks outside, taking the long way to Maggie's room, both to get fresh air to calm herself and to pick Maggie a fresh flower from the gardens.

She knocks on Maggie's door and hears a quiet bump and her swearing quietly inside. Alex's lips turn up into a smile that widens when Maggie answers the door a moment later.

Just the sight of Maggie, in front of her, staring at her and looking just as awestruck as Alex feels at the sight of her, makes her worries and nerves go away. Because Maggie is standing there, so close she could lean in and kiss her, her lips parted as she takes in Alex.

Maggie has on a white and red plaid shirt with her leather jacket on top and dark jeans that seem painted on. And just that would take Alex's breath away but Maggie's hair is down. It's curled and draped over one shoulder and Alex practically shudders at the memory of how soft her hair feels between her fingers.

And Maggie is looking at Alex like she's the most beautiful woman she has ever seen. Which Alex doubts because she knows Maggie has to have looked into a mirror before. Alex has on her most comfortable, soft gray sweater that dips low enough to show a hint of her collarbones. Like Maggie, she's wearing her leather jacket and dark pants.

Maggie takes that all in and then notices the single flower in Alex's hand as she smiles shyly at her from her doorway. And Maggie can't take not touching her anymore, not being close enough to her. So she leans in and kisses Alex.

Alex isn't as caught off guard as she was for their first kiss and quickly sinks into it. It's slow and sweet and Alex brings her unoccupied hand up and tangles her fingers in Maggie's hair. When they pull back, they're both dazed.

"What was that for?" Alex breathes out.

Maggie's so close she can feel her breath. She smiles softly at Alex. "Because you look beautiful. And you brought me a flower. No one has ever done that for me before."

"No one has ever brought you a flower?" Alex sounds confused and affronted.

Maggie bites her lip in a failed attempt to contain her smile. "Usually I'm the one that brings girls flowers."

"Well then I'll make sure to keep bringing you flowers." Alex says and it dangerously sounds like a promise that Maggie desperately wants to believe.

"Thank you." Maggie isn't quite sure how to put the emotions bubbling up in her chest into words. "Here, come in for a second while I put it in water."

Alex nods and hands Maggie the flower as she steps inside Maggie's room. She take it in as Maggie goes over to her cabinet. It's sparsely decorated, with a few boxes of things that still need to be put away.

Maggie takes the moment to collect herself as she fills a small vase with water. Away from Alex's perceptive eyes, she lets her hands shake slightly as she puts in the flower. Because Alex is sweet, Alex is a good kisser, Alex likes her. And Alex remembered how she looked around the gardens on her first day and Alex brought her a flower. She hasn't known Alex for very long but already she makes her feel more safe, more at home, than she has felt for a while.

Maggie turns back to Alex and reaches out her hand. Alex looks pleasantly surprised as she entwines their fingers together.

"Ready to lose at pool, Danvers?" Maggie asks to break the silence.

Alex's laughter makes Maggie feel like her steps are lighter as they head for her door.

***

Kara patrols every few minutes, flying around to make sure everything's safe. Her favorite time is when she isn't patrolling and she's riding on a particularly laid back horse that a kind knight is letting her use. The horse doesn't seem to mind when Kara takes off of it or lands back on the saddle. And the best part of this is that she gets to be right next to Lena for extended periods of time.

Kara mainly provides the conversation, telling Lena about Alex, about her life, about Krypton. The few times Kara isn't sure if Lena likes listening to her, Lena will tell her something about herself offhandedly. Nothing deep or serious like Kara has been talking about, but enough to reassure Kara that she doesn't mind.

Between Kara's patrols and talking to Lena, the day goes by quickly. When they stop for the night, Kara immediately pulls some snacks out of her duffel bag. She usually has a big appetite, but Kara has found that using her powers increases her appetite even more. Lena stands by her as the knights begin setting up tents. She seems both impressed and slightly horrified by how quickly Kara goes through a couple sandwiches.

The nobles haven't spoken to Kara yet so they make their way over to her and their Queen.

"Lady Kara." One man greets her, bowing.

His voice practically drips with cockiness, reminding her of all of the pretentious nobles she and Alex have had to entertain over the years. She smiles kindly nonetheless. He seems encouraged by that, as he starts up an incredibly dull conversation about how inconvenient traveling is and how bad riding horses is for his fragile back.

Kara nods along politely, letting her mind wander to ease her boredom. She wonders briefly how Alex and Maggie's date is going. The nobleman keeps talking and she looks over at Lena. Lena meets her eyes and scrunches her nose in distaste. It's a minuscule change of expression but it's enough that Kara now knows she dislikes this one-sided discussion as much as she does. Kara purses her lips so she doesn't do something 'unladylike' like giggle.

Luckily, a noblewoman saved her from the boring conversation and interrupts him. He seems deeply affronted that she did that, which just makes it that much better to Kara.

"My Queen," she says. "Now that Lady Kara is here, we don't have enough tents. She can stay with me."

Kara flushes and stutters, her hand reaching up to adjust the glasses she forgets she isn't wearing. Lena picks up on her discomfort and shuts the noblewoman down.

"That's alright. She can stay in my tent." Lena says and Kara blushes harder.

"Your Majesty, are you sure that's wise?" The nobleman who was interrupted questions. "We all know of your... Preferences. But as of now, the Danvers and Luthor Kingdom are at odds. Becoming attached to a potential enemy could be disastrous."

"Thank you for your unnecessary concern." Lena's voice drops sarcasm. "But I can control myself around pretty girls. From what I have heard from a former maid of yours, you cannot." Lena says drily and the man pales at her words and at Kara's disgusted expression. "Don't forget I can easily replace you with someone twice as competent and I am already more than ready to do so."

"Yes, Your Majesty." He bows lowly to her and then flees.

"Why did you bring him? Surely there were better people to choose." Kara asks Lena.

"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer is one of the few things Mother taught me that isn't riddled with prejudice and hatred. And I don't exactly have friends," she adds the last sentence quietly.

Kara resists the urge to reach out and squeeze her hand. "You have me now."

Chapter Text

"You have me now," Kara says.

"Thank you." Lena doesn't sound like she believes that Kara means it, which just makes her want to prove it to her. "Are you alright sharing a tent with me? If not, I can always find other accommodations for you."

"It's fine. Um, I have one question though. What did he mean when he said that everyone knows about your preferences?" Kara asks.

Lena purses her lips. "I hoped you wouldn't have picked up on that. It's well known, in the Luthor Kingdom at least, that I am a lesbian."

Hope bubbles up in Kara's chest because whoa, she may actually have a chance. That is if Lena's type is awkward aliens who nearly fly into trees because they see a pretty girl.

"Okay. Is that what he meant? Why would he say it with such disgust, then?" Kara wonders, confused.

"Yes, he meant my 'preference' for women. He doesn't exactly get that sexuality isn't a choice." Lena rolls her eyes but then quickly recomposes herself. "The Luthor Kingdom, as you know, is a smaller kingdom. We focus mainly on technological advances and how to increase our already impressive wealth, not social issues. Not being straight in Luthor Kingdom is still a bit of a taboo. My being a lesbian was a source of great shame for my mother." She says bitterly.

Kara frowns, not liking Lillian Luthor even more now, and holds out her hand for Lena to hold if she wants. Lena looks down at her outstretched hand in confusion and Kara's heart snaps in her chest. Has Lena really been offered so little comfort in her life?

Lena hesitantly takes it after looking up at Kara's eyes and gentle expression. Some tension in her body leaks out at the feeling of her hand being held.

"Are you sure you are alright with my people seeing you holding hands with me?" Lena murmurs quietly. If Kara didn't have super hearing, she would strain to hear what she said.

"Of course!" Kara answers and there's so much conviction in her words that Lena doesn't question it. "Why wouldn't I be okay with it?"

"They might think that you're gay too. I don't want them to treat you any different because of their prejudices."

"Well I'm already pansexual so they wouldn't be that far off. And I'm already an alien so they're already treating me differently because of their prejudices." Kara shrugs.

"Pan... What does that mean?" Lena questions curiously.

"It means that gender doesn't matter, I could like anyone." Kara explains.

"Oh. In Luthor Kingdom, we didn't really have a word for that. That I know of, at least."

"Queen Lena," a guard says as he comes up to them. "Dinner is ready and the tents are set up. Would you like to eat in your tent with Lady Kara?"

Lena looks over at Kara, who shrugs. "Yes I would. Thank you. And could you get us extra food for Miss Danvers?"

He nods and they walk together to Lena's tent where only one bed has been made up. Lena raises an eyebrow and makes a mental note to ask Kara if she's okay with that when they're alone. The guard leaves only to come back a moment later with two plates, one with normal proportions and the other heaping with food. He bows to them and leaves again.

Lena realizes that she's still holding Kara's hand and blushes for the first time in a while. She clears her throat shyly and then sits at the table that they have set up. Kara sits on the other chair and starts eating.

Lena can't help that's she is impressed Kara can eat so much so quickly. Kara's an alien, so it's possible she has a fast metabolism. That wouldn't be surprising, considering her powers and how she has been using them a lot today. But she can't help wondering where it all goes. Kara seems very fit, which is something Lena definitely noticed. She stops herself before she starts drooling over Kara's biceps. Again.

"They only made up one bed," Lena points out. "Are you okay with sharing or would you like me to get another bed in here?"

"No, I'm okay with sharing. Are you? I mean, I'm a cuddler when I share a bed, Alex can attest to that."

This woman is going to be the death of her. Lena hasn't slept next to someone since Lex comforted her when she had nightmares when she was eleven. All of her one night stands have left before she has fallen asleep (though not before she has pretended to be asleep). She just hopes that her nightmares aren't bad on this journey.

They've never really gone away, which has become one of her many secrets that she has kept from her family. Over the years, Lena has taught herself not to wake up from her nightmares screaming and instead wakes up frozen still, sweaty and terrified. It's the worst way to wake up but it's kept Lillian from calling her weak because of her nightmares like she used to.

Lena lets out a short breath and realizes she hasn't answered yet. "Yeah, it's okay. Just don't hog the covers."

***

"I'll get us some beer." Alex offers after they claim a pool table.

"Alright Danvers." Maggie says as she starts pulling balls out of the pockets.

Maggie watches Alex as she walks away, reveling in the fact that this woman is actually with her and not some hot girl at a bar that she would only hope of getting up the courage to talk to.

"Two beers please." Alex orders when M'gann gets to her.

M'gann looks past her as she pours their drinks and sees Maggie.

She winks at Alex and she hands her the beers. "These are on me. Good luck on your date, Sir Alex."

Alex blushes and thanks her before heading back towards Maggie. She's leaning over the pool table, placing balls in the triangle. Alex almost trips over nothing when she looks at Maggie's ass. She manages to regain what's left of her composure by the time Alex gets to her.

"Hey," Maggie greets. "So I'm thinking we make a bet."

"A bet?" Alex prompts, handing Maggie her drink.

"Yeah. I usually like to pay for a girl's drinks and food but I have a feeling you won't just let me pay for everything."

"You've got that right," Alex says. She would never let someone she actually would like to see again pay for everything. "So what's the bet?

"It's not really a bet, it's more of an incentive to win. Whoever loses a game has to buy the next round of drinks."

Alex raises an eyebrow. "So you're planning on going for multiple rounds?"

"Danvers, I could go all night long." Maggie rasps out, letting her voice drop a few octaves.

Alex's eyes widen and she blushes. She clears her throat and shuffles on her feet. "Right. Um, yeah that sounds good. As long as I get to pay for the food since you're going to be buying all of our drinks."

Maggie's smile widens. "Cocky, Danvers? Well then show me what you've got. You can break. Ladies first."

Alex raises an eyebrow at her and grabs a pool stick. She tests it's weight in her hands, which Maggie notices is similar to how she tests the weight of an unfamiliar sword. She gets into position expertly and Maggie immediately knows that there's know way she's going to win against Alex.

Maggie's pretty good but just the way Alex moves tells her that's Alex is way out of her league. Which shouldn't be surprising to her since Alex is way out of her league in the dating sense too.

Alex moves confidently and shoots effortlessly, the balls breaking apart smoothly.

One ball falls in a pocket and Maggie looks in. "You're solids, I'm stripes."

Alex nods and looks around the table. Maggie can practically see the calculations that are whirring through her head. Yeah, there's no way she's winning. This is what she gets for going against a genius.

Alex carefully maneuvers herself and shoots, her entire face lighting up when she gets another one of her balls in a pocket. It makes Maggie's inevitable losing more than worth it to see her that happy. Alex pockets two more balls before she misses by an inch. Maggie's not entirely sure if that was on purpose or not.

Maggie takes her own pool stick and tries to figure out what she can do. And oh, Alex so missed on purpose because she left one of Maggie's perfectly open for her to at least get one ball in. She doesn't comment on it, instead giving Alex a confident grin like she actually believes she can beat Alex.

Maggie aims and gets it in. She doesn't even try to hold back her excited, victorious whoop. Alex grins at her as she does her short by dorky victory dance that she's never let herself do on a date before. But with Alex, she feels free and safe to be herself.

Chapter Text

**Sanvers!!**

Just like Maggie expected, she ends up losing terribly against Alex. Maggie doesn't mind in the least because Alex is especially hot when she's confident. Plus, Alex's dorky victory dance she does when she wins is absolutely adorable. Maggie can't really tease her about it because she does her own nerdy victory dances whenever she actually manages to get a ball in. Even when she gets the cue ball in one time, which is so worth it because Alex's laughter makes her swoon.

"You owe me another round." Alex says when she finishes up her dance.

"You're too good, Danvers." Maggie sighs theatrically, pretending to be annoyed but she knows she isn't pretending well if the beaming smile she's wearing is any indication. "How about we call it a night instead? I don't want to get you drunk on the first date."

Alex's eyebrows shoot up and she just looks at Maggie like she hung the stars in the sky just for her. Maggie doesn't break eye contact but shifts slightly on her feet. Did she say something wrong?

Alex speaks when she finally finds her voice again, sounding a lot more confident than Alex expected. "First date, huh? Are you implying we'll have more than one, Sawyer?"

Maggie's eyes widen when she realizes what made Alex so surprised. She clears her throat and looks slightly to the right of Alex's head so she's still looking at her without actually looking at her.

"Um, yeah. If you want to."

Where has the courage she used to have around cute girls gone? Oh right, Maggie never had any.

"Good," is all Alex says.

Maggie is tempted to ask what she means by that when Alex seems to decide that a nonverbal answer would be best. Alex leans in slowly so Maggie could pull away and when she doesn't, Alex kisses her gently. And once again, Maggie is melting against her.

Alex is the first to pull away for breath and Maggie opens her eyes. Alex kisses her again quickly.

"I'll go pay for our drinks and then we can get out of here, okay?" Alex murmurs.

Maggie, still kind of dazed by their kisses, just hums in response. She's watching Alex's hips away as she heads toward the bar when something occurs to her.

"Alex! I'm supposed to be buying." Maggie points out.

"I'm the one who asked you out, it's common courtesy to pay. You can buy me drinks next time we come here, Sawyer." Alex responds, looking back at her over her shoulder.

Maggie grins, a blush coloring her cheeks that's barely visible in the dim bar light, and grabs their leather jackets as Alex pays. Alex thanks her with another quick peck and they head outside hand in hand.

Since neither of them want to head back to the castle just yet, they continue their night by walking around National City. It's not the safest at night, but with both of them being well-trained knights and DEO agents, they're not exactly worried about their own safety if they get jumped.

It almost feels as though that in the darkness of the night, it's easier to tell each other about the darkness in their lives. Alex tells Maggie about how she feels insignificant compared to Kara. Maggie responds by pushing her against the nearest wall and kissing her until they're out of breath and quietly telling Alex how amazing she is.

Maggie tells Alex about how her parents kicked her out for being gay. They had known she wanted to be a knight, which they didn't like. They always wanted her to look after their farm, with her one of the best choices amongst her older siblings. Her not being straight was the last straw for them and she had to live on a neighboring farm with her aunt until she was old enough to be trained by a local retired knight. She's on better terms with them now (mainly since she sends them most of the money she earns so her siblings don't go hungry) but they still don't accept their sexuality.

After Maggie tells her about that, Alex stops her in the middle of a dimly lit alleyway and pulls her into a gentle hug. Maggie lets herself cry in Alex's strong arms until she has calmed down. Alex doesn't pull away, letting Maggie be the one to break the hug. When she does, Alex tenderly wipes away the tear tracks on Maggie's face and kisses her cheek.

"Thanks, Alex. That, um. That usually isn't something I reveal on a first date." Maggie murmurs shyly.

"Thanks for telling me." Alex says and squeezes Maggie's hand. "I'm here, you know. No matter what. If you need to talk or cry or hug someone, I'm here."

Maggie cocks her head to the side and smiles up at Alex. "Thank you, Alex. You're sweet."

"Don't tell anyone," Alex jokes.

Maggie laughs, grateful for the change in the tone of their conversation. It felt too heavy for her to deal with right then.

"I won't, Danvers. Your secret's safe with me." Maggie winks for good measure, making Alex grin widely at her.

They start walking again, this time heading in the direction of the Danvers Castle as they talk about lighter things. A guard or two gives Alex a knowing look when they see that she's holding Maggie's hand. While she does blush, she really doesn't care because she's holding a beautiful, amazing woman's hand. Who actually, somehow, likes her.

They stop in front of Alex's door, neither of them willing to part from each other just yet.

"Do you maybe want to come in?" Alex asks nervously. She takes in Maggie's wide eyes and surprised expression and she blushes. "I mean, just to cuddle. You just told me a big thing about yourself and I know that whenever I do that or relive something like that, I always ask Kara to come stay with me."

"Sure," Maggie says so softly that Alex barely hears her.

Alex holds open her bedroom door for Maggie, who kisses Alex's cheek as she passes her in thanks. Alex puts her hand to where Maggie kissed her, failing to keep her dopey grin off of her face. Alex watches as Maggie slowly makes her way around around her room, taking everything in.

"I like it," Maggie says when she turns back to Alex. "But I am surprised you don't have any weapons displayed anywhere."

Alex flushes and heads to her closet. She has two in her room and since she isn't the type of girl to have a bunch of clothes, she uses the larger one to hold her weapons collection. She opens up the door and internally preens when Maggie's jaw drops.

In the closet, she has installed a couple drawers across the bottom which have ammunition for her gun and arrows, followed by a few shelves covered in various swords and daggers, then a full on weapons rack at the top. Which is where she hangs her bow as well as her favorite sword made out of the same material as Kara's ship.

"Damn, Danvers." Maggie breathes out, her hand stretching out to touch a sword. She pauses a few inches away and looks back at Alex. "Can I touch them?"

"Yeah," Alex confirms.

If Kara were here right now, she would be having a field day with Alex. Alex never, ever lets anyone touch her weapons. Not even Kara. Alex doesn't trust her alien sister with super strength not to break or bend any of her weapons. But seeing Maggie's face light up as she gently traces the blade of one of Alex's favorite daggers makes trusting Maggie with this easier than beating her at pool.

"You're going to have to tell me the stories behind all of these someday," Maggie breathes.

"Some of the stories are pretty long," Alex warns. "I once put Kara to sleep talking about one and I wasn't even halfway done."

"Well, I could listen to you talk all day." Maggie remarks almost absentmindedly as she studies Alex's bow.

Alex grins and ducks her head, deciding to change the subject. "Um. I can probably find pajamas for you. What do you usually sleep in?"

"Nothing," Maggie deadpans, cracking up at the shocked and far-away expression on Alex's face. "Breathe, Danvers. I'll sleep in whatever."

Alex clears her throat awkwardly and rushes to her other closet to pull out some old clothes.

"You can change in the bathroom." Alex says as she tosses Maggie pajamas, pointing to the bathroom door. "There should be a spare toothbrush and stuff in there. Let me know if you can't find something."

"Alright, thanks Alex." Maggie gives her a quick peck when she passes her on the way to the bathroom.

Once Alex hears the door shut, she starts getting dressed. Maggie pokes her head out of the bathroom.

"It's safe, Danvers. Come in, you can do your night routine."

Brushing her teeth next to Maggie while Maggie is in her shirt and pants feels amazingly domestic. And for once, that thought doesn't scare her.

Chapter Text

Lena and Kara change into pajamas that Lena provides on opposite sides of the tent, facing away from each other. Since there isn't really a barrier or even a cloth hanging up, they have to do that so they won't end up seeing each other naked. That still doesn't stop Lena from choking on nothing when she turns around to see Kara in shorts and a tank top. Because gods, her muscles.

Lena clears her throat awkwardly, glad that Kara didn't seem to notice her staring and drooling. What she herself doesn't notice is that Kara is too busy drooling over her to see that Lena's drooling over Kara.

"So how do we do this?" Kara asks once she snaps out of her Lena-induced haze, gesturing to the bed.

Lena shrugs. "I have no idea. What do you normally do when you sleep next to your sister?"

"Usually I sleep on my back and she rests her head on my shoulder. But it's perfectly fine if you're not comfortable doing that, Lena."

"How about... We just get in bed and go to sleep. We can see where we end up during the night." Lena says.

Kara nods. "Yeah, that's fine."

Lena resists the urge to sigh gratefully. She really doesn't want to bother Kara with the nightmares she will inevitably have, and she doesn't want to make Kara uncomfortable if she does something wrong. She smiles at Kara and gestures to the bed.

Kara gives her one of her kind smiles that makes Lena's brain melt into gay mush. Kara gets under the covers and scoots over until she's almost touching the tent. Lena gets in, staying on the other side but a bit more in the middle than Kara, who's evidently trying to respect her personal space. Lena and Kara don't turn away from the middle, instead lying facing each other.

"Goodnight, Lena." Kara murmurs.

"Goodnight, Kara."

Kara uses her super-breath (she really needs to think of a better word for that) and blows out the last few candles in the room. Darkness falls upon them and Kara falls asleep quickly. Lena eventually goes to sleep, her mind still racing at the thought of having a nightmare while sleeping next to the woman she's developing a hopeless crush on.

And of course, Lena's fears become a reality. She wakes up in the middle of the night, her body stiff and unmoving. She wills her limbs to move and nearly sighs in relief before Lena remembers she's sleeping next to someone. She hesitantly opens her eyes to see the minimal light in the tent being reflected off of Kara's eyes. Lena can practically feel the concern radiating off of her.

"Are you alright, Lena? Your heart's racing and you're all sweaty."

Lena tries to wave it off. "I'm fine."

"You're obviously not, you're crying." Kara gently points out.

Lena's eyes widen and she reaches up with one hand to feel the wetness of a few tears falling from her eyes. She grits her teeth and wipes them away, mentally chastising herself. She hasn't let herself cry in front of someone in years. Not even when her mother was being especially cruel.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Kara asks quietly, placing her hand down in the space between them with an audible light thump.

Lena purses her lips and allows herself the comfort of placing her hand on top of Kara's.

"I just... It's usually the same dream. Me having to watch as Lex spirals into madness again without being able to help him. Tonight, I..." She swallows and ignores how her lower lip trembles, pushing on. "Tonight, I ended up being the person who had to kill him."

Lena sniffles and internally berates herself for showing weakness. She's a Queen now, by the gods. She shouldn't show weakness in front of anyone, let alone a Princess of a Kingdom she's hoping to become allies with.

"Can I hug you?" Kara's hesitant voice breaks through her thoughts.

Lena bites her lip for a moment while she thinks before nodding, hoping that Kara's eyes have night vision or something so she doesn't have to say it. Kara wraps her arms around Lena and she takes a shuddering breath, resting her head on Kara's shoulder and drawing comfort from her strength.

"You know it's not your fault, right?" Kara whispers.

Lena lifts her head to look up at the vague outline of Kara's face. "Hmm?"

"Your brother's madness. The people he hurt and killed. You know none of that's your fault, right?"

Lena considers lying but in the darkness in Kara's arms, she feels comfortable enough to tell her the truth. She hates that she's burdening such a beautiful soul with her thoughts and her guilt. The things that Lena has been keeping inside, that have been pressing on her shoulders until she nearly falls to her knees, come tumbling out like leaves from a tree in fall.

"I should've noticed." She breathes out. "He's my brother, I should have seen his obsessions and madness. I should have known. I could have stopped him. I-"

"You don't know that. Lena, sometimes we don't see the pain the people we love carry until it's too late."

Lena closes her eyes, squeezing them shut but the tears continue to fall. "I tried, you know." She breathes out. "I tried to talk to him, to tell him what he was doing wasn't right. He was just... Too far gone. I couldn't reach him."

"Then nothing could have stopped him." Kara murmurs.

Lena may not entirely believe it, but Kara's words make her tears fall faster as she stops trying to hold back her tears. Kara pulls her closer, careful not to hurt her, and hums a Kryptonian lullaby that Alex used to call her down whenever she had a nightmare. Lena's heart rate slows and she falls asleep quickly, feeling safe in Kara's arms.

***

Maggie and Alex finish brushing their teeth and then head back out to Alex's bedroom.

Alex gets underneath the covers and moves so she's in the middle. She shyly gestures for Maggie to join her. Maggie smiles at her, charmed by the different layers of her partner. She gets in and lies on her side next to Alex. Alex raises an eyebrow when Maggie doesn't cuddle up to her.

"Come on, Danvers. Turn around, I'm the big spoon." Maggie says, grinning at Alex's surprised expression.

"Mags, you're smaller than me." Alex points out.

She blinks at the nickname but finds that she doesn't mind it when it's Alex calling her that. "That doesn't mean I can't be the big spoon."

"How about this," Alex begins. "Tonight, you talked a lot about your childhood trauma. So I'm going to be the big spoon because being the little spoon is always comforting. Next time, you can be the big spoon."

"So what I'm getting is one, you have been the little spoon and find it comforting." Maggie puts up one finger, grinning at Alex's blushing face. She puts up another one. "And two, you want to sleep with me again."

"That's not what-I... Ugh."

"You're cute." Maggie laughs, giving Alex a quick kiss. "And I'll agree to what you've said on one condition."

"What is it?"

"Give me a goodnight kiss first."

Alex grins goofily at Maggie, shaking her head with a grin. "And you call me cute. Yeah, deal."

Alex leans in and kisses Maggie, slowly and passionately. They get lost in it until Alex pulls back so she can breathe. She rests their foreheads together and gives Maggie a quick kiss.

"That was one hell of a goodnight kiss." Maggie says breathlessly.

Alex grins and Maggie steals one last kiss from her before turning around so she's facing away from her partner. Alex rolls over to blow out the last candle. She pulls up the covers and snuggles closer to Maggie, kissing her shoulder. Alex drapes her arm around her waist, beaming in the dark when Maggie's hand finds hers.

Maggie cuddles back against her and yawns. "Goodnight, Danvers."

"Goodnight, Sawyer." Alex murmurs.

They fall asleep easily.

When Alex wakes up, she's face down on the warm bed. She reaches up to rub the sleep from her eyes and stops when she notices that Maggie isn't there. Did she leave during the night? No, the bed is still warm, she must have just left recently. Alex turns over and sits up, looking around the room. Maggie's clothes are still on the floor, so that means...

Maggie walks through the door, holding a tray that she sets down on Alex's table. She turns and jumps when she notices that Alex is awake.

"Hey," she greets. "Sorry if I woke you up, I wanted to get us breakfast." Alex doesn't respond, she just keeps staring at Maggie like her brain is short-circuiting and Maggie frowns, worried. "Alex?"

"You're... You're wearing my clothes." Alex manages to get out.

Maggie looks down at herself and then back up at Alex. "Yeah. Is that not okay?" Alex gets out of bed and walks over to Maggie, who's looking increasingly concerned with every step Alex makes. "Alex?"

Alex still doesn't answer, instead backing Maggie up against the table. She leans in and kisses Maggie deeply, pouring all her feelings about Maggie, about seeing her in Alex's clothes, into this one kiss. When they pull back, they're both panting.

"So... I'm guessing it's okay that I'm wearing your clothes?" Maggie gasps out.

Alex nods. "You look even more gorgeous than usual."

Maggie's answering dimpled, beaming smile makes Alex swear the room gets brighter.

Chapter Text

Alex has never enjoyed getting up early so much. And while she might not hate mornings, she doesn't exactly like them either. Usually, she has to get to the DEO right away because the Big Bad of the day has already shown up. Or, worse, Alex actually has a morning off but she still wakes up when the sun does.

But this... This is beyond perfect. She's sitting next to the girl she went on a date with last night, joking and eating breakfast. It's so simple but it's absolutely amazing. Because Maggie is eating some fancy healthy breakfast that Alex can tease her about. Maggie is in her room, after a night of cuddling and kisses and the best damn date Alex has ever been on, wearing Alex's clothes. Maggie is looking at her while she teases her like she really sees Alex and wants to get to know her in a way that very few people do.

And if Alex kisses her when they're done? Well, that's just common sense. What kind of woman wouldn't want to kiss a beautiful looking Maggie Sawyer in their t-shirt?

What they don't expect, though, is what comes next. Alex doesn't give her a quick kiss and they end up making out against her table.

"Sir Alex!" Alex practically jumps out of her skin at the unexpected deep voice of her space dad. "You and Sir Maggie are needed at the DEO. I expect you both to be there and presentable in ten minutes."

Alex and Maggie stare into each other's eyes as his footsteps fade away, equally shocked at the interruption.

Maggie bursts into stifled laughter while Alex is still frozen, processing the fact that J'onn has to know. There's practically a zero percent chance that her thoughts while kissing Maggie were quiet enough for him not to hear.

"I can't believe our mind-reading boss caught us making out in your room." Maggie says, shaking her head and grinning. Her smile falls when she sees the anxiety on Alex's face. "Hey Alex. What's wrong?" Her mouth drops open in understanding before Alex can gather herself enough to answer. "He doesn't know you're gay, does he?"

"I haven't told him," Alex answers. "But he's a mind-reader, right? And my thoughts haven't really been quiet, not when I was questioning, and not with you. I can't believe I didn't tell him yesterday, I told my parents. Why didn't I tell him? He's pretty much Kara and my space dad."

Maggie resists the urge to laugh at the term Alex uses. Space dad. She can see it, though. They do act closer than a typical mentor-apprentice relationship.

"If he does know, the fact he hasn't mentioned it means he's waiting for you to tell him. And from what I know, J'onn is a pretty accepting guy. He definitely knows I'm gay, and he hasn't said anything. I had it added to my file after my first officer tried to put the moves on me."

"Put the moves on you?" Alex laughs.

"Yeah," Maggie's eyes sparkle as she grins at Alex. "The worst part was, I had a female officer from another division with me. And I was making out with her when he came into my tent."

"You're kidding." Alex laughs so hard she snorts.

Maggie laughs with her and takes Alex's hand in hers gently. "It's going to be okay, Alex."

"Yeah," Alex nods. "Thanks."

"No problem, Danvers." Maggie kisses her cheek. "Now go get dressed, I'll clean up."

"You're amazing." Alex murmurs gratefully, heading towards her clothes closet before she can see Maggie blush.

Alex changes into her DEO uniform with practiced efficiency, attaching her weapons just in case. When she walks back out of her bathroom she was changing in, Maggie is finished cleaning up after their breakfast.

"Hey, Danvers." Maggie greets her, taking Alex's hands in hers. "I'm going to head to my room to change into my uniform, but first I have a question for you. And don't feel pressured to say yes. I know this might be a bit fast and you're new to all of this, but... Alex, will you be my girlfriend?"

Alex's concerned yet attentive expression gives way to a beaming smile. She leans in and kisses Maggie, keeping it quick so they don't end up making out again.

"Yes," she breathes out against Maggie's lips.

Maggie sways forward, like Alex's lips are magnetized and she's helpless against the pull. Alex gives in and pecks her girlfriend (!!!!) again, impressed by her own restraint.

"Go, Sawyer. Or we won't be leaving this room for a while." Alex murmurs. She blushes when Maggie raises an eyebrow at her, smirking. "You know that's not what I meant. We're going to be late."

Maggie looks over at Alex's clock and sighs, wishing they had more time. She kisses Alex's cheek and rushes out the door with a "bye babe see you soon." Maggie leaves too fast to see her girlfriend's dopey grin.

It takes Alex a full two minutes and using her extensive training with J'onn until she walks out the door with a semi-straight face. Semi because she knows she still has a hint of a smile on her face (she can't help it; she has a girlfriend) and also because she's a lesbian, nothing she ever does is straight.

She walks into the DEO, unsurprised to see that Maggie isn't there yet, but on edge when she feels the nervous energy in the building. Alex straightens her posture and walks more quickly to the command center. She pauses when she gets there, frowning when she doesn't see J'onn. A moment later, someone puts a hand on her shoulder.

Alex automatically stiffens, knowing that very few people in the DEO are actually brave enough or allowed to touch her. She turns and relaxes when she sees it's Maggie.

"Where's J'onn?" Maggie asks, dropping her hand.

"I don't know," Alex replies worriedly.

"Sir Alex," Vasquez says as she walks up to them. "Sir Maggie."

"Vasquez," Alex greets her. "What's the status?"

"J'onn is in the conference room 036 with Winn. They're waiting for you two to come in before they start the debriefing."

Vasquez turns and Alex falls into step a few paces behind her, taking Maggie's hand. Maggie tries not to give away her surprise at the display of affection from her girlfriend, even though the action is practical as well. Especially since Maggie is being lead down a hall she hasn't been in yet.

Alex doesn't let go when they step inside the conference room. Her heart beats faster in her chest when she sees J'onn and Winn looking over what appears to be a report. J'onn looks up when they come in. Alex's breath hitches as she braces herself for her space dad's reaction.

"You've finally met your match, Agent Danvers." J'onn says in Alex's mind.

She resists the urge to flinch at the odd, indescribable sensation of someone else speaking to her mentally. Once Alex gets over the weird feeling, she notices the pride in J'onn's eyes.

"What's going on, sir?" Vasquez asks J'onn.

"Winn found something." He nods at Winn, prompting him to speak.

"Right. Um, so last night I couldn't sleep and so I started thinking. It doesn't make sense, how easily we found the people heading for Lena Luthor. And-"

"Get to the point please Winn." Alex sighs, not wanting to get caught in yet another over-explanation.

"Right. Sorry. Um, I think it's a diversion. It was too easy to find them. So to see if I was right, I looked closer at some of the reports from scouts and um. There's a group of people working for Lillian heading right toward us. They're ahead of Lena and Kara, so we're on our own against them."

They're silent for a moment while they take in what Winn has told them.

Alex is the first to speak. "Do we have any idea what they're planning?"

"Uh. Something bad?" Alex gives Winn an unimpressed look and he deflates. "I can speculate, but I don't know anything for certain."

"Okay, so speculate." Alex encourages him.

"Alright. From what we've gathered, it seems like there's only a small group. That probably means their mission is a stealth one or an infiltration one. Knowing how ruthless Lillian can be, this could be a suicide mission. That makes them especially dangerous because they have nothing to lose. I just can't figure out what they could be planning."

"Lets brainstorm, then." J'onn says. "Name places Cadmus could hit with a small team to do a lot of damage."

"There's the obvious, the castle." Winn provides.

"Too risky," Alex denies. "We have our best warriors here. We're heavily guarded. They'd need an army to get in here."

"A hospital?" Maggie suggests.

"They wouldn't target a place like that, right?" Winn questions. "There are a lot of innocent people there."

"They would only turn more humans against their cause and they need everyone they can get. If they're going to attack somewhere here, it's going to be a place where aliens are known to be." Alex muses. Her eyes widen and her head snaps towards Maggie, who seems to have come to the same conclusion.

"The bar," they say at the same time.

Chapter Text

"The bar," Alex and Maggie say at the same time.

"Alex," Winn starts carefully. "I know this is a stressful situation but it really isn't the time for-"

"Winn." Alex cuts him off. "I'm not talking about going for a drink."

"Right." Winn says awkwardly, his eyes wide as he avoids meeting Alex's gaze. "So, um. What are you guys talking about?"

"An alien told me about this bar in town that's specifically for off-worlders." Maggie explains. "Alex, Kara, and I checked it out before she had to leave. It's more a dive bar than anything, but a lot of aliens go there. If Cadmus hits it, there will be high casualties."

Alex clears her throat quietly, pushing down her response to how hot Maggie is when she's taking charge. "Winn, how long until they get here?"

He frowns down at his notes and looks back up. "Two days if we're lucky."

Alex curses quietly. "That isn't enough time to do much."

"What can we do?" Winn questions, sounding even more anxious than usual.

"Set a trap." Vasquez suggests.

"That might actually work." Alex murmurs and everyone looks to her. "We can evacuate the citizens, and tell them to tell their friends that the bar is closed for now."

"They may see that as a xenophobic move," Maggie says. "We may want to consider telling them the truth."

"It could cause a panic." Winn points out.

"Possibly, but are you willing to risk their safety?" Maggie retorts passionately, but speaks in such a way that it doesn't feel like a personal attack. "Just some might be scared and panic because Lillian Luthor's gang of xenophobes want to kill them?"

"That's a fair point." Winn concedes. "So who will be telling them?"

"Sir Maggie and Sir Alex can do that." J'onn says. "The aliens are already familiar with their faces and most will see them as allies."

Alex nods. "Yes sir. And as for the actual plan on how to take down the group, we could ambush them."

"Oh!" Winn exclaims, making everyone else jump in surprise. "Do you know where the bar is? Like streetwise? Because I have layouts of every known business in National City. I even brought a stack of them here!" So that explains the messy stack of papers on the table.

"Yeah, it's right in Alley 307." Maggie says.

"Alright, I think I know where you're talking about. Wait for it, wait for it..." Winn says as he digs through the pile. "Ha! Found it!" He holds up a piece of paper victoriously and slides the paper over to Alex and Maggie. "Is this the bar?"

"Yeah, it is." Alex confirms proudly, resisting the urge to ruffle Winn's hair affectionately. "So here's what I'm thinking we could do..."

***

Lena wakes up that morning feeling more rested than she ever remembers feeling. She's also warm, but not uncomfortably so.

Lena sucks in a deep breath and lets it out slowly as she sleepily stretches out her limbs, frowning when she accidentally hits something hard. Her tired eyes blink open but refuse to focus for a few seconds as she gets used the the light. When the world comes into view, she can feel the hammering of her heart in her chest.

Kara's sleeping face is only inches from hers. Lena drags her eyes away from her lips and takes in her face. She looks so peaceful and beautiful, but the spell is broken when Kara lets out a quiet snore. It's the cutest thing Lena's ever heard and she puts her hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle.

Lena's movement makes Kara frown in her sleep and she scrunches up her nose, yawning. Lena does her best to ignore how her emotions are now a gooey gay mess on the floor and watches as her crush wakes up.

"Hmm?" Kara hums, moving her head to the side slightly.

Lena removes her hand from over her lips and puts it back where it was, in the minimal space between her and Kara's bodies. It's then that Lena realizes that the hard thing her hand hit when she stretched had to have been Kara's stomach. Lena would bet her Kingdom that she has abs. She bites her lips and fights off the urge to look. To distract herself from Kara's muscular body, she looks back at her face.

Kara smacks her lips together once and blearily opens her eyes. Her gaze settles on Lena's face and she visibly jolts.

Kara's arm retreats from where it was draped over Lena's side and she reaches up to adjust her nonexistent glasses as she blushes.

Lena's lips twitch up into the smirk that has never failed to make a woman want to fall into her bed with her. It's a bit odd to use it on a gorgeous woman that's already in her bed, and she hasn't slept with her aside from actually sleeping.

"I guess you're not used to waking up next to someone who isn't your sister." Lena murmurs.

"Uh, no. Not really."

Kara's fingers fiddle with a piece of hair instead of with her glasses. Her head turns slightly, like someone just called her name but Lena didn't hear it. Her eyes widen and her blush deepens.

"What is it?" Lena prompts curiously.

"Some of your guards are making bets on what we're doing in here, and none of their theories are 'sleeping.' " Kara answers shyly.

Lena laughs. "I am known as a 'corruptor of innocence' in my kingdom. And you my dear give off an aura of innocence."

"I'm-I'm not innocent!" Kara protests.

Instead of teasing her like Kara expects, Lena looks her over with purses lips and eyes narrowed in concentration. "I can see that. Beneath the fluffy exterior, you have a core of steel. To me, you seem like an unshakable tree with rainbow colored leaves. And I have a feeling not many people look past the leaves to see the hidden strength."

"That's really beautiful." Kara breathes out, grinning when she makes Lena flush.

Before Lena can respond, someone calls for her. "Your Highness, the riders are getting dangerously close."

"What, did they ride through the night?" Lena grumbles unhappily.

"What do you propose we do?" The guard asks.

"Kara, how close are they? Can you hear them? See them?" Lena asks.

"They are..." Kara closes her eyes and expands her senses until she can hear the galloping of hooves hitting the road. "They're really close. An hour and a half away at most."

"Do you think we can take them?" Lena questions.

"Lena-" Kara starts worriedly.

"Please, answer. Running from them will do nothing but lead them right to your home."

Kara presses her lips into a thin line and thinks. "Yeah, I think so. Especially with my powers."

Lena nods and then calls back an answer to the guard. "Round up the nobles and take them somewhere safe with two guards. The rest will stay and fight."

"My Lady?" He says hesitantly.

"You heard me. Now tell everyone what they're doing and get in it right away." Lena orders.

"Yes ma'am."

His footsteps fade away and Lena turns her attention back to a frowning Kara.

"You're not going with the nobles, are you?" Kara asks.

"No," Lena shakes her head. "I'm one of the best archers in Luthor Kingdom and I can fight."

"I'm not doubting your abilities, Lena. I'm just worrying about your safety." Kara says gently.

Lena softens and smiles. "I'll be okay. I have really good armor made of a tough polymer that I made myself. Plus, I have you."

Kara gives her a dopey grin. "Yeah, you do. But please Lena, be careful."

"I will." Lena promises. "Now let's get ready to fight some of my mother's minions."

She carefully untangles her legs from Kara's and gets out of bed. Kara lazily floats up and removes the blanket from over her before floating away from the bed. Her feet gently hit the ground and she stretches. Lena clears her throat, glancing away from Kara's exposed stomach that confirms her theory. She does have abs.

Lena turns her back to Kara to allow her to swiftly change into her super suit. She jumps when Kara puts a hand on her back before she turns around.

"I'll be just outside keeping an ear out for them." Kara says.

"Thank you. You be careful too, Supergirl."

Lena reaches out to take Kara's hand, squeezing once before letting go. Kara beams at her and then uses her super speed to get out of there in an instant.

Lena takes in a calming breath to steel her nerves and takes her armor from the chest it's stored in. She always sleeps near it so no one can try to steal it or figure out how it's made to reproduce it. She puts it on carefully, adjusting the hidden straps until it fits her perfectly. Lena attaches her bow and quiver of arrows and hides some of her daggers in slots she fitted into the suit. She's ready to fight.

Chapter Text

Kara's listening to the sound of hooves get closer as she waits for Lena to finish getting ready. When she hears the sound of a tent flap opening and closing, she looks over to see Lena. Kara drops in the air for a millisecond before she catches herself and nearly chokes on nothing.

Lena's wearing armor and it fits her perfectly in a way that had to have been tailored to her. It's a mixture of a few different types of armor and like nothing Kara's ever seen. She looks regal and gorgeous in it and it's in such a way that her beauty is even more effortless than usual. The armor isn't something that looks like it was designed by a man who just wanted it to be form-fitting and sexy instead of practical.

Lena walks with confidence out of her tent and Kara wipes her mouth with her hand to make sure she's not actually drooling because holy crap. Rao, she looks incredible.

Lena looks up at her and it's like she can tell that Kara has been staring at her. She smirks as Kara slowly floats down to greet her.

"Hey," Kara breathes out.

"Hey," Lena responds, sounding amused.

"Your armor is amazing," Kara gushes. Oh, Alex would love it so much. She'll have to remember to have Lena talk to her about it when they get to National City. "You made it yourself?"

"Yes, I did. Mostly. Only my most trusted ally was allowed to help me with it, and I only let her because she insisted. She ended up being invaluable, as usual." Lena smiles softly.

"See? You do have a friend!" Kara exclaims.

Lena shakes her head, grinning. She shouldn't be surprised that Kara remembers she told her she doesn't exactly have friends.

"Jess isn't really a friend." Lena says. "More of a colleague I trust."

"You don't trust easily, but you trust her. You're friends!" Lena gives Kara a look. "Okay, you don't believe me. Does Jess like you? Platonically or otherwise?"

"I would assume so, she spends a lot of time with me. She's my most trusted confidant. Jess is the one that helped me understand the political landscape of my Kingdom."

"And what's she doing right now?" Kara prompts.

Lena hesitates. Maybe they are friends. She has just never thought about it. "She's running Luthor Kingdom in my absence."

"See? You're so friends!" Kara says happily. "You have at least two!"

"Two?"

"Yeah! We're friends, remember?" Kara beams at her and Lena can practically feel the ice around her heart melting.

"My Queen," a guard says as he rushes up to them. "I apologize for interrupting but the nobles are safe and with two guards. They aren't happy."

Lena scoffs quietly. "No, I wouldn't expect they would be. If they continue to be a pain, feel free to remind them they can to come out here where we will be fighting the assassins Mother sent."

"Yes ma'am." The guard smiles as he jogs away, back toward the forest.

"Is it really necessary to agitate them?" Kara asks worriedly.

"No. But I do like to put them in their place occasionally. They have spent so long reveling in their wealth that they hate the slightest inconvenience, even if it will save their lives. Eventually, they forget to think of anyone aside from themselves." Lena remarks drily, then shakes her head. "Enough of that. I need to get to a good vantage point to shoot from."

Lena glances at where the road is and looks around at the trees around the clearing. Since this is an old forest, most of the trees are sturdy enough for climbing. Lena strolls around the edge of the clearing that will give her a good view of the road they will come from.

Kara tracks her with her eyes and keeps an ear out to hear where the assassins are.

Lena swiftly climbs a tree and gets on a sturdy branch. She squints at the road and clearing, silently deciding if this is the best place to be.

"Whoa!" Kara breathes out, floating a few feet from her. Lena flinches at the suddenness of her appearance, but manages not to fall out of the tree. "Where did you learn to do that?"

"I used to get overwhelmed when I was younger by what I was expected to do, by who I was expected to be. Our backyard went up to an ancient forest that has been there for as long as anyone can remember. Lex taught me to climb trees. It was a way to get away from everything, an escape. After he taught me, I ended up in the forest a lot. Lex was the only person who would know where I was when Mother looked for me." Lena smiles sadly.

Kara reaches out and takes her hand. "I'm sorry you went through that."

"Thanks Kara." Lena says softly, leaning back against the trunk of the tree. "It made me who I am today."

Kara squeezes again and they stay there in silence for a while until she breaks it. "They're about half an hour away now."

Lena lets out a breath and sits back up. She looks around again and decides that this isn't the best place she could be. It would work if she wants to be shot at. It's too exposed.

Lena crouches on the branch and carefully moves towards the end of the limb. She fight the urge to laugh when she hears Kara's concerned squeak, knowing that'll cause her to lose her concentration. She eyes another tree, quietly examining it. Deciding that it's probably sturdy and not rotted on the inside, she leaps from the branch she's on to that tree's branch.

"Rao, Lena. I thought you were going to fall!"

"Sorry for worrying you." Lena reaches out her hand for Kara to hold. For comfort and reassurance. At least that's what she's telling herself. "I've done this many times, Kara. I'm okay. Plus, this is the perfect place for me to shoot from."

Kara huffs out a breath. "Okay, I'm curious. How is this tree better than that one? They're literally like three feet from each other. Because from where in standing it feel like you just wanted to show off your inner squirrel."

"My inner squirrel?" Lena laughs. "This one provides more cover. There are more leaves, the assassins will have a harder time seeing me here. Plus there are more leaves above me in this tree, so the sun will have a harder time hitting and reflecting off of my armor. Also, I have a slightly better view."

"Those are really good reasons." Kara nods. "I shouldn't be surprised, you're really smart."

Lena flushes and clears her throat. She's not really used to genuine compliments, usually she only gets complimented when someone wants something from her. She isn't really sure how to respond to a real one.

"Thank you. How close are they now?"

"Really close. Like if this were all a clearing I would be able to shoot them with my heat vision."

"That close, huh?" Lena murmurs. "Alright."

Lena whistles once, sharp and high. If Kara didn't know any better, she might mistake it for a bird call. The guards straighten up and pull out their weapons. Lena pulls her bow from her back and an arrow that she notches, not pulling the string back at all.

"I'll go away so I don't give away your position." Kara murmurs to Lena.

Lena nods, her expression more calm than Kara has seen since they left the tent. She flies above the middle of the clearing and waits.

Lena takes one hand off of her bow and grabs her helmet from where it's hanging on the hook she made for it on her back. She doesn't like it much, the feeling of it on her head but it's the most comfortable she could make it without compromising its effectiveness. She carefully puts it on and aims her bow as the sound of hooves hitting the road reaches even her ears.

"Haha!" The woman at the front of the group of assassins yells. "I told you they would stop running!"

They get off their horses and pull out their weapons.

The large man who's evidently their leader doesn't seem too impressed. "Shut up and get to work."

"Uh boss?" A scrawnier boy says hesitantly. "There's a flying girl."

"A flying girl," the leader scoffs. "What on earth did you eat?" The boy points and he follows it to see Kara. "Well I'll be damned. A flying girl. You're less delusional than usual. Shoot her."

Lena scowls and adjusts her aim. Just before the boy can shoot an arrow at Kara, Lena lets hers fly. He cries out in agony and drops to his knees, Lena's arrow through his hand. She would have shot him in the head, but she has a feeling that Kara has a strong moral compass and would rather get them all alive. Plus, if she doesn't kill them they could lead her to Lillian.

Chapter Text

"Dollywood." Alex's confident voice rings out in the alley.

Maggie stands next to her, watching as the slot in the door slides shut. The metal door creeks open despite the alien's suspicious eyes when Alex said the password.

Alex strides inside with Maggie half a pace behind her, who's just glad the DEO finally reached a consensus. Due to the others concerns about possibly causing a panic, they decided on this plan just minutes ago after what felt like hours of debating. Like they first agreed on, Maggie and Alex will be the semi-friendly faces that will kick the aliens out of their bar. If they can, which Maggie doubts and suspects Alex does as well, they won't tell them the true reason why.

The looks they get when they walk in are different than last time. Some aliens give them nods of recognition but most are suspiciously looking them over. And Maggie doesn't blame them, she and Alex aren't dressed like they were the other times they came here. They aren't exactly wearing casual clothes, instead they're decked out in their DEO uniforms.

Alex stops in the center of the room and nods to the people playing the background music. The band stops and everyone turns to look at Maggie and Alex with increasingly wary expressions.

"We need you all to evacuate." Alex's voice rings out in the otherwise uncharacteristically quiet bar.

No one moves. After a moment of silence, someone stands from where they were seated on a stool. "For how long?"

Murmurs arise from the crowd but stop when Alex opens her mouth to answer. "A few days."

Outraged and disgruntled voices steadily get louder.

"It's illegal to discriminate against aliens here, human. Or do you not remember your own mother's law?" An alien, the one that Maggie remembers Kara had jokingly called "fish head guy" when she was drunk, says angrily.

"I'm not doing this because I'm xenophobic." Alex says. Maggie mentally commends Alex for keeping her tone calm. "My sister's an alien, remember?"

"That doesn't make it okay to discriminate." Fish head guy retorts.

"That's not what I-" Alex stops herself and sighs. "Alright Maggie, you're up."

"I'm very tempted to say I told you so." Maggie murmurs to Alex before raising her voice and addressing the aliens in the bar. "We're not here to kick you out just for the hell of it or because we secretly hate off-worlders. Okay? We're not here to take away one of the few safe spaces you all have. We wouldn't do this for no reason."

"So what's your reason?" Another alien prompts.

"You're in danger." Maggie says, making eye contact with a few people in the crowd. "There are people, humans, who know about this place. So please, sit down and listen up. We'll tell everything you need to know."

***

The boy on his knees screams again when he sees the arrow that went straight through his hand.

"Gods," a woman groans. "Be quiet. Calm down, I'll get it out."

Lena opens her mouth to tell her she's doing it wrong but her words don't even start to escape her lips in time for them to hear it. Plus, she would give away her location. Lena winces in sympathy as the woman goes for the more painful, deadlier, and more damaging option. She yanks the arrow out and the boy howls in agony again. She should have broken the shaft of it and pulled what was left of the shaft out to avoid further damaging the area around the arrow. Now that boy will definitely never be able to fully use that hand again.

"Stop whimpering," the leaders snaps. "And come on, you useless idiots. Shoot her!"

Lena notes with alarm that there are too many assassins raising their bows for her to shoot before they can shoot Kara. She can only pray to the gods that her new friend has the same arrow-proof skin as her cousin. Lena thinks she remembers Cat Grant's article mentioning it, but she can't recall whether or not Kara has it.

Lena lets arrow after arrow fly, deliberately and carefully hitting non-lethal areas on her targets. A few assassins fall to the ground with arrows in their shoulders or legs, but none in organs or arteries. She isn't fast enough to stop them all and Kara is pelted with a few arrows.

Lena resists the urge to cheer or sigh gratefully when the arrows bounce uselessly off of Kara's body.

The guards rush towards the couple of remaining assassins that aren't tending to their own or others injuries. Kara shoots one's sword her heat vision, causing it to turn bright red. The assassin cries out in pain and drops it before they manage to stab one of Lena's guards.

The two assassins that catch on to where she is either end up shot with her arrow or knocked out by a guard.

The leader scowls, watching his warriors fight a losing battle and pulls out something Lena has never seen before. She's heard whispers of its existence but she never expected to see one. Hell even Lex, who was a genius, couldn't figure out how to make it work once, let alone work efficiently enough to use in combat. Many have tried to make a crossbow, but no prototype has ever been effective enough to even think of using in battle.

He aims the crossbow at Kara, who is busy trying to keep Lena's guards alive while they fight against well-trained assassins. Lena shouts out a warning to Kara, knowing that only Lex would have been brilliant enough to make it. Her mother may be smart, but not in the inventive way her son was. And considering his burning hatred of aliens and specifically Kryptonians, Lena would bet that he had some nasty trick up his sleeve when he designed it.

The leader hears her voice and adjusts his aim for her. Lena snaps into focus and draws her string back once more, glad to have the gloves she designed so her hands won't bleed in the middle of an intense fight or training session. Kara sees him aiming for the girl she has a crush on and acts on instinct. She moves faster than she ever remembers going and puts her body directly in the leader's line of fire as he shoots.

Kara's heat vision comes out without any effort on her part. She doesn't even having to strain her eyes like she usually does. The only time this has happened is when it first showed up and when she gets really angry. The crossbow volt vaporizes midair before it can get to her.

Kara flies down and grabs the leader's hands, carelessly tossing the crossbow onto the ground. She sees true fear in his eyes for the first time as she squeezes his hands too tightly. His bones creak but she fights off the red haze of anger just enough to keep from snapping every bone in his hand.

"Kara!" Lena's voice makes her head jerk.

She notices that everyone has stopped fighting and is staring at her. Some of them look at her in awe and reverence but most look at her like she's a demon.

"Are you alright?" Lena asks carefully, approaching her slowly like she's a wild animal to be tamed.

Kara shakes off the rest of the red haze and blinks. "Yeah, yeah. I'm okay. Are you okay?"

"I wasn't the one being shot at." Lena points out.

"Stop with the weird foreplay and kill us already." A female assassin snaps.

Kara shakes her head. "I don't kill. But you might wish I did when we get to National City. My sister won't take too kindly to you all trying to kill me. And my parents won't like that you tried to kill our newest potential ally."

"Oh really?" The leader sneers, looking Kara up and down in a way that makes Lena bristle and ready to punch that look off his face. "And who are you, flying girl?"

"Kara Danvers."

"Like... Sir Alex Danvers' sister? The Princess of the Danvers Kingdom?" The scrawny boy who got shot first gasps out.

"Yes."

"Shoot. Boss, should we try to surprise them by running?"

"Well it won't be a surprise now that you've told them." The leader sighs, exasperated.

"Enough," Lena stops them. "You are all my prisoners now." She pauses for a moment and grins. "You can be my peace offering to the Queen of the Danvers Kingdom."

"So we're going to be escorting then all the way to National City?" One of the guards asks. "There are too many to put on the horses, we'll have to make them walk. That is going to take forever."

"Is that a problem?" Lena raises an eyebrow at him.

He flushes and stutters, "No. Of-of course not."

"Good. Someone go tell the nobles that it's safe now." Lena orders. "The rest of you, either start setting up the tents again or work on tending to the injured. That includes the wounded assassins."

The guards nod to Lena and get to work.

Chapter Text

**So much Supercorp ;) you're welcome

The guards swiftly put up some tents and use some ropes to tie some of the assassins' hands together. Kara works on helping the few guards with any medical knowledge tend to the injured. A few assassins aren't very happy to get her assistance, but she brushes off their critical gazes and their hateful words as she works.

Once she's done and everyone's as stitched together as they can be, Kara stands up and brushes off her supersuit.

"Kara," Lena says.

Kara looks over and smiles, noticing that she still hasn't taken off her armor and still has her bow and quiver on her back. Lena eyes the assassins she's standing by with a suspicious, critical gaze.

"Hey," Kara greets her. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay." Lena answers but it sounds almost automatic. Her eyes trace Kara's body like she can't quite believe that she is here and alright. Her eyes go back to the assassins, who look very interested in what they're saying. "Let's talk in the tent."

Kara looks over her shoulder to see what Lena's looking at and nods understandingly when she sees the assassins sitting on the ground, watching them with rapt attention. She follows Lena as she walks over to the largest tent. Inside, a few guards are moving around the lightweight, transportable furniture that was in Lena's tent before.

The guards bow their heads to Lena and swiftly exit the tent, leaving them alone. Kara shuffles her feet shyly, unsure as to what Lena could want to talk to her alone.

As the tent's flaps swish shut, Lena takes a step forward and studies Kara intently.

"Are you alright?" Lena asks in a timid voice. Her concerned eyes meet Kara's.

Kara reaches out her hands, letting Lena decide if she wants to hold hands or not. Lena immediately takes Kara's hands and entwines their fingers, her jaw clenched with worry. Lena clenches her fingers so tightly that they're a pale white. If Kara didn't have powers from the yellow sun, Lena's grip would hurt her.

"I'm okay." Kara says, hoping her tone is reassuring.

Lena purses her lips and nods. "Do you have any other clothes with you? Would you like to change?"

"No, I'm okay for now." Kara gently squeezes her hands. "So what's wrong?"

"Nothing," Lena answers quickly.

Kara frowns, even more worried now. "Lena, you don't have to tell me but just know that you can tell me anything. Okay?"

Lena nods hesitantly. "Thank you. I just..." She lets out a breath. "I didn't know that you were arrow-proof. I thought-" She cuts herself off.

"Hey," Kara says softly. "I'm here. I'm okay. I didn't get hurt. They didn't have Kryptonite, they couldn't have hurt me."

"You don't know that." Lena shakes her head. At Kara's confused expression, she elaborates. "You don't know that they didn't have any Kryptonite. That crossbow, it's something that only Lex could have built. And everyone knows how much he hates Superman and Kryptonians." Lena grimaces. Just thinking about him hurts. "I was worried that it had some in that crossbow bolt."

"My Queen?" Someone asks from outside the tent, making Lena whip her head around towards the entrance. She drops Kara's hands almost instantly. "I apologize for interrupting, but I have the things you asked for. May I enter to give them to you?"

"Yes," Lena says curtly.

A guard enters and hands Lena the crossbow and the quiver of bolts. She absentmindedly thanks them before they leave, setting the stuff down on the table. She sits in the chair and looks over the crossbow, turning it around in her hands. It's heavier than she expected and more intricate.

"Lena?"

Kara's voice invades her senses, snapping her back into the world and out of the world of mechanics and inventions. Lena blinks, surprised by how into it she had gotten so quickly. She shakes her head slightly to get the last of the haze away and focuses on Kara, who's watching her with concerned eyes.

"Sorry, I was focused on this." Lena apologizes.

Kara smiles at her. "No, it's okay. My sister gets the same way when she comes across something like that she doesn't understand."

"Your sister is Sir Alex, yes?"

"Yeah."

"I've read many of her papers; she's brilliant. Some of her theories and discoveries..."

Lena trails off, shaking her head in respect and awe. She has always thought highly of people who's intelligence rivals her own. And Sir Alex is certainly one of those people.

"Yeah, she's really smart." Kara beams proudly. "Some of her stuff she based off of my pod or technology we used to have on Krypton."

"That explains why some of her ideas are so advanced." Lena muses. "Perhaps she would like to try to figure out the crossbow with me."

Kara's eyes go wide and she gasps excitedly. "Oh my Rao, she would love that!"

"She may not appreciate me working alongside her." Lena murmurs. "A Luthor and the sister of a Super, working together. Let alone the two of us, Kara, working together. I doubt she would like it."

"I'll talk some sense into her." Kara says and it almost sounds like a promise to Lena. "I believe people should be judged on their own merit. She can't blame you for Lex, you had nothing to do with that."

Kara pauses before she starts ranting or rambling and notices her friend's expression. Lena's looking at her like she hung the moon and the stars in the sky just for her.

"Lena?"

"I'm fine." Lena says, her voice a little raspy. She lets out a breath. "No one has ever stood up for me like that before. Thank you."

"Is it okay if I hug you?" Kara asks.

Lena nods and a moment later has an arm full of an excitable, beautiful Kryptonian. She wonders how she got so lucky to be in the same world as Kara, let alone in the same region or the same room. Kara doesn't let go and neither does Lena. She sinks into the hug and tightens her arms around her, glad that she can hug her as tightly as she wants.

"You let me know if anyone gives you trouble when I'm not there, okay?" Kara murmurs into her neck and Lena fights off the urge to shiver at her breath on her skin, instead focusing on her words. "I'll punch them if they're mean to you." Lena's body shakes with laughter and Kara pulls back slightly, giving her a pout. "Hey! I'll have you know I can be scary and intimidating!"

"Oh, I have no doubt." Lena replies, her voice thick with amusement. "But darling, you wouldn't punch them. You would talk to them and tell them what they did wrong until they're ashamed."

Kara blushes and reaches up to adjust her nonexistent glasses for what feels like the twentieth time around Lena. Darling?

"I, um. Yeah." Kara stutters out, making Lena grin at her. Rao, who knew that it's hard to focus on anything when the most beautiful girl you've ever seen is smiling at you?

"Thank you." Lena murmurs.

"For what?"

"For everything. For standing up for me, for fighting alongside me. For not judging me because of who my family is. I..." Lena hesitates, not sure if she wants to reveal so much about herself. But it's Kara. The wonderful woman who has now officially captured her heart. "I've never had a friend like you." She lets out a short nervous chuckle. "Hell, I've never really had a friend. So... Thank you."

Kara draws Lena closer to her and hugs her again so she doesn't accidentally kiss her. Because Rao, Lena is absolutely incredible and gorgeous and so sweet. And Kara resigns herself to letting Lena know that, through words and actions, until Lena believes it too. Even if Lena doesn't feel the same for her, she's more than happy to be her friend and by her side. And she might as well start on that now.

"Lena, you're absolutely amazing." Kara says quietly but with conviction. "And I'm going to show you that until you believe it yourself."

Lena's heart clenches in her chest and the air gets sucked out of her lungs. Her jaw trembles and she fights against the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She never thought she would have anything like this. A friendship, a partnership... And suddenly it feels like she can't get close enough to Kara. Her skin burns where she's touching her but it's not enough.

With her heart in her throat, she pulls back and falls a little bit more for Kara when she looks at her teary face with concern.

Kara reaches up to touch her face, hoping to calm Lena down enough so she can tell her why she's crying. Was it her words? Is she okay? Are they happy tears?

Lena's last ounce of self-control snaps and she leans forward, pressing her lips to Kara's.

Chapter Text

"Danvers." Maggie says.

She had been watching Alex pace and fidget and fiddle with some stuff in the bar for the past three hours. She knows her girlfriend is anxious about what may happen, but three hours of this seems a bit excessive to her.

Maggie shakes her head at her girlfriend when Alex just hums in response, crouched and continuing to use her screwdriver to attempt to perfect one of her creations.

"Babe," she tries again.

Alex's head shoots up and she blinks like she just came out of a deep trance. "Huh?"

"Babe, we've done everything we can."

"No we haven't. These traps won't do much, they won't stop them." Alex pauses and huffs, running a hand through her hair. "Gods, if we just had more time..."

Maggie gets up from the barstool she has been sitting on and walks over to Alex, who's pacing again.

"Alex," Maggie says in a soft tone.

She stops and looks at her. The depth of the concern and worry in Maggie's eyes makes Alex deflate. When she reaches out and grabs her hand, Alex practically melts and her tensed muscles relax.

"I just wish we had more time." Alex admits. "This is a half-assed plan at best."

"That doesn't mean it won't work." Maggie says, causing Alex to give her a skeptical look. "This may not be the best plan, but it's something the smartest minds in the Kingdom came up with. You've made a bunch of traps. They won't see it coming. They don't even know that we know they're coming, let alone that they're coming here."

Alex lets out a breath and nods. She gives her girlfriend a lopsided, grateful smile. "You're really good at pep-talks."

"Thanks." Maggie beams and tugs on Alex's hand. "Now come on, let's go. That beautiful mind of yours is amazing, but like everyone else, you need sleep."

Alex blushes and clears her throat, letting herself be pulled by Maggie. Once she sees what direction they're headed in, she tugs on Maggie's hand and forces them to stop. As soon as she does, her girlfriend turns around and Alex is greeted by a confused look.

"Hang on, Mags. We can't go out that way. I may have um... Rigged a Molotov cocktail to go off if someone steps anywhere near that tripwire."

Alex points with her hand that's still holding Maggie's, who follows her gaze. Her eyebrows raise and she lets out a low whistle.

"Damn Danvers." Maggie says, sure that her girlfriend can hear how impressed she is in her voice. "Is it weird that I find that kind of hot?"

"Molotov cocktails are hot." Alex states.

Maggie squints at her girlfriend for a couple seconds until Alex's impassive mask cracks and she snorts.

"Danvers... Did you just make a joke?"

Alex nods while her girlfriend grins and shakes her head, her shoulders shaking with silent, stifled laughter.

"Tough, gorgeous, brilliant, and funny. You're a quadruple threat, Sir Alex." Maggie remarks, bumping their shoulders together. Alex flushes and clears her throat shyly. "And Danvers... Mags? Really?"

Alex's blush deepens. "Shut up, Sawyer. It's cute."

"I guess that means I can call you Allie now." Maggie teases.

Alex groans and doesn't reply to that. "Didn't you want to get out of here?"

"Well how are we supposed to do that?" Maggie asks. "Babe, you blocked off the main entrance and exit. And as far as I know, that's the only one."

"Don't worry, I thought of that. Come on."

Now Alex drags Maggie toward the bathroom.

"Why are we heading to the bathroom, Alex? Did you build a secret escape tunnel or are you hoping for a quickie before we figure out a way to get out of here?"

Alex chokes on nothing, her cheeks even redder than before. "Maggie!" She squeaks.

"We have already slept with each other." Maggie points out, poking her girlfriend's side with her unoccupied hand.

"In the same bed. Next to each other." Alex reminds her. "Not... Not like that."

Picking up on Alex's discomfort, Maggie squeezes her hand and they stop heading towards the unisex bathroom.

"Hey, Alex. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable or anything. I wasn't trying to pressure you or whatever it is that you're worrying about right now, okay? We'll go at a snail's pace if that's what you need. We can go as fast or as slow as you want alright?"

Alex nods and gives Maggie a smile. "Alright. Thanks, Maggie. Um, can we talk about this when we get home?"

"Of course." Maggie says, squeezing Alex's hand again.

She doesn't miss how Alex says 'home' and can't help wondering what she means. Does she mean the castle? Does she mean Alex's room? And she also can't help thinking that home is when she's with Alex.

"Now you can show me the secret tunnel." Maggie says, making Alex laugh. The tension drains from the air between them. They will have to talk about this, but not right now.

Alex leads Maggie past the first few unisex bathrooms and pulls her into the last one. Maggie's eyebrows shoot up as she takes in the sight before her.

This place may have used to be a bathroom, but it isn't anymore. Where there used to be a wall opposite the door, there's now a large hole. It's lined with lanterns and leads up to a ladder.

"Wow. There really is a secret tunnel. You're full of surprises, Danvers."

***

At first, Kara is too shocked to really get into the kiss, her lips moving automatically against Lena's. Her brain struggles for a moment, trying to figure it out. Kara's thoughts are mainly along the lines of "what?" and "wow this dream is really vivid."

It isn't until she pinches herself that she lets herself believe that this is real. Because Rao. Lena Luthor, the beautiful goddess of a woman she has been crushing on, is kissing her.

But as soon as Kara's brain catches up, she relaxes into the kiss. She feels Lena become much less tense as she actively kisses her back.

Her arms flail around a bit before Kara decides what to do with them. She reaches up and uses one hand to gently cup Lena's jaw while her other presses on her back. Lena lets out a shuddering breath and moves her hands so that one is tangled in her hair and the other is resting on Kara's side.

Lena lets out a shuddering breath when Kara pulls back slightly to change the angle of their kiss. She sinks into her, resting her weight against Kara as she grips her tighter.

Eventually, Lena can no longer ignore her screaming lungs and has to pull back in order to breathe properly. She keeps her eyes closed, not wanting this moment to end. Lena rests her forehead against Kara and only opens her eyes when she feels Kara's hand carefully trace her cheekbones. She's met with a look of concern.

"Lena? Are you okay?" Kara asks.

Lena tries to smile, but her lower lip is trembling with the weight of her emotions. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"You're crying."

Lena's eyes widen and she reaches up to touch underneath her eyes. Her fingers touch something wet and she blinks in surprise. It has been many years since Lena has cried in front of another person. And she didn't even notice.

"Lena?" Kara prompts.

Right, she hasn't told Kara why she's crying. Honestly, Lena isn't really sure what it is. Feeling too many emotions a once has always made her cry (a fact her mother despised). And she just kissed Kara, the most beautiful woman in the galaxy, and Kara kissed her back. In less than a week, she has a friend and a possible romantic partner. It could be any one of those things or a combination or even something she can't think of off the top of her head.

"They're happy tears, darling." Lena murmurs, brushing a stray strand of hair from Kara's face.

"Oh. So, um. What now?" Kara asks, fidgeting nervously.

"Now is the moment in the romance novel where we declare our undying love for each other and go on a perfect first date."

Kara gives her a crooked smile. "You read romance novels?"

"That's what you got out of that?" Lena mutters, blushing. She playfully bats at Kara's arm, both of them beaming at each other. "Hush. We all have our guilty pleasures."

"I didn't know romance novels are a guilty pleasure. Is that why Alex hides some of hers?" Lena laughs and decides not to answer that. "Right, so Lena. I really like you. Do you maybe want to go out with me sometime?"

Lena's smile grows. "I really like you too, Kara." She laughs as Kara does a dorky victory dance. "Yes, I would love to go out with you."

"Yes! Can I kiss you again?" Kara asks.

Lena practically melts, leaning forward without answering but stopping a few inches from Kara's lips. Kara lets out an unhappy whine but stays where she is.

"Kara, you can kiss me anytime you want."

Kara smiles so brightly it rivals the sun and leans in and kisses Lena again.

Chapter Text

Lena and Kara spend the rest of the day in Lena's tent, enjoying the perks of their newfound relationship (kissing). A couple times they part to laugh because Kara will start floating, once or twice for Kara to circle the camp to make sure their prisoners aren't causing trouble, and a few times to cuddle on the bed and talk.

That's Kara's second favorite thing they do (kissing Lena is her favorite, of course). Lena tells her a bit more about her childhood and what it was like growing up as a Luthor. She ends up telling Lena more about Krypton than she has told anyone aside from Alex. Kara hasn't even told Kal-El most of what she tells her. He has an idealized version of Krypton in his mind, created by what Jor-El, his father, told him with the hologram he sent with him. She doesn't want to burst his bubble.

Kara can't express her gratitude with words because she loves how Lena listens, really listens, to what she tells her. So instead of fumbling over words that won't do what she wants them to, she kisses Lena, pouring every ounce of the emotions she feels into it. Lena, surprised by the force of the kiss, is pushed backwards onto her back. They don't part until someone calls for their attention outside.

"Your Highness?" A voice asks hesitantly.

Lena and Kara pull away from each other. Lena, now on top, rests her forehead against the dazed Kryptonian's.

"Yes?" She responds, her voice raspier than she would like.

"Dinner for you and Lady Kara has been prepared. Would you like me to bring it in?"

"Wait one moment, please." Lena says calmly, getting off of Kara and standing up.

She runs her hands through her hair, trying to make it not look like Kara has spent the last hour running her fingers through it. Lena straightens her clothes and holds her head up high as she opens the flaps to the tent. The guard doesn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary about her appearance, or if he does he doesn't mention it. He steps inside and stops in his tracks when he sees Kara sitting on Lena's bed.

She must have used her super speed to make herself more presentable. Lena doesn't have the heart to tell her that she has her lipstick on her neck.

The guard clears his throat and avoids eye contact. "My apologies for interrupting. I'll just leave this here." With that, he practically flees.

Lena shakes her head, laughing quietly. Kara gives her an inquisitive look. "Darling, you missed a bit of lipstick on your neck."

Kara's eyes go comically wide and she smacks her hand to the side of her neck, blushing deeply. "Oh Rao."

***

"They'll be here tomorrow." Maggie murmurs.

Alex hums in acknowledgement, cuddling closer to her.

She and Alex are snuggled up next to each other in Alex's bed. They've been spending even more time together lately. James has even joked that they're attached at the hip, which Lucy found hilarious and gave them a knowing look.

At first, it was partly a way to keep Alex from going crazy worrying about Kara. But it evolved pretty quickly into bonding. Alex can honestly say this is the fastest she has ever opened up to someone, the fastest she has ever trusted someone, the fastest she has ever lov- Alex always cuts herself off when that word enters her mind. It's too soon, right? They haven't even known each other for a month. It's too soon for her to feel like this, too soon for Maggie to return her feelings. Isn't it?

Since they're partners, it's become almost laughably easy to spend basically every second of the day with each other. At first, of course, they were hesitant about it. Both of them silently worried about the other getting bored of being with them. That was weighing heavily on their minds until they talk about it and reassured each other.

The talking is new for both of them. Alex is used to talking about things with only Kara, but she has always kept some thing to herself. Like when she was questioning. But with Maggie, Alex doesn't keep anything to herself. Not even the insecurities she has never voiced to another living soul (while sober, at least).

For Maggie, she has never really had anyone she fully trusts. Not like this, not with her whole heart, mind, body... With everything she is. She always thought something inside her broke for good when her parents kicked her out. But Alex... Alex, her feelings for Alex, they prove her wrong every minute she's with her. These talks, they're nothing like the ones she has had with her previous girlfriends. These talks are open and understanding and Alex listens.

Maggie has never felt so understood, so loved before. But she knows it's too soon for the l-word. Way too soon. Alex is new to this, she needs to go at Alex's pace, no matter how often those words bubble up in her chest and threaten to escape her throat. The last thing Maggie wants to do is scare Alex off.

The only time she really lets herself think about and revel in that l-word is when she's kissing Alex. Maggie lets everything she feels inside come out and manifest in how she kisses her amazing, wonderful girlfriend. And the way Alex kisses her back? She thinks maybe, maybe Alex feels the same way.

Maggie traces invisible patterns across Alex's back as they cuddle against each other. She's lying on her back while Alex is curled up against her, resting her head on Maggie's shoulder. She closes her eyes and lets her muscles relax.

"Alex," she whispers without opening her eyes. "You're really tense."

"Sorry. I'm worried about tomorrow."

"Don't apologize, babe." Maggie kisses Alex's forehead. "I'm worried too. But I'm also confident in our abilities, in your abilities. We won't let that group of assassins hurt anyone."

Alex is silent for a moment. "What if they hurt you?" She asks in a small voice.

Maggie turns onto her side so she can face her girlfriend. She reverently cups Alex's jaw and presses a quick kiss to her lips. Maggie briefly debates on what to say. Should she go for reassuring, or honesty?

"I can't promise they won't." Maggie goes for honesty, brushing a stray strand of hair out of Alex's face. "And neither can you. We could get hurt or worse tomorrow. We just have to trust in our abilities, in our traps, in the people who will be down there with us to protect and defend us."

Alex purses her lips and nods. "Okay. Okay." She lets out a breath. "If someone hurts you, no promises that I won't kill them."

"Same here, Danvers." Maggie says, smiling softly at her girlfriend. "Plus if I get hurt you can play doctor."

She moves her eyebrows up and down while grinning that teasing smile with dimples she knows Alex loves to hate. Sure enough, Alex bursts out laughing and Maggie soon follows. Their snickers die down after a while.

Alex rests her head against Maggie's, smiling. "You're ridiculous."

"You're the one who's dating me." Maggie quips.

"Touché." They lie together quietly for a few seconds until Alex speaks up again. "Thanks for that. For calming me down."

"Anytime, Danvers."

They're about to kiss again when they're interrupted by a knock. "Sir Alex? There is a message for you. The Queen and her husband have already received it and wanted you to hear it as well."

"What is it about?" Alex asks. She and Maggie sit up on the bed, exchanging a worried glance.

"Lady Kara and Queen Lena."

Alex's eyes go wide. "Come in and tell me."

The guard comes in and does a double take when he sees that Alex is sitting next to Maggie. He stares dumbly for a minute and the door swings shut behind him with a loud slam. Alex wrings her hands anxiously while Maggie palaces a comforting hand on Alex's thigh.

"Well?" Maggie prompts when he doesn't start talking.

"Right, yes. Sorry." The guard fumbles with a piece of parchment. He unrolls it and starts reading. "To Kara's family. I apologize for possibly causing you alarm, since I have told my fastest courier this message is urgent. First, let me inform you that Kara is fine."

Alex breaths a sigh of relief. "Thank the Gods."

The guard pauses to let her speak and then continues. "However, we have come across trouble. The assassins have been defeated and we have all of them in our custody. I will bring them to your palace as a symbol of peace between our clans. There are more of them than we can bring on horses, so we will be walking with them. I approximate that we will arrive a week later than we expected. Thank you for your time, Queen Lena Luthor."

Chapter Text

If the guards, nobles, and prisoners notice anything different about Lena and Kara's interactions, they don't mention it. Kara rides on the same horse she first used and stays next to Lena the entire time that they ride.

She uses her super hearing to listen for anything out of the ordinary, but nothing stands out. They move slowly on the road, forming a protective circle around their prisoners. None of them try anything and Kara hopes it's because they're scared of her and Lena and not because they want to be taken to the Danvers kingdom for some nefarious reason.

When Kara's not listening out for something bad, she's listening to Lena. They don't talk about things at quite the depth they did in Lena's tent. They don't talk about their families or anything too deep. They talk about little things that make the people around them roll their eyes and give each other knowing looks. Like when Kara said her favorite color is green and Lena said her favorite is blue; everyone who heard it aside from them realized it was because that's the color of each other's eyes. And they don't notice because they're too focused on looking at each other like the other placed the stars in the sky for them.

***

Once the guard bows to Alex and leaves, Alex rests her head on Maggie's shoulder and lets out a breath. Maggie's fingers automatically reach up and run through her hair calmingly. Alex relaxes further against her, letting her mind process what the Luthor said. Maggie stays where she is, continuing to play with her girlfriend's hair in silence.

"Do you think she was telling the truth?" Alex asks.

Maggie thinks for a moment, trying to get the right words. "I think so. She has nothing to gain by lying; we would find out if she did in a few days anyways."

Alex takes in what she said and nods against her shoulder. "You're right. But if Kara has so much as a scratch on her, I'll inflict the same on Lena tenfold. Queen or no Queen, alliance or no alliance."

Maggie chuckles. "I wouldn't expect anything less, Danvers. Now come on, we have a big day tomorrow. We should get some sleep."

Alex nods and yawns, only then realizing how tired she is. She lays herself back on her bed, eyes closed. She peeks at her girlfriend when she hears her laugh.

"Babe, you need to get in your pajamas and brush your teeth." Maggie reminds her.

Alex groans and reaches out to grasp Maggie's wrist and pulls her down to lay beside her. Maggie lets herself fall and chuckles to herself, brushing some strands of hair out of her girlfriend's face. Alex hums happily at the touch and Maggie practically melts at the sound.

"Alex..." She murmurs.

"No, just let me sleep." Alex grumbles.

If Alex were more awake, she might be surprised by how vulnerable and open she's letting herself be. Alex rarely lets herself whine or complain or grumble like that, but Maggie... Maggie makes her feel safe and loved and important and like she's finally enough. Being open, being exposed, being less than perfect doesn't scare her very much when she's with Maggie.

"I will, I promise. But you have to do this first. I don't think sleeping in your tactical belt is particularly comfortable, Danvers." She taps the belt and Alex lets out a drawn-out sigh.

Alex's eyes open all the way to see Maggie lying right next to her, facing her and holding out her hand. Alex places her hand in Maggie's and her girlfriend beams, dimples on display. Maggie gets out of bed, moving slowly enough for Alex to easily follow in her tired state.

Alex stands up in front of Maggie, so close that she can feel her breath against her cheek. Alex leans in and adoringly kisses her dimples. Maggie's eyes crinkle further with happiness as she ducks her head shyly.

"Smooth, Danvers." Maggie murmurs, giving Alex a quick kiss.

Alex leans in for another kiss only to be stopped by Maggie's hand gently pressing on her chest. She gives her the famous Danvers Pout. Kara may be a pro, but Alex has gotten good at it too (in order to occasionally get the last bite of food). Maggie isn't as susceptible as Alex hoped but she does get another quick peck.

Alex kisses Maggie's cheek and then goes and grabs two pairs of pajamas. Maggie has been staying in her room so much that she has her own designated couple of pairs of pajamas.

Tonight's one that Alex grabs for her is a button up two-piece that Kara got for her because it's decorated by little gray alien faces. Kara couldn't stop giggling when she gave it to Alex for her birthday. One time, there was an emergency at work in the middle of the night and she was wearing these pajamas and Vasquez burst into her room and saw her sleeping in them. That was something she didn't live down for months. Vasquez kept saying stuff like "I always thought you slept upside down in a cave." Which Kara, of course, found hilarious.

She hands the pajamas to Maggie, who snickers like every time Alex gives them to her. That may or may not be the reason she's been giving Maggie them every other day instead of rotating pajamas. Alex is a complete sucker for Maggie's laughter.

Maggie heads to the bathroom to change. They haven't exactly seen each other naked yet for any reason, which is slowly killing Alex's self-control but she's dealing. Alex changes in her bedroom and folds up her tactical gear, placing it in the drawer she built specifically for it. The bathroom door creaks, meaning Maggie has opened it slightly and has finished changing.

Alex heads into the bathroom and takes Maggie's clothes, gladly receiving a quick kiss of thanks. She places it in the drawer next to where she put her tactical gear, which she has cleared out so Maggie has a place to keep some of her clothes.

Alex goes back to Maggie and wraps her arms around her from behind, pressing her lips to Maggie's exposed neck. Her girlfriend's breath hitches slightly and she smiles innocently at her in the mirror before pulling away to start brushing her teeth as well.

When they're both finished, they head to Alex's bed. Alex gets in first and scoots over so she's in the middle. Maggie snuggles up against her, her head on Alex's shoulder. She's about to settle in and go to sleep when she decides on a different route. She rolls over so she's straddling Alex's hips, who stares up at her in shock at the sudden move. Maggie flips her hair so it's on one side of her head and gives her the smirk that has landed a few women in her bed. She watches as Alex's pupils dilate.

She leans down and kisses her deeply, immediately tangling her fingers in Alex's hair. Alex lets out a breathy moan and reaches up to cup Maggie's jaw with one hand, the other pressing gently on her lower back. They change the positioning of their kiss a few times, their noses brushing against each other.

When they part to breathe, they're both panting heavily and stare into each other's eyes. Maggie knows she doesn't want their first time to be tonight. Not when they're worried about tomorrow. Not when they're worried about each other getting hurt or worse tomorrow. Not when they don't have enough time to truly enjoy each other for the first time. Not when Maggie's falling so hard for this amazing woman and she's scared, terrified, because what if she doesn't feel the same?

Maggie doesn't have the words to tell Alex this. She hopes her girlfriend can silently understand it; she's not sure what she would say if not.

Alex reads the hesitance in her eyes and knows that Maggie doesn't want to go any further. At least not tonight. She gives Maggie a smile, bringing her head up to kiss her sweetly. It's a stark difference from the hungry kisses of before, but they both love it just as much. Relieving the tension between them can wait.

Maggie pulls back from the tender kiss and opens her eyes to see her girlfriend still smiling at her. Maggie gives her another kiss, pouring her appreciation into that kiss while working on keeping it from getting too steamy again.

When they pull apart again, they rest their foreheads together and just look at each other for a moment. Maggie kisses Alex's nose, causing her to grin dopily. Maggie rolls off of her and moves so she's cuddled up against Alex again. She has her head resting on Alex's shoulder, her arm draped over Alex's stomach, and their legs tangled together.

Alex kisses her forehead and whispers out a goodnight.

"Hey babe." Maggie murmurs, making Alex's eyes open again as she looks at her girlfriend. "I think Vasquez was right."

"About what?" Alex asks sleepily.

Maggie smirks. "I am the top in this relationship."

"Oh my god," Alex groans out. She presses her forehead to the top of her girlfriend's head as Maggie snickers. "Shut up, I'm versatile." Maggie bursts into laughter and Alex starts laughing too. "You suck."

"Why yes I do babe." Alex doesn't have to see Maggie's face to know she's winking right now.

"You're awful." Alex says as her laughter starts to die down.

"You're the one that asked me out," Maggie reminds her teasingly.

"Mm hmm. And you're the one who said yes."

Chapter Text

The next morning starts off like most others, with Alex waking up first and reveling in the fact that she's sleeping in her bed with her girlfriend (!!!) who she loves. Which should scare her more, but Maggie makes her feel like she can afford to be reckless with her emotions. Like she can ignore the logical side of her screaming "it's too soon!" because Gods, Alex loves Maggie so much. Even her logical side can't deny that.

Maggie wakes up about half an hour later and they go through their morning routine together. Which is really just getting ready together featuring a lot of kisses.

They ignore the overhanging worry until they leave Alex's room. The weight pushes on their shoulders and they stand up taller to push back. Alex reaches out to take Maggie's hand, which is something that happens often but not everyday. But they both know this is a little bit of comfort that they both need. The guards don't even give their entwined hands a second look like they used to.

"Are you ready for today?" Maggie asks as they head towards the kitchen for a quick breakfast before going to the DEO.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Alex admits. "It'll be fun to fight alongside you, though. We make a good team, Sawyer."

"Yeah we do." Maggie says, giving Alex a dimpled smile.

The familiar sight makes Alex relax slightly but the anxiety like acid in her stomach stops it from calming her more. She gives Maggie a thankful smile, knowing she's trying to make her feel better.

They grab their breakfast and eat it on the way to the DEO. Alex even splits the donut the chef that likes her slipped her before she left.

"Isn't this a bit stereotypical?" Maggie asks around a mouthful of donut. "Knights and donuts?"

"Not as stereotypical as you in flannel." Alex responds, giving her girlfriend a wink when she pretends to be offended.

"Dork." Maggie says, bumping their shoulders together affectionately.

"Takes one to know one." Alex says snarkily. "Now come on, J'onn probably wants to go over the plan one last time."

Like Alex predicted, J'onn does go over the plan again. But it's Alex who goes over it with everyone another time in more detail to make sure everyone knows what they're doing.

"...And remember, the objective is to defend the bar. That means not destroying it beyond repair." Alex orders, leaning her hands on the table in front of her. Maggie finds Alex ordering people around even hotter than she expected. "If possible, we will take at least one of them alive. They may work for the same people as the assassins sent to kill Queen Lena Luthor, but they might not. We need to make sure we don't have more enemies. Understand?"

"Yes ma'am." The agents and knights selected to help them say.

"Alright, let's go." J'onn says from where he's standing off to the side.

"Sir," Alex's voice makes him pause. "Some of the traps include fire. You need to stay back."

"Sir Alex-" He starts, frowning deeper than usual.

"I'm not saying stay out of this." Alex cuts him off, making the other agents and knights wince and brace for his disapproval. "You can stay nearby just in case, but it isn't safe for you."

He purses his lips and stares at her, making everyone else aside from Alex and Maggie squirm. Alex just stares back while Maggie looks at her in awe.

"Very well. If you need any help, shout. I'll hear you." J'onn says after a long pause.

The agents and knights stare at J'onn in disbelief before looking at Alex like she's an all-powerful goddess that could crush the world with her fingertips. Actually, Maggie wouldn't be all that surprised if she is.

They leave after that, with J'onn leading the way. Maggie and Alex walk on either side of him, just a pace behind him. He stops in front of the sewer grate that covers the hole to the bathroom. He lifts it easily and gestures for them to go.

"Good luck Sir Alex, Sir Maggie. Stay safe. If the two of you work together, nothing can stop you." He says, sounding more like Alex's space dad than the Director of the DEO.

"Thank you, sir. We'll see you soon." Alex responds.

J'onn nods. "I'll keep most of the medical team here on standby just in case."

Alex doesn't make a move to go down the ladder and Maggie waits, knowing something is probably about to happen. Sure enough, J'onn sweeps Alex and Maggie (to her surprise) into a hug.

"Be careful." He says gruffly before putting them back down.

Maggie smiles at him, a nearly unfamiliar feeling in her chest. It almost feels like she has a family again. She swallows down her emotions and motions for Alex to go first down the ladder.

"Ladies first." She says, grinning when Alex rolls her eyes at her.

Alex climbs down, Maggie going right after her. The agents and knights not on standby follow them. Alex rejoins their hands when Maggie gets all the way down. They walk out of the bathroom and direct the agents and knights into the other gender neutral bathrooms. They'll wait there while they wait for their enemies to come. They will wait for Maggie and Alex's signal. Which, if they can, it'll be knocking on the doors. Otherwise, they'll have to shout for them to come out.

Alex and Maggie stand at the back of the bar, staring at the entrance to the bar. They hear two pairs of footsteps above them and know that it's the two archers on the scaffolding they put up. They wait for three hours (twenty one minutes and forty seven seconds according to Alex) before anyone comes in.

Luckily, the aliens really listened to Maggie and they haven't seen even one come near the bar. Except for J'onn, who's been walking in and out of the bar transformed as different aliens to keep up appearances in case anyone was keeping an eye on the place.

Alex and Maggie snap to attention at the creaking of the door opening. It opens all of the way and a pan swings down to smack the person in the front in the face. Alex and Maggie give each other an amused look at the pained groan they hear.

"What the heck?" They hear someone ask, their voice nasal. "Okay Bravo, you go first."

So they're either using code names or that person has a very weird name.

"Sure thing, Pork." Gods, Maggie really hopes it's code names.

The person takes one step down the stairs hesitantly and slips on the wax Maggie put on that step. Alex and Maggie high five but don't actually allow their hands to touch in fear that they'll be heard.

The person moans and grumbles, standing up. "Stupid aliens."

They take another step down and relax when nothing happens. The guy behind them tries to skip the slippery step but manages to land right on it. His feet fly outward, kicking the person in the front. They stumble and their feet fall from that step to the next one.

Alex's eyes light up and Maggie immediately knows what step this is. There's a click and suddenly a bottle is heading right towards that person.

"Nononono," they say, their arms outstretched and their eyes wide.

The Molotov Cocktail hits them and they fall to the bottom of the stairs in a ball of fire. Their screams are horrifying and Maggie's 98% sure she'll have nightmares about it, but wow. She's impressed by Alex's destructive skill. She makes a mental note to never get on her girlfriend's bad side.

"Shit," the guy behind the burned person breathes out. "Is it really worth it?"

"It's either maybe get killed here doing what we were told or definitely get killed for failing our mission and fleeing like cowards." A woman says.

The guy groans. "Can't we just run away?"

"They'll hunt us down. Man up, Pork. Let's get this over with. Just be careful. They obviously know we're coming."

"Obviously," Pork grumbles. "Let's go Sugartits."

"I really hate that code name. Sexist pig." The woman mutters.

"Makes sense since his code name is Pork." Maggie whispers to Alex, who covers her mouth to keep from snorting.

Maggie knocks on the doors, knowing there are a few more traps but they could use all of the help they can get. The agents and knights filter out silently and Maggie rejoins Alex's side.

Their enemies stumble over some jacks that Maggie added just for the heck of it. Maggie stifles her laughter when one of them slips on a banana peel and flops backward on the ground.

"I didn't think that could actually happen," she whispers to Alex, who's snickering.

Their enemies notice them for the first time then and try to act intimidating but a few agents burst out into laughter.

"This is the best battle I've ever participated in," Maggie admits.

Their now very angry enemies charge at them, weapons raised. Maggie's sudden worry decreases exponentially when one of them yelps after getting their foot caught in a mouse trap.

Chapter Text

**Violence and blood!

The Cadmus agents advance on them, failing to seem menacing. Especially since one's limping because of a mouse trap on his foot.

Maggie twirls her swords in her hands, a familiar comforting movement that always grounds her before a battle she knows won't be easy. She may have Alex and a bunch of well-trained DEO agents at her side, but Maggie isn't one to underestimate her enemies. As her old teacher said, it's better to overestimate than underestimate.

Maggie didn't get it when she first started out, but she does now. If she overestimates, she prepares more and is ready for anything they can throw at her. If she underestimates, she gets cocky and sloppy. That's one reason she got knocked on her ass so many times when she first started out. She was an overconfident kid with something to prove, which did help with her dedication.

It's one good thing that came out of her parents kicking her out. Maggie got good at defending herself, relying on herself. But with Alex next to her? Maggie knows that she can depend on her, can trust her with everything she is, and Alex can do the same. And that makes them practically unstoppable when they're together.

Alex and Maggie exchange a quick look and Maggie nods to her. Here, Alex is the senior agent, the one that's more trusted, more looked up to by her fellow knights. Alex raises up two fingers as their enemies slowly and cautiously approach them, wary of more traps. She points at them and the knights rush forward to start the battle.

Alex and Maggie stay side by side, advancing forward. The knights have broken off into teams, most of them partnered up against a few Cadmus people. But there are more Cadmus agents than Alex expected, and they don't have enough people to take all of them on. Not without Alex and Maggie, at least.

As it is, they're up against five Cadmus agents. Plus there are a few out to the side, watching everyone fight. Maggie has to admit that's a smart move, watch your enemy and see how they move, but she has a couple of suckers to punch instead.

Maggie and Alex press their backs to each other as the five agents circle them. Maggie purses her lips, watching them closely. She makes a mental note that if (hopefully when) they survive this, she and Alex will have to train together against some agents sometimes. Fighting Alex has increased her skills, but fighting someone and fighting alongside someone is different and can be hard to get used to. She doubts they'll have much of a problem, but it's always good to be prepared.

The first two rush towards Maggie, evidently growing tired of waiting for Maggie and Alex to strike first. One of them drops to the ground with an arrow in their gut from one of the DEO archers. She doesn't have to look at the person for more than a few seconds to know they're bleeding out. Maggie's grateful she has less to worry about but hopes the archer didn't shoot the guy because they thought she couldn't handle it.

She moves so that she's not too close to Alex. The guy with the broadsword could hit her on accident when he's aiming for Maggie, which she wouldn't be able to live with.

So with adrenaline rushing through her veins, Maggie easily blocks the first sloppy attack. Her swords are crossed above her head to prevent the broadsword from cleaving her in half. The man she's fighting is twice her size and probably on some crazy Cadmus drug to make his muscles almost laughably big. He's strong, she'll give him that as sweat runs down her spine, but she knows she's better.

She stomps on his foot, making him lose his balance from surprise and pain. With him distracted, she pushes harder with her swords to make him stumble backwards. She gets in a pretty good cut to his side but it's not deep enough to be too bad.

He regains his balance and scowls down at her, bringing his sword up in a sweeping attack that would probably decapitate her if she didn't dodge it. While she's leaning back to get out of the blade's way, she kicks upward. Using years of trained precision, she hits him right on his wrist. He howls in agony and she smirks. That move never fails to break some bones.

He can't grip the broadsword properly without causing himself a lot of pain, so he tosses it to the side. The broadsword hits the ground with a loud clatter that causes everyone around them to flinch in surprise. He pulls out a smaller sword, a little bit larger than a dagger with a snarl on his face.

At this point, Maggie's pretty sure he thinks he's going to die here. Which isn't great, because that means he's going to fight as hard as he can to take her down with her. It also means he doesn't have anything to lose. Which makes him especially dangerous.

His bad hand hangs limply by his side as he slashes at her. She leaps and twists out of his way, watching how he moves it. People usually, whether consciously or unconsciously, make a pattern. Since he is a highly trained warrior, it's a bit more difficult than usual to pick out. But she finds it and uses it to her advantage. When he lunges again, she moves to his unprotected side and attacks, aiming for whatever will do the most damage.

Maggie knows Alex wants to keep some of them alive to question, but she could tell from the first strike that Maggie wouldn't be able to do that with this guy. She rams her sword into his side and he makes a gagging noise, blood falling from his lips. He doesn't even bother to wipe it away, just continues fighting. He's weakening, she can tell, but not fast enough. It ends when she slides both swords through his rib cage. He falls backwards to the floor, dead.

That's when Maggie looks over to Alex, who's of course helping another tired agent fight a Cadmus soldier while fighting three others. Maggie rushes over and blocks a sneaky attack that Alex wouldn't have been able to until it was too late.

"Thanks, Sawyer." Alex says, her voice breathy.

"I've got your back, Danvers."

With that, they spring into battle together, their swords moving together elegantly to cut down their enemies. It's an uncommon fighting technique, to say the least. To use it you have to work with your partner, not just next to. Their swords can't touch or their trajectory will change, and there's always the serious risk of accidentally hurting your partner.

Maggie has honestly never been able to pull it off. Until now, at least.

Alex, being the overachiever she is, knocks out two of them and they only give them minor injuries. Maggie glances around quickly to asses how everyone else is doing and is happy by the results. Most of the agents are either working together to take down one last Cadmus fighter or helping an injured person (including Cadmus people).

Alex and Maggie are working together to take down two more Cadmus people, allowing the agent that Alex was helping to sit on the ground, exhausted.  Maggie is the designated distractor, using moves she knows won't hit to bend their opponents to Alex's will. It works better than Maggie would expect and they don't suspect a thing. Or if they did they can't do anything about it. Maggie even is able to see an opening to hit the girl in the head with the hilt of her sword. She crumples to the floor, unconscious.

The last guy they're fighting looks around nervously at his defeated companions, most of them either dead or knocked out. His jaw trembles and he drops his swords, putting his hands up.

Alex and Maggie exchange an unimpressed look and grin when Vasquez comes up behind him to knock him out too. She gives Alex and Maggie thumbs up and a wink, making them laugh and shake their heads.

"You did pretty good out there." Alex says as they patrol around the room, making sure everyone's okay. "I saw you fighting that gigantic guy. I have to admit, I was a little worried."

"Oh really? He was one person. Danvers, you were fighting four people at once." Maggie deadpans. "I was a little worried about you. You nearly got skewered on that one person's sword!"

Alex reaches out and takes Maggie's hand. "I'm okay."

"I know you are." Her eyebrows pull closer together. "But it I hadn't gotten there in time..."

"You did." Alex reminds her softly, squeezing her hands. She smiles and decides to lighten the mood a bit. "You know what today calls for, Sawyer?"

"What?"

"Extra cuddles tonight."

Maggie's face lights up as she laughs at her girlfriend's response. "Yeah Danvers, extra cuddles."

Chapter Text

They still have roughly a week left to travel and Lena's worried. Worried about Kara, who hasn't been smiling as big, hasn't been talking much. Worried about finally getting there and meeting the Danvers, the parents of the girl she's falling for. Worried about her mother, her people, how well Jess is holding up at her Kingdom...

But right now, she's mostly concerned about Kara. She hasn't been able to ask about it quite yet. This morning they had to deal with some of their prisoners fighting with each other and Lena didn't get a chance to ask before then. And after that, they've been on the road. Making their way to National City. Slowly.

And Lena may not be the best at emotions, but she is a Luthor. She knows how to read people. So she can tell whatever is bothering Kara isn't something that she wants to talk about. Probably to anyone, let alone in front of guards and nobles and prisoners. So Lena has waited until tonight, when they're in her tent. And it's finally time.

Lena and Kara have just finished dinner when Lena can't take the silence anymore and nearly blurts out her question. If she weren't raised by the strictest parents in the Luthor Kingdom, she may have. So Lena takes a moment to gather herself, then asks.

"Kara," she says in a gentle tone. She reaches out to take Kara's hand in hers. "What's bothering you?"

"What?" Kara practically jolts and gives Lena a smile that would seem normal to most others, but Lena can tell it's forced. "Nothing, I'm fine."

Lena raises an unimpressed eyebrow, silently urging her girlfriend to speak. Kara huffs and reaches up to adjust her glasses, only to remember she isn't wearing them and nearly poking herself in the eye.

"Rao, how do you do that?" Kara asks, avoiding answering Lena's question.

"Kara," Lena repeats softly.

Kara slumps in her chair. "Okay, okay. Um, can we move to the bed first?"

She flushes when she realizes what she said and Lena can't resist having a little fun. Perhaps her teasing will even make Kara feel more relaxed about talking.

"Usually I don't do that until after a couple of dates," Lena practically purrs, giving Kara a flirty wink.

"Lena!" Kara squeaks out, making her burst out into laughter. "You know what I meant!"

"I do, darling." Lena's term of endearment makes Kara practically melt. "You just look especially beautiful when you blush."

Kara blushes harder and Lena takes the moment to lead Kara over to the bed, laying on top of the covers. She lets go of Kara's hand and keeps her arm outstretched. Kara gets on the bed and snuggles up to Lena, lying on her side and resting her head on her shoulder.

"Ever since I got here, I've been with the Danvers. Either I have been with them at the castle or I've been with them on a vacation. I've never been away from them for so long. It just kinda... Hit me all at once, you know?"

"What happened to cause this?" Lena asks curiously. "Was it just something that came out of nowhere, or did something prompt it."

"Oh, um. I saw a squirrel in the trees and automatically turned to tell Alex. When we were younger, sometimes we would sneak out to the forest to get me away from everything. She could always tell when the noises got to be too much. So we would go to the forest together, and point out any animal we could see. Alex always complained that I used my X-Ray vision and cheated. I did, but she could never prove it." Kara smiles up at the roof of the tent and Lena falls a little bit more in love with her.

"Thank you for telling me this," Lena murmurs after a few moments of quiet.

Kara hums and looks up at Lena, speaking after a minute or so. "I just mainly miss Alex. I think you'd like her."

"I have no doubt, she's brilliant."

"She is," Kara nods. "You two can be nerdy together."

"Kara Danvers Zor-El," Lena gasps out dramatically, making Kara giggle. "Did you just call your amazing girlfriend nerdy?"

"Yes I did," Kara confirms. "But I find it adorable."

"You're lucky you're cute." Lena murmurs, grinning fondly down at her girlfriend.

***

Maggie and Alex send Vasquez up through the ladder to let J'onn know the battle's over. He comes down moments later, followed by an entourage of healers.

J'onn relaxes when he sees Alex bending over an injured agent, wrapping up a wound on their shoulder. Maggie is standing off to the side, keeping a close eye on their unconscious prisoners. Deciding not to interrupt Alex when she's in doctor mode, he heads over to Sir Maggie first.

"Sir Maggie," he greets her. She snaps to attention, standing up straighter. "How did it go?"

Maggie blinks in surprise, not having expected him to approach her, let alone ask her give him a rundown of what happened. She tells him, including as many details as she can remember, and feels accomplished when she sees the impressed look on his face.

"Very good." He says, nodding to her. "And please, take care of Alex."

Maggie frowns, not understanding what he's saying. Her eyes flicker over to her girlfriend, who's standing in front of a man twice her size and giving him a stern lecture by the looks of it. She grins proudly as the man shrinks away from Alex's accusatory finger.

She turns her attention back to J'onn. "What do you mean?"

He takes a breath, thinking of how to word it. "Alex is... Notoriously difficult, especially when it comes to her own health and safety. She once walked on a broken leg for two weeks before she let anyone look at it because she was 'handling it.' She thinks she knows what's best for her, and she usually does. But not when it comes to her health. She won't let a doctor check her out and make sure she's okay. So could you?"

"Are you asking me to lie to her?" Maggie asks, uncomfortable at the prospect.

"No. I know Alex well, and she will give an indication she isn't in perfect health if she is injured. I'm asking you to look out for that and see that she gets medical attention if she needs it."

Maggie thinks about it for a quick moment. "Alright. But if this goes south, I'm taking you with me."

J'onn chuckles, "I wouldn't expect anything less. Thank you."

Maggie nods and almost flinches from surprise when J'onn places his hand on her shoulder before walking away. She's still watching him when Alex comes up to her.

"What was that about?" Alex asks.

Maggie jumps, not having noticed her girlfriend. "Gods! You surprised me. I should get you a bell or something. But to answer your question, he asked about what happened in the fight. He seemed pretty impressed by your traps' effectiveness."

"He should be impressed." Alex says, probably trying to come off as cocky and would, if not for the proud gleam in her eye. "I saw that he put his hand on your shoulder." Alex nudges her with a beaming smile. "Congrats, Sawyer. That means you're officially one of his favorites."

"Really?" Maggie asks skeptically. She's not exactly used to people liking her on general, especially not when she hasn't known them for very long.

"Yup. You're one of his adopted kids now. You now have a space dad." Maggie ducks her head but knows Alex can see her pleased smile. "Now come on," Alex tugs on Maggie's hand gently. "Let's get back to the DEO. The sooner we get the prisoners dealt with, the sooner we can pass out."

"That sounds really good right about now." Maggie admits.

She daydreams of a nice warm bath. Maybe with Alex in there too, naked... Maggie cuts off her thoughts there, her cheeks flaming. Now really isn't the time for that.

"You could do that now." J'onn's voice cuts through her thoughts. She and Alex turn to him. He's smiling warmly at them, a stark contrast to the serious expression Maggie has normally seen him wear. "You both did a great job today, you deserve to get some rest."

"You aren't going to try to make me get checked out by a doctor?" Alex asks, surprised.

J'onn raises his eyebrows and looks at her. "Would you listen to me?"

"... No."

"That's why." J'onn says. "Now go on, we can do this without your assistance. Enjoy some extra time with your girlfriend."

Alex blushes and thanks him. They leave quickly after that, as though they both think he'll take it back.

"I don't know about you, but a nice warm bed sounds amazing to me." Maggie groans as they walk down the streets of National City.

"That does sound good." Alex says, letting out a deep breath.

Maggie looks at Alex closer when she sees her wince. "What was that?"

"Nothing," Alex says too quickly.

"That was not nothing." Maggie doesn't relent.

"We can talk about this in my room."

"Promise?" Maggie inquires.

"Promise."

Chapter Text

Maggie and Alex walk towards the Danvers Castle hand in hand. They're stopped by one of the guards and Alex looks at his familiar face with confusion.

"Sir Alex, Sir Maggie. You're wanted by the Queen in the Throne Room." He says, his eyes shining sympathetically.

Maggie gives him a confused look. Why would he be sympathetic? Alex's face pales and she slowly continues walking, a lot more slowly and hesitantly than before.

"What's going on?" Maggie questions. "Why does your mom want to see us?"

"I may have not told her that I was going on this mission." Alex admits.

"Alex!" Maggie groans. "This is going to be the first official meeting that we're having with your parents since we started dating."

"Oops?" Alex says, wincing. "Sorry Mags."

"It's alright, Al." Maggie sighs and gives her girlfriend a smile, knowing she didn't mean to do this. "Now let's go get yelled at by your mom."

Eliza and Jeremiah are sitting on their thrones as they walk into the Throne Room. Eliza stands and rushes over when she sees them.

"Alex! Thank the Gods you're alright." She breathes out when she stops in front of them, running her hands over Alex's armor. "Are you hurt at all?"

"I'm okay, Mom."

Maggie gives her an unimpressed look, remembering how Alex was in pain as they walked here. Alex gives her a pleading expression and Maggie gives her a small nod. If it turns out to be a big injury, she's definitely telling Alex's parents. But if not, she will probably keep it to herself.

Jeremiah comes over and hugs Alex, keeping his arms loose like he knows she's hurt but won't admit it. He steps back and Alex braces herself for the incoming scolding.

"Alexandra Danvers!" Eliza snaps, making Alex flinch. Maggie winces in sympathy. Oh, full name. That isn't good. "You went out on a dangerous mission where you could've been killed and you didn't tell me!"

"Sorry Mom." Alex apologizes, avoiding her mother's eyes.

"You will tell me next time Alex, or I'll make sure J'onn puts you on desk duty for a month." Eliza threatens.

"Mom-"

"Alex," she cuts her off with a stern look.

"Fine," Alex relents. "Okay, I will."

Maggie squeezes Alex's hand, reminding her that she's there for her.

"Sir Maggie." Eliza says and Maggie's heart shoots up to her throat. She hopes she doesn't look as alarmed and surprised as she feels. "You'll do the same, yes? I want you both to let me know when either of you are about to go on a dangerous mission. Okay?" Alex and Maggie both nod mutely. "Good. Now Alex, go on to your room. I'd like to speak to your girlfriend."

Maggie's heart beats faster, fear and worry filling her mind. Alex stays where she is, giving Maggie a worried look. Maggie can't tell if it's because she's about to talk to her mother or if she's concerned about Maggie and the fear Alex definitely can see.

"Go ahead, Alex." Maggie says, her voice barely louder than a whisper. "I'll be okay."

"Are you sure?" Alex asks, rubbing her thumb across the back of Maggie's hand.

Maggie nods in response, not trusting her voice. Alex kisses her hand softly and squeezes Maggie's hand one last time before letting go. She walks out of the Throne Room, looking over her shoulder at them every couple of steps.

"Sir Maggie," Eliza begins.

Maggie's confused and a little thrown off by the use of her title. Usually when people tell her to fuck off or to stop 'poisoning their daughter's mind', they don't bother.

Eliza continues. "I'm aware that this is your first time talking to us since you started dating our daughter, and the first time you have talked to us alone. So I just want to say..." Maggie braces herself. She won't let herself flinch in front of the Queen of the Danvers Kingdom, even if she does end up saying horrible things like they all do. "Thank you."

That is so not what Maggie was expecting. She's so dumbfounded, so taken aback, that an unbidden "huh?" escapes her lips. Luckily, Eliza doesn't seem to notice it.

"I can honestly say that Alex has been so much more happy since you came into our lives." Eliza's eyes radiate kindness. Wait, are those tears? Nonono, Maggie sucks at dealing with crying people. "She's been in her own little box world of working at the DEO and taking care of her sister for so long, Jeremiah and I had nearly given up hope of her finding someone to spend her life with."

Wait, life? I mean yeah, Maggie wants to marry Alex in the future, but talking about it, hearing it out loud? So early in their relationship? Yeah, Maggie's panicking a bit. Because this isn't some lady from a shop mistaking them for wives, this is her girlfriend's mother saying she could see Maggie and Alex being together forever. Which Maggie is more than cool with, but it's so early. Hell, they haven't even said I love you yet. Or had sex.

"You're good for her," Eliza continues. "And I don't know you too well yet, but I like to think she's good for you too." She smiles warmly at Maggie. "Thank you for making her so happy. Thank you for helping coax her out of her shell. Thank you for taking care of her. And most of all, welcome to the Danvers family, sweetheart." Maggie's mouth opens and her eyes widen in shock. "Is it alright if we hug you?"

Maggie nods, too flabbergasted to speak. Eliza comes forward and wraps her in her arms. It's the kind of embrace that Maggie hasn't really had since she came out. A motherly, warm hug. Jeremiah embraces her too and she desperately fights back tears. Just today, her family has grown. She has been 'adopted' by not two, but three people. Her girlfriend's parents and space dad.

"Welcome to the family, Maggie." Jeremiah murmurs in her ear and her jaw trembles as she lets one tear slip down her face.

Jeremiah and Eliza pull away, looking at the newest addition to their family affectionately as she wipes away the tear making its way down her cheeks.

"Go on, I'm sure Alex is waiting for you." Jeremiah says, smiling wider when Maggie blushes.

Maggie gives Jeremiah and Eliza one last quick hug, thanking them profusely, before rushing out to go to her girlfriend.

"They remind me a little of us when we first met." Jeremiah admits to his wife.

Eliza beams at Maggie's back as she jogs towards their daughter. "I was just thinking the same thing."

Maggie dashes to Alex's room, ignoring the guards in the halls giving her alarmed looks. She walks inside, breathing heavily, to see Alex nervously pacing. Alex looks up when the door opens and they immediately fall into each other's arms.

"Hey," Alex murmurs. "What did they want?"

She rubs Maggie's back, feeling her shake as she finally lets the happy tears she has been holding back fall.

"They basically thanked me for being such an awesome girlfriend." Maggie says, resting her head on Alex's shoulder. "Then they welcomed me to the Danvers family."

Alex pulls back to look at her girlfriend in surprise, her shocked expression morphing into a beaming smile. "You're one of us now, Sawyer. You've officially been adopted by my parents and J'onn. In one day. That's pretty impressive, Mags."

"Thanks, Allie." Maggie puts emphasis on the nickname, knowing her girlfriend would punch anyone else who says it. Instead, Alex rolls her eyes then maturely sticks out her tongue. "That's really mature," she laughs.

Alex's eyes sparkle with happiness as she retracts her tongue to grin dopily at her girlfriend. "You like me anyway, Sawyer."

"That I do," Maggie confirms, giving Alex a quick kiss to the lips.

"That's it?" Alex pouts.

"Until I finish checking your injuries out." Maggie taps Alex on the nose, causing her to smile.

"Fine. Don't get distracted by my abs, Sawyer." Alex teases.

"No promises, babe." Maggie says with a wink. Maggie helps Alex take off her surprisingly complicated armor chest piece. "What's this made of, anyway? It looks really cool."

"It's made of a polymer I created myself. If it works right, it helps absorb the strikes I don't block so it doesn't do as much damage."

"Smart," Maggie remarks.

Alex hums and sets it down on her bed. She pulls off the tank top she was wearing beneath it and Maggie's gayness level goes through the roof. Because holy crap, Alex wasn't kidding. She has the hottest abs Maggie has ever seen. And she's also too less except for her cloth bindings. Maggie fights off the urge to stare and drool and focuses instead on the dark bruise on her lower left side.

She gets down on her knees, fighting the urge to smirk when she hears Alex audibly gulp. Maggie moves closer to the bruise, frowning at it. She makes a mental note of other minor looking cuts and bruises she sees to check out afterwards.

Chapter Text

Alex tries not to focus on the fact that her girlfriend is currently on her knees in front of her. Instead, she watches Maggie's serious expression as she carefully looks over Alex's bruised torso. She pokes and prods at the bruise from different angles and carefully runs her fingers over Alex's stomach to make sure nothing's swollen.

Alex has to admit, she's impressed. Maggie seems to know what she is doing, which is more than Alex can say about some of the doctors she has worked alongside.

"Where did you learn how to do this?" Alex asks, breaking the veil of the silence when her curiosity gets the best of her.

"I was on a team once where the captain required everyone in the unit to have basic medical knowledge. He would teach us all during the downtime, and it ended up being a pretty good thing in a particularly nasty fight against a large group of bandits and rogues."

Alex squints at her for a moment, then it clicks. She gasps. "You were one of the Medic Knights? Your unit saved a ton of lives in that ambush."

Maggie blushes. "I've always hated that name. It sounds like 'meta knights,' which sounds too pretentious for me. But yeah, I was. I was the rookie of the team, barely two months into being a knight."

"How long had you been with them when the bandits attacked?" Alex questions as Maggie continues her examination, her movements slower but no less confident.

"Three months."

"Wow," Alex breaths out. "I wasn't there, but I was sent to help with the wounded. I saw the aftermath."

Maggie winces at the memories bombarding her brain. "Yeah, it wasn't pretty. Hey, I could have seen you there. I was a makeshift doctor until they needed us elsewhere."

"It wouldn't be as interesting as our story is now." Alex murmurs. "Plus, I was by no means ready to be out to anyone back then."

"And I was even more of a mess than I am about my parents." Maggie admits. "I guess it's a good thing we didn't see each other until now."

Alex and Maggie exchange a soft look. Maggie's hands rest on Alex's stomach, no longer moving. Alex waits to point this out for a moment, taking the time to revel in their closeness.

"So what's your prognosis, doctor?" Alex asks.

"Not good." Maggie says seriously, standing up. Alex can see the dimples threatening to make an appearance as she schools her expression. "I'm afraid you're severely lacking Vitamin Me."

Alex laughs so hard at the dorky joke that she lets out an undignified snort, which causes Maggie to burst out laughing alongside her.

"And you call me a nerd." Alex teases, nudging her girlfriend's nose with her own. "But really, am I good?"

"Oh, you're amazing." Maggie winks.

Alex huffs, blushing. "I meant the bruise."

"I know, babe." Maggie grins at her. "You're okay. It's going to hurt like hell for a bit and frankly, it's a miracle you don't have more damage, but you're okay. Or you're going to be."

"Good. Now, I believe I was promised something." Alex says.

Maggie catches on immediately and her smile widens. Extra cuddling. She could definitely use that after such an emotionally and physically draining day. "You were. But Allie, please put on a shirt first."

Alex melts at the nickname and complies, tugging on an old comfy shirt and lying back on her bed, her upper body propped up on her pillows. "Too distracting, huh?"

"You have no idea," Maggie murmurs, giving Alex a swift kiss.

Alex nearly chokes on air when Maggie starts pulling off her clothes. "Uh. Mags? What are you doing?"

Maggie turns around to face her, giving Alex a faux innocent look. "I'm putting on clothes that are more comfortable."

Maggie turns around again and bends over. She starts pulling off her pants and Alex's gay heart can't take this. She gets out of bed, swearing under her breath in Kryptonese.

"Two can play at this game, Sawyer." She mutters.

When Maggie faces her again, fully clothed, her eyes go wide. Alex is laying on top of the bed, wearing only her bindings, a baggy shirt, and underwear. Alex quirks one eyebrow, smirking at her dumbstruck girlfriend.

"Well?" Alex asks when Maggie doesn't move. "Are you coming?"

"I really hope so," Maggie replies teasingly.

Alex blushes and lifts her arm up for Maggie to cuddle up to her after she gets in bed. Maggie gives her a gentle kiss to the closest bit of skin, which just happens to be the base of Alex's neck. Her breath hitches in her throat and she tenses, panicking at the idea of what happens next. She's never done this before. And this is someone she really cares about, someone she lo- likes. Someone she likes.

Maggie notices, of course and quickly sits up so she can look at Alex's anxious face. "Alex, babe. That wasn't me trying to push you towards anything. We go at our pace, remember? We won't do anything until you're comfortable, okay?"

Alex nods and kisses Maggie in thanks. It's gentle and sweet, and all the reassurance that they need. Maggie settles back down, letting out a content sigh as she rests her head on Alex's shoulder and her hand on Alex's stomach. Alex reaches out to hold her hand and Maggie relaxes fully against her girlfriend.

*** Time Jump! ***

They're so close to National City that they can see it in the distance. It's hard to miss, especially with the gray of the Danvers castle standing out because of it's color and size at the top of the hill.

Kara's stopped herself from flying over to finally see Alex again quite a few times and she knows Lena can tell that she's excited. Even the horses can tell, what with her squirming around as they ride slowly but steadily onward.

Their pace has picked up and they've been passing more and more merchants and travelers on the road. They all recognize Kara and call out respectful greetings, all while warily eyeing of the Queen of the Luthor Kingdom beside her. Lena doesn't take offense, knowing that their hatred of her family comes from a valid reason. She just hopes she can prove them wrong.

"One more day," Lena remarks. "I take it you're excited to see your sister again?"

"Yeah!" Kara bounces up and down on the horse a couple of times giddily, glad she can defy gravity so she doesn't hurt it with her jostling movements. "I can't wait to see everyone again."

Lena feels a familiar stab of guilt, knowing that it's Kara's attachment to her that's keeping her away from her friends and family.

"I'm sure they will be just as happy to see you." Lena says, giving Kara a smile.

Kara's face brightens at the warm, genuine smile her girlfriend gives her. "I hope so! I wonder how Alex and Maggie are doing. Are they still together?" Kara muses.

She starts rambling on about what she thinks has happened while she was gone. Lena watches her with adoration in her eyes.

***

"Sir Alex, Sir Maggie." A younger, lithe woman says.

Alex and Maggie stop, panting. She had interrupted their training session in the courtyard. Alex puts the training sword on a nearby weapons rack and turns to face her. She frowns, recognizing her. She's a scout that has a post on the outskirts of National City. There's no reason for her to be here unless there's urgent news.

"What's wrong?" Alex asks worriedly.

"Nothing, ma'am." The scout quickly assures her. "I just thought you would like to know that Lena Luthor's group has been spotted. They're approximately a day's ride away."

Alex's expression brightens and her entire demeanor seems lighter. "She is? Thank you for letting me know. Have you told the Queen?"

"Yes ma'am, she was my first stop. If you'll excuse me, I needs to get back to my post." The scout bows to them and rushes off surprisingly quickly.

"Kara's almost here!" Alex breathes out.

Maggie hums in acknowledgement, falling a little but more for her girlfriend. "It will be good to see Little Danvers again."

Alex grins at Maggie. Her eyes light up with a realization. "Oh! I'll have to let the kitchen staff know, they're going to have to get used to feeding a hungry Kryptonian again."

Maggie laughs. "I have noticed that they've been making less food. But I doubt they mind the increase in work. No one could ever stay mad at Kara."

Alex hums. "Do you mind if I go around making preparations for Kara? Would you want to come with?"

"I'm happy to help, Danvers. I can be your eye candy." Maggie winks and delights in how Alex flushes.

It never gets old, being able to reduce the badass agent who knows at least six ways to kill her using just her index finger to a blushing, stammering gay mess. Maggie's favorite part is that Alex has the same affect on her. Especially recently. Alex has been more teasing lately, more flirty. And more prone to touching Maggie in innocent ways that such all the breath from her lungs. They still haven't done anything, but Maggie has to admit that she likes this game of seduction that Alex seems to be playing.

"I'll have you do some actual work, Sawyer."

"Oh yeah? Like what?" Maggie prompts.

"Like baking my sister my famous chocolate cakes."

"Chocolate cake?"

"Cakes. Plural." Alex clarifies. "It's one of the few things that don't catch on fire when I cook them. Plus, Kara swears they're the second best dessert in the universe."

"Second best?" Maggie asks.

"Second only to mom's pecan pie."

Chapter Text

Alex excitedly leads her girlfriend to the kitchen. Maggie's endlessly amused (and smitten) by the rapid change in her behavior. She's practically bouncing on the balls of her feet as she holds open the door to the kitchen for Maggie, who can't resist stealing a quick kiss as she passes her. Alex lets out a quiet, surprised squeaking noise that makes Maggie snicker.

"Do you need more breakfast? A snack?" The head chef, Lyra, asks when she notices them.

Lyra had been passed over multiple times by fancy restaurants and rich people alike because of the fact that she's an alien. Which anyone could see by just looking at her. Alex has noticed that if they not noticeably aliens, they're much more likely to be accepted if they tell someone they're an alien. They're okay if it's someone that looks like them, but if not, it's a constant reminder that aliens exist.

Now, that all happened while Eliza was giving aliens rights. Discrimination like that wasn't illegal yet.

Alex actually likes Lyra, she's witty and smart and knows a lot about her home planet (Alex asks her stuff sometimes when she gets curious but she's learned to avoid some topics). Perhaps Alex's favorite thing about Lyra is the fact that Winn has a crush on her. He still likes Kara, but he knows she doesn't him. One of Alex's favorite things about him is how he actually respects that, and is trying to get over her. Especially since Alex and Kara view him as the brother they never had. His crush on Lyra is something that Alex teases him about relentlessly (she loves reminding him that he seems to have a thing for aliens, which is when he starts stammering and blushing).

"No, I thought I would warn you that Kara's about a day's ride away." Alex says with a happy twinkle in her eye.

"Ah, thank you. I'll send someone to go stock up, we don't have nearly enough to feed a hungry Kryptonian." Lyra chuckles. "And I'm guessing you want to use your lab?"

"It's not a lab, Lyra." Alex says so easily that Maggie thinks this must be a thing Lyra teases her about often.

Lyra tuts and shakes her head. "Sure it isn't. All the ingredients should be there, let me know if you need any more."

"Thanks, Lyra."

"No problem." She replies. "Send your little brother over here sometime, okay? I haven't seen him in a while."

Alex gives her a wicked grin. "Oh, I definitely will."

Lyra laughs at her expression and gestures toward a door in the kitchen that Maggie has noticed but hasn't seen anyone go in. "Go ahead, agent."

Alex holds the door open for her girlfriend again and Maggie gasps when she goes in. It looks like the main kitchen, sort of. It has granite counter tops and cupboards and what looks like a pantry. Except the oven looks like Alex fiddled with it and there are some Bunsen Burners on the countertops. It looks like an odd mix between a lab and a kitchen.

"Dang, Danvers." Maggie says as she looks around.

"Cool, right?" Alex says proudly. "I've worked on pretty much every piece of machinery here to make them more effective. Now come on, we have cakes to bake."

"Alright."

Maggie opens a cabinet and bursts out laughing.

"What is it?" Alex asks, walking over to stand beside her.

Maggie forces herself to speak, cutting off her laughter for the moment. "Of course instead of having measuring cups like a normal person, you have beakers."

***

They're quickly approaching the edge of National City and Lena's anxiety goes up with every foot her horse moves forward. Kara, despite her excitement, notices. She brings her horse closer to Lena's and speaks in a low tone so the others can't hear.

"Are you alright? Your heart is beating really fast and you look paler than normal." Lena frowns at Kara's words. Is it that noticeable? "I don't think anyone else has noticed, don't worry." Kara says soothingly.

Lena's too relieved to feel alarmed at how well Kara knows her already. "I'm just concerned about how your family will react. I'm sure they will be cordial, at least until they figure out I'm the girlfriend of the Kingdom's beloved Princess."

Kara frowns, wishing she could pull Lena into a hug. "I didn't know you were so worried." Lena shrugs, not meeting her eyes. "And hey, I know it won't be easy Lena. They'll be worried about me, about you being a Luthor." Lena flinches and Kara gently takes ahold of her hand. "Sorry, honey." She apologizes before continuing. "But I don't want easy. Lena, I want you."

Lena wishes she were alone with her girlfriend, where she could allow herself to let the tears blurring her vision fall. But she's not, so she doesn't.

"Thank you," she chokes out in a breathy whisper that she knows Kara can hear. Kara squeezes her hand again and lets go, knowing that Lena doesn't like PDA. "I want you too," she admits. "I don't want to drive a wedge between you and your family just because you're dating me."

"Lena, you're a sweet, kind person. You're smart and you're kind. Even if I weren't dating you, their hesitance to trust you just because of your last name would still drive a wedge between us. I know what it's like to be stuck under a family member's shadow."

"Superman?" Lena guesses.

Kara chuckles, ducking her head shyly. "Yeah. I always felt like I wasn't doing enough. Like I didn't live up to the expectations of being his cousin. And now people are going to base their judgments of me on him."

"You'll just have to prove yourself as a separate person from him. I know you will."

"I know you will too," Kara says softly.

There's no question as to what she's talking about and Lena's breath hitches in her throat. She's still not used to people believing that she isn't like Lex and her her mother, let alone believing that she can and will prove herself.

She gives Kara a grateful smile and focuses on the road ahead of them. There seem to be people standing at the entrance to National City, as if they're waiting for something. And judging by the way Kara's face lights up, it's someone she knows.

"Who are they?" Lena asks.

"Alex and Maggie! They came all the way here to wait for me!" Kara says, bouncing up and down on her horse again.

Lena knows her heart rate just spiked again, but she can't help it. She thought she at least had another thirty minutes of riding through National City and now she has like two minutes. Kara once again notices.

"We don't have to tell them anything until you're ready."

"I don't want you to lie to them," Lena protests.

"I would." Kara says honestly.

"I know you would. I still don't want you to. Trust me when I say I know what secrets between siblings can do." Lena murmurs.

Kara gives her an empathetic look. "Alright, Lee." Lena raises an eyebrow at the nickname but doesn't say anything. "Now I'm going to get off of my horse so I can greet them."

Lena nods, "I will too."

Kara dismounts while her horse is still moving, causing it to let out an annoyed snort. She helps Lena down, who actually stops her horse to do so with a pointed look at Kara.

"Kara!" An unfamiliar voice shouts as they get closer, walking side by side along the edge of their group.

Kara looks over inquiringly at Lena, who understands why immediately. "Go ahead," she urges. "I will be fine. I'll catch up with you soon."

Kara presses a swift kiss to her cheek, fast enough that anyone who isn't paying close attention to them wouldn't notice. Kara then rushes forward, using her super speed to tackle her sister to the ground.

Alex lets out a grunt as she falls, suddenly with an armful of Kryptonian. Maggie laughs at the sisters, loving how Alex melts, finally losing that last bit of tension she's been carrying around since Kara left.

Alex hugs Kara back, still lying on the ground. She laughs delightedly, ecstatic that her sister's back.

"Hey, long time no see Supergirl." Alex says.

"Way too long." Kara mutters.

"Tell you what, we can cuddle tonight." Alex promises. "We probably don't want to do this here."

Kara flushes and stands up, lifting Alex and setting her down, to her girlfriend's endless amusement. Maggie's beaming at them both and when Kara finally pulls herself away from Alex, she hugs Maggie next. Maggie's surprised, not expecting such a warm welcome even if she is her sister's girlfriend.

"You're so tiny," Kara remarks when she pulls away. Alex snorts out a laugh, hiding it badly behind a cough when her girlfriend glares at her.

"You're just really tall, Little Danvers." Maggie grumbles, pretending to be annoyed.

Lena reaches them at this moment, smiling softly after seeing her girlfriend so happy to see Alex and Maggie again.

Alex straightens her stance, clasping her arms behind her back. "Queen Lena," she greets her formally.

Chapter Text

"Queen Lena."

"Sir Alex," Lena greets her back.

Only Alex's slight twitch of her eyebrows betray her surprise at Lena knowing who she is immediately. Maggie's looking between Lena and Kara with thinly veiled interest, noticing the lack of space between them and how they don't seem to mind in the least. That doesn't surprise her with Kara, but she has heard that the illusive Queen of the Luthor Kingdom likes her personal space.

Kara's too busy giving Alex a warning look to notice Maggie's inquisitive gaze, but Lena definitely does. When Kara's attention is pulled back to Lena and vice versa, Maggie leans in and whispers something to Alex.

Alex scoffs, pulling Lena and Kara's attention back over to them. "What? No way."

Maggie nods with a smirk. "I'll bet you ten bucks, Danvers."

Alex squints at her girlfriend, eyeing her warily. She relents and sticks out her hand. "Deal, Sawyer. I know you're wrong."

Maggie smirks as they shake on it.

"What did you guys bet on?" Kara asks curiously.

"Nothing," Alex answers too quickly.

Kara gives her an odd look but decides that now that Alex has a girlfriend, she probably doesn't want to know everything they bet on. She shrugs it off for now as Lena introduces herself to Maggie.

"You must be Sir Maggie Sawyer." Lena says, holding out her hand.

Maggie shakes it and smiles in return, flashing those famous dimples that make Alex melt, even if they aren't because of her. "Queen Lena Luthor. I have to say, I didn't expect you to know my name. I'm still pretty new around here. Hell, half of the people I work with don't know my name."

"They're learning a lot quicker than usual, babe. Especially since you're dating the hotter Danvers sister." Alex says, nudging her girlfriend and grinning at her sister's affronted noise.

"To be honest, I've been tracking your career for years." Lena admits. "You're very good at what you do and I was considering hiring you as a royal guard when you were scooped up by the Danvers. Though with my family's reputation, I doubt you would have taken the job anyway."

"I didn't know that." Kara says.

"I didn't either until I saw her face. I recognized it from her file." Lena says, reaching out her hand to let their pinkies intertwine briefly. "Not to mention, Kara's told me a lot about you. It's nice to meet you."

"It's good to meet you too. Now come on, Little Danvers. Your sister and I have been baking cakes." Maggie gives Kara a wink.

"Wait," Kara says, her nerves resurfacing.

"Wait?" Alex repeats, sounding bewildered. "Kara, you did hear her, right? She said cake."

"I know."

Kara reaches up to adjust her glasses before quietly huffing at the reminder she doesn't have them. Alex wordlessly pulls them out of her pocket and hands them to Kara. She watches her with worried eyes. Kara thanks her softly and puts them back on her face. Lena fights hard not to show how much she's swooning right now at the sight of her girlfriend in glasses. Who knew she could look even more adorable?

"Um. Before we go to the castle, I want to tell you guys something."

Kara adjusts her glasses again nervously. Lena wishes she could reach out and offer support, but she knows that this is up to Kara. Whether she tells them now or not, it's up to her. Lena doesn't want to pressure her with her touch. Gods know how many times her family had done that to her. She wouldn't ever want to do that to someone else, especially not Kara. Her sweet, loving, adorable Kara.

"Lena, um. Lena's my girlfriend."

Whatever response she expected, it certainly wasn't this. Alex scowling, yeah she predicted that. What she didn't predict was Maggie throwing a fist in the air with a victorious beaming smile.

"Ha! I told you, Danvers!" Maggie points her fingers at her girlfriend and pokes her in the side.

"Okay, okay."

Alex half-heartedly bats at her girlfriend's hands and hands her ten dollars while Lena and Kara watch in stupefied silence.

"You Danvers sisters move fast." Maggie notes.

"They're just really endearing. It's too much to resist." Lena says. Maggie laughs at that.

"So... You're okay with us being together, Alex?" Kara asks hesitantly, causing the others to shift their attention back to the Danvers sisters.

Alex purses her lips and lets out a sigh. "I'll respect your decision to date her. I know you're too trusting sometimes, so I'll be skeptical enough for the both of us. I'm not saying I'll be rude about it, I'm saying she will have to work for my trust." She shifts her attention to her sister's girlfriend. "Are you okay with that?"

"Truthfully, I was expecting you to say a lot worse." Lena admits.

"I was tempted to. But I know what it's like to be in the shadow of a sibling. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, Luthor. Don't make this a mistake."

"I won't." Lena promises.

Alex nods and eyes her seriously. "Good. Now, I would give you the shovel talk here, but I'm betting Kara wants to tell our mom next. She'll do a much better job scaring you than I could on such short notice."

Alex grins at how Lena pales. She and Maggie start leading the way back towards the Danvers castle. Lena and Kara follow behind them, with the rest of the people they've been traveling with a few paces behind them.

Kara reaches out and brushes the back of Lena's hand with her pinkie finger after she doesn't speak for another couple of minutes.

"Lee?" Kara speaks softly and the gentleness eases Lena out of her panicked stupor. "I don't have to tell her today. Not if you're not ready."

"I'm okay, Kara. Really." She insists when her girlfriend gives her a skeptical look. "I've just... I've never gotten the 'shovel talk,' and you have so many people who love you."

"And in time, they'll learn to love you too!" Kara says.

Lena nods but doesn't truly believe it. She's used to people being not caring about her continued existence, she honestly can't picture anyone aside from Kara caring like what she knows her girlfriend's thinking.

"I know that if I asked, you wouldn't tell her." Lena murmurs and Kara looks at her with kind eyes. "It's odd... On one hand, I'm terrified. I'm worried about what your parents, your friends, your people will think. About how they'll try to tell you of a Luthor's manipulative ways, about how I'm incapable of love, how you're too good for someone like me."

"Lena..." Kara murmurs, bringing her fingers close to her girlfriend's but letting her initiate anything. Lena intwines their hands together.

"But on the other hand, most of me is dying to scream from the highest tower that you're mine and I'm yours. That somehow, out of everyone you could date, you chose me. And every cell in my body is proud of that." Kara looks at her with an expression reserved only for Lena. Lena flushes and tucks a stray strand of hair that fell out of her braid behind her ear. "What?"

"You're really good with words." Kara says, squeezing her hand gently.

"I am a Luthor, Kara." Lena says, with less bitterness in her tone than she used to have. "I have to be good with words."

"Mm." Kara hums. "But you didn't have to be poetic. You're just a romantic."

Lena laughs and grins at her girlfriend. "Only for you, darling."

Kara blushes scarlet and she fiddles with her glasses, flustered. "See?" She squeaks out. "Romantic."

Lena chuckes, noticing how Alex and Maggie are both watching them interact out of the corner of their eyes. For once, she doesn't mind.

They reach the castle and some stable hands help bring all of the horses to the stables while DEO agents flood the area to take the prisoners away. One of the dumber ones whistles as he's being taken away when he sees Maggie and Alex holding hands, which doesn't end well for him. He gets decked in the face by Maggie while Alex kicks him in the crotch. He whimpers in agony and has to be dragged away.

"Creeper." Maggie scowls.

"Pig," Alex mutters.

"Thank you for doing that, I was starting to get tempted to do that myself." Lena says. "He's been leering at Kara and I nonstop."

"He's been what?" Alex snarls.

It's only Maggie's arms wrapping around her waist that stop her from marching into the DEO and doing something more damaging to him.

She lets out a huff. "I hope I get to interrogate him."

"But for now, let's leave the interrogation for your mom and Lena." Maggie coaxes.

"Fine."

They lead Kara and Lena into the castle and down the larger halls with beautiful paintings on them.

"Are these yours?" Lena asks curiously, stopping in front of a painting of a young girl that looks like Kara with a devastated, grief-stricken look on her face that makes Lena's breath hitch in her throat.

"Yeah. Most of them, anyway. That's one that I drew when I first got here. I poured my grief into it."

"It's beautiful." Lena admits softly, not seeing Alex and Maggie have paused to let them talk.

Kara chuckles. "Believe it or not, that's the first time someone's told me that about this painting. Usually it just depresses people. I even had one person burst into tears when they first saw it."

Alex coughs to disguise her amused chuckle, whispering to her girlfriend. "That was Winn."

Chapter Text

Lena's hands are shaking as she walks towards her doom. Well, not her doom. That's just her flair for the dramatic. But it might as well be. She's walking down a grand hallway with guards posted at regular intervals, eyeing her warily.

Lena knows they don't trust her, and she can understand why. If she were in their positions, she would be skeptical too. With Kara at her side, the blatantly mistrustful looks aren't as scathing as usual. She keeps her head held high.

But for the first time since she was a little girl, she's scared as she walks through a castle. Back then, it was because it was so big and she was so small. Now, it's because she's about to meet her girlfriend's mother. Which is understandingly terrifying, but Alex's words earlier didn't help the anxiety churning in her gut.

"What did she say to you, Maggie?" Kara asks as they start getting close, if the more frequent guards are any indication.

"I was almost as terrified as Lena. But she spent the first couple of minutes yelling at Alex instead of me, th-"

"Maggie!" Alex hisses.

Kara pulls her to a stop and they all pause in the hallway. "Alex," she says. Her tone is authoritative in a way that makes a shiver run down Lena's spine. "Why was Eliza yelling at you?"

"I may have gone on a slightly dangerous mission and forgot to tell her." Alex mumbles quickly, hoping Kara won't hear her.

Which of course she does, with her super hearing. "You did what? Alex!"

"What did she do?" Lena asks, not having heard Alex's rushed response.

"We went on a dangerous mission we were semi-prepared for at best and she didn't tell her mom." Maggie explains, her more in-depth answer causing Kara to give Alex a hard look.

"We'll discuss this more later," Kara warns. Alex winces and nods.

"Anyway," Maggie says. "Queen Eliza isn't that bad. She's intimidating and a little scary but she was really sweet. She even welcomed me into the family. You should be fine."

It reassures Lena slightly, but the worry in her chest isn't going away. She wants to make a good first impression; she of all people knows how important they can be. But she doesn't know the Queen, doesn't know how to charm her, doesn't know what persona she should put on to make her feel at ease.

They start walking again and Kara squeezes her girlfriend's hand. "Just be yourself," she murmurs.

Personally, Lena has always thought that was terrible advice. Why would she be herself when that was never enough for anyone? Why be herself when she knows that when people look at her, they don't see her. They see a Queen, a Luthor, the sister of a xenophobic madman and daughter to a xenophobic madwoman. But she doesn't tell Kara this, she gives her girlfriend a smile that's only partly forced because she really is grateful for her attempts to calm Lena down.

They walk into the throne room and Lena tries not to betray how impressed she is by the sheer size of it. Banners and large paintings of the Kingdom adorn the walls. She walks forward on shaky legs, instilling the confidence she learned to fake over years of being a Luthor.

Maggie and Alex slow down to let Kara and Lena pass them. Eliza and Jeremiah stand from where they're seated on their thrones.

"Kara!" Eliza greets her warmly. "Come here!"

Kara gives Lena a look, hesitant to leave her where she is. Lena gives Kara a look back to silently tell her that she'll be fine. She can tell she didn't really convince Kara. Lena can also see the unasked question in her girlfriend's eyes. She nods and that's when Kara practically flies forward, using her super speed to scoop both Eliza and Jeremiah in a tight hug.

They laugh at their daughter's antics but don't seem to mind that their feet are literally dangling off of the ground. They hug her back just as tight (well, as much as they can when they don't have a tenth of the strength that Kara has). And it just hits Lena like a blow to the face. This is what family is supposed to be like.

She could tell that even when Alex and Kara were talking about Alex not telling their mom about going on a dangerous mission, they still cared. They didn't lash out, they still looked at each other with love in their eyes. Kara's parents, her adoptive parents, are practically having the breath squeezed out of them but they're laughing and smiling and loving. It's obvious that they care about Kara. So what will they think when they learn that Lena's dating her?

Kara sets them back down and quickly looks back over her shoulder to give Lena a worried look. She gives her girlfriend a shaky smile. Of course, it's at this moment that Queen Eliza and Jeremiah notice her presence.

Queen Eliza straightens her posture and walks elegantly down the steps, making her regal appearance seem effortless. Kara reappears at Lena's side in an instant and if she weren't so anxious then Lena may have startled. Eliza raises an eyebrow, surprised that she's standing by Lena instead of her, Jeremiah, or Alex.

Eliza reaches out her hand. "Welcome to the Danvers Kingdom, Queen Lena."

"Thank you," Lena replies. She's proud that she sounds much more put together than she feels.

She shakes Eliza's hand, noting the firm grip as a subtle sign of strength.

Kara fiddles with her glasses and her nervousness brings her adoptive parents' attention back to her.

"Kara?" Eliza prompts, able to tell that she has something to say.

"Um." She looks over at Lena again, who gives her consent with a subtle nod. "Lena's my girlfriend."

Lena looks over at Queen Eliza and Jeremiah, watching as their expressions flash from confusion to concern to skepticism repeatedly. It's almost comical.

"Then I guess we haven't been properly introduced." Eliza says with an unreadable tone, even for someone as well-versed in people reading as Lena. "I'm Eliza, Kara's mother. Please, come with me."

She starts walking away from her family. Lena hesitates for a moment before following. Jeremiah gives her an apologetic smile as she starts moving away from them.

"Kara, I'm going to speak to her alone." Eliza calls without looking behind her.

Lena looks back to see that Kara has been trailing behind her. She has stopped at her mother's words. Lena quickens her pace slightly to catch up and hears Kara head back to Alex and Maggie, grumbling. Eliza stops suddenly when they're out of the normal human hearing range. Lena almost bumps into her and works on her composure, mentally preparing herself for this talk.

"No super hearing, Kara." Eliza says at a normal bowline scoldingly.

Lena raises an eyebrow and looks back at where Kara's standing with Alex and Maggie, amused when she notices that her girlfriend's face is noticeably pink. Lena gives her girlfriend a wink, knowing she can probably see it, even from this distance. That's further proved when Kara's face gets redder. She reads Alex and Maggie's body language and knows they're teasing her.

Not wanting to be rude, she quickly turns back to Queen Eliza, who's watching her with that same unreadable expression.

"So you're dating my daughter." Eliza states after a long pause, looking her up and down. Lena fights the urge to squirm, her nervousness level rising higher.

"Yes, I am." Lena replies.

"Why?" Eliza asks and Lena gives her a surprised look. "Not like that, she's my daughter, I know how amazing she is. I also know how she tends to leave a trail of people with crushes on her in her wake without realizing it. So what makes you different? Why do you think you're good enough for her?"

Lena lets out an almost morbidly amused huff of air from her nose, a small smirk on her lips. "The answer to that is simple, Mrs. Danvers. I'm not. I'm not good enough for her, but for some reason that I can't fathom, she seems to think that I am. So as long as she believes that, I'll do everything in my power to try to prove her right."

Eliza nods and if Lena weren't a Luthor trained in the art of manipulation, she would have missed how Eliza relaxes minutely at her answer.

"And what are your intentions with my daughter?" Eliza questions.

"Intentions?" Lena repeats, pondering on how to word her thoughts. "Well, I love when she's happy. And somehow I make her happy and I want to do that for as long as she'll let me."

Eliza nods. "I want you to know that I'll respect your relationship. I may not trust you yet, but I trust my daughter. She's a pretty good judge of character and wouldn't be dating you if she thinks you're a bad person. I look forward to leaning more about you. And... One last thing. Thank you. Kara looks content and whole in a different way than I've ever seen her. I think you're good for her."

Lena smiles softly glancing over at where her girlfriend is anxiously waiting. "She's good for me too, Mrs. Danvers."

Chapter Text

Kara watches nervously as her girlfriend and adoptive mother make their way back to them. Lena looks calm but Kara knows that she's an expert at hiding her true emotions. Lena raises an amused eyebrow when she sees that her girlfriend is practically bouncing in place with a worried expression.

As soon as Lena gets close enough, Kara blurts out. "So what did she say?"

Maggie and Alex chuckle quietly beside her at her eagerness but she ignores them.

"She gave me a talk that was surprisingly close to what Alex said." Lena says. "Except she did grill me a little bit as well."

"Like mother like daughter." Maggie teases, nudging her disgruntled looking girlfriend.

"Ugh," Alex groans.

Eliza, who has been a few steps behind Lena and heard everything, speaks up. "What's so bad about being like me, Alex?"

Lena, Kara, Maggie, and Jeremiah all laugh at the horrified expression on Alex's face.

"Nothing, Mom." Alex squeaks out.

Eliza's stoic face breaks into a wide smile as she chuckles. "I'm kidding, dear."

Alex pouts for a moment and then grumbles under her breath, earning an adoring look from her girlfriend and a kiss on the cheek. Her eyes go almost comically wide and she blushes.

"As much as I love seeing my daughters with their girlfriends," Jeremiah begins with a soft smile. "We should address Lillian."

Lena purses her lips at the sound of her mother's name and nods. Kara moves closer and holds her hand.

"Jeremiah," Eliza sighs. "These girls just got back from a very long trip that got extended because of assassins." She turns to Lena for a moment. "Thank you for that, we really appreciate you bringing them to us." Lena nods in response and Eliza looks back at her husband. "They need rest, honey."

Jeremiah looks sheepish. "Right. I just really want to catch her."

"As do I," Lena says. "We can discuss my mother tomorrow, after we've all gotten a good nights sleep."

Eliza nods in agreement, refocusing her attention on Kara and Lena. "I don't want to assume, so I'll ask. Lena, would you like a room of your own or are you going to be sleeping with Kara?"

Kara lets out a startled squeak at the question while Lena blinks in surprise, both of their cheeks tinged pink. She didn't expect Kara's parents to be accepting enough of them to allow them to sleep next to each other, let alone mention it or offer it as an option.

"We haven't discussed it." Lena admits. "Kara?" She turns her attention to he girlfriend, who's shyly fiddling with her glasses.

"Um. If you want, I would love to have you in my room. But if not, that's fine too. I want you to be comfortable."

Lena smiles softly at her rambling girlfriend. "Then I'll stay in your room." She then speaks quieter so that only Kara can hear her. "I would miss sleeping next to you."

Kara's blush deepens and she practically swoons at Lena's words, which Maggie and Alex notice but decide not to comment on.

"Alright, then it's settled." Jeremiah says. "You girls get some rest. Dinner should be ready in a couple of hours. If you don't know the time it'll be done, ask Kara." He winks at his daughter while her girlfriend chuckles. "Love you, kiddos."

Alex rolls her eyes at the word "kiddos" but hugs him and kisses his cheek. It's just such a dad word. "Love you too, Dad."

Kara and Alex hug their parents and kiss their cheeks before saying goodbye and leaving with their girlfriends.

"So. Where are we going?" Maggie asks, following the Danvers sisters' lead alongside Lena.

"My room!" Kara cheers. "Alex says that's where she put the cakes!"

Lena smiles as her girlfriend practically skips down the hallway at the promise of food.

"So, Lena." Maggie says, pulling her attention away from Kara. "What did you say to Kara earlier to make her blush like that?"

"I told her I would miss sleeping next to her." Lena answers.

"Aww, that's sweet. So Kara slept in your bed while you guys traveled?"

Lena nods. "Yeah, she was an unexpected but not unwelcome guest. We didn't have enough tents, and the few people who offered didn't have... Lets just say that they didn't have pure intentions." Maggie nods understandingly. "So I allowed her to sleep in my tent with me."

"Alex!" Kara's voice is louder than usual and she sounds frustrated, a stark contrast to Alex's laughter. "No way! Potstickers are so much better than pizza!"

Maggie and Lena exchange an amused look at their girlfriends' antics. Lena gets an odd feeling in her chest afterwards as she fondly watches her girlfriend list off the ways potstickers are better. Is she... Is she making a friend?

"Lena, back me up!" Kara says, her and Alex pausing to let Lena and Maggie catch up.

"Sorry, darling. I like pizza better."

"Ha!" Alex exclaims, pointing at her sister while Kara lets out an affronted gasp.

"You're in for it now, Luthor." Maggie teases, noting how Lena flinches slightly at the sound of her last name. She makes a mental note not to call her that anymore, at least until Lena's comfortable with it.

Alex and Kara continue debating, or in Kara's case, arguing. Maggie taps Lena's arm to get her attention, not sure how much physical contact she's comfortable with.

"Sorry about calling you Luthor." Maggie apologizes, keeping her voice low so the Danvers sisters don't hear it. "I saw that it made you uncomfortable."

Lena presses her lips together, not used to people taking her comfort into consideration, or used to people watching her closely without a hidden agenda.

"It shouldn't," Lena says finally. "But it does. Usually when people say it, it's either with reverence for what Lex tried to do or with so much venom I'm surprised that it isn't paired with a physical blow. But... Kara's been helping me with that. Trying to make me see that I am not my family."

Maggie smiles softly, watching as her girlfriend goes through a lengthy list as to why pizza's better. "Yeah, the Danvers sisters are good at that. They've been through so much, so they know pain. But they're stronger because of it and because of each other. So they can empathize with people who are going through things and understand them."

Lena knows exactly what Maggie's talking about and nods. "The Danvers sisters are one of a kind."

Maggie grins at the sight of Kara tickling Alex to try to get her to admit potstickers are better while Alex screeches with laughter and tries to shove her sister away. "They sure are."

A few minutes later, after a few more classic Danvers sisters moments, they make it to the hallway where Kara and Alex's bedrooms are. Kara holds open her door, gesturing for everyone to go inside. Alex and Maggie go in first and Kara's hand gently touching Lena's stops her from walking inside.

"How are you doing?" Kara asks, pulling her girlfriend closer to her.

There's almost no space between them and Lena reminds herself to breathe. "Better than I expected."

"Good." Kara murmurs, her eyes flicking down to her girlfriend's lips.

Lena glances around nervously. "Kara, are you sure you want to do this here?"

"Only if you do too."

Lena nods and leans in, kissing her girlfriend. It's been too long, they really haven't been able to do this since they got up that morning. They sink into the kiss, ignoring everything but them. Lena melts against Kara, the worries of the day washing away easily.

"What's taking you guys so- oh." Alex's voice makes them break apart.

Lena takes a step back, but not before giving Kara one last peck. She smirks at how dazed her girlfriend looks after just a minute or two of kissing her.

She glances over at the doorway, where Alex has now fled to go back to her own girlfriend. Most likely to try to erase the image of her sister and Lena kissing. Even if it was innocent. They enter Kara's room, with Kara blushing again.

"I told you not to check, babe." Maggie says, amusement thick in her voice.

"Remind me to listen to you next time." Alex says, her voice muffled by a pillow. She's flopped down onto the bed, her face hidden by the pillow she has it pressed against.

"Oh I will." Maggie says and then pokes her girlfriend's side, making her twitch. "Danvers, your sister's finished making out with Lena."

Alex lets out a groan. "How can I bleach that image out of my brain?"

"You're so dramatic, Danvers." Maggie chuckles fondly. "Like we wouldn't be doing the same thing in their shoes."

"Sawyer can you not talk about us making out and my sister in the same sentence?"

"Sure thing, babe. But you might want to get up, Little Danvers is demolishing the cakes already."

Alex sits up to see Lena watching her girlfriend stuff her face with cake with an expression that can only be described as horrified fascination.

"What?" Kara says around a mouthful. "Alex makes really good cake."

Chapter Text

They decide to let Kara eat in silence for a while. Lena spends the entire time marveling over how her girlfriend can demolish a single cake in ten minutes. Maggie and Alex cuddle on Kara's bed, switching between watching the new couple and looking at each other.

Once Kara's done with the first cake (somehow managing to only get a little bit on her face), she gestures for everyone to come over. Alex brightens noticeably, drawing a curious look from her girlfriend. She walks over to Kara, pulling Maggie along as well.

Kara grabs the extra plates that Alex had set aside in case Kara feels generous and cuts up some of the second cake. She reaches out to hand one to Maggie first.

"Sorry, Little Danvers. I'm lactose intolerant." Maggie explains. "I'll just eat a little bit of Alex's." Kara nods with a sympathetic look and hands the plate to Alex.

"Hey!" Alex says in mock-protest.

"Sharing is caring, Danvers."

Alex squints at her girlfriend, at a loss for a comeback to that. "... You're lucky you're cute."

Maggie grins. "I know. The dimples really help."

Kara fake gags, drawing their attention back to her and Lena. Lena, who has a giant piece of chocolate cake on her plate. Alex's eyes bug out and she looks between Lena's plate and her own with exaggerated head movements.

"Why does she get a piece that's twice the size of mine?" Alex asks, baffled.

"She's my girlfriend," Kara explains.

"And I'm your sister. Maggie and I spent hours making them for you!"

And now the infamous Danvers pout is out. Despite what many believe, the badass agent's pout is just as deadly as her sister's.

"... Fine." Kara relents.

She picks up the dull knife again and is about to cut another slice when she gets a better idea. Hiding her expression from her sister, Kara leans down and cuts into the cake. Except she only cuts through the bottom part, without the frosting.

Alex gapes at her sister's action, staring at the frosting-less slice of cake being offered to her.

"You monster," Alex breathes out, horrified. "Who cuts like that? There isn't even any frosting!"

Kara giggles and deposits the slice on her sister's plate. "You want frosting?"

"Of course, yeah!"

Maggie doesn't know what Little Danvers is going to do, but she's been around her enough to know that that smile is trouble. She steps back, away from Alex, who despite her extensive training doesn't notice her girlfriend's retreat.

Lena joins her, watching the Danvers sisters interact with amusement. Kara scoops up a bit of chocolate icing with an overemphasized movement. She then brings it towards Alex's plate but the full knife changes direction too fast for Alex to block. Kara smears the icing on Alex's nose.

Alex's shocked expression is almost comical. That is until her eyes narrow and she looks more like a predator than a woman with frosting on her nose. Maggie tries not to drool.

"Kara Zor-El Danvers." She says in a dangerous tone.

Kara's giggling and clutching her stomach, laughing to hard to answer.

"You did not just do that." Alex says. "You know what this means?"

Kara stops laughing and her eyes go wide. "Prank war?" She breathes out almost reverently.

"Prank war," Alex confirms.

"Oh dear." Lena mutters under her breath, causing Maggie to look over at her. "Kara told me about their last 'prank war.' Jeremiah, Eliza, and J'onn had to stop them because it was getting to be too much."

"At least they have us now to make sure they don't go too far." Maggie remarks, grinning as Alex chases her sister around the room, cursing her while Kara laughs.

"That they do," Lena says. "But I'm not sure we will be useful on that front. I have a feeling we're just as competitive as the Danvers sisters."

Maggie nods. "That's fair. We're probably just going to add fuel to the fire."

Lena chuckles. "That's a fair assessment."

Maggie and Lena laugh when Kara, seemingly done with running away from Alex, just floats up to the ceiling. She rests her back against it. Kara's too high up for Alex to reach, but that doesn't keep her from trying. Alex jumps up, swiping at her sister and missing by a foot.

"Come on, Danvers. You won't be able to get her." Maggie says, attempting to coax her girlfriend over to her.

Alex gives her an offended look and drags a chair over to Kara, who just floats away to a different spot on the ceiling.

"Darling, get down from there." Lena says.

"Why? Alex will just punch me." Kara remarks.

"It won't hurt you." Lena reminds her. "Plus, Alex hasn't told us about why Queen Eliza was yelling at her."

Kara lets out a little gasp, floating down a foot. "I forgot about that!"

Alex gives Lena a betrayed look before trying to get her still floating sister. Alex leaps up and grabs onto Kara's sides, dangling from her and using her upper body strength to keep from falling the couple of feet to the floor. Kara giggles like it tickles.

"Don't drop my girlfriend, Little Danvers." Maggie says worriedly, watching as Alex gives her sister a determined look, still hanging on.

Kara sighs and slowly lowers herself. Alex lets up of her as soon as her feet hit the ground. Kara stands next to her a moment later, getting a smack on the shoulder as soon as she does. She pouts at her sister, rubbing where she was hit.

"Like that hurt you, Supergirl." Alex snorts.

"It hurt my feelings." Kara retorts, maturely sticking out her tongue. She grows serious as they rejoin their girlfriends and their cakes. "So what happened?"

"Well, basically... The assassins being sent after Lena were a distraction, something to get you away from National City. They sent more of their people here to carry out a hate crime. We figured it out just in time at the DEO and Maggie and I were the ones that knew that it had to be the bar they would target."

"The Dollywood place?" Kara gasps out.

Alex nods in confirmation while Lena looks confused yet intrigued. "Why would they target that bar?"

"They knew it's a safe space for aliens." Alex answers and Lena goes silent, mentally cursing her adoptive mother.

"So Danvers and I made everyone evacuate while we figured out a plan." Maggie continues the story. "We did the best we could with what we had, which meant setting traps and bringing as many agents in on the day of their attack."

Maggie and Alex take turns explaining everything. Kara almost falls, laughing too hard at what their traps did.

"They're brilliant." Lena remarks as Alex shows her the blueprints to one of her creations. "It's amazing you got everything ready and working in such a short amount of time."

Alex blushes at the compliment. "Yeah, well. Now they know never to underestimate a Danvers."

"Yeah!" Kara gives Alex a high five. "We should come with a warning!"

Alex chuckles, then changes the subject. "So what happened with you guys?"

Lena sits back and lets Kara tell it, only interjecting occasionally with a comment or an explanation when Kara's brain leaps from one place to a vastly different place. Alex and Maggie listen intently to her, with minimal interruptions. There are a few, like these.

"Kara I love you but I don't need to know what you and your girlfriend did in bed tighter."

Kara's face heats up. "Alex! We weren't even dating then! We only-"

"Nope," Alex cuts her off. "Don't want to hear it."

And, "Lena, I didn't know you're an expert Markswoman." A fact that impressed both Alex and maggie, despite Lena's insistence that she's not 'that good.'

Kara's just finishing telling them about the fight when there's a knock at the door.

"Is it dinner time already?" Alex asks, frowning.

"No, that's not for another thirty five minutes and fourth two seconds." Kara replies.

"You count down to dinner?" Maggie asks, surprised.

"You don't?" Kara says.

"Fair enough. So who's at the door, Supergirl?" Maggie questions.

Kara pulls down her glasses and focuses her x-Ray vision. She smiles, "It's a delivery for Lena!"

Lena gives the closed door a nervous look, like she's half-expecting an assassin or something to burst through. But she trusts her girlfriend, and Kara doesn't seem nervous.

Lena opens the door to reveal a guard she and Kara traveled with.

"My apologies for interrupting, Queen Lena. I was I was informed that this is where you would be and was ordered to bring this to you as soon as possible. Would you like for me to carry it inside so I can set it down on a table? It's rather heavy."

"No, it's alright. I can carry it. Thank you." Lena replies politely.

The knight nods and doesn't attempt to argue, just places the wooden box in her hands. She walks back into the room and sets it down on the table. She opens the latch and pulls up the top. The others peek inside and Alex lets out an audible gasp.

"No way. Is that...?"

"A working crossbow?" Lena prompts. "Yes, it is."

Chapter Text

Alex stares at the crossbow in awe. She reaches out without looking away, patting her sister's arm. "Kara, go get Winn. He's going to want to see this."

The whoosh of air tells an enraptured Alex that her sister's gone to do just that. After what seems like just a few seconds, she's back with an annoyed sounding Winn.

"Seriously, Kara?" Winn complains. "I was in the middle of transcribing something. What's so important that you didn't wait to explain before you picked me up bridal style and carried me to your room?"

"Winn," Alex's serious voice cuts him off. She drags her eyes away from where she's been examining the crossbow.

"What? What's wrong?" Winn asks, panicking.

"Nothing. Get over here."

Winn nervously does what Alex said and looks in the box, where her gaze is once again trained. His eyes widen and his mouth drops open.

"Dude," he breathes out. "That's so awesome! How does it work? Does it have an automatic reloading system? Does it-"

"We haven't looked it over yet." Lena says. "One of the assassins that tried to kill Kara and I had this."

"Dang. Who made it, do you know?"

"Probably Lex." Lena answers, trying to hide the fact she feels a hole in her chest that aches whenever she thinks of him. "It looks like something he would design."

"How would you..." He turns to look at Lena and blinks. "Oh. You must be the elusive Lena Luthor."

He sticks out his hand and Lena shakes it after a moment of hesitance, not used to this kind of reaction to meeting her.

"And you're Winn Schott. I've heard a lot about you." She replies politely.

He grimaces. "I hope you've heard good things. I know a lot of people still don't trust that I'm not my father."

Lena chuckles. "Trust me, I know the feeling. And no, nothing bad. It's Kara that has told me about you, and she doesn't have a mean bone in her body."

"She really doesn't. So why were you talking about me?" Winn asks curiously.

Lena glances over at Kara, who nods. "She's my girlfriend, so she told me about her friends."

Winn chokes on nothing, his eyes bugging out. "Girlfriend? You're gay too?"

"Pansexual," Kara corrects. "But yeah."

"Alright. Okay. Then I'll have to introduce myself again. Hi, I'm Winn and if you hurt Kara, I'll... Do... Something bad!" He threatens.

Lena uses the skills the Luthors have taught her in order to keep a straight face. "I wouldn't expect anything less. I can't promise I will never hurt her, because that's not realistic, especially with our families. But I can promise I will never hurt her on purpose."

Winn nods. "That's all I ask. Welcome to the crazy Danvers family, Lena."

She smiles and ducks her head slightly. "Thank you. And it seems that except for J'onn, I've met everyone in the Danvers family. Now, shall we take a look the crossbow?" She questions, changing the subject.

"Yes!" Winn pumps his fist in the air.

Lena chuckles and carefully pulls out the crossbow, setting it down on the table beside the box. She takes out the bolt and sets it away from the crossbow. Kara hands her a notebook and a pencil. Lena gives her a swift kiss and murmurs out a thank you.

She opens up the notebook and keeps open on the first blank page. As Alex and Winn study it without touching, she starts sketching the crossbow from different angles.

"Wow, you're good." Kara murmurs. Her unexpected voice makes Lena jump. "Sorry, Lee."

"It's alright." Lena gives her a peck on the lips. "And yes, I have to be in order to sketch out comprehensible blue prints. But I'm nowhere near as talented as you are."

Kara blushes and stammers, making Lena chuckle and kiss her again, this time for a bit longer.

"So what do you think?" Maggie asks her girlfriend, her gaze switching between the weapon and Alex.

Alex purses her lips. "I think I really want to open this up and take a look at what's inside."

Maggie grins at her girlfriend and joins her in studying it. She knows more about science than most people expect from her, but she's by no means an expert on engineering or whatever field it is that helps understand the inner workings of a crossbow.

"What do you think keeps it drawn back?" Winn questions. "It doesn't look like it's something that's held back. And how does it aim properly? How does it gather enough force to go anywhere?"

Alex reaches over without looking and pats his shoulder. "We'll figure it out." Her curiosity's getting the best of her so she looks up as she speaks again. "Hey Lena, do you think we- Ugh, seriously?"

Lena and Kara are pretty much making out at this point. They pull apart at Alex's words. Kara's face is red and she awkwardly adjusts her glasses while Lena just looks smug.

"Nice, Little Danvers." Maggie remarks, leaning over the table slightly to high five Kara. Kara complies with the action, still blushing the entire time.

"Maggie!" Alex hisses, batting her girlfriend's arm.

"What? Like we're any better. Remember the time you-"

Alex presses her hands over Maggie's lips so her words come out a muffled, indistinguishable mess. "No. Nope. We are not talking about that in front of my little sister and brother."

Alex is too focused on keeping her girlfriend quiet to notice how brightly Winn beams at her words.

Alex yanks her hands back with a disgusted expression. She wipes her hand on Maggie's shirt. "Really? What are you, five?"

"Actually, I'm your girlfriend. And you've never complained about my tongue touching you before." Maggie winks.

Kara's squeak brings everyone's attention to her. "Maggie! I really don't want to know that!"

"I meant like in her mouth, Little Danvers. But it's nice to know where your mind immediately went." Maggie says, giving Kara a wink that makes her blush even harder.

"Can we not?" Alex asks, exasperated.

Maggie nods and gives Alex a kiss. Quick enough where they don't get lost in each other like Lena and Kara did, but long enough to make Alex relax. When Maggie pulls away, she reaches down to hold Alex's hand.

"Yeah, rub it in my face that I'm the only one here without a girlfriend." Winn complains with an exaggerated pout.

Alex chuckles. "Just ask out Lyra and you won't have that problem."

Winn sputters, blushing, causing the women to laugh.

"You really should, Winn." Maggie encourages.

"I turn into a mess around pretty people." Winn whines.

"That's why he had a hard time talking to Kal when he came here." Alex teases.

"Guys," Winn sighs. "Er, ladies. I'm not going to ever live that down, am I?"

"You asked him to sign your arm so you could get it tattooed, Winn." Alex reminds him, amusement coloring her tone. "You. Tattooed."

"He's awesome, okay?" Winn says.

"Don't tell him that, his ego's big enough." Alex nudges Winn playfully. "But seriously. Ask her out."

"I'm just going to stumble over my words." Winn sighs, looking dejected.

"And if she's good for you, she won't mind." Maggie chimes in. "She might even find it cute, like I find Alex cute when she does the same thing."

"You..." Winn squints at Alex. "She's made you stutter and stuff?"

Alex huffs and crosses her arms, a blush creeping up her neck. "Pfft. No."

Winn beams. "Sure you don't. Thanks, guys. Now onto more important things, like this weapon."

Lena looks over her sketches. "It appears that it's spring loaded and has some sort of releasing mechanism."

"That's what I was thinking, too." Alex leans in closer. "So what's this metal bit here?" She muses aloud.

Lena lifts the crossbow, pressing the butt to her right shoulder. She raises it, aiming it at the wall behind Alex and Maggie, who automatically take a step away from it's projected target area.

Lena closes her left eye and nods to herself. "It's a sight. A way to aim."

"Smart," Alex murmurs. "But it looks pretty bulky. I wonder if we can find a way to make it lighter..."

"We can work on that after we've discussed my mother tomorrow." Lena says, putting the crossbow back down. "But first I would like to shoot it, see what kind of accuracy we're dealing with."

"Oh, can I shoot it too?" Winn asks excitedly.

"Tomorrow. We can all take turns." Lena says. "But judging by Kara's far-away expression, it's dinner time. So lets go before she starts drooling."

Kara flushes again, earning a kiss on the cheek from Lena. Lena smiles to herself, placing the crossbow and the bolt back in the box and locking it. She puts the key in her pocket and takes Kara's hand.

Kara practically pulls her along, excitedly leading her towards the dining room, talking about the best foods the chefs make. They're followed by Maggie, Alex, and Winn.

Chapter Text

Everyone in the dining room looks up when Lena, Kara, Maggie, Alex, and Winn walk in. Any conversation stops and Lena pauses hesitantly from where she and Kara had been leading the group. Kara squeezes her hand comfortingly, but comes to a stop as well. It's silent until a man that Lena doesn't recognize speaks.

"I never thought I would see the day when Kara would be late to a meal." The man jokes.

The woman next to him gives him an amused look while Kara blushes.

"James! I'm only a minute and a half late!" Kara says.

Oh, so that's who that is. Lena puts his face along with the stories Kara has told her about him together in her mind.

"Usually you're five minutes early, Kiera." An older blonde woman drawls and Lena immediately recognizes her as Cat Grant, media mogul.

Lena fights the urge to look down at where Kara and her are still holding hands, not wanting to give it away in case Kara's not okay with everyone in the Kingdoms knowing that they're dating. Kara gives her a brief worried look, probably hearing how her heart rate increased.

"I didn't use super speed, that's why! I walked with everyone else." Kara explains, adjusting her glasses.

"You always use your superspeed, Kara. Especially when food is involved." Another woman says.

She has short brown hair, roughly the same length as Alex's. She's the one Lena suspects is dating James. Kara has mentioned her a few times... What did she say her name was? Oh, Lucy. Lucy Lane, the sister of the infamous Lois. She's Superman's sister-in-law.

And no, Kara didn't tell Lena that Clark Kent is Superman, but she's smart. Even if she weren't, her brother is Lex Luthor so of course she knows Superman's secret identity. Even if her girlfriend doesn't know that quite yet.

"She hasn't been able to hang out with her awesome sister for a while, that's why." Alex butts in before Lena can try to think of a good explanation.

Cat is just leaning on her elbows, squinting at the group still near the entrance with an intrigued expression. James and Lucy don't seem like they quite believe Alex's claim, but everyone else seems to have accepted it.

Kara tugs at Lena's hand gently so she doesn't alarm her, silently urging her to start moving again. When they do, all eyes are on Lena and it's only her years of training from the Luthor's that keeps her expression calm and keeps her body from betraying her nerves.

"And who are you?" Lucy asks.

Lena sits next to Kara's usual spot. Alex and Maggie sit on the other side of Kara while Winn sits next to Lena, which she's grateful for. She's not certain she would be able to stay as calm next to another person she doesn't know.

"I'm Lena Luthor, it's nice to meet you." She answers.

James' face darkens and Lena doesn't blame him at all. He's Superman's best friend, after all. Lucy nudges James and he cracks a forced grin.

"It's nice to meet you too. I'm James Olson, and this is Lucy Lane."

Lena nods politely and Kara squeezes her hand again. She relaxes slightly, knowing that despite her girlfriend's reassurances, her muscles will continue to be tense until this dinner is over.

Especially with the older black man that Lena's pretty sure is J'onn that has been watching her since she walked in. And he's a telepath, which worries Lena. She doesn't particularly have anything to hide except perhaps for some blueprints she keeps in her mind and some unsavory memories. He is Kara's space dad and Lena wants to make a good impression. But how can she do that with a telepath without revealing how nervous she is. Gods, he can probably hear her thoughts now... Lena pulls herself away from that train of thought.

"Welcome, Lena Luthor." Jeremiah greets. "I hope you had a good trip. We can discuss everything tomorrow. For now, lets all just relax and eat."

Kara's face brightens and Lena has to work very hard to keep the smitten expression off of her face. She's not entirely sure that she's successful, judging by the eyebrow raise that Cat Grant gives her.

Kara wiggles in her seat next to Lena as food is brought out, leaning over and whispering excitedly in her girlfriend's ear. "Just wait until you try Lyra's cooking, she's a miracle worker."

Lena smiles at Kara's enthusiasm, noting James' still-wary expression as he sizes her up, and Cat's unsettling smile, looking satisfied like she just figured some difficult puzzle out. She gives Lena a knowing look, glancing between her and Kara and she pretends not to notice.

Talking starts again, stilted in a way that Lena's used to seeing. The discussion mainly centers around Kara and her return. They ask how it was for her, what adventures she had, how many people she had kissed on her journey (courtesy of a winking Lucy).

It's all calm and nice until James speaks up for the first time. He's been silent throughout the exchange, watching Lena with an intense gaze that has actually succeeded in making her uncomfortable. Which is rather difficult to do.

"So what's going on between you and Kara, Luthor?" He spits out her last name like it's venom. Lena prides herself in the fact she only flinches slightly, having gotten used to it.

Lena looks over at Kara for her permission. Kara nods her consent and Lena opens her mouth to respond, but Cat Grant beats her to it.

"They're obviously dating." She says, leaning regally back in her chair.

Lucy throws her fist in the air. "Called it!"

Meanwhile, James looks shell-shocked and J'onn looks... amused? Lena can't tell, he has one of those faces where unless it's obvious, it's hard to tell what he's feeling.

"Kara..." James says finally, leaning forward and resting his elbows on the polished mahogany table. "Lex... He destroyed Cl-Kal."

Kara adjusts her glasses more forcefully than usual, pursing her lips angrily. Lena squeezes her hand and it calms her slightly but she still leans forward to talk to James in a low, dangerous tone that Lena would find sexy if she weren't in such a nerve-wracking situation.

"James. I'm not Kal, just like Lena isn't Lex. We're completely separate people. We aren't defined by our families. Alright? Lena-Lena's good. I would like you to respect my decisions and my relationship with her."

"I do, Kara. You know I do." James says, frowning. "But how do you know she won't turn on you? How do you know she's good? How do you know her family hasn't corrupted her? Kara, you can't read minds, you can't know for sure. I'm just trying to protect you."

"I don't need you to protect me. I need you to support me."

Deciding to forgo any attempt of hiding their relationship now that it's out there, Lena wraps an arm around Kara's shoulders and draws her close. Kara snuggles against her side and Lena ignores the surprised expressions from everyone else as she begins murmuring comforting words.

J'onn clears his throat, directing all attention to him instead of the almost uncharacteristic public display of affection initiated by Lena.

"James, you may not be able to read minds, but I can. First of all, Miss Luthor." Shockingly to Lena, her last name is not said in disgust in reverence but rather in a respectful manner and Lena can't express how much she appreciates it. "I can assure you that I did not invade your mind without your consent. You just think rather loud sometimes, similar to Alex. I trust Lena, I trust her with Kara. There is a true bond there."

Lena blinks in surprise at his words. A true bond? What does that mean?

"James," J'onn says gently, like a kind father teaching his kid a new life lesson. "You are a good man, but you are letting hatred and mistrust cloud your judgement. Not unlike Lex Luthor did. I know you will need time to process all of this, and I recommend talking to Lucy or myself or your friends. Okay?"

James nods. "I understand."

"Thank you, J'onn." Kara whispers, but the smile that lights up J'onn's face tells Lena he heard it anyway. She speaks up louder, trying to ease any lingering tension. "Can we have dessert now, please?"

Everyone bursts into laughter and Lena looks at her girlfriend with an adoring, affectionate gaze. Soon enough dessert arrives and Lena has to choke back a moan. The chefs at the Luthor Kingdom are spectacular, but Lyra's, this is... Out of this world. Lena rolls her eyes at herself at the pun. And her stifled moan isn't quite as quiet as she had hoped, what with Kara blushing so hard her ears are red. Lena ignores the sound of Maggie snickering at Kara's flushed face and Alex's groans and grumbles.

Chapter Text

Maggie isn't surprised when Lena is the first to excuse herself, citing exhaustion from the long trip. But Maggie, she has trained herself to see things that others don't. So she notices her shaking hands as she stands up and the smile that she gives everyone as she bids them goodbye that doesn't quite reach her eyes. Even if she didn't see that, Kara's poorly concealed worried expression would give away that Lena isn't quite as put together as she seems.

The staring James has been doing all throughout dinner certainly haven't helped. Maggie doesn't blame him for being wary, he has first hand experience when it comes to what happened between Superman and Lex. She makes a mental note to talk to him about this.

Maggie may not be the best with emotions, but she has been (forced, usually) to go to enough psychologists that she's gotten rather good at listening. Her experience with dating (admittedly terrible) women has helped her listening skills, if nothing else. Not to mention that part of what makes her such a good knight is that she can get into an enemy's head and foresee what they could be planning.

To most others' surprise, Kara is the next to excuse herself. Maggie watches her practically rush out the door. Kara had been bouncing her knee and eyeing the door since Lena left a few minutes ago.

Maggie notices Alex shift in her seat like she's about to get up, looking at where Kara walked out. Maggie tightens her hand over Alex's, drawing her girlfriend's attention. She subtly shakes her head. Alex gives her an inquisitive look but stops moving, though she still looks like she wants to bolt after her sister.

After Kara and Lena are gone, everyone else drifts out pretty quickly. Cat walks away, grinning like... Well, like a cat that's gotten the canary. Maggie assumes she's planning the next cover of her newspaper as 'the Danvers sisters and their girlfriends' or 'a Luthor and a Super' or something like that.

Alex sits rigidly in her chair, a sign that she wants to squirm impatiently but isn't letting herself. Maggie squeezes her hand again and Alex gets up quickly, murmuring out an excuse and practically dragging Maggie out of the room. They stop in Alex's room.

"So why didn't you let me go after Kara? She looked upset." Alex inquires.

"She was concerned about her girlfriend. I think Lena may have gotten overwhelmed by everything, which is why she left so early. She's certainly had a busy day. Lena and Kara need alone time to help her calm down."

Alex scrunches up her nose. "I really don't want to think about my sister and Lena having 'alone time.' "

Maggie stares at her for a second before bursting into laughter. Alex immediately grins at the sight of her girlfriend's dimples and at the sound of her girlfriend's beautiful laugh.

"That's not what I meant, Danvers. But it's nice to know that your mind immediately goes to the gutter."

Alex's face gets red. "What was I supposed to think you meant?"

"I don't know." Maggie shrugs, smiling. "But what I meant is, Lena needs Kara to cuddle with and maybe talk to, help her work through what got her overwhelmed. Like when I helped you when you-"

Alex puts her finger over Maggie's lip, effectively silencing her. "Shh."

Maggie's grin widens and it has the unintended but not unwelcome side effect of making her girlfriend melt into a puddle of gay goo. Alex smiles dopily at her and drops her finger, looping it in Maggie's belt to pull her closer. Maggie takes this opportunity to finish her sentence.

"Like we did when you got overwhelmed after touching my-"

Alex tries to silence her again with her hand, her face rivaling the shade of red her hair I. "Maggie!"

"You cried after you touched my boobs for the first time, babe." Maggie says, her voice muffled by Alex's hand.

Alex's face gets even redder. "I just... You're really pretty, okay?"

Maggie chuckles and Alex releases her face, avoiding eye contact. Maggie kisses Alex's cheek. "I'm not saying this to tease you, babe. I'm giving you an example of when we did the same thing. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable." Maggie gives her a soft, gentle smile.

"I know you didn't mean to, but it did feel like you were teasing me." Alex murmurs.

"That wasn't my intention, and I'm sorry." Maggie raises one of Alex's hands to her lips. "Danvers. This is good, you telling me how I made you feel. We can learn from this and grow, alright?" Alex nods, leaning in to give Maggie a quick kiss. "And hey, if we had gotten to the point where I got to touch your boobs, I probably would've had the same reaction."

Alex pulls back slightly from where their foreheads were resting against each other. "Are you just saying that to make me feel better?"

Maggie shakes her head. "Nope. In case you haven't noticed, Danvers, you're pretty gorgeous."

Alex's cheeks hear up again. "Flatterer."

"Doesn't make it any less true." Maggie says with an exaggerated wink that makes Alex giggle.

"Nerd." Alex beams at her girlfriend. She glances at the clock behind Maggie. "So... How much time do you think we should give them before we head over?"

"Maybe an hour."

"Hmm." Alex leans in, her lips inches from Maggie's. "I wonder what we could do until then.

Maggie laughs breathlessly. "I wonder."

Maggie closes the space between their lips, both of them smiling, but not big enough where kissing becomes sloppy and difficult. They get lost in each other quickly, in the push and pull of each other's lips.

***

"Are you alright?" Kara asks worriedly as she steps in her room to see Lena sitting on the bed, staring blankly at the wall.

"Yeah," Lena tries to wave her off. "I'm fine."

Kara frowns and takes another few steps forward, waiting for a gesture from her girlfriend to indicate that she's allowed to come closer.

"Don't do that, Lee." Kara pleads gently. "Don't shut me out, please. Tell me what's going on in that beautiful mind of yours."

Lena purses her lips and makes eye contact with her girlfriend, outstretching her hand. Kara walks forward again and entwines their fingers, still keeping a bit of distance between them.

"I don't know, darling." Lena breathes out, then pats the bed next to her.

Kara sits down. "Is it alright if I put my arm around you, Lee?"

Lena nods and Kara scoots closer, wrapping an arm around her girlfriend's shoulders. Lena sighs and rests her head against Kara's shoulder.

"I just got overwhelmed. It feels like everyone has been analyzing me and my possible motives since I got here. And I know your family is accepting of us, which is honestly more than I expected, but it was much more draining than having strangers speculate about me."

Kara nods in acknowledgement. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Just... Hold me?" Lena asks in a small, vulnerable voice.

"Of course." Kara presses a quick kiss to Lena's forehead. "Do you want to do this lying down?"

Lena nods and moves out from underneath Kara's arm so she can lie down in the middle of the bed. Kara's eyes soften when she recognizes the position Lena's in. It isn't one they do very often.

"Do you want me to be the big spoon?" Kara asks.

Lena nods and Kara smiles, slipping underneath the covers behind her girlfriend. Kara takes Lena's ponytail out of her hair, setting it aside on the bedside table along with her glasses. She rejoins Lena and pressed a quick kiss to her girlfriend's exposed neck.

Kara begins running her fingers through Lena's hair, carefully and gently working out the few snags she comes across. She scratches Lena's scalp lightly and swears she hears her girlfriend make a purring noise. Lena practically melts on the bed and Kara smiles and begins humming an old Kryptonian lullaby she remembers her mother singing to her.

Lena's heart rate slows as she falls asleep. Kara stops humming, afraid the sound may wake up her girlfriend, who's a notoriously light sleeper the first half hour she's asleep. After that half hour, she sleeps like the dead. Kara continues running her fingers through Lena's hair, both to keep that sleepy smile on her face and because Kara really likes the feeling.

Some time later, the door creaks open slightly. Kara looks up, propping herself up on her forearm. Alex and Maggie slip into the room. Alex, for some reason, has a hand over her eyes.

"Are they decent?" Alex whispers to Maggie.

"Yes, you nerd." Maggie answers affectionately.

Alex peeks out hesitantly and lets out a 'meep' noise that makes Kara and Maggie giggle. "Maggie! They're in bed together!"

"They're not naked, Danvers." Maggie says, amused.

Alex groans quietly. "Sawyer, I swear..."

"Not that I don't love you both, but why are you here?" Kara asks, keeping her voice below normal, even though she's pretty sure she could shout next to Lena's ear and she wouldn't notice.

"We were worried about you and Lena." Alex responds.

Kara beams at them. "Thanks for checking up on us, but we're good. Lena just got overwhelmed."

"See?" Maggie murmurs proudly, nudging Alex with her elbow. "Told you she was overwhelmed."

"Yeah, yeah. Your detection skills are as sharp as ever, Sawyer. Kara, is there anything we can do for you guys?"

Kara glances down at her sleeping girlfriend and then back up. "No, I don't think so. I'll let you know if we need anything, okay?"

"Okay," Alex nods. "Oh and remember, sister night tomorrow." Maggie looks over at her girlfriend with a raised eyebrow and Alex revises her statement. "Sister and girlfriend night. We can all get to know Lena better, as long as she's up for it after everything tomorrow."

"I'll ask her in the morning."

Alex nods and slips out of the room. Maggie hangs back for another moment to ask Kara something.

"Little Danvers? Did you say that you love us both earlier? As in Alex and me?"

"Yeah. You're pretty much my new big sister, Maggie."

Kara pretends not to see the happy tears glistening in her new big sister's eyes as she leaves her room. Kara beams and snuggles back up against her girlfriend, sleep finding her easily.

Chapter Text

After breakfast, everyone meets up at the DEO. J'onn watches them all arrive with his usual serious expression, his eyes kind as he greets them. He has Vasquez lead them to the private conference room they'll be using so he can stay where he is and make sure everyone has arrived. He raises an eyebrow at a sheepish Winn, the last to arrive. J'onn walks him to the conference room himself.

Maggie, Alex, Kara, Lena, Eliza, and Jeremiah are all sitting the the conference table, waiting for them to arrive. Winn rushes to sit down, murmuring apologies for his lateness and nearly dropping his large stack of papers when he trips over nothing in his haste.

J'onn clears his throat after he takes his seat, drawing everyone's attention. "I assume everyone knows each other by now. We'll get down to business unless anyone has something to add." He glances around but no one speaks up. "Very well. Queen Lena?" He urges respectfully.

"Thank you." She replies politely, straightening in her seat. "As you all know, my adoptive mother is the head of Cadmus, an anti-alien terrorist group. I have brought all of the data and papers and notebooks she and Lex left behind. It should have arrived in your office, Winn."

"It did," he confirms.

"Good. I've barely had time to look through it, but what I have been able to decode is written in an additional notebook on the top of the pile."

"Do you know of Cadmus' location?" J'onn questions.

Lena shakes her head. "Not exactly. I know an area where it's more than likely they're hiding out in, but it's a rather large area. I was hoping that we could work together to narrow down the possibilities."

"We will be happy to work with you." J'onn nods to her and Lena's lips twitch up into a small smile.

"It will be a pleasure working with your team. You have some fine minds here." Lena compliments before turning to Winn. "Do you have the map I asked for?"

"Yes!" Winn exclaims, digging through the pile of papers he brought with him. "Just hang on a moment while I find it..."

His eyes brighten when he miraculously finds it in his mess, handing it over to Lena.

"Would it be alright if I wrote on this?" Lena questions.

"Sure, I have other copies."

Lena grabs a nearby quill, deciding ink will work better than pencil. She dabs it in the ink and works as she speaks, outlining the edges of the area.

"This region here I had Winn find I blown up map of. You may recognize it; it has been disputed territory between our Kingdoms for generations. Because of that fact, the few who have ever dared to settle there never stay. I assume your people fear becoming part of Luthor Kingdom and mine fear becoming part of your kingdom."

"Why would they stay there?" Kara asks curiously.

"The people who try to settle there are always rich, and have built lavish castles on the land. They're all abandoned now. Officially, at least. My mother loves the Luthor Kingdom in her own sick, twisted way and wouldn't want to be too far from it. So this land is perfect for her, it's right on our border with you, the Danvers Kingdom. Not to mention the fact she's used to being a Queen and getting the most luxurious things. She needs somewhere fancy and as large as her overinflated ego. the large castles make for rather good hideouts for a large group of people, especially the ones with dungeons or basements."

"So how do we know which one they're in?" Alex questions, her and Maggie both walking over to where Lena and Kara are standing to get a better look at the map.

"We can exclude all of them that are old enough to be reclaimed by the plants and the ones in various states of disrepair." Lena replies.

She looks it over, making a mental note to praise Winn on the detail. Every place with a castle has a rough sketch and has the name of it, if it has one. She begins crossing some out.

"We can x out the smaller ones, too." Maggie muses, and Lena starts crossing those off too. "And from what you've told us, Lillian wouldn't want to stay in a castle built or owned by anyone in the Danvers Kingdom."

Lena blinks in surprise and looks away from her work for a moment to regard Maggie with respect. "Very astute observation, Sir Maggie."

Maggie grins at her and Alex squeezes her hand proudly.

"So how many possibilities does that leave us with?" Eliza asks.

Lena glances at the paper again quickly. "Four," she sighs.

"I can fly and check on them tomorrow, listen for heartbeats." Kara offers.

"No," Lena shoots it down immediately. At Kara's surprised expression tinged with hurt, she starts to elaborate, taking her girlfriend's hand again. "It's dangerous."

"Pretty much everything we do is dangerous." Kara replies.

"It's unnecessarily dangerous, darling." Lena revises her words. "They could easily see you flying. We don't know what kind of technology they have. And it's headed by my mother, so we can safely assume she has or is working on something to take you and Superman down."

"I'll stay below the trees."

"The forest will be heavily patrolled, they will see you. No matter how fast you go. They'll be trained to see you. So if you must go, it should be on foot. Without superspeed." Lena squints at nothing, thinking. "You should probably wear a disguise or something so they don't know who you are. You know what? Kara, if you're going to go I'm going with you."

"What? No it's dangerous, Lena!" Kara protests.

"I'm aware." Lena says, raising an eyebrow at her girlfriend.

"You're not arrow proof. I am."

"And you also have superspeed, and can fly. If things go south, we can get out of there easily. Plus, Kara, I know these woods. Mother used to send me on missions to scout it, which I think was just an attempt to get me away from her. I know exactly where these castles are." Kara still doesn't seem convinced, so she continues. "Not to mention my other valuable assets. Like how I've mastered two forms of martial arts and the fact that I'm the best archer in my entire Kingdom. Despite what my mother may think, I'm not useless. I can help."

Lena almost feels bad, mentioning her mother in attempt to convince Kara. She watches as her girlfriend tries to come up with a reason for her not to go. Lena knows it's not personal, why Kara doesn't want her to come. She knows she's worried, about her safety and about Lena's mental and emotional health. She's tracking down her own mother, to throw in jail just like her brother.

"I'll be okay, I promise. And I'll tell you if I'm not." Lena murmurs so only Kara can hear.

Kara purses her lips and nods reluctantly. "Alright. But don't do anything rash or stupid, okay?"

"Okay. And same to you, Miss Danvers."

Kara flushes and adjusts her glasses while Maggie tries to contain her snickers at how red she is. Lena doesn't pull that out often, that teasing nickname. Especially not in front of others. It just slipped out, but she can tell Kara doesn't really mind. Lena knows she loves the nickname.

She chuckles when Kara gets redder, presumably because of hearing her sister mutter "please tell me that's not a sex thing."

J'onn clears his throat again to draw everyone's attention back to him. "So Lena and Kara, tomorrow you will both be wearing disguises and Kara will be listening for the heartbeats of people inside the castles. Also look for anything coated in lead. The disguises will be ready when you come in tomorrow. Be careful and be prepared. Meanwhile, the DEO will continue to interrogate the assassins."

"Are we done already?" Winn says when J'onn stands.

"Yes," he answers. "We will meet again when Lena and Kara come back from their reconnaissance mission. By then, we should all have more information."

"What will I be doing sir?" Winn asks.

"You and Vasquez will be making the disguises today. Until Lena and Kara come back, you will be looking for layouts of the castles and making notes."

Winn's voice gets small. "Um. J'onn? Sir? I don't have those blueprints. They weren't made by anyone of the Danvers Kingdom, so they didn't have to send us a copy of the layout."

J'onn sighs and rubs his forehead, looking up when Lena speaks again. "I brought the blueprints from the Luthor Kingdom for precisely that reason. You should have them in your office as well, Winn."

"You're a lifesaver," he breathes out. "Thank you! I swear, if you weren't dating Kara I could kiss you right now."

"Save it for Lyra." Lena teases as she stands, making Winn blush bright red. "And Winn? Even if I weren't dating Kara, I would still be a lesbian."

Lena leaves alongside Kara, chuckling as Maggie "ooh"s at a flushed Winn.

Chapter Text

Maggie watches her girlfriend with thinly veiled amusement as she urges them all out of the DEO. To the other agents and knights, it probably looks like she, Alex, Winn, Kara, and Lena all have a pressing, important matter to attend to. When in actuality, Maggie's nerdy girlfriend is just really excited to test out the crossbow.

"We will head to the training area and set up the targets." Alex orders. "Kara, you go get the crossbow and the bolts. Meet us there. Okay?"

Kara nods and runs off using her super speed while the rest of them head to the clearing.

"We have some fond memories here, huh Danvers?" Maggie questions with a wink at her girlfriend, who blushes.

"Ugh," Winn groans. "I really don't want to know about my big sister's sex life."

Alex feels a small smile spread across her face before she schools her features. "Big sister?"

Winn's eyes widen and he stutters out a reply. "Crap. I-I... It just slipped out and-"

"Relax, Winn." Alex says with a kind smile to reassure him. "It's nice to know you think of me as a big sister, that means I get to do... This!"

Winn yelps in surprise when Alex puts him in a gentle headlock and gives him a noogie. "Alex! You do that anyway!"

He tries to squirm away from her grasp and after a couple more seconds, she acts like he got out of her headlock (no one gets out of her headlocks unless she wants them to). Maggie's laughing off to one side and Lena's shaking her head fondly, already feeling more at home around these people than she ever did with the Luthors, even before Lex went on his spree.

Kara reappears by them, carrying the box Lena had put it in and gives Winn a confused look. "What happened to your hair?"

Winn grumbles as he runs his fingers through it to try to tame his hair again. "Alex is what happened."

"Alex," Kara draws out her sister's name. "Did you noogie him again?"

"He admitted that I'm his older sister, and that means that I can." Alex says like that logically makes sense.

"What? You never do that to me." Kara frowns, cocking her head.

"Because it would distress you, and it just annoys Winn. If it actually hurt him or anything, I wouldn't do it." Alex explains.

"Aww, you care about me." Winn says, dramatically clutching his heart and beaming.

"Of course I do."

"So," Winn squints. "You both are just okay with me calling you guys my sisters?"

"Definitely, you're practically adopted by Eliza and Jeremiah anyways." Kara pulls Winn in for a hug when she sees happy tears in his eyes.

After Alex rolls her eyes affectionately, she joins in on the hugs in a purely Alex fashion, by awkwardly patting Winn's back and putting an arm around Kara.

"Are they always like this?" Lena murmurs to herself.

"Pretty much." Maggie answers from where she's standing next to her. Lena internally jolts, having forgotten that Maggie was there.

They pull apart a moment later and then continue moving after the Danvers sisters rejoin their girlfriends. Kara takes Lena's hand and Alex tucks her hand into Maggie's back pocket, earning her an amused look from her girlfriend and a quip about how Alex likes touching her butt. Winn groans and covers his ears while Kara squeaks, blushing. Alex powers through the heat in her own cheeks as she glares playfully at Maggie, who's laughing.

"You ready to shoot stuff with a crossbow?" Kara asks, nudging Lena.

"Gods, yes." Lena breathes out. "I'm a bit nervous about tomorrow and what could happen. My mother's not exactly known for her empathy, so we should avoid getting caught at all costs."

"We'll be super careful." Kara promises, squeezing Lena's hand.

"Was that a pun?" Lena asks to lighten the mood, raising her eyebrow in her signature move.

Alex and Maggie chuckle beside them. Kara bumps her hip against Lena, who's smile brightens.

They all laugh and joke together as they head to the training area. As soon as they arrive, Alex and Maggie get to work setting up a target while Lena finds the best spot to shoot at it from. She draws a line with the tip of her shoe in the dirt.

Alex struggles to carry the bulky target, stubbornly refusing her sister's offer for help. With Maggie guiding her, she sets it down on the frame they had set up earlier.

Alex adjusts the cover, ensuring the middle ring is in the center. She used a metal pin and sticks it in the top and the back to keep the cover in place.

"That looks different from what I have used in my Kingdom." Lena muses, walking closer to inspect it.

It isn't square like the cheap ones are, filled with old musty hay. It's too round for it to be filled with cloth.

"That's because it's made of a polymer that I accidentally created." Alex explains.

Lena nods, a silent signal for her to continue. Alex's eyes light up, loving the fact she has another science nerd here that can actually understand what she's saying. Sure Kara can too, as well as Winn, but they aren't interested in science the way she is. Winn likes the technical aspect, building machines and stuff. Kara's from Krypton, a planet light years ahead of them. They're useful as consults, but not as lab partners like she can see happening with her and Lena.

"A while ago, I was trying to make Kara glasses that won't break so easily, since she has gone through twenty four in one particularly stressful month. I accidentally made this, which has proven to be really useful."

Alex lifts up the cover slightly and Lena blinks in surprise. It's a clear, gel-like substance. She glances over to Alex, who nods her permission. Lena presses her hand against it and pokes it.

"It feels like it has the same resistance as human skin." Lena mutters to herself.

"How can you tell that from...?" Alex waves her hand. "Mad scientist brother, right. But yeah, you're correct. It has the same resistance as flesh, which is why it's so useful."

Lena's eyes light up in understanding. "We'll be able to see what would happen if someone got shot by the bolt."

Alex points her finger at Lena, grinning. "Precisely. And the cloth is made up of cotton, commonly used in clothes. So it'll have the same effect if we shot someone wearing regular clothes."

"Fascinating," Lena breaths out and Alex lowers the cover again. "How do you get it so round?"

"Before it turns into a gel, it's a hot liquid substance. So I poured it into a round mold."

"Have you tested it with weapons yet?" Lena questions as they walk back to where the others are waiting, at the line Lena drew earlier.

"Not projectile weapons." Alex answers. "No guns, bows, compound bows, or crossbows. It's actually pretty satisfying to hit it with a mace or something when you're mad."

"I'll have to test that out sometime."

"Hey, Little Danvers." Maggie pokes Kara's side, but it's like poking a brick wall. "Our girlfriends are nerds."

"Yeah they are." Kara agrees with an expression that can only be described as giving Lena 'heart eyes.'

"We can hear you, you know." Alex grumbles, quickly kissing Maggie.

"We do know." Maggie says, leaning in for another kiss. "Just like you both know you're nerds. Own it, Danvers."

Alex chuckles and leans in again for a slow but not quick kiss. Winn averts his eyes, but sighs when his eyes instead fall on Kara and Lena, who are also kissing.

Knowing they'll be occupied for a bit, Winn shakes his head affectionately and picks up the crossbow. He clicks it and it makes a clicking noise, the string staying where it is at the back when he lets go. Winn loads the bolt and aims. He wonders briefly what it'll shoot like, if he should aim above or below the bullseye.

He shrugs to himself and decides to aim for the middle. He'll know after the first shot whether it goes low or high. He places his finger over the trigger and adjusts his grip, pressing the back of it against his shoulder to absorb the kickback.

He shoots, the whooshing noise quickly followed by a thunk and the sound of four women startled out of make out sessions. Alex and Maggie pull out daggers that they keep handy and Kara puts herself in front of Lena, protecting her from the perceived threat.

"Relax, it was just me shooting." He holds up his hands, one with the crossbow in it, which is heavier than he expected when carrying it with one hand. "You ladies were too busy lip locking."

Alex groans and bats Winn's arm, allowing Maggie to steal the crossbow when he winces.

Lena kisses Kara's cheek and approaches the target. She wants to know how the bolt affected the gel but to get a good look at it, she will have to talk to Alex, make sure it's okay to remove the cloth cover.

Chapter Text

Lena chuckles as she approaches the target, finally seeing what Winn hit. The bolt is sticking out of a straw training dummy a few feet to the left of the target. She gestures for the other to come over.

"I totally meant to hit that." Winn says.

Alex pats him on the back. "Sure you did. Come on, Lena. It's your turn next."

"Me?" Lena questions, unable to keep the surprise out of her voice.

"Yeah you." Alex replies. "You're the one that found it, plus it was used by an assassin who was sent to kill you."

"That's fair," Maggie shrugs.

"Then Kara can go next, since she was shot at with it. Then Maggie, then me." Alex continues.

"Why are you last?" Maggie asks curiously.

"Because I'm more patient than you." Alex deadpans and grins when Maggie raises her eyebrows at her. "I'm kidding, neither of us are patient. Because I can't resist your dimples, babe."

"You're just whipped," Winn quips. Alex shakes her fist at him and he yelps. "No more noogies!"

After Lena pulls the bolt out of the training dummy, they head back to the line she drew to shoot from.

"He's not wrong, Danvers." Maggie teases, nudging her girlfriend.

"If I'm whipped, so are you Sawyer."

"At least I can admit it." Maggie says, joining their hands together.

Winn, Kara, and Lena pretend they don't hear their banter.

Lena focuses on the crossbow, raising it to point at the target. She rests the butt against her shoulder and flicks off what she assumes is the safety. She closes her left eye and aims. Lena lets out a breath and pulls the trigger.

The bolt hits the target with a thunk. They all move forward and Winn gapes at it.

"You hit it. Dead center. On your first try."

"I am a very good archer." Lena shrugs, a little pleased smile on her face.

Alex pulls out the bolt in order to take off the cover. "Huh. It didn't really penetrate very deep." She remarks. "I wonder how this compares to a bow. Or a gun."

"We can test that after everyone has their turn." Lena suggests.

Alex hums in response. "Alright."

They continue shooting. Kara, only having shot a regular bow a couple times for fun, is the worst shot (aside from Winn). She actually hits the target. Maggie nearly hits the bullseye, to her disappointment. She hasn't shot a bow in a while, but she's okay at it. Alex hits the bullseye but in the upper right part, not the center like Lena.

"Overachiever," Maggie remarks, kissing her girlfriend's cheek.

After being subjected to Winn's puppy eyes (something Alex swears he picked up from Kara), they let him shoot again. This time, he hits the target. Barely. The bolt is embedded in the lower left corner, nearly hanging out of the target. If it were another centimeter or two to the left, it would've hit the training dummy's leg.

Winn's just happy that he hit it. As he rejoins them after grabbing the bolt, he hears Maggie snickering.

"What's so funny?" Alex asks curiously.

"Schott's a bad shot." Maggie laughs.

Alex smiles and shakes her head fondly at her girlfriend. Only she would think of a dorky rhyme about this and find it hilarious.

After Maggie finally stops laughing, Lena and Alex turn to Kara.

"Kara, can you get my gun and holster? You know where it is." Alex asks.

"Sure."

"Can you get my bow as well please?"

"Since you said please, of course." Kara presses a kiss to Lena's nose, making her blush and then runs off using superspeed.

Kara's back quickly and hands the weapons to her sister and her girlfriend. By then, Alex has taken the cover off of the gel. Which she makes a mental note to name sometime. Alex and Lena thank her for grabbing the weapons.

"Okay," Alex says, strapping the holster to her thigh (she knows how much Maggie loves it). "I'll shoot my gun first since it's harder to predict exactly where it'll go. Lena since you're the best at archery, you shoot the bow and the crossbow."

Lena blinks in surprise. It's logical, but she still wasn't expecting to be recognized for her talent. She's not used to that yet.

Alex checks the barrel, making sure it's already loaded and has gunpowder. She never keeps it unloaded, which probably isn't the safest thing, but she could need it someday and not have the time to load it.

"You may want to cover your ears or something." Alex warns as she turns to face the target. "This thing is really loud. Especially you, Kara. Oh! Lena, sometime we should try to make noise canceling ear plugs or something."

"Sounds good. We can do that when we have the time." Lena replies.

"Oh no," Maggie whispers over-dramatically to Kara. "Our nerdy girlfriends have found each other. They'll increase each other's nerdiness."

"It's good for both of them." Kara says, watching as her sister and her girlfriend start to debate the best thing to use for the earplugs.

"It is," Maggie agrees. "What do you want to bet that the first time they work together they forget to eat and sleep?"

"I won't bet against that, I won't win. At least they have us to make sure they don't waste away."

Maggie hums her agreement and puts her hands over her ears when Alex raises the gun to aim at the target.

"Kara? Plug your ears now." Alex says, looking back at them.

Kara nods and presses her hands hard against her ears until her hearing is pretty much muted.

Alex focuses on the target and aims. She cocks the hammer back, causing it to make a familiar clicking noise. She closes one eye and aims for the center, knowing that the accuracy on this thing isn't great. She lets out a breath and pulls the trigger. The revolver jolts and she lets her hand and wrist move with the kickback. She learned that lesson the hard way after getting a very sore wrist. There's a thundering bang that Alex knows will make Kara flinch, even after covering her ears.

There's the sound of the bullet hitting the gel, but another noise comes right after, a cracking noise. Alex doesn't wait for the others to recover and jogs forward to see what happened. What she sees isn't something she expected.

"Damn," Alex breathes, tracing the hole at the top. "This gel is a foot thick."

"What happened?" Lena asks curiously, her arm around her girlfriend to calm her as they walk over.

"It went right through." Alex answers.

"What? Really?" She looks at the gel, noticing that there's no bullet in it. Plus there's an entrance and an exit hole. "Fascinating. Where did it go?"

Alex shrugs and looks behind the gel to see where it could've possibly hit in order to make that cracking noise. She squints and almost dismisses it, but decides to check it out anyway. A good couple of feet behind the gel is the gray stone wall that surrounds the castle.

She heads over and crouches in front of it. There's a dent near the bottom, a small but noticeable one if you get close enough. Some small pieces of stone and gray powder is in the grass and dirt in front of the wall.

Alex runs her finger along the outside of the dent and then traces the inside, not feeling the bullet. She sifts through the dirt and raises an eyebrow when she finds it. It's mangled and barely recognizable as a bullet.

She stands back up and brushes off her knees before rejoining the others at the gel.

"Found the bullet." Alex holds it up. "It hit the wall."

"The wall? Where?" Lena questions and Maggie exchanges a fond look with Kara, knowing they may get lost in their own nerdy world.

"Down near the bottom, there's a little dent." Alex points at it.

Lena nods and thinks over what could've happened. "It lost altitude pretty fast, it must not have had a lot of velocity left after going through the gel."

Alex nods. "The gel has a lot of friction, I'm not surprised."

"Hey nerds." Maggie says, putting her hands on Lena's and Alex's back. "Finish your test with the bow and crossbow. The sooner you finish, the sooner you can make out with your girlfriends." Maggie smiles, putting her dimples on display as she dorkily tries to wiggle her eyebrows.

Winn groans and Alex blushes, muttering something about wanting to try to make a replica of the crossbow with Lena.

"Alex," Lena says to get her attention. "You can do that while I'm gone with Kara and then we can tweak it together."

Alex nods, her eyes sparkling with excitement. They make their way back to the line and Lena aims the crossbow first since she's better at controlling where the bow shoots. She shoots it and takes note of where the bolt hits.

Kara takes the crossbow and gives Lena her bow and an arrow, earning a kiss in thanks. Lena pulls back the string of the bow and shoots. It doesn't hit near where the bolt or the bullet hit, which is what she was aiming for.

Chapter Text

Alex and Lena excitedly approach the gel. Their amused girlfriends watch them from a distance while Winn scurries after them, wanting to see the results.

"The arrow penetrated deeper," Alex remarks in surprise. "I thought it would be the bolt, especially with the strong drawback power of the crossbow."

"I thought the same thing." Lena murmurs. "Perhaps it's because the bolt is thicker, less aerodynamic."

Alex's eyes light up. "The bolt is shorter, too! There's less mass per diameter."

"So it loses velocity quicker." Lena nods. "That makes sense."

"It would be better closer up to an enemy. Do you mind if I try to improve the bolts too while you and Kara are gone?" Alex asks.

"As long as you don't stay cooped up in your lab the whole time, sure." Lena teases, her eyes sparkling with happiness.

"Like you haven't done that." Alex scoffs and Lena smiles, not denying it. "See? Plus, I have my girlfriend to make sure I don't accidentally work myself to death."

Lena hums. "True. I can see her dragging you out by the ear if you didn't stop working."

Alex rubs the back of her neck. "She almost had to do that once, when Cadmus was about to attack the bar. I kept wanting to add more traps."

"Those traps sounded brilliant, by the way. Do you have the blueprints to them still?" Lena asks curiously.

"Yeah, I do. I'll take them out for you when you and Kara come back."

"Hey guys," Winn says from where he has been standing nearby, soaking in their ideas and theories. "Your girlfriends seem like they're getting bored. Um. Since Lena and Kara are leaving tomorrow, how about you guys all go out to eat tonight? Have some sibling and girlfriend bonding time?"

"Only if you come too!" Kara calls from where she's standing.

She and Maggie walk closer until they're next to their girlfriends.

Winn shifts, his cheeks pink. "I don't know..."

"Come, it's your idea and you're our little brother." Alex persuades. "You can bring Lyra."

"She's not my-" He sighs, then squints. "Hey, why am I the little brother? I'm older than Kara!"

"Technically, I'm older than all of you." Kara reminds him. "Phantom Zone, remember?"

"How old are you really, then?" Maggie questions.

Kara shrugs. "I never figured out exactly how long I was in there, but I'm somewhere around 50."

"I hope I look that good when I'm your age." Maggie says with a joking whistle.

Kara sticks out her tongue. Alex swallows a laugh and then her eyes widen and she smirks.

"Hey Kara. You know what that means?" She asks, looking between Kara and Lena. "You're a cougar."

Kara drops her head onto Lena's shoulder and groans loudly.

"It's okay, babe." Lena presses a kiss to Kara's forehead, trying not to let her shoulders shake from the laughter she's holding back. "I love you, white hairs and all."

"Love you too," she says, her voice muffled by her girlfriend's shoulder. She jolts. "Wait. White hairs?" Kara gasps, horrified, bringing some of her strands of hair into her line of sight.

"I'm kidding, babe. Can Kryptonians even get white hairs?" Lena muses.

"Kal doesn't have any." Kara replies, lifting up her head. "Lois kind of hates that he doesn't."

Kara readjusts herself so she can put an arm around Lena's waist.

"So..." Winn says awkwardly, seeing how Lena and Kara are gazing lovingly at each other. "Dinner? It's getting pretty late!"

Kara's eyes light up. "Great, I'm starving!"

"The alien bar has pretty good burgers," Alex suggests.

They all agree on going there and start walking to National City.

"No getting drunk." Kara points at her sister and Maggie for emphasis.

"Fine." Maggie nods. "But will you be having a drink too, Little Danvers?"

"If I do, it won't be one of the stronger ones." Kara says. "We have to leave tomorrow and we haven't packed yet."

"You have superspeed, you can pack in like two minutes." Maggie waves her off.

"Does alcohol actually affect you?" Lena asks, curious.

"Not human alcohol," Kara shakes her head. "But alien alcohol does."

"The last time she went there, she got drunk for the first time. It was hilarious." Maggie says.

"Well, I'm not getting drunk tonight." Kara declares, silently hoping that she won't. Being hungover sucked the first time, and tomorrow she and Lena have to walk a lot.

"So what happens to humans who drink alien alcohol?" Lena asks.

"It's insanely concentrated, or made up of weird off-world stuff." Alex begins. "So either you die or have fun side-effects. According to M'gann, one of them is on it's way to being banned in the Kingdom because it has the same affect as a hallucinogenic drug."

"Is it safe for Lena to kiss me after I drink some?" Kara questions worriedly. "Because if not, I'll never drink alien alcohol again."

Lena's heart skips a beat and she has to work on calming herself. Kara probably didn't mean to imply that they could be together for a long time, long enough for Kara to never drink it again. Forever.

Lena's thoughts detail and she walks absentmindedly beside her girlfriend, her mind full of ideas on what forever with Kara could be like. It won't be easy, not just because she's a Super and Lena's a Luthor. Also because Lena's Queen and Kara's a Princess to another kingdom and first in line for the throne (Alex decided when she was a teenager that she never wanted to be Queen). But they could make it work. If they they married-

Lena cuts her thoughts off there, both because it's so improbable that someone, even Kara, would want to be with her forever that she nearly laughs, and because if she continues thinking about this, she'll walk into a pole or something.

"I would ask M'gann." Alex suggests. "She should know."

Kara nods and squeezes Lena's hand when she notices how she's looking around nervously. They turn down the alley the bar is in and Lena's hand tightens around Kara's.

"Are you okay?" Kara asks quietly.

Lena swallows and nods, speaking in a whisper. "I'm about to see all of the people my mother tried to kill."

Kara gently lifts Lena's hand to her lips and presses a gentle kiss to the back of it.

"It may take time, but they'll see how good you are eventually." Kara murmurs.

"Dollywood." Maggie's confident voice says, snapping them out of their own little world.

The slot closes and the metal door creaks open a bit. Maggie pushes it all the way open, holding it for the others.

"Hey." Maggie puts a hand on Lena's shoulder to stop her before she goes in. "We're with you, Lena."

She doesn't have to say anything more because one look at Lena's eyes tells Maggie that she understands what she's trying to say. Lena gives her a small smile and thanks her softly but genuinely before heading inside to rejoin the others.

The bar isn't what she expected. It's a dive bar, which Alex and Maggie had told her. But it feels almost safe, like a home. There are a ton of aliens here, some obvious, some not so obvious. If Lex were here, he would have an aneurysm. Lena's lips twitch up into a sad smile at the thought.

Kara reaches out to retake her hand, giving her a questioning look. So she didn't use her super hearing, which Lena appreciates. Lena smiles at her, another small one, but it's enough to calm Kara's worries.

A beautiful black woman behind the bar sees Lena and Kara and does a double take. Kara guides Lena over to the bar so they can talk.

"Kara? It's good that you're back, but are you sure you want to bring a Luthor to an alien bar?" M'gann asks quietly, which is kind of useless because quite a few species here have super hearing.

Quite a few people stop what they're doing and whip their heads over to look at Lena and Kara. Lena doesn't even have to look behind her to know there are eyes on her, she's grown used to being able to tell when people are watching her.

It's almost comical, how pretty much everything stops. The ones who didn't hear M'gann look over to see what everyone's staring at.

Someone puts their hand (paw? Lena isn't sure what word to use for a scaly hand) on Lena's shoulder and she freezes automatically. She breathes in and out through her nose, reminding herself that it's not her mother, it's not her mother...

"You aren't welcome here, Luthor." A raspy, deep voice says from behind her.

"Is it because I'm human?" Lena asks, practice from her family being the only thing that's keeping her voice from shaking. She shrugs off the hand and turns around, coming face to face with what appears to be a humanoid lizard. "Because I see a few other humans here. Or is it because of my last name?"

Chapter Text

"You know why you're not welcome here." The lizard man hisses.

The entire bar has stopped and is watching this happen. Lena's posture straightens and she stares impassively up at the tall man.

"I would guess it's Lex. But he's dead. And as you can see, I am not him." Lena replies calmly.

Lena can feel Kara practically vibrating with the urge to butt in and push the humanoid lizard away from her. Lena subtly reaches out and squeezes her hand before letting go, trying to communicate to Kara that she should Lena deal with it. If Kara jumps in and defends her immediately, they'll see Lena as weak, as someone who needs someone else to step in to protect them.

Yes, the lizard guy is much too close for her liking. So close that she can smell his awful breath. But she needs to do this.

"You may not be Lex, but you are a Luthor. Leave now." He growls out.

Lena shifts her weight to one leg and raises one unimpressed eyebrow in her signature move. "So you're telling me that because of where I come from, I'm not welcome here. That sounds exactly like what Lex and my mother believe."

"Don't turn this around on me, Luthor! You could've stopped him if you were truly as good as you clearly believe you are."

Lena's chin juts out and her lip twitching into a brief scowl is the only indication that she really wants to punch him.

"You don't know me. You don't know what I've been through, you don't know what I've done." She says, her voice sharp and deadly. The lizard man nearly flinches at the tone. "And if it matters so much to you, then yes I'll tell you that I tried to stop him. Because I did. I begged him to stop, to see reason. He was too far gone. I tried to sabotage his devices, and my own brother punched me in the face when he found out."

"Leave," the lizard man demands again.

"No," Lena says sternly. "I lost my brother while he was still alive. Hearing that he was killed was a relief. A relief. He was dead long before he was killed. And now, I am trying to bring my Kingdom to the new age of acceptance, which you would know if you read any newspaper reporting on my Kingdom. So don't you compare me to my brother."

The lizard man wavers. "Trust is earned, Luthor. And you haven't earned ours."

"I can understand that." Lena says, her voice a lot calmer. "But I'll never be able to earn your trust if you never give me the chance to."

Some other alien stalks over, seeming furious that the humanoid lizard is hesitating. He has a spiky Mohawk that looks like it's made up of porcupine-like quills. His eyes are a glowing purple, which Lena guesses is a sign of anger in his species.

"He killed my sister!" The man shouts, pointing at her.

"And I'm sorry for that, but I'm not him. Yelling at me, that does nothing. It won't bring your sister back." Lena says.

He doesn't seem convinced like the lizard man was and takes a threatening step forward. Lena can practically feel the others bristle by her side. To her surprise, it's Maggie who jumps in first. She pushes him squarely in the chest, causing him to stumble back a couple of steps in surprise.

"She's with us. Back off." Maggie says, Alex by her side.

"Sir Alex?" The guy asks in disbelief. "Why are you defending her?"

"She's here to help. Lena came here for peace between our Kingdoms and to assist in taking down Cadmus. Plus, Kara trusts her. I trust Kara." Alex explains, her arms crossed defensively.

"Kara? As in Danvers? As in the cousin of Superman? As in an alien?" The man asks, sounding flabbergasted. "Why do you trust her?" He asks Kara, who's been a silent presence at Lena's side.

Lena's pretty sure the only reason that Kara wasn't the one that pushed him away from her is because Kara might accidentally shove him through a wall. Lena reaches down and takes Kara's hand, the dimmer light of the bar concealing it pretty well.

"Lena's not like her family, I knew that from the first time I met her." Kara begins. "I know what it's like to be compared to your family, and what it's like to be let down by your family. I guess I see a lot of myself in her." Kara studiously ignores Maggie's snickering at her wording. "Plus, I mean I wouldn't be dating her if I didn't trust her."

The entire bar has been listening to this happen for the entire time, even the ones who sip their drinks and pretend to be occupied with something else. A couple of aliens actually do a spit take.

"You're... Dating her?" Another alien questions. "How long has that been going on?"

"Um," Kara thinks about it. "Since a little after I met her. I had to go to protect her from assassins on her way here. So... Almost a month now."

The alien in front of Lena looks shocked. He blinks and M'gann comes out from behind the bar to guide him away from them. Luckily, he goes without a fight.

"You know that all of Danvers Kingdom is going to know you're dating Lena tomorrow, right?" Maggie says.

"Good thing we're headed to the forest then." Kara grumbles.

"Should we talk to Miss Grant?" Lena asks.

Kara nods. "Yeah, we can do that after this. Rao, I'm definitely going to need a drink then." She groans.

M'gann, back from escorting the alien away, sets a drink on the bar in front of Kara. Kara eyes it hesitantly.

"It's strong enough to keep you buzzed, but not too strong." M'gann explains.

"Is it safe for me to kiss Lena? Like some of the alcohol messes with or is damaging to humans." Kara questions.

"Yeah, you'll be fine. Just wait at least five seconds after each sip. Otherwise Lena will get a mild burning sensation on her tongue and lips, but it fades after a couple of minutes." M'gann answers.

"Thank you!" Kara says and tries to hand M'gann money for the drink.

"No," M'gann shakes her head. "That's on the house tonight, and so is your drink, Lena. Congratulations on getting together. You look like you make a good couple."

M'gann smiles kindly and acknowledges their thank yous with a nod. She hands Lena a glass of bourbon.

Lena raises her eyebrow again. "Most bartenders assume I'm a top-shelf red wine drinker."

"I'm not most bartenders. I'm a Martian, I can read minds." At Lena's expression, M'gann chuckles and quickly clarifies. "I'm kidding. I don't do that without permission. No, I'm just good at reading people."

Lena thanks her again and sips the bourbon, humming as it slides down her throat. She and Kara join the others at the table they've taken, near an empty pool table.

Lena sits on the other side of the booth, across from where Maggie and Alex are cuddled up. Alex has an arm draped across Maggie's shoulders and Maggie's leaning her head on Alex's shoulder. Kara sits pressed against Lena's side, their hands still entwined and resting on Kara's knee. Winn drags over a chair and sits at the end.

"That was awesome, guys!" He gushes. "I mean not the aliens being mean to Lena part, but the clap backs were awesome."

"Clap back?" Alex teases. "Winn, no one uses that word anymore."

"I'm bringing it back." Winn nods to himself.

"It's already dead, man. You can't bring it back." Alex says.

"I am bringing it back." Winn insists, pausing for a moment before saying. "Clap back."

Maggie and Alex groan while Lena smirks and Kara giggles, both because of Winn and because of Maggie and Alex's reactions.

"Dude, that was terrible." Maggie groans, her dimpled smile on her face.

"The fact you groaned means it's amazing." Winn beams at them.

Alex doesn't have the heart to tell him any different. "Sure, Winn." She ruffles his hair, making him whine in protest.

"Hey Winn." A voice says and his head whips around, his eyes wide.

"L-Lyra! Hi!" He stutters out.

"I'm going to get a drink. I'll be back." She winks at him.

He stares at her as she walks away before turning to the others, hunching over the table and whispering urgently. "You guys actually invited her?"

"Of course we did." Alex answers, reaching over and helping his frantic attempt at taming his hair again. "You have to ask her out, Winn."

Winn's nervous squeak is answer enough. Alex shakes her head fondly and rolls her eyes, hoping one of them will make a move. Sometime this decade would be preferable.

Lyra takes another chair and instead of taking it opposite Winn, she puts it right next to his so they have to squish in together. Winn, in an attempt to calm his nerves, writes down everyone's order and scurries up to the counter.

Chapter Text

By the time their food gets to their table, it's a bit less awkward because Winn is a little more relaxed. But only because Alex and Lena prompted him to go off on a nerdy tangent, arguing with them that having super strength would be way better than having heat vision. Complete with scientific details.

He's so focused on proving them wrong that he actually forgets for a second that he's sitting next to his crush. And the others can tell when he remembers, because his eyes get comically wide and he stutters over his words.

"You know, there's only one way of settling this." Alex says, saving Winn from stumbling through another sentence. "Pool."

"Oh Rao, no. Alex!" Kara groans. "You already know that you're good, and I don't know about Lena, but remember what happened last time Winn played pool?"

Alex snorts. "Hell yeah I do. That hole in the wall is still there."

"Then Maggie can play for me!" Winn suggests.

"Winn, I already know I can't beat Alex. And Lena over there's some child prodigy, I can't beat these nerds."

"But you won't put a hole in the wall." Alex chimes in, earning an exasperated look from Winn.

"True," Maggie concedes. "How did that even happen?"

"I um. I hit the ball with the cue stick and it went flying." Winn says shyly.

"The second time he tried to shoot he nearly hit me in the face with the cue ball." Alex adds.

"Almost." Winn points out.

"Only because Kara has superhuman reflexes." Alex says, pointing her finger at him.

"Babe." Maggie puts her hand on top of Alex's, lowering them to the table. "How about we all just play pool instead of bickering? Minus Winn, of course."

"Don't worry, Winn. I'll stay with you." Lyra says, a gleam in her eyes.

Winn gives Alex a pleading look, terrified about what might happen. Alex grins at him and subtly gives him thumbs up before she, Maggie, Kara, and Lena get up. Lena smirks at him as they head to the nearby pool table and Winn squeaks quietly in protest, suddenly finding himself away from his family and with his crush. He feels like a gazelle, watched by a gorgeous lioness that can't decide whether to eat him or make him hers.

"Do you think he'll ask her out finally?" Kara asks excitedly. "They would be so great together!"

"I think it's more likely that Lyra will ask Winn out." Alex says. "Winn isn't exactly known for his way with people he likes, though somehow he's managed to charm Lyra."

"It must run in the family." Lena teases, earning a protesting "hey!" from both Danvers sisters and a high five from Maggie.

"Have you ever played?" Alex asks Lena as Maggie begins setting up the table.

"No. But it's math and physics, so it can't be too hard." Lena shrugs.

Alex grins at her response, which was almost exactly what she said the first time she played pool. So this should be fun.

"How about we do teams?" Kara suggests. "I'll be with Lena, you be with Maggie."

Alex grins and nods. "May the best couple win. You guys are going down."

Lena raises an eyebrow at Alex's choice of words but shrugs it off.

Maggie takes her pool stick and gestures for someone else to go first, which ends up being Kara when both her sister and her girlfriend insist. She mutters under her breath, too softly for Lena to hear what she's saying.

"What is she saying?" She murmurs to Alex, keeping her voice quiet in an attempt not to distract Kara.

"She's doing some form of Kryptonian calculations with Kryptonian units." Alex explains quietly. "Kara has tried to explain it to me, to convert it into pounds or something, but it's more difficult than you would think. We still haven't managed to crack it."

"That's fascinating. Does she always do those calculations?"

"For something like this, yes. Also whenever she has to land, stuff like that. She used to have to do them for everything, calculating how much pressure to exert on the floor without cracking it, how tight she can hug us before it hurts. She does things like that automatically now."

"Wow." Lena breathes. "That must have been difficult. And she was grieving for the loss of her entire race. Gods, I never thought about how much of an adjustment that would be. Because she didn't have powers on Krypton, did she?"

"No she didn't." Kara says with a soft smile, walking over to join them.

Maggie, who's been listening to Alex and Lena's discussion as well, waits for them to finish talking before she makes a shot.

"Sorry darling, I didn't mean to talk about you behind your back like that." Lena apologizes.

"It's okay, Lee. You're curious." Kara says, wrapping an arm around Lena's waist. "Plus, babe. I have super hearing, remember?"

Lena smiles at her girlfriend and nods before returning her attention to the game. She studies Maggie's form as she leans over and hits the cue ball. She can feel Alex doing the same thing, but for different reasons than her. Lena does it to see how she should position herself when it's her turn. Alex, on the other hand, is just checking out her girlfriend as she bends over a pool table.

"I can go before you for this turn so you can see my stance." Alex offers.

"Thank you."

Lena observes Alex as well. Alex sinks a couple of balls for her and Maggie, then it's Lena's turn. She walks over to where the cue ball is and squints at the table, looking at possible trajectories to get the balls in the pockets. There's a few that are risky, with balls in the way or possible screw ups with bunching of the green fabric.

Lena gets into the position she saw Alex in, making minute arrangements to suit her own frame. She decides to take the easiest shot, then she can get used to the feel of the stick in her hands. To her surprise, she makes it in.

"She's already better than you." Lena hears Alex tease who she assumes is Maggie, since she's the only one so far that hasn't gotten a ball in (Kara did, but her second try she nearly slammed a hole right through the cue ball, which Lena prefers to think is because she took off her sweater to reveal her low cut top).

"Well we can't all be aliens and/or geniuses." Maggie grumbles good-naturedly.

Kara lets out a gasp as Lena is lining up her next shot, slightly riskier than last time. Lena straightens up and looks over, ready to fight someone. Kara's pointing over at Winn and Lyra, who are kissing. Lena wasn't expecting this so soon, Winn seemed rather nervous before.

Her answer comes when she looks at Winn closer. His arms flail awkwardly at his sides, kind of like Kara has done when Lena kisses her unexpectedly. Ah. So Lyra must have kissed him. That makes so much more sense.

Lena smiles softly, happy for Winn. She refocuses on pool to give them more privacy, though that doesn't really do much because they're in a public bar.

The game ends up being close, with Maggie and Alex barely winning. Lena isn't as frustrated or as mad at herself as she usually is when she loses. Maybe it's because she enjoys the happiness and surprise on her new friends' (can she call them that?) faces. Maybe it's because Kara gives her a "victory" kiss anyway.

Either way, when they all leave the bar (including a smirking Lyra and a flustered Winn), she's genuinely happy. That is, until Alex reminds her and Kara that they still have to talk to Cat Grant.

They both groan, wanting to just collapse into bed (even though they couldn't do that anyway, they still have to pack).

"But Alex..." Kara whines.

"No," Alex points at Kara. "Cat's doing this for you, remember? If she tells your story, she won't twist your words. Plus, she's doing a special edition for 'the Danvers sisters and their girlfriends.' So she's going to grill us too."

"That does make me feel better." Kara admits. "I know Miss Grant will be fair."

They walk the rest of the way back, not talking about the heavier subjects like the fact that Lena and Kara are leaving again tomorrow. Instead, they tease Alex about nearly losing for the first time in a while. They gently tease Winn and Lyra, while still making sure they both know they all support their blossoming relationship.

They go their separate ways when they get inside the Danvers castle. Lyra drags Winn toward the kitchen with the promise that she'll make his favorite dessert. Alex and Maggie head towards their room while Kara and Lena head toward where Kara knows Miss Grant prefers to meet them.

Cat greets them warmly, but the sharpness in her gaze does nothing to help with Lena's nervousness. They sit down and the interview begins, with two assistants scrambling to write word for word what everyone says.

Chapter Text

Lena and Kara take turns going through how they met and how they got together. And then, how the assassination attempt went. They mentioned everything they were willing to release to the media, just leaving out the crossbow.

It takes longer than they expected and after they finish explaining, Cat insists they take a short break. Which Kara appreciates, knowing that she knows how Kara gets hungry after a few hours. She and Lena head to the kitchen to get some food, saying a quick hello to Lyra and Winn.

When they rejoin Cat and her assistants, the assistants are complaining.

"My hand is so sore." The person with a buzz cut sighs.

"Same." The other, a pale shaggy haired guy, groans. "I don't understand why we have to transcribe this when Kara literally has super speed."

Cat is giving them a look that could melt sand into glass and they wither under her gaze.

"It wouldn't be fair." Kara explains, and the assistants look over in surprise. "If I transcribed everything, I mean. My girlfriend and I are the ones being interviewed, so if we say the wrong thing or something like that, I would have the ability to leave out words or sentences or alter the transcription. I mean, I wouldn't, but I would be able to. Get it?"

"Yes ma'am." The person with a buzz cut says, their cheeks flushes pink.

"No more complaining or you're fired, Geoff. Understand?" Cat threatens in her calm, deadly voice.

The man gulps and shifts uneasily in his chair, nodding frantically. "Yes Miss Grant."

She turns her attention back to Lena and Kara. "Now. Where were we? Ah yes. How would you describe your relationship?"

"Healthy," Lena replies immediately without hesitation. "It's the healthiest relationship I've ever been in, including familial and platonic relationships."

Kara smiles softly, her eyes sad as she remembers how Lena's described her relationships with others. She runs her thumb along Lena's knuckles in a motion she hopes is soothing.

"For me, I would describe it as... Open."

"How modern of you," Cat says with a smirk.

Kara flushes. "That's-that's not what I meant, Miss Grant. I meant that we're both open minded towards what the other is saying. I can tell her about Krypton and my birth family, or how annoying having powers can be, and she'll listen. Sometimes Lena will even offer to build something for me to remind me of Krypton, or asks me about Kryptonian science. Nerd." Kara says teasingly to Lena, looking at her with a fond expression.

"It's interesting!" Lena replies. "Kryptonians had science we'll only be able to dream of for centuries!"

Cat clears her throat, interrupting them from saying anything more. To anyone else, her expression may seem impassive, but Kara's been around her long enough to see the sparkle in her eyes.

"I know this is probably not a question you like, but I have to ask because readers will be interested." That's as close to an apologetic tone as Kara has ever heard from Cat. "How is your relationship affected by being a Super and a Luthor?"

They glance at each other. "Not too much, to be honest, if you're talking about the rivalry between Superman and Lex." Kara answers. "And if anything, it's strengthened our relationship. We both know what it's like to be compares to our family members."

Lena nods in agreement. "It does affect us in other ways, however. As you know, Kara has superpowers and wants to use them like her cousin does. That worries me, but I also know that the DEO and I will be by her side fighting."

"You can fight, Miss Luthor?" The man, Geoff, blurts out and flushes bright red when three pairs of eyes turn to him.

"Yes I can. I'm the best archer in the Luthor Kingdom and I'm fully trained in two martial arts styles." Lena replies cooly.

"How else does it affect your relationship?" Cat prompts after giving Geoff a stern glare that makes him flinch and shrink in on himself.

"I'm Queen of the Luthor Kingdom, and Kara's the Princess and next in line for the throne here. That means that after we take down Cadmus, we may have to have a long distance relationship."

"Luckily, I can fly really fast." Kara chimes in, making Lena smile softly. "And um, there are other worries too. I don't know how my cousin is going to react when he hears we're dating. I haven't told him, so he'll probably find out through the newspaper. Oops." Kara shrugs, giving a shy smile. "Plus, even though Lex is dead, her mother isn't. She's the one that helped drive Lex to insanity and she's just as much of a xenophobe, so I'm betting she won't be too happy about us either."

"Do you think she will send some people after you two?" Cat questions.

"Wouldn't be the first time." Lena scoffs.

Lena's lip twitches down for a moment in distaste. She glances over at Kara, who nods. They have permission from J'onn and Queen Eliza to mention that her mother is the head of Cadmus. That should turn public opinion even more against Cadmus. Pretty much everyone in the Danvers Kingdom hates Lillian.

"Can you elaborate on that?" Cat asks. "Or no?"

"My adoptive mother, Lillian, is the head of Cadmus. She's the one behind the assassination attempt on me, the attempt on Kara and Alex that forced her to come out as Kryptonian, and the attack on the alien bar."

"She attempted to assassinate her own daughter?" The other assistant asks, shocked. Cat doesn't even bother to scold them.

"She wasn't very happy when I banished her from the Luthor Kingdom." Lena explains.

"I think I have all I need." Cat says after a pause, to everyone's surprise. "You two still need to pack for tomorrow, I would assume. I'll be talking to the other Danvers sister and her girlfriend in the morning after you two leave. The special edition should be out in two days, but you probably won't be able to get one wherever you're going. I'll keep two copies waiting in Kara's room for when you get back. Now go on, shoo! You have an important secret mission to go on tomorrow." Cat waves them away and Kara hesitates.

"Miss Grant? I know you'll be working into the night on this article, and that you probably won't be awake when we leave because you'll fall asleep at your desk again-"

"Breathe, Kara." Cat urges her with a fond glint in her eyes.

"Sorry. Um. So I probably won't see you again until Lena and I get back. Is it okay if I hug you goodbye?" Kara asks, adjusting her glasses.

The assistants both look terrified for Kara, and are stupefied when Cat agrees.

"Of course, Kiera."

Kara smiles and pulls the shorter woman into a hug. The top of Cat's head barely reaches Kara's collar bones. "We both know that's not my name, Miss Grant."

Kara had been Cat's assistant before she got serious working alongside the DEO, and got closer to Cat than really almost anyone else. So she knows that Miss Grant is using the name she knows isn't Kara's to distance herself from Kara, and her worry about what could happen to her.

"I'll be fine, Miss Grant. I have an expert archer with me." Kara says as she pulls back.

Cat gives them a small smile. "Good luck Kara, Lena." She nods to them both. "Take care of each other, okay? Don't do anything stupid."

"We'll try not to." Lena says as Kara rejoins her, entwining their hands again.

After saying their goodbyes, Lena and Kara head back to Kara's room. To their surprise, Maggie and Alex are there.

"Uh. Hey." Kara greets.

"Hey, Little Danvers. Alex wanted to help you guys, so she decided that she would help you guys pack. I'm here for moral support and also to help."

"Mainly moral support, babe." Alex says as she comes out of Kara's walk-in closet. Maggie opens her mouth and Alex points her finger threateningly at her girlfriend. "Don't you dare make a joke about me coming out of the closet."

Maggie pouts at her girlfriend for a moment before turning back to Lena and Kara.

"We're almost done packing. You just have your toiletries and undergarments to pack, which Alex refused to even look into those drawers."

"I don't want to know what my sister wears under her clothes." Alex says, sitting on the bed next to Maggie.

"I'll give you a hint." Lena says. They all look at her and Kara blinks. Lena hasn't seen her without clothes on. "It's her supersuit."

Alex groans loudly while Maggie bursts out laughing, bending over and grasping at her stomach. What she finds hilarious is how rapidly Alex's expression went from disgust to surprise to exasperation. Kara giggles at her sister's expression too while Lena just smirks by her side.

Chapter Text

Maggie and Alex don't stay for long in Kara's bedroom, wanting to give her and Lena time to pack and sleep before they leave the next morning.

"You better not leave without at least waking us up." Alex says, leaning against the frame of the doorway. Maggie's waiting just behind her.

"You know I won't." Kara murmurs.

Alex sighs and tugs her sister closer to her, holding onto her hand. "I know. I just hate knowing you're going to be in danger."

"We'll be careful. Lena will watch my back and I'll watch hers." Kara promises. "We will have each other, so we won't do anything that would put us in too much danger. Okay?"

"That's only semi-reassuring." Alex sighs, running her unoccupied hand through her hair. "You're both pretty reckless. At the very least, be careful."

Kara nods and squeezes her sister's hand. "We will. And you can remind us of this in the morning too."

Alex nods and lets out a breath. "I just might. Maybe then you'll remember it." Kara smiles softly at her. "Finish packing before you fall asleep, you won't want to deal with all that in the morning." Alex cuts Kara off before she can reply to that. "Goodnight. I love you."

"Love you too." Kara says.

Alex hugs Kara, then heads across the hallway to her room (which has really become her and Maggie's room). Kara stands and watches as the doors close behind them, and without using her super hearing, she can hear Maggie's voice becoming soft and soothing, probably to reassure Alex about Kara's well-being. Kara hates that her sister gets so worried, that she causes Alex so much stress.

Lena gently places a hand on Kara's upper back. "Hey. Do you want to talk about it?" She asks quietly.

"Not really." Kara replies and then sighs. "I just... I don't like that Alex gets so worried about me. I hate that I cause her so much distress."

Lena hums in understanding and reaches down to tug at Kara's hand to indicate for her to turn around. Kara complies.

"That's part of having strong relationships." Lena pauses for a quick moment. "Your family has been teaching me that. It's normal to worry about someone, especially with the careers you and your sister have chosen. There's no way to stop her from worrying. All you can do is try not to give her more reasons to worry if you can."

Kara bites her lip before swiftly releasing it, cocking her head. "How?"

"You can't cut out the dangerous missions in your life, or the inherent dangers of being an alien, and a Super." Lena begins. "So what you can do, as your sister said, is be careful. Try not to rush into things without a plan. Stuff like that."

Kara nods and rests her hands on Lena's waist. "That's a good way of explaining it."

Lena smiles and drapes her arms over Kara's shoulders, knowing exactly what her girlfriend wants at the moment. "You know, we should probably pack before we do anything else."

"Or," Kara draws the word out. "We could take a quick break and kiss a little first."

Lena practically melts in Kara's arms. "Darling, you know we will lose track of time. We should pack first. And change."

Kara sighs but nods, knowing that Lena's right. "Just one quick kiss?" She asks with wide eyes, giving Lena her famous pout with her 'puppy dog eyes' as Lucy calls it.

They work faster than usual on Lena and she nods, leaning in. Their lips brush gently before Kara closes the small distance between them. Lena hums happily and as she suspected, gets lost in the kiss. She reaches up to tangle her fingers in Kara's hair to pull her closer.

While Kara's Kryptonian abilities allow her to go without much oxygen for a longer period of time, Lena's still only human. She ends up pulling back from the kiss, gasping quietly for breath. Her forehead is pressed against Kara's and she keeps her eyes closed as she catches her breath. When she opens them, she almost wishes she didn't. Kara's eyes are so expressive, so beautiful. She looks at Lena like she hung the stars in the sky for her. Like Lena's her whole world.

It makes Lena really want to just give in and lean in and kiss her again. But they have things to do, and the Luthors instilled in her iron self control. It just isn't as strong against the Girl of Steel.

Lena sighs and gives Kara one last quick peck. "We have to pack."

Kara groans but doesn't disagree. They pull apart reluctantly and efficiently make their way around Kara's room, picking up what they need and putting them into the bags that Alex has already packed for them. It doesn't take them too long, luckily. They change into their sleep clothes and get into bed, Kara using her strong breath to carefully blow out the candles from the bed.

Lena yawns and Kara looks at her with a fond expression as her girlfriend cuddles up to her. Lena lies on her side while Kara lies on her back. Lena rests her head on Kara's shoulder and drapes her arm over Kara's stomach. Kara kisses Lena's forehead, grinning when her girlfriend responds by snuggling up closer to her.

"Goodnight." Lena murmurs.

"Goodnight."

***

To their surprise, Lena and Kara wake up to the smell of breakfast. It's warm and sitting on the table. That would be alarming, because the person sneaking in wasn't heard by Kara. But she can see a hastily scribbled note with familiar writing from where she is still lying down with Lena, who's now half on top of her.

"Who brought us breakfast?" Lena mumbles, blinking tiredly. Kara thinks she looks gorgeous.

"Alex and Maggie, I recognize Alex's handwriting on the note." Kara says.

"Hmm. Remind me to thank them later." Lena says, rolling over off of Kara so she can sit up and stretch.

They eat breakfast quickly and then Lena makes sure that they have everything, going through a mental checklist and checking with Kara to ensure she has everything as well. They change into their clothes and Kara pouts when she sees what her girlfriend is wearing.

"You're wearing your armor. Does that mean I can wear my supersuit?" Kara asks.

Lena smiles softly and walks so she's in front of Kara. "We'll have to see what Winn whipped up. If it can cover your suit, then yes." Kara pouts harder and Lena can't resist giving her a quick kiss before explaining. "My armor is a muted color, it'll blend right in to the forest, which is what we want. Your supersuit, while very charming, is mainly blue and red. That stands out in a forest. Okay?"

Kara nods. "Okay. So... It's okay that I have my supersuit in my bag?"

"Darling, it was on the checklist. Of course it is." Lena answers, her tone thick with amusement and adoration.

"Right," Kara says, blushing.

Lena takes Kara's hand, mentally going over everything again. She puts on her backpack, which is not as heavy as she feared. It must be the good padding. According to Kara's ramblings last night, it's a design that Alex created for people going on long trips and for knights. It's designed in such a way that it evenly distributed the weight over her shoulders and is padded using a polymer that Lena's never seen before.

"Ready?" Lena asks.

"Yeah. Lets do this." Kara smiles at her, squeezing her hand.

The guards they pass all nod to them, some speaking up to wish them a safe trip. While they may not know what exactly Lena and Kara are doing in their mission, J'onn has said it was okay for people to know that they'll be gone on a mission.

Kara and Lena aren't surprised when they see a gathering of people just outside the castle's main doors. What Lena is surprised by is how despite the fact they're all from and loyal to the Danvers Kingdom, they greet her warmly and wish her good luck. She recognizes a few of them from the DEO and from in the halls, but the main people she expected to see aren't here.

Kara, sensing her confusion after they say their goodbyes to the last person, explains. "They're all in the DEO with Winn."

Lena nods and walks alongside her girlfriend toward the DEO. They open the doors to see that they are all here, aside from Winn and Vasquez. He runs into the room with Vasquez trailing behind him a second after Lena and Kara do, both looking frazzled but proud.

"They're done!" He exclaims. He hands the finished disguises over to Lena and Kara. "This material is super light but also should slow down any projectiles if you're ever shot at, gods forbid, so it's a good layer of protection too. Vasquez had the idea of making it kind of tie together, like a bath robe. You can still keep it in place and cover what you have underneath, but it's easy to pull apart. Also, it's painted with a special thing I've been working on in my spare time for a couple of years. When you put it on, it'll recognize your body heat and the colors of the area surrounding you. So it can kind of camouflage you by itself. It's obviously made with alien tech, but cool right?" Winn asks, grinning despite the exhaustion in his eyes.

He and Vasquez didn't sleep at all last night, working through the night (after he said goodnight to Lyra, he joined them in working) to finish it. Vasquez holds up their hand and he high fives them.

Chapter Text

"That is cool," Lena admits. "Perhaps if we have time when I come back you and Vasquez can talk to me about the science behind it."

Winn gasps excitedly, his eyes sparkling. "That would be awesome! I love that I have a new nerd friend aside from Maggie and Alex! You don't seem like you'll punch me like they do."

"You love it, nerd." Maggie says, lightly punching Winn's shoulder playfully, her dimples on display as she smiles.

Winn just grins at her but doesn't answer. He turns back to Lena and Kara and hands them the cloaks. He and Vasquez beam proudly as they take off their backpacks to put them on first. As soon as they're on, the cloaks turn a mixture of gray and black, the exact colors of the floor and walls around them.

Lena raises her eyebrows and studies the material, fascinated. Kara's hand on hers snaps her out of her daze. She smiles at her girlfriend, then refocuses on the people around them, who luckily look more amused by her curiosity than anything. Vasquez steps forward first to say goodbye.

"It's been nice to have you around, ma'am, even if we haven't met officially." Vasquez says politely, sticking out their hand.

Lena smiles and shakes their hand. "Thank you. Maybe when we get back we can talk more."

Vasquez's smile grows. "I would like that. Um. I have a lot of work to finish up. Is it alright if I hug you before I go?"

Lena nods and the hug is brief but not stifling or unpleasant, which is more than she can say about most physical "affection" she has received in her life. Vasquez hugs Kara next and murmurs something to her that makes her beam.

Vasquez squeezes Kara's arm before leaving, and then it's Winn's turn. His lower lip is wobbling and his eyes are shiny. Lena ignores the tears that streak down his face when he hugs Kara.

"Be careful, okay? The world needs you. We need you." He mumbles to her, but they're so close to Lena that she can hear him perfectly. "Both of you."

Lena's so surprised by his addition that she would startle if she weren't frozen with shock. He's worried about her. Kara's adoptive brother is worried about Kara and her. Not just Kara. It's almost baffling, for these people who she hasn't even known a week to care so strongly about her... She mentally shakes it out, not wanting to get caught in a spiral of guilt and self-hatred.

Winn also asks Lena's permission to hug her, which she appreciates to no end. She doesn't particularly like hugging many people, mainly because she doesn't like feeling trapped and hugs always seem to be given to Lena by people who want something from her. But these people, Kara's family, who have welcomed her into their group without much protest despite her last name... So no, Lena doesn't mind hugging them. She feels safety in the hugs instead of the threats or other motives.

Winn hugs her and promises to talk to her more about each other's work later. He scurries off to the side after that, attempting to discretely wipe the tears off of his face. It doesn't work and Maggie subtly hands him a tissue.

J'onn approaches them next and he goes to Lena first. She straightens her posture and looks into his eyes, refusing to appear intimidated. J'onn's lips twitch up for a millisecond, almost too quickly to see, then stay flat.

"Take care of her, Miss Luthor." He says in his gruff, almost fatherly voice. He doesn't spit out her last name like it's poison on his tongue.

"I will," Lena promises seriously. She would protect Kara with her life.

J'onn's face gentles and he smiles at her like he's heard her thoughts. Wait, he's a Martian so he might have. Lena tries not to panic at the thought. She's not comfortable with anyone looking through her mind. Especially her girlfriend's space dad.

J'onn places a hand on her shoulder. "I know. Stay safe."

Lena tries to keep the surprise off of her face as he squeezes her shoulder. It's not a tight squeeze, like her mother has done to intimidate her or keep her in line. J'onn moves into Kara and she flings herself at him, hugging him tightly. His expression gentles further, as if he were looking at his own daughter. He hugs her back until Kara lets go, grinning at something J'onn whispered to her.

James and Lucy are next. James gives Lena a mistrustful look but shakes her hand nonetheless. He drops it as soon as he can and uses a tight grip. This is the intimidation Lena's used to. After so many years of that, she's no longer affected by it. She squeezes back just as hard, noting the almost impressed look in his eyes.

As James moves on to hug Kara, Lucy gives Lena a hug after asking permission to. She pulls back and gives her an apologetic look.

"I'll talk to him while you're gone. I can't promise he will be any more friendly, but I'll try." Lucy promises in a low voice.

"Thank you. I appreciate that." Lena says. "I don't blame him for not trusting me. He saw first-hand what Lex's madness did."

Lucy smiles softly at her. "So did I. He's just being stubborn and overprotective. We'll work on it. If he won't listen to me, I'll bring in Alex and Maggie to knock some sense into him. Literally." She winks and seems delighted when Lena chuckles. "Don't doubt that I could kick his ass too, though."

"I don't. Good luck with that, Major." Lena says.

"I'll need it," Lucy sighs. "Stay safe, Lena. Or as safe as you can be."

Lena nods and Lucy moves on to practically tackle a laughing Kara with a hug.

Queen Eliza and Jeremiah come next, heading to Lena first while Kara and Lucy hug and talk. She sticks out her hand and is surprised when Jeremiah's hand gently lowers it.

"Is it alright if we hug you as well, Lena?" He asks.

Lena nods, not trusting her voice at the moment. Jeremiah hugs her, keeping it short and the pressure exerted on her low. Eliza is next and hugs her a little bit tighter but also keeps it short.

"Take care of her, okay?" Eliza says when she pulls back, taking Lena's hands in hers to get her seriousness across. "And yourself. We need the both of you."

Lena nods seriously and Eliza smiles at her, squeezing her hands once before releasing them and heading over to her daughter to hug her.

Maggie and Alex come over to Lena.

"Don't do anything stupid, okay?" Maggie says.

"No promises."

Alex rolls her eyes then her gaze falls down at Lena's clothes.

"Eyes up, babe." Maggie reminds her, sounding more amused than anything.

Alex flushes scarlet. "Pfft. That wasn't what I was doing, you just have a dirty mind. I was looking at the fabric and Lena's armor."

"Sure you were." Maggie teases, poking Alex's side and making her giggle at the touch.

"Stop that," Alex half heartedly bats away her girlfriend's finger. "No, really the cloak is really cool. So is your armor, by the way."

"Thank you, I made it myself." Lena says proudly.

"Really? What did you use? I haven't seen anything like it before. Can I touch it it?"

"Yeah get it, babe." Maggie says teasingly, keeping her voice low enough so Alex's parents won't hear her.

Alex gets even redder and sputters for a good couple of seconds before responding. "You know that's not what I meant! I mean like the sleeve or something."

"I don't mind." Lena says.

She pulls up the sleeve of the cloak and it shimmers, the colors moving slightly as the fabric shifts. The armor she wears has a hole for her thumb to keep it in place, so the sleeves are a pretty good way to get a feel for the fabric.

Alex runs her fingers along it back and forth a couple of times, feeling the grooves and holes that Lena added for breathability, flexibility, and protection.

"We'll have to talk about it sometime. Between the polymer you use for your armor and the one I use for mine, we can make extraordinary armor." Alex says.

"I would like that," Lena admits.

Alex smiles. "Is it okay for us to hug you too?"

"Sure."

"Group hug!" Kara says excitedly, drawing her sister and Maggie into a hug with her and Lena.

Alex doesn't even try to fight it and awkwardly pats Lena's back, to Lena and Maggie's amusement. Kara watches them all happily, ecstatic that three of the most important people in her life get along well. When they all pull apart, the others are watching them in amusement.

Kara picks up their backpacks and hands Lena's to her before getting one last hug from Alex.

"Be careful. You hear me? Both of you." Alex murmurs, but once again Lena can hear her.

"We will," Kara promises. "Love you."

"Love you too." Alex wipes underneath her eye and smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes.

Kara takes Lena's hand and they say one last goodbye to everyone before heading out the door.

Chapter Text

While Kara and Lena do have to go to the forest, in order to get there they first have to go through National City. Which means a lot of the citizens of the Danvers Kingdom see them as they walk from the castle towards the main entrance/exit into National City. They have to take off their cloaks, or the knowledge of their existence could put them in danger. They help each other put them in their backpacks near the castle before continuing on.

Some citizens stare as they walk past, probably having heard about the fact that they're dating. Some sneer at Lena, like they think she's corrupting Kara but are too cowardly to say anything about it. Kara frowns when she sees those people and reaches out to offer to take Lena's hand after she sees a few.

Lena is more than happy to hold her girlfriend's hand, it makes her feel like Kara doesn't care about who knows and that she's proud to be Lena Luthor's girlfriend. Lena, of course, knows that she is but this action to prove it means more than she could explain. Whenever she had girlfriends, after Lex they never wanted to be seen in public with her. And before Lex, they used her as a show of social status, a bragging right instead of a true relationship.

So Kara and her approach to their relationship is vastly different than what she's used to. She's not used to feeling so... Respected in cared for by a partner. It's refreshing.

No one has approached them in the street, which Lena is grateful for. She doesn't care if it's because of cowardice, fear, or just not caring. It's almost peaceful. That is, until someone approaches them.

"Kara Danvers." The young man says, completely ignoring Lena's presence at first. "When I heard the news, I was shocked. I mean, you? Hanging out with a Luthor? Let alone dating one?" He looks over at Lena for the first time, eyeing her with disgust. "What kind of mind control have you placed on her?"

"None," Lena replies simply.

"Sure," he says skeptically before turning back to her girlfriend with a concerned look. "Kara, dear. If you're still in there, give me a sign."

"I'm still me, Ty." She says.

Ty tsks and shakes his head. "I have to admit, this is all very convincing. But Kara, the real Kara, she's an alien. That's common knowledge now. And you, Luthor." He points at her. "Your brother is a xenophobic mass murderer. You could easily follow in his footsteps. So the real Kara would kill you before you became a threat to her family and her people."

Kara scrunches up her brows. "What? No I wouldn't. She's been judged by who her family is, which is something I know a lot about. Lena's nothing like her brother."

Ty just hums, looking at Kara sympathetically while Kara gives her girlfriend an exasperated look.

"Sorry about him, I don't know what's gotten into him." Kara apologizes.

"What's gotten into me is the fact that a Luthor, you know, our worst enemy? Is on Danvers territory and not immediately kil-"

"I'm going to cut you off right there." Kara says, placing her finger to his lips to make certain he stops talking. "I can pretend not to hear you foolishly talk about taking my girlfriend's life once, but I can't ignore it twice. You do know she's a Queen, right?"

"Queen of the Luthor Kingdom," he scowls at her.

"Yes. So a Queen. Which means you even speaking about wishing she's dead is treason. As in conspiracy to murder a monarch. Which means jail time, and a lot of it." Kara says harshly then softens slightly. "Look, Ty. I know you're trying to look out for me in your own weird way, but I'm okay. I'm fine, I'm happy. Alright?" Ty nods but doesn't seem fully convinced. "I want you to go home and reflect on everything, okay? And read the article CatCo is about to put out about Lena and me. It'll explain a lot more."

"Alright." He says, seeming deflated. "I will. Sorry, Kara."

"It's alright." Kara pats his shoulder. "Think about it."

Ty nods before running off, leaving Kara and Lena standing in the middle of the street. Kara squeezes Lena's hand gently. They begin walking again and Kara begins speaking.

"Sorry about him. He's pretty protective. He and his little sister were the only ones in his family to escape slave labor on their planet. Alex and I, a while ago we set up a place for orphans like them, and people forced to come here or that just need help with being on Earth. We set them up with a place that really helped them a lot with dealing with everything. He updates us at least once a month about how he and his sister are doing. They kind of see us as extended family, in a way. In their culture, someone who helps and sticks around, or something along those lines, is considered family. So yeah, he's protective."

"You're so good, Kara Danvers." Lena murmurs affectionately.

She was tempted to use Kara's last name on Krypton but decided against it. Even though Kara's out as an alien and as a Super, Lena doesn't know if Kara has revealed to the world what her Kryptonian last name is.

Kara blushes and ducks her head shyly. They continue walking, this time without any interruptions. Lena can still feel eyes on them, on her, but she doesn't mind. She has Kara by her side.

The guards at the front gate salute them and allow them to pass. They walk down the paved main road side by side, hand in hand. Both Lena and Kara memorized the map of roads. From ones with enough use to be paved, to those old enough to nearly be entirely reclaimed by Mother Nature. They both consult their mental maps as they go, checking in with each other to make certain they're both on the same page and know where they are.

Lena and Kara put on their cloaks again once they're off the major roads and have been for a while. The one they're on is made up entirely of brown-red dirt and stones. The cloaks turn a mixture of the color of the dirt and the green colors of the leaves and the brown of the trees. It's interesting to see the colors shift slightly as they walk, causing the cloak to move. They keep the edges together to cover up what they're wearing underneath in an attempt to blend in more.

"It's beautiful here." Kara murmurs. "I love the forest."

Lena hums and smiles softly, squeezing Kara's hand. "It is. Wait until we get to where the castle and old buildings are."

"When will that be?" Kara asks excitedly.

"Two days," Lena answers. She laughs at her girlfriend's pout.

"It would go so much faster if I could just fly." Kara says, giving her girlfriend a hopefully look.

Lena chuckles and pulls Kara to a stop. "That's why I'm here, darling. To make sure you don't just take off and put yourself in unnecessary danger. We talked about this, love."

Kara softens at the sweet nicknames and raises Lena's hand up to her lips to kiss gently. "I know. That doesn't mean I like it."

"I don't really either." Lena admits. "There's a possibility I will get to see my lovely mother again soon. We're headed towards the danger, knowingly and willingly in order to gather information. Towards the enemy, which could have special weapons to use against you." She purses her lips and Kara squeezes her hand again.

"We have each other's backs. We'll be okay, Lee." She says, sounding confident. "We have to be careful and I know we will because we're traveling with each other. I wouldn't risk losing you, just like you wouldn't risk losing me. We'll be careful." Kara repeats.

Lena nods and closes her eyes, letting the comforting words of her girlfriend wash over her. She allows herself to calm down, to believe that they'll make it out of this. She opens them to see Kara facing her with a loving expression that she would tease pretty much anyone else for being disgustingly deep in love.

Lena feels a blush creep up her cheeks and forces herself to keep eye contact with her girlfriend. Kara's smile grows until it's nearly blinding in it's brilliance and leans in to press a swift kiss to Lena's lips, then one to her cheek.

Lena's eyelids flutter and she gives Kara a questioning look. "What was that for?"

"You're just really cute, Lee." Kara murmurs, swinging their arms gently side to side between them.

Lena grins and flushes further. "If you keep doing this, we're never going to get anywhere, love."

"Why not?" Kara asks innocently.

"Because you're adorable and it's really hard to not kiss you right now."

Kara's smile widens and her cheeks go slightly pink as she leans in and captures Lena's lips in hers.

Chapter Text

Instead of getting out her worries on a training dummy or some poor DEO recruit, Alex instead focuses intently on the crossbow. And Maggie, being the amazing girlfriend she is, has stubbornly decided to stay by her side, even when Alex told her it would probably be extremely boring to her.

Maggie's response had been. "Danvers, you're always either too sexy or too adorable to be boring. And seeing you nerd out over a weapon is both." Complete with a wink, which ended Alex's protests and worries about Maggie getting bored.

So far, it has been three hours and Maggie's been staring at Alex as she works. It's distracting in the best way. By that, Alex means that she can only hold out for so long before she walks around the table between them and kisses Maggie deeply. Pulling away from her and getting back to work on the crossbow gets harder every time.

That is, until she gets a breakthrough. Alex's eyes light up and she doesn't look up as she speaks. "Can you get me the tiny screwdriver?"

Maggie sets three different screwdrivers in front of her, all with tiny end bits. "You weren't very specific, so here's all of them."

Alex grins up at her and leans over so she can get a quick kiss for motivation to finish quickly. She turns back to her work, swiftly sketching out the crossbow, where she has been noting and labeling each part and where she pulls it out of. As Alex breaks it down even further, she draws specific larger pieces on other pieces of paper as well.

Maggie watches her fondly as Alex grins victoriously when the crossbow is all in different pieces.

"This is what it takes to make a crossbow." Alex remarks.

"Great job, babe." Maggie says, kissing Alex's cheek. "So... Now what?"

"Now I take measurements of every piece and make molds. I'll have to figure out the composition of the metal as well..." Alex muses.

"Of... Every piece?" Maggie questions, her eyes wide.

"Yeah? Why?" Alex asks, confused.

"Babe." Maggie says. She gestures to the large table completely covered in pieces of crossbow, from small screws to the hunk of wood everything was put into. "There are hundreds of pieces here! Who's all going to do this?"

"... Me?" Alex answers, sounding confused.

"Alex, honey." Maggie places a hand on her shoulder and looks into her eyes. "That'll take months! We will probably attack or be attacked by the time you finish."

"You know I'm a perfectionist," Alex says. "I don't want a team working on this, I would just check over their work constantly."

"I know. Then at least let me help." Maggie offers.

Alex purses her lips. "It's not that I don't trust you, babe but... Do you even know how to use a caliper?" She gestures to the tool in her hand.

"So that's what that's called, I always wondered. But yeah, of course I do. I was one of the only ones who knew how to in one of my platoons, let alone the entire company. So they sent me out to investigate claims about friendly fire and stuff like that." Maggie says.

"The Danvers army has unique swords and arrows." Alex nods in understanding.

"Yeah, that made it pretty easy." Maggie nods. "Sometimes I could tell just by looking at it if it was the result of another Danvers soldier or not, but the superiors always liked precise measurements to prove my findings."

"So you do know how to use a caliper." Alex concludes, making Maggie grin.

"Yes, yes I do." She confirms. "So can I help? I'll even let you go over my first couple of findings so you can make sure I know what I'm doing. That way you don't have to go behind my back to do that."

"Pfft. I wasn't going to do that anyway." Alex scoffs, and deflates at her girlfriend's knowing look. "Okay, I was. These measurements just need to be perfect. If they're not, we might make crossbows that don't work right."

Maggie nods understandingly. "Then let's get to work."

Alex grins and rifles through a nearby toolbox, pulling out another caliper and handing it to Maggie. She sits back down and start working. They agree to draw out the pieces with the labels Alex put on her previous drawings, and to indicate exactly what was measured.

***

After they finish (in other words, when Maggie physically drags Alex away until she complies), they eat a late dinner and head back to Alex's room.

Actually, Alex has been thinking about that recently. About it being called just "Alex's" room. Because now it's not, it's hers and Maggie's. She can't remember the last time Maggie slept in the room that the DEO had provided for her. So maybe... Maybe it's time to make it official. Gods, that makes Alex nervous. She's certain Maggie won't laugh in her face or anything like that, but the nerves... They make her wonder if they're ready for that.

Maggie holds the door to Alex's (their) room for her, smiling with those dimples that make Alex melt and the worries, though still present, get pushed to the dark recesses of Alex's mind.

Alex pauses in just inside, facing Maggie, who looks at her with a confused expression. Well. It's now or never. Woman up, Alex. She tells herself. Maggie closes the door and steps close to Alex.

"Um. So." Alex begins nervously. Maggie raises her eyebrows and gives Alex a comforting, encouraging smile. "Move in with me?"

Maggie's mouth goes slack with surprise, her eyes wide as she stares at her girlfriend.

Alex's nerves come back full-force, and she starts to ramble. "Um. I don't want to pressure you or anything, it's just a suggestion. I don't want to make you uncomfortable. I just love you and you pretty much live here anyways and-"

Maggie cuts her off with a quick, searing kiss that makes all of Alex's mental facilities shut down briefly. She blinks at Maggie, waiting for her to speak.

"So... You love me." Maggie says slowly.

"Um. Yeah?"

Maggie's face softens and she pulls Alex closer to her. "I love you too, Alex."

Her saying that means so much more to Alex because Maggie said her name, not Danvers. Her face breaks out into a brilliant smile.

"You love me." Alex states, smiling dopily but not finding it in herself to care.

"Yes, you absolute nerd, I do." Maggie confirms, her dimples showing more than Alex had ever seen. "And yes, I'll move in with you. I practically live here anyway."

"Because you love me." Alex repeats, looking completely awestruck.

Maggie's not used to being looked at like she's a goddess but she has a feeling she could get used to it. Forever, perhaps. But that's far in the future. Isn't it? Maybe not with their lives but it's not soon.

"Yeah, Allie. I love you." Maggie repeats and it feels so good to finally be able to say that to her girlfriend after those three word have been stick in her throat for so long.

Alex melts at the nickname she has only ever allowed Maggie to use. Alex holds out her hands and Maggie reaches up to entwine their fingers, not breaking eye contact. She gently pulls Maggie close, until their breaths intermix. Or they would, if Alex wasn't a solid two and a half inches taller than her girlfriend.

Alex giggles, a beautiful sound that Maggie wants to hear again and again, when Maggie gets up on her tip-toes in order to have her lips be level with Alex's (usually it's Alex that bends down). Alex takes pity on her and leans down to capture her lips.

Maggie hums happily and lets go of Alex hands so she can reach up and cup Alex's jaw with one hand, and tangle her fingers in her hair with the other. Alex seems to get a similar idea, gently resting her hands on Maggie's waist, drawing her closer until there's practically no space between them.

When they pull back for breath, Alex's lips trail down Maggie's jawline and down to her neck. Maggie lets out a gasp and her hand that's still in Alex hair flexes automatically. She can feel Alex's moan vibrating against her neck and it takes all of Maggie's willpower to pull away, panting hard. She rests her forehead against Alex's and attempts to catch her breath.

"Did I move too fast? Am I making you uncomfortable?" Alex starts panicking until Maggie presses a sweet peck to her lips.

"I just want to make certain that you're sure. I don't want you to feel obligated to do this because we just said 'I love you' for the first time and moved in together. No obligations, babe. And I want to make sure this isn't going to be a distraction from worrying about your sister. I don't want our first time to be like that." Maggie explains.

Alex nods in understanding. "I hear you, Mags. I've been ready for about a week, I've just been waiting for the right time. And that time feels like now. As long as you consent, of course. And I would never use you as a distraction, babe. Besides, just seeing your beautiful face is distracting enough for me." Alex jokes, winking at Maggie, who shakes her head with a grin. "So I'm good. What about you, Maggie?"

"Me?" Maggie asks, surprised.

While she has always been about consent and checking in, the girls she has been with have never really done the same for her. Besides, if they were doing anything that Maggie didn't like, she knows how to assert herself. She's just... Never been given the same courtesy she's given other women.

"Yeah you, dork." Alex says with a small smile. "The same goes for you, okay? There are no obligations or pressures. Even though I'm ready, that doesn't mean you're ready."

Before Alex can ramble on or ask about her, Maggie tugs her forward and kisses her deeply, pulling back only when Alex is thoroughly dazed.

"Thank you, Allie." Maggie breathes out.

Alex looks confused as to why she's being thanked, which makes Maggie love her even more. Maggie draws her close and kisses her again.

Chapter Text

When Alex stirs the next morning, she can feel a familiar weight pressing down on her left side. She blinks open her eyes and looks over to see Maggie, lying on her stomach and half on top of Alex. Maggie's hair is all over, on Alex's chest and draped over Maggie's face.

Alex lifts her right hand, not wanting to disturb Maggie by moving her left. She carefully moves the strands of hair in Maggie's face behind her ear. Maggie hums in her sleep at the gently touch, snuggling closer and nuzzling her head slowly against Alex's shoulder before getting back to a deeper sleep.

Alex chuckles at Maggie's movements and watches her girlfriend with a soft expression. She startles a bit when she hears a soft snore coming from Maggie's mouth, which she has never heard before. Alex finds it adorable. She wonders if Maggie's snoring because they slept together last night.

Alex leans back and closes her eyes, letting her mind wander back to what happened with them last night. A dopey grin lights up her face but once again, she doesn't care. She opens her eyes and looks at Maggie again, watching how her body moves as she sleeps. She resists the urge to run her hand up and down Maggie's bare back and settles in to wait for her to wake up. It doesn't take as Alex expected.

Maggie takes a deep breath and her nose scrunches up, like she's not happy about the fact that she's waking up. She tiredly stretches out her limbs and then forces her eyes open. It takes them a moment to focus, and when they do, she immediately looks up at Alex's face.

Her face lights up in a sleepy smile that show off her cute dimples. "Morning." Maggie mumbles in greeting.

"Good morning." Alex murmurs, tracing Maggie's spine gently with her fingers now that she's awake.

Maggie shivers at her touch and presses her lips to the nearest expanse of skin, which just happens to be Alex's neck. Alex's breath hitches and she doesn't know if her girlfriend did that on purpose or not. She turns her head so that Maggie has easier access to her lips, which Maggie takes advantage of almost instantly.

She scoots up a little and kisses Alex. Alex melts into it, gently cupping Maggie's face to bring her closer. Maggie ends up practically sitting on top of Alex's lap. Alex can feel how her heart begins to pound in her chest again.

"This position seems familiar." Maggie murmurs against Alex's lips and Alex blushes as she remembers exactly what her girlfriend is referring to.

They continue making out, with Alex eventually sitting up to be able to kiss Maggie better.

It's Alex that pulls back much later before it can go any further than just making out.

"Is something wrong?" Maggie asks worriedly.

"No, no. We're good." Alex assures her. "We just have a lot of work left to do. And if we don't pause this, I don't think we'll leave bed all day."

Maggie hums, a tiny smirk playing on her lips as she gives Alex a quick peck. "And what's wrong with staying in bed all day?"

"Absolutely nothing." Alex breathes out. "Except that we will have a lot more work to do tomorrow."

Maggie lets her head drop against Alex's chest and groans. "Ugh. Why don't we bring in the nerd twins to help?"

"The nerd twins?" Alex questions.

"Vasquez and Winn." Maggie says, lifting her head to look at her girlfriend as she says that.

Alex stares at her for a second before bursting out laughing. "I am definitely telling them you called them that."

Maggie groans. "Allie..." She earns a kiss for that nickname and a smile spreads across her face. "You know, now that I think about it, they aren't the nerd twins." Alex hums, encouraging her to continue. "With you, you're the nerd triplets."

Alex lets out a faux affronted gasp and uses her newfound knowledge of Maggie's body to tickle her. Maggie squeaks in surprise and giggles, squirming in Alex's lap in an attempt to get away. When Alex stops, they're both beaming and breathing hard.

"You know..." Maggie says conversationally. "When I think about us being sweaty and panting in the bed, I don't think about it being because you tickled me."

Alex flushes deep red and Maggie laughs at her response, leaning in to kiss one burning cheek.

"Come on, Allie. We have work to do." She kisses Alex's lips again swiftly before getting out of bed and padding over to the bathroom.

Alex watches her go, her mouth dry. She's still not used to seeing Maggie naked. Which makes sense because the first time she saw her naked was last night. But Alex feels like she will never quite get used to it. She doesn't want to. She cuts off her thoughts before she starts planning their wedding or something like that and follows Maggie into the bathroom.

Alex wraps her arms around her girlfriend's waist from behind as Maggie brushes her teeth (she always complains she has morning breath, even though Alex never minds). Maggie hums in response, unable to give her a smile because of the toothbrush in her mouth, but Alex can see it in her eyes. Alex leans down to kiss her shoulder.

Maggie spits out the toothpaste and rinses her mouth with a cup of water before turning around to face Alex.

"I think that was a good idea." Alex says.

"Which one?" Maggie asks, placing her hands on Alex's hips. "The sex, Vasquez and Winn... You have to elaborate, babe."

Alex sputters, her cheeks pink again. "Vasquez and Winn. Why would I mean the sex?"

"Because of my suggestion for us to-"

Alex places her hand over Maggie's mouth, her cheeks even redder than before. Maggie sticks out her tongue and Alex just raises an unimpressed eyebrow, not disgusted by her girlfriend's saliva. After a couple more seconds, Alex pulls back her hand.

"Me licking your hand doesn't bother you now that my tongue has been inside you now, huh?" Maggie asks, grinning widely.

Alex's face gets even redder, which Maggie didn't think was possible. "Maggie!"

Maggie laughs and leans in to kiss Alex again. "I meant in your mouth."

Alex gives her a disbelieving look. "Sure you did. Now come on, we need to finish up."

Maggie nods. They go through their morning routine, and the only that's different is that they change in front of each other. Despite the amount of times they get distracted with kissing, that isn't unusual for them.

They make their way to the kitchen before the DEO to grab a quick breakfast they can eat while they work. Alex's stomach grumbles on their way to the DEO as they carry their trays of food.

"Wow, you really are hungry. Are you sure you're not Kryptonian too?" Maggie teases, gently nudging Alex with her elbow.

"I'm sure. I just have a girlfriend that really gave me a workout last night."

Now it's Maggie's turn to blush but she can't help how she's proud that Alex can talk about that outside of the bedroom. Luckily, there aren't any guards patrolling where they are, so there's little to no chance of being overheard.

They head to Alex's lab and Alex sends one of the agents she sees nearby to bring Winn and Vasquez to them. The agent nods and walks off.

Maggie and Alex eat while they wait, going over what they've accomplished so far and what still needs to be done.

"Hey, Alex. Maggie. What's up?" Winn asks as he and Vasquez walk into the lab. "Ooh, are you working on the crossbow? Do you need any help?"

"If you would like go, you can. That's actually why we wanted you two to come here." Alex begins, turning around on the stool to focus her attention on them. "Maggie and I are plotting out all of the pieces of the existing crossbow. If you want, you two can work on possible upgrades to make it better."

"I would be happy to help, Ma'ams." Vasquez says.

"Thank you. Winn?" Maggie asks.

"Do you even have to ask? Yeah, I'm in!"

"Okay. So here's what we have so far..."

***

Kara and Lena have made better progress than they projected. This whole thing may get done quicker than they thought, but Lena isn't quite so optimistic. Her mother is a tricky person, and she doesn't want to jinx the good luck they have had so far.

The night before, they ended up sleeping on the ground in a single sleeping bag. Kara worried about Lena, and how she may not be used to "roughing it" like this. When she asked, Lena reminded her of how her mother often sent her on scouting missions, many of which she did not have room to carry a sleeping bag.

The next morning, Kara makes a quick breakfast with her heat vision, which Lena is more than grateful for. Without it, they would have to build fires. The smoke could have attracted some of Lillian's lackeys.

Chapter Text

Lena's pleased by how far they've made it in such a short amount of time. She had thought they would be much slower. Though she isn't surprised when she thinks about it more. Lena has a high stamina from her training and from her time scouting this kind of place. And Kara, Kara's Kryptonian. Nearly endless supplies of energy, like a humanoid solar panel, and superspeed means that Kara can match any pace that Lena sets. She can't help wondering if that extends to the... She cuts off her thoughts there, her cheeks turning pink.

Lena shakes herself out of her daze and focuses on the terrain in front of them. She's the main guide, since she knows the area better than Kara. They're off any of the paths now in an attempt to stay off of Lillian's and Cadmus' radar for as long as possible.

If Lena's memory is correct, and it usually is, then they should be coming across the edge of the disputed territory. They have been planning on the fact that there are guards patrolling the perimeter, knowing they would be subtle as to not draw attention to their operation, but not so subtle that an expert Markswoman and a Kryptonian wouldn't notice them.

Lena has to admit, it's handy to have Kara with her. Instead of Lena being anxious and constantly on her guard, she can almost relax. As much as she can on any potentially dangerous mission, that is. She can rely on Kara to be her eyes and ears, what with her having super senses.

Kara is more than happy to help, and takes it even more seriously than Lena expected. She's constantly at the minimum semi-alert, ready for anything. Just like Lena.

"Two guards, 36 degrees." Kara whispers.

Lena nods in understanding. Instead of the confusing clock times that people in novels seem to favor, she and Kara have agreed to use degrees instead. The zero degrees is the line straight ahead in their field of vision. Kara has explained it like if someone drew a line from their noses, that would be zero degrees. And then to the left is 30, 45, 60 degrees. As if they had taken a unit circle and set it in front of them, standing and facing the zero.

It makes sense to them, and that's what matters. Especially in situations like this.

"Can we go wide, around them?" Lena murmurs back to her girlfriend as they stop in order to make a quick plan.

"If we go to the left, we'll go straight into their field of vision. We have to go right a bit. There's a guard another couple hundred feet to the right, and I can't tell if he's napping or dead. Oh, napping. His heart's beating, at least."

Lena pulls Kara in for a quick kiss, oddly charmed by her adorable commentary in such a serious situation. Kara gives her a beaming smile and pecks her again, taking Lena's hand in hers and squeezing briefly before letting go. They can't hold hands for too long in case of a surprise attack, where they would have to hastily let go and Lena would have to pull out her weapons. The extra second or two it takes them to let go could end up getting one of them seriously hurt.

On a slightly lighter note, avoiding the guards is an almost laughably easy accomplishment. Her mother's lackeys are either idiots or unprepared for anyone to attempt to come through the territory. Lena would guess idiots, Lillian needs all the help she can get, and she would never let her workers be unprepared.

"Wow. That was easy." Kara remarks quietly and winces exaggeratedly when Lena lightly smacks her arm, even though they both know she could barely feel that.

"Don't jinx it, darling."

Kara frowns. "Oh, right. Oops."

Lena and Kara continue on like that, with Lena leading and Kara as the lookout. They manage to avoid quite a few guards, who Kara says look bored out of their minds. They're coming up on the two possible castles of the four that are closer together.

"We're getting pretty close. I don't want to go too much further." Lena informs Kara quietly a couple minutes later. "Do you hear a lot of people?"

Kara cocks her head and listens for a minute. "Not like you'd expect if it were a secret base, no. There are some heartbeats, but it mainly sounds like they're moving in a fixed pattern, so patrolling. There isn't anyone on separate floor levels, like there would be if they occupied a big castle like that. And nothing's covered in lead."

"So we can cross them off. Castle Hadrian and... Castle Bunny?" Lena gives the list a flabbergasted look, not having known the name for it before.

"Bunnies are cute!" Kara exclaims. "I have no idea why the owner named it that, there aren't any nobles in the Danvers Kingdom with Bunny as their first or last name."

"There is one noble in the Luthor Kingdom that may be the owner... Her name is Lady Anyanka, Anya for short if she likes you, and she absolutely despises bunnies."

"What?" Kara gasps. "How can you hate bunnies? With their little twitchy noses and buckteeth and floppy ears? They're such amazing creatures! I've been to twelve planets and I've never seen anything like bunnies!"

"I don't know why, darling. You would have to ask her. But there are rumors that she hates them because they remind her of who she used to be, or some cheating ex-husband. Something like that." Lena replies.

"Oh, that's fair." Kara nods empathetically. "Okay, so we've knocked down the list of possibles to two!" She glances at the list. "Castle Dalul and Castle Lion! What's with the animal names?"

"Lion." Lena repeats, turning over the name in her head in an attempt to make sense of it. "Of course!" She exclaims excitedly, barely remembering to keep her voice quiet. "Lions were Lionel's favorite animals, he always used to say that it's because his name has 'lion' in it. That's probably where my mother is staying, as a homage to her late husband. We'll still want to check, make certain, but I think we've got it, Kara."

Kara grins at her girlfriend's excitement. "Ok. So where's Lion Castle? We should head there first."

"It's the largest and one of the easiest to fortify. I remember that much from my research on it. It's bit exactly close, but if we move fast, we should be able to make it to a pretty cosy cave to stay in for the night."

Kara looks excited at the idea of sleeping in a cave and urges Lena onward, gesturing for her to lead so they don't get lost on the way. The cave is smaller than Lena remembers, but she's never brought a guest to it, so that could be why it seems tinier.

Once again, Kara cooks their dinner and they cuddle up together in the sleeping bag while they eat, playfully flicking crumbs at each other. They decide to turn in not long after they finish eating, after they discuss tomorrow.

Lena has her head on Kara's chest so she can listen to her heartbeat. Kara reverently brushes Lena's hair from her face and they share a sweet, passionate kiss before they resettle and fall asleep.

***

"She called us what?" Vasquez asks, amused.

They're taking a lunch break with Winn, Maggie, and Alex, who they somehow managed to pull away from her work. Vasquez suspects that Maggie provided an incentive, but they have no proof.

"The nerd twins." Alex says.

"Allie," Maggie groans out, poking Alex's side in retaliation. Alex snorts out a laugh, which makes Maggie grin at how cute the sound is.

"And she said with me, we're the nerd triplets." Alex continues.

"So with Maggie, we're the nerd quintuplets?" Winn asks.

"Not unless you're counting J'onn, too. Quintuplets is five, quadruplets is four." Vasquez points out.

"Right, I knew that." Winn says, blushing.

"Wait. Are you nerds calling me a nerd?" Maggie asks.

"Yes," Alex deadpans. "Babe, you get excited about various weaponry, you know how to use a caliper... I could list a lot more."

Maggie lets out a dramatic gasp and clutches her chest. "It's contagious."

Alex gives her an amused look and leans in to give her a kiss to quiet her girlfriend.

"It's passed through intimate bodily contact." Vasquez teases, moving their eyebrows up and down. They stare when Alex and Maggie exchange a look and blush. "Wait, really? Go Alex!"

Vasquez leans over the table to high five a highly embarrassed Alex.

"You picked a good one," Winn says.

It's such a contrast to Vasquez's more crude words that Alex nearly does a double take. She grins at the man she considers her little brother and resists the urge to give him an affectionate noogie, settling for lightly kicking his shin to get his attention.

"Ow!" He yelps, mainly in surprise.

"Thanks, Winn."

Chapter Text

Kara and Lena make their way through the forest, avoiding the guards which seem to increase in numbers with every yard closer they get to Lion Castle. Since Lena's pretty sure that it's where Lillian would want to stay, they agreed to go to it first.

While Kara's on lookout, or more accurately listen-out, Lena makes certain they don't get too off track as they maneuver around guards on their way. They find the castle, thanks to her memory and an old compass that Lex had given her before... everything. It was a gift when Lillian sent her off on her first scouting mission, so she wouldn't get lost, according to him. That had made them both laugh, because they both knew that Lex was more likely to get lost than her. And he did, but not physically.

The castle looms in the distance, it's gray stone slabs and sheer size enough to intimidate almost any ordinary person that comes near it. Perhaps that's another reason why Lillian chose it.

Lena and Kara get as close as they dare, close enough for Kara's hearing and sight to be useful but not too close to the multitude of guards that Kara sees and hears. They're mainly staying close to the castle, guarding it. Lena finds them a good hiding place in some thick but not too pokey bushes.

They crouch down and Lena looks out while Kara listens. There are some guards around, which Lena can tell even with her human ears, but they don't seem to notice them, so they should be good. Lena keeps watching and listening, just in case.

"You were right." Kara says after a long pause. 

"Of course I was. So this is their base? You can tell?" Lena asks.

"Yeah. There are a ton more guards walking around and patrolling on the above ground floors. And some people that look like they're working on stuff, but I can't tell what it is. It's stuff in beakers. There is one room that's lead-lined. Then, below ground I can't see anything. I can see the stone bricks of the castle, but it seems like they've covered it from the inside with a thin sheet of lead."

Lena nods, taking a moment to let all that information seep in. "Okay. I think that above ground room is where Lillian stays. She always did like her privacy. Below ground is most likely the labs. Kara, can you memorize where the above ground lead-lined room is? I would like to mark it on the blueprints when we get back."

"Sure." Kara squints slightly, the muscles around her eyes tensing.

Lena sits still, waiting for her to finish. She focuses on Kara, watching for signs of her being done memorizing it's location. It doesn't take her too long before the muscles around her eyes relax again and she nods to herself. Lena smiles but of course that feeling of the contentment of getting something done doesn't last long.

There's a rustling near them, too close for comfort and they're coming closer. Lena and Kara exchange a panicked look and Lena can tell that Kara's just about to bolt.

"No," she whispers so quietly that it would be inaudible to anyone but Kara. "Stay. I have a plan."

Admittedly, her plan isn't the greatest but it's the only one they have. Lena hopes it works, that she doesn't let down Kara's wide eyed, trusting self. Lena presses on Kara's shoulder, who allows herself to be moved until they're both kneeling instead of crouching. Lena moves closer, flinching when the sound of twigs snapping gets uncomfortably close. Lena curses under her breath and leans in, kissing Kara.

If Kara's surprised by this, she doesn't show it. She rests her hands softly on Lena's waist, guiding her closer to her body. The kiss deepens and Lena nearly gets lost in it when someone clears their throat loudly. Kara and Lena both freeze, and Lena's glad they have their hoods on so their onlooker can't even see the color of their hair.

"You're not allowed to be back here." A guard says, sounding annoyed.

"Run," Lena whispers. "Human speed, love."

Kara leans in to kiss her briefly again and takes her hand. They bolt, ignoring the shouted "hey!" behind them. His clumsy footsteps make it easy to tell how far he is behind them. Lena pushes herself harder than she has in quite a while, running like her life depends on it. And it does, especially with Lillian involved. But it's not just her life that's in danger. It's her world, too. Kara.

Kara, the beautiful woman who showed her kindness, genuine kindness, when she thought there was none left in the universe for her. Who has believed in her, believed in her goodness since day one. The gorgeous, amazing woman that Lena's falling hard for and for once, not being in control of something (especially falling in love) doesn't terrify her.

So yeah, she runs harder, runs faster than she ever has. Kara keeps up with her, like always. She guides Lena around obstructions that she sees before Lena does and soon, they can't hear any shouting or running behind them. But they keep going anyway, not slowing down until they reach the cave they slept in the night before. The cave where they had left most of their things, not wanting to be weighed down.

Lena slows and leans against Kara, panting. She may in excellent physical shape, but that run pushed her body past anything her exercises and workouts have in a while.

Kara helps her inside the cave and they sit down. Kara leans against the back of the cave and picks up a tired Lena, placing her between her legs. Lena hums happily and moves onto her side, snuggling against her girlfriend's chest.

"That was some plan." Kara remarks, smiling when Lena lazily bats at her arm.

"Like you thought of anything better. It worked, didn't it?"

"Somehow," Kara teases.

Lena's lips twitch up into a grin and she maneuvers herself so she can kiss her girlfriend again. Kara smiles against her lips and pulls back, making Lena grumble unhappily until Kara starts peppering her girlfriend's face with kisses.

Lena giggles at the onslaught. "You're avoiding the best part of me to kiss, darling."

"Oh? And what part would that be?" Kara asks, pausing her kissing to listen.

Lena's exhaustion is catching up with her and she hides a yawn against Kara's shoulder. She pulls back and gestures vaguely.

"Babe, I don't know what that means. You could mean your hand, or your lips, or knowing you, something dirty..." Kara says, knowing that'll wake Lena up a bit.

Lena's eyes open again and she smirks at Kara's face, which is rapidly turning pink. "Something dirty, huh? I can think of a couple places you haven't kissed. Yet." Lena raises one eyebrow in her signature move that she knows makes Kara melt.

"Lena," Kara says, her flush deepening.

"Kara," Lena responds. Her smile softens and she kisses Kara's lips softly. "I did mean my lips, love."

"Sure you did." Kara murmurs, leaning in again to kiss her again.

Lena falls into the kiss, but it's not long before she has to stifle another yawn. Kara pulls back and chuckles, her breath warming Lena's lips in her lips' absence. She kisses the side of Lena's head and gently pulls her closer so Lena can rest her head on her chest.

"Go to sleep, Lee." Kara murmurs, beginning to run her fingers through Lena's hair to relax her further.

"Mm." Lena purses her lips unhappily. "I don't know why I'm so tired. Was I hit with something?"

"No, Lee. You just ran really hard and you need to rest. Sleep, babe."

"What about you?" Lena asks, tilting her head so she can look up at her girlfriend.

"I'll keep lookout, make sure the guards and his buddies don't come after us."

"But-" Lena begins to protest.

"Nope. I don't need as much sleep as humans do and I got plenty last night. I'll be fine. Go to sleep, baby."

Lena mumbles something about how she's not a baby and snuggles closer to Kara, closing her eyes. A moment later, she's asleep. Kara can tell because her face completely relaxes in a way that it rarely does. Kara attempts to stop running her hand through Lena's hair but she unconsciously squirms and makes a unhappy face. Kara doesn't have the heart to stop.

She makes herself more comfortable and settles in, listening for anyone else nearby.

***

"Ma'am?" A hesitant man says.

The woman purses her lips, displeased at the interruption. "Yes?" She waits for him to continue, but it seems as though he is still hesitating. "If you're going to interrupt my day, you might as well go through with it."

"Um. Yes ma'am. There was a minor disturbance on the Danvers side. It's all taken care of, there's nothing to worry about." He says, stumbling over her words.

"What is it? Spit it out, boy."

"Yes, Mrs. Luthor."

Chapter Text

"Yes Mrs. Luthor." The guard says nervously and clears his throat before continuing. "I found a couple of uninvited guests."

"Oh? That is rather vague." Lillian drawls, spinning her chair around to face him. He flinches but keeps his gaze in her direction, though not at her. "How many people? What were they doing when you found them?"

"Two, ma'am. They were kissing when I found them."

"You came here to inform me that two thrill seekers were going to have intercourse near my castle?" Lillian scoffs and the guard flinches again. "Very well. If you're concerned enough that you interrupted me, then I might as well send a patrol after them. Now leave me, and head the patrol in the direction they fled."

The guard hesitates once again, not leaving the room. A guard staying after he has been dismissed. Lillian raises an eyebrow. Now this is peculiar. Usually her guards are more than happy to get away from her and scramble over themselves to get out of her room, of her presence. Perhaps that isn't all this guard has to say.

"What is it?" Lillian asks him.

He stares at her, wide eyed, like he didn't think Lillian would be perceptive enough to know he has something else to say. Silently, the guard curses having drawn the short straw. Gods, he wishes he were anyone else, had to tell her anything else.

"Mrs. Luthor, it's about your daughter."

Lillian's mouth turns down into a menacing snarl that would strike fear into the hearts of the coldest warriors. "I have no daughter. What has that disgrace to my family name done now?"

The guard trembles, too terrified to say it aloud in fear of her wrath. Instead, he hands her the latest CatCo newspaper. Lillian's face stays deathly calm as she reads through the page it's open to. The only sign of her anger and hatred is in how her grip tightens around the edges of the newspaper until her knuckles turn white. The guard shivers and fights the urge to take a step back or flee to safety.

Lillian releases her tight grip and sets it down on the small table she keeps next to her chair. She leans back in it, listening to the leather creak as she does so.

"A Super and a Luthor in love." She says. "A modern tale of Romeo and Juliet." Her lips curl up into that menacing smile. "I do hope we get to keep the ending." She sits up straighter and turns her piercing gaze into the guard, who visibly jumps. "You. Fetch the head scientists and then start your little patrol. We have a plan to make." When the guard stands there, head moving up and down like a bobble head, she scowls again. "Go!"

The guard's eyes widen and he scrambles off to do her bidding, the door shutting softly behind him as he practically runs in his attempt to flee.

Lillian leans back in her chair, grinning. "I will make them come to us. Not even their foolish alliance can prepare them for me."

***

"Lee. Lena. Lee, wake up. We have to get going."

Lena blinks tiredly, feeling well rested but still dazed from sleep as she sits up to see that Kara's no longer underneath her. Kara's crouched in front of her, Lena's backpack in her hand and her own on her back. It's still dark, but she can make out what's in front of her. Lena snaps to attention, recognizing the look on Kara's face.

"Time to go?" Lena asks as she stands up.

Her knees creak and groan as she gets up, protesting against the position her and Kara had been in when she fell asleep.

"Time to go. There's a patrol heading this way, and it sounds like they're trying to find us." Kara whispers. "Do you want to carry your backpack? Will it slow you down much if we have to run?"

"I'll be okay. I know you transferred most of the heavy stuff to your backpack anyway." Lena says as she takes hers from Kara's outstretched hand.

Lena looks up at Kara's face as she puts on her backpack, noticing her blush even in the dim light. She's blushing too hard for it to just be because Lena knows Kara took out the heavy items and placed them in her own backpack.

"What is it?" Lena asks.

Kara clears her throat awkwardly and they make their way out of the cave. "Um. They think we went over near the castle to... To have intercourse."

Lena snorts out a laugh. "How romantic."

Kara just blushes deeper and they fall silent, not wanting to alert the Cadmus guards to their whereabouts. They work together seamlessly, with Kara making sure they don't trip over anything or go in the direction of the patrol, and Lena making sure she knows where they are and that they're not going the wrong way.

They walk through the night and Lena's glad for her tough training and the long nights she has spent either practicing or inventing. Because of all that, she isn't currently half-asleep. She can function on just a couple hours of sleep. Which isn't exactly healthy, but it's a necessity sometimes. Like now, for example.

According to Kara, they lost the patrol following them hours ago. They're still close enough to the disputed territory, however, that they can't afford to stop and rest for more than a couple of minutes. There are too many random guards patrolling for them to be able to relax.

As the sun begins to peek over the tops of the trees, they are still walking. Lena, still a bit tired from their mad dash earlier, is breathing heavier than she normally would from this amount of exertion. But she pushes on, despite Kara's worried looks.

They make it pretty far in the morning hours, far enough that Kara hasn't heard a guard near them in almost an hour. So she practically forces Lena to sit down and take a break.

"I'm fine, darling." Lena tries to assure her as she complies, sitting on a nearby log. "I just haven't worked out this much in a while."

Kara sits next to her and smiles softly when Lena automatically cuddles closer to her. "I can just fly us back." She offers.

"No," Lena says immediately.

Kara blink in surprise. She at least expected a debate, not a hard no. Well, she expected the no, just not the complete shutdown. Seeing Kara's expression, Lena softens.

"It's too dangerous, love." Lena murmurs, taking Kara's hands in hers as she explains. "My mother... Lillian, she will not let anyone become a guard. They have to have brains as well as brawn. If they see you flying with someone in your arms, they'll put two and two together. They'll know it was us, not some adventurous couple looking for exciting places to have sex."

"They're not close enough to see us, especially if I fly really fast." Kara says.

"Darling, you wouldn't fly fast with me in your arms. You wouldn't risk it. So you would not be flying fast enough for someone to not see you. And anyone seeing you with me in your arms is a risk. If the guards get word of the heroic Supergirl with someone in her arms, flying away from their direction... Again, they'll put two and two together. We cannot underestimate them." She urges.

Kara doesn't look entirely happy, but nods. "Okay. Alright, I see your point. No flying. But Lee, you're going to sleep for a while when we get back. You just put your body through a lot, you'll need your sleep."

Lena sighs, knowing this is an argument she'll never win. "Alright, darling. I'll sleep when we get back to the Danvers castle. I have two conditions." She holds up one finger. "One, I'll only sleep after we report in. The sooner we get the DEO the information, the better." She holds up two fingers. "Two, I want to sleep next to you."

Kara looks pleasantly surprised by request number two and she nods. "Okay. I was planning on that anyway."

"Which one? Telling the DEO first or sleeping with me?"

"Sleeping with you." Kara says, turning her head to the side to kiss Lena's forehead.

Lena smiles and entwines her hand. "Darling, as much as I love sitting here with you, the thought of sleeping with you is much more appealing."

Kara only now realizes how her girlfriend worded it and sputters, blushing deeply. "Did you mean to word it like that?"

Lena stands and gently pulls Kara's hand until she's standing as well. Lena leans in close and lets out a breathy "yes" into Kara's ear. Kara squeaks, blushing.

Lena chuckles at her girlfriend's cuteness and kisses her softly. "We have to keep these robes on for now, but we can take them off once we're near the gate." She says, changing the subject.

Kara nods and they continue their walk, both looking forward to cuddling together when they get back.

Chapter Text

Despite Alex's impressive work ethic, Maggie has managed to get her girlfriend to bed at pretty good times. Even earlier if she seduces her. Those are the nights that Maggie really enjoys. Spending time with her girlfriend who somehow, miraculously, loves her too. The fact they're spend time together in bed certainly doesn't hurt, especially since Alex is such a fast learner.

Maggie has really been enjoying these past couple of days, working together with her hot nerdy girlfriend, Vasquez, and Winn. They've made a lot of progress, and she enjoys spending time with people she's starting to consider family. But Maggie's favorite time is whenever she's alone with Alex. Whether they're in bed, cuddling, eating, or whatever. Maggie's never been so happy to just exist with someone.

Tonight, it's just a week before Kara and Lena are supposed to come back. Alex has been stressed all day, feeling like they haven't done enough, haven't accomplished enough with the crossbow. So instead of letting Alex work herself to the bone, Maggie pulled her away from their work early so that they can cuddle and talk it out.

So here they lie, in the room that was once just Alex's and is now theirs. Cuddling on the bed, where Alex is snuggled up against Maggie, lying on her side with half of her body draped over Maggie.

"I just feel like we should have been able to get farther. We still have to figure out the upgrades and test them, and produce more crossbows with the upgrades..." Alex trails off with a sigh.

"Alex, sweetie." Maggie murmurs, gently placing a finger under Alex's chin so she can move her face so that Alex is facing her. "We have a team of four people, three of which are certified geniuses." Alex opens her mouth, probably to tell her that Maggie's really smart too, but Maggie shushes her. "Shh. I'm smart, I'm not a genius like you, babe."

Alex grumbles a disagreement, which Maggie ignores in favor of continuing.

"Four people have gotten as far as we have. Sweetie, when it was just us, we managed to categorize and make a blueprint of the entire crossbow. That's impressive. It would take a normal team of twenty people a week to do what we did in a couple of days." Maggie says passionately. Alex mumbles something that she doesn't catch. "What was that, babe?"

"I said that I liked working with you. I like working with you," she corrects herself.

Maggie's answering smile makes Alex grin dopily at her from where her head's resting on Maggie's shoulder. "Like I said, Danvers. We make a good team."

"We really do." Alex agrees, earning a quick peck on the lips from Maggie.

"We have done a lot with the crossbow, babe. More than I expected, and we still have like a week to figure the rest out. Unless they're early," Maggie amends.

"Do you think they'll be early?" Alex asks.

"Your sister is super fast." Maggie deadpans, bursting into laughter when Alex gives her an unimpressed look.

"That was terrible, Sawyer." Alex says, unable to stop her lips from twitching up into a small smile at Maggie's proud look.

"But you're smiling and not worrying." Maggie points out.

Alex chuckles and leans in to kiss her girlfriend deeper.

***

It's the next day and they're all debating upgrades when Alex's sixth sense starts tingling (Kara calls it their sister-sense). Alex's head whips up and she looks through the windows of the lab and nearly chokes on nothing. Maggie automatically looks up when she hears the noise, looking at Alex's usual spot worriedly, only to see that she's already halfway out the door of the lab.

Maggie swiftly follows her, gesturing for a concerned Vasquez and Winn to follow. She nearly stops in her tracks when she sees what caused Alex to drop what she was doing so suddenly.

Alex is hugging Kara, who's standing in the middle of the DEO next to a tired looking Lena. It's barely noticeable, how tired Lena is. She's a Queen, she has to hide it. That along with her naturally straight expression (Maggie nearly snorts at the thought of Lena being straight) makes it nearly impossible to tell, except Maggie has exceptionally good detection skills and has been around Lena enough to tell.

"What's wrong? You're not supposed to be here for another week!" Alex exclaims. "Are you okay? Is Lena okay? Did you find anything out?"

Alex is about to spout off more questions without giving any time to answer, working herself up even more, making herself even more worried, when Maggie places a calming hand on Alex's shoulder. Alex takes a deep breath a purses her lips, the concern on her expression not going away as she waits for Lena and Kara to answer.

"We're both fine," Lena says, recovering from the onslaught first. "And yes, we do have information. If you don't mind, I think it would be best to talk about it when everyone is gathered in a conference room. I don't really want to repeat it multiple times if I don't have to."

Kara nods along with her girlfriend's words. "Yeah, and we haven't had a ton of time to rest on the way back. I'm really looking forward to sleeping in my bed."

Lena hums in confirmation. "Why don't you go get the others, darling? I'll head to the conference room with them."

"Alright." Kara nods and kisses Lena softly before rushing off using her super speed.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to that," Lena muses.

"Okay," Winn says, getting everyone's attention. "So I have to go grab the blueprints and the stuff we've all been working on with the crossbow since I'm assuming J'onn will want a progress update. I will go grab that, I'll meet you guys in the conference room. And Vasquez? Ask about the cloak!"

"I'm not giving them the feedback sheet you made!" They shout at him as he dashes away. Vasquez shakes their head, looking both amused and exasperated. "It's 147 questions long."

"That's quite a lot. I guess he wants thorough feedback." Lena remarks. "Though to be fair, I have made a 233 question long feedback sheet for one of my inventions."

"Gods. What for?" Alex asks as they all begin heading to the conference rooms area, following Vasquez.

"My armor." Lena answers. "I did get very thorough feedback, but I think it's because it came from me."

Alex snorts out a laugh. "That's great. Mine for my armor was only 164 questions long."

"I'm surrounded by nerds." Maggie groans out, but everyone can hear the fondness in her voice.

Vasquez holds open the door for them and nods at their thanks.

They wait for the others to join them. J'onn comes in, then Winn juggling a bunch of papers, then Kara, followed by Eliza and Jeremiah.

"As lovely as it is to see you both again, I would like to get this started so I can understand why you came back a week early. Did something happen?" Eliza asks worriedly.

Kara sits down next to Lena and they entwine hands automatically.

"Yes, something did." Lena says.

She and Kara take turns explaining what went on. When they reveal which castle Cadmus is staying in, Winn digs through his stack of papers and pulls out the one with the blueprints for Lion Castle. And they, of course, end up having to explain things Kara really wishes they didn't have to.

"Why shouldn't we be worried?" Alex argues. "Kara! You got caught! By a Cadmus guard! Why in the name of Rao wouldn't we be worried?"

Kara's lips twitch up slightly at the sound of her god's name falling from her sister's lips.

"Because Lena thought fast and pushed me down and kissed me. He didn't even see our faces!" Kara says, her cheeks flushing.

"How can you be sure? You said they sent a patrol after you! How do you know they didn't recognize you?" Alex prompts.

"We were wearing our cloaks, hoods up. And..." Kara mumbles the rest so that they can't hear it.

"What?" Alex asks.

"I said, um. I heard them talking. They thought we were just some crazy couple, over there to..." Kara clears her throat and whispers. "Have intercourse."

The table is silent for a moment while Alex blanches, looking horrified at the thought of her little sister going out there and... Doing that. The silence is broken by Maggie's loud laughter.

"Sorry," she wheezes out between fits of laughter. "It's just too perfect. Sweet Kara, who looks like the most innocent schoolgirl, is nearly caught with her girlfriend near the enemy's base, spying. So Lena just... shoves her to the ground and kisses her so the guard thinks they're just some adventurous couple hellbent on having sex near a castle." She cackles and high fives a blushing Kara, who hesitantly high fives her back. "Get it, Little Danvers!"

It takes a bit for her and a very amused Vasquez (and secretly amused Lena) to calm down enough for them to continue with the meeting.

Chapter Text

"Alright, so what did you find out at Lion Castle?" Winn asks after clearing his throat awkwardly.

"The areas underground are all lined with lead. I memorized the layout of what I could see, which was everything except for one room above ground. Lena and I think the one above ground room that's lined with lead is Lillian's room."

Winn pushes over the blueprints to Lion Castle and Kara quickly looks over them, marking the room's location with a pen that Vasquez tosses her.

"Do you happen to remember the terrain around the castle? That would be useful to know." Winn says.

"Yes I do, actually. And Lena, I'm assuming you know the terrain as well?" Kara asks, turning to her girlfriend for confirmation.

"Yes. I scouted the area multiple times so I know the terrain very well. I will know the more general areas around it, which may be helpful in figuring out where to stay when we are launching our attack. Kara will probably remember better than I do what it's like directly around the castle." Lena admits.

"Awesome, thanks. Oh! And can you two look over the blueprints sometime? Make certain that all the entrances and stuff are on here?" Winn questions.

Kara and Lena nod. "We can do that in the morning, after we've had a good night's sleep." Kara answers.

"Okay, good. What's next on the agenda?" Winn asks.

"Crossbow progress," Alex chimes in.

She's pretty much recovered from how her sister and her sister's girlfriend got out of a dangerous situation because the guard thought they were some "adventurous couple" there to... Ugh, Alex can't even think it. She's scarred for life.

"How far has your team gotten, Sir Alex?" J'onn asks.

"We're pretty much done figuring out how it works and why, as well as what pieces it needs. We just need some time to work on building and testing upgrades, as well as time to replicate enough for our archers and knights that prefer long-range weapons." Alex answers.

"What do you need to finish?"

"Some lab techs that you can spare, and eventually we're going to need wood carvers and smiths."

J'onn nods. "That's doable. Keep me updated."

Lena hides a yawn behind her hand as the conversation pauses for a moment.

"Is there anything else we need to discuss today? Or can we come back with fresh eyes tomorrow and make a plan?" Kara asks.

J'onn looks over the table at everyone. "No, get some rest. You will need it. We will reconvene in the morning and make a tentative plan."

Everyone nods their assent and gets up, leaving the room one at a time. Jeremiah and Eliza stop in front of Kara and Lena before they go. They take turns hugging them both.

"Get some sleep, girls. From what I've heard, it doesn't sound like you've had much. And that's an order." Jeremiah says the last sentence in a way that makes it seem like he's teasing, but at the same time completely serious.

"We will, I promise." Kara says, kissing her adoptive parents' cheeks before heading out of the room.

"It's just past noon, darling." Lena points out as they're leaving the DEO.

"And you're practically dead on your feet. You need sleep, Lee, and so do I. It doesn't matter at what time."

Lena stifles another yawn, blinking tiredly. She gives a resigned sigh and holds Kara's hand. Her yawns slowly get more frequent as they near Kara's room. Lena tries to help when they're in Kara's room by attempting to put on her pajamas, but she just ends up putting on some of Kara's old clothes that vaguely resemble what she brought for pajamas. As in, instead of her nice nightdress, she's wearing an old short dress that Kara hasn't worn in years.

When Kara turns around, finished with putting her own pajamas on, she makes a squeaking noise in surprise. Lena looks amazing in everything, and Kara would think she's gorgeous even if she were just wearing a trash bag, but there's something special about seeing her in Kara's clothes. Kara blushes and guides Lena to her bed, which she promptly nearly flops onto in her tiredness.

Kara's super speed stops her girlfriend from face planting on her bed. Lena instead wraps her arms around Kara and cuddles close to her while still standing, letting out another yawn. Kara grins dopily at her and starts to float, slowly so that she doesn't startle her sleepy girlfriend.

She carefully maneuvers them until they're lying on their backs, Kara with Lena practically on top of her. Kara floats backwards until they're over her bed and gets them under the sheets successfully by the time that Lena's heart rate evens out in sleep.

Kara closes her eyes and falls asleep quickly.

***

"Do you think we'll win?" Alex asks suddenly that night when she and Maggie are in bed, in their pajamas (which is really just their undergarments).

"Hmm?" Maggie lifts her head from Alex's shoulder to look at her girlfriend's face.

"Against Cadmus, against Lillian. Do you think we'll win?" Alex asks.

"Of course. Good trumps evil in pretty much every story." Maggie answers.

"Do you really believe that?" Alex prods.

Maggie is silent for a moment, thinking. "No. Not really. It's never that black and white. Good and evil. There's always gray areas, two sides to every story. We're doing what we think is right for our people, just like I'm assuming Cadmus is. No matter how bad their methods are, at the center of it, we're all trying to protect the people we care about. They just think the threat is aliens, and that the end justify the means."

"Mm," Alex hums. "So then my question's the same. Do you think we'll win?"

"I don't know, sweetie." Maggie admits. "We'll just have to do our best to come home, back to each other. I think that if we fight for the right thing, we'll win for sure."

Maggie can practically feel the confusion coming off of her girlfriend in waves.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, fighting for something like pride or greed, that's a pretty powerful motivator. As is fear, and hatred, and other things like that. But if that's all we're fighting for, if that's why we're fighting, we'll never win. Because when it comes down to it, we would never be able to do what needs to be done. We would value our own lives too much. But if we fight for what we believe in, if we fight for love, that kind if cheesy thing. We'll win. Because if you have someone to come home to, you'll fight ten times as hard as you would if you were just in it for money or glory. Get it?"

"I think so. So since we're fighting for love, to get back to each other, we'll win?"

"I would like to think so. Yeah." Maggie shifts so she can look at Alex better. "What brought this on, Danvers?"

"I'm just wondering what will happen after all of this. You know?" Alex asks, meeting Maggie's eyes. "Right now, it seems like this fight will last forever, but it won't. One way or another, it will end."

"Yeah. I can get that. And Alex?"

Alex startles slightly at the sound of her name falling from her girlfriend's lips. Usually whenever she says Alex's name, it's to say something bigger.

"Yeah?"

"After all this, we're going to continue being the two most badass agents the DEO has ever seen. We're going to talk about our future and someday, I'll be getting down on one knee. Our defeat of Cadmus and Lillian will bring about an era of peace and prosperity, the likes of which the Luthor and Danvers Kingdoms have never seen."

"Wow," Alex breathes out. "You've really thought that through. Except for one thing, Sawyer."

"Hmm?" Maggie hums.

"Who says you'll be the one getting down on one knee?" Alex winks at her dumbfounded girlfriend.

"You noticed that, huh?" Maggie asks, her cheeks turning a light pink.

"I'm a Knight and I work for the DEO. I'm good at noticing things, babe." Alex points out and they our in comfortable silence as they both get lost in their own heads, thinking about the future. "Did you mean it?"

"Mean what?"

"You... You wanting to marry me?" Alex says hesitantly.

"Of course! Someday, Danvers, you're going to have a ring in that pretty little finger of yours." Maggie says confidently.

"Little finger, huh? I don't remember you complaining about size the other night." Alex teases.

"Mm. Maybe you should remind me how not little they are." Maggie says seductively.

Alex laughs and Maggie rolls so she's fully on top of her, her smile soft but showing her dimples she knows Alex loves.

"That was terrible, Sawyer." Alex chuckles.

"It worked, didn't it? You're in my bed, Danvers." Maggie points out with a wink.

"Actually we're in my bed, Sawyer."

"Actually..." Maggie says, pausing for dramatic effect. "We're in our bed, babe."

Alex melts beneath her and leans up so she can kiss Maggie.

"... See? It worked!"

"Shut up Maggie and make love to me."

"Happily."

Chapter Text

They all have gathered back in the conference room in order to make plans, though they are all aware that with new information they hope to be getting, their plans may change.

"This morning, Kara and I went over the blueprints to Lion Castle and came to a conclusion about which way to enter is the best." Lena says after the meeting officially begins. "I will walk you all through that decision, so you can understand why we chose it. That is, if it is alright with you, J'onn."

"The floor is yours, Queen Lena." He says, nodding respectfully to her.

"Thank you. This is the main blueprint we used for this, which shows all known entrances and exits. Right here is the main entrance," Lena points. "We could enter there, but Kara and I noted a high amount of soldiers patrolling the area. Casualties would be high."

"We won't do that. I would like a minimal loss of life, none if possible." Queen Eliza says, her eyes blazing.

"That's the reason we dismissed that entrance. I will have every knight I brought on this mission, I would prefer minimal loss of life as well."

Lena nods to Kara, who continues explaining their thought process. "There's another idea we briefly considered, using some of our new technology to blow a hole in the side of the castle to get in. But that's not an option because the noise would be too loud, Cadmus would know exactly where we are and where we entered. Not only that, but they would know we're there. They could start destroying their projects or speed up their timeline. It's too risky, so that was scrapped too."

Lena takes back over. "So the most logical option is to go in through the smaller entrances. There are quite a few. Most were built in case of emergency, and there are some that Kara noticed that are hidden by trees and other natural things. This is our best best. However, infiltrating from one location is difficult and risky, especially in smaller areas like the ones we are going in. So Kara and I determined we should go in through these entrances, using smaller teams. Bombard them from many different areas. If we time it right, they won't know what hit them."

"That is a good idea." J'onn admits, looking proud. "Thank you, Queen Lena and Princess Kara. Is there anything else you can suggest we do with the intel we have at the moment?"

"Yes, actually. I believe we should post some knights outside of the larger entrances and exits to stop Cadmus people from fleeing."

"We can do that." J'onn says, then begins distributing work. "Alex, Maggie, Winn, and Vasquez. Get back to work on the crossbow. Lena, Kara, keep working on the plan. Look at the blueprints, look into hate crimes, interview the Cadmus prisoners. Kara, patrol and look out for Cadmus. They've been suspiciously quiet. Everyone, keep your ear to the ground. We need to be careful and vigilant."

They all file out, wishing each other a quick good luck before getting to work. Alex and Maggie head back to their lab with Vasquez and Winn. Kara and Lena head to the main part of the DEO in order to get a list of the Cadmus prisoners and their records.

***

By the time Lena and Kara get back to their room, it's late and they're both tired. But being in Kara's room, it's the first time they've managed to relax together since they left. Well, they had yesterday/last night but they were so exhausted neither of them could enjoy it.

As Kara shuts the bedroom door behind them, Lena gently presses her hands against Kara's shoulders. Kara goes with it and allows herself to be pushed back against the door. She cocks her head to the side, giving her girlfriend questioning eyes.

"I've missed being alone with you." Lena murmurs, so close to Kara that she can feel Lena's warm breath on her face.

"Lee, we were just on a mission alone together." Kara reminds her teasingly.

"Tell that to the raccoon that decided to join us in the cave the other day." Lena retorts, making a grossed out face that Kara giggles at.

Kara leans forward and presses her lips against Lena's. "I know, baby. I've missed it too."

Lena huffs out a breath and smiles when Kara's hands fly to her waist as she inches even closer. She hums happily when Kara makes the first move, leaning in to kiss her.

Lena loses herself in the relatively new yet comforting and familiar movements. They haven't been able to really kiss while they were on their mission or when they got back, unless Lena counts the one she planted on Kara to hide why they were really near the castle. Which Lena doesn't count. They've been to busy trying to be sneaky or hiding, or too busy worried about getting back as soon as possible to relay the information they gathered.

Kara is more than happy to kiss her girlfriend and lets out a quiet moan when Lena deepens the kiss. When Lena's heart starts beating so quickly that Kara gets concerned, she pulls back (or is that her own heart? Kara can't focus enough to tell).

Kara reverses their positions in an instant, carefully pressing her girlfriend up against the nearby wall. Lena squeaks in surprise because she's still not used to Kara's usage of her super speed. Once she realized why her girlfriend used her powers, Lena bites her bottom lip, knowing from experience that it always makes Kara really want to kiss her.

Sure enough, Kara's eyes darken and as soon as her teeth let go of her lip, Kara's lips replace them with a more hungry kiss than Lena is used to. But she's definitely not complaining and she knows Kara knows how much she likes this. Just her heart rate should tell her that, as should the low moan that she releases against Kara's mouth.

Kara lets out a whimpering noise at the sound of Lena moaning and instead of kissing her even more hungrily than before, Kara lightens the kiss until their lips barely brush. Then she pulls back, just enough to make eye contact with her girlfriend.

"Was that not okay? I know we haven't really talked about this yet, darling. Did I make you uncomfortable?" Lena worries.

She raises up her hand to cup Kara's jaw. She can drool over that later, Lena promises herself. Kara's happiness is much more important than how utterly and heart-stoppingly gorgeous she is.

"No, no. That was fine. And yeah. Um," she stumbles over her words a little bit, which Lena finds adorable. "I know we haven't exactly talked about this, but it's a good time to. Right? Because that guard thought we were..." She clears her throat awkwardly. "So um. If we..." Kara takes in a breath and steels herself to say this. "If we have s- nope, still can't say the word." She grumbles to herself. "If we sleep together tonight, it'll be my first time."

Lena nods, having guessed as much. Though she very much doubts Kara will lose her cute aversion to talking about sex and her innocent demeanor afterwards.

"It has been a while for me, so it will not be my first time," Lena admits. "I have had one night stands, as you know. But I have a feeling that it will feel like my first time all over again with you."

"Why?" Kara asks curiously.

Lena's eyes soften and she leans in for a quick kiss before she continues. "I have never slept with someone I love before. It's always been a way to drown out my own pain with someone else's pleasure. This won't be..." She trails off for a moment. "For lack of a better word, this won't be fucking like I am used to. This will be making love."

"And, uh, you know. When do you...?"

"When do I want to make love to you?" Lena fills in bluntly, making Kara stutter and blush. "Every night." Kara squeaks and flushes deeper. "But only when you're ready. You know how much I value consent."

Kara nods. "Well, I do want to. I just, I don't want to mess this up. I'll need you to guide me through this."

"Tonight?" Lena asks for clarification.

"Tonight," Kara confirms. "If, um, if that's alright with you."

"Of course. And Kara, I want you to guide me through this too. Tell me if anything hurts, or feels weird, or anything. We can pause or stop whenever you want and need. Okay?"

"Okay. And the same with you, Lee."

"Communication," Lena says like it's a promise.

"Communication," Kara repeats. "All right. So how?"

"Just kiss me for now, darling. We can work up to everything else." Lena answers.

Kara complies and leans back in, kissing her girlfriend slowly. She picks up Lena gently, holding her carefully as though she's precious cargo (to Kara, she is). Kara, not wanting to jostle them, floats over to their bed and lies on her back, looking up at her beautiful girlfriend.

Chapter Text

Kara's eyes water and her jaw trembles with the force of the awe she's feeling when she sees the woman she loves completely bared to her for the first time. Lena shyly moves her hair back behind her ear as she holds herself up over Kara. She notices the tears and is immediately alarmed.

Lena cups Kara's face. "Darling, are you okay? Do you want to stop?"

"I'm fine, Lee." Kara promises. Lena gives her a disbelieving look. "I am. You're just... so breathtaking. Beautiful."

She gently caresses Lena's face and her now blushing cheeks. Kara gently tugs her back down and kisses her reverently. Lena gets lost in their kiss for a while until she remembers that she's naked and Kara's not. Yet, that is.

Lena pulls back slightly so their lips just brush each other tantalizingly. She tugs at Kara's shirt and feels Kara's smile against her lips when her girlfriend realizes her intentions.

Lena starts unbuttoning the shirt, kissing every inch of skin that's revealed. The shirt Kara's wearing is actually Lena's, an old blue plaid shirt she rarely has time to wear now that she's Queen.

Lena's breath had been stolen away after she saw that Kara was wearing it this morning. She kissed her long and hard, trying to pour how much she loves seeing Kara in her clothes into the kiss.

When Lena gets to the last button, she continues her kisses downward, lingering on the space just above where Kara's pants begin. She can hear the hitch in Kara's breath and smirks to herself. Kara gently pulls her up so they can kiss again. Lena complies and pushes the now unbuttoned shirt from Kara's deliciously strong shoulders. Kara hums against her mouth and sits up slightly to take the shirt off the rest of the way, leaving her bare from the waist up (she hadn't wanted to put on a bra or anything this morning).

Lena's fingers trace Kara's abs, keeping her touch light and marveling at how the muscles flex as she shivers at Lena's touch. Lena pulls back to catch her breath and kisses Kara's neck, pausing for a quick second to bite her lip when Kara lets out a surprised, shaky moan.

She laughs to herself when Kara flips them over and eagerly rids herself of her pants. Lena pulls back to look down between their bodies, taking in the almost unreal looking, chiseled muscles and the softness of her body. When she makes her way all the way back up to her girlfriend's eyes (after lingering at Kara's chest for a beat longer than necessary), she sees that Kara's blushing harder than she has ever seen her.

Lena reaches up and cups Kara's jaw (she really loves her jawline) and smiles softly.

"You're stunning, darling." She breathes out, knowing Kara can tell how much huskier her voice is now. "I love you."

Kara's answering smile could light up all of the Danvers Kingdom. "I love you too, Lee."

Lena kisses Kara again and gasps when she lowers herself until her body is pressed up against Lena's.

After checking in to make sure Kara's okay with what's happening, Lena slips her hand between their bodies. She has a feeling that Kara will feel more comfortable if she goes first.

***

Kara's a fast learner, just like Lena knew she would be, and their first time turns into their second, and eventually their third... They end up staying up rather late. Lena's in awe of Kara's stamina (she's the one that ends up passing out).

They both wake up tired the next morning, which is saying something in Kara's case. Lena's sore, but a good kind of sore.

"Can't we just stay here all day?" Kara asks, her voice muffled by the pillow her face is pressed against.

"Mm. I wish, darling. But we have work to do." Lena laughs at Kara's loud groan. "I know. Come on, we have to get up."

Lena ends up practically dragging Kara out of bed, only succeeding because she reminds Kara that the chefs are making donuts this morning. When they make it to the DEO, Lena notices the smirks and look heading their way and ignores them.

"Hey Kara. Hey Lena." Alex greets when they enter her lab. "Come to see our progress?"

"Yeah. And I thought maybe Lena could work in here with you guys on what she needs to do while I go out patrolling." Kara says.

"Kara, are you asking us to babysit your girlfriend?" Vasquez asks jokingly.

"What?" Kara stammers out. "No! Just like keep her company while I'm away, make sure she eats."

"Don't worry, Little Danvers. We'll babysit her for you." Maggie teases.

"That's not-" Kara huffs and Lena chuckles.

"I'll be fine, Kara. I'm just going to be looking through the notes I've compiled on my mother and Cadmus."

Kara nods and kisses Lena deeply and whispering out an I love you before rushing off to patrol.

Lena heads over to the empty workstation and puts down her notebooks. She has just sat down on the stool and opened the first notebook when Maggie sidles over.

"So... Lena. You seem rather stiff this morning. Long night?" Maggie asks in a low voice.

Lena grimaces. "Is it that obvious?"

"Only to those with good detection skills." Maggie shrugs. "By the way, nice."

She holds up her hand and Lena high fives her, not wanting to leave her hanging.

"What's the high five for?" Winn asks. "Did you figure something out?"

"Nah, we're bonding over defiling the Danvers sisters." Maggie answers.

Lena's eyes widen in surprise and Winn flushes and grimaces, undoubtably not happy about the mental image of his sisters being "defiled." Vasquez's eyebrows raise but they smirk and give Lena and Maggie thumbs up. Alex is blushing and sputtering.

"Maggie! I really don't want to know that!"

Maggie laughs and goes back over to her girlfriend, pecking her cheek as an apology.

***

Kara soars through the air, reveling in the wind whistling past her ears, the flapping of birds' wings as she flies near them. It's been a while since she's flown and she forgot how great it is. Though Kara has to admit, it's not as good as kissing Lena or... making love to her.

Kara circles over National City, her head literally in the clouds. She likes the feeling of the moisture sticking to her skin, it grounds her. Which is a weird way to word it, now that she thinks about it, because you know. She's not on the ground, she's flying.

Kara listens for signs of a struggle at first and stops almost immediately after nearly rushing down to a house when she hears bumps and crashes... and then she hears the moans. Kara blushes, happy that the cloud is cool against her face.

She starts listening instead for elevated heart rates combined with subtle sounds of fear or anger. Like a specific tones, stuttering, or crashing.

Kara finds one where there are two heart rates are elevated, and one of them is speaking in a gruff, menacing tone. She focuses on that area and slowly flies closer as she does.

"I said give me the money, idiot." The man says.

At that, Kara swoops down, ignoring the people pointing at her, and rushes into the bank. There's a man with disheveled features and a hardened look in his eyes with a spear, the top pressed over a pregnant woman's heart.

"Do it or she dies!" The man barks out, his back facing the entrance.

"Put it down." Kara orders.

The man turns and looks at her. He laughs. "Oh, right. Supergirl. What a joke. All of that was obviously staged. You're not Superman's cousin, you're just some sad alien."

Kara doesn't answer, letting his words bounce off of her like she's impervious to them too. She takes a step forward, holding out her hand.

"You don't have to do this. You don't have to hurt people. That woman, she's pregnant. If you kill her, you kill the baby." The man lifts up his spear, spinning and hoisting it so it's shaft partially rests of his shoulder. "Give me the spear." She hears the clop-clop of horses' hooves against the cobblestone, knowing that that's the city police. "It's over."

"It's never over." He snarled and throws the spear.

It hits Kara in the chest, right where her heart would be if she were human (hers is a little bit to the left, which Alex has found fascinating). The metal shatters against her suit and the shaft breaks, falling uselessly to the ground.

The man stares for a moment, dumbfounded, before Kara used her superspeed to get behind him. She gets him in a grip Alex taught her, holding his arm behind his back. It's bent in such a way that if he tries to get away, he risks breaking it.

The police rush in, swords and shields raised, only to see Kara and the man.

Chapter Text

The police lower their weapons and one steps forward, placing a fist over his heart and bowing to Kara. He stands back up straight when Kara gestures for him to stop bowing.

"Princess Kara. What happened?"

"This man just tried to rob this place with a spear, which he threw at me. He also threatened to kill that pregnant woman over there." Kara explains.

The officer nods. "Thank you. Would you mind passing him over to us? We can take him from here."

Kara nods and releases him, gently pushing him forwards. The man stumbles and is immediately swarmed by officers and knights alike. One cuffs his hands behind his back while another reads him his rights.

"He'll be going away for a long time." The head officer says to Kara as the man is being led away. "Would you mind going over everything with me? I apologize, but I do need your statement."

"Of course," Kara nods. She recounts everything, able to use her good memory to be able to tell the officer how everyone was positioned at different times during the robbery.

"Thank you very much, Princess Kara. This will be very useful. I just have one last question, if you don't mind. I'm more curious than anything." When Kara nods, he continues. "How did you know that there was something going on here?"

"I heard it."

"You heard it," he repeats. "Super hearing, yeah?"

"That is what my cousin calls it." Kara chuckles to herself.

"Thank you again. He won't be seeing the light of day anytime soon, or perhaps ever. He's facing an attempted burglary charge, two counts of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, and he didn't have a license to own that spear so he's in trouble for that, not to mention treason and attempted murder of a royal."

Kara raises her eyebrows. "That is a lot. Thank you, officer..."

"Benson, ma'am. It was an honor to meet you."

"It was good to meet you too. Thank you for all you do." Kara gives him one of her infamous smiles.

With that, Kara takes off and continues her patrol, grinning when she hears Benson quietly gasp out "cool."

Her patrol is full of her catching small time criminals, sometimes handing them over to the police. One she doesn't because he was just trying to steal food for him and his family. She gives him a note with the location of the alien assistance center she set up with Alex. He nearly cries when she tells him that she won't take him to the police.

The others that she doesn't take to the police, it's because of an entirely different reason. Since Cadmus crawled out of the woodworks, bigots have been committing hate crimes. Like defacing walls with xenophobic art or words (she spends a lot on paint to fix it) or by bullying or even beating up aliens. Those people she takes to the DEO to be processed. They'll all be interrogated by Lucy (with Lena watching to learn how to do it for later when she and Kara have to talk to the other prisoners) and checked out by J'onn himself to make sure they don't have any information relating to Cadmus.

When Kara gets back, she's pretty tired. She goes to the DEO first and smiles sleepily at the sight of her girlfriend wearing glasses, her hair up in a messy bun, writing something down.

Kara walks inside of Alex's lab and the door shuts behind her, but Lena's too in the zone to realize it. She mutters to herself, something about an equation that Kara's too tired to figure out.

She comes up behind Lena and wraps her arms around Lena's waist. Lena stiffens at first, then melts when she realizes who it is. She grins when she feels Kara's lips press against the exposed back of her neck. Lena turns her head and captures Kara's lips with her own.

"Hey," Kara greets.

"Hey. Good patrol today?" Lena asks softly.

"Not really," Kara sighs. "I'm glad there are less criminals and stuff on the street but I had to stop a couple hate crimes. One... One, the guy was punching a Xicharow, a member of a peaceful alien race, and screaming xenophobic stuff. If I hadn't gotten there in time..." Kara sniffs.

Lena turns around and wraps her arms tightly around her girlfriend. "Oh, sweetie." She gently rocks them from side to side. "You did get there in time, darling. You'll drive yourself mad, thinking about the what ifs. Look what it did to Lex."

Kara nods against her shoulder. "Okay. Um. I don't know how well I'm going to be able to do in the interrogations of the Cadmus people tomorrow."

"It's alright, sweetie. Just leave it to me." Lena presses a kiss to the side of Kara's head, still swaying back and forth. "I can do all the talking. You can just stand there in your suit and look pretty. Okay? And if you're not comfortable with that, you can stay outside. There's a viewing area in the interrogation rooms, remember?" Lena says softly.

Kara nods again. "Okay. I think I'll be able to stay in the room. Just don't be mad if I punch some of them if they're mean to you."

Lena chuckles. "As long as you don't mind me punching some of them for being violent xenophobes."

Kara giggles against Lena's shoulder and pulls back to kiss her.

"Thank you," Kara whispers. "You always seem to know what to say."

"Anything for you, darling." Lena promises.

***

Just as Kara thought (and feared), the next day is... It's tough, to say the least. She's forced to watch her girlfriend carefully manipulate agents who work for her mother to try to get any information. Listening to them rant is the worst, though. They spout out hatred, similar things now that she thinks about it, like there's some kind of "Bible for Xenophobes."

One actually spits on her and calls her a... Kara can't repeat it. Despite how that made her feel, it was funny to see Lena deck him as hard as she can. He slumps against the chair, out cold. Lena shakes out her hand, knowing it's definitely bruised. Worth it. The DEO agents have a newfound respect for her when she has to come out and explain what happened when the agents see the giant bruise on the unconscious man's face.

Some of the weaker ones jump at the chance to help, probably wanting to get out as soon as possible. But they don't have any new information. In fact, they know less than Kara and Lena know.

All they do manage to get is the layout of the above ground floors. Useful, but not useful enough to get excited about.

"Who's our last one of the day?" Kara asks.

Lena looks at the name and grimaces. "May the gods have mercy on us. It's Maxwell Lord."

Kara's loud groan tells Lena that Kara knows him.

"He's such a... Bad person!" Kara gets out.

Lena smiles softly at her girlfriend's attempt to avoid calling him a bad name, even though he more than deserves it for just his intolerable personality.

"You know him?" Lena prompts.

"Know him? He's been coming to the castle on and off for years, and he always came onto Alex, despite the fact she has no interest in him and had rejected him several times. He kept making sexist comments about how she shouldn't be allowed to be a knight. Just... Ugh." Kara huffs.

"Let's get this over with." Lena sighs and Kara nods, heading over to the room with his jail cell in it. "I didn't know he was Cadmus, but I suppose it makes sense. He always was going on about the 'alien threat.' No wonder Lex and Mother liked him." She scoffs. "They didn't mind his arrogance and cockiness. Let him brag about how he was so much better and smarter than me. He tried to ask me out too, despite the fact I have been out as a lesbian since I was 16."

"He what? Oh, now I'm punching him for sure." Kara grumbles. "Stupid homophobic sexist person that can't comprehend that someone isn't and can't be attracted to him."

Lena reaches out and takes Kara's hand. "Darling, let's hold off on the punching until after we get information. Okay?"

"Fine." Kara nods.

Kara steps into the room first, staying in front of Lena as if to protect her from Lord, despite him being behind bars.

"Ooh, visitors." Lord drawls, facing away from them. He stands and turns around. "Princesses Kara and Lena."

"It's Queen Lena now. You know that." Lena corrects him, keeping herself calm. She knows he wants to rile her up.

"Queen, Princess, you're useless just the same." Max waves off. Kara takes a menacing step forwards. "So you're her guard dog now, little girl? Woof." He laughs at his own joke.

"Actually, I'm her girlfriend." Kara answers.

Max looks genuinely startled for a moment, then recovers and goes back to looking callously indifferent. "Oh? I didn't know you played for the other team."

"I'm pan."

"Nice to meet you, pan, I'm Max." He cackles again. "A Super and a Luthor, working together. I wonder how terribly this will crash and burn?"

Chapter Text

Maxwell Lord sits in his isolation chamber, made of a glass-like substance that's not from this Earth. He is perhaps one of their most dangerous prisoners, so he gets the best of the best.

"Not to seem like I'm not delighted about having the first visitor in months that will look at me, let alone speak to me, but why are you ladies here? I know it can't be my roughish good looks."

Lena and Kara exchange a disgusted look that Maxwell pointedly ignores.

"It's certainly not your looks." Lena says but Maxwell pretends he doesn't hear that. "We want information on Cadmus."

"Cadmus?" Maxwell looks genuinely surprised for a second before a mad smile spreads across his face. "You want to take on Cadmus? Ha! You're crazier than I thought! So why me?"

"Every other Cadmus agent we've captured is useless." Lena answers.

"Of course they are, do you really think Cadmus would be stupid enough to send their smart people into the world? Those are all Cadmus' disposable people, the muscle it can easily replace."

"If you're so smart, why did you get sent back out into the world?" Lena asks him.

Maxwell scowls at the implication that he's not as smart as his overinflated ego says he is. "I'm a nobleman, not just a scientist. If I didn't keep up appearances, people would get suspicious."

"Suspiciously happy." Lena grumbles, making Kara stifle a giggle. "Will you give us information?"

Lena knows that really isn't the best way to interrogate someone, to ask for their assistance. But this is Maxwell Lord, as loathe as she is to admit it, he is smart. He would see through any attempts at deception, and would therefore trust them less than he already does.

"Not to you." Max answers, leaning against the back of his glass cage.

"But to someone, you will?" Lena prompts, recognizing his twisting of words.

He may be smart, but Lena will always be smarter. And more empathetic. In fact, Maxwell Lord is one of the very few people in the world that Lena Luthor is certain she's better than in almost every way. The things he's better at being boils down to being selfish and a douche.

Maxwell smirks. "You noticed that, huh? Perhaps you aren't as dumb as you look." Lena places a hand on Kara's arm to stop her from stepping forward to punch him. "Yes, I will talk to someone. But not you ladies."

"Then who?" Kara asks, clenching her fists.

"Why Alexandra, of course."

Lena pulls Kara from the room before she can do anything stupid, saying "we'll discuss this" over her shoulder.

When they're outside Max's prison's room, Kara breaks. She's so mad and frustrated that she's marching back and forth, speaking in a language that Lena assumes is Kryptonian, or rather Kryptonese, because Lena doesn't recognize any of the words said.

"Kara, honey." Lena speaks softly. She doesn't wanting to startle her or reach out to touch her. She's never seen her girlfriend in this state and doesn't want to touch her without her consent. "Darling."

That nickname snaps her out of it slightly and she stands in place, eyes full of rage but her face is blank. Kara clenches her fists and Lena doesn't flinch when her eyes glow red like she's holding back hear vision.

"Darling, listen to me please. Listen to my voice. Focus on me. You need to calm down, sweetie." Lena urges, keeping her voice gentle. "Can you unclench your hands for me?"

Slowly, Kara's fingers relax and come out of a tight fist.

"That's good, darling. You're doing great. Can you work on your heat vision, love? Your eyes are glowing." Lena points out gently.

Kara blinks a couple of times, her eyes still glowing red and looking like a vengeful goddess. She reaches out one shaking hand and Lena entwines their fingers. Kara's lips twitch up into a small smile and she takes a deep breath, squeezing Lena's hand slightly. She blinks again and the redness fades slightly so her pupils are visible, but her eyes are still glowing with barely restrained energy.

It's then that Lena realizes that Kara is carefully avoiding looking at her. "Look at me, please. Kara."

It's at the unexpected sound of her own name that Kara's eyes snap over to hers, then immediately focus above her.

"I'm not afraid, Kara. I know you can control yourself. Look at me please."

Kara's eyes slowly lower until they're on Lena's face again. Kara smiles softly and the last of the glowing fades. Lena smiles proudly and carefully lifts her girlfriend's hand to her lips. She kisses the back of her hand and grins at how her girlfriend's cheeks warm.

"You did wonderful. Talk to me, darling."

Kara takes a deep breath. "He doesn't care about her. Alex," she clarifies. "He doesn't even care enough to call her by the name she prefers. I don't know what he's planning on talking about with her, but it won't be good."

"It's still her decision, darling, whether to go talk to him or not." Lena reminds her, squeezing Kara's hand.

"But you know what she'll decide! She'll want to talk to him!"

"I didn't say I liked our options, love. I just have to respect her decision. If nothing else, we can always take him to an interrogation room and watch from behind the glass."

"And have him out of his fishbowl? No way." Kara shakes her head vehemently.

"It won't be our choice, love. And remember, your sister is more than capable of taking a hundred Maxwell Lords down. She'll be okay." Lena says.

"It's not that I'm worried about. Well, that too but I'm worried about his manipulation." Kara admits, biting her lower lip.

"She's a Knight and works for the DEO, love. She's trained in the art of manipulation and exploitation. She will be okay." Lena says.

Kara lets out a breath, not really believing that but not denying it. They start walking and make their way to Alex's lab. Alex rushes over as soon as the door opens, having seen them approach through the glass that is the walls of her lab. Maggie's only a few steps behind her, worried about the girl she's beginning to see as a little sister.

"Kara? Are you okay? What's wrong?" She asks urgently.

"We, um. We went to speak to Maxwell Lord."

"Oh, that motherfuc-" Alex cuts herself off and rolls up her sleeves like she's ready to punch him in the face. "What did that asshat do this time?"

Lena goes over their conversation with him.

Maggie scoffs. "What a..." She trails off, looking at Kara. "He can't even get her name right."

Kara nods. "You're not going to talk to him, right? Alex?"

"I am." Alex says, to the surprise of no one. "If there's just a chance that he can tell us what Cadmus is planning, then it's worth it. We need to know. I'll take him to an interrogation room and get it out of him."

"You know he will not be doing this for free. He wants something." Lena warns.

"I know. I just hope it's something I'm willing to give. Like a punch in the nose."

"I don't like the idea of you being in a room alone with him." Kara says.

"I won't be alone." Alex replies, receiving three pairs of confused eyes. "I'm bringing Maggie with me. He never specified that I have to be alone, right?"

"That's right." Lena confirms, a small smile forming on her face.

"Okay, so here's the plan. Lena, Maggie, and I will wait behind the tinted glass for Kara to escort Max in. Kara, cuff him to the table. There's a chain to attach him to it hanging from the bottom. And I don't care if he's uncomfortable. Kara, you'll then come behind the glass with us and we'll observe him for a little bit before Maggie and I walk in. Got it?"

"Got it," the others confirm.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Vasquez asks from where they and Winn have been working.

"Yes, actually. Can you make the room too hot or too cold? I want him uncomfortable."

"Yeah we can." Winn confirms, high fiving Vasquez. "Hey, do you think we should nail down the table too?" He asks as the both of them rush out the door.

"If he tries to get up without being released, he'll smack right back down." Vasquez laughs. "I would pay to see that."

"Kara, go get Max. Escort him, but maybe have a guard lead him." Alex says.

Kara nods and kisses her sister's cheek. "Okay. I love you, sis."

"Love you too."

Kara walks away at a normal human pace, wanting to give Vasquez and Winn time to rig up the room. She goes over to the nearest agent/knight.

"Pardon me, but can you come with me please? I would like your help moving a prisoner to an interrogation room."

The person stands and Kara notes the patch on their uniform. So they're an agent. "Yes ma'am, of course. Which prisoner?"

They start walking and Kara answers. "Maxwell Lord."

The agent grimaces and nods.

Chapter Text

Kara happily pushes Maxwell Lord into the uncomfortable metal chair of the interrogation room as the agent stands nearby, carefully watching their interaction. The agent knows that if anything happens to Kara, they'll have the wrath of the Queen and Sir Alex Danvers unleashed upon them. Not to mention the fact that Princess Kara is now dating Queen Lena. They don't want to find out what would happen should Lord hurt her.

Kara carefully cuffs Maxwell to the chain under the table, just tight enough to be uncomfortable but loose enough to give the illusion of slight freedom. She gives him her best glare as she leaves the room but his smug face doesn't waver.

The agent shuts the door and stands guard outside it. Kara thanks them by name, smiling at them and their surprised expression before she heads to the room behind the interrogation room.

Alex, Lena, and Maggie are all watching Maxwell intently. Maggie and Alex are standing next to each other, unconsciously mimicking each other's pose, which Kara finds adorable. They're both standing up tall with their hands held together behind their back, an offensive position.

Kara walks over next to Lena, who's focus is still on Maxwell. Kara drags her eyes away from her beautiful girlfriend and to the man in the other room.

He sits still, an almost impassive expression on his face. But even Kara, who's not trained in reading facial expressions like the three women around her, can tell he's not comfortable. He shifts pretty often, like he's trying to get comfortable on the crappy chair she put him on. He glances at the door every so often, impatiently waiting for the interview to start.

After a couple more minutes, Alex and Maggie exchange a glance and nod to each other. They leave the room after Alex gives Kara a hug. They head into the interrogation room. At the sound of the doorknob turning, Maxwell's head snaps up but he looks back straight, rearranging his expression so he looks bored.

His eyebrow twitches up in surprise and distaste when Alex doesn't come in alone. He leans forward, eyeing Maggie with curiosity as he looks her up and down in a way that makes Alex want to step in front of to block his view.

"And who's this?" He asks.

"I am Sir Maggie Sawyer, Alex's partner." Maggie introduces.

"Another woman knight?" He sneers, looking her up and down again. He squints at her. "Partner, you say? What do you mean by that? Partner in crime, partner as in dating..." Maxwell trails off.

Maggie exchanges a quick glance with Alex, making certain it's okay to tell him. They had talked about it behind the tinted glass while Lena pretended not to listen, discussing whether they were comfortable with him knowing the true nature of their relationship.

"I'm Alex's partner both professionally and romantically." Maggie tells him.

"Ah, a conflict of interest in the DEO. Never thought I would see the day when Alexandra would be dating a coworker. And her partner, even. Does John know?" He asks with a smirk.

"You know it's J'onn." Alex corrects him, narrowing her eyes in annoyance. "He can read minds, and we told him. Yes, he knows."

Maxwell just hums in response and Alex reminds herself that he's crazy in order to calm herself and not punch him.

"Well, I guess now I know why you never went out with me. I wasn't..." He pauses and looks Maggie up and down in a way that makes everyone but him uncomfortable (which he happens to be very good at). "Feminine enough."

Alex snorts, letting some of her temper come out. "Maxwell, I wouldn't date you if you were the second most beautiful woman in the universe."

"Oh, but if I was the first most beautiful?" Maxwell asks, his smirk back as he leans forward.

"Then you would be Maggie, who I'm already dating." Maggie blushes at her girlfriend's words. "And Maxwell, you have a way of making even beauty ugly."

"Ooh, harsh." Maxwell pretends to wince like the words hurt him. Alex knows better. He thinks too highly of himself to let anyone else's words get to him. "That isn't a nice way to treat the man who's giving you information on Cadmus."

Alex shakes her head. "You haven't given us anything so far. And I know you, Maxwell. You don't do anything for free. So what do you want?"

"Pizza and some cookies." He deadpans. "I'm kidding. I want to be transferred to a human prison."

"A... Human prison." Alex repeats, furrowing her brows. "You do know that no prisons are divided by race or species, right? You'll still be with aliens, no matter where you go."

"Tell me about it." Maxwell grumbles, a look of pure hatred flashing in his eyes. "No, I just don't want to be here. Some of the guards are even aliens."

Alex doesn't point out that it's now become common practice to hire aliens as prison guards. He can be pleasantly surprised when he gets there.

"So you just want to be transferred to a different facility?" Alex asks for clarification.

"No, I want your promise I will be transferred. A knight's promise can't be broken, Princess Alexandra." Maxwell reminds her smugly. Alex grits her teeth at the sound of her full name.

"You have my promise." Alex says.

Maggie looks over and gives her girlfriend a surprised look. She didn't expect Alex to give in that easily. But one glance at Alex's face tells her that Alex has a plan, so she lets that ease her worries slightly.

Maxwell claps his hands together, the metal cuffs clanking together as well. "Wonderful. Now, about Cadmus. You already know Lillian is the leader, yes?"

"Yes, we do." Maggie confirms.

"Hmm. What you may not know are her motivations and intentions." He leans forward.

"She hates aliens." Alex says.

"Yes, despises them. But that isn't what motivates her. She doesn't want Lex's death to be in vain. She's mad, that woman. She has a team of scientists looking through Lex's old notebooks. They aren't as brilliant as I am, so my being locked up definitely set their plans back."

"So what are they working on?" Maggie urges him.

"Ooh, this is the fun part. See, when Superman and Supergirl first landed here, they didn't just bring their space ships. Soon after they landed, large meteors struck the ground all over, as far as we can tell. Green chunks of rocks that glowed, that were slightly radioactive, but not enough to be dangerous to humans. But as scientists studied them, they noticed something interesting. These rocks had come from Krypton itself, from the explosion that destroyed their planet. And they have the power to hurt Kryptonians."

Alex controls her anger just enough that she's not as tempted to deck him.

"They call it Kryptonite, you may have heard of it. It's what nearly killed the infamous Superman, and would have, if Lex hadn't been killed." He says casually, like he's discussing the weather. "We've been working on how to modify it to hurt more, making it into weapons. Crossbow bolts, swords, daggers, arrows. So you might not want to bring the Super cousins to your raid."

Alex purses her lips, fighting down the panic. They'll have to work on this, too. And Alex has a plan.

"Anything else?" Maggie asks him.

"Nothing I can think of. Good luck, ladies. You're going to need it."

"I'll have you transferred to Penske in the morning." Alex says formally.

"Penske? That's a maximum security prison! That's worse than this place!" He shouts but Alex doesn't flinch, doesn't waver. "Dammit, you lied!"

Maxwell tries to stand up to do something stupid like try to fight a fully trained knight of the DEO. What he hasn't realized is that the table is bolted down. Maxwell's momentum works against him and pulls him back down, smacking his face against the table. He sits back down, groaning with a bleeding nose and bruises already beginning to form.

Alex punches him in the nose, making him make a high pitched pained noise.

Alex leaves the room, leaving Maggie alone with him. She leans her hands on the table, holding herself in a dominant, threatening position.

"If you ever try to harm Alex or her family again, no one will ever find your body. Understand me?" She growls.

He nods, his eyes full of fear. She kicks his chair back, causing him to hit his head on the table again. He's still groaning and whimpering in pain when she leaves the room.

***

Alex paces back and forth in her lab, Maggie watching her with worried eyes. Kara and Lena are holding hands, both shaken by what Maxwell said.

"Does anyone have a plan? How do we fight this?" Vasquez asks.

"I have a plan." Alex says, the sound of her voice startling the others. They expected her to pace and not talk while they talk things out. "Kara, I want you training more using the Kryptonite dampener. I want you to try to get comfortable with being around low levels of it, build up your tolerance. Winn, Maggie, keep working on the crossbows. We still need them. Vasquez, Lena, I want you to work on a cure or something to counteract Kryptonite. I'll bring you a small sample."

"What will you be working on?" Maggie asks, standing from her stool and taking Alex's hand in hers. Alex stops pacing and looks at her.

"I have some tests to run." She says as an explanation.

Alex walks away, grabbing a few things she needs before rushing out of the lab.

Chapter Text

Alex walks into a room in the DEO she hasn't been in for a while. Not since Maggie first got here. A small lab she used to spend hours on end in, working on a project she has told no one about. Though she has no doubt that J'onn knows. She had hoped it would never come to this, that her half-finished work would never be needed. But it is. And now she needs to finish it.

The room is lit by a large window that's kind of like what they use in interrogation rooms, where Alex can look out and see everything perfectly, but someone looking in could see blurs and blobs of colors at best.

She takes a deep breath and pulls the sheet from off her work, which she uses to keep the dust off in between her working on it, in case a time comes when she can't come back to work on it for a while. Which is exactly what happened.

The light hits the armor beautifully, causing it to give off an almost ethereal glow. Alex smiles faintly, looking it up and down to make sure it's exactly how she left it. And sure enough, the needle and thread are stuck right where it was. The fact that Alex can sew is a closely guarded secret. She had Winn teach her before she started this project, only beginning it once he was satisfied she had mastered sewing. She threatened Winn with bodily harm to keep him from telling anyone or teasing her when they're alone.

Alex may be a bit of a perfectionist, which why after roughly three years of on and off working on this, it's still not complete. Now she has a reason it needs to be complete, so at least she has a good start. She's not certain she would be able to finish it in time if she hadn't started it yet. Especially with her attention to detail and her perfectionism.

Alex wipes off the needle to make certain it's still sharp and gets to work.

It's hours before she resurfaces, and she only does because the rumbling of her stomach kept distracting her while she sewed. Alex sighs and covers the armor again, leaving the room to take a short break. She blinks in surprise when she looks out the window, realizing that the sun is setting. Alex always tends to lose track of time when she's working, particularly when she's working alone and has no one to remind her to take breaks.

Alex walks out of the small lab, closing and locking the door behind her with her key. She has one of the two keys to the door, the other stays with J'onn locked up in his office that he rarely used.

When Alex reaches the kitchen, she blinks in surprise when Lyra shakes her head and directs her to the dining room. Is there food still there?

Alex pushes open the door and pauses for a second in shock when she sees her friends and family still there. Well, some of them. Vasquez, Winn, Lena, Kara, and Maggie are all sitting at the table, laughing and joking around. Alex hesitantly steps inside, the door closing behind her with a loud noise that makes her wince and makes the others turn to look at her.

"Hey! We waited for you!" Kara says, patting an empty chair between her and Maggie.

"Uh. Thanks, but why?" Alex asks, sitting down.

Winn pushes a plate towards her, full of food. Kara zaps some of it with her heat vision to warm it back up.

"Why not?" Kara retorts as Alex hungrily digs in.

Alex doesn't have an answer for that.

"Plus, we're curious about your secret project." Winn admits.

"Winn!" Kara exclaims. "You're making it sound like we're only here because we're curious!"

Before they can start bickering even more, Alex cuts them off. "I'll show you. I have to eventually, anyways. After I finish eating, I'll take you all there."

Winn pumps his fist in the air like the dork he is and Kara's eyes light up in happiness. Alex rolls her eyes with a fond smile on her lips. She doesn't let her squirming siblings coerce her into eating quicker and takes her time savoring Lyra's delicious creations.

Winn and Kara scramble up when she gets up to take her plate back to the kitchen to be washed. Much to the amusement of Vasquez, Maggie, and Lena.

"I'll meet you outside the DEO, I just have to drop this off." Alex says.

The others all agree and leave, except for Maggie. She stays with Alex and silently follows her to the kitchen. Alex hands her plate to a nearby cook and tells him to thank Lyra for her.

With her hand now free, Alex reaches out to take Maggie's hand as they walk through the castle together. Maggie smiles when she does, her dimples appearing.

"So have you made much progress?" Alex asks when she gets tired of the silence.

"A lot slower now that it's just Winn and I working on the crossbows, but for just two people, we've been doing well. You?"

"I've been doing pretty well, but it's something I've been working on for a while so I'm not starting from scratch, luckily. And Maggie?" Alex says, stopping in her tracks.

Maggie pauses as well when she notices Alex has stopped, turning back to face her. She has a confused and slightly concerned look on her face.

"Yes?"

Alex doesn't trust herself to say the right thing in this moment to express what she wants to, so she does the next best thing. She leans in and kisses Maggie, who's surprised at first but melts into the kiss. When they both need to breayh, Alex pulls back again and rests her forehead against Maggie's.

"I haven't been able to do that in a while." Alex murmurs. "It was weird, being around you so much earlier but not kissing you sometimes like we usually do when we work together."

"Maxwell Lord is a real lip blocker. Like lip locker but blocker." Maggie gives Alex an exaggerated wink that makes her laugh.

"Don't mention Maxwell Lord when we've been kissing, please." Alex says, partly joking.

"Ugh. Good idea." Maggie leans in and kisses her again softly. "Mm." She hums against her lips and pulls away slightly. "Should we be going?"

Alex captured her lips again. "I almost don't care anymore." She admits when she pulls back.

Maggie's low chuckle vibrates against Alex's lips. "Babe."

With that, Alex is the one who melts. "Fine. But we're continuing this later."

"With less clothes?" Maggie asks.

"With no clothes." Alex confirms, squeezing her girlfriend's hand as they continue walking.

If the others notice Alex and Maggie's slightly disheveled presence and their lateness, they don't mention it. Alex leads them through the DEO until she's on front of a door without a label on it, except for the name "Sir Danvers." It's technically her office but she doesn't use it for that.

"You can take off the sheet when you get in there." Alex says.

Alex pulls out the key and opens the door, holding it open for the others. She smiles at the sounds of their reactions as she shuts and relocks the door behind her.

Kara lets out an excited squeak and she even hears Lena let out a soft gasp.

"Dude!" Winn exclaims.

"What?" She hears Vasquez say, like they can't quite believe what she has made.

Alex smiles proudly and turns around to see them all staring at the armor, the sheet on the ground beside it.

"How did you?" Winn asks, his mouth opening and closing. "Dude. You made a cooler supersuit than me! I'm not even mad, this is just awesome!"

"What's it made out of?" Lena asks, looking at it closely but not touching.

"You can touch it if you want. I've been studying some cloths Kara and Superman were wrapped in and made a synthetic polymer similar to it. It's extremely flexible and breathable, but I've only been able to make enough for this so far."

"Gods." Winn says, making her look over at him. "This is why you wanted to learn how to sew a couple of years ago! I thought you just wanted to repair some of your clothes!"

"Hey, they're holey because they have character." Alex responds. "But yeah. It's not done yet. I've been working on it on and off for about three years. And here's why it's different than Winn's designs."

She knocks on the mannequin and there's a faint metallic sound. The others look baffled.

"It has two layers of the polymer, which is why I only had enough for this." Alex begins. "Between the layers in a thin layer of lead, which I've converted into something that easily moves with the person. Which, trust me, wasn't easy. So that layer of lead can serve as a last ditch effort if we can't find a cure or anything for Kryptonite. It should block the worst of the effects. Maybe I should make a helmet and boots..." She muses. "I still have more parts to sew and some minor adjustments and additions and some padding to add."

"I'm going to look so awesome!" Kara says excitedly.

Chapter Text

The next day, Alex decides to change it up. Now that the others know what Alex is up to, she doesn't feel the need to hide it away from them. She carefully wheels the mannequin with the armor on it and her supplies over to her main lab, where she joins most of the others.

Vasquez and Lena are muttering over a microscope, debating about something about Kryptonite. If Alex didn't have her own project to work on, she would be tempted to listen in and offer her own advice. She will if they ask her for it, but otherwise she'll keep working on Kara's new armor.

Kara's back in the training room, training with some poor trainees under increasing amounts of Kryptonite to up her tolerance. From what Alex has heard from some exhausted trainees, Kara's been making good progress.

And one big bonus of being in her main lab is that she can bounce ideas off of people instead of brainstorming on her own. It's so much easier, and sometimes the others will think of something that Alex never would have.

When Winn and Maggie take a break from working on the crossbows with a few other scientists, they spend their time with her. Winn helps her design the boots and helmet, and how to go about making them. Maggie offers her own ideas every once in a while, but she's mainly content cuddling up to Alex's side (it's incredibly adorable and Alex loves how she snuggles up to her left side so she can still work with her dominant hand).

Alex and Winn come up with two helmets, one based off of Wonder Woman's, who's sadly off world and unavailable at the moment. Alex sometimes wonders how the heck she gets "off world" because they don't have spaceships, except for a few well hidden alien ones, and then she remembers Wonder Woman is literally a goddess.

Anyway. The first helmet is designed more like a fancy band that's like a crown in a way, with space to put in the Kryptonite blocker if Vasquez and Lena can figure out how to make one. If not, Alex has a design for another helmet. It's more clunky and probably isn't Kara's style as much, but it'll keep her alive and that's what's important.

It looks more like a type of knight's helmet than anything else. It's a type call a Spangen helmet where the top of the head is covered in an almost dome like way, which comes down to just above the brow ridge. There's a nose guard and flaps along the back and the sides to protect vulnerable parts of the face and head. Typically, it would just be that, but through brainstorming with Winn, then with Vasquez and Lena, they've figured out a way to create a chain mail like veil, something to cover what's in between the flaps so her face and head is entirely protected.

The helmet won't be covered in her Kryptonian inspired polymer like the armor, and will instead be made of a hard metal with a layer of lead inside. It could be made of just lead, but lead itself isn't very good protection. Especially against weapons. It could be dented or sliced easily, and the last thing Alex wants is for Kara to get hurt.

The boots won't be covered in Alex's polymer she used on the armor, mainly because she doesn't have any more. She and Lena work together and combine what they know about their own polymers for their own armor and come up with one that Alex has to admit is brilliant. It's going to be like the other parts of Kara's armor, with the middle being lead, this time movable like with the armor, not stiff like the helmet or band.

Maggie walks over sometimes to help her with things without Alex asking for assistance, which she really appreciates. She also really enjoys the proud glint in her girlfriend's eyes when she sees Alex's progress and the kisses she gets whenever Maggie comes over.

***

It doesn't take Alex as long as she expected to finish a rough draft of the armor and when she does, she immediately sends one of the lab assistants off to get Kara. Kara comes over in a couple of minutes, out of breath. Alex frowns.

"Kara, have you been over exerting yourself? You're out of breath." Alex notes worriedly.

"I've been working with the trainees for the past... Almost a week, since you first told me to." Kara says. "I'm getting better, but I don't have as much tolerance built up as I would like."

"Doing too much isn't the way to go, Kara." Alex says softly, mentally berating herself for not noticing sooner. "Take breaks, okay? Even the Girl of Steel needs to rest." Kara nods, her shoulders slumping and Alex sees how tired she really is.

Alex doesn't say anything this time, just pulls Kara into a tight hug and it's a good couple of seconds before Kara hugs her back.

"You're right." Kara murmurs into her sister's shoulder. "I'll take more breaks. I just... I hate feeling so useless, so powerless."

Alex pulls back as Kara huffs, annoyed at herself.

"No, okay? You're not powerless, Kara. You're never powerless." Alex says firmly, her hands pressing on Kara's shoulders to ground her.

"I am if I solar flare." Kara points out. "Or if there's too much Kryptonite."

Alex firmly shakes her head, ignoring the fact that the others are very unsubtly listening in to their conversation.

"You're never powerless, Kara. Without your powers, who are you? Well, you're Kara Danvers. Princess of the Danvers Kingdom and highly trained by the infamous DEO in hand to hand combat and in using weapons. You're never powerless, Kara. You're just a bit more vulnerable some of the time."

Kara takes in her words and visibly softens. "You always know what to say."

She hugs Alex again, who hugs her back tightly. She knows that in Kara's points like this, when she's down (even after Alex gives her one of her pep talks) she needs some extra tight hugs.

Alex lets Kara be the one to determine when their hug breaks. She smiles up at her sister and gently taps her on the nose.

"Now are you ready to put on your super awesome armor I made you?"

Kara laughs and nods. "Yeah. I'll be back in a second."

She takes the armor (which Winn has folded up nicely), the boots, and the smaller helmet. Kara heads into the nearby bathroom and comes out a few seconds later, having used her super speed. Alex grins proudly and knows Kara can see and hear their friends' and girlfriends' reactions.

Maggie looks impressed and gives Kara thumbs up while Lena looks like she's trying not to drool, which Kara takes as a compliment. Vasquez is smirking and winks at her when she catches their eye. Winn is bouncing up and down excitedly, happy that everything seems to be working. Alex is beaming at her, too happy at seeing her sister in her armor to even look at it critically at the moment.

"How does it feel?" Alex asks finally.

"Really great," Kara admits. "I like the design too. It reminds me of the guilds of Krypton."

"I based it off of what you used to tell me about them, yeah." Alex nods, hugging her sister when she sees the tears in her eyes.

The suit itself is dark blue, not the lighter color that Winn used for her main suit. It's a two piece, like Winn's, but it comes together in such a way that it appears to be a one piece. Instead of having high boots and a skirt, there are slightly smaller red boots and long pants that tuck into the boots. Along the seams are dark red threads that keeps everything in place, which is a good contrast with the blue. Like Winn's, Alex made it so the sleeves loop around her thumb to keep it in place but the fabric doesn't go father than that, so Kara can punch things without worrying too much about damaging her suit.

And instead of a large symbol for the House of El all across the front, there's a smaller symbol on the top left corner of the suit, in the same deep red color as the thread. In Alex's mind, it kind of gives the impression that the red from the symbol spreads all across her body.

Attached to Kara's shoulders are gold knob-like items that hold her red cape in place. Kara was very insistent on having a cape. And the band over her forehead, it just completes the look. The centerpiece is currently empty, and Alex does have an idea on how to make it cooler so she really hopes that they can figure out a Kryptonite blocker.

Alex pulls back from the hug and then begins to work through the many questions she has for Kara so she can improve it.

Chapter Text

Despite the fact that Kara gets bored halfway through Alex's (very thorough) questions about the armor, she still sticks around and answers them all. Alex gets pretty good feedback and rolls her eyes fondly when Kara cheers at hearing that her questions are over.

"Go change, dork." Alex says, pushing Kara's shoulders lightly. Kara indulgently allows herself to be moved by Alex. "Can you put it back on the mannequin? I have a few things to improve."

"Yeah. And Alex?"

Alex looks up from where she has begun to write down her notes. "Hmm?"

"Please don't stay too late, okay? It's already almost dinner time." Kara pleads.

"I won't. Plus, if I forget, I now have an amazing girlfriend who will bodily drag me from here if I stay too long."

"Damn straight!" Maggie says from the other side of the room.

"More like gay!" Vasquez chimes in.

Maggie laughs at their joke. "I knew I liked you for a reason, Vasquez."

Kara and Alex exchange an amused look. Alex shoos her away and Kara goes into the bathroom only to emerge a second or two later in her normal clothes. She quickly reapplies the armor onto the mannequin.

"I'm going to grab Lena and then some dinner. Love you!"

"Love you too, Kara."

Kara kisses Alex's cheek and gives her a pointed look. Alex huffs, knowing that's just Kara wanting to make sure she stays healthy and actually eats. Alex pretends not to hear the sound of her sister kissing Lena in an attempt to convince her to leave earlier. She's not at all surprised to see Lena and Kara walking out a minute later, hand in hand. Kara's always been good at knowing how to get her way.

Alex jots down her ideas and does some quick rough sketches on a drawing of the armor she has that isn't covered in notes. She notes what needs to be altered or removed and where they are. She doesn't even blink when someone sits down next to her.

Alex gets down her ideas and only when she's satisfied with her notes does she look up. She doesn't try to get in a little brainstorming about how to alter it or anything. She knows that if she goes down that rabbithole, she might lock herself up in her lab for a couple of days straight, running on coffee and the food an exasperated Kara (and J'onn) brings her. Alex really does know, that has happened before. A couple times. Kara hates it, Vasquez and Winn get it, and J'onn tolerates it as long as she's taking care of herself.

She looks up and jumps at the sight of Maggie sitting next to her. Sure, she could tell someone sat next to her. She just didn't expect them to still be there. Alex can't even remember when Maggie sat down.

"Hey," Alex greets.

Maggie's resting one elbow on the lab table, using it to prop her head up as she watched Alex with gentle eyes and a dimpled smile.

"Hey. Am I going to have to drag you out of here?" Maggie asks.

"No, I promise. Just one more thing."

Maggie lets out a good natured groan but the sparkle in her eye tells Alex she doesn't mind. "Oh yeah, what?"

Alex uses one finger to gesture for Maggie to come closer until their faces are inches from each other.

"This," Alex whispers and brings their lips together.

Maggie hums against her lips and draws Alex closer. Eventually, she stands so she can kiss Alex better. And so that she doesn't fall off the stool. Maggie pulls back slightly to pull in a deep breath of air and changes the angle of their kiss slightly, to the delight of Alex. Alex reaches up to cup Maggie's face with one hand and to tangle her fingers in her hair with her other.

"Sir Alex." J'onn's voice startles them and they break apart. "Sir Maggie. If you would please continue that elsewhere, where you are not near a mind reading alien."

"I thought you didn't read minds without permission." Alex says.

"I can hear thoughts if they're loud enough." He gives them pointed looks and they both blush.

Alex clears her throat awkwardly. "Right. Sorry, J'onn."

He smiles warmly, a more common sight in the past week despite what's been going on. Alex wonders if M'gann finally got the guts to talk to him.

"Would you like a progress update, sir?" Alex asks.

J'onn nods and Alex and Maggie take turns telling him about their progress.

***

Even with Alex's perfectionism, it doesn't take her very long to finish the suit. The only thing she's waiting for is the blocker that Lena and Vasquez are developing. Since Winn and Maggie have a team of scientists helping them and Lena and Vasquez don't, after Alex is finished, she decides to help them.

Lena and Vasquez have spent their time poring over Alex's impressively thorough notes on Kryptonian bodies and how they work (Alex has spent an extensive amount of time studying that with Kara) as well as her studies on Kryptonite. Alex joining them is more than welcome. It's a relief, truly. Sometimes Alex will reference things in the papers that neither Lena or Vasquez know about. Lena's specialty isn't biology, she's more of a machines build-it kind of woman. So sometimes reading Alex's papers makes her go cross eyes and get more confused than she originally was.

Of course, Lena and Vasquez are brilliant in their own right and have made pretty good progress. But having Alex is better than they could have hoped for. Her specialty is bio-engineering, specifically with aliens and metahumans (though they're a lot less common than aliens). Not to mention the fact that Alex has been studying all the things they need to know about for years and is more knowledgeable than even the papers. The fact she can explain things to them in simpler terms is invaluable.

"This is where we could really use some alien technology." Alex sighs.

"This is the DEO, don't we have some alien tech that could be useful?" Vasquez asks.

"We probably do. It would be so much easier if we had an expert on-" Alex cuts herself off and Lena can practically see the lightbulb going off above her head.

Kara walks in and Alex's eyes track her. She knows why her sister is here, knows that she's here to get lunch with Lena (and maybe kiss while they're there).

"Hey darling." Lena greets Kara, getting a swift kiss on the lips as a greeting.

"Hi Lee. Ready for lunch?" Kara asks.

"I know you certainly are." Lena teases, poking Kara gently in the stomach, which growls in response.

Kara blushes at the noise and Lena chuckles, taking her girlfriend's hand in her own. They make their way towards the exit but Alex's voice makes them pause.

"Kara, Lena. Can you both stay when you come back from lunch? I want to talk to you." Alex says. Kara and Lena exchange a worries glance. "It's not anything bad, I promise. It's about what we're working on."

Kara nods. "Yeah, I can stay. I'll bring you guys some food, too."

"Kara, you're a goddess." Winn says gratefully.

"No, I'm Kryptonian." Kara deadpans, then giggles at how even Lena groans quietly and rolls her eyes fondly.

It seems like only a couple of minutes pass before Kara and Lena are back, Kara going around and handing plates off food to everyone that's still there and not at lunch themselves. By now, she knows everyone's preferred lunch because if she didn't bring food, Alex is certain that over half of them would forget to eat. Including her and Maggie. Well Maggie might remember, if she glances at the clock to see how long she has until she can cuddle with Alex in their bed. Alex... Well, she gets in "the zone." Where not much matters but what she's currently working on. It's not the most healthy way to work, but she's done some of her best work that way.

"So what do you want to talk about?" Kara asks as she sets a plate of food in front of Vasquez and one in front of Alex.

"Kryptonian technology. I know you were almost the youngest person to join the Science Guild in... A long time. So you remember the technology there, right?"

"Of course. But most of it can't be built with the materials you have on Earth." Kara muses. "What do you need?"

Alex explains what she, Vasquez, and Lena have come up with so far. It's not a ton, but that along with how she explains what she's thinking they could do with Kryptonian technology is enough for Kara to pick up on what could work.

"I have an idea. It's not Kryptonian technology, per se, but it is alien technology we had on Krypton. And I think we have something just like it in DEO storage somewhere." Kara says excitedly.

Chapter Text

Kara and Alex head off to the DEO archives, Kara because she knows exactly what they're looking for and Alex because she knows her way around the archives. J'onn has put her in charge of labeling the artifacts and alien technology they receive a couple of times.

The DEO archives is the most guarded storage place in the entirety of the Danvers Kingdom. The things in here range from harmless alien farming tools to weapons that could destroy a kingdom with one press of a button. The guards all are highly trained and understand the dangers of letting just anyone in. So aside from a very select group of people, everyone that enters must have a handwritten note from J'onn himself.

Kara and Alex, being the princesses of the Kingdom, are of course in that select group of people who can walk in at any time. Though they both know J'onn has the power to revoke that privilege if he thinks something is wrong. Like when Alex was in the midst of her worst days. Not that they use the privilege very often, they don't usually come here.

It takes them a couple of hours of wandering down the maze-like archives in order to find what they're looking for. After that, Kara cheats a little and uses her X-ray vision in order to figure out how to get out of there. Otherwise, they'd be there for another hour.

"Did you find it?" Vasquez asks when they get back to Alex's main lab. "I heard it's a mess in the archives."

"It is. We nearly got lost." Alex admits, sitting back down next to Maggie. "But we did find it! It just took a while."

Alex pretends not to see Lena greeting her sister with a kiss out of the corner of her eye and instead kisses Maggie's cheek. Maggie's answering smile makes Alex's heart melt into a pile of gay goo in her chest. Alex wraps an arm around her and doesn't really care if the others can see. She's missed being around Maggie.

"It did." Kara groans when she pulls back from kissing Lena. "I'm so hungry now. It took hours!"

Lena wordlessly hands Kara a plate of food, everything on it is something that won't spoil at room temperature so luckily no one has to worry about Kara eating nasty three hour old food. Not that it would affect her, Alex tested that once. Kara did comment on the weird taste and how odd it was to eat at room temperature, but she was otherwise fine.

Kara gasps happily at the sight of a plate piled with some of her favorite foods and gives Lena a quick kiss again.

"You're my favorite person." Kara declares before starting to shovel food into her mouth at an alarming rate.

"What am I, chopped liver?" Alex teases and laughs at her sister's wide-eyed expression. "I'm kidding, Kara. So... What exactly is that?"

"She didn't tell you?" Lena asks, sounding more amused than surprised. "I guess no one here but the starving Kryptonian knows."

Kara pauses her eating to give Lena an unimpressed look before resuming eating like she hasn't eaten in a week. Once Kara's done, she sets down the plate and sits next to Lena, cuddling up to her.

"Okay, so that." She points at the small device Alex has set on the lab table in front of her. "That is... It blocks things. I don't know how to explain it well, it wasn't in my area of expertise. But I'll try. It can block radiation, and can be tuned to block specific radiation. I don't know how it does it, but I do know how to program it. My dad taught me. He was a scientist."

Lena places a hand on Kara's back, rubbing her thumb in soothing circles. Kara leans back into the touch and smiles gratefully at her girlfriend.

Kara takes off her glasses and reaches for the device her and Alex got. Alex hands it to her and Kara thanks her, already focused on the device. Kara uses her X-ray vision to make sure everything is in place in the device. If it's broken, she wants to know beforehand so she can go somewhere remote in case it blows up in her face. Literally. But luckily, it seems good.

Kara runs over the memory of her father teaching her how to use this "just in case." It took her a while after she landed on Earth to realize that he wanted to make sure that she could protect herself from the radiation and harmful things they had been putting in the air and letting seep into the ground.

She twists it slightly in her hand and presses a couple of buttons. It's small, and the buttons are smaller, so she's very careful about what she presses.

When she presses the final button, the little black and metallic silver device glows a light blue color before it spits out a hologram. Kara purses her lips, refusing to cry when she needs to do this. She just hasn't seen technology like this in so long, seen Kryptonian writing in so long. The hologram is like a typewriter keyboard, only with Kryptonian lettering and projected into the air like a hologram.

Kara reads the words at the top it uses to tell the user what it wants them to type in. Kara squints at the screen. She knows this, knows what it wants. She just has to find it in her memory and translate it into Kryptonian math and science.

Luckily for her, Kara has a great memory. She would like to think it's a Kryptonian thing, but Lois once told her that Kal once forgot his own birthday (or rather the day the Kents found him). And she's always had a good memory, so it isn't an extra power she has but her cousin doesn't.

Kara grabs a nearby blank piece of paper an writes down her calculations in Kryptonian numerals, checking it twice to make sure she got it right. The science is quicker, though translating what she needs into Kryptonian isn't as easy as she would like. She murmurs to herself in Kryptonian, something she hasn't done in a while. She has missed the feeling of her language rolling off of her tongue.

Once she's satisfied with her work, she types it in and presses one last button to confirm that yes, that is what she wanted to type (after rereading it twice). The hologram disappears and the device hums for a couple of seconds before making a familiar dinging noise. It garbles out in Kryptonian that it's done what Kara wanted and Kara nearly cries again. With everything that's been going on, she hasn't heard her own language for a while. Not to mention perfectly accented Kryptonese. Alex has an accent, which amuses Kara to no end ("of course it's funny Alex, you have a human accent").

"Are we good?" Alex asks.

Kara huffs out a breath. "Only one way to gun out. Put it in the thingy and wear it in the training room."

"Very descriptive." Alex teases as she hands Kara the headgear resembling Wonder Woman's.

Kara maturely sticks out her tongue at her sister and then carefully fits the device into the headpiece. It attaches easily and it looks kind of weird, the black and metallic silver standing out against the gold of the headpiece.

"I have an idea, Kara." Alex says hesitantly. "If you want and if you think it won't disrupt that device, um. I thought of a way to make it look cooler and give you a little piece of home wherever you go."

"What is it?" Kara asks.

"You know we have your pod, right? If you want to, you could melt a little bit off with your heat vision to cover that in it." Alex suggests. Kara blinks and Alex panics. "Obvious you don't have to, we can leave it as it is or find some paint or-"

"I would love that." Kara remarks softly.

"You would?" Alex asks for confirmation.

"Yeah. So how do we do it?"

***

Kara has taken a small chunk of metal that isn't necessary for the function of the ship and is holding it above the headpiece (in her other hand, she doesn't want to burn anyone). Underneath the headpiece is an alien bucket (yeah, an alien bucket. It can take up to 50 times the amount of heat the best Earth bucket can) to collect what doesn't hit the headpiece.

Kara takes a deep breath and uses her heat vision on the metal. It drips down onto the headpiece and Kara moves the headpiece around, trying to evenly cover it. It works rather well, better than Kara expected. The metal rehardens quickly and Kara has to admit it looks really cool. Instead of it being similar to Wonder Woman's pretty golden color, now it's a metallic, shiny gray that seems almost otherworldly.

Chapter Text

They all head down to the training room. Kara bounces on the tips of her toes as they all enter behind her. She has on her new suit and headgear.

"Okay, Kara." Alex says, taking the lead. She presses a button and the ceiling glows green. "Hit me."

Kara frowns. "Um. What if it works? Then I could break one of your bones. Or worse."

Alex nods. "Right. I didn't think of that. Okay, punch that."

Alex gestures to the punching bag they set up in the middle of the room. Kara nods to herself and lets out a breath. She walks over to it and gets into the stance that Alex taught her. Kara doesn't feel any different, none of the discomfort or nausea that usually comes with Kryptonite exposure. She's hopeful. She punches hard, holding back her strength enough that it shouldn't permanently damage the bag should she have her powers.

The bag, to her surprise, explodes. The grains of sand rush out of the hole her fist created and onto the floor. She shakes herself off and runs a hand through her hair to make sure nothing got in it.

"I think it's safe to say it works." Winn says after a lengthy pause. "That was awesome!" He holds his hand up for a high five.

Alex rolls her eyes fondly at her nerdy siblings. "Alright, alright. We can be done for today. We can run more tests tomorrow, see how direct contact with Kryptonite affects you. But for now-"

"Dinner!" Kara cheers.

Alex raises an eyebrow at being interrupted but Kara's too busy doing an excited little dance to notice. "Yeah. Dinner."

***

That night, Kara ate enough that she felt stuffed and Lena had to drag her from the dining room to Kara's bedroom. Lena sits on the bed, her back leaning against the headboard. Kara hums happily and cuddles up to Lena's side after flopping onto the bed.

"We do have some things to talk about, darling. Don't fall asleep on me." Lena urges quietly. Kara blinks and gives her a worried look. "Nothing bad about us, Kara. I promise." She takes a breath to steady herself then speaks. "Kara, I want to talk about earlier."

"About how I made the punching bag explode? Don't worry, I can control myself. I honestly haven't done that in years." Kara says.

"What? Oh, that's not what I was talking about, Kara. I was talking about how emotional you got earlier about the Kryptonian technology." Lena says slowly.

Kara blinks again and nods resignedly. "Lee, do you mind if I change out of my supersuit for this? I promise I'll be quick."

"Of course not. And I know you'll be super quick."

Lena laughs at Kara's groan as she changes, her movements a blur. Kara rejoins her on the bed, cuddling up just as close as before.

"What about it exactly?" Kara asks.

"I just want you to know you can talk to me about this kind of thing. I'm not just your girlfriend when you're happy. I'm your girlfriend when you're sad or angry or whatever other emotion you feel. You're not going to scare me away by talking about it. The Gods know how much baggage I have." She chuckles softly. "We can help each other shoulder the weights on our shoulders. I think that's the right metaphor." Lena scrunches up her nose as she tries to think and Kara can't resist kissing it.

"You're cute." Kara murmurs. "Yeah. Okay, I can talk about this. I just usually don't with anyone but Alex. I just... I haven't seen Kryptonian technology in a while, not like that. I haven't seen Kryptonese lettering in even longer. I rarely speak Kryptonese anymore."

"Don't Kal and Alex speak it?" Lena asks softly.

Kara lets out a breath. "Yeah. They... I don't know. It's not the same. They both have the same accent. I call it a human accent. I know they love me and I know they would try more if I asked, but..." She shakes her head. "It helps, speaking to Alex in Kryptonese when things get bad. Either externally or when things get bad in my head."

Kara snuggles closer to Lena and they sit in silence for a while, content in the feeling of each other.

"I want to learn Kryptonese." Lena says.

"You... What?" Kara asks, looking up at her with wide eyes.

"I want to learn Kryptonese." Lena shifts so she can look at Kara better. "Darling, we've already said we're in this for a long time. Hopefully forever." Lena pauses to lovingly brush a strand of hair from out of Kara's face. Kara kisses Lena's hand. "And part of that is probably going to include us living together. We can figure it out after all of this is over. But I want you to be able to speak Kryptonese in our home. I want you to feel safe with me, feel loved. And you may not know this, darling, but I am very smart." Lena jokes. "I have learned a couple other languages. I'm sure I'll be able to figure out Kryptonese."

Kara hums and leans in to kiss Lena softly. "I don't know, Lee. It took Alex months to figure it out."

"Well, I guess I'll have to prove I'm better at this than her." Lena murmurs. "I love you, Kara Danvers."

"I love you, Lena Luthor." Kara says back, beaming happily. She leans in and kisses her again, not letting herself get lost in it just yet. "Lee, we do have something else to discuss. Are you going to be okay with all of this?"

"What do you mean?" Lena asks for clarification, though she's pretty sure she knows what her girlfriend means.

"With Lillian. Lee, she's the head of Cadmus. She's behind all of that. And there's a possibility we won't be able to capture her alive." Kara says gently. "We're going to be leaving soon and I want to make sure you know that and that you're okay."

Lena lets out a breath. "I haven't considered Lillian my mother in years. In fact, that fact was a source of comfort. That I'm not really a Luthor." Lena tries to gather her thoughts but they're more of a jumbled mess than usual. "I don't know, Kara. If there's one thing I'm good at, it's losing family members."

"Lee..." Kara whispers, taking Lena's hand in hers.

"It's okay, Kara. I will be fine. Not at first, of course. No matter how terrible she is, as a mother, as a human being, Lillian is the only mother I can remember. If-if she does get killed or even if she doesn't..." Lena huffs and looks Kara in the eye. "I'm going to need you."

"And I'll be right by your side, Lee. For however long you want."

"Forever?" Lena asks in a small voice, still not quite used to the prospect that Kara might be as all in as she is.

Kara's eyes soften and crinkle as she smiles. "Forever. I can do that."

Lena leans in for a kiss that they let go a little deeper, but not enough that they're going to make love. Not yet, at least.

"Kara? Please be careful." Lena begs, squeezing her hand. "I can't lose you."

"You won't lose me. I'll be super careful."

Kara gives Lena an exaggerated wink to make her laugh and it works. "You're a dork." Lena teases.

"You love me."

"I do." Lena confirms, her voice warm.

Kara leans up and kisses her again. This time, they're both ready for it to deepen.

***

"So Sawyer, why do you have your worried face on?" Alex asks as she lies on their bed, tossing a ball into the air and catching it.

"I'm just thinking about the future." Maggie answers cryptically.

Alex catches the ball one last time and tosses is off the bed, gesturing for Maggie to come up. Maggie lies down next to Alex, entwining their hands and resting them on her stomach.

"What about the future?" Alex prompts, her head turned towards Maggie.

"We're leaving soon, to attack Cadmus. This is going to be huge. I just don't know if we're ready." Maggie admits.

"Well, we're almost done with making crossbows for the archers, and then Lena has to teach them how to use it... But other than that, I think we're as ready, as prepared as we can get." Alex says.

"That's good, but I mean emotionally. Mentally. Whatever." Maggie waves her free hand dismissively. "Al, there's going to be a huge fight. This is war. People are going to die, on both sides. I want to make sure we're ready for that. You and me. Because it will happen."

"Have you done this before? Talked about what'll happen after or during a battle?" Alex asks, more curious than anything else.

"Yeah. I try to do it before every battle that we know about. Because I know how much your mental state can alter how well you work."

Chapter Text

"I've lost knights before." Alex points out.

Maggie hums and reaches out to take Alex's hand. "Maybe so, but this time it's different. Your girlfriend is going to be fighting by your side. So is you sister, and the girl who's practically your stepsister, Lena. Then there's knights who are your friends. This is going to be a big, messy battle. We're going to take down Cadmus, and who knows what they're up to, what they're doing."

"Are you trying to make me worried?" Alex questions.

"Not really. I'm trying to help you understand that it's okay to not be okay." Maggie murmurs, squeezing Alex's hand.

Alex sighs softly. "I'm going to be a worried mess out on that battlefield, aren't I?"

"You won't be the only one." Maggie promises. "Hopefully it'll mean you will fight ten times harder than usual. And the knights and agents of the DEO, they're pretty good at determining when that happens. That means they'll fight ten times harder too, because we all know that everyone has someone to go home to."

"I hope you're right." Alex sighs.

"I hope so too. I don't want to lose anybody." Maggie murmurs softly.

She speaks quietly, but Alex hears her anyway and scoots closer to her so they can cuddle. Alex rests her head on Maggie's shoulder and lets go of her hand so she can drape her arm over Maggie's stomach and hold Maggie's other hand.

Alex can feel how Maggie's body moves as she chuckles. "You're extra cuddly tonight, huh?" Maggie remarks, moving her unoccupied hand to tangle in Alex's short hair.

Alex hums contently as her girlfriend runs her fingers through Alex's hair. "I feel like we both need it. Especially since I can tell you aren't done with talking about all that yet."

Maggie grins. She knows her so well. She just wishes they had more fun things to talk about, like getting a puppy, or debating how many potstickers Kara can fit in her face at one time.

"Yeah. I just want to talk about two more things, and one will hopefully be slightly less difficult to talk about. Maybe." Maggie says hesitantly.

"That's reassuring," Alex teases, kissing Maggie's shoulder.

Maggie moves her shoulder up slightly in order to jostle Alex for the teasing remark, laughing when her girlfriend lets out a surprised squeak.

"Now I get to ruin the cute moment of you squeaking with a fun discussion starter." Maggie says, knowing she has her girlfriend's undivided attention. "I want to make sure we both know that we're probably slash definitely going to have to kill people. They're going to be bad, xenophobic people, but people nonetheless."

"I have killed before. It doesn't get any easier, though." Alex sighs.

"I would be worried if it did." Maggie admits. "You may have killed, as have most of the knights. And Lena, from what I've heard. But Kara hasn't. I don't know if she would."

"Me neither," Alex admits. "I'm her sister, and I know she's good at fighting and likes it. But I don't know if she will be okay with killing someone, even someone bad. Unless, of course, someone she loves is in danger." Alex sighs. "She's seen enough death, enough destruction. Lived through enough. I don't think she would like to cause someone else the pain of losing someone they love, even if that person is a Cadmus agent."

Maggie nods. "I can see that. I just hope that Cadmus doesn't take advantage of her unwillingness to kill."

Alex purses her lips. "Me too. But she will probably have Lena nearby, so she should be okay."

"She will be. Especially with her nice armor."

"It's not as cool as mine." Alex says.

"Mm hmm." Maggie hums, amused by Alex's insistence her armor is cooler.

They lay in silence for a while, just taking in the feeling of being together.

"I wish there was a way we could cast an invulnerability spell or something over us." Alex sighs. "Things would be so much easier if magic existed."

"Who says it doesn't?" Maggie asks.

Alex turns her head so she's looking at Maggie's face. "You believe in magic?"

"I managed to meet and then date you, didn't I?" Maggie says with a wink.

"That's so cheesy."

"You're still blushing, though." Maggie teases, moving her hand that's still tangled with Alex's and poking Alex's flushed cheek.

Alex huffs like she's annoyed but the softness in her eyes negates any indication she didn't like that. "So what's the next thing we have to talk about?" She questions, changing the subject.

"The future."

Maggie wiggles her fingers in front of Alex's face and makes a dorky "ooh wee ooh" noise, despite the fact she's still managing to hold Alex's hand in hers.

"You're such a dork." Alex laughs.

"You love it, Danvers."

"Yes I do, Sawyer. So what about the future?"

"What's going to happen after we take down Cadmus. It's something we've been working on doing for a while, and it kind of feels like we're never going to take them down, or it feels far away. But it's not, and we're leaving soon. So I want to talk about what's going to happen afterwards."

"In general or are we talking about us in the future, as a couple?"

Maggie shrugs her shoulder that Alex isn't lying on. "Either."

"How about both? After we take down Cadmus and arrest or kill everyone involved, I want to take a look at their notes. See what they were doing, if it's anything worth continuing. You know, with more ethics and less experimentation, which I really hope they aren't doing but I know they probably are. Um. I want to take what can be scavenged and then blow that place up. There's too much there to know if we would get it all. Plus I'm sure Winn would be more than happy to blow something up."

"If we're going to need to bring back prisoners and have Winn, should we have him stay with a large force that stays nearby?" Maggie asks.

"That's brilliant, babe. I'll tell J'onn tomorrow, I'm sure he'll like the idea."

"Okay. And, um. What about after that? After we get back here?" Maggie questions.

"After we get back here... I don't know. In either, really. Maybe I can research stuff, make my armor better... Oh, I'll definitely have to talk to Kara. After all of this, Lena probably has to return to the Luthor Kingdom."

"Damn, I forgot about that. She just fits in here. So what are you going to advise that Kara does?" Maggie asks.

"Goes with her. I mean, they're a great couple. They're it for each other. Like us. So I have no doubt there'll be a Luthor-Danvers wedding sometime in the future. Lena's Queen, and Kara's the first in line for the throne..."

"I meant to ask you about that, Allie. I mean, you're the eldest child, technically that goes to you. But you don't want to rule a Kingdom?"

"Not at all. That's one of the reasons I earned up to having Kara as my sister. She was a lot better at politics than me. Usually I just want to punch the politicians. I will if I have to, but Kara's virtually indestructible."

"True. So what do you think will happen with Kara and Lena?"

"We'll probably have to help them in deciding what to do. Otherwise they'll dance around the issue because they don't want to make the other uncomfortable or feel forced or something. I think the Kingdoms will merge. One castle becoming a place for them to get away and keep an eye on the local politics and what's going on, and the other being the main castle they live in."

"You have really thought about this." Maggie remarks, impressed. "Where would we be?"

"We will be co-Directors of the DEO with J'onn, or his right and left hand women. We will be even more badass than we are now and the Kingdom will love us because we're two awesome ladies who kick butt. Like knight wives, but something that sounds cooler."

"Wives, huh?" Maggie asks, her smile growing. Gods, Alex loves her dimples.

Alex's eyes go wide. "Oh. Um. Oops?"

"Alex Danvers, are you proposing to me?"

"Pfft," Alex lets out, her blush almost the same color as her hair. "Not yet."

Maggie's smile widens. "Not yet, huh? So someday?"

"Someday." Alex says slowly. Maggie doesn't seem alarmed or like she's going to run away, so she continues. "We're going to walk down the aisle looking absolutely great in our dresses or suits, whatever we end up in and make the entire Kingdom cry with our vows."

"High expectations." Maggie murmurs, her eyes soft.

"Mm hmm. I tend to have high expectations for everything. And you, Maggie Sawyer, have met and exceeded my wildest expectations."

Now Maggie is the one who's blushing. "You're sweet, Allie."

"And you're amazing." Alex breathes out reverently.

Maggie can practically feel her heart melting as she falls even harder for Alex. She turns on her side, chuckling at Alex's surprised yelp and leans in. Alex hums against her lips and smiles when Maggie deepens their kiss.

Chapter Text

"I don't want to do this," Alex grumbles.

She has a sharpened piece of Kryptonite in her hand and is going to get closer and closer to Kara, to see if her Wonder Woman crown thing works. And then, Alex is going to poke her with it, see if it makes her bleed or uncomfortable like it usually does. And then... Gods, Alex really doesn't want to do any of this, but especially not the last thing. They know Cadmus will have weapons with Kryptonite in them, like arrows and swords and crossbow bolts. And they want to know if Kara's crown will protect her from that.

"You don't have to. You can have someone else do it." Maggie says. "I can do it instead. Or Lena can-" Lena shakes her head. "I can do it."

"Thank you." Alex breathes out, getting a kiss on the cheek from Maggie.

"Ready?" Kara calls from the other side of the room.

They're in the training room, and despite the fact that the Kryptonite emitters are giving off 100%, Kara doesn't feel any different. She won't tell Alex that, though. She knows her sister will panic because usually they keep it below ten percent. 100%, that would probably normally make her very nauseous and pass out. She assumes that, at least. Alex never let her try it.

Since her senses aren't dampened, she has heard everything they've been saying, including Alex repeatedly saying she doesn't want to do this.

"Come on, guys! It's for science!" She calls.

"It could kill you!" Alex says, her voice higher than normal.

"But it won't! The Kryptonite emitters are on and I'm fine! See?" Kara floats over to them on her back.

"We don't know how physical Kryptonite will affect you, Kara." Alex says. "Your crown might not be able to block all of it out."

"That's why we're testing it." Kara reminds her.

Alex sighs. "You're impossible." She cracks a small smile at Kara, but she mainly looks worried. "Alright. I'll turn off the Kryptonite emitters. I don't want it skewing the data."

"Oh! We should run two tests, one without the Kryptonite emitter and one with it!" Kara says.

"That's not a bad idea." Lena admits, earning a glare from Alex. "Come on, Sir Alex. My mother will most likely have Kryptonite all over, even in the walls if she can manage that. So we should be prepared for anything."

Alex sighs. "Fine."

Alex walks over to the control panel, moving her finger automatically to move it down from seven percent. When she notices the knob isn't there, she looks down and does a double take. Her head whips up and she glares daggers at Kara, who gives Alex her best innocent expression.

"What did she do?" Lena asks, amused.

"Put the emitters at 100 percent!" Alex scowls.

"Cadmus isn't going to be nice and make sure that the level isn't high." Lena points out.

"Okay, that's fair but..." Alex sighs. "What if you get hurt?"

"Then you'll patch me up." Kara says like the answer is obvious. "I'll be okay, Alex. I know Kryptonian technology, and this will work."

Alex nods, deciding to trust her sister. But if Kara gets hurt when she says she won't, Alex is going to kick her butt. And lecture her on being careful, which is almost worse than training without powers with Alex in Kara's mind.

As promised, it's Maggie who does it. Neither Kara's sister or her girlfriend want to accidentally hurt her. Of course, Maggie isn't too big on the idea of harming her (probably) future sister-in-law either.

Maggie takes the piece of Kryptonite from Alex, who thankfully doesn't go into a panicked ramble on how she should be careful, but the nervous energy coming off of her in waves is enough to make Maggie serious.

Kara floats down until her feet hit the ground again. She isn't wearing her armor at the moment, since they want to see what Kryptonite does if it hits her bare skin. They can do another trial later if it's necessary with the armor.

Maggie reaches out and takes Kara's hand in her non-dominant hand. She has the Kryptonite in her other hand and presses it against Kara's skin.

"Anything?" Maggie asks when there's no visible reaction.

She's not sure what she was expecting. Maybe that Kara's hand to give some indication it was in contact with Kryptonite, like the skin turning red, or smoking or something. Kara shrugs.

"It feels like it would if you pressed a normal rock to my skin."

"Good. What's the next thing we're testing?" Maggie questions.

"A sword!" Kara answers.

Maggie chokes on nothing, her eyes wide. "You want me to hit my girlfriend's sister with a sword?"

"Science!" Kara says happily, seeming nonplussed by the fact she's about to be hit by a sword.

"Yeah, just a normal swing you would use on an enemy." Alex says, patting Maggie's back as she takes the Kryptonite and hands her girlfriend a sword she's never seen before.

"Al, I swing at enemies to kill or injure. This is your sister, who also happens to be the Princess of this entire kingdom. And given what we're testing, this sword probably has Kryptonite in it or on it."

"Then just... Poke her with it first." Alex advises.

"... Your advise is for me to poke her."

Alex nods and Maggie sighs. The things she does for love. She gently taps the sword against Kara's arm, but using the broad side of the blade that isn't pointy. Maggie can practically feel her girlfriend rolling her eyes behind her.

Kara raises her eyebrows at Maggie. "It's fine, Maggie. Really. Poke me with the pointy part."

Maggie sighs and adjusts her grip on the sword. It's a smaller sword than what she's used to, but still a pretty good size. It looks like it's a blend of a couple of metals. Maybe Kryptonite was mixed in or something. She gently pokes Kara's bare arm and she doesn't even flinch.

Kara giggles. "That tickles. It's like when you poke me, Alex."

Alex purses her lips. She's relieved Kara isn't in any pain, but she's still worried about all of this. Kara wouldn't lie about this kind of thing, but she can't feel like they're all waiting for something to go wrong. Maggie continues gently poking a laughing Kara, and eventually works her way up to hitting her with the broad side of the sword. Kara doesn't move, it's like she just hit a wall instead.

"I could feel that but it doesn't hurt." Kara informs them.

They continue running tests throughout the day, ending with a very anxious Lena shooting a crossbow bolt covered in Kryptonite at her girlfriend. She doesn't know who's more relieved, her or Alex, when the bolt bounces off Kara. Kara, for her part, is glad that the crown has worked as well as it has, and that she wore a shirt she didn't like too much. It's kind of gotten ripped up, what with her being hit by swords and arrows and crossbow bolts.

But they have come to a conclusion, that the four of them all agree to. Kara's crown works, and it works really well. Alex, after bringing up the concern that it could be hit out of the crown, is quickly rebuffed by Kara.

"No, it latches onto whatever it's placed on after it's activated, whether it's organic material or not. It'll stay there until it's deactivated, which I doubt Cadmus can do while fighting us." Kara says. "I doubt they can even read Kryptonese."

"Organic material as in living things? It could've stuck to you? Like a leech?" Maggie asks curiously.

"Yup. But you have to confirm that it's what you want to place it on, which is why I had to press the button again once we placed it in the crown." Kara explains.

"Thats actually pretty cool." Lena admits.

"Of course it is, it's technology from somewhere in space, some other planet in the vastness of the universe!" Kara says.

Lena chuckles at her enthusiasm and squeezes her hand soft in hers. Today has been a long, stressful day where she has worried about her girlfriend getting hurt for nearly all of it. She can't wait to relax tonight and cuddle with her.

***

The calm before the storm ends quickly, and the DEO is full of people running around, preparing for departing for Cadmus. The madness starts five days left before they're planning on going, and it's all hands on deck. Alex and Maggie are busy training and making sure everyone knows what they're going to be doing.

Kara trains with then sometimes, but mostly just patrols the city and helps out at the DEO when she's needed. Lena's busy with Winn and Vasquez, and a couple other lab rats, working on cranking out crossbows for their long range division.

Chapter Text

They leave in the middle of the night, when most of the people of National City are asleep, or at least at home. The DEO is having their entire force that will be used against Cadmus together for the first stretch of the journey. They'll break apart as they get closer.

It feels like aside from Jeremiah and Eliza, and perhaps most of the castle staff, everyone is coming. Some people are left behind at the DEO just in case something happens while everyone else is gone.

They leave at night because a force this big that includes the Danvers sisters and the Queen of the Luthor Kingdom would be a reason for gossip. They don't want Cadmus to catch wind of this. They're hoping for a surprise attack on Cadmus, though Lena has no doubt that Lillian prepared her people for that.

Lena, Kara, Alex, Maggie, Winn, and Vasquez all walk together as they go through the city. They're towards the front of the large crowd of DEO agents and knights. Some people are leading horses who are pulling wagons full of supplies.

The group of people are surprisingly quiet as they move through the darkened streets of the city they protect. Though that shouldn't really be a surprise, given that they're DEO agents. They're known to be quiet, more stoic people that can move like ghosts.

The streets are illuminated only by street lamps placed equidistant from each other. The candles flicker in the night, bathing the traveling group in a yellow-orange light.

The hinges of the gate squeaks as it opens for them, the guards nodding to everyone as they pass. It is almost eerily silent, since despite there is this large group of people traveling together, no one is speaking. There's barely a whisper. The guards have been told to speak of them leaving to no one, not even their own families. At least until they safely return.

So the six of them walk together, breathing in the fresh night air, untainted by the smells of the city as they walk along the path. They won't be able to walk together forever, so they enjoy it now. They will separate at different points, depending on which subgroup they're going with, and what their mission while inside the castle will be.

They don't speak as they walk, they don't need to. They stick close together, using sign language when they do need to communicate. It's something every DEO agent is required to learn before becoming a full agent, or a fully trained DEO knight. Knowing how to communicate without speaking has saved so many lives since J'onn put that rule into effect. They no longer had to make up their own signs at their comrades across the room and hope that they understood while on a possibly dangerous mission.

And Kara, being amazing with languages like she is, picked it up rather quickly when she first noticed Alex using it. Alex has always been impressed with her ability to learn languages.

"This is going to be your first time in a battle like this, Kara." Alex signs. "Are you going to be okay?"

Kara nods to her. "Yes. I will have Lena with me. I should be okay."

Lena signs to Kara. "I'll protect you babe."

Kara smiles at her, her eyes dancing in amusement as Lena wraps an arm around her waist.

"Don't do anything stupid, you two. Be careful." Alex signs, giving them her best convincing glare.

She once made a man literally run away when she glared at him like this for harassing a girl nearby. He tripped over an empty bar stool in his haste to get away, but got back up from the dirty bar floor and kept running. It was a proud moment for Alex. And then the girl who was being harassed thanked her profusely and Alex thinks the girl flirted with her? She's not great at recognizing flirting. But back then she wasn't even out to herself yet and turned down going inside after walking the girl home (for safety reasons).

"You too. You and Maggie need to stick together, have each other's backs." Kara signs. "You work well together."

"We're a power couple, Little Danvers." Maggie signs. "Of course we do well together, we're awesome."

"And humble too." Kara signs, making everyone chuckle softly.

"There are three power couples in the Danvers family." Winn signs (he had Alex teach him when he noticed people signing in the DEO and wanted to learn). "There's Eliza and Jeremiah, the leaders of the Danvers Kingdom. There's the Princess and the Queen. And the two knights."

"What about you and Lyra?" Vasquez signs to him, smirking when his face turns red.

"I'm still technically a Schott, though I'm unofficially adopted by them. And Lyra and I aren't dating. Yet." Winn signs, blushing so hard his ears are red.

"Then why did I see the two of you making out when I snuck into the kitchen to get a midnight snack?" Kara signs, raising an eyebrow at him.

Winn lets out a quiet squeak of embarrassment and signs back quickly. "We haven't labeled it yet. I plan on talking to her about it when we get back. What about you, Vasquez? Found anyone?" He deflects, hoping they will distract the others from questioning him.

"I've been in a relationship with my girlfriend for three years, Winn." They sign, raising an eyebrow.

Everyone is surprised and they barely keep themselves from using their voices.

"What? Why didn't you tell us?" Alex signs to them, more confused than anything. "Do we know her?"

"I have told you about her, Danvers." They sign back. "She's a lab assistant and she's worked with you a bunch of times. I've talked to you about her a lot. Her name is Ari."

Suddenly, dozens of conversations Alex has had with Vasquez come to mind. She groans internally. "Gods, why didn't I put two and two together? I thought you just really admired her work." She signs.

"I did, I do. But I also am dating her." Vasquez signs to Alex, looking more amused than anything. "I'm guessing it was compulsory heterosexuality."

"Probably." Alex admits. Heck, she thought she was straight for a while.

"Hey, can we all have a dinner together after all of this? I can bring Lyra and Vasquez can bring Ari." Winn suggests.

Everyone nods in agreement. By now, they've been walking long enough that the sun is beginning to come up.

"When do you think we'll stop to rest?" Lena signs.

"A short rest should be coming up soon, and there will be a few more throughout the day, some longer so people can eat. We'll stop walking for the night earlier than usual since we left in the middle of the night." Alex signs back, more than familiar with how this works. She's marched in groups like this quite a few times, and she assumes Maggie has as well.

"That's a lot nicer than a couple of the places I've worked." Maggie signs. "Some would let us rest every couple of hours like this, but one in particular was rough. He didn't like stopping unless it was an emergency, and would make us eat and walk."

"That's horrible. Who was it? I can have him fired." Alex signs, frowning.

"Don't worry, he died in battle a while ago." Maggie signs back.

"I'll ask Mom to make a law against that when we get back." Alex signs, making Maggie smile softly.

"Stop being cute," Kara signs but she's smiling at them too.

They continue traveling, occasionally signing back and forth, mainly to ask Vasquez about their girlfriend, who they seem crazy about. The breaks are shorter than Winn would like, and Kara ends up carrying him after lunch because he's so exhausted. He wasn't built for walking miles in a day like the others.

Vasquez, Alex, and Maggie are fit because they have to be for the DEO. Kara's Kryptonian, and even if she were human she would be exceptionally strong. Lena's been walking miles and miles since she was young enough to be sent off to scout places. She keeps in shape with martial arts, and with her extensive training with the bow. She needs to be strong.

By the time they actually stop for the night, everyone is exhausted. Some poor souls have to pass out tents to the tired agents and knights, and some amazing people are whipping up some food for everyone to eat, and something nicer than the quick thing they had for breakfast and lunch. Though they did make certain Kara got enough food. Both because she needs it and because the people making food don't want to incur Alex's wrath if they didn't give her enough for the calories Kara needs.

Maggie and Alex sit on the soft grass side by side, leaning their weight against each other as they wait for their food. Kara's lying down on her back, her head resting in Lena's lap. Lena runs her fingers through her girlfriend's hair and smiles at how easily Kara melts into her touch.

Chapter Text

Winn slowly begins to build up a tolerance for walking for so long. Each day, he makes it farther and farther after lunch until Kara takes pity on him and carries him on her back. And all this walking is taking it's toll on everyone (except Kara).

They keep talking (using sign language) everyday, but the exhaustion creeps up on them and has them fall asleep right after dinner each night.

It's the second to last day of walking, and the walks are getting progressively shorter, this day's the shortest yet. And it also happens to be the day they split up from Winn, who will be staying nearby with the reinforcements. The split up is a bit later on, but they can all feel it weighing heavily on their minds. This reminds them that they're almost at the castle.

It's as though the reality sinks in as they march, for once not signing to each other. The battle they've been dreading is coming up soon, and they have prepared all they can. There's not much else they can do besides march and wait.

Winn starts their next conversation, wanting to have his last time seeing them for a couple days not tainted by the battle they have looming over them. He signs, asking them all which sci-fi book they think is better out of two relatively popular ones. He knows they've all read them.

It's funny, and exactly what they need, to playfully argue over which book is better. Especially since Lena, Vasquez, and Alex agree on one, and the others agree on the other. What makes everyone chuckle (not laugh, because they are trying to be quiet) is when Kara signs to Lena, "you're wrong, but I'll still kiss you, babe."

Then the time comes for the reinforcements to split off from the rest of the group. Agents all around are saying (signing) goodbye and hugging their friends.

"Group hug!" Kara signs.

Alex huffs out a breath, but they all comply anyway, converging on Winn in a giant family group hug. They all pretend not to notice the tears glistening in his eyes from happiness. After the group hug, they all take turns signing to him to be careful and their goodbyes. He gets more hugs, which Winn is ecstatic about because he loves hugs almost as much as Kara does.

Winn tears up again as a knight puts his hand on his shoulder and reminds him they have to go soon. He hugs them all one last time and urges them to be careful too, reminds them he can't lose any of them. Then he follows the knight, who has been politely waiting nearby, to the large group splitting off from the main one.

The agents and knights watch them go for a moment before J'onn urges them to keep moving.

Alex lets out a breath as they walk. "That was harder than I expected," she signs.

"Yeah," Lena signs in agreement. "But he's a good kid, he'll be fine."

"Lena," Maggie signs, looking amused. "You know Winn is older than you, right?"

"Of course I do. He's still like a little brother." Lena signs back, winking at her when Maggie has no response to that.

That night is the hardest yet. Though everyone falls asleep relatively quickly because of the leftover exhaustion of all that walking, their minds race as they sleep, provoking dreams and nightmares from the most experienced of agents.

It helps that Kara and Lena, and Maggie and Alex are sharing tents so their girlfriends can wake them up if they seem like they're having a nightmare.

Lena has one where the tiara thing Kara has doesn't work like they expected it and she... She shudders just thinking about it. She's awake now, has trained herself to wake up during a nightmare before she screams. But Kara's awake, she's slept next to her often enough to hear the subtle difference in her breathing.

"Sorry, just a nightmare." Lena whispers, brushing it off.

"It's never just a nightmare. What's wrong?" Kara asks.

"It was your device, the one you have in your crown thing. I dreamt that it didn't work the way we expected and you..." Lena swallows harshly.

Kara opens up her arms and Lena scoots over, resting her head on Kara's chest. They have been cuddling all night, but this feels far more intimate. Kara whispers to her about how the device works, and how unlikely it is that it'll fail. Unless, of course, it's hit with an electrical charge with enough power to damage it. But even then, it'll still work. Mostly. She doesn't tell Lena that, though.

Alex too has a nightmare in her and Maggie's tent. She sits bolt upright, dislodging Maggie, who's head was resting on her shoulder. Maggie's head falls toward the ground and the falling sensation wakes her up before her head hits the ground. She doesn't hit her head hard enough for it to be something to worry about, but it's enough for a small headache.

Maggie sits up, taking in Alex's sweat soaked naked back and how she's panting hard, hunched over. She places her hand on Alex's shoulder. Alex flinches at the touch, then relaxes into it.

"Hey," Maggie murmurs. "Did you have a nightmare?"

"Yeah." Alex breathes out. "Sorry for waking you up."

"Don't be sorry, Danvers. What can I so to help? Do you want to talk about it?"

Alex purses her lips and contemplates. She doesn't want to tell Maggie that she had dreamt about Maggie dying, and that in her dream she had gone on what she can only describe as a rampage, leaving only a few Cadmus agents alive for information purposes. And gods, she would do that. If Maggie were hurt. Or... But she won't be, she can't be. Not now, not when Alex has just found her. Not when they've been talking about being together forever, getting married.

"No. Just... hold me?" Alex asks.

"Of course."

Alex lays on her side and Maggie scoots up behind her as the big spoon ("I'm not the little spoon, Maggie, that makes no sense. Two differently sized spoons wouldn't - stop laughing - two different sized spoons wouldn't fit together. I'm the front spoon." "Sure Danvers.").

Maggie presses a kiss to Alex's shoulder and they fall back asleep quickly.

***

The days pass quickly until it's the day of the battle. They're waiting until night, so they can move under the cover of darkness. They're going to wait until it's the early hours of the morning, so that the Cadmus agents' are at their most vulnerable, assuming their circadian rhythms aren't messed up. That had been Lena's idea. So they're going in at three in the morning, and all sleeping much earlier than usual so they have the advantage.

It's going to be tough on their long range people, their archers. It's hard to see from a distance through trees anyway, but add in the fact that it's dark? It's not going to be easy. But DEO archers are prepared, have trained for something like this. And so has Lena.

It won't be easy for Alex, Maggie, and Vasquez either. They're part of the few groups going in the side entrances for servants, which is going to be interesting to find in the dark. At least it's nearly a full moon, so they'll have some light.

And Kara's going to be part of the most dangerous fight, right up front attacking the front gate. Everyone was hesitant to let her go, but she insisted. Kara said she can help stop fatal blows from Cadmus people, as well as it would be suspicious to have DEO agents trying to get in without her there.

Alex is just glad her sister has Lena nearby. The archers are going to be positioned all around the castle, with the bulk of them in the front so they can help take down Cadmus people.

Some agents go around at one thirty in the morning, waking everyone up. They all get dressed in their armor and put on their holsters and weapons. They pack up the tents and store them nearby under a camouflaged tarp.

There's still time left for them all to say goodbye before they go their separate ways. Lena hugs Vasquez, Alex, and Maggie, promising them that she'll keep an eye on Kara. In return, when Kara hugs them, she says that she'll keep an eye on Lena for them. They know they'll all look out for each other, but it's always nice to have a verbal confirmation.

"Be careful." Kara signs to them. "I love you guys."

They sign back that they love her too and give each other one final hug before it's time to get with their groups. Lena and Kara walk off hand in hand towards the archer group and Kara's group. They kiss slowly before parting to go to their respective groups. Alex, Maggie, and Vasquez join their group.

Chapter Text

It's nearing three in the morning and Kara's full of nervous energy. She tries to keep her nervous bouncing to a minimum, but it's still noticeable enough for her to get some odd looks from the people around her. But they most seem understanding, giving off nervous energy themselves as they check and recheck their weapons.

Kara hears a cough coming from somewhere in J'onn's voice and takes a deep breath. That's the signal they agreed on. It works because it's subtle and quiet, and since he's with Alex's group, every group can tell pretty much at the same time.

Kara raises her fist in the air, the signal for her group and Lena's archer group that J'onn has signaled. Kara's troop straightens their backs and pulls out their weapons. They slowly stalk forward, keeping their movements silent. Because Kara's okay but not great at walking silently in the woods, she floats a little bit above the ground so she doesn't make any noise. She can hear the soft rustling of the archers moving through the trees behind her.

Kara takes a deep breath and moves towards the front of the group. Depending on what's ahead of them, if the giant front door to the castle is closed, that kind of thing, they may need in front to break through. Her group breaks through the tree line, which is still a good hundred yards or so from the entrance. Which is smart on Cadmus' part, so they can see whoever's coming.

Kara trains her ears on the castle, focusing her attention on the entrance and front gate. There's absolutely no indication that anyone has seen them. It seems like their plan, Lena's idea, worked. The guards are snoring or slumped against the wall and yawning, according to her X-ray vision.

Kara focuses on the front door's mechanism that keeps it locked and shut. The group stops a few feet back, giving her time to study it and space to open it, as well as time for everyone to catch up. The mechanism is relatively simple, which she didn't expect. But maybe they weren't expecting a Kryptonian with super strength to try to break in. Kara floats up a bit higher.

She doesn't think she can yank it open without the people inside the entrance noticing. She wants surprise on their side. Kara looks down to the people below her and signs to them.

"I'm going to kick the door in. Ready?"

A ripple goes through the crowd of gathered knights as the message is passed on so no one's surprised. Eventually, the person who's been named their group leader gives Kara thumbs up.

Kara nods to herself and winds up the way Alex taught her. She kicks hard and the door practically flies open, the sound of splintering wood echoing loudly. The hinges creak and groan under the unexpected strain of the door being kicked open. Kara wishes there was a quieter way to break in, but this works.

The dozing Cadmus agents inside snap up, eyes wide and terrified. Kara uses her heat vision to heat up their swords. They try to draw them and yelp, practically throwing their sweltering hot swords away. They're in an entry way of some sort, with the real entrance to the castle behind the guards.

Kara has no doubt that a group of Cadmus people have already gathered. Lena has often said that Lillian likes to prepare for anything, and that probably includes running drills for a similar scenario to this. She uses her X-ray vision and sure enough, there's already a good thirty agents just inside and more rushing to come to them. Kara signs that to the others and they nod.

The Cadmus agents near them are terrified and backing away from the force in front of them. There's only five of them, and a lot more DEO agents and knights. They take them down easily and the leader of the unit signals up to Kara that they're ready to continue. He isn't using sign language, but Kara learned long ago how to decipher the weird hand movements that the DEO uses (Alex taught her).

This door is easier, with two large door knockers halfway up the huge wooden doors. They're definitely more for the aesthetic than practicality because there's no way a human could actually use the giant knockers without a ladder.

Kara takes the knockers in her hands and pulls. She can hear the bolts that keep them attached to the door creak but they hold. The door groans as it opens. Cadmus agents filter in as soon as the opening is big enough for people. They want to push us out, Kara notes. Probably because they have archers out there on top of the castle to pick us off.

"Push forward!" Kara yells to the DEO people below her. There's no use being silent now.

Kara uses her superspeed to knock down (and sometimes knock out) Cadmus people when she can. When she's not doing that, she's keeping an eye on the battle and stopping a few blows on DEO people that would have been fatal has she not blocked them.

More Cadmus agents rush in and join the fight. With growing horror, Kara notices that they're actually succeeding in pushing the DEO people back. Little by little. There's just too many Cadmus people. Kara just hopes that means they're doing a good job distracting them from Alex's teams.

Kara perks up at a familiar voice behind them. A few seconds later, arrows and crossbow bolts rain into the entryway and hit Cadmus people. And only Cadmus people. Kara can't help being impressed, they've been moving around and struggling. It's amazing they didn't hit a DEO agent.

Cadmus agents fall to the ground, wounded or even killed by the archers. The uninjured ones fight twice as hard against the DEO agents. The archers continue shooting when they have a clear shot and some more Cadmus reinforcements rush in.

Kara sighs and pulls out the sword Alex had especially made for her a while ago. She hasn't had much of a chance to use it, but now seems like the perfect time. She floats down onto the ground and joins the fight, her sword clashing against a nearby Cadmus person's.

Kara hasn't fought with a sword in a while, but Alex drilled her training into her head so it feels like no time has passed at all. She's not the greatest swordswoman in the kingdom, but her superspeed and super strength make her a formidable opponent.

Kara tries to knock people out when she can, wounds them when she can't. Eventually, all of the Cadmus people are either unconscious or in too much pain to try to fight anymore. The DEO agents pause, and the leader of the group sends some people back to the reinforcements that have gotten injured enough for it to be difficult for them to continue.

Lena and some of her archers join the group a couple minutes later. Kara practically runs over to her and hugs her tightly.

Lena laughs softly and kisses the side of Kara's head. "You were amazing, darling."

"What are you doing here? Are you coming with us?" Kara pulls back enough so that she can see Lena's face, her hands still on her girlfriend's waist.

"Yes, I am. I figured you could use some archers. The others will stay back. And I want to help take down Lillian." Lena says.

Kara nods and kisses her lips softly. "Okay."

"We need to get moving." The leader of the group says. "You two, I want you in front. You lead now, you know the way better than anyone. Remember, our mission is to take out Lillian and as many Cadmus agents as possible."

Lena nods. "Then I think we should split up. You lead the group against the Cadmus agents, Kara and I will lead a small group against Lillian."

The leader nods. "Sounds good to me." He starts dividing people up and they go their separate ways.

"Kara, can you scan the castle, see where she might be?" Lena asks.

Kara uses her X-ray vision and frowns. "There's a room that wasn't lined with lead that's now lined with lead. I'm pretty sure it was the throne room. It's pretty big."

Lena nods. "Alright then we should probably head there."

Kara agrees and their small group of ten people starts moving, with Kara and Lena in the front.

They move quickly, not wanting Lillian to have time to flee. They come across a few Cadmus agents here and there, and Lena and Kara take them down easily. Kara with her heat vision, Lena with her bow. They reach the tall arched wooden door and Kara steps in front of Lena.

"Let me go first just in case. If they do anything, it'll bounce off of me." Kara says.

Lena isn't exactly happy with thay, but knows it's the most logical thing to do so she agrees.

Chapter Text

After J'onn gives the signal for them all to go, they break off into their smaller teams. Maggie and Alex are, of course, together with Vasquez and a couple other agents.

They have a specific entrance they're supposed to go into, and it's Vasquez that finds the door to where they need to go. They sneak out from the tree line, staying low to the ground and close together. They move smoothly and silently across the grass, heading straight for the hidden door.

Most of the doors agents are heading into, they don't know what it's used for or if it will be patrolled by Cadmus guards. Luckily, that's not the case with them.

This particular hallway goes right to the kitchens, so they can safely assume that it won't be patrolled. Alex knows that at the Danvers castle, they have patrols that go near the kitchen but never in the kitchen. Lyra makes amazing food, and the smell alone is often tantalizing. Being exposed to that for an indefinite amount of time, and anyone would snap and try to eat everything in sight. According to legend, that's what happened with one knight and he ate himself near to death.

Plus, only bakers and people fetching fresh berries or something from the woods would use the hallway this door leads to. There would be no need to guard it unless they want to intimidate the bakers.

Vasquez tries the door and it sticks at first, but they pull again and the door opens. They pull it open quickly so it has less time to squeak or creak. They hold the door open for the others and close it behind them. The hallway is dark, but it was dark enough outside that their eyes adjusted so they can barely make out everything. With Alex and Maggie leading, they move forward. The hallway is just wide enough for them to walk side by side.

It turns once or twice, and they can all tell when they near the exit. It goes straight to the kitchen, which is lit rather well despite it being around three in the morning. Everyone in the kitchen stops what they're doing to stare at the agents and knights in their workspace.

Vasquez presses a finger to their lips in a shushing motion. They show their DEO badge and tell the scared people they aren't here for them. The group moves onwards quickly, to the relief of the kitchen staff.

Maggie and Alex continue to lead with their swords drawn, but they don't come across any guards. They don't expect to until they get nearer to the stairs leading downstairs, where the Cadmus lab is. Assuming Maxwell's intel was correct, the stairs should just be a couple corridors away.

The first guard they come across has a bored expression on his face until he sees them. His eyes widen and he opens his mouth to yell something, all the while fumbling for his own sword. Maggie slams the hilt of her sword against his forehead. Not hard enough to cause brain damage, but hard enough to knock him out (she knows from experience that he won't be getting up for a while).

Alex and Maggie continue onwards in the front, moving effortlessly in sync. They all memorized the layout of the castle so they wouldn't get lost, and according to Alex's mental map, they're getting close to their stairs.

"Get ready, the stairs are near. Expect multiple Cadmus agents." Alex signs to the others and they all nod seriously.

With their weapons drawn, everyone creeps forward, even more alert than usual. They move efficiently, covering each other as they pass hallways to make certain there aren't any unwelcome surprises. They almost make it to the stairs uninterrupted. Almost being the operative word.

Alex sees them first, two Cadmus guards with wicked looking curved blades, slumped against the wall, barely awake. But Alex knows from experience that once adrenalin kicks in, it doesn't matter how awake or not you were five seconds ago.

Maggie and Alex go and tag team them. Maggie attacks first, kicking out her foot to catch one of the men's knee. The man groans in pain as his leg fails to hold up his weight. He catches himself, only to be kneed in the face by Maggie. His head snaps back and he gets up, clutching his bloody nose.

The other man, alerted by his partner's attack, turns on Alex. She snaps her wrist as he begins pulling his sword from it's sheathe. Her sword hits it's hilt, making a shallow cut on the back of his hand that makes him flinch and hiss. The unexpected feeling of pain combined with the force she hits the hilt with causes his to lose his grip on his sword. Alex catches it expertly and twirls the swords.

The Cadmus agent impressively doesn't give up, despite being up against a woman who he should be able to tell by now is well-trained and probably (definitely) better than he is. The woman who now has two swords, and he has a grand total of zero. Instead of fleeing or raising his hands in surrender, he fumbles around for a second and pulls out a dagger.

Alex raises one eyebrow and waits patiently for him to make the first move. He darts forward, quicker than Alex expected, though she has long since learned not to underestimate her enemies. He tried to bring the dagger up at a fatal angle, where if he were not met with resistance (and if she didn't have on such awesome armor), he would have been able to get under her rib cage and pierce her heart.

She deflects his attack easily and can tell this isn't someone who gives up. He wholeheartedly believes in Cadmus and what they're doing. Which makes Alex want to kill the xenophobic douche canoe, but she knows that this kind of person would be easily picked out by someone as intelligent as Lillian Luthor. She would know he would die for their cause, so she would probably entrust this kind of person with intel she might not tell the average agent. Which means Alex probably shouldn't kill him. Bummer.

She kicks her foot down hard and as his head lowers in agony, curling in on himself automatically, she brings the hilt of his own sword upwards. It hits his jaw and the force makes his head fly up and he slumps to the ground, unconscious. Alex tosses his sword away, onto a surface she know won't make an obnoxiously loud noise. She doesn't need it anymore.

She looks over to see that Maggie's standing over her guy, who's now dead.

"You let yours live?" Maggie signs curiously.

Alex shrugs. "He seems like the kind of guy who would have useful intel. Does someone have something to tie him up with? We can come back for him later."

Vasquez pulls out some zip ties and ties his arms and legs together, placing a piece of cloth they rip off of the dead guy to put in his mouth so he can't yell for help.

"Where the hell are you keeping those?" Maggie signs, dumbfounded. "What all do you have in those pants?"

They're wearing their standard DEO uniform, black on black. Everyone who's ever worn the uniform knows how spacious the pockets are (how they manage to fit so much on one pair of pants is a mystery to everyone but the people who make them).

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Vasquez teases with a wink.

"Hey, step off my woman." Alex signs back, to everyone's amusement.

"I have my own woman to 'step on,' Danvers." Vasquez signs, managing to use air quotes in between signing the words.

"Ari's a lucky girl." Maggie signs to them, turning the conversation onto something less likely to end in a less friendly conversation.

"I'm the lucky one." Vasquez signs with a goofy grin. "Now can we move on?"

Alex nods, knowing they should be moving fast in order to give the scientists as little time as possible after their cover is blown to destroy their findings.

"Let's go." Alex signs.

She and Maggie lead again, their swords up. They move down the corridor another couple of feet, where they find a nondescript door, just like Maxwell said. Alex pulls it open and Maggie goes in, squinting to see a dimly lit stairway leading down.

The stairs are a bland gray color, not posh like the rest of the castle. The lights are oil lamps hung every once in a while, hung too far apart for Alex's tastes. The flames dance in their glass vase-like holders, casting an eerie flickering orange glow against the stairs and the too close walls. The walls are just as bland and gray as the stairs and it's only just wide enough for a single person to go down comfortable. Well, as comfortably as possible considering it looks like they're heading down into a dungeon.

Maggie takes a deep breath and puts her foot on the first step.

Chapter Text

Kara waits for her group to get ready and pull out their weapons. Once she gets the okay from everyone, she turns back towards the door. She shoves the door and it opens quickly, turning on it's hinges and hitting the wall with surprising force.

Kara can tell immediately that there are more Cadmus people than she expected and braces herself. Something hits her chest, but it feels weird. It doesn't bounce off or explode when it hits her, unlike most things. Keeping a wary eye on the large group of Cadmus agents getting ready to run at them, Kara looks down. It's a black metallic thing and it's stuck on her chest.

She hears a single whistling noise and looks up, automatically moving in the way of an arrow heading towards someone behind her. The wooden shaft shatters into splinters upon impact and the arrowhead bounces back, clattering on the ground.

Kara signals for the others to charge forward, rushing forward herself first. She knocks down Cadmus agents and disarms them. Perhaps that's why she doesn't realize right away that the metallic thing on her chest was emitting a high pitched noise. Kara's sensitive to these kinds of things, so she realizes there's a high pitched noise right away, she just can't tell where it'ss coming from.

She pauses when it seems to get louder, ignoring the Cadmus agent swinging at her. His sword breaks when he hits her with it. Kara pays him no attention and looks around before settling on the metallic thing. She can hear Lena's heart rate increase and can tell her girlfriend is worried about her, but she can't bring herself to reassure her at the moment. She needs to get this thing off of her.

Kara puts her hand on it and pulls hard, but things don't happen the way she expects them to. Instead of being easily ripped off so she could return to fighting, it feels like it's stuck. She pulls hard and everything goes white. It feels like nothing else she's ever felt, white hot agony and she can't control her limbs. Alex had explained this once, what was it called? Electrocution. That's it.

Kara can feel herself falling but can't catch herself. The floor seems hard at her back but she can't focus on anything. Her ears are ringing and the sound of the fight is distorted and garbled. She groans against the pain in her head, fighting against how her head is swimming.

Kara can hear something that sounds like Lena's voice, yelling for her, but Kara can't bring herself to respond.

Lena watches this all happen, watches her girlfriend get hit by that sword as she tries to get the device off of her. She fought the urge to scream, knowing that the sword wouldn't hurt her doesn't make seeing Kara get hit with one any easier. She watches as Kara scrambles to get the device off of her and when her body freezes up. Lena can only watch as her girlfriend falls to the ground, the look in her eyes a scream for help.

Kara convulses on the ground, letting out a heart wrenching groan of pain. Lena lets a single tear run down her face but forces herself to focus on fighting. She won't be of any use to anyone if she just collapses by Kara's side and cries. What she can do is take down the fuckers that hurt Kara.

Lena turns into a flurry of movement, shooting her bow more rapidly than before. Her arrows hit home in the shoulders or throats of Cadmus agents. After a moment of stunned silence, her comrades join the fight. They're more vigorous than before, fighting harder.

Lena goes into what Lex always called "the zone," where nothing matters but shooting her bow. She notches an arrow, draws, and releases at the nearest Cadmus agent. She dodges attacks like they mean nothing, shooting from a kneeling position when she's forced to dodge a larger attack that could have taken off her head.

Finally, she draws another arrow only to see there's no one left to shoot. She slowly lets the bowstring fall back to it's usual position, then returns the arrow to her quiver. She puts her bow onto the holder she has on her back.

Lena rushes over to Kara, ignoring all of the bloody bodies littering the ground. She falls to her knees and lifts Kara's head gently so that she can rest her head on Lena's knees. Kara's head turns to the side and she lets out a pained groan. Lena lets out a shuddering breath, carefully checking Kara's vitals while a few stray tears slip down her face.

"Kara?" Lena asks. "Kara, baby, wake up. Please, wake up."

The other DEO agents work on making certain the Cadmus people stay down, letting Lena and Kara have their moment.

Kara's eyes flutter but her eyelids are still too heavy for her to open them. She can feel the warmth at the back of her head, can smell Lena's comforting scent. Rao, she just wants to see her girlfriend. Tell her she's okay, that she shouldn't worry. Kara can hear how concerned Lena is, her wobbling voice sounding like it's coming through water.

Kara takes in a deep breath and fights against the urge to keep her eyes closed. The colors are blurs and blobs, she can't make anything out of the mess. Her vision slowly focuses and she knows she must be smiling dopily up at her beautiful girlfriend. Her limbs feel weird, weak in a way they haven't been in a long while.

She reaches up and cups Lena's jaw, which is still wet from some of her tears. Kara rubs gently and captured the next tear that makes it's way down Lena's face.

"Hey." Lena greets her, her voice quiet and soft.

"Hey." Kara says back, her voice tough and scratchy. Lena pulls out her water bottle and helps Kara drink it. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Lena caresses Kara's face, like she can't quite believe she's okay. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I just got electrocuted. I think. I don't really know what that feels like, but I think this is it." Kara says.

Lena chuckles softly, brushing some of Kara's hair out of her face. "Can you get up?"

Kara frowns. "I think so, but my muscles still feel pretty weak. Is this what being human feels like? It sucks."

Lena chuckles. "I bet it does, when you're used to feeling like a superhero."

Lena leans down and kisses her deeply, cutting off whatever remark Kara was about to make in response. It's a quick kiss, but no less meaningful than a longer one would be. Kara's eyes stay closed for another couple of seconds after Lena pulls back (the DEO agents steadfastly keep their eyes trained away from the intimate moment).

Kara sits up, and with Lena's assistance, stands up. She's breathing hard by the time she's upright. Kara keeps her arm slung around Lena's shoulders, both for the comforting feeling of her girlfriend against her and in order to keep herself up. It's harder than she expected.

"How are you doing? Do you need to sit down?"

"No, I'm good. As long as you don't mind holding me up for a bit." Kara says.

"Of course I don't mind. Are your powers coming back?" Lena shifts to better take most of Kara's weight.

"They haven't left. I just feel like a horse laid on me and rolled around for a bit." Kara admits. "I'm feeling stronger by the minute."

"Good. Do you want to wait here for a little bit or start moving again?" Lena asks.

"Let's get moving. I don't want to give Lillian time to slip away."

Lena purses her lips and nods. While she would prefer Kara to have more time to recover, she knows Lillian has a tendency to slip away.

Lena helps Kara out of the lead lined room and notices how gradually, Kara leans on her a little less. When they're all out of the room, Kara looks around again with her X-ray vision.

"That other room is still lined with lead. Do we want to go there?" She asks. "Will Lillian still be there?"

"I think we should go. If nothing else, we can check. Agents," Lena says, grabbing their attention. "I want you to guard the door when we get there."

"Outside the room? Ma'am-" An agent protests.

"We'll be safe. Kara and I are both highly trained. She won't have anyone else in there." Lena urges.

"Princess Kara, is that okay with you?" The agent asks.

Kara knows they're asking for clarification, but knows that could be seen as a power move. Showing Lena that they truly answer to her.

"Yes. And please, respect Lena's word as if it is my own unless you're given conflicting orders. Okay?" Kara says.

The agents nod and they walk towards the stairs leading up. It's almost time to face Lillian.

Chapter Text

They walk down the steps, their swords drawn. Maggie's leading and keeps her eyes trained in front of her, making sure there's nothing lurking in the shadows. She gets to the bottom and there's a door, a heavy black metal door. She pushes it open with the side of her body and her heart launches into her throat when she sees what's behind the door.

Maggie swallows, steeling her emotions, and holds the door open for the others to walk in. It works well, because she uses that time to compose herself. She knows Alex notices her behavior but just gives her sad eyes when she pauses and places a hand on Maggie's shoulder. She can see their reactions, all of them horrified by what they're seeing.

There are people in cages. Everywhere. Stacked on top of each other like beasts. All of them with hollow expressions, not even looking up when they come in. They look thin, so thin that Maggie wonders if Cadmus is just doing the bare minimum to keep them alive. She moves closer carefully, not wanting to scare anyone. They don't even flinch, just watch her with the most dead expression she's seen on anyone that's still alive.

As Maggie steps closer, avoiding getting too close. Both so she doesn't scare them and so that if they think she's one of their tormentors, she'll be safe from their grasping hands. She notices something and does a double take. Some of these are humans, some of them are aliens, and some... The worst off ones are something in the middle. Humans with something extra. One has horns, one has blue tinged skin, one Maggie swears has fangs and whiskers.

They've... Cadmus has been experimenting with humans and aliens. It makes Maggie sick to her stomach. They people they claim to want to protect, locked up in cages built to temporarily hold large dogs... It's not just inhumane, it's... It's nauseating to Maggie, knowing they haven't heard of this before now. That Cadmus has been able to get away with this until now.

Maggie resists the urge to run around and break everyone out. They're all weak at best, and violent and delirious at the worst. Plus, they don't want to alert the scientists that they're down here. Setting free their victims would definitely not be subtle or quiet.

Maggie gives Alex a conflicted look and Alex nods back. Maggie sighs, knowing Alex feels the same as her, hating the human (and alien) rights violations here. At least they can fight the bastards that did this to them.

Alex gestures for the team to come close. "Do not release them," she signs. "It may be tempting, but they will be noisy, perhaps even violent. We need to take out the scientists and guards down here first. Then we can free them. But we have to be careful when we do, they'll be scared and confused and may lash out."

"Where to first?" Maggie signs back.

"Let's continue. I don't think any scientist would work at their desk in here, the stink enough is enough to drive most away. There will most likely be another door at the opposite end. We have to be ready for opposition. Okay?"

They all nod. "Let's move. I can lead." Maggie signs.

They all follow her lead, their weapons still drawn. There's another metal door, just like Alex predicted. It's black and sleek, and makes Maggie wonder if that's another mind game for the captivates. The door leading to them, the one they came in, is rusted and worn and creaked as it opened. This one will lead to the scientists, to the guards, and it's perfectly painted with no rust at all. As though Cadmus is saying "see? We're better than you. You don't even deserve a good door. We do."

Maggie adjusts her grip on her sword, swallowing down her rising anger. Fighting while angry can be dangerous. It can make her sloppy if she lets it take over. So she swallows it down, to use later. She pushes open the door with her back and it moves on it's hinges silently. Maggie holds it open for the others to come through.

The next room is much more brightly lit and it just makes Maggie despise these horrible people even more. Forcing people and aliens into cages, in darkness, barely giving them enough food to keep them alive...

Maggie keeps her free hand on the door as it closes behind her to make certain that it doesn't slam shit. She steps forward and rejoins her small group.

"Can anyone see anything?" Maggie signs.

"I've seen two guards so far, and it seems like the room ahead of this hall goes both to the right and left. Vasquez, Maggie, you're with me. You four, head the left. We'll go right." Alex signs.

Everyone nods their assent and move silently across the pristine white tiles that make up the floor. Alex leads this time, with Maggie to her left and Vasquez to her right.

When they reach the turn, Alex presses her back to the wall and peeks over while making herself as invisible to others in the room as possible. She gives them the gestures for six guards, two scientists. Two tied up? Maggie cocks her head at that. Oh, Gods. She's going to have to see them doing their twisted experiments.

Alex gives Vasquez and Maggie a serious look so Maggie knows it's not going to be a pretty sight. Alex points and they move in sync, stalking forward with their weapons drawn.

Alex takes down two guards in quick succession by throwing some of her smaller, dispensable knives into their throats. They gag as blood pours from their throats. Alex disregards them, knowing they're pretty much dead where they stand. She focuses on the other guards and winces internally when she sees one of the guards stupidly pull out the knife in his neck. Two spurts of blood comes out, arterial spurts so yeah, he's dead. Alex sees him fall to the ground and knows he's definitely dead now.

Alex swings her sword at the one guard coming at her. Maggie's taking care of two and Vasquez is up against one. They need to finish this up so they can make sure the scientists don't get away. Alex twirls her entire body around, leaping into the air as she does. She catches the guard with her sword slicing into his lower neck and her leg kicking his torso. She's certainly sliced open his carotid, and he's falling backwards.

Alex runs for the scientists, knowing Vasquez and Maggie have the guards handled. The first scientist freezes in her tracks when she sees Alex running after them. Alex doesn't stop, hitting her in the side of the head with an efficient, brutal hit with the hilt of her sword. Alex hits exactly where she intended to and the scientist crumples to the floor, unconscious.

Alex picks up speed as she runs toward the other scientist, who's probably never had to run a day in his life. He's huffing and puffing by the time Alex (easily) catches up to him. He's running like he's stuck in slow motion. As in, Alex could walk and catch up to him. She taps him on the shoulder and he whirls around. His face is red with exertion, his beady eyes bugging with terror and fear.

He wheezes and takes a step back but before he can try (and fail) to flee again, Alex punches him in the nose. He goes down, unconscious. Alex shits on him.

"Piece of human garbage." She grumbles. She signs to the others, who have all either killed or tied up their scientists and guards. "Come on, tie these two up. Make it as uncomfortable as possible. They deserve much worse."

They nod and while they do that, Maggie and Alex work on uncovering the two bodies covered up by blue sheets. Maggie swallows down the bile rising in her throat when they uncover the first. The alien is dead, thank the Gods, because they're completely dissected, like someone just went rooting around in their abdomen to peek at their internal organs. If Maggie didn't have a strong stomach, she would have lost her dinner.

The next is a human, who stares at Alex with creepy, unblinking eyes. Alex murmurs what she hopes are soothing words and uncuffs the human. They don't move, staying still. Alex doesn't want to touch them, knowing that they're probably (definitely) traumatized. Maggie gives Alex a look and Alex nods. She knows Maggie's better with dealing with people and emotions.

Alex takes the ring of keys from one of the dead guards' pockets and orders the others to do the same. She would normally urge them to move on, but she can hear the sound of a fight going on on the other side of some of the doors. She assumes that the DEO has it handled, and any stragglers that wander in here will be dealt with. She heads back to the cage room and begins unlocking them, recruiting some of the stronger ones to assist her and help get people out of their cages, convince them that they're actually free.

Chapter Text

(Warning! Lillian sucks as a human being and adoptive mother, and all that stuff that goes with it! Like mentioning killing Lena! Child abuse! Name calling (like bastard)! Slut shaming! Also abuse of power and mention of rape (sorry, I made Lionel a douche)! If this chapter is something you can't read for any reason, but want to know the vague plot, please contact me :)

It takes a harsh look from both Lena and Kara to make certain that the others agents stay outside. Kara knows that Alex will kick her ass, superhero or not, if/when she finds this out. But she knows that this is something she and Lena need to do alone.

Kara holds open the door for Lena, who walks in with her crossbow drawn. There's a large mahogany desk in the middle of the room, facing the door. The black leather chair is turned around and Lena can't tell if anyone's sitting in it. The chair's back is too wide and too tall for Lena to see around.

Kara comes in behind her, closing the door slowly behind her so it doesn't make a loud sound. Kara nods to Lena, knowing her girlfriend will know what she means. There is someone in that chair, and that someone is Lillian Luthor. Lena's heart beats wildly. She hasn't been around her for so long. She keeps her breathing even and her expression calm, waiting for something, anything to break.

Once the door quietly closes, the chair slowly spins around to reveal an unimpressed Lillian. She looks between Lena and Kara with impassive eyes, her lips twitching downward in distaste. A child she took in and raised as her own, grown up to become... this. This woman, who banished her from the Kingdom she loved and has forsaken her own brother. This woman, not just allied with an alien, but in love with one.

"I didn't think you would get this far, this fast. But I am always prepared." Lillian says coldly.

Lena and Kara watch as Lillian reaches into one of her drawers and pulls out a revolver. Lena blinks in surprise. A gun? Guns are rare, expensive, and hard to get. Though she should really not be surprised than Lillian managed to get one. She has always been rather resourceful.

Kara scans the gun with her X-ray vision and looks over at Lena in concern. Lena meets her gaze and knows immediately why her girlfriend looks so sad, so worried. It's loaded, and they both can see that it's pointed at Lena, not at Kara.

"You... Even you wouldn't shoot your daughter." Kara says, trying to sound more confident than she feels.

"Yes she would." Lena answers, not taking her eyes away from Lillian. "She has never considered me her daughter. Killing me would be like killing some leech that has been feeding off of her family for years. According to her, at least."

Lillian raises one eyebrow slightly. "You remember that."

"It's hard to forget when the woman who's taken you in likens you to a bloodsucking creature and tells you how easy it would be to kill you." Lena says coolly.

Lillian hums, unfazed. "Well, it is true, Lena. Whether you like it or not. You are not my daughter."

Lena sighs in frustration. "I know, you've been drilling that into my head since I was four."

"Let me finish, child." Lillian snarls and Lena shuts her mouth and straightens her back automatically. "You're not my daughter, Lena. But you are Lionel's."

Lena's eyes widen and her mouth drops open slightly. Whatever she expected her mother to say, it certainly wasn't that.

"I... What?" Lena asks, her voice shaking.

"You're not mine, you're Lionel's. You, Lena, are his bastard daughter." Lillian says, her tone cold as ice.

Kara reaches over and slowly, gently presses a hand to Lena's back. Her heart breaks into a million tiny little pieces when Lena winces at the touch before melting into it.

"Lionel had an affair with your mother while I was pregnant with Lex." Lillian continues, uncaring of Lena's mental state. "He didn't find out about you until your mother passed and he went to her funeral out of courtesy. He took you to us and adopted you. It did wonders for his approval ratings, appearing to randomly give a poor orphan a new home. But you reminded me, everyday when you walked around my home that I wasn't enough for my husband. That he slept with that whore." Lillian snarls.

Lena flinches and her jaw clenches. "Don't call her that. My mother was a good person."

Lillian scoffs. "No she wasn't. She took my husband from me."

Lena's eyes flash with sudden understanding, remembering a note from her mother that she read. Before she passed, her mother wrote a note to her, and on the envelope it said for Lena not to open it until she was at least 18 and sure she wanted to read what was inside.

"My mother wrote me a letter." She says, and Lillian frowns, confused as to what this has to do with anything. "She told me not to read it until I was 18 and sure I could handle what was inside. She never named my father but she did say one thing about him. He was wealthy and influential and he... Forced himself upon her, threatening her job and her safety. And even if he didn't, the blame wouldn't solely be on her."

"She-"

"It takes two, Lillian. My mother wasn't a siren, Lionel wasn't seduced. He knew what he was doing, but still you blame my mother." She takes a shaky breath. "And me. You took your anger at your cheating husband on a child. A child. I couldn't understand why you hated me so much. I thought it was me, something I did, but it was you."

"You reminded me of-"

"And Lionel didn't?" Lena snaps, her eyes flashing with anger.

Lillian purses her lips, glaring. "This is not why you're here."

"For once, you're right. It's not. Cadmus is over, Lillian."

Lillian smirks. "It's not over, Lena. I still have a gun. How fast can you draw that crossbow? Is it faster than a bullet?"

"That won't work, Lillian." Kara says confidently. "I have superspeed, remember? I can stop the bullet."

"Oh, how could I forget?" Lillian says and it sounds incredibly fake. She smirks again. "Not anymore, you can't."

She turns her chair quickly and pulls a lever on a nearby wall. The room glows green.

"Kryptonite." Lillian say proudly. "How ironic, rocks from your own destroyed planet are the only material that can kill you. The emitters are at 100%. You have no powers now, Supergirl."

Kara looks down at herself, alarmed when she notices her hearing isn't as good as usual. Her X-ray vision works, but she's not as fast as usual. Kara's heart jumps up to her throat, pounding. She looks over at Lena, and her worried expression tells Lena everything she needs to know. The Kryptonite is working.

How? Kara panics as she tries to think of why. Only an... Oh. An electric discharge. Like the one she got hit with earlier. Crap. They're screwed. Kara moves so she's blocking Lena from where the gun is aimed.

"Get out from in front of her or I'll shoot her in the head." Lillian threatens, her hand moving towards the gun.

Kara's eyes widen in horror and she practically leaps away from Lena. Lillian's hand continues towards the gun and she picks it up, first swinging it towards Lena, and Kara tenses, ready to jump back in front of her.

Lillian points it at Kara and Kara's shoulders sag with relief. If Lillian shoots, she'll be distracted for a good enough amount of time for Lena to be able to shoot her crossbow at her. She hates that it's Lena who has to decide whether her adoptive mother will live or die. But right now, it's the only way. Kara makes her peace, thanking Rao for letting her survive the death of her planet and for allowing her to meet Lena. She mentally apologizes to everyone she loves.

Lillian cocks the gun and Kara already knows the safety is off. All that's left is for her to pull the trigger. Right before she can, Lena snaps out of her panic and leaps in front of Kara right as Lillian shoots. Lillian's eyes widen in surprise and Kara's do as well, in horror. Her hand moves faster than she expected to be able to, but she knows she's still not fast enough to completely block the bullet. Plus, Kara doesn't know if she's currently impenetrable but that doesn't matter to her right now.

Kara redirects the bullet as far away from Lena as she can but it's not enough. The bullet doesn't go into Kara's skin but it goes through Lena's upper shoulder. Kara nearly sobs with relief; it almost went through Lena's heart.

Lillian's baffled that a child she raised risked her life for... An alien.

Lena raises her crossbow, which she loaded right before jumping in front of Kara, and shoots. She doesn't hesitate. Lillian falls back on her chair, her eyes wide and unseeing as a crossbow bolt sticks out of her chest.

Chapter Text

Kara looks Lena up and down, scanning her with her weaker than normal X-ray vision. The bullet passed right through Lena's shoulder and is embedded in the wall behind her. Lena's paler than normal as she stares at Lillian, slumped in the chair, her eyes wide and unseeing.

"Lena." Kara breathes out and Lena blinks, turning towards her girlfriend as if she forgot she was there.

"Oh. Um." Lena shakes her head, trying to clear up her muddled mind. "One second. I'll get it."

Kara watches her with confusion, wondering what she's talking about. Lena walks on shaky legs at round the desk and presses a button. The green tint to the room fades and Kara can feel her strength returning. Lena walks back around the desk and Kara gently places her hands on Lena's arms. She moves slowly so she doesn't startle her.

Lena finally meets Kara's eyes and winces at the empathy there.

"That's not what I meant, Lee." Kara says softly. "How are you doing? I mean, I know you're probably not doing great, considering everything but... I'm just going to cut myself off there." Kara stops herself before she really starts nervously rambling.

Lena lets out a shaky breath. "My shoulder hurts." She admits.

"Okay, I can do that." Kara murmurs.

She scans the drawers of the desk and the surrounding area, knowing Lillian likes being prepared. She should have something to clean and wrap Lena's wound... Aha! Kara uses her superspeed, happy when she realizes she's getting faster. The Kryptonite exposure did a number on her, but she knows it would've been much worse without her tiara thing.

Kara heads back to Lena. "Lee, I'm going to need to take off your armor. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, that's fine." Lena answers.

Kara gently guides Lena until she's sitting on a nearby uncomfortable chair that Lillian probably used to intimidate the people that dared to come to her offer even more. She's facing away from Lillian now and her shoulders sag slightly in relief.

Kara carefully helps Lena get out of her chest piece and sets it down onto a nearby small table. She uses a washcloth soaked in alcohol to gently dab at Lena's wound. The front first, then the back. Lena hisses but remains still, trying not to agitate her shoulder. Kara cleans the wound, wincing in sympathy every time Lena makes a pained noise or grimaces.

Kara makes sure there's no part of the bullet still in Lena, knowing that it could make her very sick if anything stays in there. There's nothing and Kara thanks Rao for that. She doesn't want to have to dig around in there to find a tiny piece of metal.

Kara carefully wraps Lena's shoulder, glad that Alex took the time to teach her how to do it.

Lena stands up once Kara's done, and Kara fights the urge to push her back down onto the chair. Lena's paler than normal and looks exhausted.

"Come on." Lena says, looking down at Kara, who's still crouching in the same position as when she was bandaging up Lena.

Kara stands, her brows furrowed. She watches as Lena puts her chest piece back on, stepping in and silently helping her after Lena winces a couple of times, trying to put it on and not hurt her shoulder.

"Are you sure you're ready to go?" Kara asks softly.

Lena can feel how loaded that question is. She nods. "Yeah. Can someone take her out of here? When I come back here to search through her files, I don't want to see..." She swallows, her throat tight with emotion.

Kara nods and gently squeezes Lena's hand. "Of course. Let's go out. You can wait outside this room and I'll talk to the agents, okay?"

Lena nods and kisses Kara's cheek. "Thank you."

"Anything for you, Lee." Kara promises.

They walk hand in hand out of the room, Kara holding the door for Lena. The agents perk up.

"Ma'ams? How did it go?" One of the rookies asks enthusiastically.

"Lee, wait over there please." Kara murmurs to her, softly so that the agents don't hear. She knows how much Lena hates seeming weak in front of others.

Lena nods and walks away. The agents look confused. Kara quickly explains the situation and their faces screw up in sympathy.

"And guys," Kara says after she's finished. "Don't give her those sympathetic looks. She doesn't like being pitied, or thinking that she's being pitied. Treat her like you normally would, please."

The agents nod and then Kara leads them over to Lena. She reaches out her hand, allowing Lena to decide whether she wants physical contact or not. Lena holds her hand and they head down to the basement, where they know the others are meeting up. Two agents stay behind to 'extract' Lillian.

***

The basement is a sobering sight, with the first room Lena and Kara come across littered with bodies. Some the result of experiments gone wrong, but most as a result of a battle. Luckily, there are more Cadmus people dead on the floor than DEO.

They carefully step around the bodies until they reach the door to the next room. The basement is lined with lead, so Kara can't see through to make sure it's safe. She hears a lot of people on the other side but most of them seem to be moving slowly, like they're in pain. She can hear Alex's heartbeat nearby, but can't tell if she's right in the next room. She can hear Maggie's too, and Vasquez's. They all sound strong and regular, which is a huge relief to Kara. She murmurs her findings to the others with her and Lena, knowing they would probably like to know what's going on.

Kara opens the door, using her super strength to pull it open when she realizes that it was locked. The metal makes a terrible sound as she pulls the door open, causing all eyes in the next room to turn to her.

She awkwardly waves at the DEO agents she recognizes, noticing that there's a lot of people she doesn't recognize. Aliens and human alike, all looking at her warily.

"Kara!" Alex calls from the other side of the room.

Kara sees her carefully pushing her way through the crowd of people, rushing to get to her sister. Kara would rush forward, but she knows Lena and her both need to feel each other close right now. She squeezes Lena's hand and Lena loosens her grip like she's preparing for Kara to run towards her sister, but Kara tightens her grip instead. Lena surprised intake of breath is only audible to Kara. And maybe whatever other creatures have super hearing in here.

Kara beams as Alex bursts through the crowd and practically tackles her in a hug. If Kara were human, she would have fallen on the ground. Kara chuckles when she looks up.

"What is it?" Alex asks, her voice rough.

Kara squeezes her tighter, knowing that whatever has been going on down here is bad enough to shake her sister. "Maggie's so short that I didn't see her rushing after you until now."

Alex's body shakes with laughter and she lets a few tears slip out with it. She wipes the stray tears from her eyes and turns around to see her scowling girlfriend, but she has amusement dancing in her eyes.

"I'm not short, Danvers." Maggie protests.

"You are, Sawyer. It's cute." Alex taps Maggie's nose, making her break out into a brilliant, dimples-showing kind of smile until she schools her expression.

"Take it back, Danvers, or you're sleeping on the couch tonight." Maggie threatens, smirking victoriously.

"We're in the middle of nowhere, Maggie, there's no couch for me to sleep on."

"We'll just have to her creative, then."

Maggie and Alex begin a stare off and it ends when a shy looking alien interrupts them.

"Pardon me? Sorry, but did you say Danvers?" They ask.

"Yeah, I'm Sir Alex Danvers."

"The next in line for the throne. The Danvers Kingdom has saved us!" They cheer.

Once the others stop cheering as well, Alex speaks up again. "Actually, I'm not next in line for the throne. That's Kara, my sister. She's right there." Alex points behind her to where Kara's giving Lena heart eyes. "Kara's the next Queen, and she's an alien. Superman's cousin, to be exact. Her nickname is Supergirl, which she used when she's doing heroics. And it wasn't just the Danvers Kingdom that saved you. Right next to Kara is Lena Luthor, the adoptive daughter of Lillian and the Queen of the Luthor Kingdom. She helped take down her mother."

The people near Lena back away and she has a sad but understanding look in her eyes.

"How can we trust you?" One asks.

"Trust has to be earned. There is nothing I could say, no matter how true, that would make you instantly trust me." Lena says cooly, looking out at the room and making eye contact with those that aren't actively avoiding her gaze. "But I can start with one fact. Lillian Luthor is dead, and I'm the one that killed her."

Chapter Text

"Lillian Luthor is dead, and I'm the one that killed her."

"You... What?" Alex says, baffled.

"Damn, Lena." Maggie sounds impressed.

"How can we know you are telling the truth?" Someone asks. "You are a Luthor. Luthors are notoriously good liars."

Lena says quiet, knowing that there's nothing she can say that would make them change their minds about her. If she were to insist, she may be taken even less seriously, and have more suspicion laid on her.

It's Kara who speaks up. "You guys trust me, right? Well, I was there with her. I saw the whole thing."

"That's awfully convenient." Someone nearby grumbles, and murmurs arise in the crowd.

"I'm serious, I was there. Lena, she-she saved my life." Kara says with more than enough conviction to make everyone pause their skepticism and take in her words.

"Kara Zor-El Danvers!" Alex's booming voice makes Kara wince. "You almost died and you didn't tell me?"

"Oops?" Kara squeaks out. "It slipped my mind?"

"You forgot that you almost died?" Alex asks incredulously.

"Um. No? But I did forget to tell you. It wasn't the number one thing on my mind." Kara admits.

"That's even worse!" Alex sighs exasperatedly. She takes a feel breath and it fails to calm her, but she manages to calm her tone. A little bit. "What happened, Kara?"

"Um. So don't freak out-"

"It's a bit late for that, Little Danvers." Maggie points out.

"I know." Kara grumbles, then continues. "There was Kryptonite, and she had a gun and she threatened to shoot Lena and-"

"Hang on, Kara." Alex holds up a hand. "This isn't something that can be easily deciphered from your rambles. There was Kryptonite, but why would that matter? You have your crown thing for a reason."

"Yeah, and it works. Uh, unless it's hit with a large surge of electricity. Then it goes a bit wonky." Kara explains.

"And..." Alex prompts.

"And I got hit by electricity." Alex begins pacing and runs a hand through her hair, letting out a big breath. "I'm fine, Alex!"

"You almost weren't!" Alex snaps, stopping in order to point a finger at her sister angrily. Her voice comes out shaky. "You almost weren't." She resumes pacing.

"Al..." Kara sighs. She should just continue. "Cadmus hit me in the chest with this weird device that latched onto my armor. That's what zapped me. After it did that, it fell off. I think. I wasn't very conscious at the moment. So Lena kicked Cadmus' butt and then woke me up. Once I was feeling okay-ish again, we started moving. A smaller group of us, because Lena and I wanted to go to Lillian and knew you would need backup. The people we didn't feel we would need, we sent to you."

"Kara..." Alex purses her lips. She hates the thought of her sister being less protected because she thought Alex would need a couple more bodyguards.

"Please, let me continue. We found Lillian's room, and Lena and I went in-"

"Sorry, but just you and Lena?" Alex asks.

"Yeah."

Alex lets out a flurry of curse words that makes the people, aliens and human alike, blush. Maggie calms her slightly by taking her hand.

"Listen to what she has to say, babe. You can yell at her for her dangerous decisions later." Maggie murmurs. "When we aren't surrounded by people we're supposed to be rescuing."

Alex sighs but nods. "Okay. I'll try. But no promises if Kara does anything immensely stupid." Maggie just grimaces in response then gestures for Kara to continue.

"Um. So Lillian... Lena, are you okay with me telling them all this?" Kara asks softly. "Do you want to tell it?"

"Yes, please." Lena says, then begins speaking louder. "Lillian, being the charming woman she is, kickstarts the conversation by placing a gun on her desk, pointed at us. Kara could confirm using her X-ray vision that it was loaded. Kara was so sure that Lillian wouldn't shoot me because I'm her daughter."

"That would be a decent thing to do! You know, not kill your kid on purpose!" Kara says.

"In order for that to hold, Lillian would have to be a decent person. She is... was not." Lena replies.

Kara frowns but nods, squeezing Lena's hand to encourage her continue. Lena clears her throat and gathers herself.

"Lillian has never considered me her daughter, and I told then, told Kara and Lillian, as much. Lillian... She told me that I am Lionel's bastard daughter." Lena swallows harshly and allows a moment for people to gasp in surprise while she works to keep her composure. "We discussed that. How she blames me and my mother, but not Lionel. Which eventually led us back to the gun pointed at Kara and me. Kara pointed out that it wouldn't work because she has superspeed and impenetrable skin. Then Lillian turned on the Kryptonite emitters."

"That..." Alex starts grumbling again, cursing Lillian.

"Her crown, which blocks the effects of Kryptonite, was damaged, but not destroyed. She was very weakened, but not powerless or dying of poisoning. So... So Kara stepped in front of me so she would get hit instead of me. But Lillian threatened to shoot me in the head if Kara didn't get away from me. So she complied, and then waved the gun around. She first pointed the it at me before keeping it towards Kara. Lillian shot and I jumped in front of Kara, knowing that it would probably have killed her. Kara was able to move fast enough to keep the bullet from hitting anything important."

Kara mumbles something.

"What did you say, love?" Lena asks gently.

"It would've gone through your heart." Kara repeats. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to keep it from hurting you."

"Hey, I'm alive because of your quick actions. You did good, darling." Lena murmurs. Kara doesn't seem like she completely believes her but nods anyway.

"Where are you hit, Lena?" Maggie asks.

Lena pulls aside her armor's adjustable neckline. "My shoulder."

Maggie nods and smiles at them. "You did good, both of you."

"Thank you." Lena says, more out of politeness than believing it.

"Ma'ams?" Someone in the crowd asks. "May I ask how Lillian was killed? And Kara, what was on your mind when you came in that was so important that you forgot to tell your sister you almost died?"

"As I was jumping in front of Kara, I was also loading my crossbow." Lena says. She realizes that no one aside from the DEO people know what that is, so she pulls hers off of her back. "This is a crossbow." She reaches inside her smaller quiver. "And this is a crossbow bolt. I shot one of these into Lillian's heart."

"And Kara, your distraction?" The alien persists.

"Well, my girlfriend had literally just killed her mother and gotten shot in the span of a couple of seconds, so I was focused on making sure she was at least semi-okay." Kara explains.

"That makes sense." The alien concedes. "Whoa, wait. Girlfriend?"

"Yeah, girlfriend. Lena is my girlfriend."

"Friend that's a girl or...?" Someone else asks.

"She's my girlfriend. Romantic partner." Kara confirms.

"How dare you corrupt our future Queen, Luthor." Someone hisses, taking a menacing step forward.

Kara steps in front of Lena, drawing up to her full height. "Hey! Lena hasn't done anything to me."

"Does the Kingdom know?" They ask smugly, like they think she's going to say no. As if she's afraid of their response, as if she's ashamed of dating Lena.

"Yes, they do. And while the majority don't approve yet, most at least respect that I'm happy with her." Kara says.

Alex clears her throat. "Now that the interrogation of my sister is over, we should grab what we can and get moving. DEO teams, you know what to do."

The DEO agents begin rushing around and putting as much research as they can into bags. Lena tugs on Kara's sleeve to get her attention.

"Kara? Something should have happened by now." She says urgently.

"What do you mean?" Kara asks, giving her girlfriend her full attention.

"Lillian always has a backup plan, a fail safe. Even though she's gone, it should still... It should still go off, or happen."

Kara nods. "So what do we do? What do you need me to do?"

"We need to get out of here as soon as possible. I need you to use your superspeed, pack up all the research you can. We're going to need it to understand what they did to these people, and how we can help them. Please hurry, and be careful, darling." Lena urges.

Kara nods and leans in at a normal speed to kiss Lena's cheek, giving her time to pull away if she isn't comfortable showing affection. Lena allows it, and watches with worried eyes as Kara turns into a blur, running around the room and disturbing papers. She catches them all and shoves them (carefully-ish) into the nearest bag or backpack an agent is holding.

The DEO agents are used to her antics by now and don't even flinch when she runs near them. As soon as Kara pauses to take in her work and asses what she needs to do, she feels the shockwaves of an explosion beginning.

Chapter Text

(Starts before the explosion)

Lena waves over Alex and Maggie, hoping they'll see the urgency in her movements and come closer to her. They see the worry in her expression and rush over.

"What is it? Why is Kara rushing around like that? I know we should get out of here quick but..." Alex trails off, gesturing for Lena to speak.

"We need to get out of here as soon as possible. I know my mother, Sir Alex, and I know she always has something up her sleeve."

"Lillian is dead, Lena." Alex reminds her, hoping she's just being paranoid (while knowing she's definitely not just paranoid).

"But her scientists aren't. What they've build isn't. Lillian, she always had a fail safe and I know that while she probably didn't expect to die, I know she has some kind of plan in case of something like this." Lena says.

"So we definitely need to get out of here." Alex looks at her blur of a sister, her eyebrows scrunched with worry.

Lena lets out a breath and nods. "Yeah, we really do. I-"

They hear the explosion before they feel it. Maggie, Lena, and Alex are all highly trained and either have natural or learned quick reflexes. When they hear a thundering BOOM that shakes the room, they make themselves as small as possible, getting down on the ground. Lena's surprised she doesn't feel the heat of the explosion on her back. When the roaring of the explosion and the flames does down, Lena opens her eyes and looks around.

The first thing she notices is a pair of red combat boots, connected to deep blue pants. She looks up to see Kara, her face a mask of determination, standing above her, Maggie, and Alex. She's holding her cape up, which is probably why they didn't get hurt.

"Is it done?" Lena asks softly.

Kara's mask slips into one of deep concern as she nods and drops to her knees in front of three of the most important people in her life. Her eyes are wide and her lower lip trembles with fear. She can hear the pounding of hearts all over the room, can smell the sweat and the fear, but her only focus is on them.

Kara almost lost them. Her sister, her sisters (Maggie's definitely become part of the family now). Her girlfriend, her partner, her best friend. She almost lost them. She almost lost everything. Again.

"Kara?" Lena's voice snaps her back into reality.

Kara sucks in a deep breath. Lena slowly reaches up and cups Kara's face. Kara puts her own hand over Lena's, reveling in the contact. It's only now that she realizes she's crying and her hands are shaking. Lena moves so she's sitting up and envelopes Kara into a tight hug, squeezing her as tightly as she can. Alex and Maggie have sit up by then and join in, making it a little group hug.

Kara burrows her head into Lena's shoulder and Lena doesn't mind the tears on her armor. After Kara gathers herself and wipes away the last of her tears, she scans the three of them with her X-ray vision to make sure that her cape blocked everything, to make sure they're okay. Kara lets go of Lena's hand reluctantly and floats up, her legs not quite sturdy enough for her to trust them with her weight. She scans everyone else as well.

The others are getting off of the floor, some having been thrown by the blast. Those with few or no injuries are helping the others. Some have been knocked unconscious, but not bad enough for immediate medical attention to be needed. Kara helps some people up before returning to them.

Maggie's staring at the hole the explosion made in the ceiling, exposing what this building is made of. There's two layers of rocks with a thin layer of lead in between them. There are black scorch marks all around it, a ring around it and then it thins, like arms reaching outwards.

"Why didn't that kill us?" Maggie asks, sounding genuinely confused.

"What do you mean?" Kara asks, proud of how little her voice shakes. Lena takes her hand and she tried to center herself.

"That could have killed us. It was unexpected, it was big, it was loud. But it wasn't even big enough to kill anyone." Maggie points out.

"No one was seriously injured, either." Kara adds.

"Hmm. Then why have it happen? What's the point?"

"Lillian... It could be one of her sadistic games." Lena suggests. "She may want us to think that's it before she kills us with a bigger blast. See if we're smart enough to run. But perhaps that's the pessimist in me. I think it's a warning blast."

"So we need to get out of here?" Alex asks.

"As soon as possible." Lena confirms.

A door opens and the four of them tense, but relax when they see who it is.

"J'onn! Where have you been?" Alex resists the urge to run at him and hug her space dad. They need to leave.

"There were more." J'onn says as an explanation.

He holds the door open and people begin streaming out, all looking worse for wear. More prisoners, more victims.

"Sir, we need-" Alex begins.

"To get out. Yes, I am aware. I will project the feeling of panic into everyone to prompt them to get out as quickly as possible." J'onn says.

"You can do that?" Alex asks, astounded. The scientist in her has so many questions.

"Yes. Not now, Sir Alex. You can ask me your burning questions later. Now, I have to focus." J'onn's eyes flash red for several moments.

Even Kara feels the effect, though maybe it's just her own panic and anxiety.

"Come on everyone, lets go! Lets get out of here!" Alex shouts, her voice carrying in the room. "Help those who are injured or can't move fast. We need to get out!"

People rush into action, helping others stand and walk as they move towards the nearest exit. DEO agents direct them while some push or carry along people in handcuffs. It's madness, but J'onn somehow made everyone panic without it being a frantic panic. No one is being shoved (except the DEO's prisoners), no one is being trampled if they fall. It's... organized chaos.

Lena and Kara head into it hand in hand. Kara offers to fly her out, but Lena refuses. She's firmly a feet-planted-on-solid-ground kind of woman. So they walk together, holding hands so they don't lose each other in the craziness. Maggie and Alex do the same, holding hands to stay together.

They all file outside, heading for the far tree line after Alex shouts an order to the DEO agents in the front. They need to get as far away from this castle as they can. They don't know what's going to happen.

The last people come out and spread out to get to the forest as soon as they can. The castle groans behind them, and it almost sounds like the sound was the castle itself for a moment, like it were a living creature. But then J'onn shouts for everyone to get down.

This explosion seems to rock the earth itself. Dirt and dust flies everywhere as grass and shrubs and trees are dislodged from the ground, the ones too near the blast. Dirt rains down on the frightened people, lying on the ground in the forest. Maggie, Alex, Kara, and Lena, are all positioned in a spot where they can see what's happening, even as they're lying on the ground in a protective position.

The world lights up in a blinding flash, and when the glare dies down, they can see that the once-great castle is in shambles. Where tall walls of stone once stood, there is a pile of rubble. The ground has buckled and swallowed what was left of the structure. By some incredible stroke of luck, the force of the explosion was mainly contained inside the castle. What's left of the castle is up in flames, literally.

"Kara, can you get over there and use your ice breath? If that fire spreads..." Alex trails off.

Kara nods, her expression serious. "Of course."

Kara stands and dusts her suit off. She takes off, hovering in front of a strategic point of the fire. She takes in a deep breath and blows hard. The fire begins to die down, and she keeps it up, switching from one spot to another. Eventually, the fire is just down to embers, but Kara doesn't stop. She knows a strong wind at just the wrong time and place could reignite the fire. She continues until she's satisfied and only then does she fly back to the cheering people.

Kara lands next to Lena and is immediately pulled into a hug, which is swiftly joined by two of her other favorite people.

"You smell like smoke." Lena murmurs against Kara.

"Thanks. It was the smoke."

Chapter Text

After the second explosion, everyone's on edge and even more exhausted. It doesn't take long for J'onn to order everyone to just stay around here and rest. They'll be moving again in a couple of hours to the rendezvous point with the backup agents, but right now, they need to rest.

He has volunteers watch the prisoners and the night to make certain they're not attacked again. His "space daughters" (and step-space daughters) all insist on him getting rest. He complies on the condition that they do too. To his surprise, they do. So he keeps up his side of the deal and sits with his back against a tree and closes his eyes.

The night is cold, so to stay warm Lena, Kara, Alex, and Maggie all cuddle up on the ground together with Kara's cape laid over them like a blanket. They sleep in that order, with Maggie and Lena on the outside (but still warm beneath the cape) and the Danvers sisters in the middle. Though the sisters both argued for their girlfriends being in the middle, Lena appealed to their sense of logic with this setup. This way, Maggie can cuddle with Alex, and Lena can cuddle with Kara. And Kara can cuddle with Alex, too.

When they finally conceded, they both urged their girlfriends to tell them if they're cold, so they'll switch. Especially since Kara technically doesn't need anything to keep warm. When Kara points that out, Lena argues that she can be their built-in furnace.

"Now that we have that figured out, can we please nap?" Maggie grumbles, blinking tiredly.

Alex nods and tugs Maggie closer. She hums and rests her head on Alex's shoulder, her arm draped over her stomach. They all shift for the first minute or so, trying to get comfortable, and then settle down. It's easy for them to fall asleep, with the warmth of the blanket (and Kara), as well as the comfort of being by each other.

***

Lena wakes up to someone gently tapping her shoulder. She sighs in distaste and cuddles closer to Kara. Whoever it is can go away, she's comfortable and still tired.

"Lena." Maggie says.

Lena opens her eyes at the familiar voice. She blinks the effects of sleep away and waits for her tired eyes to focus. Maggie is out from underneath the cape, kneeling beside her, and now Lena realizes most people are standing, looking slightly less exhausted than before.

Lena yawns and taps Kara, who's in one of her deep sleeps where it's really difficult to wake her up. Kara mumbles something about wanting more puppies and continues sleeping.

"Kara." She says quietly, knowing that even asleep Kara will respond to her voice. Kara's head twitches towards Lena and she hums, her eyebrows scrunching. "Kara, darling. Wake up."

At that last sentence, Kara's eyes snap open and she sits up, her eyes wide as she looks around. "What? Huh? What happened?"

Lena, used to Kara's antics, sits up from where she was forcefully (and accidentally) moved when Kara sat upwards quickly, without regard for her super strength. She ignores the chuckles of Maggie and Alex nearby. She puts a hand on Kara's shoulder and she turns to Lena, her eyes wide with worry.

"What happened? Who do I have to punch?" Kara asks.

Lena chuckles softly and kisses Kara's cheek, loving how the action still makes her blush.

"You don't have to punch anyone, darling. It's just time to get up." Lena explains.

Kara grins sheepishly. "Right. I knew that."

Lena takes Kara's hand in hers. "I'm sure. Come on, darling. We need to get moving. See Winn again."

Kara's eyes brighten and she grins. "Oh yeah! I hope he's doing okay."

"He's sitting around with a bunch of DEO agents. I'm sure he has managed to invent something new or bore them to death by now." Lena teases.

They get up and Kara's practically vibrating with energy. Lena can't help feeling jealous of how quickly Kara has woken up and gotten this much energy. Then she realizes something.

"Kara? As much as I appreciate you in a skin-tight bodysuit, I figure you might want your cape." Lena says.

Kara's eyes widen and she flushes deeply. There's a blur of motion and then she's standing back in front of Lena with red cheeks and her cape back on. Lena swallows down her laughter and instead smiles at Kara.

"Hey Lena! Stop checking out my sister, it's time to go!" Alex shouts at her.

Lena appreciates that she didn't call her Luthor. Even though, with the help of them, she has been finally understanding that being one of the Luthors isn't bad, but today... Today, being called by her last name would remind her that she's the last Luthor now.

"She's just checking out an attractive Danvers sister. Kara doesn't call me out when I do that." Maggie teases, poking her girlfriend in the side.

"That's because Kara blushed at the fact her girlfriend was checking her out. When she sees you checking me out, she squeaks and goes the other way." Alex says.

"Hey!" Kara protests as she and Lena walk the short ways to join Alex and Maggie's sides. "That's because when you guys do it, it's like... It's like... Seduction eyes!"

Maggie and Alex exchange an amused glance. "And when Lena looks at you, that's not seduction eyes?"

Kara stammers for a second and then huffs, her cheeks just as red as they were before. Lena chuckles and kisses her girlfriend's cheek.

"Let's get going before Kara's face turns permanently red." Maggie teases.

Lena squeezes Kara's hand and smiles softly at her. Kara's blush dims slightly and she smiles.

"I didn't know Kryptonians could blush before I met you." Lena remarks.

Alex laughs, surprised and delighted by her remark. She keeps it quiet, knowing they're trying to not make a ton of noise as they go to the rendezvous point.

The walk is mainly quiet after that. It isn't a treacherous walk or steep, which is good for the exhausted victims of Cadmus'. They move in the light of the day, the sun having long since risen. They make good time, but as they're closer to the back, they can barely tell when they've gotten to the rendezvous point.

They can definitely tell when Kara yells out. "Winn!"

It startles the others, and Kara gives them an apologetic grimace before beaming in one direction, watching Winn follow her shout with her X-ray vision. She grins and shouts his name again when he gets lost. He starts carefully making his way through the crowd of people, apologizing when he accidentally bumps into people.

When he finally makes his way to them, using some of Kara's expertly times shouts, he beams when he sees the four of them. He rushes at them and practically tackles Kara in a hug, keeping one of his arms outstretched.

"Group hug!" He cries.

Alex groans and rolls her eyes but complies, wrapping her arms around her little siblings.

She notices Maggie and Lena watching them with soft expressions. "Get over here, you dorks. Group hug means a group hug."

Lena and Maggie join the group hug and Winn lets out a happy noise when they do.

"I'm surrounded by my favorite people!" Winn declares.

"What about your girlfriend?" Maggie teases.

"We... She hasn't... I..." Winn sighs in defeat, slumping in the still-ongoing group hug.

"What are we, chopped liver?" A familiar voice asks and they all look up.

"Vasquez! J'onn! Winn cheers. "Get in here! It's a I'm-so-happy-you-didn't-die group hug!"

"I didn't know hugs could be so specific." Vasquez jokes, reaching in to ruffle Winn's hair before joining the hug.

J'onn joins in as well, smiling fondly down at all of his space children. They may not know that he knows this, but he knows that they all love his hugs. His own children did as well, and now that he has his own family again, weird and broken but perfect in every way. When he hugs them it's like he can feel his dead family again. The holes in his heart that they left in his heart don't fill in, but his heart has made more room for his new family.

They break the hug apart after a bit and J'onn pretends like he can't feel how their emotions are all over the place because of that hug.

"We need to set up tents, we cannot expect them to move anymore after going all this way. If you all wouldn't mind taking ove-" J'onn cuts himself off when Kara disappears into a blur, setting up tents with her superspeed.

He doesn't have to wait long until Kara's back in front of them, the tents having been set up. She's breathing noticeably more heavy than before and gives him thumbs up.

"All done!"

J'onn shakes his head fondly, smiling softly. Scolding her would do nothing. "Thank you, Supergirl." He turns to Lena. "Make sure she gets some rest tonight. I don't want her to overexert herself."

Chapter Text

Due to the high number of people exhausted, injured, or traumatized (or any mixture of the three), J'onn decides not to leave for a couple of days. Instead, they stay with the reinforcements and set up temporary camp. They don't have enough provisions for this many people to stay for too long, so they leave after three days of rest.

The walk back is much slower than the walk there. Even with all of the horses they have carrying or pulling injured and exhausted people, it's taking them twice as long. And as DEO agents, as knights, it's Alex and Maggie's job to make sure everyone can keep going. And if they can't, try to make the impact on their progress as minimal as possible. Usually that means calling over Kara to carry the person to a wagon with free space, or if they see one nearby, carrying the person themselves.

Everyone's working together to get back to the Danvers castle in one piece, and oftentimes there's someone who an agent may not realize is about to drop and someone by that person will grab the nearest knight. Lena helps when she can with whatever the people will allow. She doesn't touch anyone without their consent, but does end up carrying a couple people to wagons on their long journey.

Each night, a few volunteers will take shifts so that they're not unguarded. Usually they're DEO agents, but occasionally someone else will volunteer.

By the time they're nearing National City, everyone is on their last legs energy-wise. J'onn chose the right day to get moving, as they're just starting to get down to the last of their supplies. Not enough to be alarming yet, especially since National City's a day's walk away, even at the pace they're going.

J'onn made sure to send word ahead of time to the Queen. He knows that if there are people flooding the street, celebrating their return, that could be overwhelming to a lot of the people here. Plus, Eliza needs to have a bunch of rooms in the castle prepared for their new guests. J'onn has worked with Eliza long enough to know she's probably setting up programs for them and getting a few psychologists to come and listen to them.

She'll also order the main streets to be cleared the morning of the day they're expected to arrive. Just until they've passed, of course. There are bells all over the city for this very reason, to let people know when they can't go outside just yet. They're not used very often, but everyone knows what it means when the bell rings.

***

"We're finally going to reach National City tomorrow." Vasquez sighs happily.

"The first thing I'm going to do is get good food." Kara says.

"You know you could do that now, right? You can fly, Supergirl." Alex points out.

Kara sighs. "I know. What do you guys want to do when we get back?"

"Clean my sword." Maggie admits, resting her hand on the hilt where her belt and holster are resting beside her. "It's filthy."

"Sawyer, you didn't bring something to clean it with? What happened to being prepared?" Alex asks, surprised.

"I had this rag but it didn't get everything off. And now the rag is nasty too." Maggie explains.

"That makes more sense. Here, I have a semi-clean one." Alex hands her a strip of cloth, the color faded from years of use.

Maggie thanks her and begins cleaning her sword, grimacing at how red it still is from blood.

"What about you, Winn?" Vasquez asks. "I know I'm going right to sleep. Are you going to be visiting your lady friend?" Vasquez gives him an exaggerated wink and he sputters, his cheeks red.

"Wh-I just want food! She's the chef!"

"Sure, and that's the only reason you'll be over there." Alex says, joining in on the teasing.

Winn blushes. "Like you're one to talk. You're literally cuddling with Maggie right now."

Alex grins at him, tightening her arm around Maggie's waist. "I just have more game than you, Winn."

Maggie shakes her head fondly, still focusing on cleaning her sword. "What're you looking forward to then, Princess?"

Alex points at Maggie half-seriously in a threatening way. "You know I don't like being called that."

"But it's true." Maggie argues, looking up at her girlfriend and smiling her dimple-filled smile that makes her girlfriend stop for a second every time.

Alex just huffs, her cheeks slightly pink. "Whatever, Sawyer. I'm looking forward to actually sleeping in a bed."

The others groan in agreement.

"What about you, Lee?" Kara asks, smiling softly at her girlfriend.

Lena automatically smiles back. "I'm looking forward to taking a warm bath. I still feel dirty from that fight."

The others nod in agreement and ignore how red Kara's cheeks get at Lena's answer. Lena, of course, notices and whispers to her.

"Why are you so red, darling? Is it that you want to be in that bath with me? Because I had assumed you would be." Lena practically purrs and Kara's face gets redder. She lets out a quiet squeak that's too quiet for anyone but Lena to hear. Lena smirks at the sound and kisses Kara's heated cheek.

"Lena, stop flirting with my sister." Alex says in a stern voice.

Lena's head turns quickly to see that Alex's eyes are dancing with amusement, not actually threatening. Her heart rate slows and she rolls her eyes at Alex.

***

The next morning, the walk goes by faster than usual. Everyone knows they're getting close, that they'll arrive in National City today. There's an excitement, a buzz in the large group of people that wasn't there before. They move noticeably quicker now that the end is finally in sight. Literally. The walls of National City are visible from the path they're on.

The guards of the entrance see the large group and know instantly who it is. As if the sheer size wasn't enough of the clue, J'onn leading them is a sight that would make anyone know. They signal the others and then the bells begin ringing.

The bells are designed to be loud enough for all to hear, but not deafening. They're in every square, on almost ever street corner where two streets meet. So they don't need to be loud alone. But together, they're unmistakable. They always come with advanced warning, like in this case, so the guards don't have to wait very long before they open the gate. Unless there's a sudden natural disaster. Or extranormal, in which case the affected areas' bells ring and the DEO steps in.

Kara puts her hands over her ears, grimacing. She notices a few of the other aliens, and some of the humans, do the same. The bells are some of her few dislikes about National City.

The first time they rung while she was here, she had only been on Earth a couple of weeks. The noise itself was overwhelming, but the loud noise reminded her of Krypton's death. Not in the loudness that Krypton exploded, but in the silence. It had made no noise as it blew, silent in the vacuum of space. So this thunderous noise she hadn't been expecting, so much like she had imagined it sounded like for her friends, her family, her parents... Kara had a panic attack, though she didn't know what it was called at the time. Alex was the one that helped her through it.

Lena places a hand on Kara's arm, a gentle pressure that reassures her that she's here for her. Kara has long since perfected the art of calming herself down. Alex can't always be around and she doesn't like having to rely on people like that. Even though she kinda relies on Alex like that. She knows how easily good things can be taken away, and perhaps that translates into this.

Kara takes a final deep breath, trying to keep it quiet so she doesn't disturb the others. The ringing in her ears has gone now but it still echoes in her head. She knows from experience that it won't stop for another couple of minutes.

When it finally does, she relaxes. No matter how many times she's gone through that, she always worried that this time, the ringing won't stop. But it always does, thank Rao. Lena's touch helps a lot more than even Kara expected. That along with her being by her friends and family, it really helped her calm down quicker.

They walk inside the gate to the eerily empty streets. Kara always thinks it feels weird, walking through the streets of National City after the bells have rung. It's normally so busy during this time of day and now it's silent, with only the sound of their feet hitting the pavement echoing.

The walk up to the castle goes well, with everyone being motivated to get there as soon as humanly (and alien-ly) possible.

Chapter Text

The gates into the castle is opened for them and Alex nearly cheers. It's good to be back, and she's exhausted. Physically, mentally, and emotionally. These past... However many days have been exhausting. The walking, the fighting, the walking again.

Maggie squeezes Alex's hand and smiles encouragingly at her, despite the tiredness in her own eyes. Alex squeezes back and gives her an appreciative look.

"We made it." Alex says. Saying it, hearing it aloud makes it so much more real.

"Finally." Kara groans from beside her.

Alex nudges her sister and Kara has the decency to act like that had any kind of physical affect on her, stumbling slightly.

"You just want food," Alex teases.

"You don't?" Kara shoots back, maturely sticking out her tongue.

Alex rolls her eyes but doesn't answer. She's planning on grabbing food, kissing Maggie a bit, then passing out while cuddling with Maggie. They haven't gotten a lot of alone time together to do anything, let alone have make out sessions or anything more intense. But sadly, she's too tired to do anything more than kiss. She knows that Maggie is too.

The door into the castle opens and is held open by some guards. Everyone shuffles in, following J'onn. He takes them a different direction than Alex expected. She guesses that this may be one of those times where being able to read minds would come in handy, in being able to tell where they're supposed to be going. Though perhaps a guard just told him out loud.

Alex stifles a yawn and her urge to find the nearest horizontal surface and pass out. It's only when they turn down a hallway that she realizes where they're going. They're headed to the throne room. Which makes sense, her parents probably want to greet everyone personally. Gods, she must be really tired if it took her this long to figure out where they're going.

The Danvers sisters and their girlfriends stay in the back of the crowd in the throne room and let the people they've freed up swarm the Queen.

Queen Eliza raises a her hand from where she's standing on a small platform next to Jeremiah and the room falls deathly silent. Not even the prisoners dare make a peep. Eliza smiles warmly at the gathered group.

"Thank you. As you may or not know, I am Eliza, Queen of the Danvers Kingdom. Thanks to the DEO's efforts and the Luthor Kingdom's assistance, we have managed to free you all. Or capture you." She glances over at the prisoners spread thought the crowd. "Those of you who were freed, you have many options. You may all stay here as long as you wish as guests in this castle. We will have extra people on staff to assist you all in finding your family and how to get back to them if you were taken from them. There will be psychologists coming in everyday. I highly encourage you all to speak to one at least once. Again, you can stay here as long as you want or need to. There are other resources for those who want to move into the city or elsewhere and need help finding a job."

Jeremiah starts talking, taking over for Eliza. "If you have any questions, feel free to ask anyone in the castle or the DEO. If they don't know the answer, they know someone who does. And I know you're all very tired, so guest rooms have been made up. There are some that can fit multiple people, if you would prefer that. Talk to a guard, they'll know where to take you. And on your way out, there is a table made up buffet-style with food. You can take it and eat here or take it back to your rooms. Thank you, and have a good night."

People clap and Alex can see that Kara is practically drooling over the idea of a buffet. J'onn begins leading the agents with prisoners to the DEO, where they'll be out in cells.

"Hold your horses, Kara." Alex grabs her arm gently with her free hand.

Kara pouts at her. "I've never understood that phrase, but right now, it's keeping me from food." She mumbles unhappily, staring longingly at the table. She gasps and Alex tightens her grip automatically. "Potstickers! Al, you can't keep me from potstickers!"

"I can and I will." Alex's voice softens. "Kara, listen to me. You know Mom is probably worried sick about us. We need to see her before you eat everything on that table."

Kara sighs, knowing her sister's right. "It'll be cold by then." She says, resigned.

"Kara, you have heat vision." Alex reminds her.

"Right." Kara blushes.

As the crowd of people moves towards the buffet table, the four women make their way towards the Queen. Eliza's eyes light up when she catches sight of them. They step up onto the slight platform and Alex and Kara are immediately engulfed in hugs by their parents.

"Oh, thank the Gods." Eliza breathes out, clutching them tighter. "We read J'onn's report on what happened, but we didn't see you in the crowd. There's a lot of people."

"Yeah. We were in the back." Alex explains.

Eliza and Jeremiah release them and look to the two girls standing nearby semi-awkwardly. Jeremiah gestures for them to come over.

"Get in here. It's a family reunion, and you two are family." He urges.

Maggie and Lena exchange a surprised look, neither having expected being accepted into the Danvers family so quickly, especially since they both have tough times with their own family accepting them.

They hesitantly walk over and Jeremiah cries out "Group hug!" He doesn't seem to mind that some of the people and aliens left in the room are giving them odd or surprised looks.

Maggie opens her eyes from the hug. "Hey, Winn! Get up here! Vasquez!"

They both look just as surprised as she felt but come up when Kara urges them over too. The group hug expands with the two added people until they pull apart.

"Thank you for coming here." Eliza says, looking a lot more relaxes than she was when they walked in. Alex feels bad about having worried her so much. "I know you're all probably exhausted, and I know at the very least Kara's hungry."

They all chuckle, which turns into full blown laughter when they look at Kara to see her once again staring longingly at the food.

"Darling," Lena says, her voice heavy with amusement.

"Potstickers? I mean, what?" Kara looks over at Lena.

They all chuckle again. Lena pecks Kara's cheek. "We just love your passion for food."

"Goodnight to you all. Have a good rest." Eliza says, kissing them all on the cheek, which Vasquez is surprised by.

"Goodnight, ma'am." They say respectfully.

Eliza waves them off. "Vasquez, we've known each other long enough. You can call me Eliza."

"Yes ma-Eliza." Vasquez corrects themself. "Thank you. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

They all say their goodnights to Eliza and Jeremiah, then grab as much food as they can before the Kryptonian vacuum cleaner with a black hole for a stomach (Kara) eats everything. Kara practically inhales half the table before piling the rest on to bring back to her room so she can eat with Lena. Alex and Maggie say goodnight to the others and leave for their room.

"I know Kara's Kryptonian, but how is it possible to eat that much that fast?" Maggie wonders aloud.

"I think it's just one of her superpowers." Alex says. "I can't believe she managed to find a girlfriend, she just ate like twenty potstickers in twenty seconds."

Maggie hums. Alex adjusts her grip on her food in order to open the door and hold it open for Maggie as well. Maggie thanks her and walks into their room.

"When do you think they'll talk about it?" Maggie asks.

"Who talk about what? Your brain moved too fast for me to get it, babe." I say.

"Right. I mean, when do you think Lena and Kara will talk about what will happen now that it's over?"

"Ah. I would assume that would come up soon." Alex shrugs, frowning. "I really hope it works out, they're very good together."

Maggie hums. They sit back against the headboard, cuddled up with each other. They eat in silence and when they finish, Alex takes their plates and places them on the bedside table. They scoot further down on the bed.

"We should probably take off our clothes." Alex murmurs, trying not to fall asleep.

"Babe, we're both way too tired for that."

"I mean to sleep. Pants and sleeping is not comfortable." Alex says.

Maggie sleepily shuffles around and tosses her pants off the side of the bed. Alex does the same and they bowl crawl underneath the covers, cuddling up to each other.

"And here I thought we would have the energy to make out for a bit before we passed out." Alex yawns.

Maggie gives her a slow kiss that ends quickly, before it can deepen too much. "There's your kiss, Allie. Sleep now."

Alex chuckles and complies, closing her eyes and falling asleep easily in Maggie's embrace.

Chapter Text

Lena and Kara are way too tired to do anything but fall asleep in each other's arms.

Lena's the first to awaken, and judging by the light coming in through the windows, it's a lot later than she usually sleeps. She blinks away her tiredness and yawns before focusing on the beautiful woman lying in bed next to her. Kara's still asleep, her mouth open slightly.

Lena grins when Kara sleepily mumbles something about food and snuggles closer to Lena. Gods, she can't wait to spend the rest of her life with this woman.

The thought doesn't alarm her as much as she expected. Lena knows she's in this forever, and by now has been reassured that Kara wants that too somehow. There's a niggling voice in the back of head that she's listened to for so long it's hard to forget what it says. It whispers a single question into her mind: "how?"

Lena starts at that question, making Kara snort in her sleep before readjusting herself and cuddling up to her again. The question is unexpected and something Lena has vaguely considered, but not seriously thought about. How?

How are they going to do this if Lena has to go back to the Luthor Kingdom soon? If Kara has a duty to her people and her family, and has stay? Will they visit? What could they do? Is it even possible? Would long distance even work?

Lena can feel her heart rate climbing and tries to calm down, knowing that Kara listens to her heartbeat and will wake up if she doesn't calm down. But the thoughts don't stop, so neither does her fast heartbeat. Kara inhales deeply and stretches out her limbs, her eyes blinking open slowly like a tired dog. She yawns and grins sleepily at her girlfriend.

"Hey, Lee." Kara murmurs, lifting her head from Lena's shoulder to press a sloppy kiss to her cheek. "Good morning. It's really nice to wake up in an actual bed with you."

Lena smiles softly, mentally pushing her worries away. They can talk about it later, once Kara's actually awake. Though that feels like an excuse to not talk about it now.

"Yes it is, darling. How are you feeling?" Lena asks.

"A little tired. Hungry. The usual," she jokes. Lena chuckles and Kara tightens the arm around her waist, settling back down and cuddling with her. "What about you? You're more tense than normal, and your heart rate is faster."

Lena sighs. She can't get anything past her girlfriend, not with how well she knows Lena and with the side of her superpowers.

"It's just my mind making me worry, darling."

"It's never just anything, Lee." Kara says and Lena can hear the frown in her voice. "We're in a relationship, babe. I want us to talk about stuff that's bothering us."

"I know, I want that too, love. I just want to talk to you about something." Lena promises. "It can wait until we get something in that black hole that is your stomach."

Kara's lips twitch up at the joke but there's still concern in her eyes. "Is it anything bad? We're okay, right?"

"We're amazing. And I hope it isn't anything bad." Lena murmurs that last part, knowing that Kara will still catch it.

"But it has the possibility to be bad?" Kara asks worriedly.

"It also has the possibility to be good." Lena reminds her. "We can talk about it after we get food."

Kara nods hesitantly. They get dressed like usual, tossing each other's close at each other and stealing kisses in between putting them on. They finish getting dressed and the following make out session before heading to the kitchen.

Maggie and Alex are already there, and Maggie's trying to sneak vegetables into Alex's food when she's not looking. Alex is sneaking the vegetables back onto Maggie's plate (or onto the floor for the dog patiently waiting for food nearby) while Maggie's not looking.

"Hey nerds." Maggie greets when she sees them, batting Alex's hand away without looking as she tries to sneak kale back into Maggie's salad. "What's up? You both look less happy than I thought you would be to be back here."

Kara looks to Lena, who shrugs. She doesn't care if they know. Well, Kara doesn't even know what they're going to be talking about.

"Lena says she has something to talk about with me, but hasn't said what it, just that it has the possibility to be good or bad." Kara explains.

"Ooh, lesbian drama." Maggie grins widely and rubs her hands together. "Sorry Kara, lesbian and pan drama." She amends. "Lay it on me, Lena. Let me help."

"Why?" Lena asks curiously.

"I want to help. Plus, I've helped with a bunch of other gay women relationships. I suck at my own relationships, except with Alex of course, but I'm great at advice. I'm like the gay mentor. The gay-tor." She snorts. "Nope, that's something entirely different. Ha, gay-tor."

"How much caffeine has she had?" Lena asks Alex, amused.

"Too much, apparently." Alex answers, subtly replacing Maggie's drink with a glass of water.

"Like you haven't had as much as me. Come on, Lena. What's the deal?"

"I just had the thought this morning. How is this supposed to work? Kara, I'm the Queen of my Kingdom, and you're the Princess of yours, the next in line for the throne. I can't stay here forever, or even too much longer. And you have a duty to your people and to your family. I can't ask you to leave, just to be with me." Lena says the last sentence miserably.

"Okay, I understand what you're saying. Alex and I have actually talked about this before. And you're overlooking something, Lena. We need an ambassador." Maggie says.

For a second, Lena had forgotten she and Alex were even there. She frowns, confused. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, Kara can be the ambassador." It's deathly silent for a second until Maggie continues. "It's perfect. This alliance with the Luthor Kingdom is new and everyone wants someone trustworthy and incorruptible for the ambassador. Who better than the Princess herself?"

"Me?" Kara asks, surprised.

"Yes, you. You've been around the politics of this place enough to know what to say, what to do. You're sweet and almost impossible to hate. Plus, you're banging the Queen, no one could be mean to you anyway." Maggie says matter-of-factly, grinning when all three other girls start blushing. "You can fly, you have superspeed, you can get back here in an instant if you're missing us or if there's news."

Kara is less hesitant now and actually considers it. "But National City..."

"Doesn't need Supergirl. They have other heroes to help them. Us." Maggie points to herself and Alex.

"Calling yourself a hero, Sawyer? That's kind of self-centered." Alex teases.

"I mean like the DEO, you nerd. And J'onn is a crime-fighting alien too." Maggie reminds her.

"True. What about us, though? I've never been away from Kara for a long period of time." Alex worries.

"She can fly back here in like two minutes. Plus, I have no doubt that we're going to be visiting them and they're going to visit us." Maggie says.

"Um. You're kind of talking like this is set in stone. We haven't even discussed this yet." Kara points out.

"Alright, discuss." Maggie waves her hands at then.

"It's hard to with you both staring at us." Lena raises an eyebrow at them.

"Fine. Kara, how about this. I'll make out with your sister instead." Maggie offers.

Kara sighs. "Ugh, that's not... You know what, go crazy." She waves a hand, not looking, and grimaces when she hears the smack of their lips against each other. "Ew. At least we know they won't be listening." She hears a humming noise and makes a slightly exaggerated gagging noise. "Hey! Little sister is right here! Keep it PG-13!"

"You're no fun, Little Danvers." Maggie murmurs, but luckily listens.

"Okay. So." Kara says when she turns back to Lena. "This... Whole thing."

Lena hums. "Yeah. What do you think, Kara? I have to go, I have no other option. But you do have options. Ultimately, it's your choice."

Kara bites her bottom lip. "I know it is. But I want to know what you think before I make a decision. Would you be okay with me being the ambassador? Would you find it weird because we're girlfriends?"

"I would be more than okay with it. I would love to have you by my side, to show you the beauties of my kingdom like you have shown me the beauty that lies here." Lena lets out a breath. "Perhaps the castle wouldn't feel so cold and empty if your light is present. It is your choice, Kara. And you don't even have to decide now. Or commit to a decision, we could test it for a year and see if it works for us."

Kara nods. "Okay. Let's try it for a year."

Chapter Text

Kara clears her throat but Maggie and Alex are too immersed in each other to hear. She clears her throat loudly and it finally seems to register with them. They pull apart and turn to Kara, who looks completely grossed out and is avoiding directly looking at them.

"So did you decide?" Maggie asks and Kara really doesn't want to think about why she might be breathing harder than before.

"Yeah. I'm planning on trying it out for a year." Kara answers.

"When is that year going to start?" Alex asks, running a hand through her mussed up hair.

Kara looks to Lena, who answers. "I still have things to wrap up here, so if she wants to leave with me, we would leave in about two or so weeks."

"I want to go with you." Kara says.

Lena nods and squeezes Kara's hand. "Okay. But you should really talk to your parents about this as well, darling."

Kara sighs and nods. "Yeah. That'll be fun. And I should probably talk to Winn and J'onn too."

"Do you want me to come with?" Lena offers.

"Yes please."

"When do you want to do it?"

"After food." Kara says.

"Who do you want to talk to first?" Alex asks.

"Um. Winn and Vasquez. They should be the easiest. Then J'onn. Then Eliza and Jeremiah." Kara lists. "And, um. Can you come, too? Both of you?" She asks hesitantly.

Maggie and Alex exchange a look. "Of course," Maggie says.

Kara lets out a relieved sigh. "Thank you."

***

After Kara's practically chased out of the kitchen because she stress eats, the four of them head to the DEO. It's Vasquez who sees them first.

"Ma'ams, it's good to see you. Everything has been quiet since we got back, you don't need to be here." They say.

"Actually, Vasquez.... I want to talk to you and Winn about something." Kara tries not to sound as anxious as she feels.

"Alright. Is everything okay?" Vasquez asks worriedly.

"Everything's fine, I promise. Where's Winn?" Kara asks. S

She listens for his heartbeat but she doesn't have to because as soon as she says his name again he jolts upright. He's sitting at a desk a couple yards from Vasquez. They didn't realize it was him because he had fallen asleep on his books.

"Wha? Huh? I'm awake!" Winn says, turning to face them with wide eyes.

Alex rolls her eyes fondly. "Sure you are. Come on, we have to talk."

Without explaining further, Alex begins dragging a startled Winn to a conference room, the rest of them following behind them.

"What did I do to deserve this rough treatment?" Winn grumbles when they stop in a conference room. He rubs his arm and pouts at Alex.

"Kara has something she wants to tell you nerds." Alex says instead of answering.

Winn gasps excitedly. "Oh my god, you're pregnant!"

"What? No, Winn. How would that even...?" Kara shakes her head. "I'm not pregnant, and neither is Lena."

Winn shrugs. "You never know, you are Kryptonian. We don't know how your physiology works with ours."

Kara sighs. "I guess that's true. I mean, Kal El and Lois are trying for a kid. But no, it's not that."

Maggie notices the glint of interest in Alex's eyes and smirks, knowing that Kara may be in for a fun two weeks if Alex decides to pursue this further. Though that would be awkward, talking to your sister about your sex life and figuring out if Kara can get her girlfriend pregnant.

"Don't even think about it, Alex." Kara warns, knowing her sister would be curious.

Alex raises her hands. "Fine. But you're going to want to know eventually."

"Eventually, not now." Kara says.

"So is someone getting married?" Winn asks. Five pairs of incredulous eyes turn on him and he holds up his hands in surrender. "Did you drag me here to talk about something boring, then?"

"Not boring, no. Um... I'm going to stay with Lena for a year." Kara says, shuffling her feet a little bit and holding tight (but not too right) onto Lena's hand.

"What?" Winn gasps. "I thought you guys were going to stay together forever. I could totally see the cute kids, the pets, the... Oh that's not what you meant, is it." Winn thinks. "Oh, you're staying with her. Like... Moving in?" He gasps. "To the Luthor Kingdom?"

"Now you're getting it." Alex ruffles his hair and he pouts at her as he tries to fix it.

"That's a big step." Vasquez says. "You both are sure about this? I don't want to rain on your parade or anything, I just want you to be certain."

Kara looks over at Lena and thinks about what it would be like to be here without her. "Yeah, I'm sure."

Lena smiles softly and squeezes Kara's hand. "Me too."

Vasquez nods. "So when do you leave?"

"In about two weeks," Lena answers. "I have to get back. I can't leave everything to Jess. She's leading while I'm gone." She explains when she's met with four confused looks. Lena knows that Kara knows who Jess is, they have discussed her a couple of times.

"Oh! I know you probably still have to tell your parents and space dad, but before you go... Wait here!" With that, Winn runs out of the room.

The others give each other looks and shrug. He walks back in the room carrying a large box that he's clearly struggling with. Kara takes it from him and he breathes out a relieved thank you. He watches as Kara easily carries it over to the table.

"Does that weigh nothing to you?" Winn asks curiously.

"Nope. It's like picking up a sheet of paper. Or Lena." Kara winks at her girlfriend, who bites her bottom lip in response.

"Ooh, seduction eyes." Vasquez jokes and Alex groans.

"Okay. What I have in here is something I've been working on for a while. Alex helped too, but I never told her what her help was for. Um."

Winn reaches in the box and pulls out an even smaller box. He sets it on the table and then pulls out a couple more boxes the same size.

"I made a couple of them." He explains. "You'll see why in a second. Um. Here, take one. Open it."

They each take one, leaving three more on the table. Winn takes one of the three left. Kara opens hers first and gasps.

"Winn, this is amazing!"

"What is it?" Vasquez asks as they all crowd around Kara's opened box.

"It's a watch." Winn says. "Kinda. It has another function too, but it's a watch with the crest of the House of El in it."

"What else does it do?" Alex asks curiously, pulling her own identical one out of her box and studying it.

"I could just show you, but I think it would be better to explain first. Um. Okay. So you see that thing that's sticking out a little bit on the side? Press it." Winn instructs.

They comply and startle when the face of the watch pops open, revealing what's underneath. Above the gears that are turning is a single red button. Curiously, Kara goes to press it.

"No!" Winn shouts, making Kara freeze in place. "Sorry, didn't want to scare you but pressing that button would have scared you more." He breathes out. "Geez. Why do people always go to press the red button? When you press that button, it sends a signal to all the others. It also makes a noise. Kara's is special, because it emits a sound only she can hear. And others with super hearing, I would assume. But yeah. Do you mind if I press mine? So you know what it's like?" Winn asks.

"It's fine with me. Should we get out the other ones too? Or will they not go off?" Kara asks.

"Oh right. Yeah, they'll go off. Thanks." Winn passes the other two to Maggie and Alex, who take them out. "Close the faces, just press it back in. Opening it will turn off the sound."

"Ours makes sound too?" Alex murmurs.

Winn presses the button and Kara jumps, the high pitched noise startling her. She opens it up and the noise stops and it's only then that she realizes that the other watches are making a beeping noise. The others open them and the noise stops. Kara looks back down at hers and frowns.

"Why is there a W lit up?" She asks curiously.

"So you know it's me that's in trouble. And Kara, stop for a moment and listen. I hope I did this right. Can you hear something from my watch?"

There's a soft sound, like a constant beep that seems like it's moving around, trying to get to her ears the best way possible so it rotates and goes out in all different directions.

"Yeah."

"Awesome! And there's letters for all of us, and it's easy to remember. K for Kara, W for Winn, A for Alex, M for Maggie, V for Vasquez, L for Lena, J for J'onn, and E for Eliza! And when you've been found or are okay, you just press the button again and wah-la! The sound turns off! Right?" He asks Kara.

"Yeah, it's gone now."

Chapter Text

Once they all equip their watches, Winn grabs the other two and puts them back in their little boxes.

"Is it okay if I come with you guys? So I can give J'onn and Eliza their watches?" Winn asks.

Kara exchanges a look with Lena to make sure she's okay with it. "Yeah, okay."

"Now you have a parade of people, Kara." Alex says, amused as they all follow Kara and Lena out of the conference room.

They head to the main area of the DEO, where J'onn is listening to an agent's report. He glances up when they come in, but keeps his attention on the agent until they're done. J'onn tells them to keep an eye on things and then heads over to them.

He waits for them to speak and it's Winn that breaks first.

"Um. Sir, I have something for you." He rambles on and explains the watch as he hands the box to J'onn, who opens it and studies it carefully.

"This is very good work, Winn." J'onn says proudly, placing a hand on Winn's shoulder. Winn beams happily at his space dad. "I would dare say it's better than what Superman gave James and Lucy."

"Thanks! That's actually where I got the idea."

"And Kara? You have something to tell me?"

"What? How do you know?" Kara asks. "You can't even read my mind!" She sighs. "I'm going to the Luthor Kingdom with Lena for at least a year. I mean, I'll be back here within that year and see you, but I'll be with Lena."

J'onn nods. "I thought you may want to do that sometime. But Kara, I want to remind you that this may not be permanent. Someday, you will be Queen of the Danvers Kingdom. I would like you to reflect on that while you are gone and discuss it with each other. What will happen then? How will your relationship work?"

Kara blinks. She hadn't thought of that. She knew that someday she might be Queen, but she hasn't thought about how that could affect her relationship with Lena. She doesn't want to focus on it right now, though. She can figure it out with Lena later.

"Have you told Queen Eliza and Jeremiah yet?" J'onn asks.

Kara shakes her head. "No, but we're planning on telling them next."

"Good. I will let you go do that. Winn, Vasquez, I need to discuss something with you."

"Sir, do you need Maggie and I too?"

"No, I just want to go over some reports. Be there for your sister."

Alex straightens her back and nods to him. "Yes sir."

Since Winn and Vasquez are staying behind to talk to J'onn, Winn hands Alex the box for Eliza. He knows that she will tell Eliza everything she needs to know about it.

Alex, Maggie, Lena, and Kara head to the throne room. Kara uses her super hearing to make sure that's where they are. Kara holds the door to the throne room open for the others and takes a deep breath in an attempt to steady herself.

They walk closer to where Queen Eliza and Jeremiah are seated on their thrones. Kara smiles up at them, trying to ignore her nerves. Eliza and Jeremiah get down from the platform their thrones are on and hug their daughters again, then their daughters' girlfriends.

"It's so good to see you again, girls! But I know my daughters hardly come by the throne room to say hello." Eliza remarks, raising an eyebrow at her daughters.

Kara gestures for Alex to go first and she does, explaining the watch to their parents.

Then, it's Kara's turn. She tells them that she's going to stay with Lena and they react better than she expected. Granted, they're still not exactly happy that Kara's going to be so far away from them.

"I can fly and I have superspeed, I can be back here in less than ten minutes." Kara says. "And I'll be okay, I'll have Winn's watch. Plus, Maggie pointed out that we need an ambassador to the Luthor Kingdom."

"That we do." Jeremiah admits with a sigh. "It isn't that we don't support you, Kara. It's that we don't like the thought of you being so far away. In a land that's named after some of the most anti-alien people in recent history. No offense, Lena."

"Non taken." Lena says. "It's true."

"And at the same time, me not liking this feels very hypocritical." Jeremiah admits, running a hand through his hair.

Eliza frowns at her husband. "How so?"

"This is exactly what we did, love. Run away together while one of us runs a Kingdom with the other by their side. Of course, we got married first, but Eliza, that's what we did." Jeremiah points out.

At the mention of marriage, Kara's eyes go wide and she lets out a quiet, startled meep. She doesn't think that her and Lena are quite to the "seriously considering marriage happening soon" stage in their relationship. Maybe eventually, but not soon.

"That is true." Eliza admits. "Alright. You two have my support. You said you will be leaving in... Two weeks, right? Well, then. You have a lot to get done between now and then. I'll help you come up with a list."

***

The next week is stuffed full of Kara and Lena scrambling to get ready to leave. There are a lot more things Kara has had to do than she expected in order to move. She has to make sure the castle and everything will keep running with her gone, what with her being the Princess and everything.

Plus, an interview with Cat about it as soon as she caught wind of Kara moving. Which was sooner than Kara expected, but she shouldn't really be surprised. And once that's published, Kara has to deal with the concerned people of National City about what'll happen once their Supergirl is elsewhere. At least, until Cat publishes an article about that.

While Lena and Kara are doing all that, Maggie and Alex are relaxing. The battle is over and they've won. They're safe, and their friends and family are safe. Sometimes they have missions from the DEO, but they have enough free time to relax in the gardens (which Maggie and Alex both love) and spar.

The time when they can just settle in for the night and cuddle is Alex's favorite. Having her girlfriend in her arms, being able to stay there for pretty much as long as they want... It's Alex's version of heaven.

And Alex has noticed lately that Maggie seems... A bit different. She's been different since Kara told them she's going with Lena. More affectionate, which Alex is definitely not complaining about. She seems stressed or concerned about something, but hasn't told Alex about it, which isn't like her. Usually she's all about talking about what's bothering her or what's bothering Alex. But Alex doesn't want to push her when she's not ready, and she knows that if it were anything bad, Maggie would have told her. So she waits it out, consciously trying to be more supportive to Maggie.

Alex noticed that she has run off on a couple of errands, where she didn't tell Alex what she needed to get or do. Alex assumes it's something related to Maggie's worry, or something J'onn has told her to do.

Maggie is trying not to freak out about what she plans to do, sneaking away from Alex with fumbled excuses to meet with Winn and to set everything up. And once everything's in place, there's nothing left to do but to head back to Alex and wait for the right time. She prays to whatever gods or omniscient beings there are that this doesn't completely backfire on her. Maggie can tell that Alex has been worried about her and has noticed a difference in her.

She hopes Alex will understand after... Gods, after tomorrow night. It has come up so quickly. A spur of the moment idea given to her unintentionally by Eliza, turned into a shopping trip, turned into her using up most of her savings, turned into a semi-elaborate plan with Winn's assistance... She really hopes this goes well. Hopes Alex says yes, or doesn't flat out say no. But she's Maggie, so she prepares for the worst.

She gulps down the warmth of anxiety roiling in her stomach and smiles at Alex as she walks into their room. Alex grins at her from where she's cleaning her swords and various weapons. They're all laid out on the table and the clean ones are back in the display.

"Hey, babe." Alex greets her.

Maggie smiles warmly at her beautiful girlfriend. "Hey."

She comes behind Alex and wraps her arms around her waist, kissing her neck. Alex hums and leans back into her touch, closing her eyes and still repeating the comforting motions of cleaning her weapons.

"Love you." Alex murmurs.

Maggie smiles against her neck and pulls back to begin helping Alex clean. "Love you too, babe."

Chapter Text

Maggie's breath whooshes out of her as she is knocked onto her back yet again. She lets out a quiet groan at the dull throb of her spine. Alex's concerned face comes into view when she opens her eyes.

"Are you alright?" Alex asks. "You've been so distracted lately, babe. And this is the third time today I've been able to knock you on your back. This isn't like you."

"I know. Sorry for worrying you." Maggie apologizes. Alex extends her hand and Maggie grasps it, using it to pull herself up. "Thanks. There's just..." She gestures to her own head. "A lot going on up here, you know?"

Alex nods. "Yeah. Do you want to continue training? Or are you done for the day?"

"Let's keep going."

Alex purses her lips, her eyes still soft with concern. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm okay. I'll try to focus." Maggie promises, giving Alex what she hopes is a reassuring smile.

Alex still doesn't seem completely convinced but nods anyway. Maggie picks up her sword and wipes the dust from the training field from it. Alex had taken advantage of her distraction earlier and hit a pressure point on her arm that caused her to drop her sword and then gotten kneed in the chest. Of course, with this being a training session and with Maggie being Alex's girlfriend, she wasn't hit too hard, but the wind was still knocked out of her and her arm still tingles a little bit.

Their swords clang together and the training picks up a notch when Alex realizes her girlfriend is actually focusing again. Maggie dodges Alex's sometimes brutal attacks. Well, they aren't brutal attacks with her, but with someone Alex is fighting for real... Maggie almost has pity for them. But not really, because the only people Alex fight-fights are bad people.

Maggie grits her teeth as a particularly hard swipe's impact feels like it's reverberating through her bones. Maggie can feel the thin sheet of sweat covering her body as she moves and it makes her stay focused, that and Alex's sword and limbs coming at her.

But the thoughts of what she plans on doing tonight invade her mind and she's distracted again. She hasn't even asked Alex about having dinner tonight. It's mostly set up but-

Maggie's staring at the sky again, a small cloud of dust rising around her from her impact with the ground. She blinks in surprise, feeling the training sword still in her hand.

"Oh shit." Alex curses and kneels down beside her. "Sorry, I didn't mean to hit you that hard. I thought you would notice it. Are you okay?"

Maggie sits up, grimacing at the dull but throbbing pain in her spine. "Peachy, Danvers."

Alex helps her up again and takes the training sword from Maggie's hand. Maggie stretches out her arms, grimacing at the twinge it sends down her back.

"Are you sure? I can take you to a DEO doctor, or I can check you out, or Mom." Alex rambles.

"I'm okay, Allie." Maggie says, reaching out to take Alex's free hand. "I'll just be a little sore. It's my fault for being distracted again."

"No, I should have noticed. What's gotten you so distracted, anyway? I mean, you don't have to tell me if you're not ready or if you don't want or..." Alex takes a breath. "And I'm rambling again."

Maggie gives her that dimpled smile she knows Alex loves. "It's cute, Danvers. And, um. Dinner tonight? I promise I'll tell you why then."

"Of course." Alex smiles softly, squeezing Maggie's hand. "Where and when?"

"Seven pm, and it's a surprise." Maggie says, her eyes twinkling.

Alex lets out a good-natured groan. "Mags, you know I hate surprises."

"Well, I promise you're going to love this one."

Alex shakes her head, still smiling. "Fine. But if I don't know where we're going, how do I know what to wear? We could be going somewhere fancy and I'll show up in jeans."

"Babe, you look classy in everything." Maggie says without an ounce of doubt and Alex flushes, ducking her head shyly. "Besides, you can always just ask."

"Just ask?" Alex says and Maggie hums in response, raising an eyebrow at her girlfriend. "Fine. What should I wear?"

"Preferably nothing," Maggie begins and Alex chokes on nothing, her eyes wide. "But really, anything works. Wear what you're comfortable in."

Alex huffs. "That barely narrows it down. And nothing? Really Sawyer?" Alex sounds more amused than anything.

"Hey, I happen to have a gorgeous girlfriend who looks great in clothes and out of them." Maggie shrugs and kisses Alex's nose.

Alex huffs and wraps her arms around her waist. "You're too cute sometimes, Mags."

Maggie just hums and leans in to capture her girlfriend's lips with her own. They sink into the kiss, both dirty and dusty and sweaty, in that training field.

***

Maggie had left their room an hour and a half early in order to find somewhere to change and finish setting up. Her nerves are back, a constant warmth and fluttering in her stomach.

Maggie takes a deep breath and looks around again. It's as perfect as it can be. She just hopes Alex likes it. She nervously fiddles with her sleeve and jumps when she feels a hand on her shoulder.

"She's going to love it." Winn promises and Maggie smiles gratefully at him before turning back to what they've managed to do. "She'll say yes."

Maggie looks back over at him, startled. How did he know what she was thinking? "How do you know?"

"I've known Alex for a while, and I have never, never," he stresses. "Seen her as happy as she is when she's with you. She loves you, Maggie. And I would bet my everything I have on her saying yes."

Maggie smiles softly, letting his words sooth some of her worry. She affectionately ruffles his hair.

"Thanks, Winn."

Winn grumbles as he tries to straighten out his hair again, but is smiling. "Yeah, yeah. Now go get your girl."

Maggie lets out a shuddering breath. "Yeah. Okay. I can do this."

"You can totally do this!" Winn calls out as she walks back inside the castle.

Maggie gives him thumbs up without turning around, knowing the temptation to just sit and stare at the sky until the morning might be too much.

Maggie stops outside Alex and her door, nervously straightening her clothes. She takes a feel breath and knocks on the door, trying to seem more confident than she is.

The door opens just enough for Alex to look through, then pulls it open enough for her to shyly lean on it, giving Maggie a warm smile. Maggie smiles back and notices how Alex is breathing slightly harder than usual. She's nervous too.

Maggie bows to Alex. "Milady, your coach has arrived."

Maggie straightens back up to see Alex's amused grin, some of the anxiousness fading from them both.

"A coach? Fancy." Alex raises an eyebrow at Maggie with a smirk. "Does that mean I should ride you?"

Maggie chokes on nothing and takes a moment to gather her wits. She clears her throat and gives Alex her own smirk. "If that does happen, it'll be later tonight."

Now Alex is blushing. They grin at each other and Maggie feels much more relaxed. She looks at Alex's outfit and bursts out laughing.

Alex looks confused. "What? Is there something on my shirt?" Alex looks down at herself.

"No, babe. Nothing's wrong. Just... Look at our outfits." Maggie says.

Alex looks at Maggie again and laughs delightedly. "We're matching."

Alex has on a plain white scoop neck and a black semi-formal jacket with black pants. Maggie has black pants, a white button up, and her favorite leather jacket (for comfort and confidence).

"We're just meant for each other, Allie." Maggie chuckles and extends had hand. "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be." Alex says as she takes Maggie's hand, closing the door to their room behind her. "Are you finally going to tell me where we're going?"

"Nope. It's a surprise for a reason, Danvers."

Alex sighs but concedes, letting Maggie lead her through the castle. They make a couple turns and Alex tries to figure out where they're going.

"Are we headed to the library?"

Maggie shakes her head. "Nope, that would have turned into a date between you and the books instead of you and me."

Alex groans. "That was one time, Sawyer."

"Three, actually. Lunch dates turn into you satisfying your appetite for reading instead of actually eating food." Maggie says, amused.

Alex sticks her tongue out at Maggie but she's smiling. "Okay. Um, the garden?"

"Ding ding ding! We have a winner. Yeah, we're going to the garden."

"Is it okay for us to be there? It's been closed for the past couple of days." Alex worries.

"The perks of dating the Princess."

Alex gives her a surprised look. "You've been planning this for a couple of days? You only asked me to dinner this afternoon! What if I had said no?"

"I would have pouted."

Alex sighs. "I am a sucker for pouts."

Chapter Text

Maggie swallows her nerves and bows over-dramatically as she holds the door to the garden open for Alex. She smiles when she hears her girlfriend chuckle at her antics before following her outside.

Maggie had chosen this entrance to the garden specifically because it's one of the few where when you walk out, you can't immediately see what Maggie has set up. She watches Alex wander over to a patch of flowers along the path and smell them.

"What kind is that?" Maggie asks.

Alex glances up at her with a smile. "It's a dahlia. Specifically, it's a kasasagi dahlia. It's Mom's favorite dahlia, so whenever the gardeners can, they like to grow it. Mom always says if reminds her of a sunrise, how all the petals go from that deep yellow to red."

Maggie hums. "It's very pretty."

"Yeah, I think so too. It's become one of my favorites, too. Though Kara always says it looks like someone stuck as many petals as they could on a flower."

Maggie bursts into surprised laughter. "That's fair, I can see that."

Alex chuckles, grinning up at Maggie. "Yeah, I can too."

"So tell me about dahlias, Danvers. I know you must have some facts about them in that big brain of yours, babe. Especially if they're your mom's favorite." Maggie encourages.

Alex grins at her. "I don't know about the kasasagi type, but I do know about dahlias. There are 42 species, but hybrids are usually what are grown in gardens. They have a lot if diversity, like that one over there is also a dahlia." Alex points.

Maggie's eyebrows shoot up. "Wow, yeah. I can see the diversity. They both have a bunch of petals crammed on them, but they look so different."

"Mm hmm. And this variety, it's partly because dahlias are octoploids, which means they have right sets of homologous chromosomes, though most plants have two."

Maggie nods. "Okay."

Alex pauses as chuckles. "You know, you're one of the few people I've spouted scientific stuff at that hasn't gotten completely lost."

"Not everyone has the brain for science. Plus, you're a genius Danvers."

"Pfft, I'm not a genius." Alex says, blushing.

"You are." Maggie says without any hesitation. "Now give me one more factoid so we can get to our food before it gets cold."

Alex huffs but complies. "Most of the species don't attract pollinators by scent, which is why they're so brightly colored."

"Cool. Hang on, Danvers. If they don't smell, why were you smelling them?" Maggie asks as they begin walking slowly down the path.

"Because they smell like flowers, and I like it." Alex answers.

"Alright, I can understand that. Hey, if there are so many kinds of flowers in this garden, do you have that one weird one that opens only every couple of years and smells like corpses?" Maggie asks curiously.

"No. For some reason, the gardeners seem to think that it would take away from the beauty of this place, to have it smell like corpses every couple of years."

Maggie chuckles and the nerves return as she they pass another lamppost, as seeing Alex illuminated among a beautiful garden at sunset is breathtaking. She takes Alex's hand in hers and relaxes slightly when Alex squeezes.

The brick path beneath their feet opens up into a secluded area in the gardens that not everyone knows about. Maggie can hear Alex's breath hitch and fights the urge to fiddle with something, watching Alex's reaction.

"Maggie... You did all of this for me?" Alex breathes out.

"Well, Winn helped." Maggie admits. "But yeah. You're worth it, Danvers."

The secluded area is covered by a small tree, blocking most of the sun, but the sunrise and sunset are still visible, making this the perfect spot at any time of the day. Underneath the tree is a single table covered in a white tablecloth, candles on top of it as well as the food, covered to keep it warm. Hung from the tree are small candlelights, casting a warm glow on the area.

"Do you like it?" Maggie asks, trying not to sound as nervous as she feels.

"I love it." Alex turns to her. "I love you."

"I love you too."

They make their way closer and Alex notices her favorite wine on the table. "You really didn't have to do all of this, babe. It's not even our anniversary or anything."

Maggie sees Alex squint and knows she's beginning to worry about if she's wrong and if there is a special date that she forgot about.

"No, it's not. I just wanted to do something special for my girl." Maggie says.

Alex's face breaks out into a beaming smile. "I'm your girl."

"You're my girl." Maggie says, mentally swooning and beaming back at her girlfriend. She pulls out the chair for Alex, chuckling when Alex sits and gives her a look. "I'm just treating you like the Princess you are, babe."

Alex raises an eyebrow at her as Maggie pushes the chair in. "You know I'm literally a Princess, right?"

"Yes, I do. It takes away from the sweetness of my words, but I'll take it." Maggie shrugs, grinning at her girlfriend.

Alex shakes her head fondly. "Dork."

"Mm. But this dork set you up with all this and..." Maggie lifts the metal covering Alex's food. "This."

"Gods, that smells amazing. Did Lyra make this?" Alex asks and Maggie nods. "How did you get her to help you?"

"I'm very persuasive, Danvers. I would have gotten her to anyway, but she was very insistent in helping once she heard Winn was as well." Maggie explains, sitting down across from Alex.

Alex nods. "Alright. Have they figured out what's going on with them or are they still dancing around each other?"

"Based on what I've walked in on in the kitchen, they've figured something out."

Alex shudders. "Ew! He's like my brother!"

"Ugh. Yeah, he has this little brother vibe." Maggie nods.

"He totally does! But Maggie, you're still littler."

Maggie groans as Alex bursts into laughter. "A short joke, Danvers? Really?"

"I couldn't resist." Alex says. "I promise I love you, Sawyer, height and all."

"You're not even that much taller than me! How tall are you?" Maggie's not really exasperated but she is curious.

"Five foot six." Maggie swears under her breath. "Why, how tall are you?" Maggie mumbles out an answer. "Sorry, babe, couldn't hear you."

"Five foot three."

"Aww." Alex coos teasingly.

"I'll have you know the average woman is five foot two, so I'm actually tall." Maggie says, having spouted that fact so many times that it's almost instinctual now.

"Then I'm extra tall." Alex jokes. She sets her hand on the table, palm up and Maggie reaches over to entwine their hands. "Okay, I'm done for now. I promise."

"Sure you are." Maggie says, giving Alex a wink so she knows it's all good. "Let's enjoy the food before it gets too cold."

***

Dinner goes better than Maggie had hoped (though that's not saying much, she's not exactly an optimist). Once the short jokes were out of the way, the discussions are a lot more interesting. Alex loves having a partner to talk to about science and anything she's interested in. She knows that even if Maggie doesn't understand, she'll try to and will ask questions until she does. It's one of the many things Alex loves about her.

They talk about Alex's latest projects and her ideas, and Maggie's latest project and how she wants to change some things in the DEO to make it even better and more efficient. They talk about more fun things too, like how they think Lena and Kara will do or how good it is for everything to be semi-calm again.

As the night goes along, Maggie and Alex slowly and without realizing it move their chairs closer until they're sitting next to each other instead of across from each other. Maggie rests her head on Alex's shoulder as Alex pours them each a glass of wine, enough to get them both buzzed but nothing beyond that. Maggie's grateful for the liquid courage and the fact that they won't be drunk or anything. She wants to do this tonight. She doesn't know if she can deal with the anxiety of doing something else.

They sip their wine and Maggie listens as Alex points out the stars. She talks about what constellation they're in and spouts off little facts. Maggie cuddles closer to her, mumbling something about the cool air of summer nights. The night wears on and Maggie's anxiety level rises, and she knows Alex can tell. Alex doesn't push, and for that, she's grateful.

Alex falls silent after a while, their empty wine glasses resting on the table, all the food eaten and the stars still twinkling in the sky. Maggie looks over at Alex, who's staring up at the sky with a small, content smile on her face.

"Want to walk through the gardens, babe?" Maggie asks.

Chapter Text

Maggie's nervous. That's one simple way to put it. She knows Alex can tell, knows she has been able to tell, but Alex hasn't asked, hasn't pushed.

Maggie isn't letting herself focus on her nerves, however. She doesn't want to look back at this moment and think 'I had no idea what was going on because I was so anxious' if she can help it. So she focuses once again on Alex, in how beautiful she looks illuminated by the moon and by the occasional lamppost in the garden.

They walk hand in hand, Maggie using the weight of Alex's hand in hers, her touch, to ground her. The gardens are beautiful and Maggie appreciates the flowers and plants, all put together in a seemingly random but knows it was deliberate.

They pause at a bench, sitting down next to each other. Alex cuddles up against Maggie, who wraps an arm around her shoulder and presses a kiss to Alex's forehead. She smiles when she hears Alex hum contently.

She looks down at Alex, who is now resting her head on Maggie's shoulder, her eyes closed and looking completely relaxed. Maggie feels the question she's been anxious about asking all night, all week, bubble up inside her but she swallows it back down. It's not the right moment. Not yet, at least. It feels like it's heading towards there, that right moment. But they're not there quite yet.

Alex can feel the tension in her girlfriend's body, has been able to see it all night. There's something Maggie wants to tell her or ask her or something like that. But Alex isn't worried, or concerned about the fact that Maggie hasn't told her yet. They have an agreement that they won't hold anything back from each other, especially big things, but they'll wait until they're ready to talk about it.

So Alex knows that even if it is a big thing that Maggie will tell her when she's ready. So she cuddles up to her, knowing that when she's worried about something she either likes to be doing something or being close to someone she loves.

When Alex notices she's about to nod off, they get up and walk along the path in the garden again, this time slower and listening. Alex hears something small moving around behind them and pauses, turning around. She grins as the bunny hops slowly across the dirt path, sniffing the air as it goes.

She turns back to Maggie to quietly point it out to her and gasps loud enough to scare the bunny into hopping away. But Alex doesn't notice. She's too focused on the sight of her girlfriend on one knee in front of her, looking up at her with reverent eyes.

"Marry me, Alex Danvers." Maggie breathes out.

Gods, is this what Maggie has been so worried about? Alex is about to say her answer, to shout yes to the heavens, to the goddess she calls a girlfriend, but her throat is too choked up to listen to her commands when she notices the ring Maggie's holding up.

"I know we've talked about getting married babe, but only as sometime happening vaguely in the future. But Allie, I want to marry you. You don't have to decide now, you don't even have to say yes. I just want you to know." She lets out a shaky breath and smiles up at Alex. "Danvers, you're my girl, you're my person. I want to be by your side for as long as you'll have me. And I want nothing more than to be your wife, and to hear you call me your wife. I can see us as the badass wives in the DEO that no one wants to mess with. Um. Gods, I had a whole speech planned out but I'm completely blanking." Maggie chuckles self-deprecatingly.

Maggie smiles softly at Alex, who's still in a state of shock as she stares down at her girlfriend. "I just want you, Danvers. And I do want to get married, whenever we're ready. Whether that's in ten years, or in ten days, or never..." Maggie huffs. "I don't think I'm getting this out right, I guess I am shitty with my emotions. The point is... Alex Danvers, will you marry me?"

"Yes." Alex says breathily, still not quite believing this is happening. "Gods, yes."

"Really?" Maggie asks, like she doesn't quite believe it either.

Alex just nods, her voice escaping her. She holds out her hand and Maggie slips on the ring, and neither of them could honestly say that their eyes were dry. Alex flips her hand over and Maggie places her hand in hers. Alex helps her up and Maggie doesn't bother to step back to give Alex room.

They stand face to face, chest to chest, their breaths intermingling and their foreheads against each other. Maggie's eyes glisten as she makes eye contact with her girlf... No, her fiancée. Gods, Alex is her fiancée!

"Did that really just happen?" Alex asks breathily, staring at Maggie with wonder and awe.

"I think it just did." Maggie says, and then both of them are beaming at each other.

Alex leans in first and Maggie meets her halfway. They kiss deeply, with all the passion and longing and love that is searing through them. Alex can feel how much they both want to deep the kiss but she pulls back, looking back into Maggie's eyes. They're still close, with Alex's hands on Maggie's waist and Maggie's arms resting on Alex's shoulders, one hand in Alex's hair still.

"So, uh. We're engaged."

Maggie chuckles, her dimples out full-force. "Good detective work, babe."

"Thanks, I learned it from my girlfriend." Alex pauses for a second before grinning dopily at Maggie. "From my fiancée, I mean."

"Mm. Sounds like a smart woman." Maggie says, still beaming at Alex.

"She's absolutely brilliant and I love her very much." Alex murmurs back.

Maggie practically melts. "Then she must be a very lucky woman."

"I'm the lucky one." Alex says and they meet halfway yet again, this time allowing the kiss to deepen.

Chapter Text

Alex pulls back from the kiss to catch her breath, looking into Maggie's darkened eyes as they both breathe hard. Alex's nose nudges Maggie's as she leans in again. Maggie gives her a quick peck before pulling back again, which isn't exactly what Alex was going for, but she'll respect it. Alex stays close to her fiancée (!!), searching for a sign of why she had pulled back. Maggie's face is flushed and her eyes are dark and Alex knows what that incredibly sexy expression means. Alex bites her bottom lip and meets Maggie's gaze, knowing Maggie can tell how she's feeling just as easily as she can tell what Maggie is feeling.

Maggie closes her eyes for a split second longer than normal and then meets Alex's gaze. "As much as I would love to continue this, Allie, I don't think we should. Not here. I don't want to uh, defile your family's garden."

Alex sighs and concedes. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I don't really want some rebellious kid walking in here when it's closed and finding us like that."

Maggie chuckles. "It sounds like you know from experience that rebellious kids come in here."

Alex grins at the beautiful sound of her fiancée's laughter. "Mm. I do know from experience. I was one of those rebellious kids."

She imagines a young Alex out here, reading a book to learn all about the plants, especially the ones her family likes so she can talk to them about it. Maggie beams at her fiancée, Gods she could really get used to thinking of her as that, her dimples showing in a way she knows makes Alex melt. Sure enough, Alex grins dopily back at her, the tension between them gone for now but the effects are still felt.

"And what did a rebellious young Alex Danvers do? Look at the stars? Read books?" Maggie teases.

Alex sticks out her tongue. "Actually yes, I did. I read books out here at night because it was much prettier than in my room. And once Kara came down, we would look at the stars together. She loved the garden and still does, because on Krypton, there weren't many plants, let alone ones that are grown just because they look pretty."

Maggie's smile softens. "You're a really good sister, Danvers."

Alex hums, not quite believing her. She leans in and captures Maggie's lips once again, this time Maggie doesn't pull back. Maggie relaxes into the kiss, nearly stumbling backwards before she catches herself when it deepens. Maggie changes the angle and Alex lets out a pleased, surprised noise that sends a jolt down Maggie's spine. They pull each other closer until... it's Alex this time that pulls back.

"Bedroom?" Alex whispers against Maggie's lips, unable to stray too far from them.

"Please," Maggie murmurs back, giving Alex one last quick peck.

They wrap their arms around each other's waists, pulling each other as closely as they can without tripping each other as they walk. This isn't an odd sight in the Danvers Castle anymore, but they do have to stop themselves from running through the halls. The guards may think something's wrong when everything's just right.

Alex wraps her arms around Maggie from behind as Maggie unlocks their door with shaky hands once Alex begins pressing kisses to the back of her neck. Maggie finally opens the door and pushes Alex against it, causing it to close a bit louder than usual. But they can't find it in themselves to care, too wrapped up in each other to mind.

***

Alex and Maggie go to Winn first the next morning. It was his one request of Maggie when he agreed to help her. And that's exactly what it was, a request. It wasn't a condition for him helping and he made sure to tell Maggie that. So when Maggie explains why she wants to go to Winn before Kara, Alex understands and agrees.

They walk towards his office, knowing that's usually where he is at this time in the morning. He's usually at the DEO a bit later, after he has done some work in his office. Maggie knocks on his door, drawing a curious look from Alex.

"He has a girlfriend now, babe. I don't want to barge in." Maggie explains.

Alex makes an exaggerated gagging motion, looking absolutely disgusted. The door opens to reveal Winn looking no more disheveled than normal. He beams when he sees them and opens the door wider to let them inside. He shuts and locks the door behind him.

When they give him a questioning look, he elaborates. "I don't want anyone else to know before Kara."

Alex smiles thankfully and ruffles his hair affectionately, chuckling when he grumbles and tries to fix it. Winn clears the papers, journals, and books off of the chairs so that Maggie and Alex can sit down. Winn sits down on his chair and rolls it forward, twisting the seat so he's facing them.

"So? How was last night?" Winn asks excitedly, grinning widely.

"Mm. Really great." Alex sighs dreamily.

"He meant the dinner and the garden, Al." Maggie says jokingly.

"My response applies to all of last night."

"Eeew, guys! I don't want to know that! Little brother here!" Winn complains.

"Sorry, Winn." Maggie says, not sounding sorry at all.

"So? Did you ask? What did she say?" Winn asks, practically bouncing in his seat.

Alex peeks over at Maggie and sees a glint of mischief in her eyes. Gods, she loves this woman. Alex frowns and looks more obviously at Maggie.

"Ask me what, babe?"

Maggie does a good job looking startled and guilty. Winn pales, glancing between them.

"Oh. Oh, you didn't... Oh." Winn blanches.

Alex breaks when she sees the look of terror on Winn's face, probably thinking Maggie is going to kill him for this. Alex bursts into laughter and Maggie quickly follows.

"Why are you laughing? You... You're wearing a ring." Winn says, blinking in surprise, then his head snaps up to Maggie and Alex's faces. "Oh my god! You're wearing a ring!"

His loud squeal makes Alex glad he shut the door.

Chapter Text

After a truly lengthy hug from Winn, Alex and Maggie plan to head to their next destination: to Kara, wherever she is. According to Winn, she's probably still in her room with Lena. Lyra had told Winn that Kara came out to get a surprisingly large amount of food, even for her, before disappearing in the direction of her room again. Maggie raises an eyebrow at that and gives Alex a knowing look. Alex gives Maggie a confused one back.

"Remember that night Lyra was surprised by how much food we grabbed?" Maggie asks.

"Yeah, that was a good night." Alex sighs. "We ma-" She stops herself and blanches. "Are you implying that that's what my little sister is doing?" Maggie just raises an eyebrow. "Ew, I don't want to think about that!"

Maggie shrugs. "I just think we should knock on her door too."

"Why?" Winn asks and then his eyes widen. "Oh. That's why she... Okay. Ew. Wait, is that why you knocked on my door, Alex? You never do that, you always burst right in."

"Maggie insisted." Alex explains. "Now that you have a girlfriend."

Winn raises up his hands. "Okay, I'm going to let you guys go now, it's gotten weird enough for me. Love you, don't let Eliza kill you!"

"Love you too. Do you think Mom will kill me?" Alex asks nervously, her hand on the doorknob but she doesn't turn it yet.

Winn softens. "Not like that, Al. I mean, she'll probably kill you for the same reason as Kara. You didn't tell them first."

Alex's mouth opens and she lets out a quiet oh. Winn gives them one last hug, promising to help them make all of the plans before practically shoving them out the door.

Maggie and Alex exchange an amused but loving glance and begin walking towards Kara's room. They pause once or twice to kiss gently, which while it may startle the passing guards (they're still not used to seeing Alex so happy, or kissing anyone in public), it does manage to make Alex feel less stressed.

Alex knocks on Kara's door and hears Kara getting up and yawning, walking over to the door. The footsteps pause as Lena calls "clothes, darling." Alex gives Maggie a disgusted look and there's more shuffling before the door opens, revealing Kara, who actually looks tired.

She smiles sleepily at Alex and Maggie. "Hey. Morning."

"Good morning. You look exhausted, Kara." Alex taps Kara's nose. "You alive in there?"

Kara's smile widens the way it usually does when Alex taps her nose. "Barely." She slumps against the doorframe and waves them into her room. "Lena and I were practically up all night."

Maggie snickers at the horror in her fiancée's eyes as they walk in. Kara's room is messy, with mostly packed boxes stacked all over, all labeled with what's inside and if she'll need it in the Luthor Kingdom. Lena's still in bed, leaning back against the headboard, her eyes half closed. She's in an expensive looking red nightdress and sits up further when she sees Alex and Maggie come in.

Kara sits back on the bed, covering a yawn with her hand. Maggie looks around the room as Kara waits for them to say something.

"So, uh. Little Danvers. Didn't know it was possible for you to look tired." Maggie notes.

"Yeah, apparently it is. Lena and I have been staying up really late the past couple of nights." Kara yawns again.

"Oh? Why?" Maggie prompts.

"We're leaving soon and I need to go through my things. We've been packing and determining what I should bring." Kara gestures to the many boxes. "I still have a lot of work to do."

"Oh," Alex murmurs then speaks louder. "Then why did Lena say 'clothes?'"

"She set a box of clothes in front of the door last night. She said it was to make sure that I didn't walk through the door this morning. Which apparently was a good thing, because I nearly opened the door without moving it and I could have smashed the box." Kara blushes. "I guess I'm clumsy when I'm tired."

"Clumsier." Lena teases and Kara sticks her tongue out at her. "But darling, she heard what was said and thought you were coming to the door naked."

Kara's eyes widen and she blushes. "Nope, just a box."

"She's blushing because that has happened before." Lena explains. "The DEO agent almost got quite the shock before I reminded her."

"Rao." Kara groans, dropping her head into her hands. "Lee!" Lena laughs and rubs Kara's back. Kara perks up again after a minute and looks back up at Maggie and Alex. "Wait, you guys are here for a reason."

"Yeah." Alex says automatically, and clears her throat. At least she's less nervous than she was when she came out. But only by a little. "Uh. I-er, we have something to tell you."

Alex's heart thunders in her chest. She lets out a shaky breath, giving Maggie a thankful smile when she takes her hand.

"What's wrong?" Kara asks worriedly.

"Nothing's wrong." Alex hurries to assure her. "It's not a bad thing."

Kara nods and waits patiently for Alex to be ready. Alex runs her free hand through her hair, unintentionally drawing Kara's attention to her hand.

"Ooh Alex, you have a new ring!" Kara notes and Alex's breath catches. "Wait. Oh my Rao, you have a ring! Did you guys get engaged?"

Alex smiles softly. "Yeah, Maggie proposed last night."

Kara lets out a high pitched squeal that Alex is kind of surprised is audible to humans. There's a whooshing noise and Kara rushes forward, literally sweeping Maggie and Alex off their feet into a big hug. She sets them back down and beams at them.

"Oh Rao! How did you propose? Did you make Alex cry? What does the ring look like?" Kara fires the questions rapidly, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"One at a time, darling." Lena says, coming up beside Kara and wrapping an arm around her waist.

Chapter Text

Maggie and Alex go through the proposal again, taking turns explaining parts. They hold hands as they do and Maggie sometimes runs her fingers over Alex's ring, like she can't quite believe that she said yes. Kara's crying happy tears as they explain it and Lena pretends that there aren't tears glistening in her eyes as well.

Kara smiles at the end of it, using her hand that's not holding Lena's to wipe away some of her tears. "Can I hug you guys again?"

"Sure," Alex answers.

"Of course. But I would like both of my feet to stay on the ground this time." Maggie says, smiling softly and raising an eyebrow at Kara, who flushes.

"Right. Sorry about that, I got excited."

"No worries, Little Danvers. Now hug me." Maggie opens up her arms.

She lets go of Alex's hand as Kara hugs them at the same time. This time, she pays careful attention to not lift them into the air. Maggie hugs her back and when Kara pulls away from them, she's beaming.

"Oh, I'm so happy for you two!" Kara says, bouncing on the front of her feet.

"Thanks, Little Danvers. Now get in here, Little Luthor."

Maggie opens her arms again and Lena's pleasantly surprised when she doesn't flinch at the sound of her last name. Maggie says it just like she says Danvers, with fondness and a twinkle in her eye.

Then Lena processes what Maggie said. "What?"

"As long as you're comfortable doing so, hug us, you dork." Maggie says, keeping her arms outstretched.

Lena nods and leans in, hugging Alex and Maggie. They both hug her back and Gods, Lena hasn't been hugged like this for... She can't remember the last time she's been hugged like this.

They hug for a long moment before they pull away, all smiles while Lena tries to discretely wipe away the tears that escaped from her eyes. Kara takes her hand once again and Lena squeezes it in thanks, letting the feeling of her girlfriend's hand in hers ground her.

Maggie wraps an arm around Alex's waist, smiling softly when Alex leans into her touch.

"So when is the wedding?" Kara asks excitedly.

Alex and Maggie exchange a glance and Alex answers. "We haven't discussed that yet, actually. Um. It depends on what Maggie and I decide on, we'll talk about it later. But I would think sooner rather than later, if only so that we don't have to hold Mom off from doing anything too extravagant."

"Her eldest daughter is getting married, I'm not surprised she would want something extravagant." Lena admits.

Alex sighs. "She still has her youngest daughter's wedding to look forward to."

"Al, I'm not the one that's engaged." Kara points out.

"Yet," Alex mumbles under her breath, momentarily forgetting that Kara has super hearing. Kara flushes. "I mean, she'll probably want to have our wedding be a huge one, open to the Kingdom or something."

"You know you'll have to have a celebration for the Kingdom, right?" Kara asks.

"Yeah, I know. We'll have to talk about that too." Alex kisses Maggie's cheek, hoping that this isn't too overwhelming for her. Maggie gives her a reassuring look but they both know this will be a lengthy discussion for later.

"When are you going to tell Eliza and Jeremiah?" Lena asks.

"After we finish up with you guys." Maggie responds, glancing over at Alex for confirmation. "Yeah. After this."

"Do you want to get going? We can always talk more after this. I know you both probably want to get that over with. Plus, Kara still has a lot of organizing to do." Lena says.

Kara sighs and looks over at the boxes piled everywhere. "Yeah. I may have to use my superspeed for this one."

Lena chuckles and presses a kiss to Kara's hand. "Good luck with Eliza and Jeremiah, I'm sure they'll be ecstatic."

"Thank you." Alex smiles genuinely at her. "Good luck with that one." She gestures to Kara.

"Thanks, I'll need it." Lena winks at Kara when she protests. "You need to pack more clothes, darling. You can't always wear your supersuit and those five cardigans you packed."

Alex chuckles and she and Maggie sneak out of the room while Lena and Kara debate whether or not she needs more clothes. Kara does, which she concedes when Lena mentions how much she loves Kara's arms in button-ups. But Alex doesn't need to know that.

Alex and Maggie walk through the castle, taking a less direct route to the throne room. Alex feels her heart pound in her chest and Maggie pulls her to a stop in one of the hallways no one uses anymore.

"What's wrong?" Maggie asks quietly. "Are you nervous about telling your parents?"

"Yeah. I don't know why." Alex confesses, leaning against the wall and looks over at Maggie. "They love you, I know they'll be more than happy to have you as their daughter-in-law. But..."

Alex tries to think of an explanation for the anxiety that's sinking in her stomach and rising in her throat but none she has seem good enough to warrant this. She huffs and Maggie squeezes her hand.

"Hey, you don't need to explain yourself to me, Danvers. Are you okay telling them now? If not, we can wait as long as you want."

Alex smiles softly. "Thank you. I'm good, I promise. Just anxious."

Maggie squeezes her hand again and they head into the throne room. Eliza and Jeremiah are sitting at a table, not on the platform the thrones are on. When they hear the doors open, they look up and smile at the girls.

"Hey Alex, Maggie." Jeremiah smiles widely at them.

"Hey Dad." Alex greets, fiddling with Maggie's fingers. "Um, we have something to tell you. We're engaged."

It's silent in the room, so silent that if the nervous sweat on Alex's hand were to drip onto the floor, she's certain they would all be able to hear it.

Chapter Text

Alex waits nervously for her parents' response, continuing to fiddle with Maggie's fingers. She looks in the direction of her parents but doesn't look at their faces. She doesn't think she would be able to handle it if she saw their disappointment.

Alex misses their looks of complete and utter shock but Maggie doesn't. She waits, bracing herself once again in case of harsh words. She has a bad track record with parents, she knew it would fall apart eventually. She knew it...

Alex glances back at her parents briefly, intending to look back in between them to give the illusion she's looking at them when she's not (an interrogating trick J'onn taught her), but what she sees makes her pause. Her mother is... Crying? Jeremiah has his hand on Eliza's shoulder, a movement she had seen, but she thought it was comfort in a different way, like "it'll be okay, I'm disappointed in her too." That kind of reassurance. But apparently, it's not.

Alex panics and stops playing with Maggie's fingers, trying to think of why her mother would be crying. Eliza doesn't cry often, not because she considers it weakness or some crap like that (she had taught her daughters it is strength), but because her subjects might see it as weakness if she were to cry in front of them. Plus, she's like Alex in that she doesn't like to cry in general. So for her to be crying, something has to be really wrong. Or really right, the optimistic part of Alex whispers but she dismisses that.

"Mom?" She asks nervously. "What's wrong?"

Eliza gives her daughter a wobbly smile and brushes the tears from her eyes. She takes a sharp breath, looking away from the girls in an attempt to gather herself. She purses her lips and then looks back at them but that wobbly smile returns. Eliza gives in, deciding to not fight it and chokes out an answer.

"Nothing's wrong, my dear Alexandra. I just..." She wipes away another tear. "I never expected that my first daughter to be engaged would be you."

Jeremiah turns his head towards them and they can see his beaming smile and the tears in his eyes. "They're happy tears."

Eliza nods in agreement. "Come here, both of you."

She holds out her arms and after a moment where neither Alex or Maggie move, both shocked, they both walk forward. Jeremiah and Eliza wrap them in a hug.

"I'm so happy for you two," Eliza says.

"Thank you." Alex murmurs.

Eliza pulls back and smiles at them. "So when is it? Have you decided?"

"We haven't discussed that yet," Alex admits. "We'll talk about it later." Eliza nods to show she understands.

Jeremiah speaks. "So who asked?"

"I did," Maggie says.

Jeremiah chuckles. "I thought so. I didn't think my daughter would be the one to ask. I'm assuming the gardens being closed was due to you?" Maggie blushes and he grins, having his answer. "Alex would probably blurt it out in the midst of a dangerous mission or spend a month planning it out to the last detail, and with all that's been going on I know she wouldn't have had time yet."

"Dad," Alex complains, her cheeks pink.

"Alex," he says in the same tone, winking at his daughter.

Eliza rolls her eyes fondly at her husband and then turns her attention back to her daughter and her fiancée. "I want you to tell me all about it."

Alex smiles softly, squeezing Maggie's hand. "Then we may want to sit down. Maggie did a lot."

Maggie flushes. "Winn helped a lot."

"Winn? Is that why he's been running around for the past couple of days?" Jeremiah chuckles. "I thought he was just skittish because of his new girlfriend."

"That probably added to it." Alex says as they head to one of the tables in the throne room where they can all sit down.

Alex explains the proposal to Eliza and Jeremiah, making certain to include as much detail as she can remember. Maggie did a lot for her, worked hard on the set up, and Alex wants her parents to know just how much her girlf-her fiancée loves her. Gods, she loves referring to Maggie as her fiancée. It makes butterflies flutter in her stomach and a dopey smile appear on her face.

Jeremiah and Eliza exchange a happy look when they see that smile on their daughter and their future daughter-in-law's faces.

Maggie lets Alex explain it, listening to her version of events. Hearing how much Alex noticed, let alone remembered, is enough to make Maggie fall for her all over again.

"... Now Kara has to come back often from the Luthor Kingdom." Alex jokes as she finishes her explanation.

Jeremiah chuckles. "She definitely won't want to miss planning her big sister's wedding."

"Definitely not. I have a feeling she'll fly back here to show me a color she's thinking of for the table cloths or something." Alex jokes.

Maggie smiles softly and there's a moment of silence before she breaks it, the questions weighing on her mind bursting out.

"So you're okay with this?" Jeremiah and Eliza look surprised and kinda confused so she elaborates. "I mean, I didn't ask you guys beforehand. Sorry about that, by the way."

"It's not a problem," Jeremiah promises. "Granted, you telling us about your engagement would be less of a surprise, but you have our support in this no matter what."

Maggie's lower lip twitches and she wonders if this is what it feels like to have unconditionally supportive parents. Alex sees the twitch and pulls her slightly closer to her, squeezing her hand.

Maggie swallows and clears her throat, but that doesn't stop her voice from cracking. "Thank you."

"Of course. You're officially part of the Danvers family now, Maggie. And I couldn't be happier that it's you my daughter is going to marry." Jeremiah says.

Maggie sniffles and smiles widely at her family (her family), wiping a tear from her face.

Chapter Text

"How did this all go by so quickly?" Kara wonders aloud.

She and Lena had been finalizing plans all day, so Kara had figured they deserved a break. So at Kara's insistence, they headed to the gardens with Maggie and Alex, who have been working just as hard as they have. With them, however, they've been working on a vague plan for their wedding along with helping Kara and Lena.

Lena is leaning against a tree, a book on something Kara thinks isn't relaxing, but Lena has said that her "nerdy books," as Maggie calls them, are relaxing for her. Kara is lying on the soft grass, her head resting on Lena's thighs.

Maggie and Alex are sitting on the grass, leaning against each other and cuddling.

"I don't know, darling." Lena murmurs, almost absentmindedly as she begins running her fingers through Kara's hair. Kara hums contently.

"I can't believe you're leaving after tomorrow," Alex sighs. "How are you going to survive being so far away from your amazing sister?"

"I'll probably fly back more often than is socially acceptable," Kara admits. "That's how I'll survive being so far away from you guys. I'm going to miss you."

Lena places her bookmark (a pretty lead that Kara had given her earlier) in her book and sets it aside, giving her girlfriend her undivided attention.

"You don't have to come with me, darling. You can change your mind at any time." Lena promises softly, continuing to run her fingers through Kara's silky blonde hair.

Kara practically melts in her lap, a goofy smile directed at her girlfriend. "I know, Lee. I want to go, I'm not going to change my mind. Unless the world is ending."

"You have a badass sister to make certain that doesn't happen, Little Danvers." Maggie points out, smiling softly at her fiancée.

"I have two badass sisters that'll make sure that doesn't happen." Kara corrects her.

She raises her arm above her and holds up two fingers. Her arm flops back down, making a dent in the ground and the grass (much to Lena's amusement), humming and wiggling to get comfier against Lena's thigh.

Kara hears Maggie's heart rate and looks over, concerned by the quick pace. Especially since she isn't hearing the smacking of her kissing her sister, which ew, but it's usually what causes her heart rate to increase like that. Maggie's beaming widely, causing the corners of her eyes to crinkle, her eyes small slits because of how big her smile is. Kara notices a tear slide down Maggie's face, but Maggie doesn't seem to notice or care.

"Why are you crying?" Kara asks worriedly.

Maggie shakes her head, like she's trying to refocus herself. "Two sisters?"

Kara smiles, understanding. She had cried the first time Alex called her her sister without prompting. "Yeah. You're part of the Danvers family now, Maggie."

Maggie chuckles wetly, her smile wobbly. "Your parents said the same thing."

"Maggie cried then too."

Maggie nudges her fiancée. "Shut up, you nerd. You're literally crying right now too."

Alex sniffs and wipes the wetness from her cheeks. "It's allergies."

Maggie laughs heartily. "Babe, the only thing you're allergic to is feelings."

Alex nudges her fiancée, grinning. "You know I'm not. I'm getting better."

"I know, Allie. You're doing great." Maggie kisses Alex's cheek and Kara pretends to be focused intently on the sky.

There's silence as Maggie and Alex revel in being close to each other, out in the sun like this.

"I can't believe tomorrow's my last full day before we go. Where did time go?" Kara sighs.

"Mm. I know. It came fast. And I won't even make a 'that's what she said' joke about that." Maggie smirks.

Alex groans, "Mags."

"You love my jokes."

"I put up with them because I love you," Alex shoots back.

An amused twitch of her lip gives her away and Maggie smiles. She knows Alex finds her jokes funny.

"Oh!" Maggie perks up. "I actually have an idea. We can go out and have fun before you go."

"I think your idea of a night of fun may be different than mine," Lena says.

"Mm. Maybe not. We both have beautiful girls on our arms." Maggie smirks and Lena raises one eyebrow at her while the Danvers sisters make faces. "What I meant was go out and get a drink at our favorite alien bar."

"I don't want to be hungover when we start traveling. That alien stuff is..." She grimaces.

"You didn't even have a bad hangover." Alex says.

"It probably felt bad for someone who's never really had a headache on earth before," Maggie points out.

"She's had headaches before when she was training with me or J'onn. We knock her around a bit."

"It didn't feel like that kind of headache, it felt more like a Kryptonite feel. I wasn't as queasy though." Kara admits.

"So maybe we don't drink that much," Maggie suggests. "Or we go out tonight so we have tomorrow to recover."

"I don't want to die inside because of a hangover, to be honest. I want to enjoy your guys' company." Alex admits. "Lets go tonight, though. Tomorrow night we can hang out in the gardens with more people."

"Sounds good to me," Kara agrees.

"I'm in," Lena says.

"Alright, so that's the plan? Go out tonight and not get too drunk? Then tomorrow night be here?" Maggie asks for clarification.

"Yeah. Wait, do we invite Winn and Lyra for tonight?" Alex asks.

"He's our brother, I think we should. Unless we want a girls' night out."

They agree and Alex heads off to go ask Winn. Maggie lies back on the grass, closing her eyes and relaxing.

"So alien alcohol does work on you?" Lena asks as Maggie snores softly.

"Yeah," Kara answers, then looks up at Lena's ace. "Why? Are you planning on getting me drunk?"

"No, darling. I am just trying to imagine you drunk." Lena admits.

"Alex says I get really giggly."

Lena lets out an unrestrained laugh.

Chapter Text

Alex walks up behind her fiancée and wraps her arms around her waist as Maggie puts on a little bit of makeup. She rests her chin on Maggie's shoulder and watches her in the mirror.

"See something you like, Danvers?" Maggie teases.

"Mm hmm," Alex hums. "I have a very beautiful fiancée. What's not to like?"

"You're sweet, babe."

They stay like that as Maggie finishes up. There's a knock at the door and Alex reluctantly untangles herself from her fiancée and opens the door.

Lena, Kara, Winn, and Lyra are all standing outside the door.

"Are you ready?" Lyra asks bluntly.

Alex turns her head back towards Maggie. "Sawyer? You done?"

"Yeah Danvers, don't get your panties in a twist."

Alex turns back towards the others, shaking her head fondly. She bursts into laughter when she sees Kara's disgusted expression.

"What's so funny, babe?" Maggie's voice sounds like she's getting closer.

Alex points to Kara and Maggie laughs too, taking Alex's hand in hers when she reaches her.

"Let's go, darling." Lena encourages, placing a hand at Kara's back.

They leave the Danvers Castle and make their way to the alien bar. It's late by now, the moon already rising in the sky. But this is National City, so there's still a bunch of people out and about. They're let in the alien bar, the guard not even bothering to ask them for the pass code.

They find a booth near a pool table and sit down while Kara goes up to get their drinks. They know she's the best option out of all of them, no matter who is working the bar. No one can resist Kara's charm, even if they don't know she's the Princess.

She comes back with their drinks, carrying them on a tray. She takes the tray back to the bar and thanks the bartender, who looks utterly flustered.

She reclaims her spot by Lena, cuddling up to her girlfriend's side.

"So you two have everything done for Monday?" Winn asks in an attempt to start a conversation.

"Up!" Alex puts her hand in front of Winn's face and he gives her a confused look. He opens his mouth to speak but she cuts him off. "Up bup bup! Nope, we're not talking about them leaving. This is a happy night, not sobbing because we're going to miss them night, okay?"

Winn's lower lip wobbles. "But I am going to miss them."

"I know." Alex puts her hand on his shoulder and squeezes lightly. "We can all have a big crying party about it tomorrow night."

"Are you going to cry too?" Winn asks her.

"Pfft," Alex scoffs. She leans back in her chair. "No."

Maggie leans forward and stage whispers. "If she does, it's allergies."

Alex elbows her fiancée, hard enough to make her go "oof" but not hard enough to do anything other than surprise her with some slight pain.

Lena and Kara chuckle as Maggie retaliates by tickling Alex's side. Alex giggles and bats her hand away.

"Is anyone up for pool?" Lena asks. "Kara and I against the newly engaged couple."

"What about three against three?" Lyra asks. "Winn and I could split up and-"

"No!" The Danvers sisters and their partners say at the same time. Lyra looks started by their outburst.

"Sorry, it's just Winn nearly kills somebody every time he's near a pool stick," Lena explains.

Lyra looks at Winn, who smiles at her awkwardly. "Yeah. Um. I can do the math, the physics, but my hand-eye coordination in pool is severely lacking."

"You nearly hit Alex in the eye with the pool stick. You've launched the cue ball directly at Lena," Maggie reminds him. "You're dangerous, Winn."

"But not in the badass way you guys are dangerous," Winn sighs.

"Your smarts are plenty dangerous and badass." Lyra tells him, her fingers playing with his hair.

"Thanks." He grins at her. "And let's play pool!" At the alarmed looks he receives, he amends his statement. "I mean you guys play, Lyra and I can watch."

They nod and make their way over to the pool table, which is luckily empty. Most here are respectful enough not to take a pool table if someone has a table right by it. Alex and Maggie break after an intense best-two-out-of-three game if Rock Paper Scissors ("Danvers I know we're both lesbians, but is it necessary to keep doing scissors?" "I won, didn't I?").

The game quickly gets intense, because they're all very competitive. Winn ends up becoming the narrator, doing weird voices or adding in nerdy jokes, which helps occasionally dispel the tension. Occasionally.

To Alex and Maggie's surprise, it's Lena and Kara who win. Kara whoops when they do and gives Lena a high five and a swift kiss.

"When did you guys get so good?" Alex asks.

"They're both geniuses," Winn says.

"So are we," Alex reminds him.

"Right. I guess it's just not your lucky day?" Winn gives them a lopsided smile.

"You guys nearly beat us." Lena extends her hand. "It was a good game."

"Are you trying to shake my...?" Alex rolls her she's and hugs Lena. "You should know that we're a hugging family by now," Alex teases.

Lena chuckles and smiles as Alex pulls back. "I wasn't sure if that was still a thing after beating you at pool."

"Mm. I let you win, so it doesn't count."

"What? You did not," Kara protests.

"Yes I did. I'm letting you guys have a once-in-a-lifetime experience of not losing to me. Consider it a going away present. You're welcome." Alex winks, smirking.

"Best two out of three?" Lena asks before Kara can chase Alex down.

Alex and Kara exchange a look. "Deal," they both say.

***

"Luck. That's what it was. Luck." Alex says after she and Maggie lose.

"Sure it is. Or maybe it was you who has luck since you only managed to win against us once before we won again." Lena says, her eyes glittering with amusement.

"You..." Alex gives her a threatening look and points a finger at her. "Are so much more cheeky than you were when you first came here. You're lucky you're dating my sister."

Lena gives Kara a soft look. "I know."

Alex makes grossed out noises as her sister and Lena kiss.

Chapter Text

The next day is full of preparations for Lena and Kara to leave the next day. It goes by quickly, with everyone busy and rushing around. Before they know it, it's night and time for them to all meet in the gardens for one last get together before they leave.

They meet in the gardens, where in a clearing, there's a campfire with chairs surrounding it. This was Kara's idea, since she loves campfires like this. Once she got over her initial dislike for fire (which is understandable, what with her planet exploding), she ended up really liking it. The sound, the way it moved. It was calming almost. Plus, it reminds her of the times Alex took her to the forest for a night to camp out.

The setting sun has fallen behind the castle, preventing it from casting it's light on the majority of the gardens. The fire casts a warm yellow and orange glow in the shade, the flames going strongly in the absence of wind.

They all sit around the fire, the chairs pulled in close to the fire. In the shade, it's cooler (for humans anyway).

Kara looks around the fire to see her closest friends and family, and knowing that tomorrow she'll be off, leaving them behind... It chokes her up but she swallows down the emotions. With the people here, there's bound to be tears sooner or later so she can hold them back until then. She cuddles against Lena's side and cheers loudly when Lyra arrives, followed by a plethora of DEO agents carrying food.

The gathered group of people laughs at her enthusiasm. She and Lena get up to greet and hug the DEO agents. They both know them all by name by now, something that surprises and delights the agents if they hadn't interacted with them often enough to know that they know their names. The agents that come are all ones that are on duty, so they can't stay, but they give the couple their well wishes. And if they're okay with it, Kara gives them all hugs too.

The DEO agents set the food on the table nearby, all of it covered to keep in the heat or the cold of what's underneath. Then, with one last goodbye to Lena and Kara (who won't see them in the morning, as they plan on leaving early and the agents are working the nightshift), they leave to head back to the DEO.

Lena and Kara retake their seats, Kara practically vibrating with excitement as Lyra looks at the food to make sure it's perfect. Kara glances over at it every minute or sooner, earning amused looks from everyone.

"I think she loves our dinner more than you, Lena." Vasquez jokes.

"I think so too," Lena says. She smirks at her girlfriend when Kara gives her an apologetic half smile. "I know you love me too, darling. I'm just glad that the food will disappear fast."

"Her bottomless pit of a stomach can hold half of that," Alex teases.

They all chuckle, including Kara, because she does keep finding herself looking back at the food. Well, she hasn't eaten for three hours, so it's no wonder she's hungry! Lyra calls them up, and Kara graciously lets the others go first.

"I have to admit, I'm surprised you're last in line instead of first Kara," Vasquez says.

"I did it so that I know how much you all will eat. I'll take the rest," Kara explains. "This is actually what I usually do with stuff set up like this."

Vasquez nods understandingly. "Smart."

They go through the line, all of them grabbing enough to fill their stomachs (Kara taking the rest) and being it back to eat around the fire.

"Wait," Alex says. "Before we begin eating."

Alex holds up a hand and everyone pauses. Kara seems to be the only one confused by this. Kara pouts at her sister and Alex grins.

"It won't be long, Kara. We just want to do something we haven't done since... I don't think we've ever done this, actually. Um. But we wanted to do something for you, since you've done so much for all of us. You've embraced our culture, our language, our planet. Heck, you've even saved most of our lives on more than one occasion. But most importantly of all, you've loved us. So we wanted to do something, however small, to show you we love you too."

Kara opens her mouth to speak. "I know th-"

"I know you know that we love you, but I want us to prove it in our own way. Show you that we respect your culture too. Um, now I know that you've told me that on Krypton, before every meal you would do a prayer for Rao. And I know that when you first arrived, with the language barrier at first and everything else, you didn't tell us about it. And then you felt like we were already doing so much for you so you didn't want to ask for any more, so you ended up never mentioning it until just a couple years ago. So I figured we could do that now, if you don't mind. Is that okay?"

Kara nods, tears already in her eyes as she chokes out her answer. "Yeah."

"And, um. Not enough people here actually know Kryptonese, so I figured we would make do with something else. So apologies if my voice cracks or anything, no disrespect to Rao. They'll be coming in as we go. Or, as I go." Alex rambles and shakes her head. "Okay. Lets do it."

Alex takes a deep breath, the only sound the crackling of the fire, and begins. Kara's breath hitches. She had forgotten how beautiful Alex's singing voice was. Alex hardly ever sings, rarely feeling comfortable enough to do so.

Kara's hand lifts to her mouth and she can't stop the tears anymore when she recognizes the song. Her sister, her amazing Earth sister, is singing her favorite traditional Kryptonian song. Her friends and families voices join in, some shaky, some strong, but beautiful nonetheless. It's exactly what her parents said Rao wanted for his people, a true family that works together to make her her best self, and the happiest she can be.

Chapter Text

By the time Alex gets to the end of the song, there's not a dry eye around. Lena has an arm wrapped around Kara's waist, holding her close as Kara cries with happiness. Kara's head is resting on her shoulder as she listens to her sister.

Kara has to admit, Alex did a wonderful job and she's really impressed. Traditional Kryptonian songs are longer than a majority of songs here, not to mention the prowess needed with the voice in order to sing it. She has heard some of the best Kryptonian singers stumble over traditional songs like this one ten times as often as Alex did. Not to mention how difficult it is for humans to learn and speak Kryptonese properly, which she knows from experience from teaching Alex (who thought it was difficult, and she's brilliant, so it really is).

Kara has asked why it was so difficult for Alex, especially since she knows Alex has managed to learn a few other languages without nearly as much trouble. Apparently, it involves moving your mouth and tongue in vastly different ways than she's used to, even with all the languages she knows.

Once the last, long note rings out and silence is left behind. The quiet feels like the cold, shocking like she's just spent an hour sitting in front of a fire and then stepped outside into the cool night air.

Kara can't sit still where she is anymore and is gone in a flash, startling everyone as she practically tackles Alex in a hug. She pulls her up into one as tight as she can make it without hurting her sister. Alex lets out a soft "oof" and hugs her back tightly as well. Kara whispers thank yous into Alex's shoulder and Alex rubs at Kara's back.

Kara sniffles and pulls back slightly, still not letting go. "Why are you all staring? Get in here, you dorks!"

She outstretches one arm and looks around her, beaming at everyone. It's Winn that gets up first.

He throws up his arm, tears still streaming down his face but he's grinning. "Group hug!!"

With that, people begin getting up and joining in on the hug. Lena's the first to reach them and wraps one arm around each sister.

"Thank you for doing that," she murmurs to Alex as people begin to pile in around her. For once, being forced so close to people doesn't make the acid in her stomach churn with anxiety.

"It wasn't just me," Alex deflects.

"It was mainly you, Danvers." Maggie says from where she's pressed up against Alex and Kara in the group hug.

Alex flushes further when Maggie kisses her cheek, making Kara and Lena laugh.

"What? I'm too far away in this group hug to see what's funny." Winn's disembodied voice comes from somewhere.

"Alex wouldn't take a compliment at first, and then blushed harder when Maggie kissed her cheek." Lena says.

Kara laughs when the people around them go "aww."

Kara's smile turns into a wistful one. "I'm really going to miss you guys."

"We're really going to miss you guys too," Vasquez says.

Lena tries not to show how surprised she is that they included her in that sentence. That they'll miss her as well as Kara. She's still struggling with the knowledge that people openly want to have her around. Not to mention the fact that they'll actually miss her when she's not there. She feels Kara's hand rubbing circles on her back and knows that her girlfriend could tell.

It feels like a hush goes over them all, like a breeze sucking whatever happiness they were feeling. The truth of what will be happening tomorrow morning, in less than twelve hours, hits them all almost simultaneously. It's then that moment, Lena lets herself acknowledge that she's actually going to miss being around these people. These people that have welcomed her into their family, into their lives.

The group hug breaks apart and they all sit around the fire again, this time huddled closer together. Lena cuddles up against Kara, yawning quietly.

"I think we should all start telling some of our favorite memories," Eliza suggests.

"That's a good idea! Ooh, I know mine." Kara says immediately, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "Last night, Lena and I won against Alex and Maggie."

"What?" Vasquez sounds shocked. "Did seeing each other bend over the table to shoot distract you?"

"No, Kara and I are just better. We won two out of three." Lena says, smirking at Maggie and Alex, who are both blushing at Vasquez's suggestion.

"It was a going away present, letting you win against us," Alex protests.

"Alex, you wouldn't let us win even if it was Kara's Earth Day," Lena shoots back.

"Ooh, harsh. But true," Winn admits. "She didn't let me win when it was my birthday."

"Winn, you nearly hit me in the face with the cue ball and the stick on three separate occasions. You hit the eight ball in after two minutes." Alex reminds him. "You almost hit me three times during a two minute game, Winn."

"That's impressive," Vasquez says. "And now I know who to play pool against if I'm having a bad day."

"Just wear a helmet and fully padded gear, like for training." Alex suggests.

Maggie changes the subject, trying to get it back to what it was originally supposed to be. "One of my favorite moments was when I watched Little Danvers devour an entire cake in the span of a couple minutes. Oh, and Lena's face as she watched her."

"It was both disgusting and impressive," Lena says.

They continue to go around, talking about favorite moments and Lena's surprised by how many she's included in. Or when Alex promises to show her pictures of that time Kara tried to bake and ended up covered in flour. Honestly, Lena's given up trying not to cry and so has everyone else. Some stories are tinged with a sadness that seems to spread throughout everyone around, some that are hilarious that make people cry from laughter. And for Lena, some that make her cry because they're just stories about her, some even without Kara. Those make her dry the hardest, but no one mentions it (which Lena appreciates).

Chapter Text

The tears are still wet on everyone's faces when Alex notices the flames of the fire are beginning to flicker out. She wipes her nose and sniffles, clearing her throat.

"We should all probably go and get some sleep. It's late, and Lena and Kara have to leave early tomorrow morning," Alex says.

Everyone reluctantly agrees, not really wanting this night to end but knowing it has to. The people who can make it to say goodbye to Kara and Lena in the morning are the first to go, saying their goodnights to them and giving brief hugs. The people who can't go in the morning linger, staying behind so they can say their goodbyes.

Lena hates goodbyes, has hated them since Lionel told her he would be right back from work, and never came back. She hugs more people tonight than she did in the first year of staying with the Luthors. Kara, understanding how this can be, stays as close to Lena as she can as they hug their friends goodbye.

"You better come visit. Both of you," Vasquez clarifies. "You have no excuse, Kara can literally fly here within an hour."

"We'll visit so often you'll be sick of us," Lena promises.

Vasquez uses their sleep to wipe at their eyes and smiles sadly. "I don't think that's possible. Just... Take care of each other, okay?"

"We will," Kara promises. "Make sure Ari takes care of you too."

Vasquez's lower lip wobbles and they pulls them both into a hug and Lena tries to ignore the tears that can't seem to stop streaming down her face. She didn't know she would miss them this much.

"Alright, I'm going to let other people cry over you." Vasquez sniffs and pulls back, their eyes wet with tears. "Love you guys."

They give Lena and Kara one more hug as they murmur their responses. Then Vasquez walks away, wiping at their eyes. Lena squeezes Kara's hand and smiles at the next person that approaches them.

***

Lena and Kara are both exhausted by the time they get back to their room. With all they've had to do today, they would be tired anyways, but since they just had an emotional couple of hours, they're completely exhausted.

They practically fall into bed, Kara lazily pulling off both her and Lena's clothes, much to Lena's amusement. She helps Kara out of her pants, chuckling softly when Kara sluggishly kicks her legs when it gets down to her ankles in an attempt to fling them somewhere in the room. Once they're done, they climb under the covers and move themselves so that they're cuddling.

Lena yawns and falls asleep, her head resting against Kara's chest.

Some garbled noise is what wakes Lena up, that and the warm feeling of a hand on her shoulder. That's unusual because Kara usually just drapes her arms around her in her sleep, never resting them on her shoulder. Plus, by now Lena knows what Kara's has feels like and this does not feel like Kara's hand.

That thought alarms Lena and she opens her eyes, which is more difficult than usual because of all the crying she did last night. Her vision takes a second to focus and she blinks in surprise at the sight of both Alex and Maggie standing by the side of the bed, both already dressed. It's Maggie's hand she felt on her shoulder, and once she sees Lena's awake, she removes her hand.

"Welcome back to the world of the living, sleeping beauty," Alex jokes.

Lean would sit up, but she can feel the sheets against her bare skin and decides against accidentally scarring Alex and Maggie.

"What?" Lena asks, her voice raspy.

"We came in earlier but you guys were completely dead to the world. We could just not wake you up, so we decided to let you guys sleep in a little bit."

Lena inhales and notices the light filtering in from the windows. She holds the sheet to her chest and shifts so she's sitting.

"What time is it?" Lena tries to rub the last bits of sleep from her eyes with her unoccupied hand.

"Eight," Maggie answers.

Lena chokes on nothing, her eyes wide. She can feel her heart beating fast in her chest and knows that it'll probably wake Kara up.

"What? We were supposed to be leaving at eight! They're waiting for us!"

A hand on her sternum stops her from getting up. Alex pushes lightly and Lena gives her a hard look. Alex doesn't relent so Lena stops trying to get up.

"Don't worry," Maggie says. "Once we saw how tired you both were, we talked to your people. Except for some of the snobby nobles, they were all pretty understanding."

Lena sighs. "Alright. Thank you for that, I suppose. Will you wait outside for a moment so I can wake Kara and get dressed?"

Alex blushes at the mention that Kara and Lena are naked. She nods, practically fleeing the room.

"I see how it is, you're depriving me of seeing abs because we woke you up late." Maggie jokes as she walks out, winking over her shoulder.

Lena laughs when she hears Alex's response, "My abs are better."

The door closes with a soft snick and Lena looks down at her girlfriend, whose cheeks are pink. "How much of that did you hear?"

"Enough to be blushing," Kara answers. She sits up and wraps an arm around Lena. "This is it."

Lena hums. "It is."

They sit there, cuddling, until there's a pounding at the door. "I don't hear any clothes being put on!" Alex says through the door. "And I really don't want to think about what that means!"

Maggie's snickering can be heard too and Lena looks to Kara.

"May you, darling?" Lena asks and Kara knows instantly what she means.

"Of course."

Kara seems to disappear, only a flash of color here and there telling Lena where she is. When Kara reappears, she's fully dressed. She helps Lena up and then helps her out on clothes using her superspeed.

Lena leans in and gives Kara a quick peck when her girlfriend is no longer a blur. "Thank you darling."

Chapter Text

Lena and Kara walk out of their room with the last of their things that they hadn't already put in the wagons for transport. Kara lets out a squeak, covering her eyes with one hand.

Alex is leaning against the opposite wall, with Maggie pressed against her as they make out. It's more gentle than rough, which Kara appreciates because as much a she doesn't want to see this, she really doesn't want to see her sister in a heated make out session. Gross.

Maggie pulls back from her fiancée and looks over her shoulder, laughing when she sees Kara covering her eyes. "You can look now, Little Danvers."

Alex chuckles breathlessly when she realizes what her fiancée means by that. Her eyes flutter open and she blinks, not having realized that she was keeping them closed. She's just in time to see the amusement in Lena's expression as Kara uncovers her face.

Maggie takes Alex's hand and one of the bags Kara's carrying and begins walking towards the kitchen.

"You know I have super strength, right? You don't need to carry that." Kara says as she and Lena follow them, also hand in hand.

"Yes, but I'm a gentlewoman. I don't let anyone carry that much, even if you do have superpowers. Especially if that person is my future sister-in-law."

Alex grins widely at that and raises Maggie's hand to her lips. She doesn't even mind when Kara says "Aww" loudly, no doubt alerting the nearby guards to how sappy Alex is. Though by now, most if not all of them know that.

"Where are we headed?" Lena asks once they pass where they could turn to head out the main entrance.

"The kitchen, to fill your girlfriend's bottomless pit of a stomach," Maggie answers.

The three of them laugh as Kara cheers loudly enough for the hallways to echo with it. Kara urges them to go faster, practically skipping down the halls to the kitchen with Lena by her side. Lena smiles at her warmly and lets herself be pulled.

Kara is, like usual, the first to sit at the table in the kitchen. Lena sits next to her and Maggie and Alex sit across from them. Kara manages to wait semi-patiently, only squirming a little bit as she waits for the food to come. Lena chuckles when Kara perks up, her head turned towards the room where Lyra is making food. She sniffs the air and smiles.

A moment later, Lyra walks out carrying a tray of food. There are three plates and she sets one in front of Lena, Maggie, and Alex.

Kara pouts at Lyra. "What about me?"

"I could never forget you, or your appetite," Lyra teases. "I need to make another trip for your breakfast."

Lyra heads back to the other room, the door swinging shut behind her.

Maggie looks down at the plate of food in front of her. "I know it's rude to eat before everyone's served, but I think I'll make an exception to my politeness this time."

Kara shrugs. "That's fair. Lyra's a really good cook."

"And seeing you devour your meal could make anyone lose their appetite," Maggie adds, cutting up her waffle.

Lena shrugs and follows suit. Alex has been eating since the food was first set down in front of her. She's long since learned that no food is safe around Kara and that she will often need to eat as fast as she can.

"I guess the unappetizing eating runs in the family," Lena remarks.

Lyra comes back out with another tray, this time stacked higher than it was before and places everything in front of Kara. Lena laughs at how Kara's entire face lights up.

"Oh my Rao, I love you Lyra." Kara speaks quickly and then begins digging in.

"I swear, she's going to leave me for a chef someday," Lena jokes.

Alex lets out a snort, covering her mouth so that she doesn't show off the food that's still sitting half-chewed in her mouth. "No she won't, Lena. You're the Queen of the Luthor Kingdom; you're rich."

"And I'm a lesbian," Maggie deadpans. Maggie smirks at the inquisitive look she received as Alex swallows the last of the food in her mouth. . "What? I thought we were stating the obvious."

Alex lets out a huff. "What I mean is that Lena can pay the best chef in the world to make food for Kara. So she wouldn't leave her for a chef."

"I wouldn't leave her anyway!" Kara protests after quickly gulping down the food she had in her mouth.

"I know, darling." Lena pats Kara's hand.

***

The sun has risen high enough in the sky that there aren't any reds or oranges left from the sunrise. Lena and Kara place their last things into the wagon that's being used for their storage. Theirs is a separate wagon just in case. Because they're both royalty, they don't want anyone going through their things unchecked. Lena has been told horror stories from Lillian since a young age about attempted poisonings and assassination attempts on Luthors when their belongings aren't carefully watched and separated from other's.

Kara shuts the back of the wagon behind them, the locking mechanism clicking. Kara takes a breath, her hand still pressed up against the wagon to close it. There's nothing the woman of steel can do to steel herself for this.

She turns around and her lower lip immediately trembles. Eliza and Jeremiah have enveloped Lena in a rather tight hug, but Lena doesn't seem to mind. Kara hears a soft sniffle come from her girlfriend and closes her eyes briefly, trying not to cry too. Her eyes open when she's wrapped in familiar strong arms.

"I'm going to miss you, Kara." James murmurs softly.

"Stop hogging the Kryptonian, Jimmy." Lucy says, pulling James away from Kara before throwing herself in Kara's arms.

"I'm going to miss you too." Kara chokes out. "Both of you."

Chapter Text

Kara lets go of Lucy and gives her a watery smile. Lucy leans back in for one last quick tight hug before letting go and stepping back. She takes James' hand and tries to sniff subtly while James does the same.

Eliza and Jeremiah come over to Kara along with Lena. Lena goes to Kara's side immediately, holding her hand and gently rubbing her thumb across Kara's knuckles.

Eliza smiles at the sight of Lena comforting her daughter. "You picked a good one Kara," she whispers so only Kara can hear. Kara's cheeks flush but she smiles proudly. Eliza speaks louder so everyone can hear. "I won't hug you yet, Kara. I may start crying and not let you go until it's time for you to go."

Kara's lower lip wobbles and she nods, turning to the small group that's gathered to say goodbye to her and Lena. Winn steps forward and practically throws himself at them. He wraps them both in a hug and they hug him back. Lena acts like she doesn't notice his tears staining her shirt.

"I'm really going to miss you guys." Winn's voice cracks and Kara rubs his back.

"We're going to miss you too Winn," Lena murmurs.

Winn squeezes her tightly, thinking about how he can't wait for her to become his sister-in-law too. He pulls back after a moment, wiping away his tears, letting the next person step forward as he attempts to gather himself.

"If anything happens to Kiera, not even being the Queen of the Luthor Kingdom will be able to save you from my wrath." Cat threatens, stepping close to Lena.

Lena has long since become used to being threatened and manipulated and doesn't flinch. Cat steps back after an intense moment of staring, nodding to herself.

"I would expect nothing less, Miss Grant," Lena says.

Cat breaks into a small smile. "Polite, even after being threatened. Impressive."

"Miss Grant..." Kara tries to interject, afraid what what might happen if Cat and her girlfriend continue this.

"Kiera, I've told you to call me Cat."

Kara gives her a look. "If you keep calling me by the wrong name, I'll do the same with you."

Cat looks surprised and impressed. Her eyes flick over to Lena. "The kitten does have claws. Good job bringing her out of her shell."

Lena figures this is the best she's going to get with Cat Grant, especially since she hasn't completely earned her trust in Cat's eyes. She sticks out her hand and Cat waits for a moment, intending to make Lena squirm. Lena doesn't show an ounce of the emotion that Cat's tactics usually elicit from people. Cat tries to keep how she's impressed to herself, but the glimmer in Lena's eyes tells her that she hasn't quite succeeded. The little Luthor is more observant than she has expected.

Cat sticks out her hand and she and Lena shake. Kara looks back and forth between them like she's waiting for something to snap. She breathes a quiet sigh of relief when she feels the tension between Cat and Lena dissipate.

Cat sticks out her hand for Kara and it takes a second for Kara to process why Cat is holding out her hand. Kara huffs and gently bats it away, pulling Cat in for a hug. It takes a moment for her to relax into the hug.

"I'm going to miss you," Kara sniffles.

"I'm going to miss you too, Kara."

"She knows Kara's name!" Winn says in surprise.

"She's the Princess and a friend, of course I know her name Wilbur." Cat says as she pulls back from the hug, giving Winn a piercing look.

"She got the first two letters of my name right," Winn says excitedly to Alex.

"You have low standards for women, Winn." Maggie teases, ruffling his hair.

As Winn tries to redo his hair, it's J'onn's turn. He opens his arms when he sees Kara's eyes fill with tears and smiles softly when he is immediately engulfed in a Kryptonian strength hug. She hugs him as tightly as she dares and he hugs her back just as hard.

J'onn opens his eyes and lifts one arm, his voice gruffer and deeper than usual. "Get in here, Lena." Lena blinks on surprise and then joins the hug. "Kara, I love you and your sister as though you're my own daughters. And I am so proud of the life partners you have both found."

Kara's given up any pretense of self control and has tears streaming down her face. "I love you too," she giggles wetly. "Space dad."

J'onn's chuckling vibrates in his chest and makes his body shake against them. There's a wetness in his eyes that Alex has only ever seen when he's talking of his family on Mars.

"Space Dad, huh? I guess you're my Space Daughter, then. Earth Daughter and soon-to-be Earth Daughter-In-Law, get over here."

Maggie and Alex exchange a surprised look before joining in. They continue hugging until Alex hears a familiar sniffle.

She pulls back slightly to look behind her. "Winn, are you crying?"

"It's just such a beautiful moment. A family hug." Winn sniffles again.

"It's not a family hug, Winn." J'onn says. "You aren't in it, and neither is Eliza and Jeremiah."

Kara can practically hear as Winn's lower lip trembles and hears his feet hit the ground at a rapid pace.

"Papa bear!" He cries out.

Kara can hear his feet leave the ground and braces herself, letting him latch onto her back like a koala to hug J'onn too. J'onn chuckles and hugs him as well.

"You might as well get over here, Eliza and Jeremiah," J'onn says.

They agree and once they join the group hug, it truly does feel like a family hug. Lena stays close to Kara, trying to pretend like there aren't tears in her eyes and dripping down her cheeks. She's really going to miss these amazingly wonderful people.

Chapter Text

Once the family group hug breaks apart, it's Jeremiah and Eliza's turn to say goodbye. By now, everyone has given up trying to act like they're not crying. Even the Queen of the Danvers Kingdom, infamous for her kind yet clinical demeanor, has tears streaming down her face.

She pulls her youngest daughter into her arms and hugs her as tightly as she can. Kara sniffles and rests her head against her mother's shoulder. Eliza inhales shakily and presses a kiss the the side of Kara's head. She pulls back and meets her daughter's eyes, then Lena's.

"Take care of my girls, okay?" She says, her voice only wobbling slightly.

Lena blinks, trying not to give away how surprised she is to be included in that. Apparently, she doesn't succeed like usual.

Eliza smiles softly and reaches out to take one of Lena's hands. "You're part of the family by now, Lena."

Lena can hear her heart stutter in her chest and her breath hitches for a moment. The tears are back and she doesn't even try to blink them away. Kara wraps an arm around her waist and Lena lets her head drop slightly to the side to rest on Kara's head.

What's really getting her emotional this time is that she's part of a family. A family that welcomes her and wants her to be as she is, not wanting to change or mold her to fit their own wants. A family that actually loves her, not an ideal of who she could be, or the false love that Lillian offered her as a reward for Lena "behaving."

Eliza hugs Lena next and Lena melts into this hug. Lena can feel Kara's thumb gently rubbing her back, a consistent pressure that's calming. Gods, Lena's going to miss these people.

She lets go of Eliza and meets her eyes. "I'll take care of Kara, I promise."

"And I'll take care of Lena," Kara says.

Lena gives her girlfriend a soft look.

"Good. I don't want you girls taking too many risks. Be careful," Eliza urges. "I know it's your Kingdom, Lena, but there's bound to be some who still support Lillian and her ideals."

Lena chuckles. "Trust me, I'm aware of that."

Eliza smiles sadly and squeezes Lena's hand again. She lets her husband get in and hug Kara and Lena. He wraps them both up in a tight hug.

He pulls back and gives them watery smiles. "You girls better take care of yourselves, not just each other. Okay? I know I can count on Kara to make sure you don't work through the night because you lose track of time. And I know I can count on Lena to make sure Kara at least eats something green."

Kara wrinkles her nose. "Ugh."

Lena laughs, trying to wipe some of the tears from her face. "I don't care that you can eat whatever you want on this planet and still look flawless, you need to eat healthy."

Kara grumbles good-naturedly but Lena knows she'll listen to her.

"I love you," Jeremiah chokes out.

"Love you too, Dad." Kara says.

Jeremiah bursts into tears and hugs them again, though this time Eliza joins by placing a hand on each woman's shoulder. There are more tears involved now, more emotions for both parents. Kara, up until now, has never called them mom and dad. Not out loud, at least.

It takes a moment for Jeremiah to gather himself enough to pull away from his youngest kid and her girlfriend. He and Eliza stand off to the side to let Alex and Maggie have their turn. Jeremiah leans on Eliza and she hands him a tissue for him to try to wipe his face and nose with.

"You haven't even left yet and you're already messes." Maggie teases.

Her head cocks to the side slightly the way it does when she's joking. Maggie's eyes are shining with unshed tears and there are more drying on her cheeks. Alex isn't faring as well, with tears continuing to roll down her face. If this were under pretty much any other circumstance, she would be embarrassed by how emotional she's being. But this is her baby sister, the weird little alien she took under her wing, going off into the world. Alex is immeasurably proud but also sad (for obvious reasons).

She knows that Kara will come back, she has to now that Alex is engaged. But this is the ending of one chapter in their lives and the beginning of a new one, and to be honest that's kind of terrifying. Definitely terrifying.

"You had better come back," Alex says through her tears. "Both of you."

Lena smiles at the inclusion of herself. "With your wedding and everything, I'm sure Kara and I will be coming over so often that you'll be sick of us."

"Impossible." Alex shakes her head.

Kara lets out a soft cry and pulls Alex and Maggie into a hug, the force of it lifting their feet from the ground at first. They hug her back and Maggie gestures for Lena to join. With a sad smile, she complies.

"I'm really going to miss you guys." Kara says. "I know I keep saying that, but Rao. I've never really been that far away from you before, Alex."

Alex's jaw trembles and she nods. "I know, but you're strong. Being with Lena will help, I promise. And I expect you to fly over at least once a week with Lena, assuming that Lena's okay with flying that often."

Lena nods. "I don't particularly like flying, but I'm okay when it's with Kara. I know I'm safe when I'm with her."

Kara sniffles. "Stop, you're going to make me cry."

"Darling, you are crying." Lena points out, gently swiping a thumb across Kara's red cheek, blotchy from crying.

"Right. I've been doing it so long I can't really tell anymore." Kara sniffles again. "And Alex, how about I come over once a day?"

Alex chuckles. "As much as I would love that, I know that coming back so often won't be good."

Kara pouts but nods, understanding.

Chapter Text

Maggie and Lena work together to practically pry their girlfriends apart. With one last hug, the sisters pull apart. Both have so many tears streaming down their faces that it's a miracle they can see anything at all.

Maggie nods to them and Lena purses her lips, her jaw trembling slightly. They're already off-schedule. They should be going. But Gods, this is harder than she thought. And that's saying something.

"You two take care of each other too, okay?" Lena says.

"We will," Maggie promises. She knows Alex is probably in no shape to be answering questions. "She's stuck with me forever now," she jokes.

Maggie nudges her fiancée lightly, earning a small smile from her. She takes Alex's hand and tries not to break down into tears again.

"One last hug? Please?" Kara asks them, her voice small.

"Get over here," Alex demands. Her voice is raw in a way Kara has never heard before.

Kara's lower lip wobbles again as fresh tears streak down her cheeks. She hugs Alex and Maggie again, lifting one arm to indicate that she wants Lena to join. Lena complies and it's one tight hug between the Danvers sisters and their partners.

They all murmur out "I love you"s before they pull away one last time, all of them messes. Lena wipes her eyes and takes Kara's hand again.

"Come on, darling. We need to get going."

Kara nods but her body doesn't comply, staying in place and giving her sister and future sister-in-law the saddest puppy dog eyes they have ever seen.

"We'll visit them soon, love. I promise. We can even come visit them while we're on our way to the Luthor Kingdom," Lena promises.

Kara nods again and lets herself be pulled towards the horses and wagons nearby. She snaps out of it enough to move her feet and turn her head away from looking at her friends and family, all gathered to see her and her girlfriend off.

She's confused when she sees Lena leading them to the wagon with their stuff in it.

"Lee?"

"We're in no state to ride and steer horses at the moment," Lena says softly. "The horses will be lead, I talked to a guard about it yesterday. There are spots in the wagon where we can sit. We can cuddle." Lena nudges her girlfriend, earning a small smile in return, which she considers a success.

Kara smiles softly. "Okay." Lena climbs up first and extends her hand to help Kara up. "You know I can fly, right? You don't have to help me up."

"I resent that remark," Lena sniffs haughtily. "I'm a gentlewoman, Kara."

Kara laughs as she climbs up as well, using Lena's hand. She sits next to Lena, at the spot where they can look out the back. Her quick scan of the area told her there's a more comfortable place to sit, but Lena probably wants to let her look at her friends and family as they go. Knowing that, Kara falls for Lena a little bit more. She leans against her and squeezes Lena's hand.

The clopping noise of hooves tells Kara that they're starting to move. She bites her lower lip in an attempt to not start crying again, but it's futile. Tears fall down her already wet cheeks. If she were human, Kara knows she would have to worry about becoming dehydrated. The wagon jolts as the horses pulling it begin to move and they both wave to the others as they slowly become smaller. They wave back and Kara watches as they fade into the distance, especially once they pass through the castle gates. It's hard to see anyone through a wall. Unless you're Kara, and have X-ray vision, of course.

Once even Kara can't see them anymore, she turns to Lena and rests her head in Lena's lap. She's all cried out, but still sad about leaving her friends and family. Lena runs her fingers through Kara's hair.

"You can change your mind anytime, darling. You don't need to stay with me."

Kara opens her eyes and flips over onto her back so she can look her girlfriend in the eyes. "Lee, I want to be here. I want to be with you. I want to come to the Luthor Kingdom. I want to see your castle and where you grew up. I'm just going to miss my family."

Lena smiles sadly. "I know, love. I'm going to miss them too."

Kara can see the truth of that statement in her eyes and sits up. She wraps Lena up in a hug. Lena clings to her, no tears falling anymore but just as emotional. They hold each other until Lena shifts.

"My legs are getting cramped up," she explains. Kara lifts Lena up and then deposits her at the comfier seat, causing Lena to chuckle. "I could have gotten up. Get over here, you goof."

Lena opens her arms and Kara sits next to her, cuddling up to Lena's side. With the rocking motion of the wagon and the emotional mess their day has been, they fall asleep easily.

***

There's a light knocking noise, the sound of a fist banging against wood with purpose. Lena can hear murmurs but she's not conscious enough to be able to tell what they're saying. She inhales and shifts, cuddling up against Kara further as her mind pushes through the haze of sleep. She yawns and rubs at her eyes before opening them.

"Morning, sleeping beauty." Kara says fondly.

Lena sits up with a jolt. "It's morning?"

"No, Lee. But you did sleep for a long time. We're stopping for the night. We managed to get to the spot you marked as the goal for today. And I'll be sure to tease you about the fact you made such a detailed map later."

Lena chuckles. "I would expect nothing less, darling. Now let's go set up our tent."

"You're the Queen, I'm a Princess. We can technically get people to do that for us."

"But if we let someone else do it, you'll stare longingly at the food the entire time the chef is making dinner," Lena points out.

"Hey!"

"You know it's true, darling."

"..."

Chapter Text

Maggie and Alex stay where they are, long after everyone else has left to do other things. The others stay until Lena and Kara are out of sight, but Alex can't bring herself to move quite yet. Her sister is gone. For now, but still. She knows Kara can handle herself, but she's still Alex's baby sister. She's always going to worry about her.

Maggie puts a hand on Alex's arm. Alex looks away from the empty road and meets her fiancée's eyes. Her lower lip wobbles, the tears long since having dried but it seems like she has some left to shed. Maggie gives her a soft smile.

"Come on, sweetie. Let's go back to our room," Maggie murmurs.

"I don't really want up talk about it, babe," Alex says.

"That's fine, Al. We can cuddle and I'll bring you chocolate from the kitchen."

Alex frowns. "But Lyra has banned Kara and I from taking chocolate without supervision after Kara ate a month's worth of chocolate in an hour."

Maggie blinks in surprise at the story. "You need to tell me that story some time. That's actually really impressive."

Alex chuckles. "I think Lyra would have thought the same thing if she weren't as horrified and angry."

Maggie and Alex begin walking, Alex feeling slightly less sad about Kara being gone. She misses her, and as long as she's gone Alex will always miss her. But it's comforting to know that Alex has Maggie and that Kara has Lena in the same way. She knows that together, they'll be able to anything. Which also concerns her. Because together, they can do anything.

Maggie holds the front door for Alex, bowing deeply with an exaggerated "m'lady" to make her laugh. The guards stare after them, still not used to seeing Alex let anyone do something for her. They walk down the hallways hand in hand, Alex holding on tighter than she normally would. Maggie holds their bedroom door open for Alex as well, earning a soft thank you from her fiancée.

Alex immediately walks to the bed and flops down on it face first. Maggie chuckles and quietly closes the door behind her. She gently puts her hand on Alex's back, causing her to turn her head to the side to look at Maggie.

"You stay here and relax, sweetie. I'm going to go get some chocolate from the kitchen," Maggie says.

"And beer?" Alex asks, her eyes wide and hopeful.

"One beer for you, one for me Danvers. You shouldn't be getting drunk tonight."

"It isn't tonight yet." At Maggie's stern look. "Okay mom," she says teasingly.

"Kinky, Danvers."

The door is shutting behind her before Alex can power through her shock and stutter out an answer. Maggie hums the Kryptonian tune Alex had sung last night as she walks to the kitchens.

"Chocolate?" Lyra asks, looking up from where she's making lunch.

"Yeah. I guess you know the Danvers sisters pretty well by now, huh?"

"I know that both have a tendency to eat their feelings. And drown their feelings, in Alex's case. Are you going to get her alcohol?" Lyra asks.

"One beer, yeah. I think she needs it after today and yesterday. I'll keep a eye on her," Maggie promises.

Lyra purses her lips and nods. "Alright. But she will need more sustenance than just chocolate. Here." She walks over to the refrigerator and pulls out a plate with the food covered with a napkin. "I was saving this for tonight, but she might as well have it now. Maybe it will cheer her up."

Maggie lifts the napkin carefully and grins, her dimples showing. "You're really sweet, Lyra."

"Don't tell anyone or I'll skin you alive," Lyra threatens.

"You wouldn't," Maggie says confidently. "Plus, I'm sure Winn already knows."

Lyra shrugs. "He figured that out long ago, Maggie."

Maggie chuckles and puts the plate on the resting spot above the fire, specifically designed to put plates on. She waits for steam to come off of it and then heads back to Alex's and her room.

Alex is still on the bed when she returns, but she's on her back. Alex smiles at her fiancée, her eyes lighting up when she sees her struggling to carry what looks like an array of her favorite things. She sits up and swings her legs over the side of the bed, hopping out to help Maggie.

Maggie gives her an amused look when what Alex grabs is the two beers. Alex sets them down on the bedside table and helps Maggie with the other things. The plate is still covered when she sets it down and she gives Maggie a curious look.

"This is warm, so I know that this probably isn't chocolate. Can I look?" Alex asks.

"Go ahead."

Alex lifts the napkin and a lot of steam rushes out. When she sees what's underneath, she gasps and looks up at Maggie.

"Oh my god. I love you, babe. Thank you!"

"You should be thanking Lyra, not me. And I know that they're Kara's favorite food, but that you like them too."

"Yeah, Kara usually hogs all of them." Alex says with a soft, wistful smile.

"I promise not to hog them if you share them with me."

Maggie gives her fiancée an innocent smile as they both settle into bed, Maggie holding the plate of chocolate and Alex holding a plate of potstickers. Alex hesitates for a moment and then complies, holding out the plate for Maggie to grab some.

Maggie takes a couple, leaving the rest for Alex. She bites into one and hums happily. Maggie reaches over and grabs the beers, handing one to Alex. They both twist the caps to the glass bottles off and it hisses as foam appears. Alex takes a swig and sighs happily. She relaxes and takes a piece of chocolate, popping it into her mouth. Once she swallows that, she leans over and pecks Maggie's lips.

"Mm," she hums. "Three of my favorite things."

"Chocolate, booze, and kissing me?" Maggie asks.

"Hm. I wasn't counting the alcohol, but yeah. Good food, chocolate, alcohol, and you."

"Good thing to know I'm like chocolate to you," Maggie jokes.

"You are. You look good, you taste even better, and you make my brain release dopamine."

Maggie beams, her dimples showing. "That's the nerdiest way I've ever heard to tell someone you they make you happy. I love you too, Danvers."

Chapter Text

Kara and Lena are sitting on a log next to each other. They've finished setting up their tent and Kara wants to be out in the cool night air after spending so much time inside and packing. They didn't manage to finish in time for the chef to finish the food, so they're waiting for dinner. After all, the chef has to cook for roughly thirty people plus a Kryptonian, which is no small feat.

Lena has an arm wrapped around Kara, who is being alarmingly quiet. Lena eyes her with concern.

"Are you alright darling?" Lena murmurs softly.

Kara hesitates for a moment before nodding. "Yeah. I just miss Alex and everyone. Are you sure that I can't fly back and just say goodnight or something?"

"I'm sure, sweetie. You and Alex need to get used to not being with each other everyday if this is going to work," Lena says gently.

Kara's lower lip wobbles. "I don't want to get used to that."

Lena grimaces and hugs Kara to her. Kara wraps her arms around Lena's waist.

"I'm sorry, sweetie. That was a bad way of phrasing that. I didn't mean it like that."

Kara sniffles. "I know you didn't mean it like that. I just really miss her."

"I miss her too," Lena admits softly.

Kara continues hugging Lena, resting her head on her shoulder. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. Lena smiles softly when Kara's head snaps up when the smell of food wafts towards her. She's worried about Kara, but at least she knows she hasn't lost her appetite. Now that would be a true cause for concern.

The chef has some guards help her pass out the food. One guard alone is in charge of giving Kara hers, and he has to make three trips. He looks both fascinated and disgusted as Kara immediately digs in. Lena pulls away slightly to take her own plate, thanking the chef.

She eats and tries not to watch Kara. She has made that mistake before and could hardly finish her meal. She wouldn't have been able to if Lyra wasn't such a good chef.

After Kara and Lena finish eating, they decide to turn in. Last night hadn't exactly been the best night for sleep for them, though they both did take rather long naps in the wagon. Kara climbs into bed fully clothed and yawns, holding up the covers for Lena to crawl in.

"Are you going to sleep fully clothed, darling?" Lena asks with amusement in her voice.

"Mm. 'M tired. C'mere."

Lena chuckles and complies, slipping into bed beside her girlfriend. She wraps an arm around Kara and Kara cuddles up to her, humming. Kara moves so that she can see Lena's face and kisses her softly.

"Goodnight Lee."

"Goodnight Kara," Lena murmurs back.

Kara settles back against Lena's side. They fall asleep easily wrapped up in each other.

***

Kara wakes up and she's not quite sure why. She can tell it's still night since the tent fabric is thin enough to let sunlight through if it's there. But the tent is dark. She frowns. She usually has little problem sleeping through the night. So what's different tonight? What woke her up?

Kara closes her eyes and listens. Maybe she heard something. Instantly she can tell what woke her up. She can hear footsteps, but this isn't what she would expect from guards marching around. These are loud and there are multiple footsteps, which indicates that there are quite a few people all moving together. Their feet don't hit the ground normally, either. The footsteps are softer, kind of like Kara's were while Alex was training her to move silently through the woods.

But why would anyone around here need to sneak around? Let alone multiple people? Kara's eyes flash open as she hears them whisper.

"Be quiet, you idiot. That Princess has fricking superpowers. We don't want to wake her up." One of them hisses.

"We know boss, you've told us this twenty times." Another says, evidently annoyed.

"But do you know she can melt your face off with her heat vision?" The boss retorts. "We're just here to take the Queen. Remember, this is for Cadmus."

"For Cadmus," a bunch of people repeat in a whisper.

Kara's eyes fly open, her heart thundering in her chest. They're here for Lena? They're Cadmus? She can feel herself losing some of her control so she gets out of bed. She puts her hands over her burning eyes and takes a deep breath, trying to calm down. Once she's no longer in danger of releasing some heat vision and burning down her and Lena's tent, she lowers her hands and gently shakes Lena.

"Mm?" Lena pats the bed, her eyebrows furrowing when she doesn't feel Kara next to her.

"There are Cadmus people here, Lee." Kara whispers. "I want you to go to the guard tent so I know you're safe, okay? Just like we practiced."

Lena's fully awake now and meets Kara's eyes, raising an eyebrow. "You want me to stay out of this? Kara, they could have Kryptonite."

Kara blurs and then she's back in her suit and headband. "Then I'll be fine still. This is fixed, remember?"

Lena frowns but doesn't get the chance to protest. She feels Kara's lips brush against her forehead as she blurs before leaving the tent. Lena swears under her breath and gets out of bed, quickly pulling on her armor and grabbing her bow and quiver before running out of the tent. She can see the Cadmus people immediately. The guards are fighting them alongside Kara, taking out the Cadmus agents.

Kara has one tied up, which Lena presumes is the leader. She's giving orders to the guards, telling them not to kill unless they have to. Some guards comply, but others don't listen to her at all. Lena makes a mental note of who she should fire when they get back to the Luthor Kingdom.

Chapter Text

Lena looks around, keeping an eye on the fight out of the corner of her eye. People around her are either running away or towards the fighting, none of them seeming to register the fact she's there. She knows Kara won't be happy with what she's doing, with what she plans on doing, but she can't just let her girlfriend do all the fighting.

Lena's gaze falls to a rather sturdy looking tree and she nods to herself. She runs towards it, earning confused looks from the people passing by her as she goes left as they go forward and back. She has to dodge quite a few people and glares at a man who doesn't even try to avoid hitting her. She knows men like him, knows he expected her to move instead of him. She makes a quick mental note of his face so she can fire him when they get back to the Luthor Kingdom.

Lena attaches her bow to her back and takes a deep breath before beginning to climb. The movements are familiar and calming. Lena finds a good branch that's sturdy and provides adequate cover so that the Cadmus people won't be able to see her right away.

She looks back at the fighting, drawing her bow and an arrow as she crouches on the branch. The fight looks like a rough one, especially since they were taken by surprise. Kara is dominating where Lena's guards are lacking. She shoots and catches the shoulder of a Cadmus person that was about to hit one of her guards with an axe.

Kara pauses when she hears the arrow whistle past her. No one on the Cadmus side has a bow, and since Kara's dating an archer, she noticed. She looks back and sighs softly when she notices Lena in a nearby tree. Rao, she loves this woman, but she can't stay out of danger for the life of her.

Another arrow whistles past her as she hears a grunt by her. She turns to see that a Cadmus agent was getting alarmingly close to her. She gives thumbs up behind her and focuses back on the fight, much to the relief of her girlfriend. The attack wouldn't have hurt her, but she's glad she didn't have to learn what it feels like to have a sword scraping against her suit. She can't imagine that it feels or sounds good.

Kara blocks the next attack of a smaller sword with her suit's sleeve. The person gives her an alarmed look and she hits them with the back of her fist. Blood comes out of their mouth as they crash backwards, knocked out.

She frowns as she listens again, hearing some hearts stop beating and not starting again. She looks over to see one of Lena's own guards moving through the Cadmus people, aiming to kill. Before he can kill the latest terrified Cadmus agent, she blocks his attack.

"What the f*ck?" The guard mutters, glaring at her.

"I said don't kill if you don't have to."

"I don't have to listen to you," the guard spits.

"Yes you do. I'm Lena's girlfriend, and the Princess of the Danvers Kingdom."

The guard rolls his eyes and Kara's ears pick up something. "Kara. Just arrest him, we can deal with him when we're not in the middle of a battle." Kara looks over in Lena's direction. "Yes, darling, we can do that. Go ahead, we'll deal with him later."

Kara uses her superspeed to grab a pair of handcuffs that she knows some of the guards have and cuffs that guard.

"Hey! What the heck? You can't do this!" The guard complains.

Kara ignores him and deposits him with some of the guards who are protecting the people who can't fight. They look baffled but take him, still spewing profanities that Kara never wants repeated.

She goes back to the fight and punches that same Cadmus agent when he aims something towards Lena. It looks like a gun, but not like anything Kara has ever seen before. And with Cadmus, that's not necessarily a good thing.

She ties up the agent and moves on, listening as arrows whiz past her. She kicks and punches and blocks, using up most of her time trying to stop Lena's people from getting hit. It takes longer than she expected before the fight dies down, with the remaining Cadmus agents fleeing.

Kara lets out a deep breath and looks around. She helps carry the wounded to the doctors they're traveling with. Lena and Kara both have some training with medicine so they help once Kara gets Lena down from the tree. Lena insists she can get down but lets Kara carry her down, floating gently until her feet hit the ground.

Kara and Lena help out the doctors, wrapping wounds. Kara uses her X-ray vision to check if there's anything embedded in the injuries. The doctors thank them once everyone has been helped.

"Thank you," one says. "I'm not sure how well we would be able to do this without you."

"It was no problem. Thank you for helping them and for coming along," Lena replies.

Kara and Lena retreat back to their tent, encouraging people to go back to sleep while they decide what to do with the Cadmus people.

As soon as they're alone, Kara's in front of Lena. She looks over her, her hands moving over Lena's body as she looks for injuries. Lena takes Kara's hands in hers and smiles softly.

"I'm okay, darling." Lena murmurs, kissing Kara softly.

Kara nods, looking at Lena with a warm, worried gaze. "Okay. Okay. I just saw him, he was aiming something at you."

"I saw, darling. He didn't shoot. Even if he tried, I would have gotten him first."

Kara giggles and hugs her girlfriend. She lets out a shuddering breath and tightens her hold. "I love you."

"I love you too, Kara."

They stay there for another couple of moments before they pull back, knowing they need to talk about what they're going to do with the Cadmus people.

Chapter Text

It's the day after Kara and Lena left and Alex is sulking. Not that she would ever admit that, but Maggie knows she is. Usually her fiancée is motivated and is the one to drag her out of bed to face the day ahead. But today... Not so much. Not that Maggie really minds. She had a wonderful morning staying in bed with Alex. What she does mind is the sadness she sees hidden in Alex's eyes, the way she holds Maggie tighter than she ever had before, as though if she holds tight enough, Maggie will stay by her side. Gods, Maggie plans on that anyway. Forever.

Maggie looks over at her still sleeping fiancée. Her face is smoothed out, any worries and sad things on her mind gone from her face as she sleeps. Maggie gently brushes the short hair from Alex's face. Alex scrunches her nose and cuddles closer to Maggie, not waking. She briefly tightens her hold on Maggie and lets out a sleepy breath.

"Oh, sweetheart." Maggie murmurs quietly, gazing lovingly at Alex. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Hopefully fun sexy things," Alex replies sleepily.

Maggie chuckles. "I didn't think you would hear that."

"Pfft, Mags." Alex huffs, squirming so she can look her in the eyes. "You know I always listen to you."

Maggie beams at her fiancée, feeling her cheeks flush slightly at Alex's words. "You dork. I love you."

Alex grins up at her, getting less sleepy by the minute. "Love you too. And soon, I'm going to be your dork forever. No take backs."

Maggie laughs full-heartedly at Alex's antics. "I thought you already are mine forever." Maggie gently cups Alex's jaw and Alex turns her head so she can kiss Maggie's palm.

"Mm. I didn't think I slept long enough to miss our wedding."

Maggie grins. "Nerd."

"Yeah, but I'm your nerd."

"Mm hmm," Maggie hums. "You're mine. And I'm yours."

"Sappy," Alex murmurs. Her eyes twinkle with happiness.

"Only for you, Danvers."

Alex straddles Maggie and kisses her gently. Alex loves when she gets sappy, and Maggie knows it.

***

There are loud knocks on their door and Alex groans. She had just gotten back to sleep. Maggie had worn her out earlier. She pulls the covers over her head as Maggie snuggles closer, pressing a sleepy kiss to the back of Alex's shoulder.

Alex grins dopily. She loves being Maggie's little spoon. She feels safe in Maggie's arms. Plus she can tease Maggie, arguing that Alex is really the big spoon since Maggie's so little. That usually turns into some... fun activities where Maggie convinces Alex that she's not little. Though sometimes Alex will still tease her and say that the only thing big about Maggie is her head and her personality. That usually leads to Maggie tickling her, trying to make her admit Maggie's not tiny. Once, Alex had conceded in a different way than Maggie was expecting, telling her that her heart was big too (instead of her height). That had been a great night, but they were very tired the next morning.

The knock comes again and Alex groans. She gets out of bed and pulls on one of the robes they keep hanging up near their bed. They usually use them when they get out of bed and need to get cleaned up, and use them to keep warm while heading to the bath. Which isn't far, but the air is chilly when you're sweaty and have been "working out" for a while.

Alex grumbles as she opens the door, squinting to try to see who it is since the light of the hallway is distorting her vision after so long in their dark bedroom. It's Winn, she recognizes his outline immediately.

"Why." Alex deadpans, giving him her best tired glare.

"Sorry. Um, it's Kara."

With two words, Winn turns Alex's blood to ice. She pales. "What happened?"

Her frantic voice wakes Maggie from the dozing slumber she fell back into after the knocking. She sits up and rubs her eyes, not seeming to mind that Winn is right there and that she doesn't exactly have anything covering her upper half. She gets up and pulls on a robe, joining her panicking fiancée at their door.

"Nothing's wrong, Kara's fine." Winn says hurriedly. Alex smacks his arm. "Ow! What was that for?"

"For making me worry, you doofus!" Alex huffs. "So what happened?"

"She's back, actually. She has some presents for the DEO. Get dressed and come with me, it's easier to see than to explain."

Maggie and Alex exchange a confused look but comply, heading back to their dresser and pulling out their DEO work clothes. Winn squeaks when the belt that holds the ropes together comes off and shuts the door behind him.

Maggie and Alex rejoin him about a minute later, looking incredibly put together for two people who were woken up less than five minutes ago.

"Right. Um. She's at the DEO," Winn says as he begins fast-walking.

A few minutes later, Maggie and Alex burst through the main DEO doors, a few steps ahead of Winn.

"Gods, you guys are fast." He pants, bending over and putting his hands on his knees. "Hoo. I need to work out."

Maggie and Alex make a beeline for Kara, who's talking to J'onn. She pauses and turns, hearing their heartbeats. Her smile lights up the whole room and she lets them both practically tackle her in a tight hug.

"Hey! It's great to see you guys again!" Kara says enthusiastically. "A Sawyer-Danvers sandwich is a really nice welcome!"

"Danvers-Sawyer." Alex mumbles and Maggie shakes her head. "We can talk about that later. Why are you back so soon? What happened?"

"Oh, Lee and I got attacked by what I originally thought were bandits that turned out to be Cadmus agents." Kara nods to herself.

"Kara flew to a nearby town and borrowed a wagon so she could fly them all over," J'onn says.

Chapter Text

Alex makes Kara tell the whole story in detail and asks questions about the Cadmus people and other things while she listens. It's something that annoys some people, Alex stopping the story to ask questions, but luckily neither her sister or her fiancée mind. It makes them feel like they're really being listened to. She pays enough attention to the details that she has questions.

Alex wraps her sister up in another hug after she finishes talking. "I'm glad you're okay," she murmurs.

Kara smiles and just melts in her sister's arms. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." Alex tightens the hug before pulling away. "I have to admit though, I'm surprised you didn't bring Lena too."

"I did," Kara says. She points her thumb over her shoulder. "She's right there, talking to J'onn."

"Oh." Alex frowns. "I didn't even see her."

"You're losing your mojo, Danvers." Maggie teases, nudging her fiancée with her shoulder.

"Hey, you didn't notice her either Sawyer." Alex points at Maggie, poking her gently in the stomach. "And who says 'mojo?' "

"The woman you're going to marry, that's who." Maggie sticks her tongue out at Alex, giggling quietly when she tickles her. "The answer to all of your problems can't be tickling, Danvers. That isn't an effective prisoner interrogation."

Alex stops and just holds Maggie close, completely forgetting about the rest of the world. "Well tickling isn't the only things my fingers can do."

Maggie's eyes darken but she doesn't hear Kara's exaggerated gagging noise she makes. Nor does she see Lena coming over, wrapping her arms around Kara from behind.

"Oh yeah Danvers? What else can they do?"

"Break bones and use pressure points to temporarily paralyze people." Alex says with a completely straight face.

"Have they always been this gross with each other or have we lost our immunity to it?" Kara asks Lena, loudly enough to snap Alex and Maggie out of their haze.

Alex gives Kara an amused look. "You guys are cuddling in the middle of the DEO."

Kara sticks out her tongue at her sister. "Like you two haven't done that."

"Yeah, yeah." Alex rolls her eyes, a smile playing on her lips. She opens up her arms. "Now come here, Lena! It's good to see you again."

Lena detaches from her girlfriend and gets pulled into a hug with both Maggie and Alex. She smiles and feels her heart thundering in her chest. It feels like it's growing in size from all the love she's feeling right now, but she knows her heart isn't actually growing. If so, that would be a major cause for concern because that's a serious medical thing.

Lena thinks that maybe this is what it feels like to have sisters. Or rather, siblings that won't go crazy or try to kill her. She hopes, at least. She's had enough familial betrayals for quite a few lifetimes.

Lena pulls back, reaching back her hand. She smiles when Kara's hand finds hers.

Kara grins widely at her sister and future sister-in-law. "So! Lets talk about your wedding!"

"Let's go to a conference room for that. It may take a while and I have a feeling you two have been on your feet for a while," Alex says.

"Since like three in the morning, yeah." Kara nods, bouncing on her toes. "I'm starving."

"I already sent a few guards to talk to Lyra. She'll need their help to carry everything." Alex says.

Kara beams at her sister. "You're awesome! Thanks!"

"Yeah, yeah. Let's go to a conference room so you can sit down before you bounce a hole in the floor." Alex pats Kara's back and urges her foreword. She turns to Lena. "How much caffeine has she had?"

"I have no idea," Lena admits.

"I drank the pot of coffee that was in the break room," Kara says.

Alex sighs and fights the urge to put her face in her hands. "The one that's specifically labeled 'not for Kara' in all capital letters?"

"Yeah! Though I don't know why it's labeled like that, it isn't molecularly differently than what you and Maggie drink."

Now Alex does face palm. "Kara, that one is specifically brewed for DEO agents. You know, the people who sometimes work double twelve-hour shifts?"

"Yeah, that's unhealthy. We should really talk to J'onn about that."

"I know, Kara. Sometimes the world isn't in peril until three minutes before you're going to clock out." Alex sighs, "But that's not the point. Kara, the point is that the coffee you drank has more than triple the caffeine of normal coffee. And you're barely supposed to drink one cup of normal coffee."

Kara pouts as the door to the conference room shuts behind her. "You break something one time..."

"Kara, you broke Mom's favorite vase. It was ugly, but it was antique."

"Just because it's antique doesn't make it any less ugly," Kara grumbles.

"I agree, but that doesn't mean it's okay you broke it."

"I know," Kara groans. "I'm sorry, I was just tired after fighting for like an hour and then flying to the village, then flying back with the wagon, then flying the wagon full of squirming prisoners over here..." She sighs. "I thought it was decaf."

Alex pats Kara's shoulder. "You know now, at least. Now come on! Help us pick out flowers! Mom wants this done yesterday."

Maggie chuckles at how Kara's face lights up at the book of flowers Alex pulls out. She has a feeling that the next Danvers wedding may happen sooner than most would think.

She nudges Lena towards the table the Danvers are sitting at. "What do you think, Lena?"

"Well, what are your favorite flowers?" Lena asks Maggie.

"Dahlias, and Alex is stereotypical, she likes roses."

"I resent that remark, babe. We're lesbians. What would be more stereotypical is if my favorite are violets."

"Violets are pretty," Maggie admits.

"The bouquet thing should be violets," Alex says.

"The throwy thing?" Kara asks.

"Mm hmm. This wedding is going to be gay as hell." Alex declares, high fiving her fiancée.

Chapter Text

(Ft. A lot of jumping around)

J'onn has to make sure that Alex and Maggie are not allowed to interrogate the DEO's new prisoners because they're both extremely protective of Kara and Lena. After a couple hours of Kara and Lena distracting them by discussing wedding plans, J'onn knocks on the door. Kara uses her X-ray vision.

"It's J'onn," she tells the others. She gets up and opens the door for him.

"Hello," he says gruffly. They perk up, leaning forward to hear what he has to say. They all know he has information on the Cadmus people. "They were working alone. It is a single unit that was posted elsewhere. There are more units that we may have to send some agents after, or some scouts for recon. They have scattered after Lillian fell, but I don't expect them to band together in time. Or rather before we get to them."

Alex breathes a sigh of relief. "Thank the Gods. What kind of weaponry do they have? Are they developing anything?"

J'onn shakes his head. "No. We have most, if not all, of their scientists in custody. The ones we have not been able to locate are not with any of the other Cadmus groups. As far as this group knows, anyway. I don't expect them to show up. And if they do, I doubt it will be with Cadmus."

Alex nods and exhales. "Okay. Thanks, J'onn."

"You're welcome. Now, have you managed to decide anything for your wedding?" He asks, his eyes twinkling.

"We aren't that bad," Alex protests but even Maggie gives her a look. "Okay maybe we are. But yes! We did decide on things."

"That's progress." J'onn smiles, then clears his throat. "I expect you all to get some rest."

"Yes sir," they all say.

***

After eating a lot, even for Kara, and sleeping, Kara and Lena head back to where they left the others. They're all happy to see the Queen of the Luthor Kingdom and Princess of the Danvers Kingdom back safe.

They resume their journey to the Luthor Kingdom.

***

When they pass over the invisible border from the Danvers Kingdom into the Luthor Kingdom, Kara can feel a difference in the air. Not a bad one, of course. It is just different. The Danvers Kingdom is vast and known for its acceptance of different groups of people.

Meanwhile, the Luthor Kingdom is known for its wealth. However, unlike other wealthy Kingdoms, the Luthor Kingdom watches over the companies carefully. This was implemented generations ago to make sure the ruler was paid their share of the profits. Lena has used this in a vastly different way than her... Not just her predecessors, her ancestors. She is still getting used to the idea of truly being a Luthor. Lena uses it to ensure people in the workforce are treated and paid fairly. Because of this, the people in the Kingdom's view of their ruler has gone from (occasionally reluctant) obedience to hesitant trust. Lena knows she'll prove herself to her people eventually.

Kara smiles at Lena, who is riding on her horse again instead of on the wagon. They had only done that the first day because of their tiredness. Now the both of them ride their horses.

Lena's shoulders tense slightly, thinking about how she will have to take over again from Jess. At least she has Kara by her side now. Lena is good at ruling, she knows she is. But she doesn't exactly like the stress, especially since she's been ruling alone. Which no one has done in her Kingdom for over two centuries.

Along the course of the trip, they have of course gone back to the Danvers Kingdom to talk to Maggie and Alex a few times. But Lena is proud of Kara for listening to her and not going back more.

Once they get to the Luthor Kingdom, it only takes a couple days to reach the capital, where Lena's castle is. Lena has always considered having a castle to be extravagant, but she is looking forward to the privacy. She hasn't gotten much... "Alone time" with Kara since the beginning of the trip because the tent's walls are literally just sheets.

As they ride to the front gate of the capital, the guards recognize them both. Lena can see the curiosity in their faces at seeing the Danvers Kingdom's Princess. She guesses that Cat's article about their relationship hasn't come out here.

The gates open for them and they ride down the main street. People move out of their way and wave happily at their Queen. Lena smiles and waves back.

Like the Danvers Castle, the Luthor Castle is at the highest point in the city. It looms over the city, its dark stones casting shadows over it. It's magnificent and beautiful, but it looks almost ominous. Though maybe that's what the Luthors that ordered it being built were going for.

The gates to the Castle open for them, squeaking quietly on their hinges. A guard steps forward. "My Queen and Princess Kara. We can take your horses to the stables if you would like to dismount here."

Lena nods and gracefully gets off. Kara isn't experienced enough with horses to do it that smoothly, so she cheats and uses her powers to hover over the ground for a moment before her boots hit the ground.

"Thank you," Lena says.

"Of course, My Lady." The guard bows and then begins leading their horses away.

Kara and Lena head inside as the sun begins to set behind the mountains in the distance. Kara reaches out her hand slightly, wiggling her fingers a little bit. She doesn't take Lena's hand, unsure if Lena is okay with holding hand with her here. Lena holds her hand and Kara ducks her head slightly, smiling happily. The guards they pass do a pretty hilarious double take when they see the hand holding.

Lena leads Kara straight to her bedroom, knowing they're both exhausted after traveling.

Chapter Text

After practically collapsing on Lena's extremely comfortable bed and sleeping for almost ten hours straight, Lena and Kara wake up and feel much better rested.

Kara smiles at her girlfriend, who's still asleep and in her arms. Lena's curled up against her, her upper body resting on top of Kara, wrapped in Kara's arms. Lena's head is resting on Kara's shoulder and she hums, cuddling closer.

It's not the most comfortable position they've ever slept in, and Kara predicts that her girlfriend may need a back massage later on because curling up like that can't be good for her back. Which is funny, because after sleeping in smaller cots while they traveled, she would've thought they would have slept spread eagle or something on Lena's laughably large bed.

But Kara isn't exactly complaining.

Kara lies there, deciding not to close her eyes again. She doesn't know what time it is, but judging by how well-rested she feels, they've been asleep for a while. When she's not exhausted from traveling for so long, she can just lie here and enjoy being with her girlfriend. Without her eyelids drooping of their own volition, she can look at Lena. In a not creepy way, of course. She just likes to watch how Lena's expression changes as she sleeps.

Kara can tell when Lena begins to stir. Her nose scrunches slightly like she's not really happy with the fact that she's waking up. Kara thinks it's really cute, it kind of reminds her of her own "crinkle," as Alex calls it. Lena takes in a deep breath and she nuzzles slightly into Kara's shoulder. She lets it out and her eyelids flutter more rapidly than before. Her nose crinkles further and she lets out another breath in the form of a groan.

Lena does something that kinda looks like blinking with her eyes closed, her eyelids tensing for a moment. She blinks blearily like her eyes aren't quite focusing. Her grip on Kara tightens and she looks up to see her girlfriend grinning dopily at her.

"See something you like?" Lena murmurs, her voice raspy from sleep.

"Mm," Kara hums. "I see my beautiful girlfriend."

Lena blushes and presses her face against Kara's shoulder again, trying to hide her red cheeks from her chuckling girlfriend. She can feel Kara's body moving under her with the force of her laughter.

"You're sweet, darling. But I have no doubt that I have major morning breath and crazy hair."

"I love every part of you, Lee. Including the crazy sex hair even when we didn't do anything but collapse on the bed last night." Kara beams at Lena when she lifts her head to scowl at her girlfriend.

"You think you're so cute." Lena murmurs, squinting teasingly at Kara.

"Mm. I don't think I am, but I'm often told that by my gorgeous girlfriend. But she's a little biased." Kara says.

"Biased doesn't mean incorrect," Lena points out.

Kara's smile grows wider and she kisses Lena forehead. "Now who's sweet? Now come on, I know you have things you want to do today."

Lena groans when Kara shifts under her, indicating she wants to get up. "Why? What time is it?"

"I don't know," Kara admits. "Do you want me to ask? If it's early I won't make you get up."

"You can't make me do anything," Lena says sleepily, yawning.

"You're right, my strong independent girlfriend."

Lena can feel Kara's smile against her forehead as she kisses it. Kara gets out from underneath Lena. She grumbles and curls up on the spot where Kara was, trying to much off some of the heat she left behind.

"You may want to put on different clothes than the ones you wore last night, darling." Lena points out, sitting up slight to give her girlfriend an amused look.

Kara flushes beet red when she realizes that. Her clothes are ruffled from sleeping in them, but it might not appear to be from that particular cause should she open the door. She removes her hand from the door handle and presses a hand to her heated cheeks, trying to will them to cool.

Kara blurs and uses her superspeed to look for clothes. Since they were too tired last night to bring anything in and didn't want anyone interrupting their sleep, Kara doesn't have any extra clothing here.

"Hey Lee?"

"Mm."

"Do you mind if I wear your clothes? Ours hasn't been brought in yet."

"I would prefer you wearing nothing, but I suppose that you wearing my clothes is fine." Lena drawls, rolling onto her back in the bed to see Kara's reaction, which does not disappoint.

If Kara's face was red before, it's even worse now. She lets out a soft beep and blurs again, setting the clothes she found on the bed. Lena sits up, smirking at her girlfriend.

"Lee!" Kara complains. "My blush was just starting to go away!"

"Yes, but you look so pretty with it." Lena says, biting her lower lip as she looks her girlfriend up and down.

"If you keep looking at me like that, I don't think we'll be leaving this room today at all."

"Is that a threat or a suggestion?" Lena asks, winking at Kara. "You just look beautiful in my clothes."

Kara flushes shyly, looking down at herself. She's wearing a plain black t-shirt that's much too loose for her, so it must be for Lena too. The pants are more tight fitting than she usually wears, which Lena definitely appreciates, especially when Kara turns around to face the door.

She opens the door and speaks softly with the guards, who physically startle when they see Kara. They stutter through their responses and Kara thanks them before shutting the door behind her.

"So?" Lena asks, raising an eyebrow.

"It's eleven."

"In the morning?" Lena's eyes are wide as she gets out of bed.

"Yeah, we slept for quite a bit." Kara's now cooling cheeks warm again as her head turns rapidly towards the closed door.

"What is it?"

Kara reaches up to adjust her glasses awkwardly but forgets that they're not there. She runs a hand through her hair and gives Lena a shy smile.

"They're, uh... Speculating as to how we spent the night in order for you to sleep this long."

Chapter Text

Lena laughs softly at that while Kara continues to blush. "On any other night, they wouldn't have been wrong, darling."

"I know," Kara groans.

Lena chuckles and wraps her arms around her embarrassed girlfriend. She kisses the side of her head and smiles softly as Kara melts against her side. Kara turns her head towards Lena, who knows immediately what she wants. Lena angles herself so that she can capture Kara's lips with her own.

Kara hums and drapes her arms over Lena's shoulders, turning her body so she can kiss her more easily. Lena smiles against her lips as the kiss deepens. Lena rests her hands gently on Kara's waist and pulls her as close as she can. Kara pulls back slightly to change the angle of the kiss and Lena takes those few seconds to try to catch her breath. Their noses brush against each other accidentally, but then Kara nudges Lena with her nose. Lena giggles at her dorky girlfriend and captures Kara's lips again.

Lena gets lost in the kiss, not minding how breathless she is. The kiss deepens again and Kara lets out a soft moan as their tongues are introduced in the kiss. A loud rumble startles Lena so much that she practically jumps out of Kara's arms.

Lena pants softly, trying to catch her breath as her brows furrow. What on Earth was that? Kara's cheeks are red again, but not because of their intense kissing, she's too red for it to be that.

"Was that your stomach?" Lena asks, amusement coloring her voice.

"... Yes?" Kara grins awkwardly. "We've been asleep for a while, and I haven't gotten the chance to eat for a while."

Lena takes Kara's hands in hers and gently presses a single kiss to her girlfriend's nose. It scrunches up with the force of the beaming smile Kara directs at her.

"You could have said something, love."

"I wanted to cuddle more with you." Kara pouts.

Lena shakes her head fondly at her girlfriend, a smile playing on her lips. "And that was lovely, but your stomach is important too. Please don't hesitate to speak up, okay?"

Kara nods seriously. "Okay."

"Good." Lena presses a swift kiss to Kara's cheek. "Now I'm going to go put on some clothes. Speaking of my clothes, look absolutely amazing in them." Lena kisses Kara deep enough to make her go cross-eyed. "I can't wait to get you out of them later."

Lena laughs as she heads to her closet when she hears Kara squeak.

Since Kara isn't wearing anything fancy or her Supersuit, Lena decides to just wear comfier things. She walks back out to Kara, who looks her up and down appreciatively. When she sees that Lena caught her looking, she blushes.

"Come on, darling. Let's go get food and then see Jess." Lena chuckles when Kara fist pumps. "I don't know what you're excited about, food or Jess."

"Maybe I'm just excited to spend time with you," Kara says. "I'm excited for food, but also to meet your friend."

"You know, I didn't see her as my friend until you pointed that out," Lena murmurs.

Kara smiles sadly, taking Lena's hand in hers. She holds the door to Lena's bedroom open for her, ignoring how the guards stare at their intwined hands. They walk down the highway and Kara loosens her hold on Lena's hand in case she's not okay with showing this affection. Lena tightens her grip on Kara's in response and Kara ducks her head, smiling at the ground.

Their first stop is the kitchen, and Kara gapes over the technology they have. Lena chuckles at her girlfriend's dropped jaw.

"Here at the Luthor Castle, we try the latest in technology to test how they work. The kitchen is the pride and joy of the head chef, Sam."

"Queen Lena!" A woman comes up to them with a warm smile. "It's good to see you again."

"Sam!" To Kara's surprise, Lena hugs her. So this is the head chef. "It's been too long! Kara, this is the amazing head chef I just told you about."

"Oh you exaggerate, Lena. I'm not as amazing as she says I am," Sam says to Kara.

"Mm, just you wait Sam. Kara is going to become your biggest fan as soon as she tastes your cooking."

"Oh you like to eat, Kara?" Sam asks.

"I love eating! And it works out really nicely since I'm Kryptonian and have a large appetite." Kara says with a smile and shrug.

Sam's eyes widen. "You're Kryptonian too?"

"You speak Kryptonese? How? Wait what do you mean too?"

"I am from Krypton. I was sent here as a baby. I learned the language from a crystal my parents sent with me."

"You speak Kryptonese better than my cousin, and he learned from a crystal as well," Kara chuckles and shakes her head. "I thought it was just Kal and I left from our world. Are there others?"

San hesitates for a moment. "There's my daughter, Ruby."

Kara's mouth drops open, her eyes wide. She switches back to English without thinking about it. "So we can..."

Sam chuckles softly. "Yeah. She's my little miracle. I, um. I actually had her before I knew. I only found out recently because my adoptive mother kept it from me. She, uh, she didn't exactly agree with me having Ruby at a young age. And while I wasn't married. So she kicked and didn't get the chance until my powers started emerging and I went to talk to her. It uh," she lets out a shaky breath. "It still feels like some weird fever dream."

"I know the feeling," Kara says softly. That's how she felt the first year or so after she first landed.

Sam smiles softly at her and then shakes her head. "Enough of that sad talk. I made a bunch of food, feel free to make a sizable dent in it all."

Chapter Text

After Kara eats enough to make even Sam impressed, they make plans to hang out more when Sam doesn't have to work. Sam is understandably hesitant to bring along Ruby, but Kara doesn't let that get to her. After all, she would be paranoid too if she just recently learned that she's an alien and that her daughter might have powers that develop someday.

After Kara and Lena say goodbye to Sam, Lena leads Kara around the castle to the throne room. It's not far from Lena's bedroom, nor is it far from the kitchen. Kara wonders if that was done on purpose. The guards open the doors to the throne room for them and they step inside.

"No, I don't care that you find it interesting." A woman sighs, clearly exasperated. "Gods! You guards are worse than stereotypical old maids. You gossip more than birds chirp in the morning! I know it's exciting that the Queen is back, but that doesn't mean you can all twiddle your thumbs and spend the day theorizing about how Princess Kara got her to stay in her room for so long. If this interferes with your work or makes either Princess Kara or Queen Lena uncomfortable, I will nail your disgusting tongues to the post in the city square. Do you understand me?"

"Yes ma'am," the guards chorus. They look properly chastised, their heads lowered with shame and fear in their eyes.

"Good. You're dismissed."

The guards turn around and head to the entrance Lena and Kara are standing in. They step to the side to let the guards pass and it's a struggle to keep Kara's face straight when she sees how pale they get when they realize who they are. They murmur apologies as they pass, their heads ducked low and avoiding both women's eyes. Lena keeps her face blank of any emotion and gives them all withering looks that make the guards walk faster away from them. After the door swings shut after the last guard, Kara and Lena meet each other's eyes and grin. They join hands and head towards the woman who's sitting on the throne. There's a throne next to the one she's in that's empty. Her hand covers her face like she's face palming. She slumps in the throne and groans.

"Rough day?" Lena asks.

The woman jolts, her back straightening as she scrambles into a more elegant sitting position. She relaxes when she sees it's Lena, her face breaking into a large smile.

"Lena! Oh, thank the Gods!"

The woman rushes down off the raised platform the thrones are on and Lena lets go of Kara's hand in order to embrace her. She holds her tightly before pulling back, that warm smile still on her face.

She looks to Kara and holds out her hand. "Oh! You must be Kara, Lena has written me about you! I'm Jess."

Kara smiles at her girlfriend's friend but ignores her hand, instead opening her arms for a hug. She moves closer slowly enough that Jess can react quick enough to pull away if she isn't comfortable with hugging. Jess's face goes through a range of emotions, from "what?" to "oh" to "oh okay" to "alright this is what we're doing now."

Kara hugs Jess and pulls back much quicker than Jess did with Lena. "It's nice to finally meet you, Jess! Lena has told me about how amazing you've been doing here in her absence!"

"Oh." Jess blushes and brushes some stray hair behind her ear. "Miss Luthor tends to exaggerate."

"Well, you're the second person to say that today and I'm starting to doubt the validity of that statement." Kara says, giving her a warm smile.

Jess smiles and shakes her head. "Well, it's nice to officially meet you, I've been following the CatCo stories on your adventures. You've had a busy 'vacation,' Miss Luthor."

"Mm. It was never meant to be a vacation in the first place. But I will admit that it did get crazier than I expected." Lena sighs. "I certainly didn't expect to find a girlfriend along the way. Or to kill my mother. Or to find out that I really am a Luthor."

"Damn. I forgot how much you've been through." Jess sighs. "And now you're back here. Which, Lena, you're absolutely brilliant. Not just in the genius way, though I know that's true too. How on earth do you deal with the idiots? I haven't even been here that long, I don't have all the duties you do, and I'm still going mad!"

Lena laughs softly. "You learn how to deal with them all eventually. But we aren't going to be staying for too long, Kara's sister is getting married soon."

"Oh that's wonderful! She's the Knight, right?"

"Yeah," Kara beams proudly. "They're an amazing couple and I'm so happy for them!" She bounces on her toes. "We're going to fly back in a few days for to check in."

"Fly? You mean ride... Oh right, you can literally fly." Jess murmurs, staring with wide eyes as Kara hovers for a moment.

"Show off," Lena teases.

"You love it," Kara immediately says back, smiling at her girlfriend.

Jess watches them with a soft smile on her face, happy that her friend found someone that seems so good for her. They hold hands again and Jess's curiosity bubbles over.

"So what's going to happen?" She asks curiously, earning confused looks. "I mean, Lena you're the Queen of the Luthor Kingdom and Kara, you're the Princess and next in line for the throne in the Danvers Kingdom. You guys seem like you're in it for the long haul, but someday that royalty in both of you will have to... come to pass. I don't know how to phrase that. You know, both being queens of different kingdoms. What do you plan to do?"

Lena and Kara's minds both screech to a halt and they exchange a wide eyed glance. They hadn't thought about this before.

Chapter Text

A couple days later, Lena and Kara are back in the Danvers Kingdom, helping Maggie and Alex. Maggie and Lena are off working on something, and Kara carefully avoids eye contact with Alex as they work. One look at her and Alex will know something's wrong. Alex can read her almost too well.

After an hour or so planning, Alex puts her hands on the table and sighs. She looks at her sister, whose eyes quickly go back to their notes on the wedding.

"Okay. What's wrong?" Alex asks.

"What?" Kara asks, her voice an octave too high. She adjusts her glasses. "Nothing."

"Mm hmm. Because that's so believable." Alex says sarcastically, then places her hand on Kara's shoulder. "Seriously though, Kara. What's up? Something's different between you and Lena, and not in a good way. What happened? Are you two okay?"

Kara's jaw trembles and she looks upward, releasing a shuddering breath. "I don't know. I just don't know, Alex. Jess, Lena's friend that ruled while she was here helping us, she said something that really shook us. And now..." Kara shrugs, looking down at the plans again.

"Hey," Alex says gently. "What did she say?"

"She, um. She reminded us that we're both royals. Which of course we already know, but she mentioned something we hadn't thought of. Lena's Queen and I'm next in line to be Queen, and we're royals for two different kingdoms. Usually when a relationship like ours happens a) it's forced or used for personal gain or b) one of the people is farther down the line to be the next head of the Kingdom. Alex, I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm going to be Queen eventually, and I have a duty to my people. Lena's already Queen, and she has a duty to hers. I don't know what's going to happen when our duties pull us away from each other. I can't just see her like once a week."

Tears are in Kara's eyes now and Alex pulls her little sister into a tight hug. Kara ducks her head against Alex's shoulder and sniffles.

"Hey, it's going to be okay." Alex murmurs.

Kara pulls back, pink around her eyes and a frown on her face. "Is it?"

Alex's heart snaps in two at the sight of her little sister so sad. "Yes. I promise. You and Lena are perfect for each other. And believe it or not, Maggie and I have talked about this."

"What? Lena and I? Why?"

"We love you both. And I mean we talked about what you're worried about. The whole royalty interfering with your relationship thing."

"You... what? How did you guys even think of it? We hadn't even noticed it until Jess pointed it out."

Alex shrugs. "I don't know. I guess we're just psychic. Anyway, we did come up with a possible solution if you want to hear it. It could be seen as a bit drastic, but Maggie and I both agree that it could work."

"Okay, what is it?" Kara asks.

"Well, you could join the Kingdoms. Y'know, make them one," Alex suggests. Kara's jaw drops. "Iris and Barry did it, made the West-Allen Kingdom."

"I know, but that's different. Barry was practically raised by the Wests after that dictator guy killed his parents and..." Kara huffs and adjusts her glasses. "Their kingdoms had good relationships to begin with. Ours don't. I don't know, Alex. I'm just not sure that would work with everything."

"At least talk to her about it, okay? You two deserve better than to be miserable and avoid talking to each other. And by the way, what is up with that? You and Lena are great at communication."

Kara shrugs, avoiding Alex's eyes again. She doesn't want to see any pity in them after she says this. "I don't want her to dump me."

"What?" Alex sounds baffled. "She isn't going to dump you!" Kara still doesn't meet her eyes and Alex realizes that Kara seriously thinks that if she and Lena talked about it, they would have broken up. "Kara, she's not going to dump you. I promise. That girl is crazy about you. It's kind of sickening, actually." Kara chuckles wetly and finally meets Alex's eyes. "Talk to her, Kara. I promise she wants to break up about as much as you do."

Kara frowns. "I don't want to at all!" Alex raises an eyebrow. "And that was your point." Kara lets out a breath, the crinkle on her forehead becoming more prominent than it was earlier. "Okay. I'll talk to her. But, uh." Kara gives Alex her best puppy dog eyes. "Come with me? Please?"

Alex sighs. She has a hard time resisting those puppy dog eyes anyway, let alone when they're rimmed with pink from Kara crying earlier.

"Fine."

Kara cheers and does a little happy dance. "Yes!"

Alex's lips twitch up into a small, amused smile. She holds up one finger, pausing Kara's celebrations. "On one condition. You two talk tonight in the throne room when Mom and Dad have gone to bed for the night. Maggie and I will come and stay on the other end of the room."

Kara pouts. "But Alex-"

"Do you want us as moral support or not?" Alex asks, raising an eyebrow.

Kara's pout deepens but Alex doesn't waver. Kara sighs. "Fine. Okay. But you have to tell Lena and Maggie that we're doing that tonight."

Alex nods. "Fair enough. But you have to promise, no funny business with Lena."

"Don't worry, this conversation is as serious as it gets. No funniness." Kara nods seriously.

Alex chuckles. "That's not what I meant."

"What did you mean?"

Alex heads towards the door to the room and pauses with her handle on the door, looking over her shoulder to meet Kara's eyes. "I mean that I don't want to see your guys' make up sex."

Alex cackles when she hears Kara's squeak. She shuts the door behind her, not having to look to know that Kara's face is bright red.

Chapter Text

Kara and Lena are nervous balls of energy during dinner, and frankly Alex thinks it's a miracle that their parents didn't call them out on it. It's a relief when dinner is over because that means they're going to bed and that the throne room will be open for their discussion.

They say goodnight and hug the girls before retiring to their room for the night. They wait for another couple minutes that Alex is certain feels like an eternity for Lena and Kara before heading to the throne room, which is thankfully empty.

Lena and Kara keep walking towards the thrones even as Maggie and Alex stay by the main doors.

"Do you think this will work?" Maggie asks softly, watching as they walk with stiff postures, looking away from each other until they have to look at each other in order to talk.

"It has to."

Maggie hums and leans against Alex's side, resting her head on her shoulder as they watch Lena and Kara's relationship try to get over the proverbial bump in the road. Lena and Kara move close, speaking softly as though speaking any louder would make this more real, the possibility of them ending. Even if that possibility is slim.

Maggie and Alex watch as they speak, Kara and Lena's bodies getting less tense as time goes on. If she didn't think it would jar them, Alex would start applauding when she sees them hug. She grins and pulls Maggie closer to her.

"So we're going to do this? You're okay with this?" Kara asks, searching Lena's eyes while keeping her close.

"Yes, I'm fine with it. Anything that keeps me with you, darling." Lena presses a soft kiss to Kara's cheek, causing her to flush a pretty pink. Lena smiles warmly at her girlfriend. "I would like to make sure my people are okay with the merge. I don't want to do this without their support."

Kara nods. "I feel the same way. Plus, this won't be a problem until I'm Queen, so we have time."

"Not a lot of time. I have a feeling that your mother is just waiting for us to get engaged to announce that she will be stepping down." Lena chuckles softly.

"En-engaged?"

"Mm," Lena hums. She meets Kara's eyes, her own warm and loving. "I love you, Kara Danvers. I would like to marry you someday."

"Is, uh, is that a proposal?" Kara asks, her eyes wide but happiness dances in them.

"Not yet, darling. Once we get more settled. I promise that when I propose, you'll know."

"When, huh? You seem pretty confident." Kara says with a grin.

"I am. I'm the Queen of the Luthor Kingdom, I'm quite the catch." Lena winks at Kara, who beams and laughs.

"I can't disagree with you there." Kara pecks Lena's lips. Her eyes flicker between Lena's eyes. "So we're good?"

"We're amazing."

"I know that." Kara's face grows serious. "But we are okay, right? The past couple days have been rough for us."

"We're okay, love." Lena says seriously, her hand reaching up to gently cup Kara's face. She smiles, a tinge of sadness in it. "We've just had a little bit of a rough patch. But we got through it, just like we'll get through any other rough patches in the future. I love you."

Kara presses a kiss to Lena's palm. "I love you too."

"Have you guys figured it out? I can practically feel the seduction eyes from here," Maggie calls from across the room.

She breaks the intense moment and Kara and Lena chuckle. Lena drops her hand and reaches out to take Kara's hand in hers.

"We're good," Lena says loud enough for it to carry over to where Alex and Maggie are.

The pairs begin walking towards each other and Lena chuckles when Kara pulls her along faster.

"Group hug!" Kara declares, wrapping her arms around her sister and Maggie.

She lifts up one arm to let Lena join the group hug. They all comply, relaxing into the hug.

"Thank you both," Lena says as they all pull back. "Kara told me this was your idea. I can't thank you enough. I'm not sure we could have fixed this out without your suggestion."

"You would have figured something out," Maggie says.

"You two helped a lot. Accept it," Kara says half-jokingly.

"Alright. You're welcome. Now go to bed, there aren't too many days left before our wedding." Alex pokes Kara's stomach, making her giggle.

"Fine. Do you think Eliza is going to make you guys get married in the throne room?" Kara asks.

"Ugh. I hope not. I told her I would be fine getting married in front of just family and friends in the DEO, but she didn't find that funny," Alex sighs. "But this isn't something I'm giving up on. We're not getting married in the throne room. We've already agreed to the backyard since it's large and 'picturesque' according to Mom."

"She's more worried about this wedding than we are," Maggie jokes as they begin their walk back to their rooms together.

Alex sighs. "I know! I just want to say 'I do' and be yours forever, I don't like all this planning."

"You love planning," Kara reminds her.

"When it's a fight or something, not a giant wedding that Mom wants to plan down to how many millimeters tall the grass is. And I'm not even kidding, she asked me about that the other day." Alex sighs.

"It'll just make our wedding all that more special." Maggie squeezes Alex's hands. "All the trouble we've had to go through will be worth it once it actually begins."

Alex smiles softly. "Yeah. I can't wait."

"Just a couple more days, babe. And then we'll be on our honeymoon." Maggie says, grinning when Alex's eyes light up.

"Heck yeah! I can't wait to spend all that time alone with you."

Kara puts her hands over her ears. "Lalalalala, I don't want to hear or think about what you're looking forward to on your honeymoon, so goodnight!"

With that, she takes an amused Lena into her arms and superspeeds to her room.

Chapter Text

The day before the wedding is hectic and draining, so no one stops Maggie and Alex when they retire to their room for the night before dinner. They have a guard being it to them and eat it in bed.

Alex half-heartedly complains about crumbs falling on the bed but gives a resigned sigh, cuddling up to Maggie's side as they eat. Alex takes their plates when they're done and sets them on her table.

She goes to the side of the bed and holds out her hand for Maggie to take, who is still lying down. Maggie places her hand on top of Alex's and Alex helps her up and out of bed. Now that she's out of bed, she is very close to Alex. She presses a gentle kiss to Alex's lips.

"Pajamas?" Maggie murmurs.

"Yeah." Alex rifles around in the dresser they're now sharing as Maggie enjoys the view. "Stop staring at my ass and pick some pajamas, babe."

Maggie kisses Alex's shoulder, pressing her body against Alex's as she reaches into the open drawer to pull out the pajamas she wants for the night. Alex's breath hitches at the contact and she freezes. Maggie chuckles and kisses her cheek before stepping back and taking off her clothes.

Alex huffs and ignores the heat in her cheeks. She picks up her pajamas and turns around. She definitely doesn't squeak when she sees her fiancée pulling off her shirt.

Maggie turns her head to look over her now-bare shoulders, smirking. "Now who's staring?"

"Like you don't stare when I take off my shirt." Alex retorts, her cheeks still pink.

Maggie chuckles again as she begins to take off her pants. Alex clears her throat and forces herself not to stare and drool. She pulls her shirt over her head and drops it on the bed to put in their laundry bin after they get dressed. She doesn't hear the rustle of fabric and looks over to see Maggie staring with dark eyes.

Alex raises an amused eyebrow, and Maggie grins. She only uses one word in her defense. "Abs."

Alex laughs and Maggie joins in. They take off the rest of their clothes and make a pile on the bed of what needs to be washed. They put on their pajamas. While Maggie slips into bed, Alex puts their clothes either back in the dresser or puts them in their laundry basket. Alex rejoins her fiancée and gets into bed.

Maggie lies on her back and Alex curls up next to her. Their legs get tangled under the sheets as Alex cuddles up closer. She drapes an arm over Maggie's abdomen and rests her head on Maggie's chest. Alex can feel it rise with each breath she takes and can feel Maggie's chest trembles with the force of each heartbeat.

Maggie begins running her fingers through her fiancée's hair. She chuckles, her chest vibrating with the sound, as Alex practically melts against.

"You're like a cat, babe." Maggie teases, scratching lightly at Alex's scalp. Alex hums and completely relaxes against her, her eyes closed. "An Allie cat. Ha!"

"Dork," Alex mumbles dreamily.

"Mm. But I'm your dork."

Alex grins at that and tightens her grip on Maggie slightly. Maggie presses a soft kiss to Alex's forehead.

There's a hesitant knock at the door and Alex groans quietly. She pretends it was just a weird sound Maggie's heart made. They can't ignore it when the knock comes again.

"Come in," Alex calls.

Maggie continues running her fingers through Alex's hair as the door creaks open. Winn pops his head in.

"Winn? What happened?" Alex sighs.

"Nothing! It's just, um. It's the night before your wedding."