Chapter 37

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.

Oooo... What will happen next? Will they tell Maggie and Alex they're dating yet? How will they react? We'll see... ;) Did anyone notice the kind-of Kirby reference I made last chapter? (Meta knight, I saw the opportunity and took it).Thank you all for reading and for your amazing comments! Stay awesome!