229. Chapter 229

“You know what, you need to – “

She pauses because she wants to say something stronger, something more threatening, but her dad, her daddy, she’s his little girl, so what comes out is, “back up.”

Kara takes Mon El’s arm and leads him away, because Kara knows her sister better than anyone, and she might be in shock, she might be restraining herself, but Rao that won’t last for long.

And sure enough, Alex is going to follow, but Maggie is there, and Maggie is touching her arms, her hands, and she’s staring up into her eyes.

“Alex, hey, hey, it’s okay – “

“It’s not okay, Maggie, did you hear what he – “

Maggie stands her ground even as Alex tries to work her way around her body, but without any real effort, because she won’t hurt Maggie, and they both know it.

“Yes, babe, I heard him, I did, and he’s an ass, and we know that, and he’s out of line, and we know that, but babe, there’s gonna be far too much paperwork for poor J’onn to fill out if you murder the bastard in Supergirl’s kitchen.”

Alex stares down at her for a moment with shocked eyes and slightly open lips, and then she’s tossing her hair, and she’s chuckling humorlessly.

“You know I’d kill anyone else for making light of this.”

“Well, good thing you know I’m not making light of it, then,” Maggie says calmly, says firmly, says with cool eyes and a soft grip on her hands. “Alex, he’s an ass. He’s an ass who’s screwing your sister, whom he’s uncomfortably convinced that she has feelings for him because he gaslit and wore her the hell down, and now, on top of all the other reasons to kill him, he’s questioning the integrity of the man who Cadmus has spent years keeping from you. I know. I do. And I can easily order a hit out on him. But not tonight, Ally, not now, not like this. This is about your dad. Okay?”

Alex takes a long, deep breath and stares over Maggie’s shoulder to where Jeremiah is telling Mon-El to leave. She sighs and she puts her forehead on Maggie’s gently.

“Thank you, Mags. I…”

Maggie just shakes her head. “Hey, you stopped me from beating down on that racist homophobe last week while I was on duty, that was deeply helpful for my ability to, you know, keep my job. Irony, but, hey.” She offers Alex a small grin, and Alex returns it faintly, but fondly.

“Let me go check on Kara.” Maggie nods and Alex kisses her lips slowly, softly, deeply.

Maggie’s breath hitches and her lips part in surprise as Alex’s tongue flits into her mouth, just traipsing over her bottom lip.

“You’re perfect,” she whispers as she pulls away with still-closed eyes, and Maggie stays standing motionless for a long moment as Alex squeezes her hands slightly and steps around her to find Kara.

“You have quite the effect on my daughter, dear.” Eliza’s voice shakes Maggie out of her Alex-induced trance, and she reddens and immediately reminds herself to unclench her fists, because no one is going to beat her, no one is going to call her filthy, no one is going to tell her to go back where she came from.

Because this is not Blue Springs, and even if it were, Alex would never allow it. Hell, she wouldn’t allow it, not anymore.

She makes herself focus on Eliza’s soft, if sad, eyes.

“Well, like I told your husband, ma’am, Alex deserves the best, and I… I’m not that, but I try ever day to be for her.”

Eliza stares at Maggie for a long moment, silently, and Maggie keeps her gaze as long as she can handle it.

“She’s never been in love before, you know. My Alexandra. Make sure you never stop trying to be the best for her, alright?”

Maggie and Eliza both turn their eyes toward Alex, who’s got her arms wrapped around an apologetic-looking Kara.

“Never, Dr. Danvers. Never.”