231. Chapter 231

Alex and Kara exchange raised eyebrows the first time it happens.

It’s at the bar – of course it’s at the bar – and James and Maggie have teamed up against the Danvers girls (Winn has been banned from playing), and James is leaning over Maggie and repositioning her fingers and giving her soft encouragement, and if anyone else were that close to her woman, Alex would be threatening them with her index finger, but it’s James and he’s gentle and Maggie is laughing and Maggie is relaxed and Maggie is happy, and then suddenly she’s sinking the 3 ball into the corner pocket and she’s letting out a victorious yell and tossing up her arms to hug James, and he just scoops her up by the middle of her back and spins her around at his full height, and she grabs onto him and laughs and laughs and squeals and Alex smiles because she loves them so much and because she knows exactly how she’s going to hug Maggie next time she’s that excited.

It becomes a thing, James picking Maggie up.

And Maggie would normally be distinctly anti-loss-of-control, but it feels safe with James, just like it feels safe with Alex.

Because James is the big brother she always wanted and never had, and Alex is the woman she’s desperate to spend the rest of her life with.

But James is even taller than Alex – and they’re note remotely attracted to each other – so when he lifts her, it’s makes her squeal and giggle in a way that’s somehow different than when Alex does it.

And James goes all out with it.

He doesn’t just pick Maggie up when he wants to hug her and spin her around, like when she sank that 3 ball or when she tossed a dart right in the center of the target or when she finished the 10k they were racing together.

He does it when they’re calm and he just wants to talk.

When they’re at the DEO and Alex is out on a mission and Maggie is starting to panic because shouldn’t she have reported in by now, James scoops her up and plops her on the edge of Vasquez’s work station – much to Susan’s bemusement – and looks her square in the eyes (he still has to bend down, but not nearly as much).

“Alex is going to be just fine, Maggie. I promise you.”

“You can’t promise that.”

“Oh yes he can – I’m right here, babe.”

He has to grab at her waist and swing her off the table so she doesn’t tumble over and sprain an ankle in her haste to get to Alex, and he smiles broadly as he watches her rush into Alex’s arms.

He does it when they’re at Kara’s for game night and they get into involved chats about DEO and NCPD policy. He sets her on the counter and they’re so involved in each other’s perspectives, in I know right and yes exactly and that’s what I’m saying that they don’t notice Winn, Alex, and Kara snapping pictures, because none of them have ever seen anything quite so adorable.

And he does it when she comes to his apartment late one night, wringing her hands and smoothing down her already skin tight jeans. He lifts her up and sets her on his counter and asks what’s on her mind.

“I wanna marry her, James. I need to marry her. She’s everything, she’s just… Help me plan the perfect proposal?”

And when he smiles his megawatt smile and leans down to wrap her in a massive bear hug, he doesn’t have to go far.

“Welcome to the family, sis. Welcome to the family.”