526. Chapter 526

Kara blew out her powers – of course she blew out her powers – and the Superfriends are taking shifts watching over her.

Watching her sleep in her little yellow sun generator, watching her body heal from the strain of stopping an entire interstellar vessel.

Maggie is surprised when they let her stand in the doorway, alone, after forcing Alex to eat something, to sleep on one of the cots in the next room.

Does this mean she’s part of the squad now? Now that they let her have solo Kara duty?

J’onn covers her shoulder with his hand as he passes the med bay.

“Mr. Olsen tells me you protected a lot of National City’s alien population during the attacks. Thank you, Detective. And… thank you for watching over Kara.”

Maggie doesn’t know what to say, and J’onn doesn’t seem to find it odd.

But she keenly feels the loss of his hand on her shoulder as he walks away.

She doesn’t know how long she stands there, leaning in the doorway, watching her girlfriend’s little sister rest.

Her girlfriend’s little sister that she’s loved before she met, that she’s resented before she met.

Because Maggie got Alex to be herself. She did that.

And Kara… it’s not her fault. That Alex’s parents put so much pressure on her to care for her. To put Kara first, always. Above herself, always. It’s not Kara’s fault. Not really. But that’s been easy to forget. Especially with the over-polite coolness Kara’s treated Maggie with.

It’s been easy to forget that Alex’s inability to prioritize herself is not Kara’s fault.

Until now.

Because Maggie knows Kara’s saved her sister’s life dozens of times at least.

But she’s never been there for it.

She’s never been able to… thank her for it.

So when Kara stirs and immediately sits up and immediately hyperventilates, Maggie jogs out of the doorway and leans down next to her biobed.

“You’re okay, Kara, Alex is okay, all the aliens are okay, everyone’s safe. You did it, you saved everyone. Alex is alright – “

“Where is she?” Kara tries to get up, but Maggie’s gentle grip on her shoulders is surprisingly strong in its insistence.

“She’s sleeping right next door, I made her eat and then I made her nap, but I promise you, she’s fine. I promise.”

Kara stops struggling and stares up at Maggie curiously as she lays back down. Maggie smooths some stray blonde hair away from her face absently, and Kara wonders how many times she’s done that to her sister.

“You got her to eat and sleep?”

Maggie nods, and Kara closes her eyes wearily.

“She listens to you.”

Maggie chuckles. “Alex Danvers listens to no one.”

Kara cracks open her eyes again and smiles. “She’s really okay?”

“I wouldn’t be if she wasn’t. Speaking of which, um… Kara, I… thank you. For saving everyone. For saving… for saving Alex. I know she’s your sister, and I know she’s your everything, but I…”

Maggie bites her lip and she forces herself on, forces herself forward, because Supergirl might get thanked enough, but Kara Danvers doesn’t. And Maggie knows the effect that has on one of her Danvers girls; she doesn’t want the same disintegration happening to the other.

“She’s my everything, too, Kara. I don’t know what I would…” Her voice starts to crack and she pauses to control it. To control herself. She takes a deep breath. She forces herself to look down into Kara’s eyes. “Thank you. I can’t imagine my life without her, and I… thank you, Kara. Thank you.”

Alex bursts into the room before Kara has a chance to respond, before she has a chance to take Maggie’s hand and tell her that she really does love her sister, doesn’t she?

Alex bursts into the room and sobs and wraps Kara up in her arms and sobs into her chest long and hard and grateful.

Maggie’s hand meets Kara’s on the small of Alex’s back, and their eyes meet above Alex’s head.

“Always,” Kara mouths at her, the woman who means more to both of them than their own lives comforted and safe, safe, safe, between them.