587. Chapter 587

She hears Alex’s voice.

She hears Winn’s.

She hears J’onn’s.

She hears James’s.

Hell, she even hears Maggie’s.

It’s like the explosion set off something inside her.

Both destroyed her body and sharpened her senses.

So she could feel herself dying in even more detail, part of her thought.

And part of her, maybe a little bit, relished the idea.

And it would be fitting, wouldn’t it?

Alex almost died.

In water.

In water just like this.

And that – just like this – was Kara’s fault.

All of this was Kara’s fault.

Not Supergirl.

Kara.

Because all the parts of Supergirl that Maggie had yelled at the night Alex was… taken… those parts were all, solidly, Kara Danvers.

So part of her heard their voices.

Heard the way their lips pronounced her name with nothing but love.

Despite how she’s been treating them.

Another thing that’s her fault.

Another reason for her to just rest.

Finally, to rest.

To rest, in this water.

The burning in her lungs is starting to feel comforting, truth be told.

It would be nice.

To rest.

They’d all be happier, probably.

Because lately, she’s been doing nothing but making any of them miserable.

Alex has Maggie, now.

She doesn’t need Kara. Not anymore.

And National City has Guardian, and hell, National City has Lena.

The city doesn’t need Supergirl. Not anymore.

And doesn’t she deserve to just… rest?

After all this?

After the invasion, bursting open every wound she’d ever had? After the invasion, forcing her to lose her home – because they might have been Daxamites, but they were also, strangely, home – over, and over, and over, again, and again, and again?

Doesn’t she deserve to rest?

They don’t need her, anyway.

Alex doesn’t need her, anyway.

But then there’s her voice, again.

Alex’s.

And Alex’s voice weaves a different story than the one Kara’s semi-conscious brain is telling her.

Alex’s voice – Kara, Kara, Kara. Wake up, wake up, wake up – is telling her that none of this has been her fault. That she doesn’t need Supergirl. That she needs Kara Danvers.

That she’s always needed Kara Danvers. That she always will need Kara Danvers.

That Kara does deserve to rest, but in Alex’s arms. At Game Night, at Sisters’ Night. At the bar. Surrounded by people who love her. Surrounded by Alex’s kisses to her shoulders and Winn’s adorable stammering and James’s kind laughter and Maggie’s gentle teasing and J’onn’s quiet adoration and Lena’s… everything.

“Wake up,” she hears Alex’s voice, and it’s a plea, not a command. It’s an expression of faith, of love, not a demand, an order.

“Wake up,” she hears Alex’s voice, and it’s gentle and it’s passionate and it’s laced with need, and it’s infused with belief.

Belief that Kara can wake up.

Belief that Kara is strong enough to do this. To do… all of this.

Strong enough to live.

Strong enough to let herself be cared for.

To let herself be loved.

Truly, deeply, loved.

“Wake up,” she hears Alex’s voice, and she does.

She does, because Alex’s will always be the voice that brings her back to herself.

Alex’s will always be the voice that brings her home.