591. Chapter 591

They can’t comfort Kara when she doesn’t want to be comforted.

But Alex, Maggie, and Winn will be damned if they don’t comfort James when he needs it.

He tries to pretend he doesn’t, at first.

That her digs about Guardian and her quitting and her stalking away from him and the coldness in her eyes hasn’t torn his heart into pieces, that his utter inability to help her believe in herself again isn’t breaking his will to do… well, much of anything.

But Winn tracks him to the bar, and he texts Alex and Maggie to join, because James needs his friends.

No.

James needs his family.

“I’m fine, Winn,” he says by way of greeting him, but his voice is hard and his eyes are harder. Winn doesn’t flinch, but James does.

“I’m sorry,” he corrects immediately, and Winn pulls up the bar stool next to him.

“You know, I didn’t exactly have a lot of positive models of… of masculinity, growing up. Of how to function in this world, as a man. There was my dad, blowing people up and swearing I’m just like him, and then there were foster fathers that…”

Winn orders a beer and James lifts his head to study his best friend. His brother.

“But then I met you. And I wanted to hate you. I tried to, I did. Because of Kara, because… well, that whole thing. But James, you… you’re my brother, man. And what you did, just now? Snapping at me, and immediately apologizing? You’re… you’re my brother, James, but you’re also like… my role model.”

James sees Alex and Maggie stepping into the bar behind Winn, and he smiles softly down at the counter.

“Thanks, man,” he whispers, his hand clapping softly onto Winn’s thigh. “I… you too. I admire you, too. And uh…” He raises his voice so the girls can hear him, but not so loud as to make Winn nervous. “I see you called in the cavalry.”

Alex and Maggie approach, hand in hand, now that James has indicated that it’s alright; now that James has indicated that he, unlike Kara, is open to being… well, loved.

“I just wish she would let us in. She quit, you know, Alex.” Maggie covers Alex’s hand with her own, and James shakes his head. “Snapper’s on sabbatical and she didn’t submit anything official. So it’ll be okay. She can come back, whenever she’s ready, but I just… I’m scared. I’m scared she’ll spiral and not… come back.”

“I’ll talk to her,” Alex assures him. “I don’t know if it’ll do any good, but I’ll… it’s about time, you know? I’ll talk to her. Right now. But before I go, I… James, thank you.”

“For what? For pushing your sister too far and making her walk away from the last thing that was keeping her Kara Danvers?”

Winn shakes his head and puts his hand on James’s shoulder, and Maggie leans across Winn to put her hand on his thigh.

“No,” Alex says, and her voice is firm. Her voice is broken, and her voice is love. “You didn’t do this, James. A lot of people contributed to… this. To Kara going through what she’s going through right now. You’re not one of them, you hear me? And I was thanking you because… because you were brave when I… when I was too scared. You tried to help in a way that I’ve been scared to, and I… thank you. For loving her so well. Even when she’s… pushing us all away. I’m her sister. She’s stuck with me forever, but you… you don’t have to. But you do anyway. So, thank you.”

She stands and crosses behind Maggie and Winn to lean down and hug James. He hugs back, but shakes his head.

“You’re wrong, Alex. I do have to. That’s what family does, right? Stays?”

She smiles grimly and nods at him. “Yeah. I’m gonna go talk to her. You gonna be okay with these two?”

“We’ll take excellent care of him.”

“I’ll drink him under the table again.”

“That was one time, Sawyer.”

“One very beautiful time, Olsen.”

“Do you two need a room?”

“Shut it, Schott.”

“No one asked you, Winn.”

Alex shakes her head as she leans down to kiss Maggie with needy, slightly parted lips.

“I see I’m leaving you in very capable hands,” she teases James, and he chuckles as she leaves.

“She loves you, James. This isn’t forever. You know that, right?”

James sighs as Maggie holds his eyes with hers.

“What if it is?”

“It’s not,” Winn interjects firmly. “It’s not.”

“Thank you two,” James holds up his bottle of beer, and Maggie and Winn clink theirs against his.

“Always, brother.”

“That’s what family’s for, Olsen. Also for kicking your ass at pool.”

“In your dreams, Sawyer.”

“In reality, Olsen.”

“Ooh, who’s team do I get to be on?”

“No one’s.”

“That wouldn’t be safe, Winn.”

“Yeah, no one’s trying to go to the hospital tonight, Schott.”

“It’s just geometry for – “

“Nope.”

“You guys are no fun.”

“You love us.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.”