596. Chapter 596

She said Alex would be at the bar every night, but that’s not exactly what she meant.

Because if she lost Maggie, she wouldn’t be at the bar.

She’d be nowhere – absolutely nowhere – aside from work and home.

Just like Kara has thrown herself into being Supergirl, Alex would throw herself into the bottom of endless bottles of bourbon.

But it wouldn’t be at the bar.

The bar would be too public.

The bar would be too… Maggie.

The bar would be too much of an admission that she would be broken.

No.

Kara didn’t mean Alex would be at the bar every night.

She meant that Alex’s apartment would become a bar every night.

She was saying a lot of cold things, Kara was – but she still wouldn’t voice it.

She still needed a euphemism.

Because if she called it what it was – Alex’s drinking problem, just this side of abuse, just that side of addiction – she would be admitting it.

Admitting that it was there all along, and that she had missed it.

That she had let Alex drink alone for far too long; that Maggie had seen it, had done something about it, when Alex’s own sister hadn’t.

And she couldn’t deal with yet another thing to feel guilty for.

To hate herself for.

So when she brings Alex donuts the next morning – a peace offering, an apologetic gesture, a thank you and an I love you – she doesn’t bring it up.

But she can tell Alex has been thinking about it.

Because she has.

“She said I would be at the bar every night, if it… if I lost you.”

There’s a long silence, Maggie still, frozen, stiff, in her arms.

“I wish I could guarantee that you won’t, Alex. Lose me. Because our jobs, this world…” Maggie shifts so she’s looking up into Alex’s eyes, and she kisses her lips slow and steady and comforting.

She flits her tongue across Alex’s bottom lip and sighs. “But you wouldn’t spiral down into that kind of drinking, Alex. That, I do know. Because you’re a badass, Danvers. You’d hold on. You’d hold on, and you’d be alright. You have so many people who love you. Who’d be there for you.”

But Alex is shaking her head and her hands are trembling, so Maggie stops and presses kisses all over her face.

“But I’m not going anywhere, Danvers. We’re not going anywhere. Not today, not for a long time. Okay? We’ve got a lifetime of firsts together, right?” She reaches for Alex’s left hand, and she brings her knuckles to her lips, kissing each finger, paying special attention to Alex’s ring finger.

Alex blushes.

Maggie wants to marry her right then and there.

“I love you, okay? I love you.”

“You too,” Alex whispers. “Forever.”

Maggie’s smile lights up her entire sky, and before either of them know it, they’ve fallen asleep, and they’ve woken – for the first time in far too long – to the sight of Kara puttering around in their kitchen, looking for plates for their donuts.

“I got enough for all three of us,” Kara tells them as they blink their eyes open and slowly disentangle their bodies.

“So does that mean you bought out the entire donut shop?” Maggie asks, her voice groggy with sleep, and Kara actually… smiles.

Alex’s heart leaps.

“Maybe,” Kara even grins, and Alex pats the bed next to her.

“I demand sister cuddles,” she rasps sleepily, and Maggie and Kara exchange a glance, because they both know exactly where Kara got her pout from.

“Are you… dressed?” Kara asks with squinted eyes, like she doesn’t want to know the answer.

“I didn’t strip her naked last night, no; you know how your sister loves her nerd pajamas,” Maggie grins. “Bring the donuts!”

Kara blushes and shakes her head and grabs three boxes of donuts on her way to her sister’s massive bed.

“I missed this,” Kara admits as Maggie kisses powdered sugar off of Alex’s bottom lip and Alex tries to sneak the last of the glazed from under Kara’s nose.

Alex collapses forward into a sugary hug with her sister.

“It’s been than being alone,” she murmurs into Alex’s shoulder, and Alex nods as she kisses Kara’s hard and forehead.

“Or drinking alone,” Alex agrees, currents of unspoken apologies and promises passing between them.

“I love you, Alex,” Kara half-sobs, and Alex smiles, because she knows.

Maggie tries to get to the last of the chocolate frosted donuts as the sisters hug, but both of their hands reach out for hers at the same time.

“Don’t even think about it, Sawyer,” Alex grins, still buried in Kara’s arms.

“Superhuman strength, remember?” Kara teases – the first time either of them have heard her joke in far too long.

“I love you two,” Maggie mutters begrudgingly, and the words make Alex’s heart leap and Kara’s heart melt.

Chosen family, forgiveness, and donut-based catharsis, all before sunrise?

Somehow, all three of them are certain of something they hadn’t been certain of even hours before; that they’ll all be alright.

Because they’ll all be together.

Forever.