605. Chapter 605

She’s not scared when she sees everyone on the ground, in evident agony.

She’s not scared, because she’s done this before.

She’s not scared – okay, maybe she’s terrified – but she has it under control.

Her order for her team to check that the others are okay is crisp, as is her outward control.

But she is scared when she checks the vault.

Terrified.

Her voice even cracks.

Because she and Kara may not always get along, and she would never tell Kara this – well, maybe not never – but she’s come to think of Kid Danvers as… well, as something other than her fiancee’s little sister.

Maybe a little something like hers, too.

And she’s seen Kara scared. She’s seen Kara enraged. She’s seen Kara utterly helpless, desperate to save her sister.

But she’s never seen Kara… unhinged.

Alex has told her about Kara’s panic attacks when they were kids, when Alex has her own, when Maggie has her own.

But this doesn’t look like… a typical panic attack.

This looks… whatever… whoever can do this to Kara… this is beyond terrifying.

She orders an evacuation.

Because Supergirl doesn’t need assistance right now.

Kara Danvers does.

She sprints.

“Kara.”

She hesitates before putting her hands on her, because Kara’s half slumped on the ground, but she might be averse to touch, and Maggie has enough trouble navigating Kara’s boundaries in typical situations, but this…

She hesitates, but she grabs her when Kara is about to completely collapse.

She tells her she’s got her and she tells her she’s okay.

Kara’s eyes, Kara’s body, don’t respond.

Maggie’s own panic starts rising.

She raises Alex and Winn on the comms.

“Alex, you need to come get her.”

“What is it?”

“Is she alright?”

Maggie gulps, and she stares, and she holds her future sister-in-law in her hands, and she wishes it were her, instead.

Because, complicated as their relationship is, Alex isn’t the only Danvers girl Maggie would die for.

“She’ll be alright, but she can’t fly us outta here. I’ll keep her okay until you get here, okay? Just be safe coming, you hear me?”

If Alex responds beyond ordering an evac team to assemble, Maggie doesn’t hear it.

Winn, instead, chirps softly into Maggie’s ear.

“She likes when you hold her hand,” he tells her, and Maggie promises herself she’ll give him the biggest hug – and the biggest bar of chocolate she can find – when she gets them both home safe.

“Kara, I’m gonna hold your hand, okay? It’s Maggie, Kara. You’re in National City. Everyone’s okay. You’re okay. Everyone loves you, Kara. You’re gonna get through this, okay? You’re not alone, Kara. I got you.”

And maybe it’s the way she keeps repeating Kara’s name.

Maybe it’s the way she’s holding her hand, smoothing her hair out of her face.

Maybe it’s the way she presses a soft kiss to Kara’s forehead.

Maybe it’s the way she doesn’t flinch or complain at the strength of Kara’s hold when Kara melds her body into Maggie’s, pressing her ear to Maggie’s chest, needing to feel someone’s heartbeat thrum in her ears that isn’t her own.

Needing to feel someone else’s heartbeat, because back then? In that pod?

Her heartbeat was the only one she thought she’d ever hear again.

Or maybe it’s the way Maggie uses Alex’s phrase.

I got you.

Maybe it’s everything. Maybe it’s gravity and maybe it’s trust and maybe it’s forgiveness.

Whatever it is, Kara opens her eyes and her chest loosens somewhat and she returns to Earth.

To a planet that is populated.

A planet that isn’t full of dying screams.

A planet that’s alive.

A planet that isn’t rubble and the shredded memories of an abandoned child.

“That’s right,” Maggie’s voice smiles softly at her. “Hey, Little Danvers,” she tilts her head so Kara can see her eyes. So Kara can have someone’s eyes – something warm – to focus on.

To take her out of her nightmares.

Out of her memories.

Out of her panic.

“Maggie,” Kara rasps, and it sounds like she hasn’t spoken since she got into that pod all those decades ago.

And, for a long moment, it feels like she hasn’t.

“That’s right, kid. I’m right here. I’ve got you, and I’m not going anywhere. And Alex is on her way, okay?”

“Alex,” Kara croaks, keeping her ear pressed to Maggie’s chest. Maggie hesitates before pressing a kiss to the crown of Kara’s head.

“Yeah, that’s right. Alex. Alex is on her way, Kara. We’ve got you. We’ve all got you.”

“Those people,” Kara starts to struggle to sit up, but Maggie shushes her softly, holding her still.

Part of Kara wants to resist. Most of Kara is relieved. Grateful. Exhausted.

“They’re okay, Kara. They’re okay. And so are you.”

“Kara?” Alex’s shout makes them both jump slightly, but Kara stays limp in Maggie’s arms.

“In the vault, Alex!” Maggie calls, lifting her face so she’s not yelling right in Kara’s ear.

“Kara,” Alex repeats, softer now that she’s entered the vault, and Maggie turns her head to see Alex’s gun clatter to the ground, to see Alex’s heart shatter on the floor.

“Hey, it’s me,” she tells her little sister, but she doesn’t extract Kara from Maggie’s arms. She just settles into her other side, holding her, protecting her from all sides. “I got you. I got you.”

And for that moment, being surrounded – being enclosed – isn’t the end of the world.

For that moment, being surrounded – being enclosed – is the beginning of it.