Disclaimer: I don't own Supergirl or the characters. This is written purely for fun.
A/N: This is set a week or so after Kara gets out of the suit.
Alex entered her apartment in the early hours, exhausted and frustrated. Having spent the day in D.C. pleading for funding and begging forgiveness for crimes she wasn't responsible for, her flight was then delayed by several hours. All she wanted was to collapse on her bed and get several hours of uninterrupted sleep. What she wasn't expecting was to see Kara splayed out in her bed.
Taking out her phone she checked to make sure she hadn't missed something before kicking off her shoes and heading to her bed. As she got there though she realised Kara wasn't only lying on her bed she was lying diagonally and so took up the entire bed, whilst she hugged one of Alex's pillows.
Alex stared at her for a moment wondering why she was there and if she should wake her. On the one hand she knew Kara hadn't been sleeping well, although she hadn't admitted it, so she was tempted to let her sleep. But on the other hand, Kara knew that Alex would return to her apartment so maybe she was seeking out support and comfort.
Finally she decided support and comfort could wait until morning, later morning. So quietly she grabbed a blanket and an old T-shirt before heading back to the couch. But as she was making herself comfortable she heard whimpering coming from the bedroom. Jumping up she ran over to Kara who was lost in a nightmare, the whimpering turning to sharp breaths and a look of torment was on her face.
As Kara's scared mumblings turned to cries for help Alex gently tried to shake her awake.
As Kara woke up her hands immediately started to touch various parts of her body, like she doubted its existence or her ability to touch it. But as her hands made contact with solid flesh she started to calm. It was then that she noticed Alex sitting looking at her concerned.
Desperate for physical contact Kara engulfed Alex in a hug and squeezed so tightly that Alex had to say.
"A little gentler."
"Sorry." Kara said releasing the pressure but not her hold on her sister.
"It's okay." Alex soothed, able to breath again. "You're safe. I'm right here."
Kara said nothing in reply, instead she just clung to Alex who silently held her until she was ready to talk.
Finally Kara looked up at Alex, but did not let go, and mumbled an apology.
"It's okay." Alex assured her. "I'm kinda a curious about why you're here." She said hoping the statement might encourage Kara to talk.
"Your bed is bigger." Kara said as she kept holding Alex.
"It is." Alex agreed not understanding the significance. It was then that Kara looked at Alex and saw how tired she looked. Then, like a switch had been flicked, she let go of Alex and jumped off the bed.
"I should go."
"No." Alex said.
"You need to sleep." Kara said feeling guilty.
"Well I'm not going to be able to do that when I'm worrying about you." Alex pointed out.
"I'm fine."
"You were in my apartment, in my bed. You came here for a reason." Alex pressed. "Come on. Talk to me." She said as she patted the bed.
"Your bed is bigger." Kara repeated as she sat down again. Seeing Alex's look of confusion Kara added. "Ever since I was trapped in the suit I have been having nightmares and flashbacks to my time in the pod and my time in the suit. I felt so confined, so isolated, so disconnected. I came here because your bed is huge and I thought I might feel freer. And I thought you could hug me and I'd feel connected again."
"Why didn't you tell me any of this?" Alex said as she drew Kara into her arms.
"You fought so hard to save me, it seemed kinda ungrateful to complain."
"If there had been another option I would have taken it." Alex said.
"I know. And I know you'll do whatever it takes to keep me safe." Kara said. "But it brought back so memories..being out there all alone in my Kryptonian coffin, knowing I'd never see Krypton again, no idea where I was going, unable to talk to anyone." Kara listed.
"I'm sorry." Alex said feeling guilty for not fully considering the psychological effects of locking her in the suit.
"It's not your fault." Kara said feeling guilty over Alex's guilty. "You and Lena saved me. It's my problem. I thought I was past this. Why can't I get past it? It's been years since I was in that pod. Why can't I be strong like you?"
"You are strong." Alex said. "You are the strongest person I know. You have overcome so much."
"And yet I can't get into a CatCo elevator at the moment without having flashbacks." Kara said bitterly.
"Is the CatCo elevator still in one piece?"
"Barely...don't worry I didn't fly through the roof this time." Kara assured her. She then pulled away from Alex and looked at her sister and said. "I don't know how to fix me?"
"You're not broken." Alex said.
"Well, I sure feel it." Kara said. "Kal makes it look so easy, being strong all the time, always knowing what to do. Why can't I be more like that?"
"Clark is...Clark has generated an image of Superman. Someone who is strong, fights for justice, good, but also cold, aloof and a little arrogant. You don't have to be like that. You are Supergirl. You give the world hope. You have to face your problems as you, not as Clark."
"But he has so much more experience."
"Clark has lived longer on Earth, but you lived on Krypton. You lived their ideals. You are the only person on this planet who did that. More importantly, when your mom was here she was proud of you. You. Not Superman, not Clark. You, Kara Zor-El. Be true to yourself and believe in yourself the way your mom does, the way I do and you can get through anything." Alex said.
"Only if I have you by my side."
"I will always be there for you." Alex said. "No matter how bad the situation, never doubt that I am coming for you."
"Thank you." Kara said hugging Alex again. "You are the best sister in the galaxy."
"Well feel free to remind mom of that at Thanksgiving." Alex said hugging her back. As she felt the tension in Kara disappear she pulled away and asked. "You think you can sleep?"
"Can I stay here?"
"You think I'm letting you leave?" Alex asked.
"No." Kara smiled as she lay down on the bed. As she did so she asked. "Will you hold me until I fall to sleep."
"No." Alex said as she lay down next to her. "I'll hold you all night." She added as she wrapped her arm round Kara. "You are not alone. You'll never be alone."
"I love you." Kara said.
"Love you too." Alex replied as Kara dozed off leaving Alex to wonder how she could help her sister recover.
-The End
A/N: Thanks, for reading and reviewing.