Kara is a wonderful sister. She really is. But she's also too much, and she asks questions maybe Alex doesn't want to answer just yet. Kara wants to know what Alex finds beautiful in a woman. What her type is. Well, Maggie freakin' Sawyer is her type.

Predictably, Alex throws herself into her work. She's a DEO Agent, for crying out loud! She's gone toe to toe with aliens and won. But humans? They hurt each other all the time , and she's surrounded by a planet mostly full of humans and one Maggie Sawyer who doesn't like Alex the way she likes her.

Alex can't avoid Maggie completely. Not when she gets a text message that's succinct. "Need your help with another case."

Kara is standing near her when she reads the text. "You should go. I can conveniently show up in case you need it."

"I don't want to," Alex admits because her heart still hurts and because it's Kara.

Looking around to make sure they have privacy, Kara gets to give the type of sister talk that Alex usually gives to her. "She's your friend, and you get each other. You talk police procedure, and I'm lost!"

Alex manages a small huff of sound that on a good day might be a laugh. She recognizes the truth in Kara's statement.

Kara continues, "People get their signals crossed. It's okay. You can bounce back from it. Look at me and Winn!"

With a big-eyed expression that signals Alex is putting on the armor of humor, she says, "His girlfriend wanted to kill you. I hope Maggie doesn't have any murderous exes hiding in her closet."

"Isn't it wrong to assume they're in the closet?" Kara asks in a weak attempt to make a joke.

Alex groans her sister's name, but it's enough to get her to make the first step. Replying to Maggie's text, she asks for the address and time to meet. Then she's off.

At the crime scene, Maggie is all business. Alex sticks to the requirements of the badge and uses it for the shield it is. For a brief and fleeting second, she doesn't feel heartbroken by Maggie's rejection. Then she looks at Maggie's beautiful dark eyes like the most perfect angel who ever descended to earth, and Alex is struck again.

This pain… it makes her want to wallow. It makes her want to… go to the shooting range. Yes, that. She doesn't invite Maggie because she's going there to purge away the thought of her in a vapor of gunsmoke. Unfortunately, Alex does have her phone with her, and Maggie sends a text.

"Thanks for your help, Danvers."

It's… it's nice. Maggie Sawyer is a good detective. That didn't change just because Alex got her heart danced on. Alex knows that, and maybe this Time that Kara and all those stupid romantic comedies say she needs will do what it's supposed to do. Maybe she'll just stop hurting.

Maybe.

Eventually.

Not today.

A few days later, Maggie texts Alex again. It's not for a case. "Let's play pool. I still suck."

If that's not the truth, Alex doesn't know what is. But the bar was the scene of a murder where her heart was crushed into little pieces. No, there will not be any games of pool with beautiful detectives for Alex Danvers tonight. If ever. No. None of that.

Alex doesn't answer Maggie's text. She feels like a jerk, but she's got to take care of herself.

Maggie, on the other hand, seems to thrive on being pointedly ignored. Where things were polite and then friendly before, now they are as aggressive as a cocker spaniel wanting to play fetch. Alex doesn't know why that image came to her mind. Perhaps it's the messages full of this playful "Pay attention to me" vibe.

Alex had been paying attention to Maggie. That was the reason she was in this mess in the first place.

Then Maggie gets creative. "Let's go shopping. Every good lesbian needs flannel."

Alex actually doubts that. Sure, clichés become clichés because enough of the population does them. Doesn't mean that's the kind of lesbian she's going to be. Except that, dammit, Alex realizes she likes flannel, and it would fun to have some to wear in the rare moments she can relax at home.

She goes shopping and invites Kara. For some reason, Lena Luthor tags along, but Alex is distantly polite as she finds a flannel-in red, of course, because Alex likes red. She doesn't have to defend her choices to anyone. Not to her sister or her sister's… whatever Lena is to her.

The next time Maggie texts it's with a different stereotype. "You need a cat. Lesbian starter kit 101."

Alex is annoyed at the texts and obstinately not responding if they don't have to do with work. But on the next day when it doesn't look like she's going to get a text from Maggie, Alex is even more disappointed.

The text that night is without jokes. It's almost sweet if texts can be sweet. "Sorry. Working a case. More lesbian lessons tomorrow."

Alex considers that. If she's supposed to find her own way through things, then why is Maggie giving her "lesbian lessons" like she's Master Yoda? Doesn't make sense.

A few more days and several texts later, Maggie sends Alex this zinger.

"It's homophobic to ignore my texts."

Alex stares at that one for longer than she should. She's near Winn, and he makes some joke about her falling into a trance at her phone. She reminds him that she's a badass scary agent, and it doesn't matter that he's her sister's friend. Winn shuts up the rest of the day.

When she finally gets home, Alex sits on her sofa and plays some TV show she doesn't care about for background noise. She stares at the phone and all the texts Maggie has sent her. She's not better yet, but she can try to deal with her embarrassment.

Alex texts back.

"I can't be homophobic. One of my friends is a lesbian."

She doesn't know it, but across town Maggie laughs. It's the first smile people have seen on her face in days.

It gets a reaction from one of the other officers. "Sawyer, that your girlfriend?"

"No, just a friend," she replies with the smile still firmly gracing her face in the adorable way that makes her dimples pop.

Maggie keeps up the texting and joking for a few more days before she stops and gets real. "Want to hang out? Play pool? Still have to win my money back."

Alex relents. They make a time to meet at the alien bar. Maggie is there before Alex, staking out the area like the good cop she is. She is also amused to note that when Alex walks in the bar she's wearing a new red flannel.

"Nice shirt, Danvers," Maggie says, gesturing toward her with the pool cue that she just finished chalking.

"Thanks," Alex replies. "It goes really well with my new cat."

Maggie laughs, and laughing with Alex feels good. "Did you really get a cat?"

"Yeah," Alex admits with a blush. "Kara loves her. She named her Allura after her mom."

"I thought your mom's name was Eliza," Maggie says in confusion.

"Oh, it is!" Alex says too loudly. Then she adds, "So, do you want to break first?"

Maggie lets it pass and takes the opening shot. She doesn't win, but the game and the time does a lot to heal the awkwardness between them.

At the end of the night she sends Alex one more message. "Thanks for hanging out."

Alex looks at the message and smiles. She's not completely better yet because there are so many things she's got to work out that have nothing to do with Maggie. But she feels better than she has in days, and some of Kara's optimism makes her feel that it will all be okay in the end.