A/N: This story ignores canon mostly. Maggie and Alex aren't together and Maggie doesn't know that Kara is Supergirl.

"Supergirl," Maggie said, approaching her. "Good job in there."

Maggie had responded to what seemed like the average National City alien crisis. There was very little for her or the rest of the NCPD officers to do as Supergirl had swooped in.

"Thanks," Supergirl said, awkwardly. Maggie could tell Supergirl didn't even want to make eye contact with her. Of course, Maggie thought, of course Alex would have told her best alien friend about the fallout between the two of them.

Supergirl was about to take off. "Where is Agent Danvers? You two are usually joined at the hip," Maggie asked. In fact, this wasn't the first time she wondered just how close Supergirl and Alex were. But she hadn't seen Alex lately and she thought for sure this would be the kind of crime scene she would be at.

Maggie took a step back when she saw Supergirl pause but keeping her eyes anywhere but on Maggie. At first, she thought that Supergirl was just going to leave or maybe tear into her for breaking Alex's heart, but she was unprepared for what she said.

"Alex was hurt on a mission a few days ago."

"But she's ok, right?"

Supergirl shook her head no.

"How bad is it?"

This time Supergirl did turn to face her, but again she paused as if deciding what she should say.

"How bad?" Maggie repeated, knowing it couldn't be good.

"The DEO had been tracking this alien and when they located it Alex led a strike team in to apprehend it. But it wasn't alone. She ordered the team to fall back and she was providing cover fire when an alien hit her from behind. She never even saw it coming. She managed to fight it off but when she turned the original alien they were tracking was right there. It has the ability to use light as a weapon. Alex, she must have been looking right at it and when it used its power, the light it blew her back through a wall, which collapsed a section of the building on top of her… and when they got her out of there and she woke up in the medbay, she was blind. They don't know yet if it's permanent or not."

Maggie didn't say anything; she didn't know what to say. Alex was blind.

"I have to go," Supergirl said, when Maggie just continued to stand there. She may or may not have managed to nod her head at the girl of steel before she launched herself into the air.

Maggie didn't remember walking back to her car, but once she was inside she pulled out her phone and called up a picture she had taken of her and Alex after a game of pool. Both of them were smiling in it and Maggie had spent a lot of time looking at that photo since that night Alex had kissed her.

She called up Alex's number and dialed it. It rang and rang and then went to voicemail. She didn't know what to say so she didn't say anything, just hung up. But she needed to know Alex was ok, or at least as ok as she could be, so she dialed Kara's number.

"Hello."

"Hey Kara, it's Maggie. I just spoke with Supergirl and she told me about what happened with Alex, and I just, I wanted to how she was doing."

"She's … coping."

Maggie resisted the urge to ask what the hell that meant.

"I take it she is still at the DEO, you know, they're running tests and stuff to get her eye sight back."

There was a pause, and Maggie felt like she was again talking to Supergirl. Yes, she got it, she hurt Alex so no one wanted to talk to her anymore but this wasn't about her.

"She's been at home since last night."

"Well, are you there with her? Can I talk to her? I tried to call her but it went to voicemail."

"No, I'm not with her. She wants to be alone right now."

But she shouldn't be alone Maggie wanted to say, but all she said was "Ok, well, tell her I … I hope she gets better."

She didn't wait to hear if Kara said anything in return as she hung up and tossed the phone on the passenger seat.

….

Alex heard the knocking at the door, but she remained lying on the couch, her eyes open and looking toward the ceiling – a ceiling she could no longer actually see. Kara would have used her spare key or came flying in through a window so she knew it wasn't her sister and she had no interest in dealing with anyone else right now. She had to make Kara swear not to tell her mom. Kara had wanted to call her immediately but Alex didn't want her mom coming there because there was no doubt that is what she would do.

The knocking finally stopped thankfully so at least she could continue staring at the ceiling in peace.

Her phone, which was on vibrate and somewhere across the room from her, had gone off several times that day. She knew many of them were probably Kara checking in on her. Winn had fixed it up for her – gave it better voice commands so she could check or send messages. She vaguely remembered him saying something about how there were many apps out there that people found useful – that blind people found useful, but he had stumbled over the words. She suspected Kara may have given him a look at the time but it wasn't like she could see it.

She expected her sister would show up sooner or later but until that time she wanted to be alone. She didn't even know what time it was or if it was close to Kara getting off work. She had been lying there for a while now, not feeling like moving.

Alex sat up quickly – a little too quickly as dizziness hit her – but she thought she had heard another noise. She turned her head slightly listening for it. It sounded like, no it couldn't be she thought, but a second later she was sure. Someone was trying to lockpick the door to her apartment.

She stood up and instinctively reached for her gun but it wasn't there. It was back at the DEO. Why let a blind agent walk out with one? She had a spare, personal firearm but it was in a lock box in her bedroom. A knife, she thought, she would grab a knife from the kitchen. She stood up but two steps was as far as she got as her foot caught the end of the coffee table and she fell to the floor, unable to stop herself. She landed on her left shoulder crying out from the pain. She had just had surgery on it and it was still bandaged up and in a sling. More pain flooded throughout her body from her other injuries and her head was throbbing. She maybe shouldn't have ignored the DEO doctor who warned that she had a severe concussion and shouldn't have left the medbay.

A loud crashing noise had her attempting to get up as she heard someone say her name but it wasn't registering who it was. She tried to get to her feet, but she wavered and she felt someone touch her, pulling her up and she threw a wild punch with her right hand which missed and whoever it was grabbed her more securely, practically hugging her.

"Danvers, calm down. It's me, it's Maggie."

Before she could say anything, another voice rang out, "What's going on here?"

She felt Maggie release her as she recognized her sister's voice. She wished she had something to hold on to as she felt dizzy and was barely paying attention to the conversation now taking place.

"Supergirl," Maggie said.

"What the hell are you doing?" Kara said.

"It's not what it looks like," Maggie said. "I just came over to see how she was doing and she wasn't answering so I got worried."

"So you broke the door to get in?"

"Well I was trying to pick the lock but then I heard something and she was in pain and I kicked it open. She was on the floor, I was helping her up," Maggie said.

Alex could tell Maggie had stepped away from her by the sounds of her feet on the floor and her voice sounding a little farther away. Another hand touched her and she flinched.

"Are you ok?" Kara asked softly.

"I'm fine," Alex said pulling away from her. She hated that sound in her sister's voice, that quiet tone like if she spoke louder it would somehow hurt her worse.

"Maybe she should sit down," Maggie said.

"I'm fine."

"Really? Because you look like you are ready to collapse," Maggie said before looking at Supergirl. "And where were you when she was getting hurt? You are supposed to be the hero, where were you? And where is her sister right now? She shouldn't be here alone. She should be in a hospital. Why was she even allowed to leave the DEO in that condition?"

"Don't," Alex said fiercely. "Don't talk about me like I'm not standing here."

There was a moment of silence where all Alex heard was the sound of breathing.

"I'm sorry," Maggie said. She wanted to say more, but the sight of Alex standing there – barely standing there – was almost too much for her to take in. Of the parts of Alex's body she could see, it was like everything was covered in a scrape, cut or bruise. Her arm was in a sling, bruising along her neck and there was a bandage up above one eye.

It was her eyes that Maggie was drawn to. Those brown eyes that had lit up when Alex smiled now were open but the way they were darting from side to side like they were searching each time there was a noise, those eyes were almost too painful for Maggie to look at.

The vibrating of Alex's phone interrupted the silence that had descended once more.
"Do you want me to get that?" Supergirl said.

"No," Alex said. She turned from them, moving slow toward a hallway that Maggie assumed led back to her bedroom. "You and Detective Sawyer can show yourselves out."

"Alex, I need to change your bandages," Supergirl said. "It was the condition you agreed to in order to be released from medbay."

Alex paused, but then continued her slow trek to the hallway. When she was a few steps from the hallway, she slowed even more, using her right hand to feel out in front of her. When she reached the frame she said, "Goodbye Detective." Using her hand to drag along the wall to find her way, she disappeared from sight.

Supergirl turned to Maggie, but it was Maggie who spoke first. "Look at her. She should be in a hospital," Maggie said.

"I know, but this is where she wants to be," Supergirl said. "Now if you'll excuse me."

Supergirl followed Alex back and Maggie continued to stand there a moment before walking out, closing the now broken door behind her.

Kara turned on the light in the bedroom when she entered. Alex was lying on the bed in the dark.

"Did she leave?"

"Yes."

"How did she know?"

"I ran into her today. She asked me where you were."

"You shouldn't have told her."

"Maybe I shouldn't have," Kara said. "But she was concerned. She cares, or else she wouldn't have kicked down the door to get to you."

Kara thought Alex was almost going to smile at that as she saw a slight movement of her lips.

"Don't tell anyone else. Please," she added.

"Ok," Kara said. "Why were you on the floor?"

"I fell."

She didn't offer up anything else and Kara didn't press her.

"Where is the stuff to change your bandages?"

"Where ever you put it at it when you brought me here last night."

Kara left the room and went back out to the main room. There was a small bag that she had left there last night when she brought Alex home. Everything that she had brought from the pharmacy was still in it. She grabbed it and returned to the bedroom.

"Why haven't you taken any of the antibiotics or pain pills?" Kara asked as she saw the packages were still in the bag.

Alex shrugged.

"You have to take them."

"Ok. I'll take some after we get the bandages changed," she said, sitting up. She lifted up the shirt with her good hand and arm.

Kara felt a wave of guilt flow through her as she saw her sister's battered body. Her shoulder had been separated, tearing a ligament that had required surgery. When the wall had collapsed on her, a piece of rebar had gone through her side. That was the bandage that she needed to change the most.

She began the process of changing it, trying to be careful so as not to hurt her.

"She's right you know," Kara said. "I should have been there. I should have been here on this Earth, instead of …"

"Could we do this in silence," Alex said.

Kara didn't say anything else the entire time she changed the bandages. When it was done, Kara was going to suggest Alex put on some other clothes as she was wearing the spare set she kept at her locker at the DEO and the same she had been wearing since she left there. Kara went and got a glass of water and returned to the bedroom.

She picked up the prescription bottles and got the antibiotics and pain pills out for Alex to take.

"I have your pills."

"Sit them there on the table," Alex said.

"You said you would take them."

"I will, I just don't want to take them on an empty stomach," she said.

"Oh," Kara said. "Have you eaten today?"

"No."

"Alex."
"No lectures. I'm trying here, I just didn't think about things like being able to prepare meals when I can't see what …"

Alex stopped and Kara just watched her. She could see the frustration in her sister's features.

"Do you want me to go get you something?" Kara asked, putting the pills and the water on the bedside stand.

"Yeah, that would be great. Something light on the stomach like soup or something."

"Be back in a flash," Kara said and Alex heard her whoosh away.

Alex reached for the stand and felt for the pills. She found them and picked them up. She knew which was which from the shape, so she got the pain pills and placed them on the bed. Reaching for the water, she took the antibiotic.

The pain pills she hid between the mattress and box spring.

Getting up she felt her way out of the room and back to the couch, where she again hit the coffee table, but this time managed to stay upright.

Her entire body ached and she wished she could lie down and let oblivion take her, but even last night she couldn't sleep very long. Each sound she heard seemed louder even though she knew that probably wasn't the case – she was just concentrating on it more to make up for the loss of her sight.

When she heard the lock being picked she had gotten scared when she realized there was nothing she could do to protect herself, not really. Even if she had gotten to the knife, what would she have done with it?

It wasn't long before Kara returned with some soup for her.

"I took the pills."

"I thought you didn't want to take them on an empty stomach."

"I didn't, but I was in pain."

Kara prepared the soup for her, lying the bowl on the coffee table and handing Alex the spoon. She saw Alex's hand shaking some as she scooped each spoonful of soup and she wondered how much of that was from the pain and how much of it was nerves from having to be so careful with each one to make sure she didn't spill it, and spill some she did.

While Alex ate Kara rambled on, not wanting to sit in silence. Alex never commented about anything she said.

"Can I get you anything else?" Kara asked after she cleaned up after her.

"No, I'm just going to go to bed. The pain pills are kicking in."

"Ok. Um what do you want me to do about the door? I could stay here for the night."

"No. It'll be fine for the night. I will talk to the maintenance guy in the morning."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

"Alright, well, I guess I will head out then, but I'll come back in the morning before work, bring you some breakfast."

"Ok."

"Good night," Kara said. She left feeling worse than when she arrived. She knew Alex, knew when she was trying to put on a brave face, but in this case it wasn't working. In this case Kara could see the hurt, not just the physical hurt that was assailing her sister.

She agreed with Maggie, that Alex should still be in a hospital, but when Alex had asked her to take her home last night she couldn't say no. Alex had always been a source of strength for her; a rock that was always there for her but the truth was she had her doubts as to whether she could be that for Alex.

And maybe she wasn't the one that Alex needed right now.

…

Maggie sat at the bar and motioned for another shot. It wasn't her normal hangout. She didn't want to go someplace where anyone knew her or where she would think about playing pool with Alex.

But Alex was all she could think about it.

She called up the picture on her phone again.

Never before had she connected with a person like she had connected with Alex. The other woman just seemed to get her.

The way Alex had looked at her, yeah, she knew that look, but friendship was all she had to offer. She thought about her own journey to coming out and how much freer she had felt when she had accepted who she was and had the courage to let others know who she was.

She wanted Alex to feel that way – free.

But when Alex had kissed her, Maggie wasn't ready to accept that they could be anything other than friends. She didn't want the pressure of ushering Alex into this whole new world by being her girlfriend. Besides, she told herself, she was a shit girlfriend who wasn't able to keep anything going long term.

And she wanted Alex in her life long term and she saw friendship as the only route to make that happen.

The first few times they saw each other were awkward and while Maggie tried to act like all was well, Alex was not able to. When Maggie called her out on it Alex said it would be best if they kept things strictly professional going forward.

That was nearly three months ago.

They had seen very little of each other since then. Even at crime scenes they were at together, they managed to avoid each other as much as possible.

It had made Maggie miserable.

She wanted Alex in her life and while she maintained that when Alex kissed her that it wasn't right for them to be in a relationship – her having just gotten out of one and Alex having just come out – time had now passed and the feelings she knew she had for the DEO agent hadn't gone away.

When Supergirl had told her that Alex was hurt, that she was blind, her heart had ached. Then going to her apartment to check on her, hearing Alex crying out in pain through the door, she lost it – she had to get in there so yes she kicked in the door. Not her best move she could admit.

Then she had just been dismissed by Alex and what bothered her the most about it was how Alex had said 'goodbye detective.' It was said in such an unemotional tone and Maggie wondered if that was because Alex had closed herself off because of the injuries or because of her rejection.