Determined Pursuits

Sitting in the booth towards the back of McConners, Alex Danvers had been early. It was a luxury to be out of the office at this hour although par for the course since the attack on the President. Information and division of the workload was far more controlled than normal and even she was being left out the loop. Her high security clearance was essentially useless. An investigation such as this one would have previously had her directly involved but instead she was getting really good at signing off on backlogged reports on other hostile events while only a select few agents, mostly in the forensics and cyber divisions, dug through the evidence.

It wasn't like everything regarding the park was being kept from her but her access to A'Daire and Abbott was absolutely forbidden. As far as the rest of the details surrounding the attack, Alex knew that the individuals cleared of intentional wrongdoing were released. The ones discovered colluding were remaining guests of the DEO and Alex wasn't being allowed access to any of them either. It was frustrating to be benched, especially from the interrogations, but if she was honest with herself it was probably for the best.

Her reputation since Supergirl's arrival had gone from a measured, almost cautious, agent to one who did whatever it took to complete the mission. Alex didn't like to dwell on why she had changed but the assessment was accurate. Coupling that 'determination' with what had happened in the park and her interrogation tactics would have included as many threats as questions and some breaking of the rules when it came to the rights of the suspects. It was wise of J'onn, and she imagined Lucy, to keep her away. Understanding the 'why' didn't diminish her frustration though, so Alex was spending a lot of time training at the gym or, like her sister referred to it, hitting things. Evenings were spent distracting herself watching movies and enjoying more than one whisky on the rocks or as Alex referred to it, unwinding.

Despite the decision from those up the chain, Alex hadn't entirely remained on the sideline, even trying to gain access to the footage the DEO had collected of the day at the park. She thought searching for them late one Friday evening might have worked but got busted by Winn Schott who had, it seemed, the same lack of a social life as Alex. He promised not to turn her in but also locked her out of the files. Undeterred, Alex also went to Susan Vasquez who would only tell her that media coverage was proving useless and the parks CTV hadn't yet produced a helpful angle of the one moment Alex was most interested in learning more about. The reviewed surveillance involving Maggie and A'Daire was from behind so all they could see was A'Daire's hand touching Maggie's shoulder. Vasquez was honest that they had worked almost all the magic they could and wasn't very optimistic that they would get a break so Alex begged Kara to enlist Oracle to see if the hacker might have better luck. After some arguing with J'onn, Kara's intervention proved successful and now they would wait to see what Oracle might extrapolate. So all Alex could do was hope for a miracle both with the case and with where she hoped dinner might lead.

From the moment Alex had arrived at the restaurant, Dhara had been hovering while Terry had brought over the water she asked for and then left her alone. The drink and the hovering were both equally appreciated although at the twenty-minute mark, still sitting alone, Alex wished the drink had been stronger. No sooner having finished the water, Terry appeared again. This time, as if he could read minds, with a bottle and a small rocks glass in hand. He put the glass down in front of her and then opened the bottle. Catching sight of the label, and knowing a thing or two about Whisky, Alex began to protest. "Terry, I couldn't possibly."

"Nonsense," he said, as he poured. "My father taught me that something like this is meant to be enjoyed and considering what you did out there, I can't think of a better person to enjoy it."

"It's too generous."

Terry grinned at her and shook his head. "Just say, 'Thank You'."

"Thank you," Alex relented.

"You're welcome." Picking up her empty water glass, he headed back into the kitchen, taking the very expensive bottle with him as well.

Alex lifted the drink and let the rich, smooth liquid run over her tongue before swallowing. This was something to be savored as it warmed her insides. She hated to think how much that bottle cost and was very grateful to Terry for the opportunity to try it. Not even the most expensive bottle she had in her apartment, a birthday gift from Kara during the year she first started working at CatCo, came close to the value of what she was currently enjoying. Glancing at her watch the time continued to tick forward. Alex was pretty sure that after she finished the drink she would be calling a car to take her home since she was still sitting alone and there was nothing she hated more than being out in public at a table for one.

It was during her third sip that the door to the restaurant opened, catching Alex's attention. Maggie Sawyer walked in and another kind of warmth rose within Alex. Years earlier it was warmth she had run far away from but now she wanted in her life no matter the cost.

Dressed in sweatpants and a zippered hoodie, the detective looked better than the last time Alex had seen her. As Maggie unzipped and removed the jacket, revealing a loose fitting black t-shirt, Alex saw an intricate looking metal and fabric contraption holding her arm against her body. It replaced the brace Maggie had been wearing when she left the hospital and wasn't nearly as dramatic but was still more than a simple shoulder sling. There were signs of improvement but Maggie wasn't completely back to normal as the condition of her arm and shoulder weren't the only sign of her injuries. Maggie had walked in with a slight limp moving slower than normal. Her face and other arm were still covered with some deep bruising from the fighting. The guilt that Alex had tried to bury returned seeing the bruises and knowing many were her doing.

"Maggie," Dhara yelled as she ran to the front door from where she had been taking an order at a nearby table.

Having been on the receiving end of a tight hug from the woman when she had arrived, Alex thought it a good thing Maggie's injuries were obvious as to keep the restaurant owner from squeezing the life out of her. Thankfully, Dhara instead began doting on Maggie like a mother at the holidays. Alex considered intervening but decided against it since the appreciation Maggie was getting for the part she played in protecting the President was deserved.

The media narrative hadn't identified her, thanks in large part to Kara convincing Cat Grant that exposing Maggie by name might make her even more of a target than she already was to those who saw her as their enemy. Although names didn't appear in the press that didn't stop the owners of her favorite restaurant from knowing, the moment they saw the coverage, who was running towards danger to help. If only the same footage could give them clues as to how A'Daire had captured Maggie's brain.

Watching her talk with Dhara, Alex wondered why the original offer of meeting up for a meal had been postponed numerous times over the past two and a half weeks. Maybe Maggie was back to wanting to put the breaks on between them? Or maybe Alex's was just making too much of the plans changing and it was nothing? Whatever the reasoning Alex had been annoyed by the silent treatment but was now feeling torn as Maggie looked over and smiled at her. Her dimples, Alex decided, were magical and the warmth returned. Alex couldn't help but smile back.

Maggie gave a tiny nod and began moving towards the booth. Trying not to stare as the Detective limped her way to the table, the drink before Alex made an ideal prop as she took another sip.

"Hey, Danvers. Thanks for meeting me."

Alex kept the disappointment off her face at the formal way that Maggie had addressed her and instead countering with a casual retort of her own. "Glad you called, Sawyer. How are you feeling?"

"About as good as you might expect from looking at me," Maggie offered as she took a seat in the chair across from Alex instead of sliding into the booth next to her.

Alex didn't read anything into the meaning behind the distance she placed between them, as Maggie's injuries would have made the movement into the booth difficult. "J'onn said you're starting physical therapy at the DEO tomorrow."

"I am. It was kind of him to have arranged it."

"Our team includes some of the best in the country and it's the least we can do."

"It's appreciated and so was him extending my temporary assignment with the DEO. It makes it easier to keep a low profile."

"The DEO needs you on the case."

Maggie shrugged. "I'm not going to be much help."

"Your injuries haven't grounded your instincts. We need that as much, if not more right now."

The look Maggie gave Alex made it clear she had picked up on the defeatist tone. "Still no leads?"

Alex shook her head. There was no point keeping things from Maggie.

"They aren't talking?"

"They aren't talking. But we're working hard to find answers."

"Any luck with the footage?"

"Not as of yet but the team will get there."

"Nothing?" Maggie questioned, the defeatist tone now her's instead, which was understandable considering what A'Daire had done to her.

"We have the best people on it."

"I was hoping for some good news."

Alex smiled. "Oracle is lending a hand thanks to a call from Supergirl. That's good news in my book after how much help was provided already."

"Oracle is the best but if the DEO nerds couldn't get even a hint of something… I don't hold out much hope for my contact to do any better."

"A'Daire and Abbott aren't going anywhere. We will figure it out."

"In the meantime?"

"You work on getting better," Alex offered with the kind of optimism that she and her sister were so good at tapping into.

"While going stir crazy."

"Rehabilitation should help with that. Get you out of the house some more."

Maggie nodded but avoided eye contact and then reached across the table with her good arm and took the rock glass of whisky. She then took a sip, her body giving a little shiver as she did.

"We'll solve this."

"Now your optimism is teetering on the annoying," Maggie replied with a dry tone but a smile that brought out her dimples again.

"It's a Danvers' thing."

Maggie's smile widened, seemingly despite herself. "How is your sister? The pieces she's been writing for CatCo must be making waves."

Alex returned the smile, the compliment increasing her own pride in Kara's recent work. "She's good. The team at CatCo has been working around the clock to try and help dig up what they can."

"Thanks to whomever was responsible for leaving me out of the coverage."

"It's also a Danver's thing. We are pretty good at persuasion," Alex offered with a little more heat in her tone than she intended. "Maggie, you still need to be careful. They knew enough before to vandalize your place. We have to assume the CatCo series on these murders leads them to you even with your name left out of it. Plus the news footage... if Terry and Dhara figured it out, we have to assume those running this thing reached the same conclusion."

"Cross that bridge when we get to it."

"You need to be extra careful."

"I am, Alex," Maggie replied defensively.

"Good." Alex dialed back her worry. "Any contact from NCPD?"

"One gal from IT who I think has a crush on me and a beat cop I helped out of jam when I first landed in National City. They figured it out from the coverage."

Fear washed over Alex as Maggie proved her earlier point but she didn't let it show. "No one else?"

"No, but we both know they know." Maggie shrugged again and took another sip of Alex's drink. "I'll be looking for a new job when this is all over."

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Alex countered, using Maggie's earlier words and then waved down Dhara with one hand as she snatched back her drink with the other and finished it. "Don't imagine you should be drinking with your pain meds."

"I'm not taking them anymore."

"Maggie?"

"Not a fan."

"They were prescribed to help you."

"And I appreciated having them when it was really bad but I'm not a fan of prescription drugs."

The confession seemed loaded but before Alex could dig any further Dhara appeared at the table.

"What can I get you two? Everything on the menu is on the house."

"You don't have to. It's not necessary," the pair of them said in unison.

"Nonsense, you are heroes. It is on the house and I will not take your money if you try to leave it."

"Thank you," Alex said as Maggie pouted. "Can we have a minute with the menus?"

Dhara handed two over and smiled. "Take your time." She then walked away but not without casting another look at the table.

Alex opened her menu and kept her eyes on the page as she spoke. "So what are you having?"

"Been craving just about all of it."

"Haven't you been here every day since you were released?"

"No."

Alex looked up from the specials. "Why not?"

"Haven't left the house."

"I know we stocked your fridge but no way you went this long with what we brought over."

Maggie kept turning pages. "Just haven't had much of an appetite."

"You need to keep up your strength."

Looking up from the menu, Maggie had her serious face on. "I've not been starving myself, Alex. When I was taking the meds I slept a lot."

Alex didn't want to sound like she was scolding Maggie again so she turned the conversation in another direction. "How have you been managing?"

Maggie took a deep breath and closed her menu. "Good thing Dr. Snow has the temperament of a saint. I'm a terrible patient."

"I recall."

Maggie's smile returned and Alex's nerves settled. "You aren't exactly the best sick person either."

"One time. One time I spent a weekend being miserable."

"Miserable, temperamental, needy..." Maggie teased.

Alex smiled as she closed her menu. "While still being cute and cuddly."

Maggie's eyebrows went up, telegraphing more than just disagreement. "So much so I caught it the second you were better."

Alex blushed and gave a tiny shrug. They gazed at one another for a moment. "Talk to me. How are you, really?"

"Everything hurts," Maggie confessed.

"Why didn't you call?" Alex asked, the honesty hitting her hard. She reached over and laid her hand onto Maggie's uninjured wrist.

"This is hard for me."

"So you said in the hospital but after we talked..."

"I woke up twelve hours later and was back to square one. Being in National City feels right…"

"And meeting me tonight?"

"I'm getting there, Alex." Maggie confessed with a sincere smile. "I promise."

"Take your time. I'm not going anywhere. Just don't lock me out, okay?"

"I'm really trying."

Alex nodded again. "I know."

The meal was delicious and the evening eventually settled in. There was casual talk of world events and what little information Alex knew of the investigation. Maggie had filled Alex in on the call she got from the White House. They still wanted to plan a visit and photo op but agreed it was best to wait until the entire case was closed for safety reasons. The rest of the night had been, in a word, nice. Alex knew getting back to where they were before the events in the park was a while off but she was glad to have Maggie back in her life in a more tangible way and hoped the evening was a sign there would be more nights like this one.

As promised, Dhara and Terry refused payment, including a tip, even with him bringing the expensive bottle around to the table a second time to pour them both a drink.

After saying their goodbyes, Alex insisted on walking Maggie back to her place. The neighborhood was safe but it was late and Alex wanted to be sure she got home okay. She also didn't exactly want the night to end.

As they walked along the street that headed back towards Maggie's apartment they got into an easy rhythm with one another. Alex had been fighting the urge to take the other woman's hand but just as she was about to Maggie had broken the silence.

"There might be someone who can help but it's a long shot."

"I'll take a long shot at this point," Alex replied. "Who is it?"

Maggie had that investigative sparkle in her eye. "A case worker. Works with Metas, specializes in it."

"You think they might know something?"

"If the community knows something they might have shared what they've heard. They trust him."

"Would he talk to us?"

"He might. I can reach out when I get home."

A smirk formed on Alex's lips. "I told you."

"Told me what?"

Alex's smile widened. "Your instincts are invaluable."

Maggie shrugged. "It's one possible lead."

"Only takes one, Maggie." Alex's voice filled with more than just appreciation and for a split second the air between them grew heavy, loaded with the tension that had been present before the park and A'Daire's violation of the Detective's mind. Neither one of them moved until the moment was punctuated by the sound of a car backfiring and Alex found herself being body checked hard into the side of the bodega they had been standing near. The rush of adrenaline started to make Alex laugh even as her heart was racing. Maggie's body was pressed against her, turned just enough that the brace was to Alex's side and likely meant the impact hadn't done any more damage to the detective. Their eyes were then locked on one another even though it was as if Maggie was seeing through her.

Fear rose in Alex as she noticed the signs of posttraumatic stress written all over Maggie's face. "It's okay. It was only a car backfiring."

Maggie's breathing was rapid, the fear, in her eyes, growing. She nodded but didn't move.

"Maggie, look at me," Alex continued while carefully laying a hand on the other woman's cheek. "It's okay."

A couple seconds passed and then Maggie blinked slowly, her eyes refocusing on Alex's. She then took a step back.

Alex waited a moment and then also took a small step forward and away from the wall. "Did you hurt yourself?"

"I'm fine."

"You could have hurt yourself."

"I didn't," Maggie's eyes darting down the alley they were standing in front of and the street they were on.

"Everything is okay it was only a car."

"Next time it might not be." Maggie shouted, obviously more out of fear than malice. "You better be wearing your vest, Alex. Until we put an end to this there are targets on all of us."

"I never leave home without it."

"Good," Maggie's fear seeming to settle some.

"But, hey, you should stop throwing yourself into harms way, okay?

Maggie nodded but her eyes were elsewhere again.

Alex decided the hell with professional distance. Afraid of what she saw before her, she reached over and took Maggie's uninjured hand and held it. "Hey, look at me."

Maggie's eyes floated back to Alex's, the tears glistening in her eyes, fighting to fall.

"Take a few breaths. I'm right here."

Maggie did as she was told. The pair of them standing in the streetlight, holding hands, as they took the time Maggie needed to calm. The detective closed the distance between them, their bodies as close as they could manage with the brace. Alex fought off the urge to capture the other woman's lips but her eyes betrayed what her mind, or maybe it was her heart, was thinking as she glanced down at them instead.

Maggie must have caught the look as mirrored it but then just as quickly as the moment came it was gone. Breaking the spell, Maggie stepped back. "I should get home."

Alex nodded knowing this wasn't yet the time to complicate things further. Maggie needed to heal and as fast as her own heart was racing Alex couldn't imagine the jumble of emotions Maggie was dealing with considering everything that had happened. Even though Alex was determined to go slow that didn't mean she was going to drop Maggie's hand. She needed Maggie to know she wasn't alone and so they ended up walking the rest of the way with their fingers intertwined.

Entering into her small empty apartment, Alex threw her keys on the counter and then made a beeline to the Whisky bottle sitting on the side of her fridge. Grabbing a glass, she skipped the ice, and poured herself only enough to calm her nerves. Taking a sip she to tried to chase off her own PTSD and her concern over Maggie's reaction to the backfiring car. Maggie had thrown herself between Alex and the noise, which was both incredibly brave, borderline romantic, and unacceptably stupid.

Setting the glass down for a second Alex tossed her coat on the chair and then went back to retrieve the glass. Heading to her dresser, she then tossed a t-shirt and underwear on the bed, unbuttoned her shirt and dropped it into the hamper in her closet. Catching herself in the full-length mirror, the bruising from that day in the park was still evident on her pale skin and her black sports bra highlighted her lie to Maggie.

Leaving the DEO early, and feeling separated from the investigation, Alex hadn't been wearing her vest. It didn't feel necessary. Alex felt guilty about the white lie but Maggie had enough to worry about without having to be concerned about Alex's safety. Alex also didn't want the reveal starting a fight between them.

Throwing on comfy clothes to sleep in, Alex then finished her drink. As she dropped the glass into the dishwasher her cellphone rang. Grabbing it, she saw who it was and grew immediately concerned, "Is everything okay, Maggie?"

"I'm good. Just wanted to say I spoke to my contact. They're willing to meet. I'll send you the details."

"Great," Maggie offered, disappointed the call had been work related. "Thanks."

"No problems." There was an awkward silence and then Maggie continued. "Alex?"

"Yeah."

"About tonight." There was more silence. "Thank you."

Alex's heart immediately began to race. "No need to thank me. Dinner was great and it was wonderful to see you. I should be thanking you."

"More than just dinner, Alex. All of it. Just… I need… just, thank you."

The intimacy of the bumbled admission caused tears to well in Alex's eyes. "You're welcome. Now get some rest. Big day tomorrow."

"Right. DEO physical therapy."

Alex wasn't sure if Maggie was grateful for the escape hatch from her emotions or if the diversion was the wrong call. "Hey, I'm around if you want to talk after or grab dinner or just go somewhere and do something. Look, whatever you, need, I'm here for you."

"I know and it means a lot..."

The silence returned which Alex took as a sign to help things along. "Like I said at dinner. Whatever you need."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

As they hung up the phone, Alex fought the urge to pour another drink and was glad she hadn't said what she really wanted to say. There would be time for that once Maggie was on more solid ground.