It had been six months since Maggie left for Metropolis.
Six moths, four days, seventeen hours and thirty-two minutes...but it wasn't like Alex was counting. It was more like lingering anticipation, that feeling you got as a child when you knew something amazing was just around the corner but the wait was interminable.
Except she had no idea when she would finally get her reward, when Maggie would finally return.
The inclusion program Maggie had originally proposed had been established and so well received, it was currently being expanded, which meant the petite detective wouldn't be coming back to National City anytime soon. While Maggie's career was soaring, her relationship with Alex was beginning to stall. There was only so much weekend trips and Skype could do to keep the home fires roaring. Alex hated that she was feeling so unsatisfied when it was she who had encouraged Maggie to go.
"You did what was best for her, Alex." Kara had reassured her at their third "Sister's Night" that week. Without Maggie it seemed her social calendar was not nearly as full as she'd once believed.
"I know that, Kar. But what if isn't what's best for me? I feel like my life was finally moving forward and suddenly, everything just...stopped." She sighed into the couch cushions, voice muffled. The younger Danvers wore an amused smile as she rubbed her siblings back in consolation; while Alex remained slumped face first on the couch, posture awash in resignation.
The engagement was currently off, Alex had both rings in her gun safe; with no engagement there were clearly no wedding plans and the agent felt uneasy as to where she and Maggie currently stood. "Girlfriends" seemed inadequate given their proposal, the fact that they'd shared a home and had once planned to build a life together; yet it still felt better than the bleak alternative that maybe, the pair were now truly nothing at all.
Sleep eluded Alex that night even with the reassuring presence of Ice Cream; her bed felt cavernous, as it had nearly every night since half her heart had relocated to Metropolis.
The next day Alex sat in her lab, morosely sipping her fifth cup of coffee, though she had only been on site for a couple of hours. Her head was pounding from the lack of sleep and J'onn had been giving her concerned looks each time he passed the lab, no doubt reading more than her dour mood.
A quiet knock on the glass surrounding her lab and a tentative "Alex?" snapped the agent out of her brooding.
"Whatever you want, I'm busy." Alex growled without so much as a sideways glance in the speaker's direction.
"That's too bad." The voice replied evenly. "I was actually hoping you might want a friend?"
Alex scrunched her brow in frustration as she tried to place that voice, it was familiar but one she was still getting used to. She turned around slowly in her chair. "Sam?"
"Hey." The CFO responded with a small smile. "Sorry to just drop in but Kara said you were kinda down and I thought maybe a little fresh air and lunch on Lena's credit card might cheer you up?"
Alex blinked back tears at the woman's explanation. Both Sam and Ruby had become an integral part of their little 'Super-family' but Alex had never expected Sam to take such a personal interest in her.
"Sam..." Alex swallowed thickly to control her emotions. "You didn't have to do that...not for me."
"Why not for you?" Sam asked, stepping into the lab and perching on Alex's worktable. "You have been there for me and Ruby throughout this whole mess with my health. You and Kara even let me in on the secret of the DEO and Supergirl because you were worried it would put Ruby and I in harm's way. You're a badass secret agent who does everything for everyone else but never herself. Let me do this for you."
"Thank you...for saying all that, but it's really nothing you can fix. I'm just...a little lonely I guess."
"Missing Maggie?" Sam guessed, her tone slightly irritated.
"Yeah. I mean I was the one who insisted she go but..." Alex waved her hand non-committally, unsure how to even finish her thought.
"But part of you wishes she hadn't." Sam stated, still sounding a touch irritated.
"Yeah. Pretty selfish of me, right?"
"No. It's not selfish at all. You give up so much for others Alex. You deserve someone who would give up anything to be with you. She should have stayed."
"Sam..."
"I would have stayed." The brunette proclaimed suddenly. "You are amazing, Alex. Any woman would be proud to have you at their side. Maybe I'm overstepping, I don't know what you and Maggie's relationship is right now, but I needed you to know that she's not the only woman who cares about you."
When Alex just gaped at her in confusion, the brunette moved a bit closer, taking the agent's hands in her own. She waited for Alex to meet her eyes before continuing.
"I know this is a lot to take in and this isn't at all how I envisioned telling you but..." Sam surged forward then, lips connecting with Alex's in a searing kiss!
"Alex! What the hell?!"
The agent immediately jerked back from Sam like the other woman was on fire! She turned towards the door to find her (ex?) fiancée standing in the doorway fuming.
"Maggie!" The redhead shot to her feet and moved towards the angry Latina. "This isn't what it looks like."
"Oh no?" Maggie retorted angrily. "You weren't just kissing another woman in your lab?"
"It wasn't her fault." Sam interjected, causing Maggie to glare in her direction. "I kissed Alex. She didn't do anything wrong."
"Nobody asked for your input." Maggie jabbed a finger in Sam's direction, causing the tall woman's expression to harden. "You need to leave."
"Maybe we should let Alex decide what she wants?" Sam challenged, staring down at Maggie.
"Enough!" Alex stepped between the two women. "Sam, please leave."
"Alex? I'm sorry, I..."
"It's okay, Sam." The agent assured her. "I just need you to give me some space right now. We'll talk later, okay?"
"Yeah, okay." Sam agreed, eyeing Maggie angrily as she left.
"Mags, what are you doing here?" Alex asked quietly once Sam left.
"I thought I was surprising the love of my life with a romantic gesture, but I guess I should have called first."
Alex regarded her with a hurt expression. "Babe, nothing happened! I mean, yes, Sam kissed me but she caught me off guard. I was about to tell her off when you walked in."
"So she just kissed you out of the blue?" Maggie scoffed, arms crossed tightly.
"Yes! I mean, we've been hanging out a lot while you were gone but I never thought..." Alex raked a hand through her hair with a sigh.
Maggie's expression softened a bit. She could tell Alex was mortified by the situation and truly had no idea Sam was nursing a crush on her.
"Nice to know your 'gaydar' is as faulty as ever." Maggie remarked with a small smile.
"I'm so sorry." Alex told her again as she held her hands out, seeking permission to hug Maggie. When the smaller woman nodded, Alex hugged her tightly to her chest. "Rao, I missed you."
"Me too." Maggie admitted but when Alex bent to kiss her she shook her head. "Not yet. You still probably taste like her!"
"Babe..."
"I'm sorry, that was...petty of me." Maggie sighed. "I think I'll just go settle in at home. We'll talk later, okay? I just need a little space."
When Alex nodded sullenly, Maggie hugged her once more and with a chaste peck on the cheek, she too left. Alex stayed rooted to the same spot, wondering how her previously non-existent love life had suddenly gotten so complicated. Spotting her phone on the worktable, she snatched it up and dialed quickly.
"Where are you?" She growled into the phone as soon as Sam answered.
"Headed back to my office." Sam replied apologetically.
"I'll meet you there." Alex didn't wait for a reply as she ended the call and stalked out her lab.
"Alex! Hey!" Kara greeted her sister with a bright smile. "Where you headed? I heard Maggie was back!"
"Yeah, she is." Alex responded distractedly. "I, um, I gotta step out for a minute. I'll call you later."
"Okay, sure!" Kara agreed, completely oblivious. "Tell Maggie I said hi!" Alex mumbled something in agreement as she disappeared into the parking garage.
By the time she parked her bike outside L-Corp, Alex had calmed considerably. While she was still upset with Sam, she knew too well how a crush could lead to impetuous actions.
"Agent Danvers!" Jess greeted her with a warm smile as she stepped off the elevator. "Ms. Arias is waiting for you."
"Thanks Jess." Alex pushed the door open and stepped into the spacious office. She found Sam sitting behind her desk, nursing a glass of scotch, her eyes red with unshed tears.
"I am so sorry, Alex." She whispered, eyes glassy.
Alex nodded stiffly before slumping into a chair opposite the desk. Neither woman said anything for some time. Sam slid a glass towards Alex and she quickly downed the drink.
"What were you thinking Sam?" The agent finally asked.
"I don't know..." Sam sighed as she stood and began pacing the length of the office. "I guess I was thinking about how miserable you were. How my brilliant, badass, friend...didn't know how beautiful she was? That anyone would be so lucky to have her."
Sam watched her reaction with an earnest expression and Alex had to turn away for a moment to compose herself.
"Sam, I care about you and Ruby. But I am marrying Maggie. I love her, am in love with her. I'm sorry if I've been sending you mixed signals..."
"Did you like it?" Sam asked suddenly with a fire in her eyes.
"Like what?"
"The kiss." Sam stated. "Did you like it? Did you want to kiss me back?"
"Yes." Alex admitted with hesitation. "But that doesn't change anything."
"It changes everything!" Sam insisted, kneeling before the redhead, taking her hands in hers.
"No!" Alex exclaimed, standing quickly and pulling away from Sam. "I am engaged, Sam! To a beautiful woman who loves me deeply."
"But not enough to stay." Sam countered angrily.
"You don't get to do that after what you pulled." Alex told her, voice low and dangerous. "Whatever it is that I felt or didn't feel doesn't matter. I think we should take some time apart and let things cool down."
"Fine." Sam stalked back to her chair. "I'll do my best not to crowd you at the soccer game this weekend."
"I'm not going to the game Sam." Alex announced reluctantly. "When I said we needed time... I meant more than 48 hours."
"You have to be there, Alex! Ruby is counting on you." Sam argued.
"And I hate to let her down but its only going to make things more confusing, for the both of you, if we keep seeing as much of each other as we do. I love Ruby and I don't want to hurt her. But I also don't want to get her hopes up for something that isn't gonna happen."
"Alex..." Sam reached for the woman as she headed towards the door.
"Tell her I'm sorry, okay?" And with a hushed sob, the agent was gone. She had no idea that when the door closed behind her, Sam's eyes glowed red as she crushed the marble desk beneath her hands.