Author Notes:

This is kind of a character study from the pov of the people closer to Alex, with the exception of Eliza, because NayaKatic already wrote a beautiful piece about that relationship in "Tell me all of the things (that make you feel at ease)", and it's actually the inspiration for this one.
Also, this is totally unbeta'ed, so I'm sorry if I make your eyes bleed at some point.

Lucy

She loves that J'onn finally caved and the DEO moved their main operations to the building in the city. Even if she isn't kryptonian, Lucy loves her daily dose of sun very much, and that cave in the middle of nowhere was starting to suffocate her. She was almost grateful for the massive destruction that the Myriad incident caused there.

She'll miss the little bats following Kara around, though. That was fun.

But Lucy wouldn't change for anything those moments when the fading light of the setting sun comes through the glass, and baths the whole room in warm orange.

Today, Alex's slim silhouette resting against the frame of the balcony's door, watching the horizon with a peaceful expression in her features, makes the vision even more beautiful.

Lucy doesn't know exactly what happened in the few months she's been away from National City, but something in Alex is different. Since she met Kara's sister, Lucy has always admired how hard Alex always works, how brave and loyal she is, how selfless. But those attributes have always gone hand in hand with the cold and distant demeanor of a high skilled DEO agent. It's not Alex's fault, really. If Lucy would had to grow up having to keep up with a superpowered, alien sister, she would be a bit uptight right now, too.

It's not like she doesn't like this new side of her friend. It just feels weird, that's all. Since she stepped into the DEO this morning, Lucy knowsthat she's missing something, and she hates not to know what it is.

The first thing Lucy felt the moment she came back, were a pair of strong arms surrounding her and her feet leaving the ground. That was normal. That was expected.

"Supergirl," Her world was still spinning when Lucy heard Alex's collected voice, "Could you please not break our Director in two on her first day back?"

"Oh! Sorry!" Kara let go of her carefully and beamed. "We are so happy to have you here again."

"We really are."

Those words were said with a softness that Lucy had rarely heard in Alex's voice before and, in the seconds that took her to react, the agent had stridden towards them and engulfed her in another Danvers' heart-warming hug. Thatwasn't expected.

It's not that Alex had never hugged her before, she'd done it a couple of times, but it had never felt like this. Because this embrace was warm, familiar. The way Alex squeezed their bodies together felt almost intimate, like that feeling you get when you find your best friend in a crowded room after not seeing them for a long time.

"It's good to have you back, Lucy,"Funny enough, were those whispered words in her ear, and not Kara's hug, what made her feel like she finally belonged somewhere, like this weird group of people that the universe orchestrated to gather together, was home.

"It's good to be back."

It has been a slow day, not aliens alert and just a couple of robberies that Supergirl took care of, so Lucy used the downtime to observe Alex. For the most part, Agent Danvers hasn't changed. She's still highly efficient at her work, focused, and always in control. It is in the small things where she's noticed that little shift that caught her attention in the first place. Things like how Alex rested a hand on Winn's shoulder every time he was explaining something on the computer, or the way she greeted an agent with a smile, and not just a cold nod, on her way to the lab. She knows that every DEO agent respects and values Alex on a high level, but now they stare at her in awe, and Lucy can't blame them because she finds herself doing the same.

There's something in the way she moves, in the way she speaks, a new brightness in her eyes, that Lucy finds mesmerizing. Now, seeing Alex bathed in the fading sunlight, she can't help but fall a little in love with the vision.

It's not much later when she finally understands.

While she's talking to Alex about her last assignment with the Army before coming back, a woman dressed in jeans and leather jacket, and obviously not a DEO agent, walks into the room and comes straight towards them. Lucy immediately puts in full Director Lane mode and is ready to demand the intruder an explanation, when Alex beams at the woman and leans to give her a peck on the lips.

"Hey."

"Hey," Replies the stranger, "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah," Lucy has never seen Alex beaming like that. "Oh, wait," Suddenly she seems to remember her friend standing at her side, "Almost forgot. Maggie, this is Lucy Lane, Co-Director of the DEO."

"Detective Maggie Sawyer, NCPD."

Lucy hesitates for a second before taking the hand that Maggie extended to her and shaking it. Before she can process what just happened, Alex and her girlfriend?have already left.

Kara must have seen her standing puzzled in the middle of the command centre, because she's now playfully poking at her side.

"When did that happen?" Lucy turns to her friend but points in the direction of Alex and Maggie's departure.

"Them?" Kara asks, knowing perfectly what Lucy is referring to, "A few weeks ago. I was a bit wary at first because it was a difficult time for Alex, and Maggie hurt her, but things got better in the end. They're great now and Alex is happy. That's all that matters."

"So, that is what's been going on with her, huh?"

"If you mean that stupid happy face she's wearing all day, yes, that's Maggie's fault."

Damn, that's something I didn't need to picture.Lucy tries to free her mind from thoughts that she shouldn't have, at least while being in front of Alex's little sister.

"Ew! Lucy!" Kara, who has obviously caught on her train of thoughts, is staring at her with wide eyes and making a disgusted face, "I didn't mean it like that! Ew!"

"It's not my fault!" Lucy retorts, "I was just here minding my own things, wondering what has changed that made Alex look even more beautiful, and then she's kissing her girlfriend in front of me, and you said that she's the reason Alex is happy. Of course my first thought was going to be sex!" Lucy brings a hand to rub her temples and takes a deep breath, "I've just been away for a couple of months. How crazy can things get in two months?"

"Are you seriously asking me that?" Asks an amused Kara.

"Yeah, okay, stupid question," She takes a deep breath, "So, anything else important that I need to know of?"

Supergirl shrugs nonchalantly.

"Just a couple, but we could discuss that over dinner," Kara loops her arm around Lucy's and starts walking with her towards the exit. "So, what are your feelings on pizza?"

Lucy lets go a heartfelt laugh and leans on Kara's arm. At least some things never change.