Disclaimer: I do not own Supergirl or the characters.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" Kara questioned when she answered her door to Alex.
"I've come to cook dinner, like we discussed."Alex said gingerly walking past Kara and heading to the kitchen.
"Discussed? You mandated." Kara pointed out as she followed Alex. "But that was two days ago and before you took on a crazy alien. Shouldn't you be resting? You took quite a beating today and it is not as if you heal quickly."
"I'm here because mom is coming and if she thinks you aren't eating properly I will be the one in trouble. The resultant lecture will set back my recovery far more than cooking dinner."
"You know, I am capable of cooking." Kara said.
"No, you are capable of physically heating food. Cooking is a whole different skill." Alex pointed out. "One that you have failed to master or even show any ability. And if it were not for take out you probably would have starved to death years ago."
"I'm not that bad." Kara replied.
"Yeah, you are. Do you want me to start listing all your failed attempts?" Alex challenged.
"No." Kara sighed.
"There's no shame in not being able to cook." Alex offered seeing Kara looking dejected, but then the urge to tease became too great and she added. "Although a grown woman not being able to cook is a little pathetic."
The comment causing Kara to throw a tea towel at her sister and say. "I can't help not wanting to be a Stepford Wife." Seeing Alex smile she asked. "What's so funny?"
"I was just remembering how you used to be convinced that anyone who could bake a cake was a crazed robot."
"You made me watch that film." Kara pointed out. "And Mrs Whetherby was freaky."
"Says the alien." Alex said dryly.
"Seriously though should you actually be on your feet?" Kara asked worried with how pale Alex was looking.
"I'm fine." Alex said.
"At least let me help." Kara said. "This time I promise I will follow all instructions, to the letter."
-00-
Thirty minutes later Alex was starting to believe she may actually complete the meal before losing all energy. However, she then asked Kara to pass her a pan.
Not thinking Kara grabbed a pan from the oven and handed Alex the pan forgetting that her sister's human tolerance of heat was not as high as hers. The second Alex touched the metal she yelped in pain and dropped the pan before rushing to the sink and running cold water over her hand.
"I'm so sorry." Kara apologised.
With the burn throbbing more than her ribs Alex's mood was deteriorating and she was about to snap at Kara when she saw how upset her sister was causing Alex to bite back her reply and say.
"It's okay."
"No it's not. I hurt you, more than you were already hurt."
"Technically it was the pan that hurt me, not you." Alex said holding her hand under the cold tap. "It's not serious and will be healed a long time before my ribs." She said before noticing Kara had buried a head in a cupboard. "What are you doing?"
"Looking for the first aid kit." Kara said before finally pulling a dusty box from the cupboard.
"Why do you have a first aid kit?"
"For you."
"What do you mean for me?"
"For when you hurt yourself when you are visiting."
"That's stupid."
"So I am imagining the burn?"
"I'm too tired to even start having this conversation." Alex said.
"Sit down and let me deal with your hand."
"Do you have any idea what you are doing?" Alex questioned as Kara started to methodically unpack the box.
"Of course, I watched several episodes of ER at college."
"That does not qualify you for first aid."
"Sure it does." Kara said applying ointment to the burn before wrapping a bandage round her sister's hand.
"How does that feel?" She asked when she finished.
"Better than it looks." Alex said scrutinising the messy bandage.
"It doesn't look that bad." Kara said defensively as the doorbell rang.
"It's Eliza." Kara said using her x-ray vision to look through the door.
"It can't be. She's not due for another couple of hours." Alex said confused.
"What are you talking about? This is when she was meant to arrive." Kara replied causing Alex to look at her watch.
"Damn, what took us so long? I need to go. Can you fly me home? If mom sees me like this she'll freak."
"She'll freak if you don't come to dinner." Kara countered moving to the door and opening it.
"Girls! It is so good to see you." Eliza said throwing her arms round Kara as Alex cautiously approached the pair.
"What have you done to your hand?" Eliza asked noticing the bandage.
"It's nothing. I just burnt it cooking."
"Alex, you really should be more careful." Eliza chastised before noticing how pale Alex was looking. "Are you ill?"
"No, just a little tired." Alex said smiling weakly.
"Don't let those people suck the life out of you. They have already cost me your father, I won't lose you as well." She said as she hugged her eldest. Not realising though that Alex had severely bruised ribs she hugged too hard causing Alex to gasp in pain.
"What's wrong?" Eliza asked, her eyes full of concern.
"It's nothing, I am just a little bruised."
"Why are you bruised?" Eliza questioned. In the moment's silence that Alex took to debate telling her mother the truth Kara made up her mind and ploughed in.
"She's a lot bruised because she took on some crazy alien who was way more powerful than her. You should have seen her, she was so brave. If it hadn't been for her I'm not sure what would have happened."
"Really not helping." Alex hissed at Kara.
"Why are you not in bed? You should be resting." Eliza said carefully looking at her daughter.
"That's what I said, but she insisted she was fine and she wanted to make sure I had food." Kara smiled.
"Just wait until we are back at the DEO in the Kryptonite room." Alex whispered to Kara.
"I am sure that by now you have managed to teach Kara the basics of cooking." Eliza said unaware of the exchange between the sisters. On hearing that she was getting the blame for Kara not being able to cook Alex finally had enough and said.
"You know what? You're right I need to rest, so I'm going to go home."
"Absolutely not." Eliza said. "You are clearly in no condition to look after yourself. You can rest here where we can keep an eye on you."
"But-" Alex started.
"No buts. Go lie down, or sit up, which ever is better for your ribs. Kara make sure she does as she is told, I will take over cooking."
Too shocked to speak Alex let Kara guide her towards the bed before repeating her threat about the Kryptonite room.
"You need to rest Alex." Kara said. "You are hurt." She added as her phone vibrated. "Oh." She commented reading the message.
"Oh what?"
"Oh there's an emergency at the office. I have to go"
"You can't leave me. She is already in lecture mode."
"I'll tell her you're sleeping." Kara offered.
"Like she'll believe that, you are incapable of lying. Can't you tell Cat to deal with the problem herself?"
"I could if I didn't want a job tomorrow. I won't be long, I promise." Kara said before heading to the kitchen to say goodbye to Eliza.
-00-
"I thought I told you to rest." Eliza said when she entered the bedroom later and saw Alex pacing.
"I'm fine and I'm bored." Alex said.
"Alex." Eliza started only for Alex to cut in.
"Look I know what you are going to say."
"You do?" Eliza asked surprised.
"You were going to say that I am meant to be protecting Kara and keeping her out of danger, which I am clearly not doing. But she has chosen this life and it is what she wants. I can't stop her. What I can do is be there for her, which I am. And I'm sorry you don't approve of my job, but by me doing my job Kara stays safe."
"Actually I was going to say that just because Kara has chosen the life of a hero throwing herself in harms way doesn't mean you have to. Kara has powers that protects her, you don't. I know I came down hard on you when she revealed herself to the world, but I was scared for her. I never meant you to take that as an instruction to get yourself killed."
For a moment Alex stood in silence, taken by surprise at her mother's response. Eventually she said.
"Regardless of who I work for or what Kara decides to so, I will always protect her."
"I know." Eliza said gently hugging her daughter. "And I really am proud of you. I just want you to be safe."
"I know." Alex said resting her head on her mother's shoulder.
"Good. So back to bed."
"I'm not that tired."
"You look terrible." Eliza said. "At the very least why don't you sit down. If you are that bored, why don't you watch that show you and Kara are always going on about?" Eliza suggested.
"Homeland?"
"That's the one."
"You want me to watch Homeland without Kara? She would go crazy. She'd take it worse than stealing her sticky buns. You just said you didn't want me to get killed and then you suggest that?"
"I think you are being a little over dramatic." Eliza replied as Kara flew through the window.
"Sorry I took so long. Why are you up?"
"Mom was suggesting I should watch Homeland."
If her ribs had not been hurting so much Alex would have laughed at the look of sheer confusion, anger and betrayal that her sister wore.
"Y- you wouldn't" Kara stammered.
"It's just a TV show." Eliza said unable to understand what the fuss was about.
"Just a TV show?" Both daughters said in synchronised outrage.
"Not just a TV show?" Eliza guessed. "You know, I think I need to turn the potatoes." She added before leaving the girls alone.
"I wouldn't have done it." Alex said gingerly holding her hands up in a defensive pose.
"You are just lucky you look so bad right now." Kara said. "If you didn't I would not guarantee your safety."
"I'm the innocent party in all of this. You were the one who abandoned me." Alex protested as she sat down on the bed, too tired to stand any longer.
"Next time I run off I'll make sure I take my recorder with me." Kara said.
"I'll still have my phone."
"If you are considering watching Homeland on such a small screen you must be bad." The younger Danvers pointed out. "So seriously, how are you doing? You need pain killers? Sleep? Food?"
"Yes." Alex groaned.
"Why don't you lie down and I'll bring in the pills and food."
"Can't you take me home?"
"No. Eliza is right, you need supervision. Just let us take care of you for a change."
"I'm fine, just a little tired." Alex said lying back on the bed. "What did Cat want anyway?"
"There was a problem with the invite list for tomorrow's event. And to remind me I was a useless assistant."
"Couldn't she just have emailed you that?" Alex asked shutting her eyes.
"More impact in person." Kara shrugged. "But she is off with Carter now so there should be no more phone calls or emails." She added before noticing that Alex was asleep. Moving to her sister's side she wrapped her in a blanket before whispering "Good night."
-The End
A/N: Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed it.