1.
J'onn J'onzz. Martian Manhunter. Hank Henshaw.
He had taken on a number of identities over the years, but none had been quite as exhausting as this one. Running the D.E.O. was one thing, but being reminded of Jeremiah Danvers and his heroic actions every second of every day was taking a toll on him. The fact that he was stuck in this shape - stuck to this identity - didn't help. Hank Henshaw and his obsessions were the reason they were all in this position in the first place.
Though he never forgot his promise to Jeremiah.
Jeremiah had died for him. Died protecting him. And J'onn would honor his last request.
He wasn't sure what he was expecting when he contacted Alex Danvers for a job interview with the D.E.O., who was fresh out of college with a background in bio-engineering and living with a Kryptonian.
J'onn had watched over Alex, of course. Had made sure no harm had come to her during her teenage years and her early twenties. He had never revealed himself, had never spoken to her, and had never read her mind. Alex hadn't looked at him twice while he was out in different forms. She didn't know he was there and he preferred it that way.
He had watched Alex grow up. And still – he was surprised.
"Good morning, Ms. Danvers." He rounded his desk and held out his hand. Alex seemed nervous but confident; her hair was shorter than he remembered it. The last time he had seen her had been about three months ago.
The new look suited her well.
"Director Henshaw, it is a pleasure and an honor to meet you, sir." Her handshake was firm and authoritative, like she knew exactly how valuable she could prove to be for the D.E.O.
He nodded to one of the seats in front of his desk.
"Please, Ms. Danvers, take a seat," he said, lowering himself to his black leather desk chair and setting his arms down on the table top. He watched as Alex seated herself assuredly, back ram-rod straight, ready for this interview - ready for whatever he would throw at her. "I presume that you have been informed about the kind of operations we conduct here at the D.E.O., and that you also signed a non-disclosure agreement before you were brought into my office?"
There was no point in talking around the formalities.
Alex nodded seriously.
"Yes, sir. I understand perfectly." She folded her hands on her thighs, gripping them tightly. He was curious now. He had never read her mind, had never found it necessary to. But now, now he was deciding whether or not to hire her for his operation. Her background certainly made her a viable candidate, but he had to ensure the safety of his colleagues before he made his ultimate decision.
He might not have been the real Hank Henshaw but that didn't mean he didn't care about the people around him once he had gotten to know them.
He sighed inwardly. He didn't like reading people's minds on this planet. It felt… invasive. But it was necessary now.
He fixed her with a pointed stare.
"You accepted our offer for an interview after being debriefed. What are your intentions towards our organization? Why did you accept? From what I understand, you have a, shall we say, a personal stake in the observation, containment and integration of alien life forms." Her hands twitched in her lap as J'onn observed her.
Understatement of the century, her voice resonated in his mind - his face remained stoic. A personal stake, that's hilarious. Kara Zor-El's face flashed in J'onn's mind as Alex visualized her involuntarily. I can't screw this up; this job is going to help me protect Kara. Come on, Alex. You can do this.
"Yes, sir. My sister." Foster sister. Foster sister, Alex. "My foster sister Kara came here from Krypton, as you know. She has been living with us ever since she got here, which makes me uniquely qualified to work for your organization. Further, my degree in bio-engineering will be a true asset when dealing with foreign life-forms and alien physiology, which I'm sure is why you thought of me in the first place." That's right, Alex, you've worked hard for this. You deserve to be here.
Her face didn't betray her emotions - J'onn was impressed.
Nothing is ever going to prepare me for this job more than resisting Kara's puppy dog eyes for over 10 years... Who am I kidding, I could never resist those eyes. J'onn had to work hard to keep his eyebrows from rising on his forehead. No, Alex. Focus. This isn't about how cute Kara is, this is about how best to protect her. Focus.
"And you and your foster sister are… close? Would you be prepared to do what it takes, even if she became a threat one day?" This was the multi-million-dollar question. From what he had overheard so far, it seemed that Alex's relationship to her sister ran deeper than even he had suspected. He might have sworn to protect Alex from harm, but Alex very clearly followed a different objective.
He noticed the muscles around her mouth tightening, the only indication that he had made her angry with his remark.
He was becoming more impressed by the second.
"I would put my obligations before my personal feelings, sir. Of course," she said, even though her jaw was locked tightly. He didn't believe her for a second and her thoughts confirmed as much. Alex didn't believe that Kara could ever turn to corruption, didn't believe her sister capable of atrocities. He wasn't as sure about her as Alex was. Sure, Kara had never seemed overtly violent or cruel to him, but he hadn't been watching her quite as closely as he had been watching her foster sister. Anything was possible. "I am prepared to do whatever it takes, sir."
Whatever it takes to keep Kara out of harm. Whatever it takes to protect her.
"I am glad to hear that, Ms. Danvers. This job is a dangerous one and threats can wait behind every corner. Even in our own homes, in our families. Even the best people can follow the wrong path." He now knew that nothing he could possibly say would ever change her mind about her sister. He hadn't anticipated the loyalty Alex felt for Kara Zor-El.
He was unsure now.
He wanted to hire her, wanted to give her a chance, wanted to work with her. He knew she would make an excellent agent. She was determined, hard-working, loyal, kind and resourceful; he needed people like her in his rank. It would also hold the added benefit of being able to work up-close with her, being able to protect her without following her in the streets. He didn't like the way that made him feel. Like a stalker.
"From what our intel could confirm, it seems that your sister is refusing to use her powers. Would you agree with this assessment?" He hadn't seen Kara use her powers but that didn't mean she never did. He hadn't spent every waking second with the girls. He checked in regularly enough, but a lot could happen in between his visits.
"Yes, sir, your intel is correct. Kara is just trying to live a normal, human life. She has excellent control over herself and has not been using her powers." Well, except for that one time she took me flying and nearly got us all exposed. Or when that car nearly ran me over a few years ago.
He could see the image now as if it had been his own memory. The flight, Alex clinging tightly to Kara Zor-El. The speeding car and the feeling of being whisked away by a red-blue blur before the car could hit her. There were other incidents now, other moments where Kara had used her powers for smaller things. Nothing to get too worked up about, though.
"And you're absolutely sure your sister isn't planning on using her abilities the way her cousin Superman has? She has no intentions of revealing herself to the world? Or to become the next big hero?" He scrutinized her closely. Her posture was still excellent and she'd finally loosened the death-grip her hands had been trapped in.
"Yes, sir. Kara has no intention whatsoever of becoming a superhero. We all agree that it is best for her if she keeps her powers hidden." Her voice brooked no argument - she absolutely believed the words she was saying. He didn't need to read her mind to realize that.
"Very well, Ms. Danvers. It has been a pleasure speaking with you. Welcome to the D.E.O. You start training Monday morning at eight am sharp. Don't be late." He stood and held out his hand again.
That's it? Wow, I actually didn't screw this up. I can't believe this is really happening.
Kara's face entered J'onn's mind. Again.
"Thank you, sir. I appreciate the opportunity and I will not let you down." Once more, that firm handshake.
"Just remember, Ms. Danvers. You can never tell anybody about this. Ever. Especially not your sister. It would be unwise for her to know about our operation." A look of determination crossed her features. Kara is going to be so furious if she ever finds out about this. I need to come up with a good cover-story. "A fake identity will be provided for you. Your family and friends will never suspect a thing if you keep to our protocol."
She froze briefly and a quick look of suspicion crossed her features.
A stream of Martian swearwords took shape in his mind, this time from his own thoughts.
Things like this was why he didn't like to read minds.
2.
J'onn hadn't found it necessary to listen in on Alex's thoughts for the first year she worked for the D.E.O. She excelled at her job and proved herself as a major asset to his team. He might have recruited her because of who her father and her sister were, but he hadn't regretted his decision to hire her a single time.
Until now.
Alex had been acting erratic these last couple of days and J'onn couldn't figure out why.
He was reluctant to read her mind again to figure out what was going on with her. Now that he had gotten to know her better, his reservations had only grown. But if her behavior and her mood kept affecting her work, he might be forced to step in. It was better if he knew what he was getting himself into before he approached her.
He found her sitting in the lab, working on a blood sample from an alien they had recently bagged and tagged. Her shoulders were hunched over the microscope. He wasn't sure if she was angry or sad or a combination of both.
J'onn knew he had to set some boundaries after this morning's incident.
"Agent Danvers, we need to have a discussion." She flinched and he winced. The slew of curse words flowing out of her brain and straight into his could have made a grown sailor flush.
"Director Henshaw, we've talked about this. You can't just sneak up on people like that." You're going to give me a heart attack one day, Hank. Goddamn it. He hid his smile behind a cough and stepped closer to her desk, settling himself down in an unoccupied, black office chair next to her. "What do you need to discuss with me, sir? Is there a problem? Anything I can help with?"
Anything to get my mind off this stupid and completely unnecessary Kara situation is welcome right now. Come on, Henshaw. Something dangerous, something difficult.
"We need to have a discussion about your most recent performance. Specifically, this morning. What were you thinking going in there by yourself without waiting for back-up? And against my direct orders, no less." He wasn't angry. He'd been plenty scared, though. It was a foreign feeling he hadn't felt in a long time. It reminded him of how he used to feel about his two daughters, and he desperately needed to get a handle on that. It wouldn't do well to show any sort of preferential treatment, and Alex wasn't his child. "You endangered not only yourself but your mission as well."
"With all due respect, sir, there was a single Aellon in there and she wasn't hostile. There was no reason for me to wait for back-up and potentially risk any of the residents discovering an alien in their midst." J'onn's mouth twisted into an unpleasant expression.
"I might have overlooked your blatant disregard for my instructions, Agent Danvers, if this hadn't been the third incident in which you acted out of order this past week alone. Whatever you've got going on right now, you need to fix it or you need to stop letting it affect your work. I can't have you on my team if you're not in full control of yourself." He could see the almost imperceptible twitch of the muscles in her jaw - as always the only sign that he had angered her.
Alex Danvers was nothing if not professional.
Usually.
You try talking to Kara when she's angry, see how you like it. God, this entire situation is so fucked up.
"If you need to take some time off to deal with any issues in your personal life, you need to tell me. I can't have you in the field with you distracted like this." He'd had a feeling this was about the Kryptonian girl. He knew they called each other regularly and had noticed a distinct lack of phone calls in the past few days.
"I don't need time off, sir. I'm sorry my personal life has been affecting my performance. It won't happen again." If she won't talk to me, then I am going to go over there and make her talk to me. Fuck, this seriously has me off my game.
Flashes of memories assaulted J'onn's mind. Alex and Kara walking down the sidewalk, happy. An argument breaking out, a fight. He clawed his way back to the moment and nodded gravely at her. He was sure, whatever was going on between the Danvers sisters, they would fix it in time. From what he understood, nothing could keep them apart for long.
Fuck, maybe I do need to tell her. Maybe it's time. You can't keep dragging those feelings around with you, Alex. It's not fair to you and it's not fair to her. And it's certainly not fair to my work. Goddamn it.
J'onn recognized the cue for him to leave for what it was.
"Good to hear, Agent Danvers. I will let you get back to your work." He pushed himself to his feet, hesitated for a second- then patted her shoulder awkwardly for a moment before moving to the door. Before his hand could reach for the doorknob, he sighed softly to himself and spoke quickly and authoritatively to her. "I'm sure if you just talk to her, you and Ms. Danvers will be back to how you were before in no time."
Alex's face was turned back to the microscope, but he could almost feel the heat rising into her cheeks.
"I'm sure you're right, sir." She cleared her throat. "I'll bring you my report later." After I've gotten over how obvious I apparently am about this.
"Good enough, Agent Danvers. I will see you later, then."
He fled.
Reading minds brought him nothing but trouble.
3.
The Kryptonian girl – Kara Zor-El – was still unconscious when J'onn returned after his debriefing. Alex didn't know she was here yet, which was just as well. He wasn't sure he could trust her in this situation; her emotions might interfere with her work.
The girl was wearing a costume closely resembling Superman's in design.
The same coloring, the same coat of arms, the infamous S.
He pursed his lips.
How would he get her to step down as Supergirl? From what Alex had told him and from what he'd gleaned of Kara's personality, she didn't seem to be the easily deterred type. Then again, Alex had also believed that Kara would never decide to follow in her cousin's footsteps and become a superhero.
Nothing was sure in this moment.
He didn't have time to ponder his next move, as suddenly Alex stumbled into the room, apparently startled to find her beloved sister handcuffed with kryptonite. This time, her jaw tightened visibly and she shot J'onn a betrayed look.
"Why didn't you tell me she was here earlier?" Her hands were shaking and her demeanor spoke clearly of someone who had been rattled thoroughly. I should've been there; I should've told her no; I should've tried harder to make her stop. This is all my fault. The reflex came naturally to J'onn. He'd grown very fond of Alex and seeing her so distressed had triggered something in him he couldn't control. His mind connected with hers before he could stop it. I should've protected her. Goddamn it.
"Agent Danvers, calm down. Your sister is alright. As you can clearly see, we have not harmed her. In fact, it appears that she's just coming out of her unconscious state. Everything is fine. Nothing bad is going to happen to her with us." His voice was much more soothing that he would have liked, but there was no time to dwell on it now. Not with Kara Zor-El coming to only a few feet away from them.
"Wh-Where am I?" Kara sounded scared and in pain. The kryptonite wasn't comfortable, but it was the only way for now to ensure that they would be heard. She rattled against her restraints and he could feel Alex getting ready to run to her aide. He stretched out his arm and beckoned her to wait. She obeyed. Barely.
She looks so scared.
Kara struggled again, harder this time. Still, to no avail.
"They're made of low-grade kryptonite. A radioactive mineral from your home planet. It weakens you." Kara looked in his direction but he was still safely hidden in the shadows. She wouldn't be able to see him until he let her, but he wasn't up for any sort of games with Kara. She wasn't the one who this room had been designed for in the first place. This room was for enemies - Kara was just a child.
"Wh-Who are you? Why am I here? What is—going on?"
He could feel Alex growing tenser and tenser which each passing second.
"You're at the D.E.O., Ms. Danvers. The Department of Extranormal Operations. You would qualify as extranormal, would you not?" He stepped closer to the table so she could see him. Alex stayed in the shadows. The pain was wafting off of her so strongly he was surprised he was the only one able to sense it. "Do you really not know why you're here?"
Kara's eyes flit over to him, her wrists still struggling against the kryptonite handcuffs.
"No, I don't know why I'm here. Let me go." She's going to hurt herself in those things. God, this can't be happening. J'onn looked over to Alex and made his decision. He was impressed by how long she'd managed to stay away from her sister until now, but he wasn't cruel. This wasn't a moment to torture either girl. He just needed Kara to go back to the boring, mundane life she'd led up to this point.
"My name is Hank Henshaw and I believe you already know Agent Danvers," he couldn't have stepped back fast enough. Alex's walk was so brisk, she would've probably knocked him over if he hadn't moved.
"Agent Danvers?" Kara's voice sounded confused and hurt.
Finally, Alex had made it to the table and immediately started loosening and slipping off the kryptonite restraints.
"She doesn't need those." She's never going to forgive me for this. Damn it, why didn't I talk her out of this; why did I let my own feelings get in the way? I should have just told her when I had the chance. Now she's never going to believe anything I say ever again.
J'onn watched as Alex freed Kara's right hand from its shackle before trying to clasp their hands together. For the fraction of a nanosecond, it seemed as though the Kryptonian girl was going to grant her that request, but then the moment passed and Kara slipped her hand free, recoiling from her sister.
This is it, this is the moment I lose her for good.
"The D.E.O. monitors and protects the Earth from extraterrestrial presence, and or invasion. That means you." It was difficult to focus with Alex swirling around in his mind; her pain eclipsed nearly everything else. He watched the sisters as they made eye contact. One feeling betrayed, the other one absolutely heartbroken. It was a jarring sight but one he could not help.
Reading minds had never felt so much like slicing open old wounds.
4.
With Fort Rozz prisoners running around and newly baked supervillains menacing the streets of National City, human drone technology or bombings had been the furthest things from J'onn's mind. Still, when he'd heard the explosion and subsequent splash of water through Supergirl's earpiece, he hadn't hesitated.
"Dispatch a rescue team to Supergirl's location right now! Quickly - who knows how long her Kryptonian lungs are going to do her any good. Her cells are going to be depleted - we need to get her here as soon as possible." He was glad Alex was still tending to the insufferable Maxwell Lord and wouldn't be part of the team to fish Supergirl out of the ocean. At least she didn't have to see her sister in the horrific shape she was surely in, drifting under the surface of the sea. "And get our sun replicators ready. There's no time to waste."
His team was made up of excellent human beings, so he wasn't surprised to see them rolling Supergirl in on a stretcher in less than twenty minutes. She didn't look outwardly injured, but he knew her regeneration cells had taken the brunt of the impact.
"Sir, has someone updated Agent Danvers to let her know we've got Supergirl? I'm sure she will want to be here when her sister regains consciousness." Vasquez's voice was steady, but spooked. While they all knew that Kryptonians weren't quite as indestructible as they'd like the media to believe, seeing Supergirl in such a state had them all rattled. They'd all gotten to know and like her. With resignation, he admitted to himself that he found himself among them.
"Yes, call her in. I'm sure Maxwell Lord and his company will be able to survive without her for a few hours. But," at this he finally turned away from Kara Zor-El's face to look directly at Vasquez, "whatever you do, make sure Agent Danvers is informed that her sister has not suffered any major injuries she cannot recover from."
"Of course, sir."
He turned back to Kara as Vasquez quickly walked back to their station. He didn't have to read anyone's mind to know exactly what they were all thinking. If they somehow failed to communicate to Alex that her sister was injured but fine and in good hands, there would be hell to pay. He hadn't been the only one to pick up on the lingering glances and frequent touches.
J'onn knew she was here even before he saw her. Their mental link was now so strong that he didn't need to use his full powers to sense her when she was around. He'd given up on trying to prevent this. They were stuck with one another for good.
Why does this keep happening? I shouldn't have given her the bomb. Fuck, it sounded like it practically went off in her hands. Goddamn it, Kara, goddamn it.
"Excuse me, sorry Dave. Sorry, can you just- thanks." Alex came rushing into the room, a confused lab tech scrambling out of her way so as not to get bowled over. "Director Henshaw! Is Kara alright? Vasquez was really vague on the intercom."
J'onn scowled.
Vague on the intercom? He'd have to have a serious talk with Vasquez about what constituted not worrying Alex half to death with her sister's well-being.
"Your sister is fine. She was close to the bomb as it detonated and suffered some damage from the residual blast, as I'm sure you already know. But as you can clearly see for yourself, we put her under the regeneration lamps we designed with your help. There is nothing to worry about." He gestured vaguely to the table Supergirl was resting on, her face relaxed for the moment.
Oh, thank whoever is listening up there. Fuck, Kara. I was so fucking scared.
"How did you find her? Didn't the blast throw her? How long was she under water?" Alex slowly made her way to the table, obviously scared to touch her sister for fear of aggravating any residual wounds. "How long has she been unconscious like this?"
"She was thrown into the sea; our people fished her out. They're very good at that, you know. You should be proud of your sister. Once again, she went above and beyond to ensure the safety of National City." I can be proud all I want when she's awake again. "She's been unconscious for about an hour now. Though from what I understand, that is not uncommon for Kryptonians after such trauma."
Alex had finally reached her sister's side, her trembling left hand gingerly making contact with Kara's forehead to slide some wet hair out of her closed eyes.
Control yourself, there's no crying at the D.E.O. At least not over superhero sisters who are perfectly fine and definitely not dying right now. Let the solar wave dispensers do their work; Kara will be back to normal in no time. God, all I want to do is hold her right now.
J'onn shifted uncomfortably next to her and crossed his arms. One of these days he might have to hold an intervention for Alex about her feelings.
She looks so small… Fuck, Kara, I love you so much - please don't scare me like that ever again.
J'onn's left eye twitched. Scratch that, he would most definitely hold that intervention if she ever found out who he really was.
He watched as Alex's right hand joined her left and softly started stroking Kara's cheek. Come on, Kara, you can do this. You're so brave; one little explosion can't keep you down, can it? Come on, baby, you need to wake up.
"You need to give your report about the bomb. I'll watch over Supergirl until she wakes up - you don't need to worry. All she needs now is to rest and recharge. You are needed elsewhere." He grasped Alex by the shoulder and squeezed reassuringly. "You did everything right today, Agent Danvers. The person to blame is the bomber, not you. Supergirl did her job well and this will not leave her with any permanent damage."
"Yes, sir. Of course. I know that." Alex's hand stilled on Kara's face. "I just needed to make sure she was alright."
"Of course, Agent Danvers. I will call you when she wakes up." He released her shoulder and stepped aside, so she could leave the room.
"Thank you, sir, I appreciate it."
Kara's body was wobbly when she tried to work herself out of the condensed solar waves.
J'onn had half the mind to take the final three steps towards her and steady her arms with his hands, but he restrained himself. He wasn't sure she'd appreciate his help after the tumble she just took. He didn't want her to think that he had any doubts about her ability to handle herself.
"Our rescue team brought you here so you could regenerate. Even you are not indestructible; try not to overexert yourself too soon. If you feel especially drained, you can come back here and recharge. This machine is not going anywhere." His face retained its usual stoic expression, but his eyes softened imperceptibly.
He, like many others on the base, didn't want any harm coming to her either.
The door to the room burst open and Alex practically flew inside and into Kara's arms.
"I was worried sick about you - don't ever do anything like this ever again, you hear me?" Her voice was muffled by Kara's hair and her cape, but J'onn could hear her clearly. Kara's arms tightened around Alex's back, wincing only slightly through the onslaught.
I swear, I am never letting you go again.
"Thank you for saving me and fishing me out of the water," Kara said as Alex had finally stepped back from their desperate embrace. They hadn't ceased all contact, though. Alex's hand was now firmly clasped within her sister's.
I would've burned this whole place to the ground if they hadn't pulled you out of that ocean.
Or maybe I would've jumped in after you myself.
"Oh please, I would have never heard the end of it from Agent Danvers, if we'd left you there with the fishes. Get some rest; you'll need it for when the bomber decides to strike again. Agent Danvers, I trust you'll get Supergirl home safely and in one piece?"
Alex smiled faintly at his remarks, her eyes watery from the emotional reunion.
"Of course, sir. I'll drive her home personally." He smiled at them both and made his exit.
Closing the door softly behind him, he watched for a moment through the glass window as Alex fell back into Kara's arms and pushed her face into Kara's neck. He wasn't sure if she was crying, but it didn't matter to him either way. Everything was well now that the sisters had been reunited.
He watched for a second longer as Kara pressed her nose against Alex's shoulder and closed her eyes contently, her fingers digging into Alex's back in reassurance.
I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you.
He smiled to himself.
Sometimes reading minds wasn't an altogether terrible thing, he thought.
5.
One of the side effects J'onn hadn't expected when Supergirl had lost her powers temporarily was that he would finally be able to read her mind.
His powers didn't generally work on Kryptonians; a fact Superman could not let go of.
But, of course, right now… Kara was less Kryptonian and much more human.
Really, J'onn should have suspected something like this would occur. He had never been around Superman during one of his Solar Flares, as he liked to call them.
J'onn had a feeling that may have been more by Superman's design than by coincidence.
However, the fact that he could potentially read Kara's mind if he so chose didn't mean that he actually wanted to.
Reading Alex's mind was one thing. He was her direct superior and had sworn an oath to a dying man to keep his daughter safe, but Supergirl?
In the beginning, before he really knew her, he might have jumped on the chance to see what she kept so carefully hidden behind that perfectly coiffed hair. But not now. Now he knew her well enough to ascertain that she was in fact not hiding a craftily put together evil plan.
There was simply no reason to read her mind.
And yet… J'onn felt himself tempted.
He'd spent the last two years sporadically listening to Alex's thoughts and feelings about her foster sister and J'onn was wondering now if maybe, just maybe, Kara might feel the same way about Alex. If the seemingly innocuous touching and the lingering glances were anything to go by…
He would have denied it if anyone had asked, but he felt himself invested in their happiness now. He'd come to care for them, strange as it was. And if there was any way for him to help, maybe he should take that opportunity.
He made his way to the lab.
Kara was currently strapped into the solar wave dispenser, though the many hours she had spent in there had left nary a dent in her powerlessness. He could tell that she was quickly running out of patience and hope.
"I'm sure it's perfectly normal that your powers haven't come back yet, and that there is really no need to worry about it," Alex spoke calmly from her seat, perched next to the dispenser with Kara's hand clasped firmly within her own. "You just need to hold on and count on your body to regenerate itself. You did an amazing job with Red Tornado."
The sisters hadn't noticed J'onn come into the room. The door had been open and he was hidden away in the shadows.
Maybe he could allow himself just a peek into the ever elusive mind of Supergirl.
"I know, I know. It's just so frustrating. I want to help people, but I can't. How do you do this all the time?" He could clearly see the pout on her lips and the sparkle in Alex's eyes as she bent forward to smooth some hair out of Kara's face.
The new voice in his mind startled him slightly, unfamiliar as it was to hear it in his own head.
Alex is so pretty when she smiles. Of course she can handle herself as a human. She'd probably make an amazing superhero. It's not like she isn't already one without any superpowers.
"I guess you can't miss something you've never had. But can you imagine? I'd make an awesome superhero." Alex's smile spread onto Kara's lips.
"That's exactly what I was thinking just now! Can't you get infected with kryptonite and develop some cool powers? We'd be an even more unstoppable team than we already are." And you'd look really great in a tight spandex outfit. "I bet Cat would name you Superwoman."
"Oh, please. That woman would probably shiv me for pushing her beloved Supergirl out of the spotlight. There's only one superhero for Cat Grant and I can't say I blame her." Alex's hand glided softly along Kara's forehead before twirling a lock of blonde hair around one finger.
Conceal, don't feel. Stay calm, Kara.
J'onn almost revealed himself when a startled snort laugh shook Kara's body, making him jump ever so slightly in the shadows.
"No, she wouldn't! She'd love you. I bet you'd never make any mistakes. What do you think your superpowers should be? Oh, oh, I really want you to be able to fly! Then we could fly above the clouds together! That would be so cool!"
"Alright, fine. I'll put flying on my to-do list the next time I get infected with kryptonite." Alex's smile was blinding. She seemed truly young to J'onn in this moment. None of that tough Agent Danvers shtick she usually liked to put on. Here was the real Alex Danvers and he had to say, he found her quite charming.
It appeared to him that he was not the only one who was charmed.
Without making a single sound, J'onn slowly backed out of the room and away from the two laughing sisters. Maybe he'd have to extend that intervention into a two-people deal.
He was glad to know his favorite D.E.O. agent probably wouldn't be rejected if it ever came down to it.
Mind-reading sure had its perks occasionally.
6.
They were both staring at the screen in front of them, watching Astra fight Kara and holding her own. More than that, J'onn couldn't fathom how Kara could have been able to beat her in a fight. Astra was a warrior; it didn't make any sense.
"Something is off here. Astra beats Kara twice and then she loses spectacularly. Why? She leaves herself in a vulnerable position. It's almost like she forgot all of her training. Why would she make such rookie mistakes?" Alex's eyebrows crinkled as she tried to figure it out.
J'onn watched her out of the corner of his eyes.
Now that she knew who he really was, he had no reason to hide the rest of his powers from her. He wasn't sure how she'd respond to some of the more invasive powers he hadn't divulged to anyone, much less Alex during his confession.
Well, he was never going to find out how she'd react if he never told her.
Maybe he could be subtle about it? Though there was really nothing that could frame telepathy as anything other than flashy.
Maybe if he just slipped it in…?
"It is strange. And I can't read Astra's mind to find out why." He placed his hands at his hips and affected a strong position as he silently watched Alex's facial expression go from concentration to disbelief to shock. Her head slowly moved to face him. "Kryptonians are impervious to my telepathy. Something which Superman finds hilarious, by the way."
Alex's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water for a few seconds before she regained control over her faculties.
"You can read minds?" He didn't have to read hers to know exactly what she was thinking.
He angled his upper body in her direction and smiled knowingly at her.
"Not today, Alex, not today." He winked at her as she blinked rapidly, trying to process this information. "But, if we were talking about it – which, we are not - I'd tell you to trust me when I say this: You need to either go after what you want, or move on. I've spent the past two years listening to you mooning after Supergirl and it's just not healthy."
He clapped her softly on the shoulder and turned to walk away.
Her voice stopped him.
"Hank? I mean, J'onn. I- hypothetically speaking, if- I mean, when you say it doesn't work on Kryptonians-." She was struggling now, he could see it in her eyes. Struggling to make sense of what he had told her and whether or not to take his advice.
"That does include a certain blonde powerhouse in a red skirt. But I have a feeling that if you did talk to her, hypothetically speaking of course, she might not be quite as resistant to the whole idea as you may think." He smiled again, wider this time. Maybe he wouldn't need to stage a bigger intervention after all.
Good, he was terrible at making PowerPoint presentations.
"Alright, yes. Thank you. Thanks. I will definitely think about it." She swung her right fist back and forth in a gesture that might have been intended as a sign of confidence.
It really wasn't.
Maybe J'onn had to accept that mind-reading and interventions could only get you so far.
It was up to her now.
His work was done.
7.
They were alone in Kara's apartment.
It had been a long few days.
"Thank you, by the way." Alex was fiddling now with the glass of scotch in her hand.
This was the first reprieve they'd gotten in days and she was going to put it to good use.
Now that Cat Grant had been deterred, General Lane had been banned from the D.E.O. for the time being, and J'onn had been safely returned, there was no better time to talk about this. Before something else happened and they'd be swept up again.
"For what?" Kara pulled her legs onto the couch and curled her arms around them.
"For saving me from being burned to a crisp by your uncle. I'm pretty sure he was about to use his heat vision on me when you showed up. All of that stuff with J'onn getting kidnapped, I didn't get a chance to say it before." She smiled weakly at Kara and took a healthy sip of her scotch. It burned her throat, somewhat soothing her nerves.
This conversation was going to be hard.
"You don't have to thank me for that. You know I'd never let anything bad happen to you; just like you'd never let anything bad happen to me. That's kind of our whole thing." Kara's right foot shot forward, poking Alex into the leg playfully. Her smile was blinding. And beautiful.
"Yeah…" Alex swallowed another mouthful of scotch.
Kara frowned.
"Are you okay? You look stressed. Is it something else at the D.E.O.? Because you rocked it today, Director Danvers." Kara's smile was wide and happy. Alex bit her inner cheek.
"No, it's not the D.E.O." Absentmindedly, Alex pushed her hand through her short hair and looked away from Kara. "I- it's about you and me. I think we need to talk. About something. Something I should've told you a long time ago - I was too scared to do it but J'onn can read minds and he- anyway, I need to tell you something."
"Wait, wait, wait, hold up. J'onn can read minds?" Kara's eyes widened. "Anyone's mind?"
"Well, no, his powers don't work on Kryptonians. Don't worry, you're safe. He's apparently only been poking around in my thoughts and I will need to have a serious discussion with him about that, 'cause that is some serious violation of privacy." Rubbing her face, Alex set her half-empty glass of scotch down on the coffee table. "But that's not the point!"
"But how can that not be the point?" Kara scooted forward on the couch and closer to Alex, whose facial muscles twitched as she clenched her jaw.
"I'm trying to tell you something important here, Kara. We can talk about J'onn's amazing set of powers later. I'm sure he'd love to tell you all about the things I've been thinking over the years, tomorrow." She was getting exasperated now. Surely, it shouldn't be this hard to talk about her feelings.
"Alright, fine. Let's talk about this very important thing you couldn't tell me before for some reason." Kara straightened her back, the picture-perfect image of a person ready to listen.
Alex's jaw clenched again.
It was now or never.
Her lips trembled as she slowly lifted her left hand to Kara's face and cupped her cheek. A tremulous smile passed over Alex's lips as she averted her eyes briefly, gathering herself.
"Okay, so, this is something I should've told you a million times over and I didn't, because I was scared. And I'm sorry it took me so long to let you know, but- I'm saying it now. And I don't expect anything in return, I just, I need to say it at least once." She breathed slowly through her nose, her eyes flitting to the ceiling as if in search of a higher power to give her strength.
Kara was staring now.
"Alex…" Kara's own hand touched Alex's wrist softly.
She was trembling all over.
Now or never.
"I love you, Kara, I love you so much." She still couldn't look Kara in the eye. She didn't want to see the look of rejection, if indeed it was there.
"I love you, too, Alex. You know that." Kara's voice sounded so confused, her hand on Alex's wrist warm and reassuring. "Why did you think you couldn't tell me that? We tell each other that every day."
It was much like a cruel joke, Alex supposed. Unintended or not.
She pulled her hand away from Kara's face and swiped it across her own before it found its way into her hair again, gripping it tightly for a second before releasing it. She would need to spell it out for Kara, would need to say the actual words.
Finally, her eyes lifted, locking on Kara's distressed puppy-dog expression.
She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
"Alex? Seriously, are you alright? Do you need a minute? You seem like you need a minute; I'll get you some water from the kitchen, maybe the alcohol isn't agreeing with you after the day you've had." Kara was on her feet in a second, but before she could go, Alex had risen to her feet as well, her face a mask of pain.
"I don't just love you, Kara. I- I'm in love with you. I've been in love with you- literally, for years, and I don't know why I never told you, because you're the nicest person I've ever met and I just- I'm sorry." Alex's hands balled into fists as she stared at Kara's ramrod-straight back. She'd frozen in her departure, halfway into taking the first step.
Alex could hear a shaky exhale.
"You're in love with me?" Her voice sounded small, quiet.
Kara's shaky exhale was echoed by Alex's own.
"Yeah." It came out as less of a word and more of a breathy admittance of defeat. "How could I not be, Kara? You're the most wonderful person I've ever known and you don't even try. You're just- you. And I love you, I love you so much."
Alex hadn't quite finished her pronouncement before she was assaulted by one hundred and thirty pounds of solid Kryptonian muscle. The force of the impact had her falling backwards, straight onto the only haphazardly made couch.
And then Kara was on her, pressing her against the cushions and kissing her so hard Alex wasn't sure she would survive this moment.
She never wanted it to stop.
Her hands flew to Kara's lower back, gripping there tightly as Kara devoured her mouth. Where Kara had learned to kiss like that was beyond Alex, but she was having trouble keeping up with her enthusiastic foster sister.
Their lips slid against one another, Kara's tongue slipping between Alex's lips - claiming her, taking all that was offered so willingly.
Kara's right hand had found its way onto Alex's face, tipping her chin up further to get a better angle on the kiss. They were both breathing heavily now, Kara's hair falling like a curtain around their faces.
"I love you, too, Alex," was whispered breathlessly into Alex's mouth between kisses.
Their kiss grew more intense as Alex slipped her hands under Kara's blue button-down and scratched down her skin. Kara bit down languidly on Alex's lower lip, pulling it slightly with her before letting it go again, teasing a whimper out of Alex's throat.
Alex swallowed hard.
"Do you think we should talk about this?" Alex's voice was breathless, her chest heaving heavily as her hands settled down on Kara's muscled hips. Her pupils were blown wide and her hair was mussed, her lips swollen from the incessant kissing.
"What is there to talk about? I love you and you love me. Seems simple enough to me." Kara's smile was like sunshine, stretched across her whole face as she looked down at Alex, who couldn't help but return the sentiment.
Maybe she'd have to thank Hank for his mind-reading instead.
7a.
"Agent Danvers, I see you made it home in one piece last night. Good to see." J'onn had the grace not to mention the hickey adorning Alex's throat, half hidden by her black polo-shirt. "I assume you and Supergirl had a productive discussion?"
This was good news. It meant he definitely didn't have to prepare any PowerPoints or banners.
"Yes, sir, very productive. I think we've come to an agreeable solution to our long-standing problems. Thank you." She came to a halt next to him, looking towards the monitors that Vasquez was working on.
"Glad to hear it. It did take you an awfully long time, but I'm glad it all worked out for the best in the end." He patted her shoulder lightly and nodded to her. "Now, I hope you're ready to get back to work - Non and his people will not stay hidden for long and we need to be prepared for their next attack. I think taking Supergirl into the sparring ring with you more frequently would benefit all of us as well."
"Yes, sir, of course. I'll tell her." Alex smirked up at him for a second before continuing. "Oh, and sir, I left a report for you in your office. If you have time, I'd suggest you to take a look. It's important D.E.O. business."
With that, Alex pulled her phone from her belt and left the room to call Kara, presumably about her new training sessions. Or, more likely, just to hear her voice.
J'onn smiled lightly. This was going to be good.
In his office, the first thing J'onn noticed wasn't a report, but a new picture frame on his desk. The frame was black and unassuming. He rounded his desk and sat down in his chair before he took a look at what was inside of the frame.
He chuckled.
The content of the frame was a text in black block letters:
"If you ever read my mind without my permission again,
I will chase you back to Mars myself. Thank you for your help;
couldn't have done without you. – Alex."
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