Hi, lovelies.

It didn't sit well with me that Kara went home at the end of "Alex" with Mon-I-knew-you'd-be-fine-El. Kara went through what probably was the most traumatic event of her life after losing her entire planet and civilization, and I just couldn't buy that he would provide the emotional support she would most definitely need. So I wrote this.

For this story, Kara didn't get back together with Mon-El after she broke up with him in Star-Crossed.

The title is a line from the song "For Good" from the Wicked soundtrack.

I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1

Ever since Kara arrived on Earth, Alex had been her constant. The one person Kara had always been able to count on, the one person who more than anyone had helped Kara navigate this brand new world, full of new social rules and expectations, full of priorities and customs that didn't align with what Kara had been immersed in, taught and exposed to in all the years she'd been on Krypton. Alex had always been the one person who was able to make her feel at home on Earth.

Kara was also very well aware that because of her, Alex had sacrificed so much. Because of her, Alex had been in dangerous situations over and over again. Because of her, Alex had almost died today.

She had put on a happy face once they were back at the DEO, and it wasn't a façade, it wasn't a lie per se. Because she was thrilled and so, so relieved her sister was alive and safe, that they got to her in time. But Kara had never been more scared in her life, not ever since that day her parents had put her in a pod and told her to look after her baby cousin on this planet they would soon, or so they had thought, arrive. That day, she had told her father she wasn't afraid.

Today, she's been telling herself the same thing over and over throughout the entire day. She's allowed herself to be vulnerable with J'onn for a few moments when she tried to listen for Alex, but other than those short minutes where she allowed herself to feel all the emotions she had running through her system, she had spent the entire day channeling them and making way for her anger at the kidnapper and at herself if she was being honest, and the determination to find her sister to take reign. Because if she gave in to her fear and panic over the possibility of never getting Alex out of that tank alive, she honestly didn't know what would be of her. So she did what she had to do in order to bring her sister to safety, even if it meant people would disagree with her methods.

It was all fine in the end, but Kara had almost lost the most important person to her that day and she was not okay. Not at all.

When all of the excitement of the rescue dies down, Kara can feel herself closing in on herself and all she wants to do is to have a sisters' night, to be with Alex, to cuddle into her on one of their couches and to spend as many hours as they can manage to stay awake watching silly shows and eating junkie food. She wants that sense of normalcy to be palpable, but her sister has Maggie now, and as much as she is happy that her sister is finally enjoying life in ways she hasn't allowed herself to until a few months prior, another thing Kara blames herself for, Kara can't help but feel a tinge of sadness because her sister is in a serious committed relationship now, and after life threatening situations, you don't go home to have a movie night with your little sister, you go home to be with your significant other. Kara doesn't resent Alex for that because how would that be fair, but it doesn't mean she doesn't feel sad about it either. She had almost lost her sister after all.

After hanging up the phone with Lena, she stealthily leaves the DEO to go home. Kara is on the third episode of One Day at a Time when she hears a knock on her door. She isn't expecting anyone; everyone was busy with something or someone that night. Winn has Lyra and vigilant business; James has CatCo and being Guardian; Alex has Maggie; J'onn was going to stay at the DEO to deal with the aftermath of one of his agents having been kidnapped. Mon-El, well, ever since their break up, she hasn't seen him much outside of the DEO and the occasional group hang out at the bar as he's still feeling victimized by her ending things with him months ago. And Lena, they just had spoken a couple of hours earlier, so she has no idea who could that be knocking at her door.

"Lena?" Kara says surprised when she pushes the door open and is faced with her friend.

"Is this not a good time?" Lena is quick to ask when she notices Kara's surprised expression.

"No, no. Come in. I was just watching Netflix." Kara says as she gestures for Lena to enter her apartment.

Lena goes straight to the kitchen counter to deposit the bags Kara's just now realized she had been carrying.

"You didn't sound fine over the phone, so I thought I'd come over and I hope you are hungry," Lena says raising her eyebrow, a glint in her eyes and a smile on her face.

"I could eat," Kara says feigning nonchalance. Once more putting on a brave face and pretending that it's all fine, that she isn't wrecked inside, that she almost didn't lose her entire world all over again that day.

"I've got all things unhealthy that seem to make a great Kara Danvers comfort food package, ice cream, and potstickers. I thought we could order pizza from here, if you'd like that as well?" Lena asks as she takes said items out of the return bags she's brought them in. When she finally looks up from her task at hand, Lena is met with a face contorting Kara with eyes welling up, lips puckered, chin quivering, her body leaning forward like she's about to collapse with the wave of tremors that start to course through her.

Without a second thought, Lena crosses to the other side and engulfs her friend in a hug. She feels as Kara dismantles in her arms, her guttural sobs fill the room, her entire body is shaking and, what seemed to be her entire weight, is sustained only by the arms Lena has under Kara's. Not being able to uphold the both of them any longer, Lena leads them closer to the table and rests her hip there in order to gain some leverage. Then, slowly, she lets their bodies slide down to their knees as she uses the leg of the table for support so their forms wouldn't just land on the floor.

Kara's tears and trembles wouldn't stop and Lena can feel her jacket and the thin blouse she has underneath getting soaked where Kara was resting her cheek on her collarbone, her hands clutching at Lena's back. Lena caresses Kara's head, face, and spine as she whispers reassuring words like, "It's okay, darling, you're okay," "Let it all out," "Shhh, I'm here, I'm here," which makes Kara cry even harder.

The sounds of Lena's attempts of comforting Kara, and Kara's sobs last for a couple more minutes until they are replaced by Kara's sniffles and sharp breathing as a result of the crying session she's just experienced.

"I almost lost my sister today," Kara says after having calmed down a bit, her voice sounding raspy due to the irritation in her throat caused by her intense weeping.

"Kara," it's all Lena says, her voice sounding broken for her friend. She brings Kara closer to her and touches her cheek to Kara's hair. They stay silent after that for a little while.

When Kara's breathing gets to a normal pace, she lifts her head from the place where it's been resting on Lena and she adjusts herself beside her friend mirroring the other woman's position, their shoulders touching. Kara traces her hands through her face and neck in a vain attempt of drying what was left of her tears, but it's all still so drenched she isn't very successful.

"Here, let me," Lena says as she brings the hem of her jacket to Kara's face, softly pressuring the material to her friend's skin.

"Thank you," Kara says as Lena retreats the fabric from her face. Kara looks up and then brings her own thumbs and uses them to tentatively touch the spot under each of Lena's eyes, where Lena's own tears had rolled down, the action making Lena realize she has been crying as well.

They stay like that, in silence, side by side, for a long time, Kara's head resting on Lena's shoulder, Lena's arm securing Kara close to her. The only sound that fills the room is the occasional sniffs Kara's still releasing. After a while, Kara gets up and extends her hand to help Lena up from the floor. "Come on," Kara says softly as she leads them towards the couch.

The pair of them sit next to each other, but Lena brings a cushion to her lap and pats the spot so Kara can rest her head there, which she immediately acquiesces to, needing the comfort Lena's closeness would bring. Lena's fingers go straight to her friend's head once Kara's settled, tracing her fingers over Kara's soft hair.

"She was kidnapped," Kara says breaking the quietness. "They put her in a tank. It, it filled with water over the course of four hours and I watched as my sister was being submerged in that tank. I watched her lifeless body sink inside that, that water filled chamber when the countdown came to an end. We, we got there just in time. One minute later and she," Kara's eyes close and her face twists in the agony of once more seeing the mental footage her brain has been playing over and over, and her voice breaks, "She wouldn't have made it," she concludes as her face turns into Lena's stomach to hide in there, fresh tears falling down.

If Kara doesn't realize her slip, Lena won't bring it up, not today. She's more than okay with Kara being Supergirl, but she won't start that conversation in a day that's been already so emotionally draining for the woman in her arms. So she just says, "Kara, I'm so sorry. I had no idea," Lena's own voice is strangled from the pain of seeing Kara in so much anguish. "Is she okay now, is there something I can do?"

"She's fine, she's home. She needs to rest for a couple of days, but she's already punched her capturer in the face when she crossed paths with him after she was rescued, so," Kara chuckles at the memory, and Lena smiles at that. She's only encountered Alex three times so far, once when she shot the man who was trying to kill her, once when she came to Kara's apartment soon after her and Kara met, and another time a few weeks ago when Alex dropped Kara off at the restaurant she would be meeting Lena for lunch, Lena recalls, but she has no doubt that this is something Alex Danvers would have done.

"Oh," Kara's voice interrupts Lena's thoughts.

"What is it?" Lena asks quietly.

"Hmm," Kara hums, "I think I, I alluded, or, or admitted to something that we really need to talk about-" Kara doesn't know how to phrase what has been lurking between her and Lena for the past couple of months. Lena usually just teases her in a friendly tone, and she pretends she doesn't know what Lena is talking about, and they go on with their lives. But now, now there's no coming back from that slip. It's not that she's afraid of Lena's reaction because she knows Lena is okay with it, it's just that it's a conversation that is long overdue and that they need to have it and she's just not in a mindset to do it tonight and now-

"You did, and we do need to talk about what that means to you and I, to our," Lena pauses, "friendship," Lena settles for the term, nodding. "But we are going to put it on hold until you feel better, okay?"

"Thank you," Kara says relieved. "Our friendship?" Kara says, her voice getting back to what it sounds like, that pleasant melodious tune Lena's come to treasure. "Do you allow all of your friends to kiss you, Miss Luthor?" Kara adds in a playful tone.

"Nope, just the one," Lena says with a tinge of red on her cheeks and a bright smile that makes her blush even more noticeable. The memory of the sweet, almost innocent kiss they shared at the end of their last lunch date still as fresh as Kara's breath after the mint ice cream she had been eating just before leaning in and capturing Lena's lips with her own. Lena had just bitten her lip for some reason, and Kara apparently couldn't resist it. She was mortified after, but then Lena leaned in and brought their lips together again for another quick kiss, not wanting Kara to second guess her action. It had been only a few days after Jack, and the fear Lena had of feeling again was washed away by that one gentle locking of lips, and she couldn't let Kara beat herself for feeling like she had crossed a boundary that wasn't even there in the first place.

"But are we, I mean, are you okay with-" Kara purses her lips in lieu of finishing the sentence, interrupting Lena's reminiscing of the previous Sunday's afternoon.

"Of course, Kara. You already know I am," Lena reassures her all the same, her thumb tracing Kara's forehead as she looks down into Kara's eyes.

"They got to her because of me," Kara adds somberly, going back to the events of that day.

"And now you're blaming yourself," Lena states after a few beats, knowing it would hurt Kara to hear it being said out loud, but it was a question she needed to ask, if she was going to help Kara through this.

"How could I not, Lee?" Kara answers slipping in the nickname she's started using a couple of weeks ago. "Because of what I am, what I'm capable of doing, he got to her."

Lena closes her eyes for a second and lets out a loud breath, "Just like you make conscious decisions to face danger every day, she does the same. It's not your fault," she squeezes Kara's shoulder. "She knows what her job entails, Kara. How would you feel if I told you that I blame myself for Jack dying or for mother using me to commit despicable crimes?"

At that Kara sits down and looks right into Lena's eyes, "It's not your fault, Beth did that to him, and don't even get me started on Lillian." Kara says getting riled up.

"I know that now. You," Lena says pointing her index finger at her, "Helped me see that. And you need to understand that this applies to you as well, that no one is to blame for what happened to your sister but the man who captured her. Just like Jack and I working on the nano swarm didn't turn him into a killer or me, for that matter, into one, you being you," Lena says emphasizing that last word, "Didn't put your sister inside that tank," Lena says never taking her eyes away from Kara's.

"All of these years I've been hiding, I've been living this persona I crafted in order to fit in. I didn't use my powers for a long, long time, and the day I finally used them, it was to save my sister, you know. She already worked for the government, and I had no idea," Kara pauses, her eyes closing in thought. "Rao, we'll have so much paper work to fill now that it's all been said out loud between us, you know," Kara groans. as Lena chuckles and says, "I would imagine."

Lena chuckles and says, "I would imagine."

"She was so furious when I exposed myself to save her, like I would just sit back and watch that airplane crash," Kara says getting back on track. "But I finally convinced her that I was done with hiding who I am. I have all these abilities, I was feeling ecstatic I could finally use it to help people and I wouldn't hide them away anymore."

"Are we talking about it now? Are you sure?" Lena asks to give Kara an out.

"Not in depth, not yet. But it seems so?" Kara answers with a reassuring smile that implies that she's okay to talk about it, that she's going only as far as she can handle tonight. And she continues, "Alex is my family. I am what I am today because of her. When I got here, she guided me through Earth customs, she's showed me how to blend in, how to be gentle with my touch, how to protect myself. I had just arrived at this new place after watching my entire planet being erased from existence, after witnessing my family, my entire race getting extinguished, and suddenly I had all these new abilities I had no control over. Suddenly I had to hold back on all of my advanced knowledge of science and technology which are years and years ahead of Earth's, by the way, just so I could fit in in school-"

"God, I can't wait to talk about science with you," Lena interrupts Kara's monologue and Kara lets out a chuckle and raises her eyebrows in amusement. "Go on, I'm sorry," Lena apologizes.

"She's sacrificed so much for me, her entire life. I came in one day and all of that she knew as her life was put aside because of her new alien sister no one could know the truth about. It was hard at the beginning, but soon we started getting along. And she's become my family, that one person I came to love when I thought I wouldn't be able to ever have a family again, to love again. So seeing her there inside that tank, and not being able to just find her and get her out of there, it almost destroyed me. I don't know what I would have done if she didn't get out of there alive. All I could think about were her words that day, when I exposed myself to save her from that plane crash, 'what if people figure out who you are, what you are', she confronted me after the rescuing, and the pained look she had on her face... She, she was terrified that something was going to happen to me, and I understand it now," Kara says that last part with her eyes closed as a deep exhale leaves her nostrils.

Lena grabs Kara's hands and brings them to her lap. Kara's reaction had caught Lena by surprise when she arrived at the apartment. She knew Kara wasn't okay. She didn't sound okay at all when they spoke on the phone, but Lena had no idea that whatever that had happened had been so traumatic that it would result in such a gut wrenching reaction from her friend. She already knows Kara risks her life on a daily basis, she is aware that Kara's secret identity comes with unfathomable dangers and, in the past, when there have been close calls, Kara has never responded this way. So it all came together when Lena heard it was Alex in danger that day, the person who meant the world to Kara. What didn't make sense is why Kara has been dealing with all of that aftermath or, actually, why Kara has been repressing all of those feelings alone in her apartment before her arrival.

"Kara, why were you alone?" Lena asks Kara.

"I, I didn't want to bother you, we already had made plans for Saturday, and you sounded busy, I-"

"No, I don't mean me," Lena interrupts Kara. "Why aren't you with your sister?"

"Oh," Kara says and purses her lips. "She's with Maggie, her girlfriend."

"I see." Lena ponders.

"It's okay, Lee, really," Kara says sensing Lena wasn't pleased with that answer. "I'm glad she has Maggie, she's been great to her, I've never seen her happier. It's just that it's hard sometimes, to share her, but I've taken so much away from her already, and I need to learn how to deal with these feelings on my own. She shouldn't feel bad for spending time with her girlfriend, nor should she be in a position where she needs to choose between the two of us. It's not a competition, I realized this today as well, and we both, Maggie and I, love her. It's been an adjustment for Alex and me, we're still figuring it out," Kara pauses to look up at Lena, and continues, "It's been hard to not have unlimited access to her, you know. And I've been mostly fine with it, but I almost," Kara takes in a sharp breath, "She almost died today," Kara manages to get the words out and Lena squeezes her hands. "And it hit me pretty hard, as you can see," Kara makes an air gesture with her hand indicating her figure. "Plus, who wants to be with their little sister instead of their significant other after such a traumatic event," Kara tries to joke.

Lena wrinkles her nose and says, "Okay, I won't intrude on your relationship with your sister, but I'll say that I do think the two of you need to spend some time together and talk this through because you clearly are not okay. And, and I need you to promise me that no matter how busy you think I sound, you will never shy away from asking from me what you need. That promise you made me after Jack… That goes both ways, Kara. I'd hoped you knew that," Lena states that last part in a firm yet gentle tone.

"I do," Kara shoots Lena a smile, and squeezes the hand Lena still has intertwined with Kara's.

"Oh Rao," Kara says in a panic and already getting up having just remembered the thoughtfulness of her friend on having brought her favorite comfort foods.

"What is it?" Lena asks startled by the sudden change in atmosphere, worried something has gone wrong and follows Kara's into the kitchen area.

"The ice cream is probably liquefied by now," Kara says disappointed, a pout forming on her lips.

Lena rolls her eyes at that and chuckles because leave it to Kara to react so strongly about melted ice cream.

"Darling, it's just ice cream," Lena says and she is met with a stunned look from Kara, like she had just made some blasphemous statement.

"Oh, it was mint chocolate chip," Kara says looking at the label from one of the tubs that were still inside the bag. She grins mischievously at Lena, "Were you expecting to reenact a special event from the last time we had ice cream, Miss Luthor? Because if I remember correctly," Kara raises her eyebrows and tilts her head to the side, "You even came back for seconds."

Lena shakes her head glaring at Kara in both amusement and disbelief, "You're impossible and very self-assured," Lena states with her signature single eyebrow raise before adopting a sympathetic tone, "You sounded upset and I know this toothpaste flavor is one of your favorites," Lena says in a bantering tone, bringing up their argument about things that should not taste like you are brushing your teeth when you are eating them.

Then Lena takes a deep breath and answers in a serious tone, "I just, I just wanted to do something nice for you, to show you I am here for you just like you have proven time and time again you have my back."

"I know," Kara says softly. "Thank you."

Kara then closes the distance between them and envelops Lena in a hug.

"We'll talk about this later, when we revisit that topic we put on hold, about me being who I am and what it means in relation to the two of us, but you are helping me in more ways than you imagine. I, I can't see my life without you in it anymore, and moving forward, I, I need you to know that you are a priority in my life as well, okay," Kara feels Lena nodding her head. She continues, "I need you to know that you being here tonight isn't me settling for second best because I couldn't be with my sister. I needed, need you as well," Kara says into Lena's neck, since Lena still had her heels on and Kara was just wearing socks, she was taller than Kara, making it possible for them to be close like that, in a new way.

They let each other go after a few seconds, and Kara asks running a hand through her hair, "Could you," she pauses not really knowing if it was too soon for such a request, but before she could say anything else Lena catches on.

"I'm not going anywhere," Lena says, and Kara shoots a grateful smile in her friend's direction.

Later that night, after the absurd amount of pot stickers Lena had brought were devoured (by Kara mostly because apparently, "Having a breakdown leaves you starving, Lena"), after pizza was ordered and demolished, and tea was sipped while they watched a few more episodes of One Day at a Time which Kara had paused when Lena arrived, Kara loans Lena a shirt and sweatpants and they get into bed. Lena has her head resting on Kara's chest, knocked out by sleep, and Kara is almost there as well, when she hears her phone vibrating, alerting her to a new incoming message. Kara picks up the device and sees Alex's name on the screen.

Alex: Can you come over?

Kara: Alex, is everything okay?

Alex: I don't like that we were apart after all that's happened.

Kara: Oh. Me neither.

Kara: Is Maggie with you?

Alex: Yeah, she's sleeping.

Kara: Good.

Kara: I can't.

Kara: Come over right now, that is.

Alex: Oh.

Kara: Lena is here…also asleep.

Alex: Oh.

Alex: I mean, are you two together?

Kara: No. Not yet.

Kara: She came over and I didn't want to be alone, so I asked her to stay, or she ended up offering, really.

Alex: I'm glad you're not alone.

Kara: Alex, we need to talk about what happened today.

Kara: I know you went through a lot, but I'm not fine.

Alex: I know.

Alex: I'm not fine either.

Alex: Can you come over tomorrow and we'll make it into a sisters' day/night?

Kara: I'd like that.

Alex: Okay. Go get some rest.

Alex: I love you.

Kara: I love you.

"'s everything okay?" Lena mumbles into Kara's chest.

"Yes, it was my sister, she's not doing so well herself, she wanted me to come over," Kara says as she traces Lena's hair.

"Oh," Lena says trying to get up, "I, I'll go."

"I told her I couldn't tonight, so we're going to meet tomorrow, just the two of us and we are going to talk and spend some time together," Kara says holding Lena closer.

"You know… When she asked me to come over, and I looked down at you fast asleep I, I got it," Kara tells Lena about her realization of just minutes ago.

"You got it?" Lena asks for clarification.

"My sister's side of things, the relationship side of things. How it must not be easy for her either to balance her close relationship with me and her new relationship with Maggie. I've, we've been through all of that today, and when she asked me to come over, I looked down at you, and I got it," Kara admits, and Lena tightens her hold on Kara in understanding.

Kara knew she would always have Alex as a vital part of her life but, that night, Kara realized that now she had Lena too.

Please let me know what you thought, if you feel like it?