Maggie first notices it in Alex.
That inexplicable, borderline obsessive need to protect others, to save.
In many ways it makes Maggie proud to know her girl is a hero; brave and selfless. But Alex's need to save too often comes at her expense.
Don't get Maggie wrong; she loved kissing all of her girlfriend's "boo-boos" but there were times when...
A little more to the left, or a little bit deeper or if Kara had been just a minute later that those "boo-boos" could have been so much more.
Could have been so much worse.
It's in these moments that Maggie curses Alex Danvers and her "Savior Complex"; because as much as she appreciates her girl's heroism, she mostly wants her to make it home each night.
Preferably in one piece.
The next time she notices it is with Kara.
Maggie watches the younger Danvers dissolve into tears each time she can't save someone, each time a civilian gets hurt on her watch.
But it's only truly on display when it's Alex's blood that has been spilt. When it's her sister's body that lay bruised and broken, Kara is an open wound.
Raw and vulnerable; too sensitive to touch at times and Maggie sees it.
Kara Danvers is her sister's "mini-me" in every way imaginable but most noticeably in their ability to internalize hurt, to empathize with the suffering of others.
But mostly, to empathize with one another.
If Alex was in pain, Kara behaved as if she too could feel every stitch, flinched at each pull of sore muscles and bemoaned every bruise.
Nothing hurt Kara more than being unable to protect Alex, to save her big sister.
Alex was even worse.
If Kara was hurt, the agent became a raging bull with no direction, leaving a path of destruction in her wake.
Maggie found there was little she could do besides watch Alex pace and curse and wish to switch places with her cherished sibling. Eventually, Alex would wear herself out, collapsing in a heap next to Maggie before curling into the smaller woman and drifting into a fitful sleep.
The detective would stay awake, keeping a silent vigil over her little family, keeping Alex close with one hand while rubbing soothing circles over Kara's knuckles beneath the sun lamps.
It was uncomfortably warm and unnervingly silent but the quiet gave Maggie ample time to think, to mull over the mystery that was the Danvers girls. In such moments, Maggie was struck with a gut-wrenching realization. If something were to truly happen to Kara; if she were ever killed...Alex would be lost as well.
Maggie knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that if Kara Danvers ever died, Alex would be sure to follow.
It made her sick just thinking about it.
What good is a savior with no one to save? Sure, she would still have Maggie but the detective doubted it would be enough.
If Alex ever failed in the one mission she had devoted her life to, it would break her, decimate her entire world, shatter Alex into more pieces than Maggie could ever hope to put back together.
And what about Maggie? What was she without the Danvers?
They had saved her too; from a life of solitude; from a threadbare existence devoid of true human connection.
Who was she to begrudge the Danvers sisters need to save when she had benefitted from it personally?
Before they had known what they would come to mean to each other, Kara and Alex had risked their lives to save Maggie's. She'd asked Alex about it later, once she had gotten over herself and realized Alex Danvers really was the girl of her dreams.
The agent had shrugged it off.
"You got grabbed because of Kara and I. It was only right that we save you, put those DEO resources to good use," Alex explained casually. "Besides, I couldn't let those dimples go to waste." She added with a wink.
There it was, another trait of a savior. To save without compunction, without a thought as to how extraordinary an act they are performing and yet to be literally undone when something is simply beyond their power.
The last time Maggie notices it is ... with herself.
Notices it when the trio is faced with a particularly hideous creature that had managed to best Kara and had left Alex disarmed and barely conscious.
Maggie had received the call while on patrol and when she arrived to find both women down, she charged headfirst into the battle, heedless of her own safety. She found Alex's alien gun lying at the mouth of the alley, still intact and thankfully still fully charged. She fired into the alien's back until it turned on her with an irritated roar. Both pleased and terrified she had its attention, she immediately set to drawing the creature away from Alex and Kara.
Her girlfriend was the first to stir at the commotion and got to her feet as quickly as she could in her current condition. She caught Maggie's eye as the smaller woman urged her to get to safety behind the blockade the NCPD had hastily erected.
Not needing to be told twice and knowing she was in no condition to continue the fight, Alex stumbled over to where her little sister lay crumpled against a dumpster. Mustering all her remaining strength, she hoisted the blonde up, wrapping her arms around the other's chest before she began dragging her to safety.
Unfortunately, Alex's movements were slow, uncoordinated and worst of all noisy. She struggled with Kara's dead weight, her own injuries taking their toll.
"Dammit, Danvers! Get out of here!" Maggie yelled in panic because they weren't gonna make it. Her eyes met with Alex's and the agent knew what she was about to do.
"NO! Maggie, don't!" Alex screamed, helpless to stop the detective as she charged the alien head on!
The detective was able to change direction at the last second and slide through the creature's legs but wasn't able to avoid the massive tail that slammed her into the wall of the alley!
"MAGGIE!" She could hear Alex screaming for her, voice full of pain, cracking in anguish.
She was able to crack her eyes open just enough to see Alex scrambling towards her, desperate to shield her from another attack.
In an instant, strong arms wrapped around her and whisked she, Alex and Kara behind the barricade. Maggie only caught a glimpse of J'onn before he hurled himself at the beast and Maggie quickly fell unconscious.
The first thing she became aware of was a soft hand drawing comforting circles over her knuckles. As she focused a little more, voices began to drift in, steadily pulling her from her sleep.
"Lexie, please sit down! You're not even supposed to be out of bed, let alone pacing!"
Alex's biting retort was interrupted by a quiet, cracked but no less welcome voice.
"I'm fine, Ally. Stop worrying."
"Maggie!" Kara squealed, squeezing her hand just a tad too tight when the detective finally opened her eyes. She offered the younger woman a small, lopsided smile.
"Hey, Little Danvers. You're looking better." Kara scoffed and blushed but never released her hold on Maggie's hand.
"You really scared us." She whispered, her eyes glassy as she glanced at Maggie's bruised face.
"Sorry." She replied sheepishly.
"Sorry? That's it?"
Maggie shifted her gaze to Alex who stood at the end of her bed fuming and looking like Maggie felt. Alex was sporting a wicked looking shiner over her left eye, plus a badly split lip. Her arms were covered in scrapes and bruises and Maggie noticed she kept the left one tightly pressed against her ribs.
It was clear Alex was hurting too but here she was pacing at Maggie's bedside when she herself should be resting.
"What the hell were you thinking?" Alex continued to rant, though Maggie could see the tears forming in her eyes. "Do you have some kind of 'Savior Complex' or something?"
Maggie smirked at her and shrugged the best she could in her current condition.
"Guess I learned from the best." She replied giving both Alex and Kara a knowing look.
Kara laughed wetly before placing an adoring kiss to her knuckles as Alex just stared at her in disbelief until her shoulders slumped in defeat.
"Well, damn." Alex muttered as she sat heavily on Maggie's bed. "She's a Danvers for sure now."
Maggie cried and Alex laughed and as the two shared a kiss that Kara pretended to be offended by, Maggie realized that whether she was the savior or the one in need of saving, the three of them were not quite so complex after all.