WARNING: There are mentions and descriptions of the previous mission, mentions of serious injuries, and mentions of an explosion.
So sorry about the wait! To hopefully make up for it, this chapter is more than twice the length of the longest one I've posted.
All mistakes are my own. If you see something that should be corrected, please point it out.
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Tiger97: I'm glad you're liking it!
XXI: Happy that you're loving it!
Meeshy: From your comment on the 12th chapter. Thank you for commenting! I'm glad you're loving it! I hope you liked the previous chapter and this one!
Thank you both for reading and commenting!
Onceuponahappilyeverafter: Here you go! So so sorry about the wait!
Thank you for the reviews! I really appreciate you all taking the time to drop a comment after reading. I see them. I love reading that you're all liking the story! The next update will not take more than a week to have up, a few days at most. I can't promise it will be this long again, but I definitely don't want to take longer than a week between updates.
Enjoy!
National City, California:
"What's with that look on your face Little Danvers? Something wrong?" Maggie asked Kara when she saw a frown on her face. Sunny Kara Danvers didn't take her as a person to frown. It was just about lunchtime at Kara's flower shop, and they were getting reading to sit down.
So far, Maggie had been really enjoying herself helping out Kara. She had missed seeing flowers and all things green. It reminded her of why she loved keeping bonsai trees. She made a mental note to get another one when she got back to National City in May.
"I don't know…" Kara said with a far off look. "... You ever get one of those feelings where something is just off? I feel like something's wrong but I don't know what…"
Maggie shrugged, "I know the feeling. Did you forget something at your house?"
Kara was looking more puzzled by the minute. "It's not that. I feel like I should call Winn and call Alex…"
Kara picked up her phone and dialed Winn.
- "Hey baby, what's up?" He asked when he picked up.
- "Hey, everything alright with you? I've got a weird feeling and wanted to see how you were."
- "I'm all good here. Just about to take my lunch break. Want me to come join you for lunch? Are you feeling okay? It's not the-"
- "No, no." Kara reassured him. "It's not them." Kara subconsciously dropped a hand to her stomach. "Yeah, I'd like that a lot, if you'd come for lunch. I'll see you in a few minutes. Love you."
- "Love you too," Winn said before ending the call.
"All good?" Maggie asked when Kara lowered the phone. She was pretty sure she wasn't supposed to know what Kara had just reassured Winn about so she didn't say anything.
"Yeah… He's fine." Kara picked up her phone and dialed another number. A minute later, she hung up that call. "Mom's fine too…"
Kara got up and shook her head, pacing back and forth. "Kara, woah, how about you just sit down a second and talk this through." Kara was reaching a level close to panic. She nodded and took a deep breath sitting back down at the table.
"Okay. Now tell me what's going on in your head." Maggie said to her.
"The last time I felt off and weird like this was when Alex lost Donovan and got shot… I didn't know why I felt that way until I saw the article come out a day later… I feel like something's wrong with Alex."
Maggie nodded slowly and sat back in her chair. She ran a hand over her mouth and stuck her thumb nail between her teeth in thought. Alex had been taken away from their skype call that morning. Interruptions like that only happen when they need to act quickly at night.
Maggie knew there was that one guy that always seemed to slip away before they got there. She knew that it was entirely possible that they had found him and were going to go after him as soon as they could. That timeline would fit with a late night/early morning mission around now or about an hour ago.
She didn't say a word, afraid of how Kara would react. It was a very real chance that something could have gone wrong. And if it did, they wouldn't hear about it for several hours anyway. But the more Maggie thought about it, the more worried she became. She was very grateful at this moment for having a good poker face while her stomach felt like it was sinking.
Winn joined them for lunch not long after Maggie had gotten Kara to sit down and relax some. She had poked around her sandwich but didn't do much else. Kara was too worried about the way she was feeling about Alex to eat. Kara couldn't sit still, so she got up again.
"Kara, I know you're concerned. I am too, but there's nothing we can do right now until she answers your messages." Maggie said to Kara when she started pacing.
"Honey, she's right. You can be worried, but you still need to sit down and eat lunch. You need to relax some." Winn said as he got up and stepped into her path. He put his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eyes.
"Deep breath, please." He said to her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in, letting it out slowly. When she opened her eyes again, Winn smiled, "that's my girl." He kissed her lightly on the lips and led her back to the table.
"Maybe you want to take the rest of the day off? Close up shop early? You should try to take it easy…" Winn suggested. If Kara was this distracted now, he wasn't sure she would be able to keep working. That, and she needed her stress levels to go down. Maggie wasn't convinced either. The more worked up Kara got, the more anxious Maggie got.
"No, no I'm fine." Kara shook her head. "Working will help to pass the time…"
So that's what she did. Kara and Maggie did twice the work they thought they were going to do just to stay busy, all while Maggie kept an eye out for Kara.
…
As the work day went on, Kara gradually began to relax more. Maggie and Winn had been right earlier. Even if something was wrong, there wasn't anything that she could do about it. Kara and Alex could always just tell when something was off or wrong with the other. Eliza called it their twin sense even though they weren't twins or biologically related at all. It was their special connection. She just hoped that since she was relaxing more, it meant Alex was okay.
Kara was looking forward to a warm bath when she got home. That would help her really calm down. She already knew Winn would have one ready for her. It was something that he would do after she had a long or stressful day at work. It's the little things like that, that made her fall in love with him in the first place.
…
Afghanistan:
Major McNeil watched as doctors and nurses buzzed around the trauma hospital on base. He had been on the mission with Alex after pushing them into it so fast. He wanted to see personally that their target was finally brought in or eliminated. He felt directly responsible for them being in this situation even though the call hadn't been his.
He went over that mission in his head over and over again. He had Alex take the lead like usual. She had controlled the mission and carried it out perfectly as always. Nothing should've been in that house that would've done this.
And then he had turned his back and left the house to meet up back at the helicopters. He had turned his back for only a minute.
When Marcus had realized and shouted that Danvers and Matthews were both still inside what was left of the far room, McNeil had taken off towards the rubble. They had already cleared the perimeter when they arrived, so he knew that part was fine.
He had found Alex on top of Matthews, protecting him. His best guess from the way they were laying was that Alex had thrown herself at him in an attempt to save him. The state they were both in…
McNeil shook his head trying to rid the memory from his thoughts. He just hoped and prayed they'd come out alive.
…
McNeil stood up from his seat when he saw one of the surgeons walking towards him. It had been hours since both Alex and Matthews were flown in.
"Well?" He asked.
The surgeon sighed and gave him a sad smile, "I think she's going to live… Her heart stopped twice and the blood loss was substantial, like, hypovolemic shock, kind of blood loss… But she's a fighter. She's not out of the woods, but by the hour, her odds are increasing with more blood and fluids. She's got a very long road ahead of her… And until she can get to a proper medical center, we won't know the full extent of her injuries."
"And Matthews?"
The surgeon lost a little of his enthusiasm. "He's alive… He's got extensive bruising along his back and severe swelling in his brain from a concussion. I'm not sure his helmet was secured properly with the damage he has… Only time will tell for him… They're both lucky. I've seen what some of the more sophisticated anti-personnel mines can do."
"Lucky," McNeil muttered. "They're lucky to be alive, yes. But they're not lucky… Danvers was going home in three weeks in one piece. Matthews is just a kid who may never wake up or function again… That's not lucky."
The surgeon nodded gravely at what he said. He knew just as well as McNeil about what was lucky and what was tragedy.
McNeil stood up straighter, "there's a C-17 bound for Germany waiting for them. If they can be moved, I want them there for that flight."
The surgeon nodded, "they're being prepped as we speak, Major."
McNeil shook his hand, "thank you for getting them a step closer to home. You're doing great work here. I know their families will appreciate it."
…
Midvale, California:
Tonight, Eliza Danvers was out on her second date with Michael Richards. A real, actual date.
It had been ten years since Jeremiah's death and to be honest, she was lonely in Midvale. She was in a large house that once occupied four people. Going from that to just one wasn't easy. At first she had just thrown herself into her research. It was something that she always did, and her girls do it too. But after several years rolled on by, the quietness got to be a little too much.
Neither Kara nor Alex knew that Eliza had been on a few dates. Michael hadn't been the first guy she'd dated since Jeremiah's death. In fact, Eliza specifically hadn't told her girls about him because both Kara and Alex had him as one of their science teachers in high school. He had decided to leave teaching and go back into lab work. That's where he and Eliza crossed paths again.
He was a good teacher to both of her girls. He had been a big help after Jeremiah died by letting Alex use his room to escape when she needed to. It'd been five years now since he lost his wife, so he was on the same page that Eliza was. The only exception there was that he never had children. Neither he nor his wife had ever desired any of their own. They were both school teachers and were happy with just teaching rather than having their own.
Eliza wasn't going to tell her daughters about Michael unless this became a real recurring thing. She definitely wasn't going to let Alex know right away. Eliza knew how much her father meant to her and still means to her. She wasn't sure Alex would ever be okay with the idea of her dating again. It was definitely a topic that had to be dealt with delicately if and when the time came.
"So how are your girls doing?" Michael asked. They had the patio of the restaurant almost to themselves. It was beginning to empty as the hour grew later. They decided that they were going to split some desert after having such a successful week at work.
"They're good. Kara is doing well with her shop… She's anxiously awaiting Alex coming home. We all are… One of Alex's friends actually just rotated home. She's been spending the last few days with Kara and Winn and helping out at Kara's shop."
Michael nodded along with what she was saying. He felt sympathetic for the Danvers family. He knew it hasn't been easy for Eliza on this last tour. "I'm sure you all want her home. That's great that Alex's friend has been spending time with Kara. How's Alex doing?"
Eliza sighed, "well, she wants to be home. The last few weeks are always the hardest for her… After being away for so long, the final weeks almost seem unbearable. It was like that for her first two tours as well."
"Is she all healed up now after that one mission?"
"Yes," Eliza nodded. "Yeah, she was cleared for full missions again last week… There's nothing my Alexandra hates more than being sidelined and waiting to recover. She's never been an easy patient."
Michael nodded with a smile, "she's always been too stubborn for her own good… So you said you've got plans to go to National City?"
Eliza nodded, "yes. I'm heading up so I can be there when Alex steps off the plane. That, and it's been a few weeks since I've gone to see Kara and Winn. It'll be nice to all be under the same roof again. It's been too long."
Michael was going to say something else but was interrupted when Eliza's phone rang.
Eliza held up a hand, "sorry, let me turn that off." She pulled out her phone with every intention of muting it, but froze when "U.S. Government" showed up as the name.
"I… I have to take this." She said before leaving the table and exiting the patio to stand outside of the restaurant.
- "Hello?" Eliza answered.
- "Hello, is this Dr. Eliza Danvers?" A man asked on the other end.
- "This is she," Eliza confirmed, holding her breath.
- "Dr. Danvers, this is Wyatt Heins of the United States Army. I am calling to inform you that your daughter, Staff Sergeant Alexandra Danvers, was injured in combat today."
Eliza opened and closed her mouth a few times, unsure of what to say. All other times Alex had been injured, she'd gotten a call from Alex herself. She'd always been able to call to let her and Kara know. If she was being informed from someone else, that meant Alex couldn't herself.
Eliza gripped onto the restaurant patio railing for support. Michael was watching all of this unfold from their table and flagged down their waitress for the check. He couldn't hear the conversation, but he knew enough from body language that this wasn't good.
- "Ma'am. Are you still there?"
- Eliza cleared her throat, "yes. I'm still here… How injured is she?"
- "She was critically injured, ma'am… At this time, she is being flown to a hospital in Landstuhl, Germany to be further evaluated. She was stable enough to be flown out… I'm sorry, but at this time, I do not have any further details about her condition other than she is currently stable but critically injured."
- "How long until she reaches the hospital in Germany?" Eliza asked, trying to remain calm, but failing. She couldn't lose her. She couldn't lose Alex.
- "The plane will be landing within the next several hours. Once she's on the ground and reevaluated, I will provide you with an update on her condition."
- "Is it possible that if she is declared stable, she will be coming home?"
Eliza could hear him sigh quietly on the other end of the line. It wasn't out of boredom or annoyance, it was coming from a place of sympathy and someone who couldn't give all of the details yet. She could tell he wasn't sure.
- "At this point, it all depends on what they say when she lands. From what I can see from her orders, it is a possibility that she will be on a plane home as soon as she is deemed able… I don't know if or when that would be, though… Soldiers labeled 'critically injured' usually do not go back to combat right away, if at all. I want to stress that I cannot promise anything at this time."
Eliza ran a hand over her face and closed her eyes tight. What he really couldn't promise is that Alex would be coming home soon, or even alive, at this point. Everything was riding on that evaluation in Germany.
- "Alright, thank you…" Eliza paused before continuing. "Are you the one who is informing my daughter next?"
- "Yes, ma'am." He confirmed. There were only two people in Alex's file to be informed. Eliza Danvers being the mother, and Kara the sister. They were written out as such.
- "When you tell her, please make sure she is not alone, or at least sitting down. She should have someone with her to help her stay calm and process this. Let her know that I am on my way to her, please. I'll be staying at her residence in National City until there is more information on my daughter's condition."
- "I will, ma'am… If there is nothing else, I will let you start your preparations for your trip to National City. I will be in touch with you as soon as I receive information… If you have any questions in the meantime, you may call me at this number…" He listed out a specific number with an extension that Eliza memorized.
- "Take care." He said before they hung up.
Eliza took a minute to digest everything that just happened. She took several deep breaths trying to calm her heart rate and stomach. She needed to get home to pack and then needed to get to National City.
Her priority was getting to Kara. Her second motive for getting to National City was that it held a major airport that could have her enroute to Germany easily should that be the next step.
One more deep breath and Eliza headed back to the table. She held her hands together, trying to get them to stop shaking.
"I'm sorry Michael, but I need to go home right now."
He nodded and stood up. "I already took care of the check…" And he guided her to his car. He had picked her up for the date, so he was also her ride home.
Michael was almost too afraid to ask, but curiosity go the better of him as he turned out of the parking lot. "What was the phone call?"
Eliza swallowed thickly, "it was someone from the army… Alex is currently on her way to a hospital in Germany… He said that she was critically injured in combat… I- I need to pack and go to Kara. If I leave in the next hour, I- I can be there before midnight…"
Eliza Danvers was typically the image of calm and collected, but right now she was unravelling.
Michael took a hand off of the wheel and put it on Eliza's. There really wasn't much he could say to make her feel better. He couldn't say that Alex wasn't going to be alright. Nothing was guaranteed at the moment. The only thing he could offer was, "Alex is a fighter. We both know that."
So Eliza took that and held onto it.
…
Michael had offered to drive Eliza to National City that night, but she politely turned him down. While she greatly appreciated the sentiment behind it, she didn't need him being reintroduced to her family at a time like this. All priority had to be on her daughters, specifically Alex. They could revisit the idea of him being brought up at a later time if they were still seeing each other.
So, Eliza was frantically packing anything and everything. She had no idea how long she'd be in National City. She had weeks and weeks of vacation piled up, and if need be, she could work remotely.
She was grabbing paperwork, official documents of Alex's. They had them put into Eliza's safe when Alex deployed this last time. There were instructions in there for if she were ever seriously injured or killed. There were phone numbers for her insurance and support numbers to call. All of it was there and currently being thrown into Eliza's suitcase along with everything else.
Her final stop was in Alex's childhood bedroom. She was looking around to see if there was anything that she thought Alex might want or need. At this point, all of Alex's favorite items were in National City.
Eliza took the extra blanket off of Alex's bed and turned to leave when something caught her eye. Over on the bookshelf, there was a medium sized stuffed puppy that Alex had gotten when she was only six years old. She walked over and took it off the shelf, sitting on the end of the bed with it in her hands.
She remembered it as if it was yesterday… She and Jeremiah had taken Alex to the carnival that came every fall in Midvale. Alex had seen the stuffed puppy sitting up with the other prizes and fell in love with it. Eliza hadn't wanted to spend the money on the game, but Jeremiah couldn't resist their daughter's plea for it.
It took him five attempts at the game before he finally won it. He could've bought her one from the store for less than the amount he paid to play, but it was all worth it to see the look on Alex's face. She had been so happy about it that she smiled for days. Jeremiah and Eliza thought she could've lit up the night sky with her smile.
It was half the size of Alex at the time and she called it Astro. Astro, because she looked at the stars with her dad at night, astronomy, and she thought the idea of naming the dog "Starry" was "stupid." Even at the age of six, Alex was very sure of what she wanted and what was a good name and what wasn't. She was always their little star, smart and shining at everything she did.
Eliza remembered the morning of Jeremiah's funeral, she had found Alex much like she was sitting right now, holding Astro…
As the first tear slid down Eliza's cheek, she pulled Astro into her chest, holding him as tight as she could… For five minutes, stoic Eliza Danvers allowed herself to break, allowed herself to feel and hurt and worry and be terrified. She could spare five minutes for that.
And when those five minutes were up, she stood up, wiped away her tears, and took Astro with her.
After sending off a quick email to her boss, Eliza loaded her bags into the car and headed for the highway.
…
National City, California:
Kara and Winn were relaxing on the couch watching reruns of their favorite show. Maggie had stayed for an early dinner and then left to spend some time at her apartment. She enjoyed her time with Winn and Kara, but she definitely needed time away from people. She was used to minimal interactions and honestly, she was kind of a shy person. She needed her own time to herself.
So Winn and Kara were relaxing when the call came to Kara's cell phone.
Kara thought she was going to pass out when the caller ID read "U.S. Government." She looked over to Winn and he shut the TV off.
"Breathe," he instructed her. "They're calling… Not knocking… That at least means something." He nodded purposefully at her and Kara slowly returned the nod.
Kara swallowed before answering.
- "Hello?"
- "Hello, is this Mrs. Kara Danvers-Schott?"
- "It is…" Kara put her phone down and hit the speaker button. "I've got you on speaker. My husband is here with me…"
That made it easier on their end knowing that Kara already had someone.
- "Mrs. Danvers-Schott, this is Wyatt Heins of the United States Army. I am calling to inform you that your sister, Staff Sergeant Alexandra Danvers, was injured in combat today."
Kara couldn't have told you what happened after that. Winn had taken over the conversation when tears started falling down her cheeks.
The call went almost the same as Eliza's. He had said that he would remain in contact and that Eliza was on her way to them. He gave them the number to use and ended the call, leaving the couple to process the information.
Winn held onto Kara as she cried and cried. She was terrified for her sister… He held her and rocked her and kept her from hyperventilating.
After some time, Kara began to calm enough for Winn to go get her a glass of cold water. He was scared for his big sister too, after all, that was what Alex meant to him. But right now, he needed to make sure his wife was okay… As okay as she could be.
"Will you be alright while I go put the sheets in the laundry and prep the guest room for Eliza?" Winn asked her when a bit of color started returning to Kara's cheeks.
When she nodded, Winn headed up the stairs, calling Eliza in the process.
…
This was most definitely not the way Maggie ever imagined meeting the matron/matriarch of the Danvers family.
She had received a call from Winn as she was dozing off with her head on her desk. The jetlag was really throwing her body for a loop…
After having her earlier fears confirmed, Maggie really wanted a stiff drink. Unfortunately but also fortunately, she hadn't made time to stop and pick up alcohol since she'd been back. Winn had invited her over, which Maggie had initially declined. She didn't want to intrude on a time that should be just for family, but Winn insisted. Kara had also insisted and wanted her to come over, knowing just how much Alex meant to Maggie too.
So that's how Maggie found herself greeting the one and only Dr. Eliza Danvers at almost midnight…
After hugging Kara and Winn, Eliza surprised her by greeting her with literal open arms. It was nice, but Maggie wished it wasn't under these circumstances… She really really wished that it hadn't been because of this.
…
Landstuhl, Germany:
The doctor turned to the military personnel that was handling Alex's processing. "She needs another surgery to correct her arm, but she'll have to wait for that. She can't go under for another surgery this soon. She needs to survive the first twenty-four hours before I'd even think about dealing with it. It's in her best interest to get that fixed a week from now after her body has recovered more and the swelling has gone down. It's set as best it can be for now."
The soldier nodded, "so what do you suggest for her future treatment?"
The doctor looked around and sighed. "We don't have enough beds at the moment… We've got our hands full after that attack in Iraq. We've had a steady stream of wounded coming in here… If she survives the next…" She looked at her watch and counted.
"... If she survives the next seventeen hours, then she should be taken to the United States. Reality is, we can't keep her here for a week waiting for her next surgery. Seventeen hours. If she doesn't lose more blood and her vitals keep steady, she can go… Normally, I wouldn't recommend moving her with the severity of her injuries, but my hands are tied here."
"Alright," the soldier nodded again. "I can give you fifteen hours. That's when the next flight goes out… It's that or two days from now."
After another look around and weighing the options, the doctor conceded. "Fifteen hours." She signed the proper forms, attaching the newest update to Alex's injuries and chart to it.
She turned to Alex's unconscious form in the bed. If they kept Alex warm and alive for the next fifteen hours, she might just make it. The doctor walked up to her and pointed to her as if Alex could hear and see her. "Don't you die on me… Survive the next fifteen hours and the trip home without bleeding out… You don't get to die today… Or tomorrow. You make it out alive, you hear me?"
Alex didn't respond, but took in another breath with the ventilator. The doctor took that as a yes.
…
National City, California:
Maggie was nodding off to sleep on one of the chairs in Kara's and Winn's living room. Eliza was still wired and anxiously pacing in and out of Alex's room in their house. Kara and Winn were on the couch struggling to stay awake. No one wanted to miss the next call about Alex's status.
They had gotten word of her landing several hours ago in Germany. The last they knew, she was waiting to be evaluated.
…
At two in the morning, Eliza's phone rang.
Everyone startled awake at the vibrating on the coffee table and Eliza answered.
- "Hello? This is Dr. Danvers."
- "And Kara!" She sleepily chimed in, saving the man from having to ask again if they were all there.
- "I have another update on Sergeant Danvers' condition." Wyatt said to them.
- "Go ahead," Eliza said anxiously.
- "I want you all to keep in mind that the first twenty-four hours are crucial. At any moment, her condition could change… With that being said, Sergeant Danvers is scheduled to be flown to Bethesda, Maryland at 0030 local time in Germany, Sunday morning. That's at 3:30pm in National City, Saturday afternoon… This afternoon. Her situation will continued to be monitored, but they are doing their best to make sure she's on that flight."
Wyatt paused looking at the notes before continuing.
- "It appears that the doctor in Germany signed a specific form detailing that it is in Sergeant Danvers' best interest for her family to help her through the recovery. We are willing to pay to send up to three family members to Maryland to be with her."
- "Do you have an update on her injuries? Do we know exactly what we're dealing with, yet?" Eliza asked. She was excited that Alex would be back on U.S. soil, but she still had no idea what shape her daughter was in other than the vague term of being "critically injured."
Everyone shifted forward to hear the details better. No one dared breathe as they waited.
- "I do not have her full medical report, but the updated information that I have been given is that Sergeant Danvers had a traumatic amputation of her right leg in the field. She has suffered numerous broken bones, bone bruises, and a dislocated shoulder… I know that's not a lot of detail, and but that's all I have for you at this time… Assuming you want to fly to Maryland to help with her recovery, the doctor taking over her case will be able to give you the full rundown."
It was silent as everyone took in the information. Alex was permanently handicapped.
They all knew it was going to be bad, but theorizing what it was going to be versus hearing it out loud… It was a lot to handle. Even now, just hearing it through the speaker of a cell phone, they couldn't quite grasp the full meaning of it.
Eliza Danvers was a professional at compartmentalizing at this point in her life. After the initial shock, she continued on the conversation. Stoic. She had to be. She needed to know as much as possible before preparing to fly across the country.
- "What are the chances of Alex getting moved to National City for care? If she's physically able to make that trip when she gets back to the States, can she be transferred?" Eliza asked him.
- "That depends on several factors. It could take weeks before she is cleared for a transfer back to National City."
- "My Alexandra isn't going to recover well that far from home. I'm saying it now. I don't know if you can do anything, but I'm going to say it anyway… She has been gone from home for seventeen months now on this last deployment… In the last nearly three and a half years, she's only spent five months at home... These last few weeks have been slowly eating at her because she was so close to the end. Her family is here, her life is here… If she wakes up in Maryland and has to stay there for weeks, she will. Not. Get. Better. She needs to be home… This isn't for me, it's for her. I could stay in Maryland for as long as it takes, but that doesn't mean she'll be okay with that… She's a stubborn and proud woman. Waking up there will destroy her recovery before it even begins."
Eliza couldn't stress enough just how much Alex needs to be in California for this.
- "I'll see what I can do, ma'am… I cannot promise anything… I will make a couple calls and see if a transfer is even an option… In the meantime, are you and Mrs. Danvers-Schott interested in flying to Maryland to meet Sergeant Danvers when she lands?"
- "I will be yes."
Eliza turned to Kara.
- "Me too, please!" She chimed in. She could afford a couple days away from her shop. It could function without her for a little while.
- "Of course. Someone else will be in touch with you later on this morning or early afternoon… I will call you with another update when I get one… But until then, get as much rest as you can. I'll look into seeing if, or how soon, Sergeant Danvers can be transferred… Goodnight."
Doing the exact opposite of what he suggested, both Maggie and Eliza got up reaching for their phones. Winn and Kara looked on, confused as to what was happening.
The information really wasn't sinking in with any of them. Right now, it was just words. Alex's injuries weren't going to feel real until they saw them themselves.
"I'll make a few calls and see what I can do," Maggie said holding up her phone.
Eliza smiled and hugged her, "thank you."
It wasn't much, but it was what Maggie had to offer. She'd call in every favor she could think of to get Alex home to National City. Alex deserved to be home for all that she had done.
…
It was not quiet in the Danvers-Schott residence that night. For what remained of the night, Eliza was on the phone with Alex's insurance talking about fees and hospitals. There were mentions of which hospitals were approved and the lack of beds available at their normal VA hospital.
Eliza thought of everything under the sun that she could say to sway them in her favor.
If Alex would be transferred to National City, they'd pay less in hospital fees than if she were in Maryland. Alex would recover quicker having them all by her side permanently and have full time help available to her by her family. It would probably help her get discharged earlier being surrounded by familiar settings.
Eliza asked about the families of the people she spoke to over the phone and tried to relate to them, make them feel a little more sympathetic. Eliza knew the likelihood of any of this actually working was minuscule, but if she didn't ask, the answer would always be no. She had to try.
…
Maggie had been striking out. A few of her favors she called in said they could try, but they didn't know people high enough to get something like that passed.
…
Eliza got the insurance to approve a transfer after making enough compelling arguments. They'd cover the medical transfer and the costs at National City General. It's amazing what being nice to the people on the other end of the phone can get you.
Winn had guided an exhausted Kara up to bed a few hours ago while all of this was going on. They couldn't do anything right now to help, and Eliza insisted that they rest. At least that way the two of them would have a solid, rested head on their shoulders for that day.
…
The sun was starting to rise when Maggie and Eliza looked wearily at each other. Unless they could find someone to sign off, Alex would be in Maryland for the next several weeks to months. It would be painful and hard for all of them.
Eliza made them coffee while they sat in silence trying to think of what else to do. Eliza knew there was one person she could call, but she wasn't sure they'd pick up. She only had their regular cell phone and landline…
Suddenly, Eliza shot off the couch and tore apart her suitcase. She'd never managed to get it upstairs, and had left her other bags in the car. This one was the most important and was still sitting in the living room.
Alex's files were then displayed on the coffee table. She dug out a small business card, smacking it down with emphasis. It was the number she needed.
He'd given it to Alex and Eliza saying that if they ever needed anything, to call that number specifically. He'd always answer their call.
Eliza jumped up, dialling the number and left the room.
"J'onn?" Eliza asked. That was all Maggie could hear before Eliza went out the back door.
Not quite knowing what just happened, Maggie shifted in her seat to see the business card.
"Holy shit." She said with her eyes widening. It was a personal number for Major General J'onn Jonzz.
…
Eliza came back inside with red rimmed eyes and a wide smile. She looked at Maggie and said, "she's coming home."
Thank you for reading! Thoughts? Drop a comment if you liked reading or have suggestions! You can find me on Tumblr at The-SuperLizard, or on Twitter at The_SuperLizard.