Thank you everyone for the lovely comments and follows etc.
I'm sorry it's taken a while for the update, I'm in an exam window so tend to be very busy and didn't want to rush a chapter as last time I did that I ended up brain washing Winn, and now I feel guilty for being mean to poor Winn.
Alex was struggling with Kara smothering her. She badly wanted to be allowed to do basic things like get herself a drink, she didn't care if she struggled. She just wanted to be able to try. A few frustrated texts to James and he told Kara that she couldn't have any more time off they needed her at work. She moaned and fussed and offered to pop in and check on Alex during the day, but she reassured her that she was starting physiotherapy at the DEO and would be there for most of the day, and the DEO was sending people over to help her, so Kara could go back to work.
Reluctantly Kara left and Alex breathed a sigh of relief this was helping neither of them, to heal they had to have space to think and vent and be angry and to forgive and understand.
Kara walked into the office feeling worried, she didn't know what to do with herself. James was busy in a meeting, so she went to her desk, a pile of work greeted her, and she wished she could use her super powers to deal with it. So half-hearted she started to work through the pile, time dragged a minute felt like an hour, and by the time an hour passed it felt like year, she wasted time, checked emails, messaged Clark.
"How's Alex?" his message flashed on her screen
"Flustered and cross, I hate leaving her" she replied
"If I know your sister and I do I bet she's annoyed with you being under her feet all the time"
"I think you are right, doesn't stop me feeling guilty she's hurt because of me"
"She doesn't see it that way, stop punishing yourself. Is Winn ok?"
The mention of Winn annoyed her and she shut the chat down, deciding to go to get a coffee and some fresh air as that may help her focus.
She ended up in a little coffee shop over the road, and ordered a large Latte and a cake, and sat at a table waiting for them to arrive. The dull calm was shattered as Eve sat down next to her.
"Are you busy?" she asked, her eyes red, and makeup had run leaving dark smears down her face. Blonde hair was half up half down as though she dressed in pure darkness. Kara didn't have the heart to say go away, so just invited her to sit at the table.
"Are you ok?" Kara asked indicating to the waitress to bring another coffee and cake, and handed tissues to Eve who was crying again, so took that as a no.
"He-He-He-He ended it"
A panicked thought filled Kara's mind, He, could He be Mon-El they had a thing and she and Mon-El had never confirmed that they were exclusive, plus she had ignored him for nearly 2 weeks, panic gripped her stomach making it churn, and confusing her as she didn't realise how much she didn't want to lose him
"Mon ….. Mike" she quickly corrected
Eve looked up a little confused, and shaking her head denied it, "No Spencer, we were moving in together, and getting a cat, or a fish, or a dog" Sob "I thought he was the one" her body was shaking with the effort of crying.
"Spencer?" Queried Kara, "I don't remember you mentioning a Spencer, had you been dating a while?"
"Y-y-y-y-yes" Sobbed Eve, "Two weeks, nearly 3, after Mike ended it, I met Spencer, and it was so perfect, he's such a wonderful man" and broke down sobbing so nothing she said made any more sense. Kara patted her on the shoulder. Not really sure how to react, crying females were not her strong point.
It transpired that Eve had met Spencer on a dating App a month earlier, and they met in person just under 3 weeks ago. He was having money problems and sleeping on a friend's sofa, so Eve offered to help him with money for a deposit for a new place and the first month's rent. Kara was struggling with how to kindly to tell Eve that this may not be true love for him. He may have other reasons for her attention. Eve had finally managed to stop sobbing and although her face was red and blotchy her tears were no longer falling. But she looked heart broken.
Kara texted James to tell him that Eve was in a state and she was going to take her home as she was in no condition to work, he replied that was fine and asked if it was serious, she confirmed it wasn't, rather just men problems, and added no one we know. She wasn't sure why she said that maybe to confirm that her boyfriend (if he was still that she didn't know hadn't thought about him in nearly 2 weeks) was not the cause of Eve's pain.
At the DEO Alex was delighted to be back, she hated being out of the loop, and hated not being in control, although her physiotherapy was slow and frustrating and she fell a few times she was happier that there was progress. The first few days after the shooting she had been distort was sure her career was over, she may never walk again, but then feeling improved and she realised it would be a slow build but she would recover. The doctors said she would be back to 100% if she took things slowly and didn't rush. They wanted her to wait for the stitches to heal and the muscle to start to knit back together before putting weight on her leg.
She was exhausted therapy was hard work, as well as the physical side she also had to see if mentally she was fine to go back to the field and that was as draining, talking about how this would impact her. That session was 45 minutes away, so she decided to get a coffee. It would take her a while to get to the canteen so would waste some time.
She slowly made her way, and stumbled as one of the crutches slipped, she fully expected to land in a heap on the floor, when she felt strong arms around her catching and supporting her.
"Mon-El!" she exclaimed, "why are you here?"
"Came to check on Winn, he's having a hard time, so I'm making sure he's got a friendly face to chat to during the day, haven't told him yet, but will be fun seeing if he wants coffee" the Daxamite replied with the easy breezy tone he often demonstrated, hiding a lot of pain.
"I'm off for a coffee as well, can I join you?" she asked, he looked at her for a second and beamed
"I think you joining us is a wonderful idea, let's sit as centrally as possible" with that he pulled out his phone, texted Winn to tell him coffee and no was not an option, and then allowed Alex to shift so he was supporting her, she hadn't realised how tired she was until she had her arms around him, and was supported by him.
Kara took Eve home to her flat, reassuring her that James was fine with her having the afternoon off, and she needed to get over Spencer, any guy who cared for her wouldn't ask for that much money. They would look into how to get her money back, but she was to have no contact with him until she next saw Kara. Kara took her phone and blocked his number.
She took Eve to her bedroom, and suggested that she sleep, taking a fruit tea with her so she would have a drink, but no caffeine.
"Thank you" Eve sobbed, and grabbed her hand, "You are so nice and I really wanted to hate you"
"Hate me?" Kara was confused
Eve nodded looking ashamed, "All these men that fawn after you, James, Winn, I even thought Mike liked you, I'm just jealous, and you never seem to notice and yet these attractive men fall at your feet. But when I got to know you I couldn't hate you, you are so nice, kind, forgiving and compassionate, you never have a harsh word for anyone, and always care for everyone"
Kara felt a bit uncomfortable, she looked at Eve. "I'm not that nice"
"Rubbish!" Eve grabbed her hand and looked shocked
"It's true," Kara felt this was a chance to talk without it being to her social group who all knew and forgave her everything because they knew her a Supergirl, but this was Kara, and Kara wasn't as selfless as Supergirl. "Recently I haven't been that compassionate, I've been judging people on what I hear not who they are, and I hate myself for doing that." She took a deep breath and looked at Eve, "This goes no further." Eve nodded. "I was seeing a guy, just recent, and I always find myself judging him by what I know about his past and where he is from, not what he does or who I know, and I feel terrible for it. He's from a rival town to me, and that town had a bad reputation, so I pushed him away, until I started to have feelings for him, then just after I started to like him I find out he's not what I thought, I thought he was poor and I find out that he's the heir to a big family business. He says he wants nothing to do with his family, he's cast out, but his family business is horrible, uses sweat shops, and is not ethical. So I don't know what to do, can't be with someone who is linked to that business" she realised that tears were rolling down her face, Eve watched her.
"I don't know what to saw sweetie, it's down to you. From knowing you, its clear that you let people stand on their own feet before judging them, you are friendly with Lena Luther, now if you were going to avoid anyone she would be the one to avoid. Is he worse than this, or are you worried about being hurt?"
Kara wondered that herself, did she push Mon-El away every time because he could steal her heart, and break it. Every time she dated someone she found distance. James was the only one who got close, but that was because he was a friend, not just of hers, but her cousin, safe reliable and that was the problem, too reliable. Her friend there was no passion there, nothing that reflected the Romantic Comedies she loved to watch, just friends. Nothing like the passion she felt with Mon-El where she wanted to stab or kiss him, often both at once.
"I don't know, that's the problem" Kara admitted, then smiling at Eve, pulled her blanket up over her, "You sleep, I will pop back after work, and check on you. And I'm taking your phone to make you sleep, and not call him"
With that she closed the curtains, grabbed Eve's spare key and went back to work.
Winn's stomach flipped when he saw Alex sat with Mon-El in the canteen. But before he could run the Daxamite had called out to him, so he went to join them, there was a latte waiting for him and sandwiches and cake. He was greeted by a bear hug again and laughed to himself, a few months ago being hugged so publically by a Superhero would have been a wish, now it was happening he wanted the world to swallow him up and forget he existed. Alex was finding it very amusing laughing at Winn as he turned a deep shade of red. He sat down next to her, and she softly squeezed his arm.
"How are you doing?" She asked
"I should be asking you that," His face was covered in guilt glancing at her heavily bandaged leg.
"I'm fine, none of this was your fault, and if you don't stop blaming yourself I will beat you" there was a friendly hint of menace to her voice, that he had missed.
He laughed, "I'm getting there!" he said honestly, "Less people avoided me today"
"Take each day as it comes" she replied, "After a while people will stop judging you, we all have been though similar, even Kara remember the red Kryptonite last year, people got over it. Took a while but they did" Mon-El looked up quizzically and made a mental note to find out what happened. He spotted Alex's cup was empty, and got up to get her more, leaving them together. Alex glanced at him when she noticed he was out of ear shot carried on talking. "That boy has surprised me, he's really looking out for you, whatever you feel for Kara don't let it get in the way of your friendship" she warned
"Kara?" Winn asked, then he realised maybe there was the romance he feared so much developing, "Oh!" he rarely admitted to himself that he still had a torch for her, "I will try"
"Good" replied Alex, and Mon-El returned with another coffee for her, and more cake and bananas.
"These will help you heal, I was reading all about fruit that helps, and Bananas are very good for you" he beamed
"That makes sense now" Winn chuckled as he had received a fruit basket of mostly bananas to his desk that morning, no note, nothing just 3 kilograms of bananas a few other fruits. Alex's smile suggested she received a similar gift.
"Are you alright to get to your next appointment?" asked Mon-El looking at his watch, "I have class in 30 mins, and am trying to not super speed in case people notice"
"I'm good, Winn can help me" Alex patted his hand, and Winn nodded and they chatted as though nothing had happened between them until it was time for Alex to go to her appointment.
Kara returned to the office feeling a bit more normal, and having not panicked about Alex in nearly 3 hours.