Lucy was stressed. Maggie had been at the DEO giving a status report on a dead alien found by the docks when they received identical messages into Kara's 'Sisters' group chat. While they rode the elevator up to their own apartment, Lucy couldn't help but gnaw at her lip, re-reading the confused text chain.

Kara (16:31): I need to talk to you guys.

Kara (16:33): Not like "we need to talk" though!

Kara (16:33): I'm not BREAKING UP with you or something!

Kara (16:33): Not that I could - cause you guys are lovely but not really my type

Kara (16:33): Not that I have a type!

Kara (16:35): Sorry – I just need to tell you something. I'm already at your apartment, can you meet me here?

Maggie (16:40): Sure Little Danvers - on our way now. Is this a pizza or pot stickers kind of talk?

And the most concerning message of the lot; Kara (16:41): Don't worry - Not hungry

So, Lucy had grabbed her keys, thrown J'onn an apologetic look (she was only in the city base to get some paperwork done – now backburnered) and off they went.

Now, alone in the elevator with her girlfriend, Lucy felt the anxiety building. What else could have happened? Maggie's hands jammed deep into her jeans spoke of a similar thought pattern.

Maggie having to fish out her key meant that Kara had come in through the window, during a cloudless California day, at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Lucy made a mental note, upon seeing the distinct lack of primary colors, to give her another talking to about the secret part of a secret identity.

As it was, Kara's anxious pacing put a pause on that conversation.

"Kara? What's wrong?"

Turning wide blue eyes at them, Kara came to a stop in the middle of the space between the dining table and kitchen island. Her hands were so twisted in the sleeves of her cardigan, it looked beyond repair.

Maggie took a swing next, stepping into the apartment properly. "What's up Little Danvers?"

Exhaling sharply, Kara dropped her hands to her side.

"Eliza called me."

"And I take it, that didn't go well?" Lucy asked, shrugging off her jacket and emotionally preparing for an Alex-level conversation.

Kara shook her head, mumbling under her breath as she shuffled her feet.

"'Fraid you're the one with the super ears, kid," Maggie took another step closer, tilting her head and carefully keeping her arms unfolded.

"She's… She's having a funeral."

Silence. Silence so loud you could hear it.

"What?" Maggie breathed.

"For Alex," as if that was the confusing part. "She's already planned everything – she just called to figure out who she should invite. Besides you guys, of course. I think she already knows you guys need to be there. Or… Well… if you want to. I don't know how you feel about having a funeral, since Alex isn't, you know, actually dead. Or even presumed dead! I'm sure there is some legal jargon about missing people, and declaring people dead even when you don't know if they are alive and-"

The rambling was cut off when Lucy raised a single hand – mind still processing what exactly they were talking about here.

"Eliza wants to have a funeral for Alex?" The blonde nodded, glasses going askew. "Our Alex?" She gestured between the three of them – another nod. "Even though she's been missing less than nine months?"

Twisting the cardigan even further, Kara nods, eyes just this side of wet. "She said something about… symmetry? About taking nine months to bring her into the world, and nine months to let her go?"

Silence.

Lucy, honestly, wasn't surprised. I mean, she was shocked that this was actually happening – that this surreal moment wasn't just some kind of fever dream. But also, from the moment Eliza had been told, she had been looking for a way to find answers. Find closure. Which, Lucy supposed, was fair enough.

She wasn't a mother, didn't even know her own mother. She had no idea what the appropriate response is for a parent when their child disappears. To the other side of the universe. Without any way to know if she is alive. Lucy was just Alex's girlfriend and she still had no idea how to process it.

But a funeral? With an empty casket? Would they bother with a casket? Or would there just be a headstone, and put March 18th on it - Like Alex actually died that day?

"She can't do that, can she?" Maggie was asking her, if her turned head was an indication.

"Doesn't appear to matter – she's doing it anyway," Lucy responded, still staring at Kara like she had two heads.

Silence.

"Are you guys… okay?"

Maggie reacted first, sighing and stepping closer to the taller, obviously destressed, girl. "Are you okay, Little Danvers?"

"Oh, um…" Huge blue eyes flicked between the couple, Lucy also inching a closer. "Yeah! I guess so? She didn't really ask permission, so what I feel about it doesn't really matter. I mean, I'm not really okay. But Eliza is her mom, right? So, I have to be on board. Or, pretend to be on board – But ah, no. No, I don't really think I am okay..."

And just like that, the façade collapsed. Eyebrows dipping, eyes welling then all at once, hand coming up just in time to catch her own sob. Kara's knees were already buckling by the time Maggie caught her in a hug, tears in her own eyes.

PERSONAL LOG: DR ALEX DANVERS, GL (#4)

- Eliza Danvers -

"Hey mom," Alex smiled, trying to sit up as straight and proper as she did at meetings. She'd traded out her uniforms for something a little less severe, looking comfortable in her black henley. She'd even let the longer center portion of her hair down, falling in soft waves down one side of her head – giving the appearance that she only went for the one sided undercut.

"I know that I should have done a message sooner, I just didn't know how to say goodbye to you without upsetting you further. Then, Freyer reminded me that if I just speak from the heart, you'll appreciate it no matter what."

She smiled a little into the camera, voice dropping conspiratorially. "A bit woo-woo for us scientists, but I think you'd appreciate the sentiment." But there was affection in her eyes.

"I know that you are probably disappointed with how I handled things with Dad," she started, working hard not to hesitate around the hard stuff, and keeping something of a smile alive on her face. Bowl through the feelings, and you'll get to the other side. "I shouldn'ta tracked him or Cadmus, I shouldn't have let myself get sucked in. I should have protected Kara, and not let her watch me disappear. And I am sorry, for everything."

"I really worked so hard to make you proud. My whole life – everything I've ever done, I've done for Kara and you and Dad and protecting the values that you instilled in me. And I know that I don't always succeed, and I know that you would be ashamed of a lot of what I've had to do out here to survive." Her smile faltered.

"But I am strong, and I am determined, and I swear to you that I am doing everything I can to get back home. To give you a hug and look after Kara and be the women you always wanted me to be. I've even-"

A breath shuddered out of her, words running dry for a moment. But then she smiled, actually genuine for the first time. "I don't want to talk too much about Ky until she is ready to talk to herself – I'm trying to respect her boundaries. But I… I have a daughter mom. And I finally get it – why you were so protective of Kara, why you hated me joining the DEO. I finally understand, and I am so sorry I made it so difficult."

"I really miss you. And I'm doing everything I can to get home. I promise you. I'm going to fight to my last days to let you give me one more hug."

The drive down to Midvale had been silent.

Lucy and Maggie insisted that Kara ride with them. They wanted to give Winn some time with James where he could freely feel the heartache he tries so hard to hide from the women he considers more deserving of grief. But also, because Kara had gradually become their responsibility.

While the street was two way – Kara always showing up for the couple – today was about Kara. Or, mostly about Kara, because Maggie and Lucy also had strong feelings about what they were about to do.

No one was wearing uniform, even J'onn who was just going to fly over for the burial. Lucy had stared at her Army Blues, and Maggie had fingered her Dress Uniform, but neither could put them on. So, they'd gone with simple black dresses, which were hanging with Kara's in the back.

And they made the drive in silence.

Arriving at Alex's childhood home for the first time, without Alex, broke Maggie. After they pulled up, were shown to the spare room by a robotic Kara, Maggie crumbled, just a little. Just enough. Buying some emotional bandwidth so she could control herself for what came next.

And Lucy held her. Squeezing and murmured and let her have the moment to grieve the fact that Alex wasn't here. Wasn't showing them the ledge where she gave herself a concussion when she was six, or where she and Kara snuck out to go stargazing. Didn't get to see her blush at the awkward teenage photos or smile at the kid-sized surfboard she still kept in their bedroom. A reminder of how far she'd gone.

Then, when it was time, they got dressed in silence. Zipping each other up, and doing finishing touches on make-up, they ventured to the adjacent bedroom, where Kara stood stoically. She was dressed, ready, and just staring at Alex's side of the room (identifiable due to the lack of pick and overabundance of awards).

"You ready?" Lucy asked, holding Maggie's hand at the threshold.

No, but she nodded anyway.

Alex had always begrudged churches, and after Jeremiah's funeral had refused to ever enter one again – so the entire ceremony was being done by the grave site. Normally, Lucy recalled from her mother's, there is no gravestone at the funeral. Its added months later – which is why she wouldn't see her mother's for two years (her father refused to take her or Louis, even before they moved out of state).

But there was no burial, or casket, so the stone was the only way to determine what they were supposed to be looking at.

There were rows of seats set up, some already filled – Winn and James had gone straight there, as they weren't spending any nights in town. She clocked the distinct lack of wonder-boy and her sister, btu put that in a mental box for later. Kara took her seat one in from the aisle at the front, leaving room for Eliza when she finished talking to the Rabbi. Lucy sat down next to her, offered the hand not occupied by Maggie. Kara squeezed so hard it would bruise but Lucy just squeezed back best she could.

There was a Psalms reading, then a silent prayer, which went over Lucy and Maggie's heads, but had silent tears running down Kara's face. Then came the eulogy, delivered by Eliza. At the time, the couple had been surprised that she hadn't asked Kara to. If Alex had actually died, they were prepared to bet Kara would be doing it. But here they are – Eliza taking center stage.

"My darling Alexandra," Maggie flinched at the name, just barely. "I cannot believe that my strong, brave girl has been taken away from me. It is much too short a time."

"When she was born, she was so tiny. I remember, Jeremiah used to be able to hold her head in the palm of his hand. She had this stock of black hair, and bright watchful eyes and was so fussy and stubborn that she never grew out of it, even to her last days." Lucy had to hand it to the women, she looked the picture of put together. She read with a sure calm voice, and her eyes were clear.

"From the time she was a little girl, Alex brought joy and laughter into mine and her father's lives. She was always so curious and insightful – too smart for her own good. And even though she and her sister started off rocky, I know that Alex brought love and laughter into Kara's life."

"Alex was the bravest women I have ever known. Her father always used to say that she was the strongest of us all. She loved hard, even when it wasn't easy. Even when she didn't know how to. And when she let someone into her heart – that was it. There was no getting away, no changing her mind. You were going to be loved and protected even at the cost of her own safety." Lucy felt Kara's hand squeeze again, and exhaled slowly at the accompanying memories.

"It is with so much sadness that I am here today to farewell my eldest child. She was a brave and vibrant daughter who has been taken away from us much too early. But the memory of Alex will live on in us forever. I am so proud of her and hope she is at peace."

The weekend spent in Midvale were the hardest days of Alex's disappearance. Letting Eliza pretend Alex was just dead was killing them. Kara kept biting her tongue against Eliza's use of past tense, and Maggie had to squeeze Lucy's hand during every meal to stop herself crumbling. And for each night they slept in that guest bedroom, Kara would sneak in and curl up between the couple – unable to sleep in the room she shared with her sister.

But now they were back in town, and after what felt like the longest dreariest shifts of their lives, all the Superfriends, including Lena, had gathered at the dive.

They all drank and ate and talked – making sure to tell every funny and embarrassing and romantic story about Alex Danvers that they could. They filled the bar with as much celebration as possible – even when there were tears, even when it was hard.

They made sure that, even when it was hopeless, and they could all barely contain their grief, that the best memories of their loved one were kept alive.