Alex was sitting on the edge of the bed as her mom unwrapped the bandages around her eyes and she listened to Winn explain the glasses they had designed for her.
They were basically enhanced sunglasses, designed almost like goggles to keep any light from getting through. He called them blackout glasses. Alex didn't care what he called them as long as they worked and would allow her to go home.
She was tired of being stuck there at the DEO.
They had got nowhere with figuring out why her eyes were responding to the light like they were. Without knowing exactly what the alien had done to her, they probably would never know. She had stopped caring frankly. Her eyes weren't going to get better so it was time to start to think about living life like this. Of course, when she thought it was simple blindness, it had been hard enough but to know she could never be outside (or inside with lights on) without wearing these glasses (assuming they worked) just made it harder.
The wraps finally came off her eyes and her mom put the glasses on her like she couldn't do it herself.
"How do they look?" Alex asked, thinking it might lighten the mood.
"They look fine," her mom said as if that was helpful. "But don't open your eyes yet."
If she could, she would have rolled her eyes. It's not like she hadn't been told not to open them before this whole process started.
"Ok, Winn, bring up the lights just a tad," Eliza ordered. There was a slight pause and then Eliza told her to open her eyes.
She did so and found the same blackness there to greet her.
"Do you feel any headaches or pain coming on?" Eliza asked and Alex shook her head no. "Alright, we will give it another five minutes and then bring the lights up a little bit more. We're going to take this slow."
"Computer, raise the lights," Alex ordered.
"Alex!" Eliza said, then it was "Winn, lower those lights."
Alex hopped down from the bed. "Winn, raise the lights."
She couldn't see Winn looking between the two women and then at Kara who shook her head no.
"These glasses will either work or not," Alex said. "Taking it slow won't matter. Let's just get this over with."
"Winn, Kara, can you leave us alone a moment," Eliza said.
Alex heard them leaving the room and she turned to face where she thought her mom might be standing.
"I know you are frustrated Alexandra," Eliza said, touching her on the arm only for Alex to brush her aside. "But you know as well as I do that the safe way to do this is to take it slow. You know this as a scientist. I can't imagine how difficult this is for you, but I won't risk you getting hurt like you were when we left here last time. I understand that what you do for a living is dangerous, but until I was there in the car with you, hearing the pain you were in, I never had to be there for it firsthand. Please, I know you want to go home, but be a little patient with me, let me do this the right way so you can go home and I won't have to worry about you – at least not as much as I do regularly."
"Fine," Alex said. "We will do it your way."
It was hours later before Eliza declared that the glasses were indeed working. Alex did have a small headache but that was due to the tedious boredom she had just endured.
"So, can I go home now?" Alex asked.
"Yes," Eliza said. "We will take you home."
Alex smiled, "that's what I have been waiting to hear."
It was another hour before Alex was walking into her apartment, with Kara and her mom escorting her. She had tried to tell them she could handle getting up there on her own, but neither was willing to let her do it.
"Thanks for dropping me off," Alex said, keeping a hold of the door.
"I was thinking that I might stay here a few days," Eliza said.
"No," Alex said immediately. "No, that's not going to happen. I just spent how many days stuck at the DEO, being constantly tested and … no, I'm done. I want to be left alone."
She could only imagine the expression on Eliza's face and the unspoken conversation going on between her and Kara right now.
"Are you sure?" Kara asked, finally.
"Yeah," Alex said. "Just give me tonight, please."
"Ok," Eliza said. "Kara, go around and make sure all the blinds and curtains are closed."
She listened as Kara moved away from them, but her mother remained standing there.
"You call," Eliza said. "You call if there is anything you need or want. You call if you are experiencing any pain. Just because you want to be alone doesn't mean you have to be alone."
"I know," Alex responded. "I just need some time to myself to process all of this. I mean my whole life is now changed."
"Yes, it is," Eliza said. "But you have people who love you and care for you, and we're going to be there for you."
Alex waited, knowing what was coming next, and then she felt her mom embrace her. A moment later Kara returned and also hugged her.
Once they were gone, Alex shut the door and went over to her couch and laid down. She wasn't sure how long she laid there but it wasn't too long before she sat back up.
She was alone finally, but suddenly, she didn't want to be alone. Fishing her phone out of pocket, she made a call.
…
Alex opened the door, "Hi," she said.
"Hi," Cass said.
"Come in," Alex said making sure she was out of the way. She listened for Cass to move past her and then she shut the door, turning back toward her. She could hear the rustling of the bag, which Alex assumed was the food that Cass offered to bring over.
"Thanks for coming over," Alex said.
"I'm glad you called," Cass said. "I had been so worried about you."
Alex put her hands in her back pockets. "Um, I wish I could explain better but …"
She had probably told Cass too much as it was. Cass knew that she had been hit by an alien weapon, something she shouldn't have shared with her, but Alex had. She hadn't given her specifics though and Cass didn't know about her eyes reacting to the light.
"It's ok, I understand it's your job. So, where should we eat at?"
"Table is good," Alex said. "Also, feel free to turn on any lights."
She had turned on one at the last moment before opening the door but she was pretty sure it was still dark in there. She was still wearing her glasses, another thing she told Cass about when she spoke on the phone with her earlier. She didn't want her to be surprised by them when she showed up.
Cass laid the food – from a Thai take out place – and Alex let her control the situation because she knew she wouldn't be much help. Hell, she was just hoping she could eat the food without spilling it on herself or on the table.
She had done ok so far, or so she thought, but it wasn't like anyone was going to tell the blind girl that she had a stain on her shirt. She could hear Cass getting the food ready and she tried concentrating on the sounds, hoping she could learn better to recognize what was happening around her based on the sounds.
"How was your day?" Alex asked after they were both seated and she had taken her first bite.
"Not too bad," Cass said. "Zeke and I spent some time at the park." Zeke was Cass' dog. On their first date, Cass had told her how she got him from a rescue service when he was just a pup. Alex wasn't quite sure if she was joking or being serious when she asked Alex if she liked dogs because it would be a deal killer as far as a relationship went if she said she didn't.
Luckily, Alex liked dogs. She had always thought about getting one, but she was away from home so often she thought it would be irresponsible of her to have one. Of course, now she had the time and she might actually need a dog – a seeing eye dog.
"You didn't have to work today?" Alex asked.
"No, it's Sunday."
"Oh," Alex said. She had no idea. Without the structure of her job, she had lost track of what day it was. In fact, without being able to see she was losing track of what time it was. "I didn't know."
"Tomorrow though, tomorrow is a busy day," Cass said, not lingering on it – one of the things Alex liked about her. Cass seemed to know when to change subjects as she read people very well. "I have meetings at 8 and 9 before court at 11."
Cass was an assistant district attorney for National City – one of the young bright stars of the office. If it weren't for her position, Alex probably wouldn't have agreed to that first date, but Cass had an understanding of law enforcement so using the FBI cover made it easier on Alex when explaining why she couldn't explain things.
"Has your boss chosen second chair for the McBeady trial yet?" Alex asked. They had talked about the trial – a high profile case – and how if Cass could the second chair position it could boost her career.
"Not yet, but he is my 9 a.m. so I'm hopeful that it will be brought up then," Cass responded. "He has to choose soon in order to give whoever will be assisting him time with the case files."
"I hope you get it," Alex said.
"Thank you," Cass said.
They continued to eat and exchange some small talk, the entire time Alex wondering how to start a conversation with her about her changed circumstances. Part of the problem is that Alex wasn't sure what all of this meant for herself much less anyone else.
She had a lot of time to sit and think over the last several days and she had started to think about things she would need to do such as figuring out a system to know what clothes she was actually putting on. Did she need to learn to read Braille? How would she prepare food to eat?
Yes, she understood there were blind people out there who navigated the world just fine without help. She had never imagined she would have to be one of them. Because even with her blindness, she didn't want to be burden to anyone. She didn't want people to feel like they had to help her.
Thankfully, since it was takeout there was no real clean up. Cass suggested they take a seat so they went over the couch.
"Where is your coffee table?" Cass asked.
"I had it removed," Alex said. "Easier to get around without it there."
"Makes sense," Cass said as they took seats. Alex sat down first and was surprised when Cass sat down close to her, so close their legs were touching.
"So how are you, really?" Cass asked. "Are you in much pain?"
"It's gotten better," Alex said. "It'll be a little while before all the wounds heal, I mean all the wounds that can heal. I don't know, I have a lot of things to think about as far as my future goes. I don't even know where to start."
"Well, wherever you decide to start at, I hope you know that I will be here for you," she said.
Alex figured that was the opening she needed to discuss the two of them and where things stood now between them. She was about to say something when she felt Cass shift slightly and then she felt Cass lips press against hers. It startled her, but she managed not to move back from it.
It was a small kiss at first and then followed by a few more which Alex returned. She felt like her nerves were all standing at attention with the sensation of it – and again she mentally asked herself how could she not have come to the realization sooner that she was gay.
"I know we haven't been seeing each other long," Cass said softly. "And I know your circumstances have changed and I'm not a priority right now, I get that, and I understand that. You need to concentrate on you right now, but I like you Alex and I don't want to just end things because of what happened to you. If you feel the need to, I will respect that. But I would really like it if we could see where this goes."
Alex didn't say anything at first, her mind for some reason flashing to Maggie. Her friend Maggie. But it was Maggie who had said that her blindness didn't mean she couldn't experience life.
"I don't know what things are going to be like for me here in the short term or long term," Alex said. "And I don't know if I can do a relationship right now. But I like you a lot Cass and maybe we could just take things slow for right now and see where it all goes."
"I would like that very much," Cass said, giving her another small kiss.