Sam's POV
Sam had always done everything on her own. After learning she was pregnant at 17, and getting kicked out by Patricia, Sam had finished high school and gotten her diploma, given birth in June and was taking college classes and raising a newborn all on her own. She managed her way through a bachelors and was halfway through her masters, deep in debt, and stressed beyond belief, but it was worth it every time baby Ruby smiled up at her. Ruby had everything she needed even if Sam skipped lunch and ate Ramen noodles for dinner.
Sam got loans for pretty much everything, but her financial degree helped with budgeting. She got a decent apartment just off campus and had everything she thought she needed until she met Lena.
Not knowing much about the Luthors and their background, Sam only thought of Lena as an annoying know-it-all, try hard, who skipped several grades and was beating her out for top of the class, not that Sam cared about that, but her pride was hurt that this 17-year-old was beating her in masters level classes. They had several classes together and Sam hadn't talked to her much, just small greetings when they passed each other. Until one day, she gets a letter that her debts have been paid off. Having no idea how she calls the bank, they tell her that they can't disclose that information, but it was paid off in full, from a trust. Knowing there is no way she has a trust, considering she's adopted and disowned, she thinks of the only person she knows that could have paid it off.
The next day she goes to class early, knowing Lena is always the first one there, to confront her. She sits Ruby down in the back, kissing her head and telling her to stay put and color and walks up to the desk Lena is sitting at and slams the letter down in front of her. "What is this?", Sam demands.
Lena looks up from her computer, glancing at the paper before looking at Sam. "It looks like a personal finance document. I thought as a finance major you of all people would know that", Lena snarks.
"I know what it is and they said it was paid off by a trust and I don't have a trust so… explain", Sam demands.
"Ok fine", Lena sighs, "I'm a Luthor and I know to most people that means I'm an evil, damned, awful, person but… you're smart and strong and care for your daughter, who I'm assuming you gave birth to in high school based on her age, all while getting a diploma, a degree, and working on another. You're an amazing person and have been dealt a bad hand and I have more money than I know what to do with. It was supposed to be anonymous but I'm not my family and don't want their money but if it could help you then why not", Lena explains.
Sam, dumbfounded, just stares at her, "I don't know who the Luthors are, I just thought you were a know-it-all who had everything you wanted".
"Oh", Lena exhales.
"Yeah. Sorry", Sam replies.
"Well if you don't think I'm an evil Luthor then how about we get to know each other. I don't make many friends because of my last name but I am a good study partner and babysitter if you ever need", Lena offers.
That friendship led to Sam no longer being alone and meeting the love of her life.
Because of her friendship with Lena, Sam finishes her degree with much less stress and more food and lands a job easily.
When Lena is forced to take over Luthor Corp, Sam encourages her and Lena later hires her as her CFO. When Lena moves HQ to National City, she eventually brings Sam and she gets to meet all the friends Lena has made.
Even though it had always been her and Ruby, Sam is glad to have friends to drink and hang out with, who all accept her and Ruby.
She meets Kara and finally puts a face to Lena's crush and all the stories she's heard. She meets Kara's sister Alex, who looks hot in a leather jacket and tight dark jeans. She meets Winn, the computer nerd and doesn't understand anything he or Lena say once they get to talking. She meets J'onn and can feel the fatherly love radiating off him. Lena introduces her to all of them and they all eagerly welcome her and Ruby. Lena gets her a drink while Winn offers a Wii remote to Ruby and Sam can't help but smile at the grin on her daughter's face.
Alex's POV
After Maggie didn't want kids and they ended their engagement, Alex dove into the bottle, and like she predicted, spent every evening at the bar and every morning regretting it. She got lucky that it hadn't affected her performance as an agent so she kept going.
She hadn't hung out with friends in a while partially because they were all unbelievably happy and partially because she knew if Kara saw her like this, she'd never hear the end of it.
Three months after the breakup, Kara finally drags her to a game night saying she can stay over and they'll have sister day the next day since Alex has the day off. After Kara begging and using her pout, that really should be illegal, Alex relents and she comes to game night.
She settles in the corner of the couch with a beer as the others trickle in. Winn brings his Wii, J'onn brings food, and Lena brings wine and scotch. Kara hugs her, of course, because best friends hug like that and stare at each other they way they do, and it makes Alex's heartache so she drains her beer and goes to take the scotch from Lena, pouring herself a glass and asking if anyone wants some.
They sit around talking, eating, snacking when Lena gets a text and responds, smiling. Kara asks what Lena is smiling at when the door opens and Alex's jaw drops. Lena stands and walks over ushering a beautiful, tall woman and a young girl that must be her daughter in and quickly introduces them to everyone. Alex waves from the couch, knocked out of her stupor by a hard punch from Kara, still staring at Sam.
Alex's heart flutters when they make eye contact and she hasn't felt this way since Maggie.
Shared POV
Lena had told Sam that Alex just got out of an engagement and Sam doesn't want to make a move and risk it because of Ruby.
Alex, finally not thinking about Maggie everyday, sobers up and while she is attracted to Sam and loves Ruby, she doesn't know if Sam is even gay and doesn't want to risk her heart again so they become best friends. Alex becomes a go to babysitter for Ruby when Sam is working late and Sam becomes a person she can confide in. Sam still thinks she is an FBI agent and doesn't know about Kara but is still willing to listen to Alex complain about her job.
One night, weeks later, after dinner and a movie, Ruby gets up, kissing Sam's forehead and leaning down so Sam can reciprocate, in a sweet moment between mother and daughter, and heads upstairs to bed. Sam picks up a few dishes heading to the kitchen as she offers Alex the guest room. Alex is still staring at the TV, zoned out, and doesn't answer, causing Sam to be concerned. As she rounds the end of the couch coming back into the living room she sees Alex's white knuckled fist and the single tear running down her face. Sam squats in front of her, one hand wiping away the tear, the other uncurling her fist, and asks, "Hey, Alex, come back. What's wrong?".
Alex breaks out of the trance and into sobs. Sam immediately scoops her up and sits on the couch with Alex across her lap, and Alex's head tucked under her chin as she cries. Eventually Alex's sobs turn into words Sam can make out and Sam figures out it has something to do with Maggie. Sam calms her down before asking her to explain and Alex takes a deep breath and tells Sam what really happened between her and Maggie, something she's not told anyone, not even Kara.
"I… I've always known deep down that I was gay but I came out for her and she rejected me saying it was a bad idea to date someone so newly out. Then she finally came around and I thought we were happy. We moved fast but it felt right and I proposed but we hadn't talked about anything important. Later I found out that she didn't want kids and I do. I want kids so bad. I… It's like this feeling deep in my gut that I want to be a mom and I may not be the best mom but I'm gonna love that kid so much and …", Alex explains before starting to ramble and tear up again.
Sam shushes her, "of course you will be a mom if that's what you want. And you'll be a great one".
Alex calms down and continues, "I just, it took me a long time to get over her and to stop thinking what if I lost the only person that will love me and I'll never have kids because I won't have a partner. And I just, I see you with Ruby and how you did that all by yourself and how you have that bond with her and I want that".
Sam continues running her fingers through Alex's hair, "You will be an awesome mom, Alex", and takes a deep breath before telling her story, "I always knew I was bi, but growing up in a small conservative town with the adopted parents I had, I only had relationships with guys. Well, one guy, Ruby's dad. I was young and stupid and don't regret anything because it gave me her but I wish with everything in me that she would have had two parents, that I would have had a partner. I got pregnant in high school, told the guy, he freaked, told my mom, she freaked and told me to get an abortion or she'd kick me out. I couldn't do that to my baby so I finished high school, gave birth and moved into my apartment just off campus. I fought tooth and nail, racking up debt to give Ruby the life she deserved but couldn't have because of me", Sam's voice breaks.
"No, not you. The crappy hand you were dealt and Ruby is a great kid regardless", Alex cuts in.
Sam smiles at her, "Yeah well anyway. If I did that, you can raise a kid on your own because you're so much stronger than me plus you have me, and Kara, and Lena, and Winn, and J'onn, and your mom. Everyone that loves you and will support you. Plus you're a catch, you'll find a woman that wants kids and will love you and those kids the way you deserve".
Alex sniffs burning her nose in Sam's hair, "Thank you, Sam".
"No problem. Now guest room?", Sam offers again.
"Thanks", Alex smiles, "you're a good friend Sam", she says as she kisses her cheek, without thinking, and walks to the guest room before she can break down in nerves, missing the blush that rose on Sam's face.
The next morning, Alex wakes to the smell of pancakes and coffee and Ruby laughing in the kitchen. She goes to investigate and sees Sam with a spatula flipping the pancakes in the air for Ruby to catch with the plate. Ruby already has a leaning stack of four pancakes when her mom flips another. The pancake flies high and Ruby catches it in her mouth, cheering. Sam smiles fondly at her as Alex laughs announcing herself, "Nice catch Ruby".
"Fanks Awex", Ruby replies through a mouth full of pancake.
Sam turns and smiles at her, causing Alex's heart to speed up, "It's pancake o'clock any way you want them, and I have coffee too".
"Thanks. I'll just take chocolate chip like Ruby that sounds good", Alex replies pouring herself a cup of coffee easily dancing around Sam to get the cream and sugar with a full steaming cup like they've been working around each other their whole lives, and Alex can't help but smile at the domesticity of it all.
Alex and Sam continue this routine and Alex babysits more and more as Sam takes seemingly random trips. Several times Ruby calls her from school asking for her to pick her up because her mom isn't answering.
Alex gets worried because she knows Sam would never forget Ruby but she doesn't show it and Sam always comes home, tired, kisses Ruby on the head and explains away her disappearance before claiming she needs a shower and offering Alex the guest room.
At this point, Alex spends more nights at the Arias house than her own apartment either watching Ruby when Sam leaves or spending the evening with both of them.
Alex continues to be there for Sam and Ruby, stepping up whenever she is needed, knowing that when Sam is ready to talk, she'll talk, but Alex never expected this.
As a doctor, Alex knew what blackouts and memory loss could mean, so she did a full scan and sent it and blood work off for a second opinion but found nothing.
She was stumped and concerned for her friend, who was looking up at her, lollipop in her mouth, a grin on her face, but amber eyes full of questions. Questions Alex couldn't answer.
Sam gets busy with L-Corp and her trips. Alex is busy helping Supergirl fight Reign. They only see each other when Alex picks up or drops off Ruby. She hasn't spent the night in weeks and misses it… them… Sam so much.
Reign drops Supergirl off a building, Kara making a crater in the concrete and Alex rushes to her side. With the sun down, they need to get her to the DEO quickly and Alex is loading a limp incoherent Kara into an SUV when Reign lands beside them.
"You can try to save her but I'll just kill her again. I will Reign", Reign threatens, and Alex, brave, stupid Alex, whirls around stalking up to Reign, not thinking that she's threatening a Kryptonian, just threatening the person that hurt her sister.
"You lay another finger on her and I will kill you", Alex spits out, staring into Reign's terrifying red eyes.
Reign seems conflicted at Alex's courage to stand up to her and her eyes flicker between red and light brown. She steps back gripping her head and lets out an anguished scream, "Nooo", before flying off.
Alex just stands in the street, brain racing to figure out what the hell just happened, when she hears a pained moan from Kara and sprints back to the SUV and takes Kara to the DEO.
The red and brown eyes haunt Alex day and night and she just can't figure out why. She carries on, fighting Reign at work, hanging out with Ruby, and Sam when she's around, and eventually gets Sam's results back from her colleague. Unfortunately, they didn't find anything either and Alex has no idea where to go next and doesn't know how to break the news to Sam.
She is saved by a call that Reign is attacking again and she gets a tac team together and goes out.
No matter the amount of Kryptonite they use, it doesn't hurt Reign, but does seem to weaken her and her eyes flicker back and forth again but the brown seems to win out, holding control long enough for Alex to see pain and regret in the seemingly familiar eyes.
Alex decides it must be like a split personality and the brown eyed woman starts to speak when the red eyes take over again.
Reign throws the Kryptonite chains off and takes off, leaving Alex standing there in shock.
Alex is for once sleeping in her own apartment, alone, that night. Sam came home from work late and even though Ruby begged her to stay Alex told her it was probably better to let her mom rest and she left.
She struggled to get to sleep, no longer used to her cheap cotton sheets and missing the smell of lavender that follows Sam. Alex finally drifts into a fitful sleep and dreams of Sam. Happy times, like pancakes in the morning with Sam showing off her flipping skills. The fear in Ruby's eyes when Sam randomly leaves. The helplessness she feels because she can't figure it out. That helplessness leads to dreams of Reign. Reign hurting Kara. Reign stopping, seemingly conflicted, instead of attacking Alex and her eyes switching between red and the familiar brown.
Alex jolts awake, still seeing those familiar brown eyes with the gold flakes dancing in them.
The next time, Sam calls asking Alex, last minute, to take care of Ruby. Alex arrives at their house and Sam kisses her daughter bye, thanking Alex and then leaves. Alex and Ruby go grab ice cream right before Alex's phone rings.
J'onn tells her Reign is downtown and Supergirl is hurt. Alex pulls Ruby outside calling Winn to pick up Ruby from the lobby, explaining to her that Winn will take care of her because she has to go help Supergirl and she drops Ruby off at the DEO and speeds off to help Kara.
By the time she arrives, Reign has left Kara breathing, but barely, and moved on to the other agents. Alex screams for them to fall back and help her with Supergirl, ordering Vasquez to take her to the DEO and she pulls her gun loading the Kryptonite bullets going back to fight Reign.
She goes in with what is left of the tac team charging right at Reign for attacking her sister, and empties her clip. The bullets don't hurt Reign, just anger her and she flies into Alex crashing them into the wall.
Alex gasps, feeling her ribs cracking as the air is knocked out of her. The grimace on her face from the pain seems to affect Reign. "She is weakness. Stop fighting" Reign says to herself. The brown eyes flashback, "I'm sorry" she says, directing it at Alex, before Reign takes over again.
That voice, small, innocent, scared, hits Alex like a punch in the gut and she wheezes, "Sam".
"Samantha is weak. I will have control and I will Reign", Reign spits in Alex's face.
"Sam, fight. Fight for me, for yourself. Fight for Ruby. You can beat her, you just have to fight. You're so strong Sam you can do this just fight", Alex wheezes out, fighting the pain and breathlessness, as Sam steps back fighting to keep Reign at bay.
Sam, in control for only a moment, whispers, "I'm sorry, Alex" before flying off and Alex passes out those amber eyes and Sam's voice in the front of her mind.
Alex wakes up in the DEO medbay in the bed next to Kara's, blinded by the sun lights on full power aimed at her sister.
She tries to sit up when a hand on her shoulder stops her. "You broke three ribs", Lena tells her, "take it easy".
Alex nods and carefully sits up, looking over at Kara again, "Is she ok".
Lena nods slowly, "As ok as expected. She hasn't woken up yet but the sun lamps are helping and she's almost healed. What happened out there? I didn't see it. I just got a call from Ruby saying she was at the DEO and Supergirl was down. She told me agents were rushing around and that you had gone in face to face with Reign and were hurt but Ruby didn't think you were scared. She said you looked confused even when Reign had you pinned to a wall and then it was like you figured it out and then Reign flew off and you passed out. Ruby was quite worried about you and I rushed down here".
"Where is Ruby?", Alex asks, worried about the kid.
"Sam took her to grab food but they should be back soon", Lena barely finishes before Ruby is flying through the door and onto Alex.
"Ohhh", Alex winces as Ruby crashes into her but hugs the girl to her chest waving off Sam's warning to be careful, "She's fine I need a hug".
Lena, sensing that they need a moment, excuses herself and pats Sam on the shoulder on the way out.
Sam looks guiltily at Alex, who just nods understanding that Sam remembers this time, "It's ok, Sam. Later".
Sam tears up and rushes over to wrap Alex and her daughter in her arms, "Are you ok?".
"Just a few broken ribs it's nothing. I promise it's ok", Alex assures her.
Ruby pulls back realizing that she has been putting pressure on Alex's ribs, "I'm sorry, Alex, I wasn't thinking. I was just so glad you're ok".
"It's ok Rubes. Love hurts sometimes. Plus I needed a good Arias hug", Alex jokes winking at Sam.
The Arias women both pull back and sit in the chair between the two beds that Lena previously occupied, Sam pulling Ruby onto her lap. The three women continue to talk like normal but Sam is much quieter and won't meet Alex's gaze.
Lena comes back in soon and checks on Supergirl before convincing Ruby to come with her and give her mom and Alex time to talk alone.
As soon as they leave, Alex sits up and says, "Sam come here please", patting the bed beside her. Sam won't look up but shuffles to the side of the bed, perching on the edge. Alex pulls her closer and wraps her arms around her as Sam breaks down.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't know. I tried to fight her but I wouldn't remember once I got home. That's all the trips were but I only remember pieces. Until yesterday, and I saw you and you realized and told me to fight and I thought of you and Ruby and Lena and I fought but I wasn't strong enough and…" Sam rambles crying.
"Hey, hey, shhh it's ok. You fought her and you won. I'm still alive and I'm ok. You were strong enough. You're Sam Arias. You're the strongest woman I know. We'll figure this out. You're not alone anymore", Alex reassures her.
Sam looks up, tears still running down her face, and asks, "really?".
Alex nods, "Of course. You're so strong Sam, right here", Alex says, laying her hand on Sam's heart, "That's what I love about you. You're so strong, so fierce, and it doesn't matter what Reign does as long as you keep fighting".
Sam doesn't hear the second part of Alex's speech and just cuts her off by leaning forward and kissing her.
Alex is shocked by the kiss but quickly recovers and kisses back, moaning into Sam's mouth. She winds her fingers in Sam's hair as the heart monitor goes crazy as Alex's heart is beating out of her chest.
The beeping breaks through their trance and Sam pulls back. "I… I'm so sorry. I hurt you and then kiss you and I don't want to hurt you again. I just… you said you love me and I love you and I just wasn't thinking…"
Alex cuts her off with a kiss and says, "You. Are. Not. Her. You are not Reign. You, Samantha Arias, are the woman who stopped Reign and saved me", Alex reassures her. "I didn't mean to tell you like this when you're dealing with all the Reign stuff. I've felt it since I met you and Ruby but I had just broken up with Maggie and I didn't want you to think it was just because I was getting over her and then the blackouts started and I just wanted to help you, because I do love you and care deeply about you and Ruby".
Sam is overcome with emotion because she finally found someone that loves her and her daughter and cups Alex's face and crashes their lips together, kissing Alex with all the emotion she can bear, tasting Alex's lips and their combined tears. "I love you and I never dreamed I would find someone who accepted me and Ruby. I thought I'd just have my friends and Ruby and that would be enough".
"I love you and I love Ruby and you deserve better than me but", Alex replies, but Sam cuts off with another kiss.
"No. You are amazing and I'm the one that doesn't deserve you. You love Ruby and me even after everything I did and that's all I need, all I want, just you", Sam tells her.
"I love you", Alex says, pulling her into another kiss.
"I love you", Sam replies, "but Ruby and Lena will be back soon", Sam continues as she pulls away and moves back to the chair, scooting it closer to the bed so she can still hold Alex's hand, "and I'm still Reign".
"We will figure that out. I'd like to tell Lena to get her help but she's the only one. I won't tell J'onn or the DEO because honestly I don't know what they'll do but I trust you and I want to make sure you're safe", Alex says, squeezing Sam's hand trying to encourage her.
"Thank you", Sam says as Ruby and Lena return.
AN: I love SuperFam. It will always be special because it was my first story and you guys had such a positive reaction to it. I have plans for this ship in that story as well but I just couldn't wait and had to write this little piece. It is a stand-alone one-shot for now but I could be persuaded to continue it ;)