There might be some mistakes in this longer-than-I-planned chapter.
Cat finally broke the news that Kara's death had been widely exaggerated (her words, not Kara's) and that her state was closest to that of a coma. She continued to say that Kara had recently woken up after her body needed time to heal from the mass exposure to a new type of Kryptonite created by Lex Luthor, whose body washed ashore in Los Angeles badly disfigured and mutilated the day before Kara's miraculous return to the world. While some rejoiced and were happy, some had the sudden realization that the Girl of Steel was not the Goddess they believed her to be. She was vulnerable, capable of death just as them, and it brought her pedestal down to Earth.
Her God complex took a hit, and it left her more aware of her actions. Regardless, Supergirl was back. As soon as she was cleared, Kara was out in National City and CatCo as if the last week or so hadn't happened. And while she was busy saving the world and putting print-worthy stories on Cat's desk, Kara was preparing the Jump cottage for the wedding. Lena made an offhanded comment that she didn't care where they had the ceremony, more concerned with what she would wear since she had to organize her outfit around her cast.
That led Kara to the bright idea of having the ceremony at the Jump cottage. Two birds, one stone, and one long overdue celebration.
Except Kara had one last thing to do. She landed on the balcony at the hotel where Diana was staying, the apartment she wanted under maintenance, and Kara knocked politely on the window. Diana watched her from the room, exasperated, and Kara grinned and walked inside.
"How many times do I have to tell you that you do not have to knock?"
"I'm not sure, but considering you and Sam have been getting close, I don't want to walk in on my Mom and best friend having relations."
Diana made a face and said, "It never hit me until now how strange it is to be interested in pursuing your best friend."
"I think it's cute. You deserve to be happy, and I know how much you love Ruby." Diana's smile was all the answer Kara needed, and she sat down on the couch. "But I'm here for advice," she said.
Diana sat next to her and propped her head on the back of the couch.
"This is about Kal-El," she guessed.
"His actions broke our code. We vowed to protect and save humans, no matter who they were or what they've done. Allegedly or proven, our job is to save them and leave them for the police or the government. We cannot be the judge, jury, and executioner. Despite how we feel, we are merely protectors and defenders. Nothing more, and nothing less. Kal-El broke that code when he left Lena. No, he broke it when he allowed her to put in that password, knowing that Lex set that trap. Had Raven not been there…" Kara's voice cracked, and she released a shuddering breath. "Kal-El landed here and took on that symbol without ever knowing the depth of its meaning. He parades it as a costume. He laughs when he sees others wearing it, and he never corrects them when they say it's an 'S' that stands for Super. Kal-El disrespects Krypton every day that he breathes, regardless of it being from ignorance rather than malice, and I have carried the weight of our lost world on my shoulders for so long, expecting him to one day relieve me of the burden. Sam can only do so much, but her version of Krypton is so far beyond mine. She and I are two sides of the same coin, but Kal-El stands alone in a category that he created to benefit him. Not our people."
"Had it not been Lena, had it been Lex or Lillian in that room, would you feel the same?" Diana asked.
"No, probably not," she said. "I never said I did not understand Kal-El's motivations. In his mind, all Luthors are evil and should be imprisoned. That is a consequence of his experiences with them. And had it been Lex or Lillian, I would have understood walking away. Some part of me would have celebrated his actions, but at the end of the day, death is the last resort. Kal-El did not operate under it being the last resort. He tried to orchestrate Lena's death. He manipulated it and prevented her from having a chance."
"May I ask you something?"
"Always."
"Do you think it is fair for you to expect him to have the same beliefs and reservations as you do because you are both Kryptonian? Kal-El was a baby when the planet exploded. He has no connections to it beyond whatever his parents left for him."
"Yet he flies around the world acting as if he is a martyr for our people!" Kara stood and paced in front of the couch. "I have never heard him utter a word of Kryptonian nor praise Rao for the blessings that befall him. His God is their God, and his beliefs are human. Kal-El is more of Earth than Krypton, and he speaks about how wonderful the planet was from memories that aren't even his. He sees images of Krypton from holograms, faceless figures in the background that I can name in my sleep. He tells the world of all the good Krypton had done with its science and technology, and I am the one who knows that it was our hubris that destroyed our home. It was our pride and arrogance that left us with nothing in the end. It was ignorance and a blind dismissal of what classifies as right and wrong that left Sam programmed to harm innocent people for the sake of what? Domination? Power? He praises Krypton based on lies while I am the one who spent the first four years on Earth screaming and crying because I could hear my planet dying. I could hear my people dying over and over and-"
Kara stopped in the middle of the room and clenched her fists. Diana watched as she took several deep breaths, and the tension bled from her shoulders, replaced with exhaustion.
"Am I wrong to hate him?"
"Do you? Truly?"
"No," she whispered. "I envy him."
"Kara, have you ever wondered if he feels similarly about you? Or how it might hurt him that you know more about his home and his parents than he does? How you are fluent in a language that he sees all over his pod, his Fortress, yet can't understand? Kal-El's blood is Kryptonian, no matter how Earthly he seems." Diana got up and came up to Kara, grabbing her hands. "You are well within your right to hate him, or envy him, whichever it might be. But you must see it from his perspective too. Kara, you are everything he isn't, and you got to experience something he never will. Has he gone about it the wrong way? Absolutely. Do I wish he hadn't abandoned you when you arrived? Every day. But do I think he deserves death? No."
Kara's head snapped up in confusion.
"Death?"
"Was this – are you not looking for permission to commit an honor killing?"
"No! I came here to explain why I'm removing him from the House of El," Kara said.
"Oh."
"Why was your first thought of death though?"
"If it were my people, we would have killed him."
"He wouldn't have been an issue in the first place," Kara said dryly.
"The point remains."
Kara snorted and leaned forward, resting her head on Diana's shoulder.
"I love you."
"That sounded patronizing, but I love you as well." Diana kissed her head and rubbed her back. "If you remove him from the House of El, he would be unable to wear the crest, correct?" she asked.
"Yes," Kara muttered.
"Are you prepared for that backlash?"
"No." Kara lifted her head, and Diana flashed back to the first moment she saw her. Deep down, Kara was still just a lost alien in a world that wasn't hers. "But he harmed my spouse. He broke our code, and this is the punishment I have chosen," she added.
"Very well, then. Follow your heart. It has never been wrong."
Kara flew to CatCo and straight into Cat's office.
"Supergirl," Cat greeted. "That is still not an entrance."
"Then stop leaving it open," Kara said. "But that's not why I'm here. I need to talk to you."
"Does it have anything to do with the Daily Planet is releasing a story about Lena Luthor being dead?"
"Wait, what?"
Kara was confused even more when Cat pressed two buttons under her desk. Her door closed, and the windows turned opaque.
"You had another button installed to close your door? Seriously?"
"Sometimes I do not want to walk over there to do it."
"But you – never mind. Can we go back to why the Daily Planet thinks Lena is dead?"
"Wyatt came to me this morning –
"Do you mean Winn?" Kara asked dryly.
"Stop interrupting, Kiera. As I was saying, Walter came to me this morning to inform me that he accidentally stumbled across a soon-to-print story in Mr. Olsen's hard drive with pictures of the famous Luthor Manor in ashes. Great pictures, sucks that we couldn't get someone out there in time, but I digress. Wilmer –
"Cat," Kara sighed.
"Fine. Winn let me see the article, and as it currently states, human remains were found at the Manor, and Clark Kent got an inside scoop from the Man of Steel himself and someone from the crime lab that the remains belonged to someone related to Lex Luthor. Seeing as Lex's body washed up in Los Angeles, and with Superman's statement that he saw Lena go into the Manor moments before it went up in flames, the Daily Planet is eager to be the first to announce that Lena Luthor is deceased. Seeing as all they need is Superman's word, and since your wife hasn't been seen in public since the explosion-
"Her wrist is broken."
"What?"
"Lena doesn't want to go out in public with a cast." Cat inclined her head as if it made complete sense, and Kara rolled her eyes. "Lena's fine. Annoyed, but alive," she added.
"Then who were the remains?"
"I have no idea. Lena was the only human in the house."
"So she was there?"
"Yes."
"And she survived the explosion?"
"Barely," Kara gritted out. "Kal-El knows she was there because he was the one who set off the bomb. Well, technically, Lena did, but he was the one who neglected to inform her that Lex set a trap. The bomb went off, Lena got injured from shrapnel, and Kal-El – he left her."
"And I'm assuming that's how her wrist got broken?"
"It is."
"You mentioned she was the only human there -
"I would rather leave them out of it."
"Are they a villain?"
"No, a teenager caught between the girl she loves and the friends she's known most of her life."
"Ah. Raven, the former Teen Titan."
"I would ask, but I've learned to accept you know everything."
"Good girl. Now, if you weren't here to announce Lena's death, why are you here?"
"Honestly, I needed advice, but this proves to me that my decision is sound. I am formally removing my cousin from our House." Kara had never caught Cat by surprise, but the wide eyes and open mouth gave her some sense of accomplishment. "And before you ask why I'm doing this, Kal-El broke our code. As the eldest, it is my choice to decide the punishment that fits the crime committed. Had Lena been alone, she would have died in that explosion."
"His attempt is worth removing him from the House?"
"Yes."
Kara stood still as Cat, her mentor, stared at her for a moment before saying, "If that is the story you want to put out, then you are the one who will write it. Be honest, Kara, and vulnerable. Be open but try not to condemn your cousin. Some people depend on him and painting him in a bad light will put many lives at risk. Find the balance, and I will release it. But be sure you are ready for whatever happens next."
"I am. But I assume I should wait until the Daily Planet releases their story."
"Why would I miss such an opportunity to defend my title as Queen of the Media? Plus, Lois Lane is listed as co-writer, and I do love a chance to knock her down a peg."
"Maybe I should have someone else write it but put it in my words."
"Who did you have in mind?"
"Hey, Nia!"
The junior reporter yelped and dropped the coffee she was carrying. Kara caught the cups before they hit the ground without spilling a drop, and she winced.
"Oh, my gosh, I am so sorry."
"N-no, it's fine," Nia stammered.
"Are you busy?"
"Um, now? Yes."
"What about in an hour? I have a story I want you to write."
"Me?" she squeaked.
"Yes. Miss Grant already approved."
"She did? Me? But I – why would she -"
"Oh, Rao. Please, breathe," Kara interrupted. Nia took a deep breath, and Kara gave her a genuine smile. "This is my decision. I have seen you around the bullpen, and I know how much you enjoy writing. This is something personal, and I would rather have a third opinion. If you are uncomfortable with it –
"I can do it," Nia said. "I just – it just caught me off guard that you thought of me is all."
"Why wouldn't I? You're a fantastic writer."
"You think so?"
"I know so. With that said, how about you come to my apartment in about an hour? Miss Grant gave you the day off to help me."
"But I don't know where you live."
Kara gave her a look and said, "My address is listed online."
"That's real?"
"Of course, it is."
"Is that safe?"
"Who do you think is stupid enough to try and break into a home where Supergirl and Lena Luthor live?"
"Fair."
Lena woke up to her penthouse full of people, and she grumbled about having to put on clothes that were appropriate for people other than her wife. She dressed in a hoodie and leggings before shuffling out into the kitchen. Sam was there, huddled in the corner having hushed conversations with whom Lena could only assume was Jack, and Raven kept disappearing with Ruby and Jinx only to return in paint or dust. Kara sat on the couch with a young brunette who was studiously writing something down, and Diana was meditating on the balcony. Alex was nowhere to be found, but that was expected as the DEO was back in action with J'onn's return. Bruce was still in Gotham, his quick trip becoming a disaster with the Joker not quite pleased with how things are changing.
Lena made her way to the coffee machine, seeing that it was already on and finished, and she murmured her thanks to Kara, soft enough that it wouldn't disrupt whatever she was doing. Lena poured her coffee into her favorite mug and turned around, watching how everyone was hiding a secret that she wasn't privy to. Kara laughed at something the young brunette said before making a gesture Lena knew meant she was apologizing for rambling. Sam hung up the phone and looked up, catching Lena's gaze, and the other Kryptonian flushed. She got up and crossed the room, sitting down in front of the island.
"Good morning," Lena greeted, putting down her coffee.
"Hey, so, Jack wants to see us. He says you need to pick out your wedding dress."
"I need a new one?"
"Yes."
"Is he paying for it?"
"Yes."
Lena narrowed her eyes on Sam, then at the back of Kara's head, and then back at Sam.
"You know where we're getting married."
In the background, Kara's head tilted, and Sam's eyes dropped to the counter. The young brunette stared at Kara in confusion until Kara cleared her throat and seemingly continued whatever conversation she was having. Sam knocked on the island and smiled.
"I do know where you're getting married, yes."
"Did you have to have permission from Kara to admit that?"
"No, she was telling me to tell you to stop asking so many questions."
"I don't like surprises."
"This one you will. Now, Jack is sending a jet, and we should be ready to go by noon. He's taking us to Los Angeles."
"What's in – oh, his boyfriend?"
"That and there's a wedding shop there he thinks you'll love."
Lena groaned and said, "But I have nothing to wear."
"You have two closets full of clothes!"
"But they don't match my cast."
"You've got to be kidding me. Go into your bedroom and find a damn outfit before I pick one for you."
Lena scowled and walked off, and Sam shook her head.
"Unbelievable."
"I heard that!"
"You were supposed to!"
The story broke at noon by the Daily Planet, and by one p.m., Kara was in Metropolis. Nia finished the article in record time with Kara's help, and the story would drop at five. But Kara wanted the entire world to read what Clark and Lois wrote. However, she couldn't deny how much pleasure she would get from popping Clark's bubble.
Kara strolled through the Dailey Planet in her suit, taking in the hesitant looks and pitied smiles on everyone's faces. She locked eyes with Clark as he sat behind his desk in his brand-new, beautiful corner office, and her cousin stiffened. It was humorous that no one put the pieces together, how Kara Danvers and Clark Kent were cousins, so if Kara was Supergirl, then Clark had to be Superman. Still, Kara made it clear that all relationships she had on Earth were formed after she arrived from Krypton. Which wasn't a lie, in theory. But Kara always made sure the world assumed that Superman and Clark were different people. Kara stepped into Clark's office and shut the door.
"Why did I find out from the Daily Planet that my wife was dead?" she asked, turning around. "Only to then see my cousin's name on the byline?"
"I thought you knew."
"Why would I? Lena told Alex that she needed a vacation. Metropolis was never mentioned."
"I'm sorry, Kara. But it's my job to report the news, and this was news. Had I known you weren't aware, I would've called you."
"Would you?"
"What?"
"Would you have called me and told me my wife was dead? Or would you have let it play out just as it has today? Because I would have told you the moment it happened if it were Lois. I wouldn't have waited until the dust settled to release breaking news. You should have told me!"
"I'm sorry. I thought you weren't coming to see me because you were in mourning, and it would've come out anyway once they found the remains. I thought the news would be more accepted if it came from me."
"But it didn't! It came from the magazine. Just because you put your name underneath it doesn't mean that you told me. It means you used the story to uplift your career, and I was an afterthought. It was Lena, someone I married and vowed to spend my life with, and you said nothing."
Clark flexed his fingers, and Kara made sure she had his attention before she asked -
"How did the mansion explode? It wasn't in your article."
"Because I don't know."
"You don't?"
"No."
"So you have no idea what happened?"
"No," he repeated, looking her in the eyes. "If I knew, I would tell you."
Kara almost believed him. But the problem was that she knew the truth.
"I do."
"What?"
"The mansion exploded because Lex had a safe in the basement that was boobytrapped so that no one but him could access it. Lena tried to open it so that she could remove his documents and try to find the formula that he used to kill me in hopes of destroying it so no one else could have it. You were there. You gave her the password under the guise of making amends, even though you were fully aware that Lex had set the trap. A bomb went off, didn't it, Clark? But the bomb didn't kill her. Lena survived the initial blast, and you needed a backup plan."
Clark froze, and Kara cocked her head.
"Lena had a piece of shrapnel in her thigh that prevented her from walking out of there. You knew she would die in the flames, but you wanted to be sure. So you shattered her phone so she couldn't call for help." Kara leaned down on his desk, and it creaked as she dug her fingers into the wood. "And you snapped her wrist when she tried to pull herself off the ground. You stood over her and blamed her for my death. You told her that, and she tried to tell you that I was alive. I was at home without my powers, unaware that my wife was fighting for her life, and my cousin, my blood, was there with her and offered no help. You left her there to die!"
The desk collapsed, and Clark moved back as it clattered to the floor. Kara stood up straight, her body vibrating with rage, and she stepped over the mess.
"Wait, Kara, I –
Kara lifted him off the ground. His eyes went over her head, listening to the growing crowd outside of his door, and Kara growled.
"Look at me!"
Clark did, and he grabbed her wrists to try and break her grip, but Kara was stronger. She'd always been stronger.
"You left my wife to die."
"I thought you were –
"Dead? That still does not give you the right to blame her!"
"It was Lex's formula –
"Yes! Lex, it was him, not her. It was always him, always Lillian, but never Lena. Never her."
"I was trying to avenge you! A Luthor killed you, and the one I wanted was nowhere to be found."
"So Lena was collateral?"
"No, she is tainted fruit! You should not have gotten involved with her, let alone married her."
"But I did, and instead of supporting me, you do everything in your power to break us apart."
"I did what anyone in our family would have done. It is called honor. Something you lost the moment you said I do."
Kara dropped Clark to the ground and floated into the air. She stared down at him, and she clenched her fists.
"You dare speak of honor and our family when you know nothing about either. I am sorry that you never experienced Krypton. I am sorry that you are the forgotten boy of the lost planet. I am sorry that everything you have learned about our home has been through a hologram. You never breathed its air, saw its trees and flowers, and you never tasted its food. You got the short end of the stick, and I acknowledge that. I am sorry you were never given the chance to be Kryptonian. But I have spent my entire life thinking of ways to protect you, introduce you to our culture, and have you understand how important Krypton was. You needed to know the good, the bad, and the ugly. Yet I come here, and you wear our family crest as if it were a costume. You sign t-shirts and let strangers announce how they are in the House of El just like you. You laugh it off and say they are worthy of it when you have no idea what our House stands for."
"Krypton doesn't exist anymore," Clark said. "It's gone, Kara! And you're still hung up on it. Their values and beliefs don't matter here. All I'm trying to do is keep its memory alive, but there's no point in either of us pretending as if the culture lives on. I fly under this crest as an homage to my father, your Uncle, and the type of man that I believed him to be. That is all that this symbol is now. A memory."
"Our family fought hard to regain its status, and you – you throw it away as if it's nothing."
"Because on Earth, it is."
"To you," she said, pain seeping through her anger. "To me, it is all that I have."
"Why do you still hold onto Krypton when its memories bring you pain?"
"Because if I let go, then our people died for nothing. In the bad, there was good, and the good deserves to be remembered."
Clark sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"I'm sorry that you feel I'm a disappointment. But I was born here, Kara. I use my powers to change the world, and people see me as a beacon of hope. How can I deny them the right to celebrate me as they see fit?"
"You are no God, Kal-El."
"I am to them." Clark rubbed his face and sighed again. "I apologize for leaving Lena there, but I will not apologize for avenging what I thought was your death. We are family, Kara. And there is nothing you can do about it."
"Why can't you support me like I support Lois?"
"Because her last name isn't Luthor."
Kara took a deep breath and released it.
"Will you ever move past this?"
"You died once at the hands of a Luthor. Forgive me if I am unwilling to believe it won't happen again."
Kara nodded once, and she lowered herself to the floor.
"Then I have no choice."
Kara's hand shot forward, and Clark jerked, glancing down in confusion. Her fingers went through his shirt, his suit, and almost into his chest as she dug them into the symbol centered on his chest. Kara yanked her hand back, taking with half of his suit and the House of El crest. She faltered before using her heat vision to burn it in her palm, turning it to ashes. Kara let them fall on the floor, and the tiny wounds on Clark's chest healed as he stumbled back, his hands going to his chest. His face cycled through several emotions before he settled on disbelief.
"Had you bothered to attempt to understand our culture, you would know that there are standards to live by in every House. And by the power given to me as the eldest living member of the House of El, I hereby banish you from this House and all that it entails. You are no longer allowed entrance into the Fortress of Solitude. You are no longer allowed to fly under our crest. You are no longer allowed to claim this House as yours. You, son of Jor-El, are no longer my blood. My word is law, and it is final."
Kara's words echoed in the office as Clark's breathing picked up, his disbelief fading as Kara's actions registered in his mind.
"I have ensured that you will be able to continue to protect this city. I would never take that from you. And I did the best that I could to soften the blow once the news comes out. You are a hero, Clark. But from now on, Superman will no longer be associated with the House of El." Kara stepped forward and placed her hand on his shoulder. "There is a new suit being delivered to you as we speak," she said.
Clark fell into his seat, the weight of her decision resting solely on his shoulders, and Kara turned her back on him. She opened the door to his office, and people scrambled away from the door. Kara knew they couldn't hear most of what was said, but it was still worth noting that none of them gave her evil eyes. They were confused, putting the pieces together, and Kara felt as if that was expected. James and Lois were at the center of the crowd, and Kara walked up to them. Lois looked past her at Clark, shirtless and crying, but it was James who spoke.
"What did you do?" he whispered.
"Less than he deserved," Kara answered. With only a brief hesitation, Kara added, "When the five o'clock news comes on, all three of your names will be in households for all the wrong reasons. Ask him why that will be the case."
Kara pushed through them and walked out of the office.
Alex jumped as Sam and Kara landed outside of her apartment. She scowled and said, "Maybe I should find a radioactive spider or a fancy hammer so I can hang with the cool kids."
"Only one of those people flies," Kara snorted.
"You got the point, didn't you? Why did you have me out here? It's like nine p.m., and I'm still dealing with the aftermath of your article. Martha won't stop calling, and Eliza is threatening to come here."
"You told her no, right? Like she can wait for the wedding."
"So you're inviting her?"
"She helped raise me too, Alex."
"I was just asking, Kar."
"Yeah, I know. Force of habit," she sighed. "Anyway, Sam is going to take you to the wedding location, and I'm here to grab the package I had delivered here."
"Who said it's still here?" Kara paused, and Alex grinned. "It's on the table near the front door."
"Oh, thank Rao. Lena would've killed me."
"What is it?"
"Her special lotion that I may or may not have used the rest of."
"Marriage, huh?"
"Something like that." Kara clapped Sam on the shoulder and kissed Alex on the cheek. "I have to go and make sure my wife isn't mad at me for keeping this massive secret," she said.
"Which one?"
"All of them."
Kara winked and shot into the air. Sam held out her arms, and Alex groaned.
"Can we not do bridal style?"
"It's a long trip, Danvers."
"Damnit, that's so embarrassing."
"If it helps, I can hum the wedding march -
"Go fuck yourself."
Sam laughed and picked Alex up. She adjusted her grip and flew into the air slowly, but once she turned Northwest, she picked up speed much to Alex's delight.
"This place is beautiful. I can't believe Kara managed to rent it for the wedding."
"It's not for rent."
"What?"
"This is Kara and Lena's house," Sam said, smiling.
"No shit?"
"Yep. This is Lena's dream house. She's wanted it for so long, but it's always been for sale."
"And Kara bought it for her?"
"I had the same reaction. You, Jack, Raven, Ruby, me, and Jinx are the only people who've seen it."
"Wow." Alex put her hands on her hips. "But what's with all the blow-up furniture?" she asked.
"Raven and Jinx are living here until they move in, so Kara let them bring some stuff. But the place will be emptied after the ceremony so Lena can decorate it however she wants."
"God, that's so gross," Alex whined.
"What?"
"Like Kara and Lena! Like – fuck, man. I see how much Kara loves Lena. But this is beyond love. This is admiration and passion and – and all the things I wish I had."
"Yikes, Danvers."
"I know, I know. I didn't mean to – forget it."
"No, if you want to talk, then talk. I just didn't know you had these kinds of feelings."
Alex shot her a look, and she said, "I'm not a robot."
"Could've fooled me."
"Shut up."
"I'm kidding. But what happened with you and, what's her name, Maggie?"
"She moved back to Gotham. We were good together, but she had plans. I have plans. And we just…"
"Didn't have the same plans."
"Right."
"Do you miss her?"
"Of course, I do. I still wonder what life would have been like had I followed her. But I made the right choice to let her go. We'll be fine one day as friends, but beyond that? No. And I'm going to always love her. I owe her so much. But being apart is a good thing. I know one day I'm going to find love again."
Sam watched Alex lose herself in her thoughts, and she said, "You know. People might like you a bit more if you opened up."
Alex scoffed and looked down.
"Yeah, I know But it's hard. I've been burned a lot."
"So have I. So has Kara, Lena, Diana, Raven, and Jinx. Jack and Ruby too, unfortunately, and I bet J'onn has too. We're all a little broken, but that's the best part about having a family. The pieces that no longer fit can be filled with something else, something stronger, but all you have to do is trust it. Trust the process that comes with healing and starting over. You have the opportunity to do what a lot of people don't and that's finding a new path. Maggie's gone, you're putting your relationship with Kara back together again, and you're a part of this dysfunctional ass family. We're going to get on each other's nerves, but the love will always be there."
Alex sniffed and quickly wiped her face, and Sam put her hand on her shoulder.
"Before you get all huffy, I'm going to ask you something okay?"
"What?"
"Have you considered therapy?"
Alex winced and said, "Sometimes, yeah. But I don't want to be psychoanalyzed."
"I'm not telling you to be analyzed. But I do think you could benefit from talking to someone. I have a friend here, actually, who is damned good at listening and gets paid to hear other people's problems. I think you might like her. Would you at least consider giving her a try?"
Alex visibly clenched her jaw before giving a short nod, and Sam squeezed her shoulder.
"Cool. I'll set it up, and I'll even come with you if you want?"
"I don't need a babysitter."
"No, but you might run, and I'm fast enough to catch you."
Alex barked out a laugh and pushed Sam away.
"Fuck off, Arias."
"Not on your life, Danvers. Come on, I want to show you the best part of the property."