Thank you thank you thank you to every single person who reviewed, favorited, followed, and/or read this story! I have so much fun remixing story lines and exploring possibilities but to be honest, it would not be nearly as fun without an audience reading along. So THANK YOU! It always is bittersweet to end a story but I am really happy with how this one turned out.
As I mentioned in the last chapter, I am considering doing a new story about Alex & Kara ending up in the foster care system. I am considering whether it should be a somewhat canon universe with Kara being Kryptonian, or if it should be totally AU and set in the real world with no aliens. I've made a poll and some people have also left reviews to let me know what you think but if you have a thought, definitely go to the poll on my profile or let me know somehow!
No A/N at the end of the chapter - I want to leave you with the last thoughts of the story rather than a note from me.
Thank you all and happy holidays!
The night air was crisp as Alex finally got out of the airport and headed for the taxi station. Normally she'd take the subway but tonight she needed to get to Kara as soon as possible.
"Alex!" The agent suddenly found herself in a near-crushing embrace as a still-damp Kryptonian suddenly clung to her.
"Kara!" Alex panickedly pulled Kara into the shadows of the parking garage. "Kara what are you doing here, someone could see..."
"Are you okay?" Kara's blue eyes were wide in the dim light.
"Am I okay?" Alex blinked with disbelief. A wave of fear suddenly washed over her, the feeling dripping down to her toes like the droplets still falling from the very tips of Kara's hair. An image flashed in her mind: Kara's bloodstained form crumpled in the mud after shielding them from their fall from the sky. "What were you thinking?! People saw you, Kara! With cameras and..." She put her hands on Kara's shoulders, gripping them almost desperately. "Kara, you can't just reveal yourself like that!"
"You're acting like it's a bad thing that I saved you," Kara looked confused. "Alex, that air vehicle was going to crash, you would have died!"
"You don't know that, it could have worked out..."
Kara raised an eyebrow and even Alex winced at the lameness of her own words.
"I know you're worried," Kara started.
"That's an understatement."
"...but I've spent so much time feeling helpless, Alex, and today I didn't. I was able to protect you like you protected me and help all those people." Kara's cerulean eyes were bright. "I didn't have to hide who I was. Although my original purpose here on earth has passed, maybe there's still a reason I'm here, a reason I ended up in this city, with you." Kara's gaze flickered from Alex's face to the tall buildings lighting up the sky around them, the glow touching the edge of her silhouette, otherworldly and ethereal. For a second, all Alex wanted to do was grab Kara's hand and pull her back to earth, to ground her, to keep her safe. But if she tried to cage Kara, was she really any better than the countless others who had tried to control the Kryptonian?
"I don't want you to get hurt," Alex said softly. "I'm scared."
"I know. I am too." Kara grabbed Alex's hands. "But I want to be like you. I want to do my part. I want to make the world a better place."
"Kara." Alex felt the sudden prick of tears behind her eyes. "You make the world a better place just by being in it. You are so much better than I am and you don't owe this planet or me anything."
"Alex, I want to do this."
Kara's gaze was direct and... confident.
Alex couldn't take that away from her.
"Kara, if you go on this path... you won't be able to go back," Alex said softly.
"I know. I can already hear the city talking about me." Kara tilted her head slightly. "Supergirl? Why are they calling me Supergirl? I am not a child! I will have to have a conversation with whoever came up with that name."
She looked so affronted that Alex couldn't help but laugh despite the gravity of their conversation. Becoming serious again, Alex squeezed Kara's hand.
"People will talk about you and they will call you all sorts of names. They won't understand the choices you will have to make. There will be those that will hate you just because you are different," Alex said softly. "I don't want that for you."
"There will always be those people." Kara's expression was resolute and Alex suddenly realized that Kara had been considering this course of action far before her plane started going down. "All I know is that there are people that I can help. I know I won't be perfect. And I won't be able to help everyone. But I need to do what I can.. You didn't have to care about me when you woke up in that cell next to me..."
Alex opened her mouth to protest but Kara wouldn't let her interrupt. "I know you keep saying that I saved you but the truth is, you didn't have to care about me. You didn't have to defend me from the guard and put yourself in danger for a stranger. But you did. It doesn't matter if you have powers or not. When each of us chooses to care..." Kara's eyes glowed softly. "That's how the world is changed, isn't it?" Her sapphire gaze drifted to meet Alex's eyes, waiting for a response.
"I suppose it is," Alex agreed softly. The temptation to hold on and protect was strong but it was outweighed by the knowledge that she had to let Kara find her own way, that she couldn't always protect the pure-hearted Kryptonian. But she could still try. "I'll always be there for you," she added.
Kara received her words of support with radiant excitement and a crushing hug. "Thank you, Alex! You're the best sister ever."
"Promise me something," Alex pulled back from the hug slightly. "Be safe and be careful. Please. For me if for nothing else."
"I will if you will," Kara smiled but her eyes were serious.
"Deal."
As they made their way back to the apartment, Alex pushed away the thoughts about what tomorrow would bring. They would deal with that as it came. For now, she was content to make her way home with her newfound sister with the stars in the night sky as their guide.