Onceuponahappilyeverafter: Thank you for your service and my condolences to you for those you lost. I really appreciate your comments, they let me know that I'm doing something right. I hope you enjoy the updates! Just a heads up, it's going to get heavier for quite some time after chapter 12. There'll be some brighter moments mixed in there, but the light at the end of the tunnel will come. Chapter 13 brings a major changing moment in Alex's life. There's still a lot of story to be told ahead.

"Scuba instructor for the deaf."

Alex stopped eating and looked at Maggie like she had three heads. "Is that even a thing?"

Maggie shrugged, "it could be if you started it…"

Alex shook her head, "as cool as that would be, I don't plan on doing that."

Maggie shrugged again and went back to her food.

"Zoo keeper or cattle herder?"

Alex shook her head. "Hay fever. I'm allergic to grass and hay. I'd never be able to tolerate doing either of those every day."

"Okay, scratch that then. How about dolphin trainer at an aquarium?"

"Still no. I grew up in a house next to the ocean. I hate seeing them in a tank when I've seen them on the horizon."

"Fair enough. I get that…" Maggie paused, "am I at least getting close?"

Alex scratched the side of her head and scrunched up her face as if she were thinking extra hard about it. "Hmmm… You're about as close as we currently are distance-wise in miles to National City."

"Damn, so not close at all…" Not that she had really expected to be with the guesses she'd been making, it was more for dramatics. "Have I been anywhere in the ballpark… Ooh! Professional softball player?!"

Alex chuckled, "again, no. But that was a good way to tie that in there."

Maggie flourished her hand and took a bow. "I try… But seriously, have I been close at all?"

Alex shook her head, "not really. You're overthinking it. But I like your ideas and enthusiasm!"

Three weeks had gone by at the pace of a snail for Alex. She had even let Maggie fuss over her some but she was glad to be sans sling and easing back into missions.

"Massage therapist, hair stylist, or makeup artist?"

"That's three guesses, Sawyer." Alex said to her.

"I know it is, Danvers, but I've only got a week left, and I have many more guesses than seven days worth."

"That's fair," Alex said. "No, none of those, but maybe I could be a massage therapist? But I'll let you be the judge of that. Lay down on your stomach."

Maggie gave her a disbelieving look, but Alex was seriously going to give her a massage. Her muscles were still aching from her last mission, so who was she to turn down a free massage? So Maggie laid down flat on her stomach on the cot with her t-shirt and shorts on.

She couldn't suppress her groan when Alex started working out her stiff muscles. "God that feels amazing."

Alex chuckled, "I bet it does. My brother-in-law taught me how to do them well. He gives Kara massages after long days of hauling around soil and stuff." Alex took her time, carefully kneading at the knots and softer when she reached a tender spot on Maggie's back.

"Hmmm, you could totally be a massage therapist." Maggie hummed to her. She closed her eyes relaxing into it as Alex worked on her shoulders. She let herself go.

Maggie definitely felt something then with Alex's hands easing the tension from her stiff shoulders. She'd been pushing those feelings down further and further as her tour drew to a close. The last thing either of them needed was for her to mess up the work relationship they had going. Plus, Alex already knew that she came as a package deal with her daughter and her daughter's dad. That's not something Maggie imagined Alex would want to be a part of.

Maggie was going to push it out of her head once again when all of a sudden soft lips were on her cheek.

Momentarily stunned, Maggie opened her eyes to see a pair of whiskey-brown ones looking right back at her. Alex had crouched down to be face to face with her.

Sitting up, Maggie leaned forward to meet Alex's lips, then deepening the kiss. She opened her eyes when Alex pulled back and touched her lips lightly. They both smiled, eyes dark and warm looking at each other. "I've been wanting to do that." Alex said with huskiness in her voice. Maggie smiled, "I can tell," and leaned in, kissing Alex again.

With only a week left together here, they were both done fighting the pull of their feelings.

"I have a child," Maggie said pulling back from Alex.

Alex shook her head, "that's okay."

"I actively co-parent with my child's father."

Alex nodded, "that's still okay." A soft smile growing on her lips.

Maggie couldn't help but smile as well. "I don't want to do anything here. I want a real bed for that."

"That's okay, too. I just needed you to know." Alex clarified, pulling Maggie into a hug.

Maggie relaxed into it, relief filling her.