Maggie was high tailing it to her gate after getting through security at National City International Airport. Luckily it was still early enough that there weren't any long lines. She had about two minutes to grab a coffee, and that was it. She was also dressed in her full Army Combat Uniform (ACU).
Her morning did not go as she had planned. She had been called to the base for a brief meeting, which threw everything off. She had to shower at the hospital and have Kara and Winn bring her duffel and uniform. A meeting on base required her full uniform. And boy was she surprised when she had arrived.
"Here you go, ma'am," the barista said and handed her the cup of coffee that was going to keep her sane on this six-hour flight.
"Thank you, have a nice day," Maggie said with a smile.
"You as well, ma'am."
That was something Maggie never got used to. When off base with her uniform on, Maggie was addressed a lot more as "ma'am" and received head nods from almost everyone. She wasn't thrilled about having to wear her ACU right now, but she wasn't given much choice with how close she was cutting it with this flight.
She checked her watch. It was three minutes until boarding.
Maggie was walking up to her gate just as they announced the welcome call to the passengers. The ridiculously long line of passengers was already up and ready despite the majority most likely being the final boarding group. It was always the same, no matter where you were.
"Good morning, and welcome aboard flight 273 bound for Metropolis, New York. Please bear with us during the boarding process."
The intercom cut out again, followed by more shuffling from the waiting passengers. It wasn't an entirely full plane, but there were still a good many people waiting. It was making her uneasy being around that many people. Maggie took a sip of her coffee and savored the taste, centering herself.
She glanced down at her ticket again. The seat assignment 1A seemed to stand out more than any other information on there - yet another surprise that morning brought.
Maggie was pulled out of her thoughts again when the intercom came back on.
"At this time, we welcome aboard active military members with ID."
Maggie has only ever traveled in civvies at the airport. The only time she had ever traveled in uniform was on deployment, which was done through the base. Maggie actively avoided using her service to her country as a quick way to get on a plane. She didn't like the attention that tended to bring. Everyone had to get on at some point, so why bother getting on first? But here she was, fully decked out, and the attendant at the desk was making direct eye contact. She had a friendly smile and nodded towards Maggie. Who needs an ID when you're in uniform...
Maggie puffed out a breath and smiled back. She made her way up to the desk and placed her duffle on the ground. She handed her ticket to the waiting attendant.
"Good morning," Maggie said with a nod.
The machine beeped, and her ticket was handed back.
"Good morning, ma'am. I hope you enjoy your flight and thank you for your service."
A hand was extended, and Maggie shook it, "thank you, have a nice day."
She picked up her duffle and continued down the bridge to the plane.
"Welcome aboard," she was greeted as soon as she reached the plane door.
"Thank you," Maggie smiled. She turned and was already at her seat. That, she definitely was not used to. She placed her bag down on the seat and pulled out her phone, wallet, and headphones. She hesitated but chose to leave the sleeping pill in the bag. Maggie usually took that as soon as she was seated, but if she had a ticket in first class, she thought she might as well enjoy it. Not to mention, it would defeat the purpose of having that cup of coffee.
The seats were roomier for sure, and it all looked a little cleaner. She'd never been seated in first-class before. Seat 1A was tucked behind a small privacy wall, so she was out of the aisle. No one else had joined her on the plane yet, giving her time to get settled.
Maggie zipped her duffle and looked up at the overhead bin.
The flight attendant that had greeted her must've seen her glance up and hesitate because he approached her offering to help, "May I assist you with your bag, ma'am?"
Maggie wouldn't typically take that offer, but even she couldn't deny that she was a little too short to comfortably place the bag up there. It always untucked her shirt when she put bags in the overhead compartment. While it was a minor inconvenience, Maggie did not want to deal with that this morning. She could do it, but this time, she decided not to.
"Yes, please, thank you."
The man nodded and placed her duffle gently and carefully in the overhead bin. Maggie had never seen any flight attendant or passenger take that much care with a travel bag.
She took her seat and clipped the belt together.
"Can I get you anything, ma'am?" He asked once she was settled.
"No, but thank you," Maggie smiled.
Her phone buzzed as she was pulling it out of her pocket. The number was unknown, but she smiled when she opened the text.
A: "Finally got my personal phone back. Have a safe flight. - Alex 3"
M: "Will do. I'll text you when I'm on the ground 3."
As soon as the text was sent, her phone was ringing. James's name flashed on the screen with a photo of the three of them.
- "Hey Sketch, how's our girl doing?" Maggie answered. She took another sip of her coffee.
She heard James sigh on the other end.
- "She's better, but definitely still leaning towards being a little miserable. No fever, though. I had her sleep in an extra half hour and dropped her off late. She was too excited about today to miss it. Jamie's stubborn, just like her Mama."
Maggie smiled a little at that. Jamie was her mini-me through and through.
- "I'm glad she's doing better. I'm in my seat now, should be pushing back in…" Maggie trailed off and looked at her watch. "About 20 minutes. Earlier if we're lucky."
- "You be safe, Books. I checked the weather radar. There are a few storm cells over Ohio and Kentucky, but other than that, it should be a smooth flight."
- "It looked like a fairly full flight. Maybe if we're lucky, everyone will board quickly, and we'll get off the ground early. Right now, we're scheduled to land right around 1500 hours local time in Metropolis. It gives me just enough time to get to her school if you go last in the presentations."
- "Sounds good. I already had it set up that way with Jamie's teacher. She said she's ready to stall on time if you're on your way and running a few minutes behind. They're expecting you unless I get word otherwise."
Maggie sighed and rubbed at her eyes. James heard it on the other end.
- "Everything okay? If you don't want to do it this way, you just have to say the word. We can do a quiet reunion at home."
- "No, it's not that. I'm still okay doing it as we planned. It's just been a long morning, and I want my baby in my arms already."
- "Soon, very soon, Maggie. She's going to be so excited to see you. She's been asking about when you're coming home more and more frequently in the last couple of weeks."
More people started boarding and filling the plane.
-- "Hey, James, I'm going to have to let you go."
- "Alright. But hey, when Jamie goes to bed tonight, we'll have time to talk about your morning and everything you need to unload. You're not alone; you've got me like always."
- "I really appreciate that. I think I'll take you up on that offer."
- "Remember, think happy thoughts Sawyer, and it'll be a smooth flight."
Maggie chuckled. She figured Jamie was on another Peter Pan and Neverland kick.
- "I'll think happy thoughts, Pan."
And with that, Maggie ended the call. She turned her phone on airplane mode and took a long look at her screen saver: Jamie mid-giggle with mint gelato. Maggie smiled and slid the phone into her pocket. She took another sip of her coffee, finding that she was draining it rather quickly.
The ding-dong of the plane's speaker rang out before the attendant's voice from earlier came through. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard…"
Maggie found herself relaxing a bit more. Everyone had boarded, and the seat next to her was still empty.
Her gaze wandered over to the open window where the sun was soon ready to start peaking over the horizontal.
An Hour and a Half Earlier
Maggie closed the pre-paid taxi door and stepped into the welcome building on base, duffle in-hand. She'd received a phone call very late last night asking her to report for a quick meeting.
After a quick shower in the adjoining bathroom to Alex's room, Maggie found herself dressed in her ACU and saluting Alex before she left.
She checked in and was promptly led to a large office in the next building. Maggie blinked extra hard when she saw the name on the door.
After all, it's not every day you get called in for a last-minute meeting at 0500 hours with Major General J'onn J'onzz.
A brief knock on the door was followed by a deep voice saying, "come in."
The personnel that had led her to his office nodded and quickly left.
Maggie took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She opened the door and stepped in.
She saluted the man standing behind his desk. At his return salute, Maggie lowered her hand and stepped forward.
"Major General J'onzz, it's a pleasure to meet you," Maggie said with an extended hand.
"The pleasure is mine, Sergeant Sawyer," he said, returning the handshake. "Please, have a seat," he gestured towards the opposite chair and moved to close the door.
He returned promptly and resumed his position in his seat, "thank you for taking the time to meet with me this morning. I know it's last-minute and early."
Maggie nodded and waited. She was still a bit confused about all of this.
"I just wanted to see how your adjustment has been going. I saw that you are not renewing your contract."
"That's correct," Maggie sat ever so slightly straighter, "I want a little more time with my baby girl. She's growing up so fast. I don't want to miss any more of it."
Maggie saw a small twinge of sadness in his smile when he nodded.
"They do grow up so fast. Hold onto those moments," he said.
General J'onzz cleared his throat and swiftly changed topics. "I heard about some of the work you did overseas. I wanted to personally thank you for your service. Everything seems to be in order on your end and ours. This is the last time you need to report to base. The insurance is already set up through the VA. The specifics and technical jargon are all in the packet you received during your debrief. Are there any questions I can answer for you at this time?"
Maggie blinked back at him. She shook her head, "Sir, with all due respect, aren't these things usually handled by another department?"
General J'onzz nodded, "they are. But I wanted to personally see to it that everything was in order, ensuring a smooth transition back into civilian life."
J'onzz sat back in his chair and regarded Maggie. She watched a few emotions flicker across his face. As fast as they had appeared, they vanished.
"Dropping the formalities, if I may," he began, "anyone important to the Danvers is important to me. As for someone willing to make calls and fight for their fellow soldier to be returned home to their family… That is someone I want to make sure won't run into any obstacles when transitioning back home."
Maggie took a leap and hoped she wasn't reading this wrong. She leaned forward and extended her hand, "Maggie Sawyer."
A warm hand grasped hers and shook it, "J'onn J'onzz, but you can call me J'onn."
General J'onzz J'onn sighed, "I'm sorry I couldn't be here sooner."
"I have to say, I was a little surprised when Eliza pulled out your number to call. And thank you for getting Alex home."
"I wish I could do more," J'onn mumbled.
"I think she'd like to see you," Maggie said softly. "From what I've heard, you're family to them."
J'onn nodded, "seems like a good place to start."
Maggie glanced at her watch, eyes widening, "Oh."
"Right, you've got a plane to catch," J'onn stood up. He opened a drawer in the desk and pulled out a piece of paper. He held it out to Maggie, "go see your little girl."
On that paper was her boarding pass with a significant seat upgrade.
National City General Hospital
Alex was startled awake at the sound of a clipboard being pulled from its upright resting place on the hospital room wall. She had sucked in too big of a breath and found herself disoriented and coughing in an attempt to breathe normally again.
A hand was placed on her left arm and shoulder, steadying her: "Alexandra, sweetie, you're alright. It's just the nurse and the clipboard."
Recognizing the sound of her mother's voice, Alex's brain and body caught up to her current surroundings.
"Right," Alex said and leaned back against the bed.
The nurse then sent and quickly turned off the heart monitor's alarm while Alex's adrenaline level lowered.
"My apologies, Sergeant Danvers." The nurse began with his hands up. I'll be more gentle with the board next time. I'm just here to check your vitals and get a blood pressure reading."
He took a look at the monitor and looked down at the board. "Actually, I'll come back in about 5 minutes to take those, so it's an accurate reading."
And with that, he nearly ran out the door.
Alex sighed heavily and ran her hand through her hair. She wasn't pleased with the knots she was finding. That was on her to-do list: find someone to cut her hair.
"Are you okay, sweetie?" Her mother asked.
"Fine," Alex answered gruffly. She has just managed to fall asleep for her nap. This morning's physical therapy session had been brutal. That, combined with her body's attempt at healing and the sub-par amount of sleep, left her feeling completely exhausted and drained.
The PT doctor was starting to work on her shoulder now that it had a week's rest in the sling. The problem was the cast on that same arm almost went up to her shoulder. However, both Dr. Marks and Dr. Brooks said she'd be getting a shorter cast sometime early next week.
The changing of bandages was getting easier to manage. Alex had been surprised at just how many new wounds and scars were there from shrapnel. They were all healing well, and for right now, Alex was kind of glad she didn't remember what had happened.
Her left leg was another story. The fractured tibia hurt like crazy at times. The only reason that leg wasn't put in a hard plaster cast is that more bandages had to be changed. A "walking" boot made her leg more accessible. The burns on that leg were also healing really well. They were going to scar, guaranteed, but at least they were healing.
"Can I get you anything?" Her mother tried again.
Alex audibly sighed.
"I'm just trying to help, Alex," she said, backing up with her hands in the air.
"I know," Alex whispered. She shook her head carefully and rubbed at her eyes. "I know," she said stronger. "I'm sorry. Umm…" Alex thought about it for a moment. "I could actually go for a Gatorade, please."
Alex opened her eyes to see her mother smiling. "I'll be right back," she said, squeezing Alex's hand gently.
A few calculated deep breaths later, and Alex had her pulse and blood pressure lowered enough that the nurse could come back to take her vitals. He was significantly more gentle this time with her charts to avoid the previous clattering.
And as he finished, her mother was back with her favorite flavor. She cracked the seal and opened it before handing it to Alex. Two sips were taken before Alex gave it back. She really wasn't too thirsty.
Her mother took it back and didn't comment on the sips. She fussed around Alex for a moment, adjusting the blanket, ensuring she was comfortable, before sitting back down in her chair.
Alex tilted her head back again and resumed staring at the ceiling.
While on some level, Alex did appreciate it, she was growing tired of other people's presence. It felt like someone was coming in to check on her every five minutes. Alex couldn't seem to get a single moment to herself. If Kara wasn't there, then Winn was. And if it wasn't either of them, then her mother was. And in a rare case, none of them were at her bedside, a nurse was in there, or it was the physical therapist.
She was ready to pull her hair out. She had more quiet time at war than she did in this general ward.
And the exhaustion. Don't even get her started on that. For the past few days, Alex had been able to stay awake for a couple hours at a time, but it totally wipes her out.
Her mild concussion prevented her from reading the pre-printed copy of Maggie's book without getting a massive headache. The words were still swimming on each page, no matter how hard she concentrated. The TV had next to nothing on it between the morning news and the afternoon game shows.
Alex found her attention drawn to the window. She wasn't on a low enough level to see the street, but she could see the big puffy clouds and watch them roll by. Alex found her mind wandering back to Maggie and how she was doing. Maggie had disclosed to her that she never really enjoyed commercial flights...
Metropolis, New York
Maggie smoothed out her uniform when she stepped out of her rental car. She had spent the remaining hour of the flight nervously bouncing her leg and fidgeting with her fingers. The flight attendants in front of her tried some casual conversation to relax her a bit, but it hadn't been very successful.
Maggie had sent James a very brief text after getting the rental car that she was on her way. Typically they would've called for a driver, but Maggie insisted she'd be more comfortable driving herself. It was also the guaranteed fastest way for her to get from the airport to Jamie's school. She hadn't missed the driving in Metropolis, but it beat sitting on a plane waiting for time to pass along.
Jamie's teachers knew about it, and she had worked it out with James so that they'd be the last ones to talk. This was the best option that allowed the other parents to present, and Maggie's appearance wouldn't disrupt the afternoon's flow. The principal, the two teachers, and James were the only ones in on it.
While Maggie was beyond nervous and excited to see Jamie, she was also beyond ready to see James again. They always joked that he was the only man she loved. But she truly did love him and everything he did for their little girl. She honestly couldn't have a better best friend or father of their child.
Maggie reached over to the passenger seat and pulled out the single red rose she was going to give to Jamie, de-thorned of course, and cut short enough so it'd fit well in a child's hand. She saw a florist on the way out of the airport, and she couldn't pass it up. Roses were Jamie's absolute favorite.
Maggie took a deep breath and walked into the front office with a large smile on her face. She was greeted with a hug by the principal instantly. "Everything's set up, Ms. Sawyer. James should be out in a minute. He wanted to say hello before Jamie gets you."
Just as she finished saying it, the one and only James Sawyer - genius and renowned architect - stepped into the office. As usual, he dazzled in his formal business suit. Despite knowing exactly how much that suit cost, Maggie jumped into his arms for a hug.
"I missed you so much!" Maggie said to him when he put her down.
James leaned down and kissed Maggie's cheeks. "I've missed you too." He chuckled, "but save those tears for our little princess in there. She brought her teddy bear with her to show everyone what you do. She thinks you're coming home next month."
"Thank you so much for doing this," Maggie said sincerely to him. She meant it for everything, and James knew it. They were best friends, after all.
He nodded, "you're welcome." James reached out and squeezed her hand. He checked his watch on the opposite wrist and nodded to the principal.
"I need to head back in there to do my presentation. When Jamie starts talking about her mommy, that's your cue." He turned back to Maggie. "She's going to explain it all, both the books and the Army. That way, you can just have your moment with her without needing to say anything to the class if you don't want to."
Maggie nodded. She still was a bit in shock that this was all finally happening.
He kissed her cheek again and stepped back, heading into the hallway. "I'll have my phone rolling!" He gave a shout over his shoulder.
"If it's alright with you," the principal said, "I'd also like to record it. You'll have two different angles then."
Maggie nodded, "absolutely, thank you so much."
They headed down the hallway.
Maggie's heart thumped harder and harder in her chest as she listened to James entertain the three and four-year-olds through the door. The principal had gone in to let the teachers know that the surprise was a go.
She rechecked her phone, making sure the volume was turned off. She found a text from Alex: "you've got this!" She sent a quick reply of thanks and put it back in her pocket.
Maggie straightened her hat that was on top of her tightly wrapped bun. She was thankful that this was the last time she'd have her hair that way. Maggie never did like having her hair tied tight.
With nothing to do in the final minute, Maggie resorted to smoothing out her jacket and inspected her already-spotless boots. The rose was clutched firmly in her hand.
Her head snapped up at the sound of her daughter's voice.
"My Mommy isn't here today, just my Daddy. Mommy writes books! We have some on the bookshelf here, and she works for the Army. Daddy says she does im-por-tant work for them far away a lot."
Maggie's face broke into a smile, yet her heart simultaneously broke at how much Jamie had been hurting these last several months. Deployment wasn't just hard on the soldiers; it was hard on the families as well. It had hit hers, especially hard.
Attempting to keep her tears in check, Maggie took another deep breath. She reached for the handle and slowly pulled the door open as quietly as she could.
It was a surprisingly large room for a preschool class, so Jamie didn't see her right away. The parents were standing off to the side, kind of blocking the doorway, so it gave Maggie a few extra seconds.
She got a glimpse of James's smile at her just before she stepped through the crowd of parents. All eyes were on her in an instant.
Maggie had never smiled so wide in her life when she saw Jamie's face.
"Hi, Jaybird," Maggie whispered.
That's all it took for Jamie to launch herself across the room and into her mother's arms. Maggie's hat fell to the floor, forgotten with the impact of the small body.
Maggie finally had her little girl in her arms again.
"Mommy!" She shrieked before bursting into tears in her arms.
Maggie scooped her up and spun her around. Later, when Maggie watches the video back, she'll realize that everyone was applauding. But at that moment, it was just Maggie and Jamie.
"Shh, I've got you, Mija. I'm home now. I love you so much, Jamie." Maggie spoke softly to her, trying to soothe her. She held a hand to the back of Jamie's head to keep her close and peppered the side of her head with kisses.
"I brought you a rose, Mija, look," Maggie said, coaxing Jamie to look at what she had in her hand. Jamie smiled and messily wiped her tears away. She kissed her mommy and took the rose.
"Love you, mommy." Maggie wiped away the rest of her daughter's tears and the few of her own that had fallen.
"I love you too, Jamie. I love you so much."
The principal and James both stopped their recordings. They had spoken beforehand and wanted this to be just Maggie's and Jamie's moment without him in it.
Seeing that Maggie wouldn't be able to get words out right now, James stepped up, holding Jamie's teddy bear. He put a hand on the small of Maggie's back.
"Everyone," James began, "I'd like you to meet Jamie's Mom: Sergeant Maggie Sawyer of the United States Army. She is now home from a tour in Afghanistan." And more applause erupted from everyone.
Everything after that was kind of a blur for Maggie. The teachers had wrapped up the day. Maggie shook hands with many parents and gave a lot of high fives to the kids. All of this was done with Jamie in her arms. Jamie didn't want to be put down at all. Neither Maggie nor James were going to tell her "no" right now. This is what they all needed.
A picture was taken of Maggie holding Jamie, both smiling wide. Jamie had her teddy bear and the rose clutched tightly in her hands. Another photo was taken with James in it, too. That picture, the one with all three, was now Maggie's favorite. Pure happiness was evident on each of their faces.
Jamie had pointed all around the room so Maggie could meet her friends. The small family had hung around the longest, not wanting to rush anything.
"You're getting so big, Mija! You've grown so much since I last saw you." Maggie said, dramatically grunted as she shifted Jamie in her arms.
Jamie giggled, "Not big yet, Mommy! But Daddy says I'm almost a big girl 'cause next year is big girl school!"
Maggie chuckled, "Is that so? Well, you'll always be my little cub to me." And she kissed her all over her face, earning a delighted squeal from Jamie and a few light coughs. The excitement was wearing off now, and Jamie looked like she really needed a nap. The poor kid still wasn't feeling very well.
"How about when we get home, we change and do cuddles for the rest of the day? Hm? How does that sound?" Maggie asked Jamie once they were ready to leave the school.
"Daddy too?" Jamie asked, turning to look at her mom and then her dad. Maggie nodded, smiling, "Daddy too. He's got the rest of the day off."
…
Everyone was dressed in pajamas by 5:00pm, and it was exactly what they all needed. Jamie picked Peter Pan as the first movie, managing to stay awake through the whole thing. The adrenaline and excitement of the day had worn off, though, and it wasn't long before she was curled up on top of Maggie, fighting to keep her eyes open.
James and Maggie both handled the bathtime and bedtime routines for Jamie. It was difficult getting her to sleep in her own bed and sleep in general. While she almost drifted off during the movie, she fought sleep, not wanting to miss any time with her parents.
She'd been a bit grumpy; the bug she'd caught not completely easing up yet and just a touch too warm. But after a couple books, a song, and Maggie reassuring her several times that she'd be right there when she wakes up, Jamie drifted off to sleep.
The two parents slid quietly out of her room, turning the nightlight on and leaving the door cracked.
"I'm gonna open a bottle of red wine. Want a glass?" James asked as he moved towards the kitchen in the apartment.
"Yes, please," Maggie said, but she didn't follow him. Instead, she wandered back to the living room, drifting towards the large windows. A perk of James's success was the larger apartment that came with an incredible view of the city.
The city was alive now that the sun had set. The gridlock traffic could be seen from here with the bright red tail lights glowing. Metropolis was always busy, never resting.
"Hey," came James's calming voice from beside her.
Maggie startled a little but gave him a tired smile. She accepted the wine glass and tapped it against his, each taking a long sip.
Maggie sighed, "this feels like one of those moments that isn't real… I dreamed so many nights of being home like this, and now?" She looked over at James, "now I just… I can't believe I'm here."
James wrapped an arm around her and turned to also look out the window. "Well, believe it, Books, because you're here. Your baby is asleep in the next room, and you're looking out over the city of Metropolis. You're back on U.S. soil with us."
Maggie cleared her throat and changed subjects, "So, how's your work going? You mentioned a big project coming up?"
"Yeah," James nodded and put his hand in his pocket. He took a sip of his wine and leaned against the wall next to the window. "I just finished up a big one here in the city, and the new project is for a high-end hotel. It's going to be built in San Diego. It'll start when we get out to California next month. The owner was more than willing to accommodate our schedule."
Because of James's reputation with his work in architecture, he was getting commissions all around the country. For this upcoming project, James had an agreement with his boss. He would work in Metropolis as his primary location and then go out to California for the summer with Maggie and Jamie to do more work out there.
All other times, James flew out to locations when it was necessary; but, only if he was absolutely needed on site. He hated having to leave Jamie overnight in Metropolis with a nanny while Maggie was on tour.
"That's awesome, James! Congratulations!" Maggie said, her mood lightening.
James nodded his thanks. "That's not even the best part… I've got a second massive commission coming for a project that's already underway in Los Angeles."
"I'll toast to that!" Maggie said and raised her glass to James.
He chuckled, "cheers," and tapped his glass to hers.
After a sip of the wine, Maggie asked, "So are you still seeing that one girl? Kathy, I think her name was?"
James blew out a breath and shook his head; "Nope." He pushed off the wall and made his way over to the sofa. He sat down and shrugged, "We broke up about a month ago."
"Oh, James, I'm sorry," Maggie said, coming over to join him.
James held up a hand and waved it off, "don't be. I really liked her, but it wouldn't have worked out… She didn't understand why I wouldn't let her meet Jamie yet. If she couldn't understand that, then there's no way she would've understood how we co-parent her."
Maggie nodded. Their dating lives were nonexistent since they had Jamie. Jamie would always take precedence over everything else. Still, it was hard to have a social life with their jobs and lifestyles.
Maggie and James had an agreement when it came to dating. Before Jamie is introduced to a love interest, that person would have to meet the other parent first.
Introducing a preschooler to someone like that was a delicate matter. It was essential to have as much order in Jamie's life as possible. The nature of Maggie's work in the Army and James's traveling was already more disruption than they'd like. She needed consistency, and introducing someone too soon and having them leave wouldn't be great.
There's also the hurdle that the love interest (James's or Maggie's) would need to understand that they were getting into a relationship with the entire family.
James took another sip of his wine. "So, how are things going with your girl? The last you said anything about her was when you just got back, and you said she was officially…" James paused, "someone special."
Maggie nodded, and it was her turn to take a large sip of her wine.
"I-is that not a thing anymore?" James asked, confused at the reaction. Maggie had talked about Alex almost every time James spoke to her while she was overseas.
"No, we're sort of girlfriends. Things are just a little complicated right now…" Maggie ran her fingers through her hair.
"How so?" James asked. "I'm here if you want to talk about it, you know that."
Maggie nodded. "I know you are and thank you for that." She said, looking at him.
Maggie took a deep breath, "I almost lost her, James… Technically I did, twice."
James was visibly confused but waited for Maggie to continue in her time.
"Almost two weeks ago, she stepped on an IED on a mission." Maggie pulled out her phone and pulled up the picture from last night. Kara had taken it without Maggie knowing at the time. It wasn't long after Alex's first flashback when Alex had fallen into a restless sleep in her arms.
"She lost a leg, broke a lot of bones, and her heart stopped twice on the table…"
"Maggie, I'm so sorry," James said, pulling her into a hug. "How's she doing?"
Maggie sighed, staying in the hug. "She's healing physically… She's out of her sling and starting physical therapy in the hospital right now… But that's not what I'm worried about… She's shutting down."
The exhaustion in Maggie's voice hid nothing. It was taking a toll on her, and it was now catching up.
"I don't know what to do, James. I really like her. I really like her. And I have no idea how to help her." Maggie's voice broke, and James continued just holding her.
It was Maggie's turn to crack and break. And James rubbed her back, soothing her as much as he could. All week Maggie had been holding onto her emotions with an iron grip, wanting to be strong for the Danvers family. But that combined with Alex's struggles and not being with James and her daughter...
Even when Maggie started to calm down, James kept his arms around her. "You've had a very long, very taxing day," he said in his low, soothing voice. It was the one he uses with Jamie, and right now, it's just what Maggie needs to feel safe. "Please tell me you don't meet with your publicist tomorrow?" He asked her.
Maggie shook her head against him. "No, not until Monday when Jamie's at school."
James hummed his approval. "How about you lay down and get some rest. I can see the bags under your eyes. You need a good night's sleep… Everything is just as you've left it in your room."
Maggie sighed and pulled back, wiping her eyes. She sniffled, "thanks, James. I really appreciate that… Appreciate everything."
He nodded with a smile. He got up, kissing Maggie's forehead. He took her empty wine glass and put it in the sink to be washed tomorrow.
"Goodnight, Maggie. I'm glad you're home." He said with a warm smile and headed to bed.
Maggie stood up and stretched, making her way towards her room. Tonight when Maggie laid down on her bed, she had the comfort of knowing her family was all under the same roof together.
Sleep came quickly, and Maggie was out to the world.