It's approximately a two-hour drive to Midvale. Which meant that if they left at 7am, they would be able to get there just after Eliza finishes her breakfast but before she runs any errands.

It also means that they can go down there, and be back, in one day. Which is good. Because, as much as Alex loves Drew, and trusted them as her Second, she didn't exactly feel comfortable leaving the crew unattended. It'd only been a few days since they arrived. It felt like abandoning ducklings.

But she didn't want Eliza to come out to them – she didn't want to reunite with her mom over the phone. And she didn't want Kara to have to try and convince her to get on Airway Supergirl without telling her the truth. So, she decided to drive down.

Which was fine, because it would only be one day.

One day.

One day.

She could totally leave her crew alone for one day. Pffffft – she was totally capable. She trusted them with her life! What was 12 hours of anarchy?

One day.

"So, help me God," Alex demanded, cornering a grinning Drew in the DEO. "If any of you so much as get a papercut I will extract serious consequences."

"Very scary," Drew complimented, grin widening.

"Anderson-"

"Yeah, yeah," Drew assured, patting her wrist, ignoring the pointer finger directly in their face. "No worries – I'll keep the hoodlums in line. You have fun with your girls."

"You understand the last time I left you in charge of anything my daughter got hit by a missile, was then attacked by White Martians, my jump ship sustained serious damage and three of my crew were hospitalized? Including you?"

Drew just smirked, their red eyes twinkling with unrestrained glee at their Captains concern. "I got it – I promise. The entire crew combined isn't half the trouble Ky creates."

Alex narrowed her eyes but dropped her hand. They weren't wrong.

"You'll call if something comes up?"

"Nope," and they ducked under her arm, already around the corner before she could protest.

Alex grumbled for a second, ignoring the happy glow in her chest at the familiar interaction with her Second. Being home was… indescribable. But the familiarity of dealing with her crew… it settled her a little.

"You ready to go Alex?" Kara's happy little hop around the corner had her sister fighting a smile.

"Yeah, let me just say goodbye to Lucy."

Kara's face twisted, even as her eyes sparkled. "I'll just… wait in the car then."

"Kar- Kara!" But she was already gone. Alex chuckled, turning the corner into the central command to snag her girlfriend before she left.

"What had Super-Puppy hightailing it out of here so quick?" Lucy asked, eye's fixed on the documents attached to her clipboard.

Alex shrugged, inching into her girlfriends' space. "Meh - She thinks we're going to do something inappropriate."

Lucy signed something at the bottom of the page, still not looking up. "What makes you think we're not?"

"Ah, haha, ah," Alex stuttered, eyes widening. "Well, you know," she waved a hand at the DEO in general. You know, the people and the machines and the Agent's doing their jobs – innocent bystanders really.

"No," the director finished signing with a flourish, looking up with a wolfish smile. "I don't."

"Luce…" It came out more like a whine than she'd intended. Which, in fairness, Alex had only been back a couple of days. And she hadn't seen Lucy Lane in years – hadn't seen either of her girlfriends in years. She'd been alone in space, sharing a bed with her daughter. There hadn't been a lot of alone time. She could be forgiven for a little weakness.

"Why don't you come over here and explain it to me, Captain Danvers?" Alex felt her stomach flip at the way she said her title – felt heat spread down her chest when she ran her tongue along her teeth. The look in her eye was not helping.

Jesus fuck.

"Lucy," she breathed back, now in reaching distance – now in touching distance.

"Mmmmm?" She looked up at the captain through her eyelashes, catching her lip between teeth.

"You're mean." A final step, she could see the individual specks of color in wanting, teasing eyes.

"You like it."

Alex groaned into the space between them, stepping close enough to touch their foreheads. In the middle of the command center. In full view of every employee under Director Lanes purview.

Maybe Lucy had missed her as much as she'd missed Lucy then.

"I have to go," Alex whispered back.

Previous bravado melted away at those words. The reality of her girlfriend, who had been missing for over a year, being out of town (out of sight) for even a minute was decidedly unpleasant. Borderline torturous.

Lucy found herself reaching up, tangling her fingers in the fabric of her jacket. The material was foreign, stiff like leather but softer?

"You'll be back tonight?"

"Yeah," Alex's fingers slid around the curve of her hips. "I promise."

"I'm gonna hold you to that," Lucy whispered back, closing her eyes.

The press of Alex's lips was so familiar she felt herself leaning up instinctively. Year-old emotions flooded her – something warm and soft and insistent tugging at her chest until she slid her hand tangled in the jacket up and onto Alex's neck. Feeling the soft hairs at the back– feeling how she moaned just a touch at the scrape of teeth against her lip. Feeling the way fingers at her hips dug in which she tilted her body into hers, sinking into her. Fuck.

"Okay, I really have to go now," Alex breathed onto her lips, ignoring how Lucy just responded with a coy smile, blunt nails scratching.

"Hurry back," and then she turned and swaggered away.

The captain blinked. "These women are going to be the death of me," she muttered into the empty space in front of her.

[…]

It took some wrangling but eventually everyone was settled in the car. Alex was driving – she honestly needed the practice. Kara called shotgun, leaving Ky confused as to why there would be weapons in a civilian vehicle. Alex had just laughed at the question, and the way Kara's face blanched.

Ky, for her part, took the seat behind her mom. Kara had given her an old iPod and she was deeplyfascinated with the thing. The bulky over ear headphones that once belonged to Alex were jammed over her ears before they even pulled out of the DEO underground. Her mom bit back her proud grin at the sound of 90's punk rock leaking out the sides.

The trip was fine. Kara chose music that made Alex groan and smile in equal parts. Gertrude dropped her head on Ky's lap the moment the teenager settled. There was coffee for Alex and hot chocolate for the children and it was nice. Almost… normal? Except for the 14-year-old alien in the backseat, 27-year-old alien in the front seat, a space pirate driving and an (alien?) dog fast asleep in the back.

Other than that – totally normal.

Alex was soft and happy and smiling. The glowing light of National City summer was streaking in, creating a warm glow. They rolled the windows down and let the wind sweep through the car, and the music slip out the windows. Alex managed to steal the snacks back and even threw some over her shoulder at Ky when she was getting particularly broody – making her smile and wrinkle her nose without fail. And when Sweet Escape by Gwen Stefani came on, both Danvers sisters sang along with a giddy kind of freedom.

They were together.

When Alex finally navigated up the drive to the too familiar house, the mood only shifted the slightest. Enough to make Kara squint at her sister, but not say anything. She even resisted a teasing comment when Alex hesitated a second, reaching in the wrong direction for the ignition.

In her defense, it had been four years since she drove a car.

No one moved to open doors.

"For the record," Ky said, pushing the headphones so they dropped around her neck. "You two are giant dorks."

Alex gave a dramatic gasp, placing a hand over her chest and looking at her sister scandalized. Kara's smile got giddy at her sister's antics. "You dare insult your mother?" She twisted to narrow her eyes at her child. "On what grounds do you base these accusations?"

"You sang for, like, half the drive!"

"Beautifully might I add."

"There were dance moves!"

"I'm very coordinated," Kara declared, jerking her head so her sunglasses fell onto her nose. A proud smirk followed.

"Ugh, now there are two of you," Ky muttered, opening the door to escape.

"And you're one of us!" Alex called, chuckling as the door slammed. She unbuckled and stepped out of the car, Kara a step behind.

All three of them approached the door, Gertrude sniffing the planets curiously. Kara glanced at her sister, who had an arm slung over Ky's shoulder. Ky, who looked about ready to phase through the floor to escape – which, Kara realized, she could.

Alex didn't look away from the front door, but jostled Ky's shoulders. "You ready?"

Ky snorted at the familiar words. "Nope," she half-smiled up at her mom. "Let's do it."

Alex laughed back, gave her another squeeze before releasing. "That's my girl."

At the door, Alex struggled to curtail the nerves she'd been burying for hours. Rubbing her hands together, she glanced at Kara's reassuring smile, before knocking. Ky had pushed her fists into her jacket (the same leather one she arrived in) and started to study her feet. Gertrude coming up behind her and pressed her head against the nervous Martians hip.

"Coming!"

Alex felt her heart jump into her throat. She worked very hard not to rock on her heals as her mother's footsteps approached. This was okay. This was normal. She could do this. Hi mom, I know you've been pretending I'm dead and all but I'm back! Here, meet your fourteen-year-old Martian granddaughter and my alien companion!

When, exactly, did this become her life?

"I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting-"

Words died in her throat.

Alex smiled a kind of half awkward, half wincing smile, and just watched the emotion flicker across her face. Watched her take in the hair, and the (visible) scars and the clothes. Watched her comprehend Kara then the strange teenager with the giant dog to her side.

Then she lunged.

Alex actually let out a surprised umph at the force of it.

Her mother squeezed like she would never let go. Like she was trying to merge with her daughter, keep her in her arms forever. Keep her safe forever. She breathed in her scent and pressed her hands into her shoulders and just held on.

"Alexandra," she choked into the embrace. "You're here."

"Yeah, mom, I'm here," Alex assured, patting her back with something south of comfortable.

"Are you okay?" She pulled back, holding her at arm's length. Fingers digging into her biceps. "How are you here?"

"I, ah," she winced, eyes wandering into the house. Unsure where to even start answering that. "It's a long story, but, on a spaceship?"

There was a pause, where Eliza's eyes just filled with tears, before something like a sob escaped. Her daughter was yanked back into another too tight hug, where her mother just held on for dear life. Alex exhaled, trying to loosen her chest, before hugging her back.

"Eliza?" Kara cut in softly. "Why don't we go inside – Alex is right. It's a long story."

"Of course, of course," Eliza muttered, pulling away and still not releasing her eldest. "Come in, all of you."

Alex was led in by her mother's hand around her arm, and she resisted the urge to throw her sister a helpless look. If there was ever a time to let her mother be overly tactile, this was it.

Alex was being led ahead, so that left Kara and Ky standing at the doorway. The teenager hesitated, leaning into the house and glancing around unsurely. Kara watched the way her shoulders were too straight and Gertrude whined at her feet.

"Hey," she said softly, reaching over to place a hand at the back of her shoulder. "It's gonna be okay."

Ky exhaled and nodded – choosing to believe her.

She tried very hard not to stare, but it was hard. This was so weird. She'd only ever known Alex on the Exodus. Only ever known her as this tough, ridiculously capable, sometimes scary, always loving, mom. Seeing her dressed as a tree in a school play, and proudly holding up a trophy in half a wetsuit was kinda surreal.

They were led into a living room. Eliza had already dragged Alex into the couch, hand grasping her shoulder with enough force that her fingers were going white (Ky noted it was lucky she was holding her right arm). Ky and Kara sat across from them, Kara careful to keep her niece in arms reach, but not quite touching (not yet). Gertrude immediately curled up around their feet.

"I can't believe you're here," Eliza muttered, eyes still skating her daughters face. "We thought you were gone."

Which, not entirely true. Maggie had carefully explained that no one had actually accepted that but Eliza. That no one wanted that funeral except Eliza. But no one felt able to stop it. Not even Kara – not even when it broke her.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that," god her ma was awkward around this woman – her mother. She seemed kinda uncomfortable with the open affection. Which, for Ky, was strange cause she'd always been so tactile with her, and the crew, and now the Superfriends. She'd never seen her shrink away from friendly touch like this.

"How did you get back?"

"Oh, I ah," another half shrug, eyes skirting to the pair across from them and back. "We've been trying to get back since we left," she explained, swallowing. "But Jer- Cadmus made sure it would take us a while. Or, they tried to make it hard enough to get back that we wouldn't try."

"We?" Only now do Eliza's eyes dart to Ky, who was pressed deep into the chair, rubbing her thumb into her palm.

"Yeah, we," Alex let a soft breath escape, turning to look at Ky with a half-smile before looking back at her mom. "Okay, so you know the Time Dilation Effect?"

Eliza's voice took on that tone her ma's sometimes did – reiterating science facts like they were the alphabet. "Time doesn't always elapse at a constant speed but can change on an object which has relative velocity to the observers or situates near a black hole or some other space-time phenomenon." A pause. "Oh." Another pause. "You've been gone a lot longer than a year, haven't you?"

Now Ky saw the relation between mother and daughter. She felt herself relax an ounce, just enough that she didn't feel like sinking through the floor. Just enough that Kara relaxed too.

"Yeah, mom," Alex finally reached out to her mother, catching her hands between hers. "It's been just over four years."

"Four years." Eliza breathed back, eyes damp again.

"And a lots changed since then."

Another moment, Eliza's mind whirling as she processed that news.

"I'm sure that has something to do with the teenager sitting in my living room looking as uncomfortable as you do in Church?"

Alex breathed a laugh, head tilting so she could look at Ky from the corner of her eye. "Yeah," she looked back at the eldest Danvers. "Mom, meet Ky," Eliza smiled over at the girl. "My daughter."

Silence.

Ky gave a half wave and a quarter smile, feeling herself leaning towards Kara. Feeling Gertrude press her snout against her calf.

"So, a lot has changed then," Eliza finally said, smiling at the awkward girl softly.

"I know it's a lot to process," Alex started, shoulders tensing again. "But yeah. I adopted Ky a about three years ago, and we've been together ever since."

"Well, okay then," Alex tensed further when Eliza dropped her hands, but she needn't have worried. The older woman walked over to the other couch, leaving about two feet between them before she paused, smiling reassuringly down. "Ky, it's lovely to meet you. I'm Eliza."

Ky glanced at her mom, mild panic in her eyes. Alex just smiled and tilted her head – whatever makes you comfortable. So, Ky stood, still stiff, still keeping one hand in her jacket and jerked out her free hand between them. "Ah, hi." Eliza resisted an indulgent smile at the offered handshake but reached back. "It's, you know, nice to meet you too."

Alex reacted before her higher functioning could intervene. One second she was organizing rations, the next her hands were catching a 50-pound box. She felt herself sag under the weight – a horrifying attribution to her current conditions.

"Hey," she heaved the box, throwing it onto what was probably the intended countertop. "You might wanna watch the size of the boxes you move, kiddo."

The kid in question blinked up at her, near black eyes narrowing, chin jutting out. "I'm strong enough."

Alex repressed a smile. "Oh, I'm sure you are," she patted the box with a nod. "But this is also just bigger than you as a person, your balance is gonna be all screwy, no matter how strong you are."

A pause. "Oh," the kid blinked at the box, which was in fact bigger than them. "Sorry."

The way their shoulders dropped with their voice had Alex paying more attention. Looking closer.

Most of the kid's she'd seen on the Exodus were accompanied by adults – or at least older kids. She assumed they weren't all related – it was just that they were finding authority figures to help – those of the same species, from similar neighborhoods etc.

This kid she'd seen around before, but never with anyone. Always alone – which explained why they were still dressed in what Alex had to guess were the pajama's they were kidnapped in. Black sweatpants, a long-sleeved grey waffle shirt, no shoes. Most of the had found other attire from Gruuliv's supplies – even if they hadn't, Lyron had been starting to accumulate standardized clothing for the crew. Very few were still as they'd arrived, Alex being one of the exceptions.

Not one of her privileges yet.

But this kid needed them. They had been assigned to the kitchen, which meant shoes were a bare minimum. Alex's protective instincts flared.

"You alone on-board kid?"

They're eyes narrowed further, and they took a step back. "What's it to you?"

Alex tilted her head. "I'm just wondering." A pause. "I'm alone, if that makes you feel any better."

"Yeah," they eyed her carefully. "Cause you're human." It sounded like an accusation.

"I am," Alex crouched, so she had to look up at the alien. They looked maybe ten? Possibly younger – but it was hard to judge without a species. The unruly chin length hair falling in front of their eyes and hunched frame made distinguishing anything impossible. "My name's Alex."

"Good for you." If she had to guess, she'd say the kid was going for snarky, but the darting eyes and twitching fingers gave away anxiety.

"Alright then," Alex straightened up – unwilling to make the child feel interrogated or forced. If they didn't want to talk, who was Alex to make them? She was the reason they were out here anyway.

"Wait," Alex turned back around. Biting their lip, the kid thrust a hand between them, eyes challenging. "I'm Ky. You can call me Ky."

Alex took the hand, fighting a grin. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Ky."

The alien smiled, small and nervous and a little happy. "It's nice to meet you too."

The ocean had become her safe space after her father 'died'. The ocean and the sand and the beach. She could just come out here, while most the town still slept, and lose herself in the water.

It wasn't until years later that she realized she was probably a little reckless. And she was probably in desperate need of some parental supervision. And she was a little broken and scared to be out in the open ocean, alone. But at the time, it was a safe space. Where she could breath and not be responsible for Kara, Kara, Kara.

Which is probably why Kara suggested they go for a walk along it, while Eliza and Alex talked. The Danvers sisters always found hard talks easier on the move. False sense of momentum – moving forward.

"So," Alex started, eyes tracking Kara and Ky ahead, chatting between themselves. Gertrude had just about taken off into the sunset the moment the sand hit her feet (she'd never even seen an ocean). "How are you feeling?"

"Relieved, joyful, lightened…" Eliza replied, voice soft and full of wonder.

"So… happy then?"

"Yes, of course sweetie," Eliza threaded her arm through Alex's, her hands jammed in the pockets of her jacket. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Alex exhaled, grinding her teeth for a moment. "Things have changed."

"For the better, from the looks of it," and it did look better. Ky was laughing at something her aunt had said, hunching forward with the force of it, prompting Kara to tug her forward with a grin.

"Some things, definitely," Alex conceded with a gentle smile.

"Alexandra, she's wonderful. Reminds me of you when you were that age."

Alex tilted her head, trying to see it. "Really?"

"She's just as gruff," Eliza explained with a laugh in her voice. "And a little too serious. But strong – beautiful."

"She is that," Alex agreed, heart lifting. "I… I love her mom. I didn't know what it would be like, I didn't understand what it was like for you. But… I… I love her like a part of me. Like my heart is just out there, walking around, getting into trouble and causing mayhem."

"Scary, isn't it?"

Alex nodded, eyes tracking how Ky stooped to pick up something, which she examined as she caught up with her aunt. "Terrifying."

Eliza chuckled, tugging on her arm so her daughter was pressed more firmly against her side. "I wish I could tell you it gets better."

"But it doesn't?"

"Not even a little," Eliza watched as Kara took the offered object from Ky, holding it up to the sun as they walked. "Even when they're practically indestructible."

"So, you know she's an alien."

"I figured as much," she turned to look at her daughter. "You did find her in outer space." Alex conceded that with a nod. "How are Lucy and Maggie taking all of this?"

"Oh, ah," she scratched at the back of her neck with the free hand. Talking about her relationships with her mother had yet to get easier. "Well, they're on board. But we're taking it… slow."

"So, you're staying with them? Both of them?"

"Yes?" Alex tilted her head to look at her mom with squinted eyes.

"Even Lucy?"

"Yes – I said both of them," Alex stopped walking, forcing Eliza to turn into her. "What aren't you saying?"

A pause. A pause where Alex's thoughts spun away from her. Was this Eliza finally admitting that she wasn't okay with the poly thing? She'd never been particularly enthusiastic, even though she'd never said anything other than supportive. But that conversation had been… weird. A different kind of weird to when she found out about her and Maggie.

When Eliza spoke, Alex almost wished her frantic catastrophizing was right.

"She declared your father a criminal, Alexandra," she furrowed her brows. Confused as to why she had to explain this… until she realized maybe she didn't know. Maybe her daughters… partner had failed to mention that after Alex's disappearance, Director Lane had Jeremiah and Lillian Luthor declared accomplices in a terrorist attack. "After you left, she had Jeremiah put on a watch list."

Alex's forehead wrinkled as she stared up at her mom. She unwound their arms so she could engage properly. "I know."

"You know?"

"Of course," Alex resisted a shrug, but it was evident in her tone.

"And you're… still with her?"

"Of course."

The only sounds between them for a minute were the crashing waves and squawking birds. In the distance, Kara worked very hard to keep Ky from looking back, starting a very superpowered game of catch with an overexcited Gertrude.

"How could you do that?"

"Mom…" Alex scratched at her own cheek, letting her eyes wonder while she looked for the right words. "Dad, he put those aliens on that ship – he stole the alien registry. He… he betrayed all of us."

"Alexandra," her name sounded like a reprimed now and Alex felt herself slipping into her fourteen-year-old skin. "He's been a Cadmus hostage for over a decade! You can't seriously be holding him responsible."

"I…" Alex glanced down the beach, making sure her kid was happy – distracted. "I do. Mom, I have to. He put Ky on that ship," she shook her head, squinting against tears. "She was just ten when Cadmus kidnapped her – dragged her kicking and screaming out of a group home and threw her into a cell on the ship. I begged him to stop it, but he… Dad put her on that ship – my daughter." Taking a final breath, locking eyes with her mom, she made sure she spoke clearly. "I can't come back from that."

The edges of Eliza's eyes pulled, something like pain, something like hurt tugging at her expression. But she set her jaw and exhaled, sharp, just once. "He's your father."

"And she's my daughter," Alex shot back with has much conviction as she could muster. Her mother's expression didn't shift. "Just-" She rubbed at her face, looking down the beach. "Can we not talk about dad today? Please?"

Eliza stared down at her child. Her eldest. Her bravest. Her stubbornest. She knew that set of her jaw, that lilt of her eyes. If she pushed back now, Alex would come back swinging.

"Of course," she smoothed down the fabric of her shirt, turning to continue their walk. "So, have you gotten your old job back, or are you considering new avenues?"