Alex woke with a start.

Which was normal, for her. She couldn't remember the last time she'd just slept through the night and woken peacefully. Hence, why she woke abruptly but quietly.

She and Ky had been sharing quarters for years. A bed for almost as long – her body had long since stop thrashing or jolting during the night, subconscious very aware of the child asleep next to her.

Inhaling carefully, sharply, Alex exhaled a longer, slow breath. Practiced. Calming her racing heart and spinning mind. In, out. For a whole minute, Alex waited for her body to calm down, realize that she was safe, and not in that damp, rattling room millions of miles away.

When her heart finally settled, and her muscles relaxed, Alex sat up slowly. Ky was still dead to the world, in that way only teenagers could be. Gert was still laying at the end of the bed, head resting on Ky's feet, but awake the moment Alex was.

She extracted herself from the bed smoothly, giving her friend a pat when she raised her head in question. "Stay here girl," she murmured, nodding at Ky's still sleeping form.

The companion made a small huffing sound, but resettled, eyes fixed on her charge.

Creeping out of the bedroom, she was unsurprised to find Kara awake. She figured her sudden increase in heart rate had triggered her sister's hearing.

"Mornin'," Alex smiled down, moving to settle in the spot left by Kara's socked feet, bringing her knees up to her chest.

"Morning," she mumbled back, eyes tracking her sisters' movements with sticky eyes. She'd finally managed to get to sleep after speaking to Maggie and Lucy, but it had been far from restful. Sitting up, she surveyed her sister (her sister), noting that she'd never put her prosthetic back on and was rubbing at the end of what was left of her forearm. "You okay?"

Alex glanced down at the injury, feeling the nerves pinch, sending jolts of electric pain up her arm and into her shoulder. "I need to see a medic at some point today, but I'll live."

"So, you're going into the DEO?"

"I guess," Alex shrugged. "I don't really know what the protocol is for coming back from the dead, but I figure someone will give me access, so I can at least get to the ship."

"We never had you declared dead."

Raising both eyebrows, Alex turned to face her sister again. "What?"

"We just," she waved her hand around vaguely. "I don't know… let you be missing. I think Lucy said something about MIA paperwork?"

"You had me declared missing in action?" Which, Alex considered, was probably accurate. Technically she hadn't been on DEO official business when the ship took off, but that was kind of splitting hairs in their line of work.

"Well…" Oh, there was the awkward look again. Something Kara didn't want to talk about.

It was reassuring to Alex that she could still read her baby sister. "What?"

"Eliza… kinda, sorta, had a funeral for you?" Alex just blinked at that. Honestly, it hadn't occurred to her that there would have been a service, even if she had been declared dead.

"That's… um…" Alex shook her head, clearing away the dark thought about her father's funeral, where they had been told he'd died. "You told her what happened?"

Kara bit her lip, eyes suddenly evasive. "Yeah, she didn't want to… hear it, basically. When J'onn and I told her, she refused to acknowledge anything until we had facts – which we couldn't get. Then… one day, she just tells me she'd having a funeral."

"What are you leaving out, Kar?" Because this was too evasive for her liking.

"She… the rest of kind of treated you like you were just missing, I guess. But Eliza…"

"Treated me like I was dead," which again, made sense to Alex. Kara had other things going on, but Alex remembered after her dad 'died'. Eliza had all but vanished, sinking into her work, pushing Alex to pick up the slack. She never mentioned Jeremiah unless absolutely forced, resulting in many of the early fireworks between mother and daughter. Alex supposed that pretending she was dead was preferred to be being left in limbo. Especially for a woman that was all about packing thing up and putting them away, nice and neat. "I'm sorry Kar, that must have been rough."

Kara shrugged, picking at the throw. "Lucy and Maggie helped."

Alex couldn't help but smile. "They've been there for you a lot while I've been gone, huh?" Kara shrugged again, avoiding eye contact. "Hey, Kara," reaching over with her available hand, she touched under the Kryptonian's chin, forcing them to meet eyes. "I'm glad, okay? All I ever wished for while I was up there was that you three would have each other's backs."

"They've been great," she finally smiled. "We do sisters night most weeks, and they always order enough food for me, even when I'm not coming over. It's been… I wasn't doing so good, when you first left. They kind of… held me together?"

Alex smiled, soft and sad and full of love for the women in her life. "They are really great, huh?"

"So…" Alex was already smirking at the failed nonchalance of her sister's tone. "You gonna talk to them?"

Laughing, Alex hauled herself off the couch, heading for the kitchen for something non-rationed. "Alllleeeeeex," Kara whined following with the blanket still tucked over her shoulders like a cape.

"I told you it wasn't that simple Kar," she grabbed a bowl and shifted through the cereal. She didn't even know what sugar in these quantities would do to her at this point, but she was willing to risk it.

"I don't see why you think it's so complicated!" She didn't yell, aware of the remaining guest fast asleep. But she made her tone known. "You love them, they love you – simple!"

"First," Alex pulled out the fruit loops, reaching for her arm before attempting meal prep. "We never actually said those words, before I left." She winced as she pulled the prosthetic over her elbow, holding while it whirled. "Second," she let go when the chip let her know it was secured, flexing her hand and opening the fridge for milk. "I have an alien kid, who they did not sign up for." She grinned when the colorful cereal tumbled into the bowl, already imagining the sugar coursing through her blood. "Third, I've been gone a year for them, four for me – I have no idea if we are even reading the same book, let alone on the same page." In went the milk. Nabbing a spoon, she retook her seat at the counter.

"Are you saying you don't love them?" The skeptical look was adorable, but Alex was not so easily persuaded.

"Of course, I do," she shrugged, digging into the meal. "I think I always will. I think they're it for me."

"But…?"

"But, it's not that simple," she grins around a mouthful of artificial flavoring, ignoring her sister's wince.

"You're impossible."

"And that's why you," she pointed the spoon at her baby sister. "Love me." She shoved another spoonful in her mouth.

"Urgh, you guys make everything-"

"Meh! Meh! Meh! Meh!" the sound and vibration from the phone made Alex jump hard enough to warp her spoon, collapsing it around her prosthetic fingers. She winced, swallowing and dropping the distorted metal back into the bowl.

There was a thud from the next room then-

"What is it!?" Ky's socked feet slid as she staggered into the living room, only saved from falling on her face by the armchair. From her state of disarray, she was still mostly asleep, but panic was driving her into consciousness. "What's wrong?"

"Whoa, hey," Alex got off the breakfast counter, hands outstretched towards her kid, already soothing. Meanwhile Kara frantically turned off her reminder to bring the briefs for her next story to work. "It's just Kara's alarm, love."

If anything, Alex's words panicked the girl more, eyes widening, stance shifting as she looked around the apartment for whatever threat the device was warning against. "Alarm? What kind of alarm?"

"Hey," finally get close enough to catch the girl's wrist, Alex tugged until she met her eyes. "It's okay, I promise. It's just a reminder – not a warning. You're safe."

"Really?" Only now did she rub at her eyes, blinking hard against the sleepiness still evading her.

"Really, really," Alex assured, squeezing gently.

"Sorry Ky," Kara called, still standing awkwardly by the counter, eyes wide and apologetic.

"Tis okay," she muttered back, pressing her forehead against her mother's sternum for a moment before centering herself. "Breakfast?"

"You excited for empty calories?" Alex grinned back, already itching to get at something that wasn't designed to be as nutritious as it was tasteless.

"Fuck yeah," she yelped when Alex whacked her shoulder for the language. But her mother was smiling, and her aunt was as awkward as promised and she was safe.

Lucy woke slowly.

Maggie's heartbeat under her ear making it easier to be lulled into a soft wakening. They'd (once again) failed to pull the blinds completely closed, so a strip of light was inching towards them, threatening to wake them both.

Blinking hard to get the sleep out of her eyes, Lucy gently pulled away. Or, tried, as Maggie's arm around her shoulders kept her pretty pressed against the other women's chest.

"Go back to sleep Lane," was the muttered response she got for a moment of tugging.

Lucy smiled, tucking some hair away from the other women's face. "We should get up."

"No." A very mature response, but it made Lucy smile.

Laying her head back down, she decided to just enjoy these moments of silence. She knew the day held a lot of confusion and chaos, and this might be the only moment of peace she would get.

Eventually the sun started to really hit them and made staying in position this side of uncomfortably hot, so Lucy finally pulled away. But she didn't get out of bed, couldn't get out of bed. Instead, she flopped back, so her head was resting on the pillows and she could look at Maggie's still half-asleep face.

"Stop staring."

Lucy clicked her tongue around a smile. "So conceited!"

"It's only conceited if I'm wrong," Maggie cracked an eye open, turning her head a notch to look at her girl. "Gotcha."

"Can you blame me?" Lucy dragged a finger along the strip of abs revealed by Maggie's t-shirt. "My girlfriend's pretty spectacular."

"You should see mine," Maggie smiled, blinking open both eyes slowly.

"Oh, I have. Totally out of your league."

Snorting, Maggie finally woke up more fully, turning to look at the Director. "I love you."

Ah, there were the words. The words that had stuck in their throats for months after Alex's disappeared. Words they'd never gotten the chance to share with their girlfriend, words that haunted them every day. Words they'd eventually traded, without fanfare, one random night in September as they were going their separate ways for work.

"I love you too," Lucy murmured back, with more feeling then she intended.

They shared eye contact for a moment, lingering in the feeling. Knowing what was lurking around the corner.

"You still happy with our decision?" Maggie asked it softly, pitching her voice lower, but her eyes didn't change. She was not trying to mollycoddle. She just wanted to be sure, and she wanted Lucy to be happy. She wanted them all to be happy.

"Yeah," Lucy scratched at eth skin under her fingers, smiling when Maggie's hips jumped just a hint. "It's probably the healthiest move – for everyone."

"I agree," she tucked some loose hair behind the Directors ears, before pulling her into a kiss. Slow and open mouthed and just a dash of heat. Lucy's fingers dipped around her hip, pulling her closer. "We don't have time for this Lane," but her fingers didn't leave the other women's jaw.

"I know," and yet she pulled a little rougher at the hip, turning Maggie's body so they were both on their sides, light streaming in behind the Detective.

Lucy was due at the dessert base today, but she honestly could not imagine anyone calling her out on it. Vas had already texted that she had everything under control, and she could take her time.

She marched into the DEO with as much authority as she could manage. Yesterday's displays of affection towards an (ex?) employee was probably the kind of thing that would get anyone else fired, but, again, she could not imagine anyone calling her out on it.

"Morning Director!" Winn's too happy voice called from central comms. He had that look about him which made Lucy narrow her eyes, smelling blood in the water.

"Have a good night Agent Schott?" She tilted her head, just enough to be suggestive. Winn flushed instantly.

"I mean, yeah, I guess," his eyes went wide "But not like, the whole night!" and wider again. "I mean, I could, but- I didn't- she didn't-" Lucy's grin just got wider as he dug himself a nice deep hole. It was only when he ran out of steam, that he dropped his head. "Lyra asked for a ride home, is all."

"That's all, huh?" He flushed, but didn't add anything, recognizing it would do him no good. Laughing, Lucy tried to pretend to be a professional again. "How'd the catastrophe on main going?"

"All cleaned up," Winn spun around, pulling up the schematic. "And I've been monitoring the media for any discussion of a space-ship landing in National City. It seems that they managed to stay off the civilian radar."

Sighing with some relief, Lucy nodded. Mentally, she was adding up the remaining paperwork this incident would require. She didn't even know if there was a procedure for the spaceship they had docked above their primary base. She didn't know what the procedure was for the fifty-ish aliens they were just letting loose in National City. Speaking of which, "have any of our guests come through here since last night?"

Winn spun in his chair, so he was facing Lucy properly. "Not leaving, but some have come back," he scratched at his head, wincing just a little. "Some looked pretty upset."

Which she supposed was fair. They'd been gone a year; a lot could happen in that time. She wondered how many would never be able to get back to their lives. Wondered how irreparable the damage Cadmus had done was.

"Oh, and Alex is upstairs in her old lab," way to bury the freaken lead.

Lucy tries to appear nonchalant as she twists around and starts up the stairs. While she totally understood why Alex had gone home with Kara, and agreed that it was probably the healthy solution, it did not mean she had to be happy about it. The moment Alex left her line of sight it felt like a vice had been placed over her chest, and for each minute they were apart it was inching tighter.

Turning the corner into the lab, Lucy jerked to a stop.

Alex was standing over files, dozens of files. The lawyer/Director part of her brain reminded her that everything in here was classified and Alex probably shouldn't have access until they'd determined her employment status. But the other part of her brain, the part that was in love with Alex Danvers, was just stuck on how here she was.

"You promoted Peterson," the doctor didn't even look up from what she was reading. "It was a good choice – he's a smart guy. Not very creative, but smart."

"No one could have replaced you," Lucy conceded.

"He's doing alright," Alex tapped the file, Lucy detecting a small grin forming. "Some of this is actually correct."

"Well that's a vote of confidence for my head bioengineer."

Alex finally turned, resting her hip on the work bench and crossing her arms. Her smile softened when she took the Director. "Sorry, I know I should have asked before coming in here."

Lucy huffed a laugh, finally stepping into the room. Closer to Alex. "It's not like you to ever care about protocol."

"Ah, well," Alex shrugged, unfolding her arms as Lucy got into the vicinity of her space. "I've been working on that recently."

The arched eyebrow was undermined by the way Lucy's hands twitched to touch. "Really?"

Her lip notched upwards. "Not a lot of room for rogue agents in the vacuum of space. Plus," her fingers of her good hand hooked in the Directors beltloop. "I've developed a new appreciation for being in charge of assholes who don't listen to orders."

Lucy laughed, giving up the battle with her affection and letting her fingers tangle in the soft worn fabric of Alex's shirt, stamped with some kind of logo. "Being in charge not all it's cracked up to be, huh?"

"And I don't even have an HR to deal with," her nose dipped, just enough to brush Lucy's hair, and quietly breath in the smell of home. Part of home at least.

Lucy smiled, allowing herself the moment to press her forehead against the taller woman's shoulder. To feel how alive and real and safe Alex was, just in front of her. "Me and Maggie talked."

Alex stiffened, just a little, but didn't pull away.

"We were wondering if you wanted to come over for that talk tonight. Or whenever works for you. We know," Lucy exhaled, pulling back just enough that she could see Alex's expression. "You have a lot going on. We can be patient."

Alex smiled, just a little, noting the affection in Lucy's eyes, how she hadn't released her grip. Her anxiety settled an inch. "I need to talk to my crew, make sure nothing urgent needs my attention," she brushed some hair out of Lucy's eyes. "But I'll try make tonight work, and let you know."

They stood there for another minute, Lucy indulging in being just Lucy for another moment, before finally engaging in the nagging obligations. She still couldn't let go of her shirt though – her fingers seemed to have taken on a life of their own recently.

"We need to figure out what to do with that ship, long term. And everyone on board."

Alex nodded, eyes dragging away as she thought about logistics. "Of the 53 I arrived with, only about a dozen are recruits or stowaways, so they are the biggest concern."

"Stowaways?" What is this, a bad pirate movie?

"Yep," Alex popped the 'p'. "I never turned anyone away who was willing to work, but sometimes people were too scared to approach, or just had to escape unnoticed. It happens," she shrugged, eyes still wondering as she thought out loud. "I'd estimate thirty on board have somewhere to go – family, friends, homes etc. Some just didn't leave last night out of fear, or logistics. I'll deal with a lot of that this afternoon, try and help everyone I can get to the people waiting for them."

Lucy watched as Alex devised this plan, which involved her caring about each of these aliens individually. Involved knowing about their families, their living situations, what they were coming back to. Watched her care about her fellow captives.

"I have a long-term plan for those that have nowhere to go. Or… well, actually, I have a long-term plan for everyone on board, but that is gonna take at least a few weeks to organize. So, we only need temporary accommodation for those that have to resettle."

Legal mind ticking over, Lucy nodded. "Well, I assume your… ship has accommodation and supplies?" Alex nodded, not sure where she was going. "Would they be okay on board for a while? If we found somewhere to put it where it wasn't violating Aviation or Trespass Laws?"

"Sure…"

"The dessert base has an airfield," Lucy shrugged. "I don't see an issue in letting you… park? Dock? There while they figure things out."

"That's very… generous of you…" Alex's eyebrows pulled. "But won't the higher-ups take issue?"

Lucy smirked. "I guess my girlfriends are rubbing off on me - They never let a little thing like protocol hold them up either."

Alex's boots clanged loud enough to echo when she slid down the ladder. She was already itching to get off the ship, and she'd been on it for approximately thirty seconds.

Just knowing that everyone was out there, driving distance – hell, walking distance away, was making her veins sandpaper. Letting go of Lucy for a second time was like tearing off skin. Walking away from Maggie and Lucy the night before was like carving out a bit of her heart and leaving it behind.

The only reason she was semi-functional was because Kara had offered to take Ky for the day… which made both of them look sufficiently panicked. But neither was willing to back down from the challenge. Thus, Alex had agreed, smirking when they both got the same type of awkward about the whole thing. But knowing her sister was with her kid made something in her chest settle.

Alex ran her fingers along the walls as she walked, wistful smile pulling at her.

It was strange, actually reaching their destination. So much about the last four years had been about survival. Just make it another cycle. Another light. Another moment. The reality of seeing everyone, of being home, was jarring and unfamiliar. And she was one of the lucky ones.

The Mess door had been propped open – a huge hazard in space, but a convenance when docked. She could already here the chatter of the crew where they'd gathered.

When she ducked into the room a chorus of her name followed – everything from Captain to Al. She just grinned at the room in general, walking up to the head of the table they'd all gathered at.

"Kay," she started, silence followed. All eyes on her. "Director Lane," she ignored the laughing hoots, suppressing her own smile. "Has agreed to let us temporarily dock at another location, out of city limits, while I organize the Landing Plan."

"You really think Lcorp will go for it?" asked Leeroy, their chemist.

Alex shrugged, tipping her head to each side while she considered. "Maybe not, but Lena Luthor is nothing if not ambitious. Even if she doesn't accept the offer, any number of our souvenirs on the market will tide everyone over for a couple of years."

This seemed to settle the crew, accepting that their Captain had a backup plan. Always had a backup plan. "Anyway, the docking point being offered is pretty far outside city limits. You guys won't be so easily able to get to and from the ship. So," she locked eyes with a couple of suddenly nervous people individually. "If you have family waiting for you, you should think about disembarking soon."

"What if we can't find our way home?" Le'ra, looking smaller than Alex had seen him in years. Craig (head bandaged up), pressed a comforting hand to his shoulder. It hadn't escaped Alex that he'd left last night but was already back.

"I'll help as much as I can," she assured. "But if you really do need a place to stay, you are welcome to stay here, on board. The jumps can be used for travel, as long as you stay out of airspace and don't get spotted."

Everyone nodded in their various forms. Something like a plan settled the crew, unused to this lack of direction they'd suddenly landed in. Four years was a long time.

"I… I have to start doing the notifications soon," Alex started, taping the table with her good hand anxiously. "If anyone has anything to add to the letters and messages, please let me know within the next few days."

"Cap," Drew, still burnt out but functional. "You don't have to do them all yourself."

Alex bit in the inside of her cheek. "Yeah, I do."

No one pushed back – used to the self-sacrificing bullshit their Captain liked to pull. Used to the guilt that clung to her, even after all these years. Even after she'd more than paid the price.

Awkward.

The moment the front door closed behind her mother; the silence had just echoed in the room. So, so awkward.

Ky came to the sudden horrifying realization that she basically knew a hundred and fifty people. And that's it. The last person she met was Lincoln, six months ago. Jesus, space travel had not prepared her for normal social interaction.

"So…." Not that Kara was doing much better, eyes wide and shifting from where she stood by the front door. "How are you finding Earth?"

Ky shrugged, wandering into deeper into the apartment so that she didn't have to make eye contact. "Better than the last time I was here."

"Oh, right!" She shifted forward, taking a hesitant step after the girl now in her living room. "Alex said you were from Earth! That means…"

Ky looked over her shoulder with a half-smile. "I'm one of the original Exodus' crew, yeah." Another shrug.

"I'm sorry I didn't..." Kara waved a hand in front of her, guilty eyes tracking the girl. "Save you."

"Ah," Ky stepped around the couch, heading to the corner of the room where Kara'd stacked her canvas'. "So, misplaced guilt is a family trait, good to know."

"What'do ya mean?"

"Mom still thinks it her fault," she tipped one of the canvas' forward, looking at the one behind with a tilted head. "That we were exported like that. Cause she couldn't stop Jeremiah."

"So, you know-"

"That her dad helped deport us? Yeah," she shuffled to the next painting. "That came out publicly around year two? But I knew a little before that. Ma tries not to keep things from me." She shrugged, still not looking at her aunt. "Doesn't always work, but I get it."

Kara took another step in, angling so she could see what painting she was looking at. "Do you like art?"

"No," she flicked another one back, looking at a new one. "Not really. Tech is more my thing."

"Like… IT?"

"No, like mechanical engineering," another shrug, another painting.

"Oh, wow," another silence. Kara was desperately trying to remember the last time she spoke to a child as Kara, not Supergirl. Rao, was it Carter? That was years ago, and he almost died.

"Hey," Ky pulled a painting out, pushing the rest so they were leaning back against the wall. She held it up between two hands, thumbs running over the canvas. "This is Krypton."

Kara's eyes widened. Yes, that was in fact from Krypton. It was the night sky painted from her childhood bedroom – the visible landscape bathed in the warm glow of Rao's light. "Yeah, how'd you know?"

Ky looked over, careful eyes taking in the women. "Ma," she looked back at the painting, eyes tracing the constellations she knew so well. "She liked to teach me about the stars. We made a deal once," wistfulness tainted her tone. "That she could teach me about the Earth's sky, as long as she would teach me about her sister's." She put the art down carefully, finally turning to look at Kara. "That's the first time she told anyone anything about her personal life, I think."

"Oh." Which was not helpful to keeping the awkwardness at bay, but Kara's mind was whirling.

"Sorry." Ky winced, stepping away from the artwork. "Didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"No! No, you didn't!" Kara rushed to assure, taking a step forward. "Did, ah… Did Alex talk about us? After that I mean."

Ky jammed her hands in her pockets, eyes setting on Gertrude on the couch between them. She looked very asleep, but she knew better – the companion was just trying to stay out of the way. "With me, yeah, I guess. She'd tell me stories, about you and Supergirl and everything you guys did. You know, as the Superfriends."

Kara's eyes lit up at the word, a smile tugging at her lips. "And she taught you about Krypton."

"Yeah," Ky's eyes wandered the apartment, unwilling to meet her aunts. "She used to say that… that people from lost worlds should try help each other – should keep each other's culture alive." Another shrug. "She tried to learn about Mars as well, but Whites have done a pretty good job eradicating sources on Greens."

"I'm sorry," voice softening. "That's… that's horrible. I know how hard it is, having your culture taken. But J'onn would love to be able to share anything you'd want to know with you."

"Honestly?" Ky reached down, tangling her fingers in Gert's fur, keeping her eyes down. "I'm a little worried about that whole thing. Martians," she made a weird hand gesture towards herself, as if it was necessary to clarify that she was, in fact, a Martian. "Share memories and information telepathically. But I've never… been around someone who can talk to me like that."

"And your worried he'll see into your head too," Kara finished.

"Yeah, I guess," Gert lifted her head, making a little huffing noise.

"Have you talked to Alex about it?"

"Not really," she scratched under her chin, smiling when her head tilted back to accommodate. "I hadn't really thought about what it would be like, actually getting back. It was really hypothetical, up until a few days ago."

"It's scary," Kara nodded, tucking her hands into her own pockets. "Landing on Earth. I imagine its still scary, even if you've been here before."

Ky actually looked at her now, nervous eyes locking. "Yeah, it is."

"Well," Kara smiled, full Supergirl smiled, rocking on her heals. "Alex is super good at taking care of aliens who land here! And… I'm around, if you ever need anything, okay? We're zrhythrevium."

Ky smiled, happy to be able to translate the word. "Family."

"Yeah!" Kara felt her heart absolutely swell – She and Alex had only occasionally spoken her mother tongue. But having this new person, this new family around, who could communicate with her… it made her feel that much more at home on earth.

"Even you girl," Ky offered, scrubbing a hand over the side of Gertrude's grinning face.

"So, she's yours?"

"Oh, no, definitely not," Ky took her hand away, smiling up at the other women. "She's moms, 100%. She's only here now as a babysitter."

Kara's eyebrows drew together, glancing between the dog and the teenager. "Aren't I the babysitter?"

Ky actually laughed, a responding smile pulling at Kara's lips at the sound. A teasing tone leaked into her words. "Sure. But Gert's here to babysit you."

Kara looked genuinely startled with the dog barked in response. It, honest to Rao, sounded like agreement.