"Here's a four bedroom."
"It's probably a townhouse or condo-"
"There's nothing wrong with either."
That was true.
Alex let out a sigh and set the tablet down in her lap before closing her eyes. "It's just…"
"It's an adjustment. I know, Sweetie," her mother said gently. "I'm just trying to be helpful."
"I know."
"This whole thing is up to you…"
And she knew that.
For some reason, that made it all the harder. "I don't know what to do."
"What do you want to do?"
"Stay in National City."
"Okay, we know that."
Alex sighed. "Keep the baby."
"Knew that too."
"I don't want Kara to feel like she needs to give up her apartment and the precious little time that she has outside of CatCo and Supergirl…" She shook her head. "No, she needs to be able to have her time alone. Space to entertain her game nights with Winn and James-"
"Alex-"
"I'll look for something close to her place," Alex told her mother. She waited a breath before continuing. "But Kara needs to have a life too…her own life."
"Don't you think that Kara should be able to have a choice in it-"
"Not this time," Alex said evenly. "She would want to in a moment...because it's what I would do if the roles were reversed-"
"Okay, time for us to get you moving," Adler said after crashing in through the med bay door with Benanti and J'onn behind her.
Though Alex really should have left med bay two days before, she and Doctor Hamilton had agreed and insisted on her staying an additional couple of days just for monitoring and blood work and all of that. It was more of a transition period than anything. It gave Alex time to feel more like a normal person (and Kara was all too kind to bring her everything she needed from home) and at the same time she was able to look for new larger housing. She just blinked, though, clearly confused. "What-"
"General Lane is on approach," Adler supplied.
Benanti was helping her mother to pack up anything that was a personal item and shoving it into one of the few bags that had accumulated there.
It didn't make sense.
Alex was still very confused. "But Lucy had me cleared, just J'onn-"
"We're not going to risk it," J'onn explained calmly.
Kara was now at the doorway, dressed as Supergirl and looked quite worried. "The vehicles aren't all US Army-"
"Cadmus," fell from Alex's lips in a breath. It was more a statement, a fear...more than a question or anything else. She suddenly understood why everyone was in such a flurry. Getting to her feet, she didn't even bat away hands when Adler was the one who was escorting her out of the room.
"We need to get the files and anything else medical that we brought back from Cadmus," Adler barked.
"I'm on it," Benanti said and Alex watched the woman shove a bag into J'onn's arms before running off.
Once again, they made use of the room that Alex and Kara had been shoved into when Alex had first come back to the DEO and General Lane had come unexpectedly. There was already a lantern set up as well as mats rolled out with bedding, snacks, water, and other supplies they might need. Obviously, they were prepared that this visit might take some time and wanted to make sure that they'd be as comfortable as possible.
Alex sat down on one of the mats and watched as her mother fussed over putting the duffel bags in a certain spot and in a certain way. She blinked and then looked over at Kara who was sitting next to her. "I'm going to be fine."
Kara gave her a smile. "I know."
"You can't stay."
"I know," Kara whispered sadly. Lucy would need her. They would have seen Supergirl when they came in. They needed to see her, to see that things were business as usual. Plus, Kara was an extra safeguard on the outside. She leaned on and kissed her sister's cheek. "Just don't worry."
"I was just going to tell you the same."
"I'll stop once General Lane remembers that he doesn't need to make visits."
J'onn was with Eliza as they set the duffels together and then made room for the two boxes that had been from medical. She just sat there and tried to concentrate on the fact that they were safe in there, because that was the truth of it all. Benanti and Adler disappeared and Alex knew that Kara needed to go too. "Go on," she whispered. "I think I'll take a nap."
"Okay," her sister said a bit sadly. There was concern all over Kara's features and Alex could tell that her sister was reluctant to leave, but did so anyways.
The entrance was sealed and Alex didn't say anything, she just laid down and made herself as comfortable as possible and tried to forget what was going on outside where they were. She just hoped that she'd wake up and find it was time for them to go home.
"How are you feeling?"
J'onn had been silent, well as far as she'd known since she'd napped for part of the time they'd been stuck in there. Whatever was going on out there, it was taking quite some time. Alex hadn't heard anything from where they were trapped, but that meant nothing...she didn't have her sister's hearing...or J'onn's.
"I'm just tired," she told her mother evenly. She'd slept for apparently two and a half hours and yet, she still was exhausted.
"Not feverish?"
Alex gave a small smile. Her mother was concerned and that was obvious and she suddenly realized why she was asking those exact questions. Before, when she'd been brought back from Cadmus...this same thing had happened...and somehow Alex had woken up with a fever and quite ill. She reached out and pulled her mother's hand to her forehead and waited a beat. "Just tired."
"Okay," her mother said and pulled her hand away.
There were bridges that needed to be mended between her and her mother and Alex knew that her mother was trying. This whole thing was hard on everyone and her mother was willing to give up her life in Midvale to be in National City with her...to support her in every way. Alex sucked in a breath and let her head fall to her mother's shoulder and wrapped an arm around her. "Do you remember when I was little and thought that I could just have a brother or sister that was the same size as me?"
"You were in preschool I think then," Eliza recalled brightly. "Your father and I kept telling you that it wasn't like we could just go and pick one up off the shelf."
"Why didn't you and Dad ever have more? Or adopt?"
"Well, we did-"
Alex smiled. "I meant, besides Kara...before Kara...when I was younger…"
Her mother shrugged and Alex's head bounced with it. "It just didn't seem right. Your father and I were happy having just one child...having you...you were the light of our lives…" She paused for a moment. "Kara was an unexpected joy that none of us had expected...and I hope that it's something that you don't regret...because it just took us a little longer for us to finally adopt a sibling around your age."
"I did...for a while...but I can't even imagine my life without her," Alex admitted. "It's hard to even really picture life before Kara...it feels like she's always been part of our family." To Alex, she would think back and it would be like her mind would edit Kara into the memory. She knew her sister, like she knew her own mind. Alex knew exactly how her sister would have reacted in every situation. So, whenever she'd think back to times running along the beach in Midvale, she could picture the bright face of her sister...aged younger and her blonde hair in two braids as they ran along the beach in bright patterned bathing suits.
She looked over and watched J'onn silently for a moment. He looked over at her, likely he sensed her attention shift to him. Alex just stared and thought about how if she was stuck in there at least she was in good company. She wondered if he felt left out, but at the same time...she knew him...and he would just be happy for her...to be safe and to have this time with her mother...to be rebuilding their relationship.
There was a scraping sound and all of their attention turned to where the doorway was, well where it would appear once it was opened from the outside. Alex immediately glanced over to J'onn, realizing that he'd know who it was.
"Adler and Benanti," J'onn said almost immediately when their eyes met.
She turned her attention back and was suddenly looking forward to being able to stretch her legs and breathe a little easier. It wasn't just Adler and Benanti when the secret doorway was finally open, Kara and Lucy were standing there and none of them looked happy. Something was wrong. It made Alex feel sick and she found herself reaching out for her mother's hand.
"He's gone...for now," Lucy announced.
"They want me," J'onn stated coolly. "I'm keeping you all in danger sticking around."
Alex turned to look at him, words welling up inside of her. Words of hope. Things that she wanted to believe could be a reality if they just gave Lucy a bit more time.
"None of you should know where I'll be or how to contact me...but I won't be far," he continued a breath later before she could get any words out.
The hard reality was that she knew that what he was saying was right, it made sense, and she would do the same in his position. She squeezed her mother's hand and pushed down her emotions as her gaze wandered downward. Her thoughts raced and all she could think was that this wasn't how it was supposed to be. As much as she knew she could be strong and go through this pregnancy and even raise this child without him...she wanted him to be a part of it all. She wanted a life with him, even if in the end things didn't progress romantically.
Alex didn't want to accept this.
There had to be another way.
There was always another way.
TBC….