Once Upon National City
A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry for the delay with this piece. I was facing some tough writer's block with this drabble, so it's a bit rough around the edges. Enjoy!
Cheers!
Disclaimer: The characters and the worlds I write in do not belong to me. The stories that I write are intended for entertainment purposes. I do not make any money from them.
Summary: Mixing pink with green was never a good idea, especially when it came to Kryptonite. Add Kara into that mix and well, that's when things got... happy? Alex & Kara. Family/Humor.
*** ~ For the Girl Who Deserves Everything ~ ***
Something was wrong.
"Oh my gosh! Vasquez!? What are you doing here?" Kara exclaimed, a large smile stretching across her face. "I haven't seen you in like forever!"
Like seriously, seriously wrong.
"Supergirl," Agent Vasquez said with a small smile, walking into the DEO infirmary. "I'm glad to see you're alright."
The DEO agent stopped roughly five feet away from Kara, holding her hands behind her back.
"Agent Danvers asked me to check in on you while she finished up a few last minute things."
Kara couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she knew something was different with her. She just didn't know what.
Not yet at least.
"She did?" Kara asked, looking through the infirmary windows for the hallways outside. DEO agents rushed by like they usually did, her sister nowhere in sight.
"That dummy," she said with a sigh. "I told her I was fine. There's not even a scratch on me! See?"
Kara pulled up the sleeves on her Supergirl outfit, showing off her scratch free, bare arms to the other woman.
Agent Vasquez chuckled quietly.
"To be fair, Ma'am," the brunette said as Kara rolled down her sleeves again. "You were shot down by a CADMUS agent wielding unknown alien technology. I'm sure Agent Danvers just wants to make sure there are no lasting effects."
Kara huffed petulantly.
"But I'm fine!" she repeated in annoyance. "Right as rain in fact. I'll even prove it to you!"
Ignoring the protests of her current company, Kara swung her legs over the side of the sun bed and hopped off. The moment her feet hit the floor, her vision tilted, Kara tumbling forwards off balance.
"Supergirl!"
Only due to the quick reflexes of Agent Vasquez did Kara remain upright and not inevitably face down on the floor. It was truly a testament to DEO training how fast the agent closed the distance between them.
"Okay," Kara said, clutching to Agent Vasquez's arm to steady herself. "Maybe I'm not so fine after all."
Allowing herself to be sat back done on the solar bed, Kara only swaying a few times during that minor trek, Agent Vasquez was the epitome of professionalism, the other woman completely silent the entire time she helped Kara back into bed.
"Thanks Vasquez," Kara said quietly, once she was settled again. Her gaze dropped to the floor in embarrassment.
"It's no problem," the DEO agent said.
Silence.
"Don't worry," Agent Vasquez whispered conspiratorially after a few seconds. "Agent Danvers will never know about this."
Kara looked up in surprise.
"It will be our little secret."
A wink.
Unable to help herself, Kara pulled the DEO agent in for a hug.
"Awww! You're the best Vasquez!" she said, absolutely beaming.
Evidently a bit stunned by the most recent turn of events, Agent Vasquez took a few seconds to get her wits about her once she was released.
"It's no problem, Supergirl," the brunette eventually said, giving Kara a curt nod.
Kara stared at her.
"Say," she squinted, tilting her head to the side as they were now within arm's reach of each other. "Did you do something new with your hair?"
Agent Vasquez blinked. "Ma'am?"
"Your hair," Kara repeated, leaning a bit closer to the agent. "It looks really good. Did you get a new haircut?"
The DEO agent's eyebrows raised.
"I-"
"Alex!" Kara exclaimed, cutting off Agent Vasquez the moment she noticed her sister walking into the infirmary. "There you are! Don't you think Vasquez's hair looks nice?"
Alex paused a moment in her steps to look at Agent Vasquez, the other agent graciously stepping backwards out of the way, giving Alex a clear path to Kara. Looking back at her, Alex glanced one more time at her fellow DEO agent before moving to stand in front of Kara.
"How are you feeling?" the elder Danvers asked once she was close enough, a hand placed on Kara's forehead.
"I'm fine," Kara responded, unconsciously preening under the attention. Without realizing, she leaned into her sister's hand as Alex's hand slid down to her cheek, continuing to check her temperature.
Alex frowned, apparently not liking that answer.
"Kara-"
Or maybe it was something else. Was she running a temperature? Her sister reached for one of the medical scanners on a nearby table.
"Alex," Kara whined, grabbing Alex's hand before she could be scanned for the umpteenth time today. "I said I'm fine! Stop worrying!"
With an exasperated sigh, Alex turned to the other person in the room with them, Agent Vasquez nodding before quietly excusing herself. Once they were alone, Alex turned back to her, sitting down on the bed next to her.
"I will always worry about you," Alex said. "No matter what. That's what big sisters do."
Intertwining their fingers together and pulling Alex's hand in her lap, Kara leaned against her sister's side, resting her head on Alex's shoulder.
"I know," Kara said in resignation. "But you don't have to. I'm invulnerable one you know. You're not."
Alex leaned her head against hers. "Just because you're invulnerable doesn't mean I won't stop worrying."
Already knowing where this conversation was going (this was not the first time they had this conversation after all), Kara preemptively snuggled against her human sister more, smiling when Alex readjusted her position to wrap her arms around her in a comfortable hug.
"I worry about you too, you know," Kara said, a soft sigh escaping her lips. Alex always had this way of making her feel safe, wanted, like she belonged. With Alex, she always felt like she was home.
"I know," the elder Danvers said, echoing her previous words. "I guess we're just stuck, huh? You know, in the unending cycle of worrying about each other?"
That brought a smile to Kara's lips. "I guess so. But that's not a bad thing, right?"
"Absolutely not," Alex said, pressing a kiss to her hair.
Content in merely keeping each other company, Kara basked in the presence of her older sibling, quite aware of her more than usual clinginess. She still had yet to figure out why she felt so… different, but knowing that Alex was here with her, she wasn't worried in the least. No matter what the universe threw at her, they would get through it.
Together.
"So what's up with you and Agent Vasquez?" Alex asked after a few seconds of comfortable silence. "I didn't know you had a thing for her."
Well, maybe everything but this.
"What?"
Kara blinked in surprise, pulling back a bit to look at her sister.
"You and Vasquez," the elder Danvers rephrased. "How come you never told me about your crush on her?"
"C-Crush?" Kara nearly squeaked, heat rising to her cheeks. "What are you talking about?"
"Oh please!" Alex said, giving Kara a look. "You were practically flirting with her when I walked into the room. The whole hair thing?"
"Alex-" Kara began.
"Not that there's anything wrong with that," the DEO agent continued. "You are a young, healthy, single lady, and you deserve all the happiness in the world."
"Alex, I wasn't-"
"And if Agent Vasquez makes you happy, then I'm happy for you," Alex finished, still not giving Kara a chance to explain herself. "Just know, if she breaks your heart, I will break more than her legs."
"Alex!" Kara exclaimed, absolutely mortified their conversation had steered to this.
"I'm just saying," her sister said with a shrug. "Only the best for my baby Sis."
"Oh Rao," Kara muttered, covering her face with her hands.
Alex just laughed.
"I hate you."
"No you don't."
Kara refused to justify that comment with a response.
"You know it doesn't bother me if you do, right?" Alex added, her voice tender. "As long as they're a good person and take really good care of you, I don't care who they are."
Peeking through her fingers, Kara found Alex smiling at her.
"You really mean that?" Kara found herself asking, her voice a little bit shaky.
Kara's relationship with Alex hadn't been an easy one, especially at the very start. But over time, the bond she shared with her sister grew into something amazing and beautiful, to the point she couldn't live without it today. So to hear her sister say that, it truly meant a lot.
"I do," Alex said, wrapping an arm around Kara's shoulders and pulling her in for a side hug. "With all my heart."
A squeeze.
"Only the best for my little Sis, remember?"
Blinking back tears, Kara couldn't but smile as she kissed her sister on her cheek before resting her head on Alex's shoulder again.
"Thanks Sis."
"Anytime Kara," Alex said, the two of them falling into silence again.
They remained that way all of thirty seconds.
"So when are you going to tell Mom about you and Vasquez?"
Kara closed her eyes.
"You suck. You know that?"
Something was wrong with her sister.
Alex leaned against one of the support pillars in between the main DEO Command Centre and the stairs leading to the second level, her gaze unwavering as she observed her sister flitting about the Command Centre chatting up the other agents.
She wasn't sure what it was exactly, but something about the way the Krytonian's gaze lingered on certain individuals of the DEO seemed a bit… well, different. While it wasn't unusual for Kara to be friendly with the people she worked with on a daily basis, she was exceptionally friendly today, leaving Alex to wonder why. Aside from being shot down by CADMUS yesterday, the memory of it making Alex clench her jaw just thinking about it, nothing else out of the ordinary had happened. Maybe she was just seeing things.
The click of heels.
"Agent Danvers," a voice said behind her. "Slacking off from your duties? Or is this a new reconnaissance tactic I was not aware of?"
Alex turned to face the speaker, meeting the emerald gaze leveled at her with a stoic calmness.
"Co-Director," Alex said with a slight nod.
Silence enveloped them for all of five seconds.
"Oh stop it, Alex," Lucy said laughing. "That was so last year. Come here and give me a hug. Co-Director's orders."
Alex chuckled as she did just that, the youngest Lane returning the favor.
"It's good to see you again, Lucy," she said, truly meaning that. They may not have started off as friends, but they certainly were close ones now. "How long has it been?"
"Too long if you asked me," Lucy replied. "Much too long."
A glance at the DEO main Command Centre.
"I heard about what happened," the former army major said, taking up a position next to Alex. "How's she doing?"
Alex turned back to her sister again, crossing her arms over her chest as she watched Kara exuberantly chat up another DEO agent thirty feet away from them.
"She's fine physically," she replied, Alex quirking a brow as her alien sister playfully shoved the DEO agent she was speaking to and laughing. "Not a scratch on her."
"I'm sensing a but," Lucy said, her head tilting to the side as Kara giggles could be heard even from this distance.
"But," Alex remarked. "Something is still off about her, and I haven't quite figured out what that is yet."
Quickly falling into her Co-Director persona, the youngest Lane crossed her arms over her chest.
"What do we know about the tech which shot her down?"
Alex took a calming breath.
"Fortunately," she began. "We were able to recover the weapon in question before CADMUS could make off with it."
A pause.
"It was definitely alien in origin, but CADMUS... altered it to fit their needs."
Lucy glanced at her.
"And what does that mean exactly?"
Alex pursed her lips.
"It was powered by Kryptonite."
Lucy's head whipped towards her so fast Alex was amazed the Co-Director didn't give herself whiplash.
"Pink Kryptonite to be exact," she continued, refusing to meet her friend and superior's gaze. Alex's hands were knuckle white as they clutched at her elbows.
"My guess is that CADMUS tried to replicate Maxwell Lord's red Kryptonite after that incident last year, but didn't quite hit the mark."
Lucy muttered something unintelligible under her breath. Letting her friend stew on that for a bit, Alex turned back to watch her sister, Kara still as bubbly as before. The Kryptonian was now chatting up Winn at his station, the poor guy looking absolutely bewildered by all of Kara's open affection.
"Has she shown any signs of aggression?"
"Nothing so far," Alex said, a chuckle threatening to come out as Winn almost fell backwards off his chair at something Kara said. "She seems fine for the most part, if not a bit more affectionate than usual. But I'm keeping an eye her. J'onn will be taking over Supergirl duties for the next few days just to be on the safe side."
Feeling a hand on her shoulder, Alex looked back to her left.
"If you need anything," Lucy said, squeezing her shoulder gently. "Anything at all. Just let me know."
Before Alex could reply, a squeal shattered the calm DEO air making them both flinch.
"Lucy!" Kara exclaimed, the blonde superhero materializing next to them in a blur of blue and red half a second later. Kara wasted no time in smothering the smaller woman in a hug, actually lifting the youngest Lane off of her feet and twirling her around in the air. "You're here!"
Alex almost snorted at Lucy's startled expression from such a greeting, Lucy clearly having not expected that. But that was nothing compared to when Kara finally set the DEO Co-Director back on the ground and kissed both of her cheeks in welcome.
"I didn't know you were in town!" Kara said, positively gushing. "When did you get here?"
Lucy looked at Alex as bewildered as Alex felt. While the relationship with the youngest Lane had come a long way since their initial meeting involving Red Tornado and Alex's arrest, even Alex didn't think Kara and Lucy were that close.
"Just a few minutes ago actually," Lucy said quickly getting her wits about. "I heard about what happened. Are you alright? I was worried."
At that question, Kara went all shy and bashful, Alex's eyebrows shooting up to her hairline.
"A little shaken up, but otherwise fine," Kara replied, smiling softly. "I didn't mean to worry you."
Again Lucy met Alex's gaze, Alex shrugging her shoulders and shaking her head outside of her sister's line of sight. Whatever was happening to her sister, it was safe to say it wasn't going to be another repeat of the Red Kryptonite incident. Kara was far too giggly and touchy feely right now, and unless she suddenly succumbed to her darker impulses (which was still a possibility), Alex was pretty certain things would remain that way. The question was for how long.
At the sound of ringing, Alex snapped out of her thoughts and found her sister staring at her cell phone. Kara's smile was brighter than the sun.
"It's Lena!" the Kryptonian exclaimed excitedly, almost squealing again. "I need to take this."
Turning away from them and walking up the stairs towards the outdoor balcony, Kara answered the call, completely oblivious to Lucy's and Alex's befuddle expressions.
"Lena! Hi! I'm sorry I missed your call earlier. I forgot my phone at home. How are you?"
Staring at her sister in complete confusion, more so at how quickly she bounced between hyper to shy to excited, Alex completely missed Lucy saddling up next to her until the other woman spoke.
"Looks like you're going to have your hands full with that one for the next little while," Lucy said chuckling, making Alex groan at that thought. "Maybe it's for the best."
Alex looked at Lucy in surprise. "How do you figure?"
Dealing with a hyperactive Kara for who knows how long wasn't exactly Alex's idea of fun. Sure the first few hours of it were amusing, but now, now it was tiring just trying to keep up. Her only saving grace was the fact Kara had yet to show any ill effects from the pink Kryptonite ray which shot her down in the first place.
"Well," Lucy said, nodding at the ecstatic Super on the balcony. "She seems really happy. After what happened with Myriad and James, I was worried she wouldn't smile like that again for a long time."
Turning back to her sister, just in time to see Kara twirl around in the air in absolute giddiness, Alex conceded Lucy had a point. Things after Myriad had been rough, for the both of them. Couple that with Kara's recent break up, Alex couldn't remember the last time she'd seen the Kryptonian smile like that recently.
"Given everything that's happened," Lucy continued. "I think she needs something like this. If only for a little while. Everyone deserves to be happy, Supergirl especially."
Nodding in agreement, Alex smiled when Kara so happened to look in her direction, Alex returning her sister's excited wave with a less hyper one.
"Anyhow," Lucy said, drawing Alex's attention back to her. "I'm going to check in with J'onn."
A pat on the shoulder.
"Don't forget what I told you earlier," the DEO Co-Director said, nodding at the still enraptured Supergirl on the balcony. "If you need anything at all, I'm just a call away."
"Thanks Lucy," Alex said, giving her friend a smile. "For everything."
"It's the least I can do, Alex," Lucy said. "All things considered."
Waving goodbye, the former army major made her way into the DEO Command Centre in search of her counterpart.
Turning back to Kara again, Alex watched her sister for a little bit longer before pulling out her own cell phone and making a call.
"Uh hi, yeah. I'd like to order a dozen sets of potstickers..."
Things were not perfect. Nothing ever was. Alex knew that fact very well, especially when it came to her adopted sister.
"Yes, you heard me correctly," Alex said in exasperation, her back now turned away from the balcony as she stared at the agents going about the DEO main Command Centre. "I said a dozen sets of potstickers- No, it's not for a catered event…"
But unlike most people, Kara refused to give up in the face of adversity. In fact, it was almost like she thrived when the odds were stacked against her, the Kryptonian defying fate over and over again, in a quest to bring about everyone's happy endings. Even at the cost of her own.
Finally ending the call, grumbling about annoying takeout servers, Alex turned around to check in on her sister only to come within inches of blonde hair and blue eyes. She flinched in surprise.
"Kara…?"
Alex, on the other hand, was selfish. She could care less if people got their happy endings, unless they fell within her circle of important people. And at the very center of that circle was her sister. Knowing what Kara had gone through, and continued to go through by choice, Alex often found herself internally fighting with the idea of doing the right things versus doing things right.
Taking in her sister's tear filled eyes and wobbling lips, Alex immediately started to panic, various end of the world thoughts coming to mind.
"Kara-" she tried again, reaching out a hand to the Super.
Doing the right things was easy. Protect innocent people, catch the bad guys, and call it a day. Doing things right however, for Alex, that would mean putting Kara first, above all else, everything and everyone else be damned. Unfortunately, that wasn't so easy to pull off.
"You bought me potstickers?" Kara interrupted, holding Alex's outstretched hand in her own.
"Uh… yes?" Alex said dumbly, silently wondering if she should have bought more. What was she thinking? Of course she should have bought more! This was Kara they were talking about! And given her sister's sorrowful reaction-
"Ompf!"
The breath was literally knocked out of her lungs when Kara tackled her in a hug.
But Alex would still try.
"I love you so much," Kara said, squeezing Alex tightly.
"It's just potstickers," Alex said, half choking, half laughing. She hugged the Kryptonian as tight as she could.
"Maybe for you," Kara sniffled next to her ear. "But for me, it means everything."
Opening her mouth to say something, Alex found herself without words, instead squeezing her sister tighter. Ignoring all of the looks sent in their direction, Alex held her younger sibling for a few seconds longer before pulling away.
"Go get changed up," she said, Alex brushing away the tears that had managed to fall. "Then you and I are going to splurge on potstickers for the rest of the night and watch crappy movies. Sound good?"
Kara's smile was brighter than the sun.
"Sounds perfect," her sister said. "Meet you at the front?"
Alex smiled. "You know it."
Alex was no Supergirl. She didn't have Heat Vision, or Freeze Breath, or could even fly. But even so, she'd be damned if she couldn't at least make her Kryptonian sister smile. And if that meant ordering twelve sets of potstickers and watching crappy movies for hours on end, so be it. Alex would do it. Kara deserved all the happiness in the world and more. And Alex would never stop trying to give her that.
A/N: This drabble takes place sometime in Season 2 before she got together/fell in love with Mon-El and after she broke up with James.
I couldn't resist having Lucy pop in here (same goes for Agent Vasquez). I know she lost her 'Director' title once J'onn was reinstated in Season 1, but in this drabble, she's the Co-Director of the DEO and just works out of the dessert base.
A long time ago, "gay", meant someone was very happy. Nowadays, "gay" refers to someone who is attracted to/in love with someone of the same sex. Pink Kryptonite, which Kara was exposed to in this drabble, according to DC lore, makes Supers gay. Whether or not Kara is, gay in the traditional sense or more modern sense, or both, in this drabble, I'll leave that up to you readers. :P
I originally started writing this drabble to be posted up in time for Valentine's Day. Coincidentally, I also wanted to try my hand at writing a special Kryptonite piece (something aside from the usual green) and figured I could kill two birds with one stone. And what better Kryptonite to use for Valentine's Day than pink, right? Red Kryptonite doesn't exactly bring up happy feelings after all. XD Alas, things did not work out the way I intended them to. Writer's block did a number on me when trying to write this piece, so I scrapped my original concept and title ("Love is a Lady") and just wrote something. And this is what happened. XD
