The last chapter. Thank you for your patience. I hope you enjoy.

They had been working for 12 hours. Twelve hours since the portal had snapped shut. All ideas on how to open it had been dead ends. And despite Iat still having a connection, everyone was losing hope.

Iat was now curled on the floor between his parents sleeping peacefully. Maggie envied his child-like innocence despite what he had been through.

Maggie was sitting against a wall with Kara, who was sitting motionless beside her. Lena was on her other side after forcing her way into the facility, silently holding her hand in support. The mood was dire as agents wandered around aimlessly. Even J'onn seemed lost as he paced in front of them.

They all jumped, startled when Iat suddenly jumped to his feet and rushed to where the portal had been.

Everyone watched in shock as the portal opened and a bruised and battered Alex limped through. She gave a tired smile to Iat and Api who is standing right behind his son.

Maggie felt frozen in place as the others all rushed forward, all talking at once. She took in Alex, who looked on the verge of collapsing at any second, and nearly overwhelming the feeling of relief at seeing Alex OK, was the feeling of anger.

When Alex finally met her gaze over Kara's shoulder Maggie finally stepped forward, "I'm glad you're OK," she grated out before turning and walking away without a backward glance, not even when she heard Kara calling her name.

When she burst out the door to the hidden parking structure she was finally able to breathe. While she had been so worried for Alex she hadn't been thinking about anything but Alex's safety. But now she knew Alex was safe all she felt was anger at being left worrying again.

She knew the first time Alex had nothing to do with. But this time Alex had chosen to stay back and put herself in danger. It was different when she had done it while working for the DEO when she had a full team for backup.

Maggie couldn't help but feel anger. Anger at Alex's complete disregard for her own safety and her complete disregard for how her family would be affected by losing her after just getting her back.

"Maggie?" she's brought up short by Lena yelling her name. "Are you OK?"

Maggie scoffs at the question, "I don't know," she looks around the parking structure realizing she doesn't have her car. "Can you please take me home?"

Lena seems surprised but she simply guided Maggie to her car and then they were off without a word after Lena had sent a quick text to Maggie assumed was Kara.

The ride was made in complete silence. Maggie stuck in her own head. She had turned down Lena's offer to walk her to her apartment, knowing that Kara needed her more right now.

It felt like it had been days since she had set foot in the apartment but in actuality, it had been less than one. Her gaze drifted to the bathroom door where just the night before Alex had made promises to get them back on track and then today she had taken it all away. She dropped wearily on the bed staring at the ceiling as her mind raced.

Alex knew as soon as she had met Maggie's gaze she had ruined everything. She had seen the pain as plain as day in Maggie's eyes.

"Alex are you OK?" Kara's concerned voice brought her out of her thoughts. "Do you need me to get a doctor?"

It had been less than an hour since the doctor had left, telling her she was lucky and only had bumps and bruises and a sprained ankle.

"No, I'm sorry, I was just lost in thought," she smiled at Kara who was sitting in a chair beside the bed with her hand as close to Alex's as it could be without touching it. Alex could tell she was worried but trying hard to hide it.

Alex knew she had been selfish to put them through what she did, but she hadn't been thinking about them at the time and she wasn't sure if she liked what that said about herself.

She covered Kara's hand with her own and her eyes filled with tears at the relieved sigh Kara released as she gently closed her hand around Alex's.

"I think I've lost Maggie," Alex's voice broke with emotion.

"No. She just needs time to work through some things. A lot has happened in a very short period."

Alex chuckled, "That's an understatement."

A MONTH LATER

Alex looked in the mirror. In the month after the portal accident, she had gained back a bit of weight making her look a bit more like she did before she disappeared. She had gotten tired of her long and matted hair and shaved it all off, much to the surprise and delight of Kara who took great pleasure in rubbing her hands over the soft fuzz that was now her hair.

When Alex had gotten permission to leave medical two days after walking out of the portal for the last time she had come home to a Maggie-less apartment. Kara had told her that Maggie was just staying with Sarah while she figured some things out. After not having heard anything from Maggie for a month she figured Maggie wasn't coming back.

She knew that Kara talked to Maggie occasionally but respected their privacy. Alex had filled her time trying to heal and spending time with Iat and his family.

It had been a long drawn out process in making it to where she was no longer legally dead. Thankfully her connection with the DEO had made the process relatively painless. Every time they spent time together J'onn asked her about coming back to work for the DEO, but Alex wasn't sure if it was what she wanted any more. She had had enough violence the last several years, to last a lifetime and she wasn't sure if that's what she wanted anymore.

She still always had to be armed and had several backups hidden around the apartment. She wasn't sure if the hypervigilance would ever go away. Even now she tensed as the door burst open.

"It's just us," Kara announced, carrying four large pizzas and several plastic bags. Lena entered behind her empty-handed. She greeted Alex with a warm smile.

"That smells amazing," Alex is practically drooling. When she's hungry enough she can nearly out eat Kara now.

"It's from that new place downtown. I've heard good things about them," Kara set down the boxes, wasting no time in opening one and cramming nearly the whole piece in her mouth. They lapsed into easy conversation as they ate.

It was over an hour later when Kara heard a commotion and left out the balcony door. Alex and Lena continued their conversation.

It was several more hours later after Lena had already left that Alex got a text from Kara saying she was OK, but Alex needed to get down to the hospital.

Alex was filled with dread as she rushed her bike through the city. She rushed through the doors and easily found Lena, Kara, J'onn and Sarah all sitting dejectedly in uncomfortable looking chairs. She could tell Sarah had been crying and her hands were stained red.

"Is it Maggie?" she asked even though she already knows the answer.

Kara stands and takes her hands, "There was a robbery and she got caught in the crossfire. She was shot several times but was wearing a vest. But there was a bullet that grazed her head and one that hit her in the thigh. She was asking for you."

It was a lot to take in, "Where is she? I need to see her." Alex could feel the panic rising.

Kara squeezed her hands, "There running tests on her head. They'll come to get us when we can go back."

Alex nodded as she was ushered into a chair.

She has no idea how much time passed before a doctor finally comes out and tells them that Maggie was very lucky to only have a concussion.

"We'll give you some time," Kara says when they're given the OK to see Maggie.

Alex hesitates at the door before finally knocking and walking in. The room is dim, the only light is coming from a small lamp near the head of the bed. Alex can't help but smile at how much the bed dwarfs Maggie's small frame.

As she walks further into the room Maggie slowly and carefully turns her head in her direction, Alex sighs in relief when Maggie smiles.

"You're here," Maggie says her voice rough.

"Of course, I am. Sounds like you had quite the adventure," Alex kept her voice quiet.

Maggie chuckled but grimaced for the effort.

Alex gently took Maggie's hand in her own. Maggie gasped at the contact and held on to Alex's hand tighter.

"I was so angry that you could so easily leave me again," Maggie confessed into the silence.

"It's not going to make it any better, but I didn't go back thinking I was going to stay behind," Alex looks down and starts to play with Maggie's fingers. "I just couldn't fathom the thought of Iat having to worry about them coming back to get him or his father. And they would have. Like they did me."

Maggie is nodding slightly, "I can understand that."

"I'm sorry I put you through that. I meant what I said about wanting to get back to how we were," she sighed as a tear slid down her cheek. "I want us to be together. But I also understand if I ruined that.'

"I can't be second to your suicide missions."

Alex flinched at the words.

Maggie continued regardless, "I know its part of your job. It is mine too, to a point."

"I'm not going back to the DEO," Alex interrupts.

Maggie seems confused briefly before finally asking, "What?"

"I can't handle the violence anymore. I don't want that to be part of my life."

"But you…"

"I'm not who I used to be. I can't be that person anymore," Alex finished with a shrug.

"I don't know what to say. What are you going to do if you aren't a DEO agent?"

"I have no idea but, I've been talking to Aedh about advocating for aliens. My connection to them has given me special knowledge that could come in handy as a human advocating for less fortunate aliens." Alex looks down self-consciously, "I haven't really worked out any details but it's an option."

"You would be amazing at that," Maggie is smiling bigger now.

"I know I don't deserve it at all. I know you deserve better than this," she gestured to herself. "But I would like the chance to prove to you that I've changed. I want us to work. I mean if you're even interested anymore," she may be being presumptuous.

"You know I'm interested. I love you."

Alex can't help her bashful smile. Moving slowly, she places a gentle kiss on Maggie's mouth.

Maggie places a hand on the back of her head deepening the kiss before pulling away with a contented sigh, "I've missed that so much."

"Me too."

"We're going to be OK," Maggie says after a minute of just gazing at each other. And then she chuckles, "I gotta say. I am loving this hair," as she rubs her hand over it briskly.

THE END