this is my first fic-I know it can get wordy, but "why use 1 word when 7 will do?"

Kara looked around the bar. Everyone was having a good time; Maggie and Winn were playing pool while J'onn grimaced from the sidelines every time Winn missed the cue ball, and James and Lucy were eyeing each other across the table she was sitting at. The only person she couldn't find was Alex.

Her sudden panic was quelled by a quick scan of the bar. Alex was leaned over the counter with her back to the tables, nursing a scotch. Kara smiled to James and Lucy who barely registered her and weaved her way over to her sister.

"Hey." She nudged Alex gently with her elbow and took the seat next to her. Her older sister barely looked up before turning back to the drink in her hand. Was it her second? Third? Fourth? Trying to be subtle, Kara watched the level of liquid in the glass; there was still a good half left so she directed her attention back to her sister. "Hey," she said again to the side of Alex's head.

This time Alex looked up. "Hey." The edges of her mouth turned up in the beginnings of a smile and a shout of "Agent Schott! Look where you're aiming!" cut through the noise of the bar. Looking over her shoulder, she saw J'onn holding a pool ball Winn had evidently shot off the table. Maggie was leaning on her pool cue, doubled over with laughter. As her eyes fell on her girlfriend, a full smile stretched across her lips and she turned to look at Kara who had also craned her neck to see the commotion. "I thought he said it was just geometry and sticks?"

Kara laughed, glad that her sister seemed remarkably alright. She knew Alex bounced back from ordeals faster than most people but she also knew her sister tended to shove her feelings down inside her and act like nothing happened. Like she hadn't almost drowned and Maggie hadn't almost let a murderer out on the streets to save her.

As the laughter bubbled away, she looked her sister in the eyes and gave her a cautious smile. "So...how are you doing?" she asked hesitantly.

Alex paused for a moment, then lifted the glass of scotch to her lips and took a sip. "Good," she said tersely. She raised the glass for another sip.

Kara arched an eyebrow and watched Alex sip her drink. When the glass was closer to empty than full, she took a deep breath. "Are you sure? I know you got in a good punch and J'onn wiped his mind so he doesn't even remember you, but—"

"I'm fine, Kara." Alex looked at her sister and smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. "Really. And it was a great punch, though it was nowhere near what he deserved." She pushed the glass away from her and settled down in her bar stool. "You can stop worrying about me," she said, even as her head tilted and her vision doubled, but she blinked twice and only one of her sister was in front of her.

"I know I don't have to worry about you but that doesn't mean I won't always do it anyway," Kara pouted. "And if I worried about you half as much as you worry about me, you wouldn't be able to stand me. You take the protective big-sister thing so far it's almost ridiculous, especially because I'm—me."

Alex rolled her eyes. "Fair point. I'm not changing though." There was a short silence between the two as they thought about what had happened a few days ago.

Kara reached out to put her hand on her sister's arm to though to convince herself that she was really there. She had really almost lost her, almost lost a vital part of herself.

Alex shut her eyes for a moment, then drew a breath and looked up, about to say something.

*ring ring*

The noise startled the two apart and Kara fumbled for her phone. Her eyebrows knit when she saw the caller ID and her heart contracted. With a goofy smile on her face, she answered the call.

"Lena?"

Alex looked over at the name, wondering what Lena Luthor would want with her sister at almost ten at night.

"She what?...No, no, of course. It's not too late, don't worry about it. I haven't even gotten home yet," Kara rambled. Alex raised an eyebrow. "Your—your house? Um, if you're sure that's okay...what's the address?" There was a pause as Lena told her over the phone and Kara tried to visualize a map of National City. "Okay. Okay. I'll be there in a sec—in-in ten minutes," Kara stammered out. "See you soon." She hung up the phone and was greeted by Alex's skeptical look.

"It's a little late for a reporter to schedule an interview, don't you think?"

Kara's expression turned serious. "Actually, I told her to call me if she had any information. About her mother. She only just got home."

"Oh, you mean her evil, Cadmus-running, escaped felon mother? The one that we just today found out may be hiding in National City?"

Kara let out an exasperated sigh, wishing her sister was slightly less set in stone. "I know you don't love Lena but she is nothing like her mother. And yes, I told her I'd let her know if we found anything out..." she trailed off and looked away, guilt plain in her eyes.

"What?" Alex's questioning tone was stern. Apparently you're in love with her and you're just too dumb to see it.

"Apparently...her mother just visited her?" Kara smiled guiltily, jumping up from her seat. "She's already gone," she said in response to Alex's unformed question. "I promise I'll find out everything I can! I'll see you later!" She ran out the door before Alex could stop her. Once she was outside the bar, she jumped into the air. It was too dark for anyone to see her and the fastest way to Lena's was flying. Despite the chill in the air and the situation with Lena's mother, she felt warm inside. She had always wondered what Lena's house looked like and now she was getting the chance to see it. She hadn't seen Lena all week, the CEO had been busy with meeting and shareholders, and lately she had been missing her friend.

Letting out a tired breath, Alex turned back to the bar, not seeing Maggie's watchful gaze focused on her back. She downed the dregs of her scotch and motioned to the bartender to bring over another. She didn't want to think, didn't want to feel anything.

"Didn't want to drink in front of the little sister?" The bartender smiled amicably, pouring another drink.

Alex reached for the glass eagerly. "Something like that," she grumbled under her breath, downing half the drink in one swallow.

"Rough day?" The bartender started to clean some glasses behind the bar.

"Something like that." Alex hoped her attitude made it clear she wasn't there to talk and downed the rest of her drink, holding out her empty glass.

With a passive expression the bartender filled her up. "You sure can hold a lot of liquor for such a little lady. That's your seventh."

Alex smiled insincerely. "I've had a lot of practice." She swallowed more of her drink before getting up and heading over to her girlfriend. With a slight stumble, she reached the pool table where J'onn was teaching Winn how to aim. He glanced up at Alex as she approached, narrowing his eyes at her unsteady movements before Maggie blocked his view and hugged her.

"Hey there, Danvers." Maggie smiled.

Alex looked into her eyes. "You're pretty." She leaned in and heard Winn whistling as she kissed Maggie. Maggie leaned back, breaking the kiss long before Alex wanted her to.

"Had a little too much to drink, have we?" Maggie chuckled at Alex's disappointed expression, prying the glass from Alex's hand. "Let's not spill this everywhere." She leaned back in and kissed her again. This time, Alex was the one to break away, only because she couldn't stop smiling. All the alcohol was making her gaze unfocused but she held on to Maggie to keep herself from swaying. Maggie was her rock, her marble column of a girlfriend.

"I love you." Alex leaned into Maggie's neck, breathing in her scent of smoke and flowers. Maggie laughed and propped her up.

"I think I'll get this one home before it's too late," she nodded to J'onn and Winn. They smiled back, wrapped up in their impromptu pool lesson. Maggie looked over to where James and Lucy were sitting but they had disappeared at some point earlier in the night, probably off to have a good time. She went over to the chair she had draped her jacket on and put Alex's half-empty glass on the nearest table, with Alex clinging to her like a child the whole time. "Ready to go, babe?" she asked, slinging her jacket around her shoulders.

"Yes, please," Alex smiled. Blinked slowly, deliberately, like it took all of her attention. "Wait." She leaned over and picked up her glass, finishing it off just as Maggie said

"Maybe you should hold off—"

"Hm?" Alex looked up through blurry eyes. "What was that?"

"Nothing." Maggie smiled. "Damn, you really put me to shame with your liquor input, you know that?" She took her girlfriend's hand and led her to the door. Once outside, she had to prop Alex up against the wall. "Alright, I'm driving. Give me your keys."

"What! You drove us here. I'm driving." Alex drunkenly fumbled around for her keys. Where did I put them?

"You're hammered. I'm driving, doofus," Maggie snorted.

"No, no, I'm good I just need to find..." Alex patted her jacket pockets trying to remember where she'd put her keys and Maggie watched her, amused. Getting an idea, she suddenly pressed herself against Alex, completely cutting off her train of thought.

"Hi," came Alex's breathy whisper.

"Hi," Maggie whispered back, wrapping her hands around Alex's waist. She prayed Alex was too drunk to notice anything as she slid her hand into her back pocket, feeling for her keys. Jackpot, she thought, hooking the keyring onto her finger. She slid away from Alex who almost fell over from the sudden movement.

"Hey! Those are mine!" Alex reached for the keys but missed by a long shot. She pouted as Maggie jangled them in front of her face, smirking.

"Come on. Let's get you home, Danvers." Maggie stepped forward and put her arm back around Alex's waist, supporting her on the walk to her car. Alex let herself be led into the seat and closed her eyes once she was sitting down. Smiling, Maggie started the car and drove to Alex's apartment. Fifteen minutes later she was shaking her awake, much to Alex's displeasure.

"Mmmm," Alex grumbled, turning her head away from Maggie's attempts to get her out of the car.

Maggie rolled her eyes and tried to lift Alex off the seat. "Either try to walk or I'll leave you in here for the night."

"You wouldn't," came Alex's slurred response, but she slowly got out of the car.

"You wanna bet?" Maggie chuckled, focusing on getting Alex inside. Once they were in the apartment, Maggie kicked off her shoes and put Alex on the couch. "Come on, babe. Drink this glass of water and I'll let you go to sleep."

"But 'm tired," Alex sighed, leaning back against the cushions.

"I know you are but you'll regret it tomorrow if you don't drink something besides scotch. Good girl," Maggie teased as Alex chugged it down.

Her eyes were already closing. "Can I sleep now?"

"Yeah," Maggie said softly. "Good night." Alex was already asleep and snoring softly. She turned Alex over before draping a blanket across her and kissed her forehead. "See you in the morning, babe."

Heading for the bedroom, she sighed, tossing her NCPD jacket onto the floor. It had been a long, thirteen hour day of nothing but paperwork and she relished the idea of a good night's sleep. The second her head hit the pillow she was out like a light, not even thinking about the fact that it was just one more night in a long string of nights that Alex had been too drunk to make it to the bedroom.