190. Chapter 190

Alex watches the way she cradles the phone while she talks to her niece, the way her eyes glass over when she explains that no, no, she can’t come home this weekend, she’s in National City, remember, but soon, soon, soon.

And Alex watches the way her shoulders slump because her paycheck isn’t big enough to let her afford soon, soon, soon.

So Alex does some digging and Alex makes some calls, and the next morning, she’s got a round-trip ticket for Maggie to spend the weekend with her niece in Blue Springs.

“Ally,” Maggie rasps, her voice still sleepy, when Alex wakes her with breakfast in bed, presenting her with the printed ticket on a tray along with a single rose, coffee, and waffles.

Maggie’s eyes flood with tears and she shakes her head and she gestures for Alex to take the tray because she needs to stand up, she needs to curl up, she needs to rock herself, she needs to cry.

“I’m sorry, Maggie, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to overstep, I was just trying to – “

“No, no, Alex, no, that’s not – it’s perfect, you – you’re perfect, I – it just – “ Maggie reaches up to the tray and takes the ticket with shaking fingers, staring at it like she’s staring at the most beautiful nebula she’s ever seen, and when she looks back up at Alex, her eyes stay keep the same disbelieving sense of wonder.

“Why did you do this?”

Alex sets the tray down carefully on the bed next to her and sits, squinting at Maggie and pursing her lips off to the side for a long moment before she strokes Maggie’s hair and speaks.

“You know you’re always telling me I don’t have to push my feelings down, that it’s okay to put myself first. And I’m trying, and it’s… it’s good, it’s great, but Maggie, you… you don’t have to push your feelings down, either. You can put yourself first, too. And I know you can’t afford the trip right now, but I can, and I just… I thought… I wanted to put you first, Maggie. I wanted… I wanted to take care of you, because you… you deserve it, babe. You deserve… everything. Everything good, anyway.”

Maggie shakes her head and blinks out a few tears and swallows harshly and kisses Alex softly, softly, tenderly, gratefully.

“I think I’m in love with you, Alex Danvers.”

Alex smiles and kisses Maggie’s nose.

“Perfect. Because I think I’m in love with you, too, Maggie Sawyer. And um… if we’re all in love and stuff…” She pauses and she squirms happily and Maggie smiles full on because yes, yes, yes, they’re all in love and stuff. “Does that mean I get to feed you waffles in bed?”

Maggie’s smile gets even wider and she snuggles closer to Alex’s body. “If you must.”

And Alex must, so Alex does, and by the way both of them bounce around all day, all their coworkers and friends assume they must have had great sex, but they don’t know that the morning was full of waffles and syrup and giggling and Alex feeding Maggie and Maggie smearing syrup on Alex’s lips while Alex yelped so she could lick it off and stories about Maggie’s niece and excited squeals because thank you, babe, thank you, thank you, thank you, and always, Maggie. Always.