I haven't forgotten about Supergirl

Alex kept calling Kara until she finally answered, her voice trembling faintly like it did when she tried to be strong. She tried so hard, but she could never quite manage it when she was talking to Alex. "Hello?"

"Hey, Kara."

There was a pause, and Alex could imagine the flustered look on her face, the little embarrassed blush as she tried to hide her distress. "You got Livewire?"

"Yeah, she's back in custody. I won't let her get away this time."

"That's good. I know she's not an alien or anything, but she is--such a B-word!"

"Totally!" Alex agreed, letting out a little hysterical laugh. "Are you okay?"

"Uh-huh. I mean, it was just some psycho being a psycho, right? It doesn't matter. It's probably going to happen more--fighting psychos like we do. At least I've got you to look out for me."

"Didn't do such a good job today."

"No, come on, Alex, it was my fault--"

"It wasn't! I should've at least given you a warning, you could've prepared for her."

"I was as prepared as I was gonna get. I'm not always gonna be lucky enough to get a heads up. Superman certainly doesn't..."

"Superman isn't my sister." Alex fell silent, cursing herself for being so open with this, trying to take the blame so thoroughly, making Kara feel sorry for her and try to take all the responsibility herself. She didn't deserve to have Kara comforting her; she was the one who was supposed to be comforting her. "We've checked social media, no one's uploaded anything about what happened. And no one in the DEO knows either. I mean, just me and Henshaw."

"Of course," Kara said. "You wouldn't let anyone go around saying things about me. Not if you could help it."

Alex felt a fresh stab of protectiveness run through her. She'd never envied Kara, never felt bad that Kara had powers and she didn't, but just then she wished she had just a little strength, was just a little taller, a little faster. Able to do anything to protect Kara instead of leaving her exposed to the world, flying out into the world with a big red target on her chest.

"Listen," Alex said, her voice starting to feel bigger, more certain as she spoke, as she finally felt like she was doing some little thing to help her sister. "I know you're okay, I know you're fine and you don't need my help and you won't let it get to you--but I'd just really like it if you came over tonight and spent the night with me. Nothing special--just watch some TV and open some wine... see about doing your hair..."

"If I change my hair, I think someone will figure out my secret identity. But everything else sounds good." Alex could hear the tiny smile in Kara's voice. "And I will always need your help."

***

Alex tidied up before Kara could get there, wishing there was more she could do, make her apartment some kind of--Kryptonian spa. She put a Greek pizza in the oven instead, figuring whatever the situation was, it'd be better if Kara had pizza to eat. 

Kara came through the door, using her key, while Alex was taking the pizza out of the oven. Alex turned around, DEO training telling her she was being breached, and took the brunt of Kara's appearance, full force. Hugging herself, knees tilted inward, all hunched up and wrapped around her pain. Alex just went to her and hugged her, so glad this was her sister, that she could just hold her, that Kara loved her enough to let her try and make this better.

"Tell me all about it, Kara," Alex said firmly. "Tell me all about it now."

"It's fine, it's nothing--just a bad fight, Superman has bad fights..." Kara let herself be led to the couch, laid out on it, her hair and taut-muscled arms petted by Alex. Feeling Alex's touch was like permission to relax, let go of the clench she was in. "It's just... just Cat yelling at me and Jimmy doesn't know I exist and it's like Winn wants something from me and I like him but he wants me to like him more and Max Lord wants to kill me and my aunt wants to kill me and Livewire kisses me, Rao, it's like the first time I've been kissed in months!"

Alex picked away her hair clips, letting her hair down, and then ran her fingers through its ruffled length, further straightening and smoothing it. "Do you want to cry?"

"No!" Kara scoffed, shaking her head, piteous like she wanted to moan.

"Don't lie." Alex was almost proud of Kara, how solid she'd become, how tough, the armor she'd built up over the past few weeks  But she didn't want to be one of the people outside it. She wanted to be part of Kara's wall, protecting her. And she knew Kara would always let her in.

She leaned in and kissed Kara's head and Kara couldn't take it, couldn't keep pretending to be so tough when Alex loved her so much.