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"Better Lane? More like Difficult Lane," Alex mutters into her glass of wine. At least if she's getting dragged to these dinners at Cat's the alcohol is good. There's at least one perk to who Kara decided to date.
"You said you would be nicer to her," Kara admonishes, shooting Alex a look over the edge of her own glass. "Cat already complains about Lois enough, I don't need you complaining about the other sister."
"Oh, but you get to call General Lane a jerk face every time he opens his mouth?" Alex shoots back, trying not to smirk. "Because really, I think you do that more than Cat complains about Lois."
"True, but that's because no one is supposed to mention that harpy in my presence so I'm not reminded of her," Cat answers archly, rising to her feet to clear her plate.
The food had been excellent, and Alex was starting to genuinely enjoy her evenings over here. It's not quite the same as spending sister nights curled up on a well broken in sofa watching whatever show they're binge watching, but she has to admit the nutritional value of the meals is far higher.
"Whoops," Kara says with a wince that's over the top enough everyone knows she's faking. And the look of annoyance shot back her way is the same.
That had been what finally convinced Alex to give Cat a chance, and she's seen no reason to regret the decision since then. Things are going well for Kara, and Alex is genuinely happy for her sister.
"But yeah, I thought you promised to be nicer to Lucy," Kara says when she turns back to Alex. "You two seemed to work well together last week taking down that Gordanian."
Alex does smirk at that one, remembering how well Lucy's moves had complemented her own as they fought together. Kara had been otherwise occupied with a rogue Kryptonian left behind when Non launched Fort Rozz into space, leaving the two humans to focus on the secondary threat.
They'd dodged blasts and blows while seeming constantly aware of the other's presence and plan, and in the end even greater alien strength couldn't overcome their combined force. It had been utterly thrilling in a way Alex has only felt a few times before.
"Yeah, for a desk jockey she did pretty okay," is all she says, wanting to laugh as Kara throws her hands up in defeat.
"She's not exactly a desk jockey you know," Kara points out when she's finished asking the ceiling why her sister is so difficult, something that has Cat sending a smirk Alex's way as she cleans up in the kitchen. "She has put in plenty of time in the field, even before joining the DEO as a field commander for the desert base."
Alex snorts at that, covering it with a badly timed cough. "Yeah, she's put in plenty of time, but I'm not sold on her fitness regimen. I've sparred with her a few times, and she's still yet to pin me."
"Alex, you're the best unarmed combatant in the DEO, of course she hasn't beaten you," Kara says in exasperation. "Rao, I can't even beat you when you turn the Kryptonite lamps on. You've got to be realistic with your expectations."
"Something tells me Alex is very realistic with what she expects from Better Lane," Cat chimes in from the kitchen. She's wearing an amused smirk that makes Alex wonder just what she knows or thinks she knows, but Alex has been a trained agent long enough to know when she won't get anything out of a suspect.
"Well then they're unreachable!" Kara exclaims, turning to Cat in exasperation. "I still don't think Alex has forgiven her for nearly sending her to Cadmus, she's always picking a fight with her. I like Lucy, I think she's a great person and she's become a good friend, and Alex is always sniping at her. I just want them to get along."
"I'll try to be nicer," Alex promises. It's a little marred by the long-suffering sigh she lets out immediately after, but Kara should know better by now.
***
"Assistant Director Lane, imagine seeing you around," Alex says the next day as she's walking out of her lab and towards the control room. "I thought your next briefing wasn't until next week."
"Keeping tabs on me now, are you Agent Danvers," Lucy fires back, one brow raised as she takes in Alex's less than immaculate appearance. "I see that was more important to you than maintaining dress code."
Looking down at herself, Alex can't help flushing a little in chagrin. So maybe there'd been a slight accident in the lab earlier and she's spilled a bit of acid on her shirt. It was fine. She'd gotten out of the fabric and into the decontamination shower quickly enough to avoid damaging anything but her dignity.
The only problem came after that, when Alex realized she hadn't replaced her backup outfit the last time she'd used it after an overnight in the lab. Which left her with no choice but to wear one of Kara's outfits she'd left behind after quick changing into her suit.
The look might work for her sister, but Alex was definitely out of regulation in this shirt.
"There may have been a little accident in the lab this morning, I haven't had a chance to pull a new uniform from stores," Alex says, trying for nonchalance. "And I've already documented the spill in triplicate, so don't worry about having proper documentation for the mistake."
"I'm sure Pam has already added it to your file," Lucy says, shaking her head in mock dismay. "She'll be requisitioning a new filing cabinet soon if you keep this up."
"You both promised you would be nicer to each other!" Kara says as she swoops in, looking upset. "You promised."
"I believe my actual words were 'I'll try'," Alex says thoughtfully, always ready for a chance to tease Kara.
"And I know I only promised to be as nice to her as she is to me," Lucy agrees. "And disrespecting your superior officer doesn't seem particularly nice."
"Superior officer my ass," Alex scoffs, well aware her normal edge is blunted when she's wearing a flower print button up with two buttons missing. "We technically hold equal rank, both immediately junior to J'onn. Just because you're a director and I'm second in command doesn't mean you're a superior officer."
"Would you like another lecture on how specialist ranks work?" Lucy asks with pointed sweetness. "I'd be happy to explain exactly why you're wrong in great detail."
"Nope, no more fighting," Kara decides, stepping forward and lifting Alex into her arms. "We'll get you a fresh change of clothes and then everyone can calm down and start playing nice, okay?"
And with that she takes off, leaving Lucy behind as Alex laughs in surprise.
***
"Goddammit," Alex swears as she sees Lucy tossed aside by the latest alien threat. The tiny form is limp before it slams into a parked car, and Alex abandons her position without another thought, running for the crumpled body without concern for her own safety.
She's feeling for a pulse and trying to calm her mind well enough to start basic field first aid as Kara swoops into the battle, rage and concern for her friend and sister giving her blows more strength. Alex tunes it all out, far too focused on making sure Lucy is okay to spare a thought for the alien. He's no real challenge for Kara, and right now Lucy is the one who's hurt.
"Dammit Lucy, you'd better not fucking die on me," Alex repeats again and again, varying the threat and curse while she works furiously.
She'd found a pulse and it seemed strong, so that's one worry off the table. But there's definitely a broken arm and at least three cracked ribs to deal with, and who knows what else. She doesn't have the equipment she needs to know more.
"Wow, Alex, I didn't know you cared." The soft whisper is enough to have Alex looking up in shock from where she'd been focused on splinting the arm, about the only helpful thing she can do until Kara wins and they can get a medical evac in. "You must be going soft on me."
"You scared the hell out of me Luce," Alex manages before her voice breaks, leaning down to press her forehead to Lucy's. "You aren't allowed to do that to me."
"I promise it wasn't intentional," Lucy says with a grin that's more a grimace of pain. But she visibly pushes it down to tilt her head enough to press a soft kiss to Alex's lips, one that offers more reassurances and comfort than anything else could in this situation.
"I knew you two didn't hate each other!" The shout interrupts the moment, and Alex pulls back with a laugh that might be forced through a few tears. "I'm so glad you finally got your act together."
"We've been dating for six months," Lucy says, this time with a grin that seems more genuine.
The look on Kara's face is everything Alex had hoped for when she'd first suggested this plan, and it makes the delayed gratification so worth it. She hadn't expected Kara to be so oblivious for this long, but after the second month it became a game of 'how obvious can we be without Kara realizing'.
"But you snipe at each other all the time," Kara asks, looking between them in confusion.
"It's fun," Alex shrugs, her attention shifting back to Lucy when the agent lets out a small whimper of pain. "But how 'bout we skip this for now and you get some medics in here, okay?"
"Of course!" Kara says, lifting off slowly to keep from battering the pair with her downdraft. "But we are definitely talking about this later."