You Are Everything Good In Me

CHAPTER 1

It was over.

The Worldkillers had been defeated and Sam, Julia, and Grace were safe. National City, and the world, was safe. And that, unfortunately, meant it was time to leave. Brainy was making sure the ship systems were ready to go and Winn had offered to give him a hand, allowing Mon-El some time alone, although he had a hunch Winn really just wanted one last spin with 31st century technology. Mon-El had no doubt that the brilliant tech genius would soon be hard at work in the lab trying to invent some new revolutionary piece of technology, inspired by everything he'd seen in the past few months.

It wouldn't be long now before Brainy would alert him that the ship was ready to go. It was with a deep ache in his chest that Mon-El realized this as his eyes briefly scanned the lower level of the DEO, looking for the person he knew his heart would always long for, but could no longer have. He'd been forced to leave and she moved on. He couldn't blame her for that, not when he had to leave again.

"She's at CatCo," Alex's voice came harshly from his left. She'd managed to sneak up on him as he was lost in his thoughts and now she stood there stiffly in the middle of the hall, arms crossed over her chest, and glaring daggers at him.

Mon-El inhaled sharply and nodded quickly, unable to hold Alex's gaze for too long as her unspoken words filled the space between them. She can't watch you leave again. Instead, he stared at the DEO emblem on the floor below, thinking about how much he was going to miss this place again and trying not to think about how the tears had streamed down Kara's face as she kissed him desperately one last time and then waved goodbye, her pod whisking him away. He heard Alex sigh and move towards him until she leaned her forearms against the railing next to him. They watched agents go about their daily business below for a minute before she spoke, her voice considerably more gentle this time.

"I know...I know that it's not your fault, but part of me is still mad at you. Because you'll leave again and I'll have to pick up the pieces. Again." Alex swallowed hard. "When you left the first time...she closed herself down and wore herself thin as Supergirl. We barely talked and I-I blamed myself because I didn't know how to help her. I'm her sister, I should know how to help her," she finished almost angrily, rubbing at an imaginary mark on her palm.

"Alex...it's not your fault either. I'm sorry," Mon-El choked out, tears burning his eyes as he gripped the metal railing. The feelings that her words stirred up were overwhelming and he hated that a small part of his heart jumped at the thought of Kara maybe not having moved on like he originally thought. "I just...I can't-I have a duty. I wish-"

"I thought your marriage was over," Alex interrupted, a slight edge to her voice. Mon-El's eyes snapped to hers in question and Alex shrugged. "I talked to Winn."

He sighed heavily, briefly closing his eyes and rubbing a hand over his face. He hadn't meant for that knowledge to get out, but Winn had overheard him and Imra arguing a few weeks ago and he should've known that Winn couldn't keep anything from Alex so he just nodded slowly. "No, you're right. All the more reason why I have to go back and find another way to uphold the treaty so that the planets aren't thrown into another war."

Alex gave a short laugh and Mon-El glanced towards her. "Always have to save the world first. Kara taught you well," she said. A fond, but sad, smile accompanied the warm look she gave him.

When Mon-El finally managed to speak past the lump in his throat, his voice came out as a whisper. "I owe her everything, Alex."

They fell into a comfortable silence for a long moment, leaning against the railing, before Alex spoke up softly.

"You know, Kara isn't the only one that missed you when you were gone. We all felt your absence. No one could admit it for a long time, but we missed your jokes and the way you always tried to lighten the mood," Alex said with a wry smile and Mon-El couldn't help chuckling sheepishly, scratching his jaw, though he sobered as she continued. "Winn spent weeks on end trying to find some way to locate your pod and had an emotional breakdown when he realized he couldn't. I had to take him home from the bar that night. I know for a fact that J'onn misses you and your chocolate chip cookies cause he gets sad everytime he sees the store bought ones," Alex said, the corners of her mouth quirking upwards, but her expression somber. "You were family. You still are."