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Set post-Supergirl 5x16; the Danvers sisters need some R&R and a bit of looking after, and Kara needs to talk to Lena.

"Did you order take-away?" Kara asked, looking up from the TV, only just noticing that it was an ad-break, but unable to say what the program was.

"No," Alex mumbled, sitting on the couch beside her, her mind miles away as she scrolled absent-mindedly though Instagram. "But I am hungry now that you mention it. What do you want?"

"I don't think we're the ones making that decision," Kara said, sitting up properly and stretching.

"What do you mean?" Alex asked, not looking up from her phone, but not paying any more attention to the images she was scrolling through either. Kelly was at a work dinner to which Alex had been invited, but couldn't face. It had only been a couple of days since their father had been buried, and she wasn't ready to do fake smiles and forced conversations with people she didn't know and didn't care about.

"Someone's coming," Kara said.

"Maybe the neighbours ordered take-away."

A smile crept onto Kara's face as she recognised the footsteps. "Not with that delivery girl," she grinned, flicking off the TV, leaping off the couch and racing to the door. Kara flung the door open, revealing Kate Kane standing in front of it, two brown-paper bags and a six-pack under her arms.

"Knock-knock?" Kate said.

Kara laughed and pulled Kate into an awkward hug. "I am so glad to see you, you have no idea."

"Can I put this food down and hug you properly?" Kate asked, not entirely surprised by Kara's affectionate assault in the doorway.

"Of course, come in," Kara said, closing the door behind Kate.

"Ok, this is a properly good surprise," Alex said, finally putting her phone down. She plied herself from the couch as Kate began pulling food out of the bags. "And that smells so good."

"$100 worth of dumplings, and some beers. Figured you guys could use it."

"Gosh, I love you," Kara said, pulling Kate into a hug again.

"Right back at you," Kate said, holding tightly onto Kara. "Are you doing ok?"

"Not really," Kara mumbled, regretfully letting go of Kate. "But those potstickers smell amazing, so this definitely helps."

"Hi Alex," Kate said, giving Alex a hug while Kara found bowls, chopsticks and a bottle-opener.

"Hi Kate," Alex said, more grateful that she could say to see someone outside of their immediate circle, but who had some idea of the craziness of their lives.

"And are you ok?"

"No," Alex said. "But I think you understand that."

"Yeah," Kate said. "I'm sorry about your dad. Sorry I couldn't make it to Midvale."

"This totally makes up for it," Kara said, sorting out the various containers of dumplings.

Kate popped open a beer. "Also, Wayne Enterprises might have paid all your bills and rent this month. Just for one less thing to have to worry about."

"What?"

"Kate, you didn't?"

"Can you even do that?"

Kate shrugged, sipping her beer. "What's the point of having all that money in trust if you can't use it to help out? You guys deserve it. I'd buy you condos, but you'd never let me."

"Of course not," Kara said.

"I'm not entirely adverse to the idea," Alex said, popping open a beer. "So long as it's here and not in Gotham."

Kate chuckled.

"How have you been?" Kara asked. "Gotham all safe and sound and crime-free?"

Kate looked at her beer. "Is it ok that I'm kinda here because I needed to run away for a bit?"

"What happened?"

Kate bit her lip. "I screwed up. Badly. I was scared. Still am. But now I also feel guilty and horrible, so decided that running away for a night was the best course of action. I have a very nice room at the InterContinental National City Quays, with buffet breakfast included."

"What happened?" Kara asked.

"Short version," Kate said, helping take some of the dumplings over to the table, "I lied to Alice, screwed her over and betrayed her, getting her locked in a mental hospital-prison, then had sex with my ex."

"Damn," Alex said. "Ok, yeah, that's bad. By prison-hospital, do you mean Arkham?"

"Yeah," Kate said.

"Oh, Kate, that is really bad…"

"It's really bad and I feel like shit," Kate confessed. "Hence the bad-idea sex and the running away to come see you guys. Also I did genuinely want to see you because your dad died, and food and beer is more helpful than flowers, so…"

"Let's just eat potstickers and talk about non-terrible things for a bit and solve all our problems once we're full, ok?" Kara suggested, curious about what exactly Kate had done, but also very hungry. She knew it was only a matter of time for Kate asked about Lena, and Kara needed more time to come up with some answers.

"Excellent idea," Alex said, taking the bowls and chopsticks to the table. "So, you all hear that Sara Lance turned down a job in Star City? I cannot image her living in a normal house with a normal job."

"Well, she did work at Sink, Shower and Stuff for a bit," Kara said.

"What? Really? How did I not know that?" Kate asked.

"I think it nearly killed her," Kara said.

"No, I think it nearly killed her co-workers," Alex chuckled, "Are these pork?"

"I think so. Or pork and prawn. I ordered some of pretty much everything," Kate said, sitting down at the table. "I can imagine Sara doing just about anything if it's for Ava, even if it is selling sheets and towels."

"Would they get a city apartment or townhouse or like a ranch-style house on the outskirts of town?" Kara asked, more than happy to gossip about their friends than face any of their real problems right now.

…

"Kelly's having a boring night with luke-warm food and average wine, so we are having much better time," Alex said, paraphrasing the message Kelly had sent her, sending her girlfriend a chain of emojis in response. Alex, Kate, and Kara were all collapsed on the couch, the beers drunk, the leftover dumplings packed up and put in the fridge, with Kara already eyeing them off for her breakfast.

"I hate it when they don't even serve decent drinks at those things," Kate said. The TV was playing reruns of reruns of Becker, but no one was paying any attention.

"Those were really nice beers."

"Yeah, I thought so too. They're from a micro-brewery about 45 minutes outside of Gotham. I'm thinking of adding them to the bar, so thought I'd best check them out first."

"We totally need to come visit. I'll try and drag Kelly down to Gotham," Alex said.

"Yes, you have to come. You'll love it. Spend the night, I can put you up at Wayne Towers. There's heaps of room. Or a normal hotel. We have contracts with a couple of good ones."

"Maybe in a few weeks? All this Obsidian Platinum stuff has Kelly tied up at work. It'd be nice to have a night or two away once it's over." The food and drink and Kate's company had brought Alex out of the slump she'd been in for a few days. Kara didn't mind if it was only for tonight, as it had been too long since she'd seen Alex this animated.

"What is the go with those lenses? What's the issue that you mentioned at dinner?"

"I tell you that, then you have to explain what happened with Alice."

"No judgement?" Kate asked through gritted teeth. "Because it is pretty bad."

"No judgement," Alex promised. "We know exactly how crazy stuff gets, right Kara?"

"Hmm?"

"In a food coma, Kara?" Kate teased.

"What? No, I just - "

"You're distracted."

"I'm thinking."

"Uh-oh, that's always risky."

Kara poked her tongue out at Alex.

"Come on, Kara. It's Deep And Meaningful Discussion time. What's going through your head?" Kate asked, half serious, half teasing.

"I can guess," Alex said.

"Don't. Nothing. I'm fine."

"Ooh boy. No one says they're fine without being prompted unless they're not fine," Kate said.

"You're both drunk and teaming up on me," Kara pouted.

"Tipsy, not drunk," Kate said. "Have you got any ice-cream?"

"How are you still hungry?" Alex asked. "I'm not going to need to eat for days."

"I don't eat ice-cream very often," Kate said by way of explanation.

"There's a few tubs of Ben & Jerry's in the freezer," Kara said.

"Are you thinking about William?" Alex asked as Kate pushed herself to her feet to find ice-cream and spoons.

"Who?" Kate asked. "Oh, that guy? Aww, please Kara, don't tell me you ended up going out with him?"

"Yes. No. I mean, we had a couple of drinks and played snooker. I tried to be bad at it but I wasn't. I was excellent which was super awkward. Nothing really happened. That's all."

"Have you seen much of Lena since Crisis?" Kate asked. "And you have a nice little selection here," she said, going through the contents of Kara's freezer.

"Thanks? And - well, a bit?"

"Pfft," Alex rolled her eyes and lay back into the couch.

"What?" Kara asked defensively.

"Kara, you've seen her, what, three or four times? And actually spoken to her about twice?" Alex said, raising her eyebrows. "Kate, if you find anything with chocolate, I'll have that, please. There's always room for dessert."

Kara pulled her knees up to her chest. She missed Lena more than she could say. She missed their chats, their lunches, seeing her at Catco, visiting her office, having Lena over for games night. Her smile, her expensive perfumed scent, her trust, her companionship. "It's just kinda awkward right now, ok?"

"Found some, Alex. Which ice-cream, Kara?" Kate asked.

"Thanks, Kate. Ooh, Lord of the Rings reruns," Alex said, flicking through the TV channels.

"Spoons in the top draw?" Kate asked.

Kara stood up. "I need to go out."

"What? Where? Has something happened?" Alex asked, grabbing Kara's hand.

"You're right. You're both right. I've known this for ages and I've ignored it."

"Ignored what?" Kate asked, returning to the couch.

"Lena. I keep going to her with my guard up, and she'll never respond like that. I'm dating William to try an distract myself, but I don't really care. I don't want to do it. And who knows exactly what Lex is up to, but I know he'll be tying Lena up in it all to drag her down too, and I don't want her to get hurt, but I don't know how to help her, not with our relationship being what it is right now and…" Kara trailed off and looked around. "Kate, can you stay with Alex until I get back?"

"Of course," Kate said. "We'll eat your food and watch films and ignore our problems until you return."

"Damn right," Alex said, digging into her ice-cream.

"Ok," Kara said. "Well, I - umm…"

"Take a coat. It's cold," Alex said.

"Whatever happens, we're here and we love you," Kate said.

Kara nodded. "See you guys later."

"She is going to tell that girl how much she loves her, right?" Kate asked, settling back down on the couch beside Alex.

"I really hope so," Alex replied. "For both their sakes."