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Sam is late. Again.
It honestly isn’t a surprise to anyone that Sam is late to a soccer game. She makes it to all of them somehow, some way, because it’s her daughter. Not to mention, the guilt trip from her daughter cuts way deeper than German investors threatening to pull their funding. At least for German investors, she can get her way with an intimidating glare and a stern reminder of who was investing in whom.
She throws herself into the empty lawn chair beside Lena. “How did you deal with Japan so quickly?” she asks, breathless from sprinting from the parking lot.
Lena rolls her eyes and takes a large swig out of her water bottle. “I’m barely on time as you are,” she responds before reaching beside her for a water bottle to toss onto Sam’s lap. “They didn’t have a concept of time zones, so they kept dragging things on.”
Sam takes a healthy swig of water, finding relief after a long meeting. She can feel her stomach start to grumble as she looks around for Ruby. “Where’s Kara?”
“She’s grabbing the KT tape for the girls,” Lena answers before looking around. “She should be back soon. Apparently, the girls from Star City like to play a bit rough.” She narrows her eyes down the field as the girls run back and forth after the ball.
Sam scoffs in disbelief. “Are you kidding me? They’re only twelve, they don’t need to take this so seriously. What did the coach do?” She looks around for J'onn. “If Ruby gets hurt I swear to”---who--
“Got the other girl booted surprisingly.”
“Who is that?” Sam asks with wide eyes as they fall on a beautifully tall woman with short auburn hair wearing a Manchester U jersey and skin tight black jeans. She completely forgets what she was asking Lena as her eyes follow the woman she’s never seen before.
“That’s Alex, she’s filling in for J’onn today,” Lena answers. She takes a moment before she realizes the dumb look on Sam’s face as her eyes follow Alex.
Sam feels her throat go dry because Alex stands tall with the whistle dangling from her lips and fit, muscled arms crossed over the clipboard of plays. Her eyes are trained up and down the field with such an intensity to win the game. It’s not just attractive, but wow. She is really, really hot.
“Sam!”
“Oh my god, did I just say that out loud?” Sam shoots her eyes towards Lena. She covers her mouth as her cheeks warm with embarrassment.
Lena breaks out into a loud laugh. “Yes, you did! You don’t even know her and you’re drooling.”
“Okay, I am not drooling,” Sam quickly protests. “I just---Holy shit do you see her legs?” Sam is clearly referring to Alex’s shapely thighs even underneath the jeans.
Alex suddenly blows the whistle at a small scuffle close to the goal and the look on her face grows dark. Dark in the best way because she yells for the referee to pay attention. At which it not only terrifies the poor guy but piques Sam’s interest even further.
“You should drink more water,” Lena comments beside her with a push at her shoulder. “Your thirst is showing.”
Sam shrugs. “You’re married, not blind. You see her!” She practically cries out in her defense. It doesn’t help that she hasn’t gotten laid in awhile either. “I wouldn’t mind if she ran me up and down the field.”
“Sam!” Lena continues to laugh into her chair. “How many more puns do you have? Just get them all out now.”
Sam cracks her neck with a confident smile before opening up the water bottle. “She can run drills on me.”
“Gross.”
“She can score a goal on me any time.”
“Terrible.”
“Put me in coach!”
“What?!”
They both fall into a raucous laughter. It’s been a long day for the both of them. Sam just wants to relax and unwind. If she can do so over fantasizing over a hot coach she’ll never have the guts to talk to, so be it. The laugh she lets out is genuine and a breath of relief.
“Hey, you two, what’s going on?” Kara reappears beside Lena.
Lena briefly stops laughing to wipe the corner of her eye before tilting her head up to kiss her wife. Kara smiles into the kiss.
Sam feigns gagging and takes a sip of her water.
Kara sits down. “What has you two in stitches?”
“Like you didn’t hear me,” Sam points out very obviously.
Kara’s eyes widen as she pushes her glasses up. “That doesn’t mean I’m always listening.”
Lena swats Sam’s arm for her to be nice to Kara. Sam sticks out her tongue playfully while Lena looks back at Kara. “Sam thinks that Alex is very hot and has been coming up with nasty puns that she’ll never be able to use on Alex.”
Kara immediately turns red. “Alex as in?”
“The hot coach running the team today,” Sam clarifies with absolutely no shame. She stares as Alex jogs towards the goal to watch the girls and she can’t help but let out a wistful sigh as her auburn bob moves majestically in the wind. “Why have I never seen her before?”
Kara’s eyes widen and Lena curled up in her seat snickering beside her. Kara looks at Lena questionably, who nods in affirmation. They have a wordless conversation as Sam dumbly continues to watch the game and Alex of course. Lena subtly shakes her head at Kara not to tell Sam and just follow her lead. While Kara stares skeptically, with a scrunch of her nose, she does so anyway, holding Lena’s hand.
They continue to watch the game, Sam ceasing her terrible puns in favor of cheering on her daughter and Lori.
“You know, you should talk to the coach,” Lena tries to say slyly during the last half of the game.
Sam raises an eyebrow at Lena, knowing that tone of voice. “You know that I'm not going to talk to her,” she shoots back. More like she shoots down the idea immediately. “There’s no chance of that happening.”
“Oh why not? You are attracted to her, that much is easy to tell,” Lena points out. “I bet she’s single. Isn’t that right, Kara?” She slaps at her wife to catch her attention.
Kara jumps from her focus on watching Lori on the field. “Yes?”
“The coach is single right?” Lena tilts her head for Kara to follow her lead.
Kara looks confused momentarily before realizing what Lena was trying to do. She lets out an awkward laugh, trying to lessen the awkward situation. “Oh, oh, yeah! She’s like super single,” Kara blurts out as casually as she can. “You know, just moving back to National City to be closer to her family. She doesn’t know too many people. Yeah, you should totally talk to her.”
Sam narrows her eyes suspiciously at Kara before looking at Lena. “You two are plotting something, I just know it.”
“Whaaaat?” Kara immediately goes off before Lena stares at her with a hard glance that makes her shut up.
“I think it’s just time for you to get back into the game,” Lena blatantly explains. “Ruby’s father hasn’t been in the picture for ages. You’re overworked and underappreciated.”
“Can you tell my boss that?” Sam cheekily says.
Lena rolls her eyes. “You deserve to have a good time.”
“I do have a good time. I have Ruby. I have you guys and Lori. You guys are my family. I don’t really want to date anyone if it’s not long term either. I don’t like the idea of Ruby having to warm up to someone if they aren’t sticking around.”
“But you’re attracted to her?” Kara offers carefully. Even she sounds sympathetic to Sam and usually she tries to remain neutral when it comes to her personal life.
Sam shrugs it off. “Unless Ruby has a stamp of approval, I think I am going to pass.” Lena lets out a disappointed huff and Kara rubs her wife’s arm soothingly. “Sorry ladies, I commend your efforts.”
“Watch out!” “Look out!”
Before Sam can even react.
THWACK
CRACK
“Motherfu--!!!!!!!” Sam screams at the sharp pain across her face. There are tears that immediately start stinging her eyes as she feels warm liquid pouring from her nose. “Fu-aaghhhhh!” She covers her nose as blood starts to fall profusely. Through her eyes slammed shut from the pain she manages to yell, “What the hell was that?!”
The tears really start to sting her eyes as she tries to open them but the pain is so sudden, she’s still in shock.
Lena is helping her with the bleeding, shoving a stack of napkins at her to start. There’s a small crowd starting to form around her asking if she’s alright but no one is actually doing anything and it’s starting to frustrate her.
“Everyone move aside, it’s fine, I’m a doctor.”
Sam looks up at the commanding and smooth voice as the crowd starts to disperse. Shit.
Alex reaches across Sam to hand Kara her whistle and playbook. “Kara, take over for me.” Kara nods quickly and gets out of her seat. Alex turns to the referee. “Can you call a foul and move on with the game?” she demands. The referee nods and blows his whistle. Ruby even comes by to make sure her mom is alright, but Alex easily enough says, “Get back in the game. They need you out there. I can take care of her.” Ruby stares with worry but Sam nods and she goes running back, eyes over her shoulder anyway. It’s the fastest anyone has ever seen a scene calm down. “Lena, can you hand me more napkins?”
Sam stares in awe, even though she’s still trying to stop her nose from bleeding. She starts to tilt her head back when she feels a hand at the back of her head.
“You actually don’t want to do that,” Alex says soothingly. There’s a small smile at the corner of her lips. “It’s a minor misconception that it’ll stop the bleeding,” she eases Sam to tilt her head forward and move towards the edge of her seat.
Sam can actually feel warmer with Alex’s hand at her back guiding her. “This is really embarrassing,” she mumbles through her covered nose. Alex has a napkin underneath her nose ready to catch the blood.
“This stuff happens in sports all the time,” Alex says. “Can I take a look at it?”
Sam’s eye widen and she glances at the corner of her eyes to see Lena hovering with worry.
“I am a doctor,” Alex reassures with a kind smile on her face. It’s a bit unfair because she’s not only attractive physically but a doctor? Her brain is attractive too.
Sam huffs and lets out a spurt of blood on accident, which makes her even more embarrassed. She eases her bloody hands from her face and lets the blood fall onto the napkin Alex has under her chin. She winces at the breeze that crosses her face.
Alex reaches for Sam’s hand and they’re unbelievably soft. “Can you take this?” Alex eases the napkin into Sam’s hand before letting go. Her hands hover over Sam’s cheek as her thumbs gently ease over her nose.
Sam winces at the pain.
“Yep,” Alex murmurs. “That’s broken.”
“What?!” Sam exclaims before she whimpers at the pain. “Broken?”
Alex lets out a small laugh at the shocked look on Sam’s face. “I can set it, if you want me to.”
“Are you actually a doctor?” Sam asks quickly as Alex’s thumbs press against her nose.
Alex backs off immediately. “Why would I lie about that?”
“Well a lot of people say they’re doctors when they really have like doctorates or PhDs, not really MDs--”
Alex watches as Sam rambles and the blood continues to pour. Until she says, “4 years of medical school, 6 years in residency, and a surgical fellow year. I’m pretty sure I’m a doctor.”
Sam blushes at this, “Well then, proceed doctor.”
Alex nods, bringing her thumbs back to Sam’s nose. “This is going to hurt, maybe. On the count of three.”
Sam takes a breath, before coughing a bit of blood. “Oh god,” she groans with disgust. “Alright, I’ve got this. On three.”
“One,” Alex breathes. “Two. Three.”
Sam shuts her eyes but the pain doesn’t come. She opens her eyes. “Wait did you--?” Suddenly there’s a snap and Sam yelps in pain, shrinking away from Alex quickly. There’s another deluge of blood that drives her to sit forward, letting the blood fall to the ground. Her nose feels a hell of a lot better.
“Hey, Aunt Alex, I got the first aid kit,” Lori suddenly appears besides her with a red bag.
Aunt Alex? Sam picks up her head to Lori’s voice. She glances over at Lena who gives her a sheepish look.
“Alex, Sam. Sam, Alex,” Lena introduces. “Alex is Kara’s sister.”
Sam’s eyes widen and Alex just looks up at her with a smile. “Nice to meet you.” She opens the red bag. “Thanks, Lori,” Alex says before looking down the field. “You think you could help your mom out? She hates that soccer isn’t Garatta.”
“Man, I hate that soccer isn’t Garatta too,” Lori complains before jetting off to help Kara.
Alex laughs at Lori’s complaint as she opens up the first aid kit to pull on some gloves. She takes out a fresh wad of gauze before handing it to Sam. “Wipe and then let me see?”
Sam nods, wiping the blood from her nose, wincing when she presses too hard. When the bulk of the blood is gone, she looks at Alex.
Alex stares with a lovely smile and nods. “Still looks beautiful to me.” She looks back in the bag for sterile water.
Sam blushes at that and darts her attention to Lena, who is smiling with her mouth wide open with excitement. Sam looks back at Alex who has a damp 4x4 of gauze.
“I’ll get you cleaned up and then let you decide if you want to go to the hospital now or wait until the game is over,” Alex says.
Sam suddenly feels nervous as Alex moves in closer to her face. The wet gauze touches above her lip and she revels in the gentleness of Alex’s hands. It’s wholly inappropriate to think of when Alex is actually tending her wound.
In the corner of her eyes, she can see Lena gesturing for her to talk. Sam doesn’t know how. Or what she could talk about.
“Let me know if it hurts okay?” Alex comments when she realizes Sam is stiff under her touch.
“No, no, you’re fine,” Sam quickly responds. There’s an awkward silence. “Uh--so you must be good.”
Alex raises an eyebrow as she reaches for more gauze. “Good as in?”
Sam’s eyes widen comically at the unintentional double entendre. “Good as a doctor. I mean you fixed my nose.”
Alex smiles to herself as she dabs the wet gauze at Sam’s chin gingerly. “I would hope I’m a good doctor.”
“She’s being modest,” Lena leans in to interject. “She’s very smart. Top of her class. Extremely talented neurosurgeon.” There’s an encouraging smile on her face as she eagerly stares at Sam. “She just started at NC General. Very new, very eligible.”
“Wow,” Sam grits out at Lena. She looks back at Alex with an apologetic look on her face. “I’m sorry that Lena isn’t very subtle.”
Alex looks over to smile at a seemingly innocent looking Luthor-Danvers. “Trust me, those two are the least subtle people I know.” She dabs a dry gauze on Sam’s face before look at her work. “Yup, still good.”
Sam feels self conscious under Alex’s gaze and the blush creeping up her face even harder. “Th-thanks,” Sam stutters before cursing at herself for stuttering. “I mean I’m not going to look like Owen Wilson, am I?”
Alex laughs before reaching for a cold pack, she wraps it in a small towel before gently placing it against Sam’s face. “Definitely not. This is for the swelling.”
Just as Sam takes the ice pack, her fingers brush against Alex’s and all of her senses are on high alert again. Her mind is internally screaming as she carefully presses the cold pack against her nose. There is sweet relief that eases her but it’s very noticeable that Alex is still there.
“So, I’m not going to say it’s good as new, but it’s good for right now since the blood is starting to clot. Do you want to go to the hospital or do you want to wait?” Alex asks.
Sam groans as she takes the ice pack off just as everyone cheers. She sees down field through her semi teary eyes their girls celebrating before looking at Lena. “How much time is left?”
“At least another 30 minutes,” Lena says. “You should go, it’s better to get it checked now than later.”
“I can wait,” Sam says as she looks at the field before putting the ice pack back on. “I want to be here for Ruby.”
Just as she says this, Ruby comes jogging towards her, jacket in hand, brushing by Alex and reaching for her mom’s hand. “Hey, okay, we’re going to the hospital right?” Ruby asks immediately.
Sam squeezes her daughter’s hand. “We can wait until the end of your game,” she says lifting the ice pack. “Alex patched me up.”
Ruby frowns at the small line of blood from her nose and reaches for a napkin from Lena, who’s already holding it out. “Gross, mom, no. We should go. That looks like a lot of blood.”
“It’s fine, it wasn’t that much,” Sam tries to reassure. “I don’t want you to miss your game. Your team needs you.”
“I just got us a three point lead,” Ruby points out before tugging Sam’s hand. “Come on, we should go. You need to see a doctor.” There’s all the worry in her voice.
It tugs at Sam’s heart. “I’m fine, Ruby. It’s just a bloody nose.”
“We also need to get a splint for it,” Alex points out suddenly.
Ruby notices her presence more now that she’s said something. She looks at Alex in alarm before looking at Sam. “It broke?”
“Alex set it for me,” Sam defends. She lifts the ice pack again. “Looks good as new!”
Ruby scrunches her face and reaches out to encourage her mom to put the ice pack back on her face. “No, that’s so gross. It’s swelling really badly. You look like Owen Wilson.”
“You said I looked fine!” Sam shoots to Alex quickly.
“Mom, is Alex a doctor?” Ruby counters.
“She is,” both Sam and Lena answer in unison much to Ruby’s dismay.
“Fine.” Then Ruby looks up at Alex with sudden confidence. “Doctor, in your medical opinion, do you think my mom should go to a hospital and see a doctor?”
Alex nods. “Of course.”
“Ha!” Ruby cheers, gently pushing her mom’s shoulder. “We’re going now!”
Sam narrows her eyes at Alex, who immediately raises her hands in surrender.
After leaving very little room for debate, Ruby forces her mom to call for an Uber to bring them to the hospital and she leaves her keys with Lena to bring her car over. They have to wait forever in the emergency room and mostly it consists of Ruby sitting there chiding her mom for not wanting to come to the hospital in the first place, while Sam sits there saying, they could’ve finished the game and it still would’ve taken the same amount of time waiting. Especially when Lena comes by to let them know she and Kara dropped off her car. She offers to stay but Sam protests and says they’ll catch up later.
They make it to 90 minutes before Ruby gets fed up and goes to the nurse to ask how much longer it’d be. Sam follows after her to stop her daughter from being rude by asking for more gauze and another cold pack. The nurse stares skeptically at Sam before glaring at Ruby. It takes the nurse about 15 minutes to get to them.
It doesn’t take as long as they advertise it to be. Somehow they get to hour 2 when Sam hears her name being called up to get checked out. They wait briefly in the exam room until the door opens and Alex walks in.
“Hey!” Sam’s eyes widen in surprise. Alex looks different standing before in dark blue scrubs that match her complexion even better than Supergirl’s blue does. Her white coat sleeves are rolled up showing off her forearms once more. Did she get hotter?
“Wow, you really are a doctor,” Ruby adds with the same admiration. “Are you here to check out my mom?”
Sam blushes at her daughter’s very poor choice of words and tries desperately not to giggle but it comes out anyway. “Check me out? I’m sure that’s not the case, Ruby.”
Ruby looks at her mom funny before looking at Alex.
“I'm not actually,” Alex answers as the door opens and another man walks in. He’s much taller than her with a strong jaw and messy dirty blonde hair. His beard is immaculate and even under his white coat, Sam can see his muscles.
“Hi, I’m Dr. Sloan, plastics,” he oozes with confidence, holding his hand out for Sam to shake.
Now there are two extremely attractive doctors in the small exam room with Sam and her daughter. What universe did she step into?
“Do I need a plastic surgeon?” Sam asks in alarm.
Alex laughs. “No, you don’t. But I thought I’d get you the best doctor in case you don’t trust my judgment.”
“That’s right, Lexie, the best,” he agrees wholeheartedly, dropping his hand on her shoulder with a rub. There’s a familiarity in his touch that makes Sam feel awkward.
So much for being single.
That thought is dispelled when Alex smiles and nods along before grabbing his two middle fingers and twisting them off her shoulder.
“Not the hands! Not the hands!” he yelps, pulling away as fast as he can.
“Don’t call me Lexie,” Alex shoots back with a cheeky smile. She looks at Sam apologetically. “I apologize in advance for whatever he says, but I promise he will take care of you.” Her pager beeps at her waist and she pulls back her white coat with a bit of flare that catches Sam’s attention because it’s so cool. “If you’ll excuse me, there’s a trauma coming in.”
Alex leaves the room shooting a smile at Sam and Sam waves back. Ruby excuses herself to follow Alex out.
So as Mark, Sam comes to learn his first name through his failed attempts at flirting, does his assessment, she decides to make conversation because clearly he at least knows Alex.
“So you and Alex seem close,” Sam casually puts out there. “Are you---”
“Dating?” Mark finishes with his boyish smirk. He shakes his head, he reaches for the splint kit. “No, no. As beautiful as she is, she is like a scrappy little sister to me.” Sam nods at the odd description and doesn’t really know what to say to that since she doesn’t know Alex that well at all. “Are you interested?”
“Interested in what?” Sam asks dumbly.
“Alex,” he remarks. He continues to multitask with ease as he talks. “She probably likes you if she’s got me coming to help you out. Usually our conversations start with how revolting I am to her.” He chuckles.
“We don’t actually know each other,” Sam answers, trying to remain as cool and calm and neutral as possible. “I heard she just moved here recently.”
Mark nods, carefully placing the splint on her face. “Yep, moved here to be closer to her family.” Sam thinks that’s all he has to say when he glances at her with a smirk. “I hear she’s single and she’s interested in women. I mean if you’re interested of course.”
Sam snorts that it actually hurts her briefly and Mark chuckles at her.
Mark does quick work but he’s confident that Sam will be fine and to check back with him in a couple of days. He even gives her a card with his number on it. And while she takes it with an eye roll, he smiles anyway and says, “I hope the next number you get is Alex’s then.”
She blushes at this and goes on her way to find out where her daughter has been hiding out.
Alex doesn’t ever realize how quickly she’s moving through the hospital until she’s down in trauma, triaging patients. In her mind, it feels like there are a million things she has to get done but in reality it takes less time than she thinks. It’s why she doesn’t notice that Ruby is in the ER trailing after her until she comes out of a grueling trauma room.
“Ruby! What are you doing here?” she asks with concern.
Ruby stares at Alex, in an almost spitting image of her mother. With that stern furrow of her brows and pursed lips. “I just wanted to ask you a few questions.”
Alex stares skeptically at her as she starts to walk. “Can we walk and talk? I just have a few things to do.”
“How old are you?”
“I am 34. I skipped third grade.”
Ruby nods and follows after Alex. “What do you like to do in your free time?”
“Uh, I do kickboxing, martial arts, and go hiking.” Alex stops at the nurses station to grab a huge stack of folders.
“What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?”
“Anything with chocolate and/or strawberry.”
“Do you like cats or dogs?”
“I like all animals. They’re cute in their own ways.”
“Do you prefer tea or coffee?”
“Coffee in the mornings and tea if I am doing an overnight shift.”
“Do you prefer watching movies or tv?”
“I’m more of a video gamer than either of those two to be honest. If it’s strictly those two, then tv.”
“What’re you playing now?” Ruby asks with sudden excitement. She chides herself as Alex is about to answer with, “No wait, what are you watching right now?”
“I’m a sucker for political dramas and comedies.”
Ruby nods in approval. She realizes that Alex is really good at multitasking because as she’s going through the patient files, she still manages to answer Ruby. So she has to take this opportunity to ask a real question.
“How do you feel about kids?” Ruby breathes out.
Alex looks at Ruby in confusion. “I love kids.”
“Do you have any?”
“Nope.”
“Do you want any?”
“Of course, I don’t see why not.”
“Well some people say that they love kids but wouldn’t want any of their own,” Ruby reasons for Alex.
Alex agrees with that thought process and goes back to signing off on a chart. “I’ve always wanted kids.”
“Good.” Ruby states thoughtfully. Before Alex can ask a question, she interrupts with, “How did your last relationship end?”
There’s a scratch of pen into the paper that comes to a halt and Alex puts her pen down. She leans against the nurses station and the nurse behind the desk looks at Alex curiously before looking at Ruby.
“Ruby, why are you asking me all of these questions?” Alex asks suspiciously.
Ruby squares her shoulders and looks up at Alex. “I think my mom is interested in you,” she answers.
Alex feels her ears turn red as the nurse stares at Alex with deep interest. She moves to usher Ruby away from listening ears. “Ruby, does your mom know you’re asking me these questions?”
Ruby shakes her head. “You think she’d let me?”
Alex tilts her head at the certainty in Ruby’s voice and nods. “I’m going to assume no,” she answers. “But I’m not entirely sure that this is an appropriate conversation you should be having with me.”
“Why not?”
“Because if your mom was interested in me, then maybe she and I could have that conversation.”
Ruby perks at this. “So does that mean you are interested in my mom?”
Alex suddenly feels trapped and her face warms. She isn’t going to deny that she finds Sam attractive. And after months of Lena going on over video calls with her and Kara about how Sam is a beautiful, smart, and eligible single mother, Alex would be lying if she said she wasn’t interested in meeting her.
“I’m going to take that long pause and the pinking of your cheeks as a yes,” Ruby notes aloud.
Alex flaps her mouth like a fish before trying to regain her composure. “Regardless of whether or not I am interested in your mom, I think that it’s something she and I should talk about.”
“Agreed,” Ruby resolutely says to Alex’s surprise. Then she adds, “Are you free tonight?”
Alex is once again caught off guard at Ruby’s questions. “What?”
“Are you free tonight?” Ruby repeats slowly for Alex. There’s a cheeky smile at the corner of her lips that Alex can’t be mad at. “If you are, my mom is cooking sopas tonight and you should join us.” Alex starts protesting when Ruby shakes her head. “No, think of it as a thank you for taking care of her. I thank you. And she’s going to thank you.” Alex reddens at how Sam would thank her and Ruby goes flat face at her. “Head out of the gutter, coach.”
“My head wasn’t in the gutter,” Alex protests firmly.
Ruby makes a sound as she side eyes Alex but she lets it drop. “So dinner tonight?” she asks.
“Uhm--we should talk to your mom about this,” Alex tries once more.
“She’s never going to have the guts to ask you.” There’s a slight disappointment and even guilt in her voice.
They’ve walked back towards her mom’s exam room just as she and Sloan are coming out. Alex feels a sense of relief as she sees Sam.
Sam sees Alex and shyly looks away. The look melts her heart and it doesn’t matter if Sam has a splint on her nose, Alex knows that Sam is beautiful. Sam is featured on enough CatCo magazines that Lena sends.
Ruby rolls her eyes. “I get it, she’s pretty,” she deadpans to Alex. Alex shoots her a look.
“Don’t put me on the spot,” Alex bumps Ruby playfully.
Ruby chuckles before leaving Alex’s side to go to her mom, taking her purse from her hands. “Mom, Alex is joining us for dinner. Is that okay?”
Alex stares in just as much shock as Sam does. Their eyes meet again.
“Did you ask her nicely?” Sam asks because Ruby knows that she’d never say no to her.
Ruby smiles proudly at herself. “I asked her nicely on your behalf.” She glances back at Alex before looking at her mom. “I am going to wait in the car.” She quickly hugs Sam before letting go. “You’re welcome,” she says aloud before walking off with her bright smile and head held high.
Alex nervously stands there as Ruby leaves the emergency room and Sam’s left standing there in confusion.
“I feel like I’m missing something,” Sam say, approaching Alex in wake of her strange daughter.
Alex shakes her head with a chuckle. She scratches her forehead with her thumb, trying to find out where she should start. “Uhm, I think your daughter just asked me out on a date for you,” she tries to explain.
Sam’s eyes widen with shock and embarrassment. Despite this, Alex can’t help but notice her twinkling hazel eyes. “I am sorry what?” she asks quickly.
Alex nods, shoving her hands into her white coat. “She’s under the impression that you are interested in me.”
Sam blushes brightly and begins to stumble over her words. “Wh-ah-are you---I mean, I’m not dating anyone,” Sam keeps stumbling and her hands start to gesticulate. “Not that I am dating. I have a busy job that keeps me at the office late a lot of days. And I have a daughter. She’s twelve. It’s always been us and we are---”
Alex can start to see why Ruby says Sam would never ask her out. She smiles kindly. “Hey, it’s okay,” she tenderly says, holding her hand out to placate Sam. “I get it. You and Ruby are really close. That’s a really special relationship. If you feel uncomfortable, you can tell Ruby whatever you want.”
Sam looks torn between relieved and regretful. She nods slowly. “Thanks for saying that,” she says softly, the regret loud in her voice.
Alex still smiles. “She really loves you and she’s super protective.”
Sam nods in agreement. “Like I said, it’s always been us.” She fiddles with her fingers nervously as she stands there. She knows she should’ve just gone with it but this isn’t just about Ruby. Sam doesn’t know if she’s ready for this. As much as she wants to get to know Alex, it terrifies her. “I should go.”
“Of course,” Alex steps aside for Sam graciously. “I am glad that you're okay.”
Sam smiles, still feeling the tug at her heart as she starts to walk towards the exit. “Thanks to you, for being there and then expediting the long wait here. That’s a lot for someone I’ve barely met.”
“Well, any friend of Kara and Lena is a friend of mine,” Alex says walking beside her. “It’s nice to put a name to a face.”
Sam looks at Alex with sudden curiosity. “What do you mean?”
Alex looks briefly caught and answers, “Kara and Lena talk about you all the time. All good things.”
“Well this is sad because I know nothing about you,” Sam comments ruefully.
“I’m sure we will get to know each other eventually.” Sam raises an eyebrow at Alex. “I mean I’m always at the hospital, but I’m sure Kara and Lena are going to pry me away from here to hang out. So maybe we will see each other.”
Sam isn’t going to lie that there’s a sadness in her chest knowing that they’d never get to hang out unless it’s the behest of Kara and Lena. She wants to get to know Alex too. Instead of saying just that, she says, “Yeah, maybe we will.”
Alex has an indiscernible look on her face, but it isn’t disappointment thankfully.
They reach the exit and Sam feels herself lingering in Alex’s presence. The doors slide open and Sam looks outside. She looks back at Alex with a tugging in her chest because she doesn’t want to leave just yet.
“If you ever need anything, medical or not, I’m here,” Alex informs leaning in playfully. It sounds an awful lot like a promise.
Sam nods. “I’ll see you around, Alex.”
Alex offers a small wave. She stands at the exit of the hospital as Sam walks out.
Sam walks out slowly, thinking about Alex the whole time. She thinks of the what ifs and what mays. It settles in her heart heavily because Alex is genuine and kind and obviously smart and beautiful. But she can’t. She has L Corp and Ruby. She can’t date, she doesn’t know how to anymore. She looks back over her shoulder to see Alex still standing there, tall and confident, hands in her white coat over her neat navy blue scrubs. Even if she wants to--
There’s a chime from her phone that catches her attention. She pulls her phone out of her back pocket and sees a message from Ruby.
I approve! You can do it, mom! I believe in you!
Sam laughs at the text from her daughter. There’s a strong sense of relief in seeing her daughter’s text. Maybe. Just maybe.
She turns around to Alex, who is just about to walk away. She takes a breath. “Alex!”
Alex stops midstep and looks at Sam.
“Would you like to come over for dinner?” Sam yells across the walkway. “It’s the least I can do. As a thank you.” She feels herself vibrating with excitement as she waits for Alex’s response.
Alex looks a bit red under the shade but she nods. “I look forward to it!” Suddenly she looks at her waist again. “I’ve gotta go!”
Sam waves as the sirens fill the air from the other side of the emergency room. She watches as the doors slide close, catching a glimpse of Alex rushing off. She feels her heart swell inside of her and there’s a pep in her step as she walks to the car.
She climbs into the driver seat regaining her composure with Ruby buzzing with excitement.
“Sooooo?” Ruby sings in her seat.
Sam nods to herself as she reaches for the keys from Ruby. “She’s coming over for dinner,” she answers nonchalantly.
Ruby narrows her eyes. “That’s it?”
“Yup,” there’s a little pop at the p. “As a thank you.” Sam can’t wipe the smile off her face.
Ruby makes a sound before crossing her arms in disappointment, sinking in her seat. “That was less exciting than I thought it’d be. Did you at least get her number?”
Sam’s eyes widen and she lets out a pained groan when she drops her head onto the steering wheel. “I forgot!”
Ruby shakes her head and takes out her phone. “You’re lucky I asked Lena for it already.”
Sam lets out a scoff in disbelief. “Are you trying to set me up?”
“Obviously, mom,” Ruby deadpans. “Face it, it’s time you got back in the game.”