Chapter 3
One week later.
Cat sighs as she enters her office on Friday, her eyes immediately flitting to the full bloom red rose sitting in one of her rocks glasses. This is the fifth time this week…every day she’s come in to find a new flower, freshly picked, in full bloom in the middle of her desk. And obviously not from a flower shop. No cards or notes. Just the magnificent flowers in bloom sitting squarely on her desk at the first light of day.
Cat makes her way across the plush carpeted room and sits primly in her white leather chair before pulling out her cell and letting her bag thunk to the floor beside her. Her fingers twitch over the home button for what seems like minutes before finally bringing up her messaging app.
A red rose, Kara? Really?
She types it out quickly and hits send before she can even think about hesitating.
Cat reaches forward to pull her laptop closer to get started on her flood of daily emails, but a reply comes back almost instantly.
They remind me of you.
Cat huffs out a light snort.
How so?
She waits for a few minutes, even long enough for her to actually start up her computer and slip on her glasses before her phone buzzes back a reply.
The sharpest thorns often produce the most delicate of roses.
Cat thumps back against her chair and rubs her hand around the back of her neck. She closes her eyes against the nervous energy that she feels.
The moonflowers were Monday, purple violets on Tuesday. Then, honeysuckle on Wednesday, throwing Cat off and making her send her assistant on a wild search for flower sentiments. She feels like a love-sick teenager with all this attention. Kara paid a quick visit Tuesday night, but instead of one of their late night talks, she chatted with Carter for a few minutes before pulling Cat close and laying a soft kiss upon her cheek before flying off into the night.
It left her fuming.
It left Carter giggling.
Somehow, she must make Kara realize that this is for the best…that she’s too young and too pure and too…good, to be with someone like her. Cat startles when her phone buzzes with the arrival of another text.
There’s not a flower on earth that compares to you. See you tonight.
Her head thumps again against the soft surface of her chair and she stretches her neck as she lets out a slow breath. “Goddammit.”
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At a quarter til seven, Cat is finally turning her key into the lock of her penthouse door. She hears soft music and laughter coming from her kitchen and all at once, she knows what the ‘see you tonight’ reference was for. She takes a deep breath to settle herself before setting her bag down by the door and slipping out of her heels before padding softly towards the kitchen.
When she rounds the corner, her breath hitches in her throat at the scene before her. Carter is in his pajamas with his hands delved deep into a bowl in front of him while Kara stands behind him with her arms wrapped around his middle, holding the bowl steady as he kneads the contents and giggles as she lays playful kisses on his temple.
“Kara!” he laughs after Cat sees her hands drift to tickle his sides. “I can’t make the cookies if you keep distracting me,” he laughs.
She squeezes her arms around him again and buries her nose in his curly hair. Her eyes cut over to spy Cat’s soft expression in the doorway and Kara gives her a wink. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Cat can’t help it then. No matter how hard she’s thought she could keep Kara at arm’s length, it’s all been a ridiculous fight. Her smile breaks through and she laughs softly at the scene. Kara is beautiful like this. Hell, she’s beautiful any way, but like this, in her soft gray sweatpants and black tank top, her hair piled in a messy bun on the back of her head…she’s gorgeous. Her blue eyes shine as Cat walks closer. ‘I have no defense’ Cat muses.
“Mom! We made dinner!” Carter exclaims upon finally noticing his mother’s presence.
“I see that, darling,” she murmurs. “And…cookies?”
“We’re trying to make cookies, too, but Carter is taking forever,” Kara says with faux exasperation.
“Wha? Really, Kara? You’re the one who keeps eating all the dough,” he says smugly.
Cat scrunches her nose in disgust. “Gross, Kara.”
“Oh, come on. It’s just cookie dough,” she says through a mouthful after sneaking a bite. “I’m an alien. Germs don’t bother me,” she says with a shrug and a smile.
“You can still be gross,” Carter laughs. “I’m going to wash up,” he says as he runs off towards the hall bathroom.
Cat watches him go and then with only the slightest reluctance, she turns back to face the young woman who has been delivering fresh flowers to her office every morning along with romantic and flirtatious texts…their meanings each more intent as the days have passed. “Hi,” she whispers, unsure of her own rush of feelings after every flower, after every exchanged text this week.
Kara walks closer after drying her hands on a dishtowel and seeing the uncertain look on Cat’s face. “Hey,” she answers, now self-conscious after her blatant wooing. “Um, I hope you don’t mind. I’ve missed seeing him.”
“Of course not, Kara,” Cat breathes. “He’s missed you, too.”
The taller blonde shifts a bit uncertainly. “I’ve um…I’ve missed seeing you too. Texting isn’t really the same,” she says with a shy smile that crinkles her eyes.
“It’s not…” she says slowly, “but it’s still…something,” she says teasingly, her heart beating strongly even though her head tries to sway her. Jesus. She’s anything but a challenge.
Kara nods a tiny bit. “Something…isn’t nothing,” she murmurs, biting her bottom lip between her teeth.
“Definitely not nothing,” Cat finally says, taking the tiniest step towards her.
Kara takes another, bringing her close enough to touch. Her hands itch to reach out and slip her hands around Cat’s tiny waist. “Cat,” she breathes.
“Kara! It’s time to take out dinner!” they both hear from down the hall, making both of them take a cautious step back. Cat raises one hand to her face in embarassment, running her thumb and forefinger along the upper ridges of her nose.
Kara clears her throat. “I’ll just…uh, I’ll get dinner out,” she grimaces, then darts off to the kitchen in a flash of superspeed.
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“What is wrong with you two?” Carter finally asks, after the two women tip-toe around each other at dinner and even now as he delivers freshly baked cookies to the living room.
“Nothing!”
“Nothing!”
They both respond at the same time, startling Carter but leaving the both of them in a fit of giggles which leaves the young teenager in complete bewilderment. “Adults are so weird,” he murmurs as he returns the cookie sheet to the kitchen.
“We’re freaking him out,” Kara finally says as she breaks a warm cookie in two in her hands. She reaches over to deliver one half to Cat.
The older woman takes it with a ‘hmmm’ and pops the freshly baked pastry into her mouth.
“I guess, I’m freaking him out,” Kara frowns, looking quickly between the gleaming surface of the coffee table and Cat’s face. “I’m the one that made things…weird.” She looks the opposite direction, out the windows to the shining National City skyline. “I’m sorry. If I made things weird…I just…”
“Kara…” Cat tries to interject.
“No, Cat. I tried to push you into something you don’t feel. I’m sorry,” she lifts her eyes towards sparkling green. “I know you don’t feel the same way. I understand. I just…I don’t want to lose what I have with you and with Carter. It’s too special to me.” Kara’s eyes almost spilling over with tears.
“Stop it,” Cat says quickly.
“Wha?”
“I said, stop it,” Cat says again. She rises from her seat and motions quickly for Kara to follow her out to the balcony while Carter is still cleaning up in the kitchen. She turns and waits as the taller woman follows timidly behind her. Cat reaches forward and catches both of her hands in her own. “I do feel the same way, Kara,” she breathes out slowly. “I do, but that doesn’t mean that we should automatically be together. I’m almost twice your age, Kara. And before you start telling me that you don’t care…I get that. I don’t care either, but you should. That means that when I’m 70, you won’t even be 40. When I’m 80…”
“I can do math, Cat,” Kara laughs, tears streaming down her face. “But you forget sometimes…that I’m not human,” she argues. “My species…they didn’t see things like you do here. They matched couples based on houses…on lineage. They never cared about age…at least after the age of consent. They cared about nothing but…status. There were couples with three to four decades between them. It was just their…way. They never took anything as trivial as…age…into consideration. And honestly, why should they? It doesn't mean that two people can't find love,” Kara pauses as she runs her fingers over Cat’s prominent knuckles. “As young as I was when I landed on this planet and after seeing marriage after marriage built on status alone, the concept of love was so farfetched for me. I didn’t understand it at first. Alex tried and tried to explain the way it might feel…but I never…got it. Not until the night I lifted a helicopter with one hand and you with the other,” she pauses and lifts Cat’s chin with one finger, brushing the trail of a tear away with the other. “I felt something…for you that night, something I couldn’t explain. It only grew from there and because of what I had been accustomed to growing up, your age…my age…never even occurred to me as being odd. It's just...numbers.”
“Kara, darling,” Cat soothes as she steps closer. She slips her hands against Kara’s cheekbones, then her neck and pulls her close to hold. “I’m sorry. I didn’t understand.”
“Don’t be sorry,” Kara says as she pulls back from the embrace. “Just tell me that we have a chance.” Her eyes dart back and forth between Cat’s in rapid succession. “That I’m not just doing sunrise transatlantics for fresh flowers for nothing,” she laughs.
“But they’ve been so lovely,” Cat murmurs. She reaches a hand to wipe wayward tears from the younger woman’s face. “Kara,” she breathes…but then she watches as the young woman reaches a hand to her ear.
“I’m here, Jonn. Yes. Be there in less than 5,” she switches the comm off and sighs. Kara reaches up to catch Cat’s hands and brings them to her mouth. “They need me.”
Cat nods. She watches as Kara retreats into the penthouse for just a moment, most of it to say goodbye to Carter who has just settled in on the couch. Before she knows it, the superhero alter-ego is standing before her, ready for action. “Be safe, please,” she pleads, stepping close and resting her head below Kara’s chin.
Kara can only hum a response as she pulls the slight woman closer. The feeling is one she’s dreamt of for months, for years if she’s honest. To hold the one woman you’ve held higher than anyone else in this world close…it’s like a dream. But one…that Kara will be returning to soon…as soon as is absolutely possible. “I promise.”
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She returns.
Three days later.
To the balcony on Cat’s office.
Cat’s glass shatters on the tile floor when she steps outside. Because…she…Supergirl…was supposed…dead.
“Kara,” she breathes, stepping forward over spilled bourbon and shattered glass. “Kara, are you ok?” Cat cries. “I called everyone I knew…I paid off every agency I had a lead in,” she confesses as she clings to Kara’s smiling form.
“Cat, it’s me,” Kara finally whispers. “I’m so sorry. I was out…in a coma of sorts. I couldn’t let them know to contact you…but I came here as soon as I could.”
Cat hiccups a sob as she runs her hands up Kara’s cheeks. “Thank god, you’re ok,” she cries. “Carter has been beside himself,” she says as she runs her hands over every inch of Kara that she can reach. “I don’t know if I can take this, Kara,” she confesses. “I can take arguments and disagreements…I can take fights over how much I work or how snippy I can be…but I don’t know if I can take…losing you,” she sobs as she clings to Kara’s body.
“Cat. This wasn’t a normal thing,” she pleads. “He took out 17 agents before we took out each other.”
“But…you’re ok?” Cat asks as she smooths her hands up Kara’s arms once again.
“I’m fine,” she promises. “I just needed time to recharge and they didn’t know to contact you.” Kara breathes, slipping her own arms around Cat’s waist like she has dreamed of so many times. It feels good. So good. And she knows that nothing else will ever compare. Cat’s perfume surrounds her and pulls her tighter to the slim woman.
Cat stands up straighter, taller even in her 4 inch heels. “I want to be on your contact list, Kara. Number one, goddammit. I need to know what’s happening with you, please?” Cat pleads, squeezing her fingers into Kara’s biceps.
Kara swallows her uncertainty. “Do you?” she asks. “Are you that person for me?”
“Yes,” Cat confesses. “Yes, Kara. If you’ll have me, then yes. I want to know every last detail. Please.” Cat gasps as warm, shaking lips meet hers. They are soft, so soft and they sweep and linger for a handful of seconds, then minutes as they become lost in each other. Cat buries her hands into Kara’s thick, blonde hair, holding her tighter, pulling her closer.
“I’ll have you, Cat. I promise…I love you,” Kara vows as she draws in a shaky breath.
“I love you too,” she whispers. “More promises between us?” Cat jokes as she pulls Kara closer in the circle of her arms.
“These will be forever,” Kara vows as she lifts them in the air, high above CatCo tower. “Let’s go home.”