Mercy

Coffee was a must for the agent. She couldn’t go a day without it. So it was no surprise when she found herself standing in line, making herself late for work, because, coffee, ‘nough said. Little did she know, today of all days, she was going to be a little later than usual.

“Hey Al, the normal?” The barista was beaming at her. She had that effect on people, well ok, not so much in the workplace. Outside of work however, people genuinely loved having her around. What’s not to like?

“You know me all too well Karen.” She took out her card, but before she could try to pay the barista pushed it back to her.

“Not this time.”

“What did I tell you about you comping my drinks? You’re way to kind, but I much rather pay.”

“Trust me, I got that the last few times you got after me for it, but that’s not what’s going on now. It’s already been paid for.” Karen smiled and looked passed Alex, towards the back of the room. Alex caught on rather quickly and turned towards the mystery person. Standing in the corner, in tight black jeans, long black leather heels that were tight enough to trace out her muscular calves, an all to revealing v-neck with a leather jacket covering up her small, in-shape frame, and long flowing black hair, was one of the most stunning women Alex, or anyone for that matter, had ever laid eyes on. As if the mystery woman knew eyes were on her, she slowly raised her head with a devilish smirk and breathtakingly steel blue eyes. Alex didn’t know what to say. She tried to turn quick enough to stop herself from staring to long. After all, she was in a committed relationship with Maggie. She knew she shouldn’t be looking, but she also felt bad for not saying thank you. She was in the ultimate conundrum, walk away without thanking the mystery woman and feeling like a jerk, or going up to her and feeling like a jerk later.

While she was in constant debate of what to do, Karen called out a name. “Clair” she yelled in the busy coffee shop. Sure enough the vixen moved forward. It’s as if she knew Alex’s problem and decided to make it easy on her. She walked past her without even a glance and got her drink, leaving only the sweet smell of her perfume in front of Alex.

“Do you know her?”

“The girl who bought your drink?” Alex nodded. “Never have seen her till today. She insisted that she pay for your drink though. Even asked if she could have your name.” Alex’s face went into work mode almost instantly and the barista could tell. “Don’t worry I didn’t give it to her. I said she should ask.” She handed Alex her drink.

“Well I guess she didn’t want it that bad.” Alex grabbed her drink and put money in the tip jar and walked outside.

Thankfully she is use to being startled, because her precious coffee would’ve been a goner. “Hi there Alex.” The sultry voice came from behind her.

Her instincts were telling her to grab her gun, but the public setting called for a much calmer version of the agent. A more calculated version. Alex turned around to see the dark haired beauty stepping closer to her. “How do you know my name?” Her voice was low and demanding, trying not to garner any attention from on lookers.

“You have something to hide?” She had balls to toy with the eldest Danvers sister.

“Do you?” Her hand was reaching towards her back, preparing herself for a confrontation with the woman.

“Fire with fire, I like your style.” The girl must have noticed that the tension was still thick in the air around them, and not a good kind, at least on Alex’s end. “I heard the barista call you by name. No need to reach for whatever you have hiding back there. However, I am intrigued.” Her blue eyes glistened. “I’m Clair.” She didn’t bother offering out her hand, as if knowing Alex wouldn’t shake it.

“Look, I appreciate the coffee, but I’m running late for work. It was a… pleasure meeting you.” She didn’t exactly know if it was a pleasure, but pleasantries felt necessary for free fuel in the morning.

“You should let me buy you more than coffee next time Alex.” Clair stepped a few inches closer. Alex took a step back. She was bold, Alex would give her that much.

“I’m taken.” With that, she thought she just got rid of the mysterious bombshell as she began to walk away.

Clair turned on her high heel and looked at Alex for a quick minute while saying something under her breath. She grew that devilish smirk on her face once more. “In case you change your mind, you have my number.”

“Excuse me?” Clair looked down at Alex’s cup. To her surprise she saw Clair’s name and number somehow on her cup. “How did you…” She couldn’t fathom how her once plain white cup now had writing on it. Had it always been there? No. She knew it hadn’t.

Clair turned towards Alex, all the while walking away from her, “Because Alex…” with one last smirk she turned away and shouted just loud enough for Alex to hear, “… I’m magic.”

***

“You’re late!” Kara mocked as Alex walked into her lab, closing the door behind the both of them. “Long line today?”

“Something like that.” She tried waving off her sister.

Kara caught on quickly to the puzzlement on Alex’s face. “What happened?”

“Nothing.” She walked to her gym bag and began to change into her gear. “So what’s our morning looking like?”

“Nope. Not happening.” Kara plopped on Alex’s chair. “Something’s going on in that mind of yours. What is it?”

“Seriously, Kara, it’s nothing. It’s been a typical, boring morning.” She continued to lie.

“Did Maggie do something?” Kara didn’t even get defensive. She knew the answer but just wanted Alex to give her a truthful one.

“No, of course not!”

“Then, what is it?”

“You can’t say anything to Maggie.”

“What did you do?” Kara’s tone got deeper.

“Nothing, I didn’t do anything. I just know how she gets sometimes, and I don’t want her to get jealous over nothing.” With that, both sisters turned around to see the door open with Maggie walking in.

“Jealous over what Danvers?” Maggie wasn’t good at hiding her dimples, even when she was pretending to be annoyed. Truth is, Maggie wasn’t the jealous type, she just loved Alex and didn’t want anyone looking, touching, or breathing the same air as her. Okay, so maybe Maggie was the jealous type. However, she knew Alex would never do anything to ruin their relationship, so she never could stay mad for longer than a minute.

Alex was frozen in place. “Don’t worry Mags, I’m waiting for the answer too. I think whatever it is, it broke my sister.” They both laughed as Alex snapped out of it and turned her coffee cup to face them. “Who’s Clair?” Kara asked, while Maggie was trying not to fume over the name and number on her girlfriend’s cup. “Is she new at the shop?”

“Before you get mad Maggie, I don’t know how this happened.” She took a deep breath and began to replay the events from earlier. Truth was, it was bothering her not knowing how this girl did that. She was standing right there. There was no possible way she could’ve written on her cup. “… The next thing I knew my cup had writing magically on it. I asked her how she did it, and she just walked away saying she was magic.”

“Well, you win for most interesting morning.” Kara laughed.

“I can’t say I blame her. I mean look at you.” Maggie walked over to her girlfriend and brought her in for a quick kiss.

“So… you’re not mad?” Kara could tell the conversation didn't include her anymore, and quietly walked out.

“Babe, of course I’m not mad at you. Thanks for telling me.” She kissed her cheek and retreated as her phone began to ring. “Sawyer.” There was a long pause. “I’ll be right there.” She hung up and picked up her helmet. “Some mysterious activity is happening by the old dock, care to join?”

Alex went to grab for her keys and helmet as well. “What kind of activity?”

“Not quite sure. Sgt just said that it’s my kind of activity.” They both reached their bikes and started their engines. “Not confident about what we are getting into, but he did say to keep an eye out. Recent anomalies, such as strange lights and sounds have been coming from there. We’ve tried to keep tabs on it but everything seemingly died out. Hopefully we get lucky today.” With that they were on their way.

***

When they pulled up to the dock they were pleasantly surprised to see a mysterious figure crouching over someone. They immediately parked, took off their helmets and drew their weapons, approaching cautiously as Maggie called in an ambulance. The closer they got, they realized the figure was a woman and the body below her wasn’t moving. “Put your hands up and step away from the body!” Maggie yelled at the woman.

“One second.” The woman did not get up or turn around and had a rather calm voice. She began to mumble gibberish over the dead body.

Maggie and Alex took a step closer. “I would listen to her if I were you.” Alex’s voice echoed throughout the empty dock.

The woman waved them off. She said a few more words silently, and got up. “Fine, but just know, this is not what it looks like.” She put her hands above her head and slowly turned around.

Alex and Maggie gasped. “Zatanna?” Maggie lowered her gun questioning the younger woman.

“Maggie Sawyer, as I live and breathe.” The woman dropped her arms and smiled towards Maggie.

“What’s it been, five years?” Alex was heavily confused by the exchange going on.

“Something like that. To long that’s for sure! I didn’t know you were in National City.”

“I needed to get out. You know how it goes. What brings you here?” Maggie kept talking as if the woman wasn’t still standing by a dead man.

“Well you know how Gotham is, it does one of two things, it changes you or destroys you.”

“Which is it for you?”

“Both.” Zatanna’s steel blue eyes suddenly went cold.

“How’s the Bat?”

“Oh, you know, still bruiting and ridiculously sexy. Engaged now.” The both laughed. Alex still just stood there, now studying the other woman.

“To the Cat?”

“Come on, who else would it be?”

“I thought you.”

“It would never work. Plus, I helped them get together.”

“Is that why you left?”

Before she could answer, Alex finally found her words. “Sorry to ruin this, whatever this is, but you’re still standing over a dead body.”

Zatanna looked back at the body and back at Alex. “Oh, no he’s not dead. If you don’t believe me, you can check his vitals.”

Alex walked up to the man and checked his vitals. The longer she felt his almost nonexistent pulse the quicker it began to rise. “What did you do to him?” Alex’s voice packed a punch.

“I saved his life Alex.” Maggie tilted her head trying to figure out how she knew her name.

“Danvers, you can trust her. She saves lives, doesn’t kill them.”

“Well, now I have a last name. Looks like this day just keeps getting better and better.”

Alex stood up slowly looking at the woman in front of her and then back to her girlfriend. “I don’t trust her Sawyer. I’m bringing her back in.” Alex restrained Zatanna without hesitation.

“Danvers, I’m telling you she didn’t do it.”

“Give me one reason you don’t trust me.” Zatanna smirked.

“For starters, you told me your name was Clair.”