Chapter 4
When Saturday rolled around, Cat and Kara had agreed that they would go out during the day, in the hopes that perhaps they might draw some minor media attention if anyone sees them, or at the very least they were out in public. Lunch was good, and then they just walked around the city for a while, enjoying each other’s company until Kara’s phone rang.
It was Alex. And there was a disaster happening on the other side of town that needed Supergirl’s attention.
“Cat, I’m really sorry but my sister is having a bit of a crisis and she really needs my help. I’ll call you when I get home, okay?” Kara’s tone was almost remorseful, she really did not want this day to end no matter how fake it was to Cat. “I’m really sorry, Cat. I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”
“Don’t worry, I understand,” Cat answered sweetly, leaning in to kiss Kara for the first real time and it was difficult to decipher whether it was for the people around them or if it was genuine. “Be safe, Kara.”
And as soon as she got back to her apartment, Cat stayed glued to the television watching the news right up until the moment her phone rang and she pulled it to her ear swiftly.
“I just got home, her boss was being a pain in the backside and she needed me to sort out some stuff for her at home because she has a date tonight that’s apparently hugely important. It wasn’t as big of a deal as she made it out to be, but then some people like to make drama out of nothing.” Kara offered offhand, struggling to come up with an excuse at such short notice.
“Come here you silly girl. And you can fly because I am not waiting just so you can keep pretending that I don’t know.” Cat demanded without reluctance, attention drawn to the balcony by a dull thud and saw Supergirl stood there. Reluctantly, Kara opened the door and stepped inside, only to find herself with Cat wrapped tightly around her waist in mere seconds. She ignores the soreness in her ribs and just holds Cat tight against her for a moment before the petite blonde drew back. “Sorry, I just- now that I see you as one person, it’s scary to see my feeble, naive young assistant fighting psychopaths!“
“Cat, I’m not- ” Kara began, struggling to get her words out. “When I go out there, when I put on the cape, I’m not Sunny Kara Danvers who works at CatCo, I’m Supergirl. They’re two completely different people, but I have to try and be both of them at once.”
“I know you didn’t want to tell me Kara- I’m sorry that I forced you into admitting it but I didn’t see the point in pretending I didn’t know. If we’re going to make these next three weeks work properly then I need to know what’s going on to some degree.” Cat reasoned as she stood, with her hands on her hips. “I appreciate that you probably don’t trust me, I haven’t exactly made myself trustworthy but I won’t expose you, I would never do that to you.”
“I trust you Cat, completely, I was just scared after last time that you’d hold it against me. You threatened to take my job, and I couldn’t bear for that to happen.”
“Would you…like to stay for dinner? You can change into some of my clothes if you prefer, and Carter’s at his father’s house for the weekend so we can just talk.” Cat suggested humbly, warmth in her tone as she crossed towards the kitchen with a smile.
“I’d love to, Cat,” Kara replied genuinely, tugging off the cape and slipping into the master bedroom in search of something to wear. Only a minute later, she stepped out in some white slacks and a black tank top that looked vaguely Kara-esque.
She returned to the kitchen to find Cat sat at the kitchen table with a glass of bourbon settled in front of her, and she couldn’t help but smile at the familiarity of it all; she’d spent years watching Cat in her office and it had felt like a whole world away, but now she was in that world. Confidently, Kara took the seat opposite her boss and let a smile play on her lips as she met Cat’s gaze. She can’t help but wonder if the woman in front of her has even an inkling of her feelings, Kara knew she was good at pretending but apparently not to Cat…so maybe she knew, and that’s why she had asked her over somebody else.
“Whatever is flying around in that pretty little head of yours, stop it. You’re making me worry.” Cat teased light-heartedly, fingers wrapped loosely around her tumbler glass. “I forgot to tell you that my mother is going to be at the wedding. I was convinced that she’d be too busy but apparently not! She won’t say a word to you, not after last time, but I just thought I’d warn you that she’s going to be there.”
“Do you promise to protect me from her wrath if she starts talking about my incompetence again?” Kara questioned jokingly though there was a seriousness hidden in her tone and she picked at her cuticles anxiously.
Cat reached across the table and placed her hand meaningfully on top of Kara’s to stop them in their movements, drawing the girl’s eyes up to meet hers.
“My mother is not something for you to worry about, okay? I do not want you, wasting your time, worrying about what my mother thinks of you!” Cat exclaimed though she reserved a softness in her tone for Kara’s sake. “That woman has the worst judgement in the world, and she doesn’t get to have a say on the people that I welcome into my life when she’s effectively eliminated herself from it most of the time! I know you’re amazing and intelligent, as does Carter who is the only person who’s opinion I care about other than my own. But if you want to leave Kara, if you want to drop out of this, then you have every right - you have already done so much for me, and for Carter, and I can’t expect anything more from you.”
“Miss Grant, for almost four years, your happiness and satisfaction have been the only thing that mattered to me beyond the health and safety of both myself and my sister. Your happiness is what paid the bills, and made my days bearable, and gave me a reason to get out of bed in the morning. I want to do this, and I am honoured that you chose me to be this person for you, I’m not going to run away because I’m scared of what other people might think.”
A smile settled across Cat’s face but it wasn’t the little quirk of her lips that happened when someone did their job right or the forced grin she gave to the board members; it was a smile like the one she gave to Carter when she hadn’t seen him in a couple of days and she felt the world was put to rights again. It was the smile that Kara felt privileged just to witness, let alone cause, and her heart melted in her chest at the sight before her. Cat kept a tight hold of her hand as though she was trying to bridge the gap between assistant and boss, to make sure Kara knew that in this moment she meant more than that.
For the rest of the evening, they chattered casually about one thing or another, and eventually the evening had gotten away from them and it was time that Kara ought to leave. That was when she got the call - a factory had just exploded on Bollard Street and Alex said her help was needed. Quickly, she hurried to change into the suit and headed for the balcony to leave, pausing to say goodbye to Cat.
“Come back once you’re done. I don’t care how late it is, I don’t want you going home alone afterwards.” Cat suggested, a sense of hope buried in her eyes as Supergirl offered an understanding nod and flew away without another word.
Cat spent the next hour glued to her television screen as she watched the news coverage, anxious in a way she failed to comprehend. She knew she cared for Kara - she could deny that to everyone but herself - but this sense of dread was unprecedented, suddenly nothing mattered more in those moments than Kara’s wellbeing. The once icy woman was melting from the heart out, and this ‘fake dating’ idea was just making it even harder to deal with.
Almost as soon as coverage had shown Supergirl walking away from the scene, the sound of her feet landing against the concrete of the balcony drew Cat’s attention. The young Kryptonian let herself in, almost surprised to find Cat pacing the living room waiting for her.
“I was hoping you’d have gone to bed by now. You shouldn’t have stayed up waiting.” Kara sounded a little winded and she couldn’t hide that the explosion had, at least, taken it out of her.
“I wouldn’t have slept until I knew you were okay anyway. Let’s get some sleep, shall we?”
Kara stood awkwardly as she had nothing to change into and the couch didn’t look particularly appealing, she was tempted to wait until Cat was asleep and then fly home. It wouldn’t be difficult to come up with an excuse after all. Cat slipped away to the bedroom and changed into a simple nightgown before calling Kara’s name and summoning her. As the young woman walked into the bedroom, she caught the bundled clothing that was thrown in her direction and smiled before sneaking to the bathroom to get out of the suit.
“Goodnight Cat.” Poking her head around the bedroom door, she saw Cat sitting against the headboard with her mobile in her hand, scrolling.
“This bed is plenty big enough for the both of us, Kara. I told you I didn’t want you sleeping alone tonight and I meant it.” Cat replied gently without raising her eyes from her phone. “I know it’s hard for you to believe that I care, but I do. You’ve been there for me for a very long time, so let me be here for you…just this once.”
Without saying a word, Kara padded across the room and slipped under the duvet on the left side of the bed with a grin ghosting her lips.