Immortalisation

Cat Grant, like most, was assumed to be as straight as you could get. Cat Grant, like most, had her own opinion. She believed that sexuality was non-existent – she only believed in being attracted to people, and or loving people, with no care for gender. She had Adam with her husband, her male partner. Adam was a happy accident. She had Carter with a heterosexual one night stand. Carter was a happy accident. The only difference between their conceptions was the fact that she loved Adam’s father, and that she was simply attracted to Carter’s.

But just because her heterosexual relations impacted her life the most blatantly, didn’t mean she was straight. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Cat Grant actually had a tendency towards more female-aligned conquests. Therefore, she preferred the morning-after pill to regular birth control.

So when a Pride Parade was scheduled in National City during Pride Month, of course she decided to do an exemplary piece on why Pride was important.

What she didn’t expect though, was for a Pride video on YouTube to go viral – a Pride video with Supergirl blatantly coming out as pansexual, citing that it was the closest word she could get in English to the Kryptonian equivalent.

Cat watched the video.

Obviously.

And then she realised exactly why it was so popular.

Not because Supergirl came out.

Though that was a factor.

No.

It was because she made the mistake of posting it on Kara Danvers’ channel, right alongside chirpy millennial help guides in foreign languages in how to integrate into American culture, and raving reviews on National City’s cafés and donut trucks and local restaurants and all things food.

Cat had never been more worried and annoyed in her entire life.

Annoying, because Kara had managed to get a shapeshifter – of all things – involved (most likely that green-skinned shapeshifter that beat her down when she was affected by that ‘red kryptonite’ and had her little fit of pique).

Worried, because Cat was already getting calls from security about people at the door wanting to see Kara Danvers. Lots of people.

The CEO looked over roughly to where Kara’s new office was stationed – which Cat knew was soundproof, even to Kryptonians. Superman had holed up in there once when Lex Luthor had augmented his hearing beyond his ability to handle. Lois had bugged her for hours about what contractor had been able to do it.

So, most likely, Kara couldn’t hear the relatively large mob at their front door.

Kara had been working dutifully all morning on the canvas in front of her. The opportunity Ms Grant had given her – to work in any department of her choosing, to work under another Head, to be a Head if she chose…it was everything and nothing she’d ever dreamed was possible. The canvas in front of her was something Kara was working on to give to Ms Grant as a thank-you. Supergirl was CatCo’s saving grace, and a painting – especially with the palate she thought about using – would be a nice touch to CatCo’s walls, but it felt a little…egotistical. James was a good photographer, too, and she didn’t want to take away anything from his pictures.

So Kara was painting Ms Grant.

Hearing a pling from her laptop, Kara hummed before putting down her brush and pallet, wiping her hands on her apron. Approaching her desk, she took a wet-wipe and started getting the rest of the paint off while leaning over to read the message that had appeared.

Do not under any circumstances leave your office or even open your door for the foreseeable future. Kara blinked, looking to the send. Ms Grant? Frowning, she finished cleaning up one hand and put it out to type a reply.

Why?

Ms Grant’s reply was to send her a link to a YouTube video, and then another message saying: Look at the comments.

Kara followed the link…to her Pride video. What’s going on? Pausing the video as it autoplayed, showing her throwing rainbow confetti in the ai, she scrolled down to the comments, only to scroll back up as she saw how many views it had gotten since her original posting last night, after Alex left. Eyes wide, Kara squealed, before grabbing her phone from her pocket, speed-dialling Alex. It picked up on the first ring.

“Alex! Have you seen how many views the video’s gotten? It’s amazing! There have been million views-”

“Kara, why the hell would you post it on your channel?!” Alex interrupted her with a shout that had her flinching, euphoria dying down as she became confused.

“What?”

“Kara, you posted the video on your channel! Your channel! As in, the channel of Kara Danvers! Supergirl’s video, on Kara Danvers’ channel!”

Kara looked to Cat’s message.

Do not under any circumstances leave your office or even open your door for the foreseeable future.

“Oh no…Alex, I think Ms Grant knows.”

“If she doesn’t, she’s an idiot – half the globe knows by now, Kara. In the twelve hours since you posted that video, it’s gone viral. There’s over a thousand people trying to get into CatCo to see you right now. Your friend-request feature on Facebook has blown up, your personal Instagram and your food Instagram has gained over two million followers, and your Noonan’s across the street from you has had to close because of all the people trying to order your favourite pumpkin spiced latte.”

“Oh no!” Kara cringed, pressing her free hand to her head. “I’ve been holed up in my office all morning. It’s soundproof, somehow – even to me. Usually I keep the door open, but…”

“I’m going to sort this shit out. If it wasn’t for the fact that you’re now a LGBT icon, and that the videos been shared on so many servers, I’d ask you to delete it. Tonight, go to the DEO – we’ll make a video with Hank, and I can introduce you as Kara Danvers, with Supergirl right beside you. You can explain that you let Supergirl use your channel, and we won’t edit the video so the critics can’t say it’s just some form of bluescreen, like on Orphan Black. You just stay in your office.”

Kara swallowed, before nodding, her messaging system plinging again. “Yeah su- Alex, we have a big problem.”

The military are here. They want you. Do not leave your office under ANY circumstances. I’ll have them held up as long as possible.

“What, Kara?”

Her laptop plinged again.

Do you know the bucket of military incompetence and prejudicial idiocy that is Samuel Lane?

“And why would you want one of my employees, General?” Cat looked him up and down, leaning back in her chair, chin held high. The General sneered at her. He probably wasn’t happy about being held up over two and half hours. Cat had always been the creative sort. It hadn’t been easy, but at the same time, the mob outside had held up her staff, so things were more than a little hectic around CatCo today, even without the Supergirl matter.

Cat and General Lane had met before, unfortunately. It hadn’t been a pleasant meeting, seeing as at the time, Cat had been in a relationship with his daughter, Lois. He was the catalyst for their breakup, when Lois decided to be the heteronormative, straight cisgender white girl he wanted her to be. Ironically, the two were still at odds, even after all the emotional trauma Cat and Lois went through.

“Your employee is an illegal alien. She faked identification records and the Canadian government denies that they have records declaring she had citizenship before her adoption into the Danvers family. Even without the fact that she’s an alien with no grounds to be on human soil or in our airspace, she still shouldn’t be in the USA-”

“And I asked you why would you wanted one of my employees, General? It is to my understanding that Supergirl has friends in the government.” Lane sneered, and Cat knew that there was something else – some kind of bad relationship between her superheroine and the man who tried to dictate his daughters’ lives.

“Where is she?”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

Lane clenched his fists, “I don’t need to answer your questions. I am here on official business-”

“And that would be a lie,” someone interrupted. Cat looked away from Lane, hiding a smirk as she saw Kara’s sister – Alex, if I remember correctly – walk into her office, pushing past Lane’s military henchman with…Lucy Lane. Alex came to a stop beside the General, face blank as she stared at him, anger deep-set in her bones. “I just got off the phone with your superiors. And the President. Director.” She turned her head, looking to Lucy as the General finally caught sight of her.

“Lucy, what-”

“That’ll be Director Lane, General,” Lucy interrupted, voice cold. Cat stopped herself from grinning at the full-on lawyer-mode as Lucy opened a briefcase on Cat’s desk, being careful not to bump anything.

Cat hated her desk being messed with.

She took out a file from her briefcase, handing it over to her father. “Supergirl is officially a citizen of both Earth and the United States, as is her cousin. Dozens of countries around the globe are also using their newly developed credentials to push through for paperwork to document them both as either citizens and or as some form of person of importance with diplomatic immunity when in countries not their own. That file is only the beginning,” she motioned to the file her father was now reading. “The European Union as a whole has scheduled a conference dedicated specifically to whether Supergirl should be offered a European passport.”

The General grit his teeth, “Lucy-”

“That’s Director, General.” Lucy’s voice was a whip. “I’ll ask you not to make the mistake of speaking to me in such a manner again. And now I want you out of here, before I start advising Ms Grant on how to correctly sue both you and your companions for trespassing, and give another call to your superiors about faking orders to bring in a young woman without both due process and adequate reason.”

If Cat hadn’t known that Lucy Lane was dating Alex Danvers herself, she would have kissed her for that absolutely brilliant performance.

Standing, Cat cleared her voice politely, “I find myself in agreement with Director Lane, General. Please leave the premises…and don’t ever think of returning here for Kara, if you value your reputation, General.” Her eyes staring daggers at the General, watching as he pulled himself together and ordered his men to leave, sparing one last half-angry, half-beseeching look to Lucy before exiting the floor.

Cat looked to her laptop, upon which Kara breathed a sigh of relief and leant back, the substandard webcam of her laptop causing the action to decolourise her abysmally designed dress, the saturation changing just enough for Cat to gain a new appreciation for Kara’s chest.

“I thought he was going to order you hand me over anyway,” her voice sounded relieved. Cat sat back down.

“We would not have let that happen, Kara.”

Alex and Lucy came around the desk to see her, the rest of their crew staying in position near the doors. “A little trust, Kara,” Lucy grimaced, “My father’s easy to handle if you know how.”

“I did trust you, Luce,” Kara rolled her eyes before sitting back up, leaning forward closer to the webcam. “It’s your dad I don’t trust. What if he tries to kidnap me anyway?”

“That’s why I brought a detail, Kara,” Alex replied, “They’ll be hanging about in the stairwell and with Ms Grant’s security, incognito. Ms Grant was kind enough to give some of her own employees paid leave while our guys fill in.”

Kara didn’t look happy about the security. “Keira,” Cat caught her attention, “Your safety in this is important. I have been informed that General Lane has some…unsavoury chemicals which can affect you. Your guards have been trained to recognise anyone who might try to get to you inside CatCo. If both you and your sister hadn’t insisted this job was important to you, I would have told you to take a long vacation while this mess is sorted out-” she stopped, head tilting. “What is that on your ear?”

Kara blinked, “My ear?” She brought hands to them both, pausing as she felt whatever dark colour was on it. “Uh…pen! It’s just pen. Silly me.”

Cat narrowed her eyes.

“I know when you’re lying, Keira. What is it?”

“Paint,” Alex replied for her, smirking. Cat looked to her, eyebrow raised. “You do know she’s a Fine Arts major? What’s your new project, Kara Zor-El?” Kara blushed, before quickly shutting her laptop, cutting off the connection.

Cat pursed her lips.

“Well, now I want to know what she’s painting.”