Work Text:
Cat Grant Expecting a Kitten?
Eliot Thymes
Cat Grant, CEO and founder of CatCo World Wide Media, was seen yesterday afternoon at National Park with what appears to be a baby bump. This marks Grant’s third pregnancy. Neither Grant nor her partner has commented, and rumors have spread regarding the identity of the father. In a poll run by National City TMZ, most readers have three men in mind: John Stamos, Harrison Ford, and Idris Elba. Who do you think is the father? Weigh in down in the comments!
---
Katherine doesn’t bother standing on courtesy or protocol; Cat’s attention is yanked from work as her mother sweeps into the office with unnecessary drama. She sets her glasses aside and makes a note to schedule a foot rub later.
“So it’s true.”
Cat cocks her head, pretending she hasn’t the slightest idea what her mother might be upset about. “You’ll have to be more specific.”
“You’re pregnant.”
“We weren’t ready to announce anything to the world yet, but yes.”
“Hard to ignore that growth,” Katherine gestures to Cat’s stomach. “I had to hear from Malcolm about this nonsense rather than from my daughter. Can you imagine my embarrassment?”
“Not really,” Cat says, tone as stiff as her back. Perhaps she’d ask Kara for a full massage. There were benefits to dating a superpowered being, and she luxuriates in the pressure Kara can provide with her fingers. Prior to Kara, she could hardly find anyone in the city who could dig deep enough to touch her knotted muscles.
Katherine glowers for a moment. “I thought you were experiencing that fling with your assistant.”
“Oh, no.”
“Good. She wasn’t good enough for you.”
Cat shakes her head. “No, Mother. I was merely trying to tell you it isn’t a fling. She’s very much so still a part of my life. A rather large part, actually.”
“Then who’s the father?”
The gossip rags have been asking this for a week, and Cat has seen guesses ranging from Leonardo DiCaprio to Justin Bieber, and she’s not sure which one brings her more displeasure. Thankfully, no one has a right to know about her personal life, and she certainly isn’t outing Kara. If Kara wants to say something, she has Cat’s full support. If Kara wants to remain out of sight, she has Cat’s full support. In fact, short of murder, Cat would support Kara in pretty much anything. Well, maybe if the murder was justified, she’d even support that.
“I fail to see how the other biological parent concerns you.”
Katherine makes a noise somehow a mix between a balloon losing air very quickly and the gushing of an open fire hydrant. Cat winces.
“If this child is to be my grandchild, I’d say I very much so have a right to know.”
“If you’re that worried, I’ll tell you that the other parent has a very good medical history. That’s all you really need to know. This child will be safe, happy, and healthy.”
“I really don’t understand, Kitty. You’ve spent your entire life trying to hurt me.”
Cat fights to keep from laughing directly in her mother’s face. “No, that just seems to be a happy side effect of most of my decisions.”
Before Katherine can launch another tirade, Cat stands and lifts her hand. “I’d like for you to leave now. I have a meeting coming in shortly, and I don’t need you hanging around like a disgruntled Casper the Unfriendly Ghost.”
She really doesn’t want to call security, so she’s indescribably relieved when Katherine musters a haughty stare and nothing else before marching out. She sits down hard and tries to calm her pounding heart. If not for an emergency down by the docks, Kara would definitely be at her side the moment her heart-rate elevated.
Cat likes to roll her eyes at how much Kara fawns over her and how willing she is to fly literally anywhere in the world on her slightest whim. However, she has not yet found the right words to describe how Kara’s attentions make her feel. Safe and secure come to mind, but both are too mild. Home is trite but more accurate.
She places a hand over her belly and hopes the hero is staying away from harm. Not that much could harm Kara, of course, but Cat is just superstitious enough to pay heed to her gut. She would not invite discord if she could help it. Her assistant hesitantly offered her a steaming hot tea, which she took and sipped until she realized the assistant hadn’t left.
“Ellen, was it?”
“Eve.”
“Mm. Was there something you needed?”
“Oh. Yes. You received a call from Eliza Danvers, who said there was no need to call back. She said to expect her around three this weekend.”
Cat nods. “Delay my next appointment by fifteen minutes. I have a call to make.”
Once Eve leaves, Cat pulls her cell phone out and presses Kara’s name. It rings twice before she’s blasted with the sound of air rushing by. There aren’t explosions or grunts, so she assumes there is no fight currently transpiring.
“Everything okay?”
Cat smiles, already more at ease just at the sound of her lover’s voice. The irritation brought on by her mother feels distant. “Aside from an absolutely delightful visit from my mother, yes.”
“She showed up?” Kara huffs. “I’m sorry I wasn’t in the office to back you up.”
“Somehow, I don’t think that would have helped.”
“What did she want?”
“She demanded to know who the father is.” Cat settles in her chair and picks up a pen to fiddle with. She bounces it back and forth, a gesture she thought she’d left behind in middle school. Some habits die hard, she muses.
“What did you say?”
“Tom Hanks.”
“Cat.”
“I didn’t tell her anything,” Cat replies quickly. “Just that the other parent is not donating bad genes to the untitled Cat Grant project.”
“We’re not calling them that.”
“We’ll see.”
“Did you need me to pick up a special salad for lunch?”
“No, I just needed to hear your voice before Roger and Ellen come in to pitch their new column.”
The call ends as Kara drops onto the balcony. Cat stands and meanders outside. They greet with a brief hug, aware that they’re highly visible. Cat has no desire to start new rumors about her love life, since apparently her future progeny is already highly flammable gossip-fuel.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Kara places a hand gently on her shoulder, her eyes speaking volumes more than her words.
“I’m fine, I promise.”
“I have to check in at the D.E.O., but I should still make it here in time for the staff meeting.”
Cat rolls her eyes. “You’re the only one I know who actually wants to be at those.”
“And that’s why you love me, right?”
“Right.” Before heading inside, Cat remembers to add, “Eliza said to expect her at three.”
Kara squirms with obvious delight. “I can’t wait to get another look.”
“You could look any time.”
“But that’s not fair. You don’t get to.”
Kryptonians and their misplaced sense of justice. Cat shrugs. “That’s fine, then.”
Kara lifts off the ground. “You should make sure to get home on time.”
“I’ll do my best.”
----
Despite her best efforts, she’s home at eight rather than six. Although she knows Kara is understanding of her work ethic, her hormones have her nearly convinced that she’s gone too far. That, and her mother’s intrusion, which shook her more than she wants to admit. She kicks her shoes off in the entryway and calls out for Kara.
“Bedroom!”
Rubbing a shoulder, Cat crosses their home and prepares the best apology she can think of. She steps into the room, ready to start speaking—but stops, speechless, at the sight of lit candles and the scent of lavender heady in the air. Kara stands at the foot of the bed and gestures.
“Come, lay down.”
Cat ambles over and kisses her before complying. She stretches out, her aching body instantly relaxing into the supine position. Kara delicately unbuttons her blouse and removes it, followed by her bra. The touches are deliberate yet non-sexual. Kara finishes her work by taking Cat’s slacks off as well and then fetches a bottle of lightly scented oil.
“Where do you want me to start?”
Cat nearly purrs. “My feet, please.”
Kara sits at the edge of the bed, selects a foot, and rubs on command. “Is this too hard?”
“Perfect,” Cat says, hoping Kara knows she means more than just the pressure.
The next hour leaves her a veritable Jell-O mold of a human being. From toe to scalp, Kara has released all the tension from her body, and Cat barely remembers her own name. When the massage is complete, Kara kisses the tip of her nose and fetches her a bottle of water.
“Thank you, darling.”
“Anything.”
There is a moment of quiet, and then Cat asks, “What do you want me to say about the other parent?”
Kara nibbles on her lower lip. “I don’t really want people up in my business? Like, does it matter what’s in my pants?”
“Of course not.”
“But it’ll turn into the biggest talking point.”
“I do control a hefty portion of the media.”
“I just feel like I get enough attention as Supergirl, you know? I don’t really want that attention on Kara Danvers.” She flops against the pillows, eyes boring metaphorical holes in the ceiling. “I don’t want to be on display.”
“Is this about your body or your ethnicity?”
Kara laughs. “Ethnicity?”
“Would you prefer species? Because that feels strange.”
“Both, then.”
Cat nods and waits quietly. This isn’t her conundrum to solve, so she has nothing to offer other than support. Her strong-willed idealism wants Kara to be proud in who she is, but she’s never been in a position where her very identity is subject to public discourse. She couldn’t even begin to understand what Kara must be feeling.
Finally, Kara sighs. “What would you do?”
“That doesn’t matter.”
“Cat, I really value your input, and you’re the smartest person I know.”
“In a perfect world, I would want the world to know you are the other genetic parent. I think about how inspirational it would be to young trans people to see you happy and successful. But the world isn’t perfect. I know the sort of abuse coming out would potentially put on you. There’s value in staying in the closet, especially if that’s not the attention you want.”
“Hm.”
“At the end of the day, you are a hero, Kara. But being a hero doesn’t mean sacrificing everything always. You are well within your rights to stay out of the spotlight.”
“I need to think about it.”
Cat rolls onto her side, initiating a heated kiss. “Later, darling. Right now, I’d like to be a distraction.”
----
The news releases just as Eliza arrives from Midvale. Unable to hide her emotions well, Kara frets about her decision even as Eliza hugs her tightly and talks about the horrible traffic. Cat ushers them both inside of the apartment; the press will gather outside soon, and she’d rather not feed them anything.
“Are you feeling okay?”
“You didn’t hear?”
Eliza nods. “I did. And that’s why I want to know.”
“It’s terrifying.” Kara guides Eliza deeper into the apartment. “But… Someone has to be brave, sometimes.”
Cat’s heart wars between pride and anxiety. “It doesn’t always have to be you.”
“I want it to be.” She stands a little taller. “If I don’t do this, what kind of world are we bringing our child into? I want it to be a better place than it is now. I’m going to make it that way.”
“We’re going to,” Cat corrects. “And I’m sure Eliza and Alex won’t want to be left out, either.”
“Of course not. Tell us what you need, and it’s done,” Eliza promises. “We can wait on the examination. For now, I just want to know how you’re doing.”
They retire to the kitchen where Cat provides steaming hot cups of coffee to the two other women. She reluctantly drinks orange juice, pining for the days when she could binge caffeine without concern. Those days will return. She watches Kara and her foster-mother and admires this display of mother-daughter relationship. This is what she wants for her family, not the sort of disparaging bull shit that exists between herself and Katherine.
She sits down, setting her hand on Kara’s thigh. Kara takes her hand and squeezes gently. This family fulfills the mantra of the House of El, she realizes; they will always be stronger together.