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Cat let out a sigh as her car pulled up to the CatCo building. It had been over two years since she’d been here, after the Daxamite invasion that had shaken the very foundation of National City. Her time spent at the White House had been thrilling, a challenge unlike any other, but it was time to come home.
Cat strode into the lobby, not pausing for a moment, even as a security guard attempted to stop her in front of the executive elevator.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Grant,” another guard said as she interrupted her coworker. “He’s new here.” She pressed the up button for Cat, stepping aside and pulling the other guard with her as the doors opened. “It’s nice to have you back. Have a good day.”
Cat lowered her sunglasses slightly, reveling in the clear terror of the young security guard who now realized his horrible mistake. She stepped into the elevator without a word. As the doors slid shut she allowed herself a small smirk. It felt good to be back.
Until the elevator stopped about ten floors up.
A small group of three entered the elevator, not sparing Cat a glance. It took about three floors worth of silence before Cat overcame her surprise.
“Excuse you,” she said, holding her arms and cocking her hip. “This is the executive elevator. I hardly think any of you fall into the category of executive.”
One of them narrowed their eyes at Cat. “No it’s not,” she said, crossing her arms as well. “Anyone can use this elevator.”
“Absolutely ridiculous,” Cat pressed the button for the floor right above them. “You are going to get off of this elevator when the doors open.” She lowered her sunglasses slightly. “Try not to breathe in my direction in the meantime.”
The same girl unfolded her arms, clenching her fists at her side “Who died and made you queen?”
“No one,” Cat said as the doors slid open and she removed her glasses completely. “I was already queen.” She held down the Door Open button. “Now run along. Shoo shoo.”
The trio stood gaping for a moment until a particularly pointed glare sent them scrambling out of the elevator.
“Geez,” Cat heard one mutter as the door closed. “Who was she?”
Cat sighed. Two years was a long time to be gone. A very long time. She clearly had damage control to do if she was going to reclaim her throne. The first step would be striking the appropriate amount of fear, awe and respect in her subjects.
She stormed out as the elevator doors opened to her office floor. “Someone get a flamethrower and twenty gallons of bleach, I doubt anything less will eliminate the absolute cesspool my elevator has turned into. I can practically feel the germs crawling along my skin. Whoever permitted the public use of the executive elevator will be on their hand and knees scouring every inch of it with nothing more than a toothbrush and a moist towelette.”
By the time she finished her short diatribe she had reached the doors of her office, striding in and taking her seat behind her desk as though it were any other day. She held an article in front of her face, blocking the smirk on her face as she listened to the frantic whispers spreading through the bullpen.
It felt good to be back.
Cat shuffled through some more papers, her mind settling into work now that she had made her suitably dramatic entrance. Looking through facts, figures and content from the past couple of years, Cat could admit to herself that while no one could ever run her company as well as she did, James Olsen and Lena Luthor had done a decent job. Executive elevator notwithstanding, there wasn't much she could complain about. Maybe she would send them a thank you gift. A fruit basket perhaps. Everyone loved fruit.
She was just typing ‘ridiculously expensive fruit baskets’ into her search bar when she heard a gasp from her doorway. Cat looked, prepared with a biting remark, but the sight that greeted her caused her to lose her own breath.
Kara Danvers.
There she was, in all her cardigan adorned, chignon styled hair, glasses wearing glory. She stood in the doorway, lips slightly parted as she leaned against the wall, as though a mere piece of glass could support a superhero. Cat couldn’t help but let her eyes traverse Kara’s figure. It had been two years since she had seen Kara as well. The brief glimpses of National City’s hero on various news networks hadn’t been nearly enough, and the short emails and text messages they traded didn’t help much either. They certainly didn’t prepare her for the sight greeting her now.
While Kara’s wardrobe remained mostly the same, Cat couldn’t deny that there was a certain maturity in Kara’s current outfit that had been lacking previously. The colors were slightly darker, though no less cheerful. The twisted bun her hair was in was tight, but not severe, very different from the high school style ponytail Cat was used to seeing her in. Even her stance was different now that she had stopped leaning against the wall. She stood firm and proud, channeling just enough of that Supergirl confidence to appear in control and at ease.
Kara Danvers was all grown up.
Cat couldn’t keep from smiling. “Hello, Kara.”
An answering smile spread across Kara’s face, wide and bright.
Ah, Cat thought. There’s my Sunny Danvers.
“Miss Grant! You’re here!” Kara laughed weakly, adjusting her glasses. “Well, I mean, of course you’re here. James told me you’d be coming back and when I came into work today I heard people talking about you-.” Kara coughed. “Uh, well, not talking about you, like, behind your back or anything just, uh, about you being here and, well…”
Cat’s smile softened. Maybe Kara hadn’t changed as much as she thought. It was a comforting thought, to know that something in this company and in her life had remained constant.
Her amusement must have shown because Kara stopped talking. She gave another chuckle. “I guess what I’m trying to say is,” Kara stepped forward, hands falling to her side. “It’s good to have you back, Miss Grant.”
Cat sat back in her chair. “It’s good to be back, Kara.”
Kara stepped further into the room. “How was your time as press secretary?”
“Well, I could tell you all about it,” Car turned her head to the side, glancing at Kara from her periphery. “But then I’d have to kill you.”
Kara laughed. “You can certainly try.” She came around to the side of the desk. “But I’d still like to hear about it.” She went to reach for her glasses, stopping short and instead stuffing both of her hands into her pockets. “Perhaps over dinner.”
Cat turned her chair slowly, facing her former assistant. “I’m surprised that you would be interested.”
“I’m very interested.”
Cat considered Kara, taking note of the light flush dusting her cheeks. She stood up, taking a small step forward and putting herself into Kara’s personal space. She placed her hands far back on her hips, pulling her shoulders back as she stared Kara down. Cat couldn’t count how many times this particular power stance had sent Kara scurrying out of her office, a stuttering and stumbling mess. She expected nothing less than the same result.
But then again, Kara had always exceeded her expectations.
Kara swallowed, the flush on her face deepening. Cat could hear the sharp intake of breath, could see the slight dilation of Kara’s pupils. Cat could practically feel Kara’s resolve waver and tremble, but Kara did not move.
Cat had always been aware of Kara’s hero crush. Had certainly found the attention flattering, if slightly inappropriate. And if she was honest with herself, the attraction was not unrequited. But she refused to be the stereotypical CEO philandering with their pretty, younger assistant. And she refused to jeopardize Kara’s budding career with any kind of scandal. It helped that Kara had always been too shy, too hesitant, too insecure to go after what she wanted. It had allowed Cat to pretend that whatever was between them didn’t exist.
But maybe it was time to stop pretending.
A slow smile took over Cat’s face. “My, oh my,” she said softly, bringing her pointer finger up to tap at her bottom lip. “You’ve grown bold in my absence.” She brushed at an imaginary piece of lint on Kara’s arm, wanting to see Kara’s reaction to the contact while also looking for an excuse to touch her for the first time in years. “You wear it well.”
Kara swallowed again. “Th-thank you.”
Cat sat back down, turning her chair towards her desk. “I suppose I could spare a few hours.” Cat picked up her papers, staring intently forward even as the figures and words blurred in front of her. “I’m sure you’ll be able to come up with something that isn’t horrible. Let me know when you do.”
“Oh, uh, okay.”
Cat didn’t look up, not as the seconds ticked by as Kara stood still, not as Kara told her goodbye, and not as Kara walked out of the room. She did, however, look up in just enough time to see Kara do a fist pump and a little dance as she turned the corner.
Cat chuckled. It was good to be back, but perhaps it would also be good to go forward.