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At first, she wasn’t sure if she should go or leave the team, but she knew that Ryan would look after Mary and Luke and look after her family because they were her family too, and she knew they were in good hands. She knew she had to do this. After the crash, the kidnapping and the brainwashing, she knew she had to go away. She had to heal from all that trauma. She wasn’t the same woman who happened to write that letter to Sophie explaining she was batwoman, telling her she loved her. She still loved Sophie, part of her would always love Sophie, but she needed to move on. She had to see her, see Kara; after all, she was the reason she got on the plane to National City in the first place.
She spoke to Sophie, they shared a kiss, and while yes, it was something that they shared, and it was special, she needed simple, Kara was simple. She knew from the moment she had met Kara Danvers that there was something special. So she got on her bike, and she just drove. While driving, she phoned her; she had to make sure she was okay, alive, safe; she needed to know because she had missed her, missed her so much she was damn near terrified to even think about it. And when she finally heard her voice, she breathed a sigh of relief,
“Kara,” she said softly. She could practically hear her grin just from the phone call as the woman listened to her voice.
“Kate, oh my god, Kate… what… what happened to you?” The question was simple, but it still made her cautious, nervous, even. She took a deep breath as she continued to drive,
“It’s a long story, but I’m on my way to National City; want me to pick us up some coffee, maybe some potstickers? It’s gonna be a lot…” she trailed off, and she heard the blonde take in a sharp breath, could even see the nod as she spoke her next words,
“Sure, maybe pick up some pizza, I know Alex probably explained briefly, but I feel like I should tell you… everything,” Kara replied. Kate hummed,
“So potstickers, coffee and pizza, the usual orders for the last two?” she asked.
“Yeah… if that’s okay.”
“Anything for my favourite Kryptonian, I’ll see you in a bit,” she spoke, “bye, Kara…” she hung up after she heard the blonde saying her goodbyes and went to Kara’s favourite places for pizza and potstickers and then went to Noonan’s before she parked her bike outside Kara’s apartment block. After grabbing the pizza, potstickers and coffee from the back of her bike, she got into the elevator pressing the number ‘12’ for the floor she was on, before walking out when it finally stopped. She walked straight to her apartment door and knocked.
When Kara finally opened the door, Kate saw the trauma in her eyes, the fear she had experienced from being in such a terrifying place, and she knew because she had that same look she imagined, despite smiling through it, she was traumatised, terrified black mask was going to come for her again. She saw the blonde take her in for a few seconds, but after she did, the items were gone from her hands, now on the island in Kara’s kitchen and Kara? She was pulling her in for a hug. A loud, choked sob left her mouth, and Kate’s eyes closed. She wrapped them around the blonde’s body, and they stood there for a few minutes, just holding each other.
When they eventually pulled away, Kara ushered her in, and when she didn’t come in quick enough, Kate was being pulled by the arm to sit down on that couch. The same couch where Alex told her about Kara being in the phantom zone, the same couch where she had watched that tribute to Oliver Queen, the man who died so that she could live.
They talked for what seemed like only a few minutes when in reality, it was hours; it was so long in fact that when either of them looked down to check the time, it was past midnight. They supposed they just let the night get away from them. Kate soon stood and went to make her way to the door, but Kara moved in front of her as soon as she did.
“You don’t have to go, Kate,” her voice was soft, sweet, the kind voice Kate always loved to hear from Kara. The brunette smiled and shook her head,
“And where am I going to stay, Kara? On the couch?” she raised an eyebrow, and the blonde shook her head profusely,
“Of course not; I’ll sleep on the couch, you… you can sleep in my bed,” she explained, “you spent so long down there, without a bed, sleeping on the ground I–” she was cut off, as Kate spoke over her,
“Kara, so did you; it’s your bed. I can’t ask you to give up your bed for me,” Kate shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest.
“You’re not asking. I’m offering,”
“Kara–”
“Kate–” she cut herself off before she groaned, “fine we’ll just share the bed,” she spoke, and the words had come out before she had even realised what they had meant, “I mean I… we don’t have to,” she was stuttering now, fumbling over her words as she spoke. Kate tilted her head and smirked a little,
“If you wanted me to get into bed with you Danvers, all you had to do was ask,” she teased, and the statement had the Kryptonian turning as red as tomato and stuttering again, trying to form the words to speak. “I’m joking, Kara… unless…” she looked down at the blonde who was now just a few inches shorter than her, “wait, Kara, do you… like me?” she asked, but for Kara? Liking Kate was the understatement of the century. Still, she tried to brush it off and smile as she spoke,
“Of course I like you, Kate; you’re my best friend and my favourite bat cousin,” she said, this time. She put her arms over her chest and crossed them.
“That is not what I meant, and you know it, Danvers,” she said.
“Kate, saying I like you is like saying I ‘like’ ice cream; it’s an understatement,” she explained. “I am in love with you, and I have been since… well since you saved me from using the book of destiny, maybe even before then,” she explained; tears were running down her cheeks; Kate watched the tears fall and automatically moved to wipe them away. She smiled a genuine smile, one that had been that way since she had spoken to her on the phone the same afternoon. She pulled her in for a hug, which was rare for Kate; she barely gave hugs, but Kara… was different; she reminded her of Mary in many ways, special, hopeful, protective of the ones she loved. She pulled away again and looked Kara in the eyes,
“Why didn’t you just say?” she asked softly, “Kara, do you know why I wanted to visit you after all this time?”
“You wanted to visit your friend National City that you didn’t get to see before… that?” Kara asked, and Kate just shook her head.
“Kara, I wanted to see you because despite everything, despite Sophie… you are the one I love… I told Sophie that I needed easy, I wanted easy, and you are easy because you are the person that has always understood me, always had my back. It might sound rude that I said you’re easy, but it’s because I can be myself around you all the time, I don’t have to hide a part of myself away, I can just be me, and I know you will love me no matter what. I’ve known you for what? Three years now? And we have a better understanding of each other than I have with any other woman I have ever known. So easy might sound harsh, but there’s no malice; it’s just because it’s you and me, and it just makes sense,” she explained. Kate felt Kara staring for a few seconds; she had been taken aback by what had just happened, and then Kate felt Kara’s lips on hers. A kiss that was soft and sweet and turned passionate within a few seconds. She felt Kara pull away after a little while, and Kate just smiled at her.
“I love you, Kara Zor-El.”
“And I love you, Kate Kane,” Kara whispered, and Kate looked at her one last time and said,
“I’m home.” and she kissed Kara again.