Chapter Text
The DEO was relatively quiet for the late hour, most of the patrols either still out or back and sleeping. Kara had timed her arrival accordingly, hoping she could find one or two allies to talk to about her unpleasant introduction to the Joker. The number of people she trusted at the organization had been painfully reduced as of late. Fortunately, she’d been lucky.
“You’re sure?”
Supergirl nodded slowly. “It was him. That laugh is pretty unmistakable once you’ve heard it. Especially in stereo.” Her ears had finally quit ringing shortly before she’d landed. She stared at the image of the Joker on the monitors, a thread of unease worming through her. His attack had rattled her, but it was Cat’s fear of him that unsettled Kara more.
Agent Vasquez shook her head. “Great. Just what we don’t need, the Joker running around National City while Non and his buddies try to launch this Myriad business.”
Supergirl smiled thinly, glancing at the other woman. “You don’t mind looking into him?”
Vasquez shook her head. “I’ll download everything I can find on him. Send it to your phone. I grew up near Gotham, ma’am. He’s not someone we should take lightly.”
Kara glanced at the monitors, the Joker’s cruel, twisted smile stared back. “Should we call Director Lane?”
“No, ma’am. The Joker is a threat, but he’s not an alien one. I’ll make her aware in the morning.”
Kara nodded, glancing at the time. Cat should be asleep by now, and Kara decided she’d take the scenic route by her penthouse to make sure she’d gotten in safely. She’d seen Cat to her car where they’d share one last meaningful look before saying goodnight. Kara couldn’t help but wonder how the night might have ended differently without the Joker’s rather rude interruption.
“Any word from Agent Danvers, ma’am?” Vasquez asked matter of fact.
Supergirl appreciated the agent’s loyalty to her sister. “I’m afraid not. And you don’t have to call me ma’am.”
Vasquez grinned, proud, and Kara snorted faintly, putting her hand down on the woman’s shoulder and squeezing it in gratitude. Maybe it was time to invite the agent to game night.
“I’ll keep my eyes open for everything you find on this… clown.” Kara spared one last look at the Joker’s ghoulish features, trying to suppress a shiver.
“I hate clowns,” Vasquez added under her breath.
“Stuff of nightmares,” Supergirl agreed.
“Damn right.”
****
The morning air was pleasantly cool and Cat breathed it in, her thoughts clearing a little at the uncharacteristic chill and her initial sip of coffee. The first rays of dawn were spilling across her penthouse balcony as she settled in a comfortable chair, ignoring the slight dampness of it from the previous night’s rain.
Around her, National City was quiet, almost hushed. The city seemed to be waiting for something, expectation heavy in the air, but Cat doubted the denizens in the floors below or the streets beyond had any idea what fresh hell was about to befall them.
The Joker was in National City.
Cat took another sip of her coffee, trying to chase off the cold fear that gripped her when she thought of his face, of that haunting laugh. She’d faced him before and won, but the encounter had scarred her, both mentally and physically. Hearing that laugh dredged those memories up, churned them to the surface at a time when all she wanted to think about was kissing Kara, about kissing her again and more.
It was bad enough that maniac had darkened their proverbial doorway, but to know he’d come straight for Supergirl made her sick. He was toying with someone she loved, eager to inflict his particular brand of cruelty on the younger woman. Kara might be nearly invincible physically, but her humanity was a gaping vulnerability the Joker would delight in exploiting. Cat ached at the thought of him hurting her, ached for all the innocents he would use as his pawns in a game Kara would unwillingly have to play.
“Mom?”
Cat turned her head, forcing a smile on her lips as Carter slid the door to the balcony open. “Morning, sweetheart.”
“Everything okay?” He frowned as he rubbed sleep from one eye. He’d grown in the last few months, a spurt that had her nearly looking up at him now rather than the other way around.
“Couldn’t sleep,” she confessed. Cat watched with a soft smile as he shuffled outside. He was growing up so fast, and Cat wasn’t sure what she’d do when he had to start shaving. It felt like yesterday that she’d tucked his Superman pajamas away for the last time.
“How was the sanctuary?” Carter yawned into his fist and sat on the arm of the chair next to her.
“You’re going to love it,” Cat promised, running her coffee warmed hand down his back. “I’ll take you the first day it opens.”
“I saw the news. You didn’t tell me Supergirl was coming.” His tone was faintly accusing.
“You stayed up to watch the news?” Cat elevated one eyebrow at him in mild rebuke.
“I wanted to see what it looked like.” Carter yawned again. “She looked really pretty. All those little girls were so happy.”
Apparently her mother was the only member of the Grant family not completely smitten with Kara. “She was very pretty,” Cat allowed. “And I didn’t tell you because I didn’t know. She… surprised me.” Boy did she ever.
“You got to hang out with her?” Now Carter’s features turned down in a pout and Cat chuckled sympathetically.
“I did. We spent most of the evening together. She… she likes the penguins almost as much as you do.” Cat took another sip of coffee, hiding a smile.
“So not fair.”
“We didn’t get to everything. Perhaps she can go with us when we check it out together.”
“Really?”
He sounded so hopeful Cat knew she would cajole Supergirl in every way necessary to get her to agree to the excursion. “I can’t promise anything, but I’ll ask.”
“That would be so cool.”
Cat patted his knee. “Now, go get ready for school. I’ll fix you some breakfast.”
He kissed her temple and complied, a little more spring in his step.
Tapping her fingernails on her mug, Cat listened as the city slowly came alive, as if Carter’s presence had jump started the day. As tired as she was, as unnerved as she was by the Joker’s presence, the thought of spending time with both her son and Supergirl was a pleasing one, and she began to contrive a plan to make it happen.
But maybe they could spend a little time together as a family with Kara Danvers first.
****
Sleep was as elusive as answers. Kara sighed, watching the sun creeping across her ceiling as she lay alone in bed. Dust motes floated lazily in the air and Kara stared at them, transfixed, as her mind spun with everything the last twenty-four hours had wrought. She should be thinking about the Joker, about his plans for National City, but Kara couldn’t stop thinking about Cat.
She’d kissed Cat freaking Grant.
Kara’s body flushed with the memory of Cat’s mouth, of the way she’d tasted, of that soft, breathless moan as Kara had pressed against her, hungry for more. Kara groaned before grabbing a pillow and pressing it over her face. She would have given anything to wallow in what she was feeling, to savor the sweet distraction and giddiness, but she needed to think. Non was still out there, and now they had the Joker to worry about.
Sighing, Kara tossed off the covers and stood, walking to the window and opening it to let the sunlight pour in. She stood there a moment, her skin soaking up the rays, recharging her reserves.
A soft knock at the front door drew Kara out of warm thoughts of hazel eyes and golden hair. She glanced at the time before grabbing a light robe and tossing it on over her t-shirt and sweatpants. A quick peek with her x-ray vision revealed it was Lucy, and Kara frowned, wondering what she’d done to receive such an early, in-person visit from the DEO.
Padding barefoot to the door, she threw back the deadbolts and opened it, her senses perking up as the smell of pastries greeted her. “Are those donuts?”
“Morning to you, too,” Lucy drawled as she handed Kara a weighty pink box. “Save me one of those at least.”
“You are so my favorite person right now.” Kara shut the door behind her before moving into the kitchen and setting the box on the island. “Coffee?”
“Please.”
Kara snipped the string around the box and pulled out a cruller, beyond excited to see at least a dozen different options inside. The day was starting to look up. She stuffed the pastry in her mouth and began prepping the coffee maker.
“Vasquez briefed me this morning.” Lucy sat at the island, rooting around in the box for something chocolate covered.
Kara nodded as she chewed. “Didn’t seem like any reason to call you in last night. Wasn’t much to go on.” The scent of coffee began to waft through the apartment and Kara breathed it in gratefully. Caffeine didn’t affect her, but the smell perked up her senses.
“You okay? I lived in Metropolis my whole life. I know a thing or two about this lunatic.”
“Took my ears a while to stop ringing, but I’m fine. Cat says he pretty much sticks to Gotham City, but she knew enough about him to be worried.” Scared, actually, but Kara wasn’t going to tell Lucy that.
“He does, but he wandered our way a few times. Made life hard for Superman, and despite my estrangement from Lois, I didn’t much appreciate him messing with her, either.” Lucy sighed. “I don’t like that he’s here… that his first step was to come straight at you.”
Kara shrugged before she sucked a fleck of glaze off her thumb. “At least we aren’t going to be blindsided.”
“Let’s hope not. We’ve got extra patrols, more agents in plainclothes on the streets. The Joker is obviously planning something. With any luck, maybe we can stop him before that happens.”
“You sure you want to devote resources to this guy? He’s not an alien, and we’ve still got Non to worry about.” Having finished her first one, Kara plucked another donut out of the box and took a bite.
“We can spare the manpower. It’s not like Non has been all that active lately.”
“That reprieve won’t last.”
Lucy was quiet as she watched Kara brush off her hands on her sweatpants before fetching two mugs from the cupboard. “I saw the news last night.”
“Yeah?” Kara asked with polite interest as she poured a cup of coffee and handed it to the other woman. She nudged the sugar bowl in Lucy’s direction before scooping up her second donut again and finishing it off. “There’s half and half in the fridge if you want it.”
“Black is fine.” Lucy wrapped her hands around the mug, warming them. “You were the top story.”
Kara went still before glancing worriedly at Lucy. “What… was I doing?”
A small, cute little smirk graced Lucy’s lips, and Kara swallowed nervously.
“Was there anything you did last night that was newsworthy? Something the press might have seized on?”
“Um…” Panic rose up in Kara’s stomach like a tidal wave and she set her mug back on the counter, her hands shaking a little too much to hold it. “There was no one around. I listened…”
Lucy’s brow furrowed.
“I mean… I was distracted,” Kara admitted. “Obviously. But… Oh my God, there’s video? Did we get caught on a security camera? Cat is gonna kill me!”
Kara ran to her cell phone, searching through the news stories.
Lucy cleared her throat. “I’m talking about the Girl Scouts. What are you talking about?”
“Um…” Kara said again, finding a photo of herself from the event surrounded by the young girls and not a shot of Supergirl kissing Cat Grant as she’d feared. Her knees wobbled in relief and she sat on the arm of the sofa.
“That was good PR for you and those kids were adorable.” Lucy shifted in her seat, eyeing Kara with suspicion now. “What did you think I meant?”
“Nothing!” Kara said quickly. “I mean… nothing.” Kara rolled her eyes at her own lame response.
“Uh-huh. So why would Cat Grant want to kill you over nothing?”
Kara thought about lying, but she was so giddy she had to tell someone. “I… may have... kissed Cat last night,” she admitted.
Lucy blinked. Blinked again. “You what?”
“It was just a kiss,” Kara insisted. “Okay… maybe it was two… or technically three…” She tucked her hair behind her ears.
“You…” Lucy shook her head. After a moment, she began rooting around in her purse before pulling out a small notebook and pen. “All right. I need you to tell me exactly what happened. For the record.” She began jotting notes as Kara watched, confused.
“The record?” Kara stood up slowly. “Lucy…”
“I need to know a few things,” Lucy said seriously. “Was this an official date? Was there hand holding? Did you go back to her place?”
Kara’s brow furrowed as she shook her head again, drawing closer, trying to see what Lucy was writing.
“Is Cat Grant a good kisser?” Lucy looked up, pen poised, with the best poker face Kara had ever seen.
“Funny. Very funny.”
Lucy’s face relaxed into a grin. “Come on. I had you going.”
“I will never trust you again.”
Laughing lightly, Lucy set her pen down and closed her notebook before she scooted the donuts toward her friend again as a peace offering. “Couldn’t resist.”
“Like you even tried.” But Kara took one of the donuts, a begrudging grin on her features.
“Have you told her?” Lucy asked carefully. “Because that is something I would need to put on the record.”
The question caused Kara’s smile to fade as she shook her head. “I’m scared to.”
“Because you and J’onn tricked her?”
“Because we tricked her. Because she thought I should be Supergirl all the time instead of Kara Danvers at all. Because maybe she only wants Supergirl and not me.” The last was her biggest fear, and Kara was surprised she’d voiced it out loud.
“Kara.” Lucy reached across the island and gripped her hand, squeezing lightly. “I don’t believe that.”
“I’m boring. A glorified gopher that fetches coffee and layouts. Cat… Cat kissed Supergirl. How do I compete with that?”
“You know you are both the gopher and the superhero featured in this equation, right?”
“I know. But I’m different when I’m… her.” Kara waved at the sky beyond her windows. “What if she’s what Cat wants? What if Kara Danvers isn’t good enough?”
“There’s only one way to find out.”
“I know.” Kara finished off her donut, her earlier good mood vanishing the more she gave attention to fears she’d been pushing to the back of her mind.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if she already knows,” Lucy said slowly before taking another sip of coffee. “Cat is a brilliant woman, and after J’onn had to reveal himself, I’d be more surprised if she didn’t put two and two together.”
Kara considered that, a flicker of hope igniting in her chest. “Then why hasn’t she said anything?”
“Because she called you out once and that didn’t go so well. Maybe this time she wants it to come from you. Maybe she needs to know you trust her enough.”
Grabbing another donut out of the box, Kara pondered on that thought, both worried and hopeful her friend might be right.
****
The elevator doors parted and Cat lingered inside for a moment, waiting to see if Kara would materialize at this early hour. Sometimes, Cat worried the girl slept somewhere in the damn building, that she’d find her tucked away in an empty office in a hammock.
When no one crossed her line of sight, Cat stepped out, adjusting the small shopping bag she’d brought with her. A few early risers greeted her as she emerged, but no one seemed especially startled to see her in the office at this hour.
Cat lingered by Kara’s desk, waiting until the handful of employees seemed distracted before she plucked the wilting flowers out of Kara’s small vase and tossed them in the trash. Kara loved flowers, making sure Cat often had fresh ones in her office even though she never asked for them. It was time to return the favor.
Setting her shopping bag on Kara’s desk, Cat pulled out the small bouquet of exotic blooms, their scent floral and spicy as she arranged them carefully in Kara’s vase. They had been outrageously expensive, but Cat hadn’t batted an eye at the price. The prettiest flowers in the shop, Cat had to have them. Kara deserved the best, and it was past time Cat started making sure she got it.
If there was any doubt that she was getting in deep, the flowers erased them. Cat pursed her lips as her thumb and forefinger toyed with the edge of one of the blooms. She’d never done this before, bought something for someone on a whim just because she knew they would enjoy it. Of course, Carter was the exception, but no one had ever inspired this kind of romantic gesture from her before. No one had ever inspired her to be romantic before. Cat didn’t know if that made her previous relationships sad or if it just meant Kara was that different, that special, that worthy.
No one seemed to think it was suspicious for her to be loitering by her assistant’s desk. Cat wasn’t sure what to make of that as she turned and wandered into her office. She stopped halfway, glancing over her shoulder, expecting gazes to skitter away, but no one was paying her the slightest bit of attention. It was what she wanted, but Cat found it annoying.
With a shake of her head, she turned back toward her desk, only to pull up short.
Sitting in her chair was a small, stuffed animal. A fluffy, adorable penguin to be precise. It even sported a dapper bowtie.
A smile spread across Cat’s features before she could contain it. Cat picked it up, the fur startling soft, and brought it to her nose, breathing in Kara’s distinct scent. She wasn’t sure what in the hell she was supposed to do with a stuffed animal at this stage of her life, but she found herself strangely enamored with the gift and the significance behind it. It was a simple but romantic gesture, and Cat had to admit it had done the trick. She hoped the flowers would make Kara feel like she did at the moment.
There was a card, of course, and Cat read it as shy pleasure stole through her.
Thank you for a magical night. Looking forward to Friday.
S
Cat took a deep breath. She was falling wretchedly in love with this woman, and every day Kara did something to make it beautifully worse.
With a smirk, Cat set the penguin on the credenza behind her desk, making sure it had a place of pride where anyone walking into her office would see it and likely think she’d lost her mind, which, Cat supposed, wasn’t that far off the mark really. She looked forward to Kara’s reaction. She looked forward to seeing Kara, period.
They needed to talk and soon. Kara couldn’t be allowed to keep up the charade any longer. It was one of the reasons Cat had decided on the flowers on her way to work, to nudge the younger woman out of her comfort zone and make her think a little more clearly about what they were doing, about the inevitable conclusion they were hurtling toward. Cat wanted more than Supergirl, but so far, Supergirl was all Kara had been willing to give in return.
She understood there were things about Kara’s life she was probably clueless about, concerns Kara had to weigh to protect not only herself and her loved ones but probably even Cat as well. But the situation was becoming untenable. Cat was starting to feel like she was in varying levels of a relationship with two different women, and a small, insecure part of her mind wondered if that might actually be the case. There was still the tiniest sliver of doubt that maybe Kara wasn’t actually Supergirl, but if she wasn’t, then Cat had even bigger problems to deal with.
Sighing, Cat settled into her chair, shifting her focus to the tasks at hand as she tucked Kara’s card into her desk drawer for safekeeping.
“Kelly?” Cat called out when she saw one of her assignment editors breeze by. The woman had been with her long enough that Cat had never thought to call her by a different name.
The redhead came closer, stopping just outside Cat’s door. Her gaze landed on the penguin, causing her brows to furrow slightly. “Yes, Ms. Grant?”
“I need everyone you have available to research someone for me.”
“Of course,” Kelly said with some confusion.
“I need everything you can find on a Gotham City criminal called the Joker.”
****
Kara stopped in her tracks, Cat’s latte warming her palm as she stared at the bouquet of flowers on her desk. They were gorgeous, a brilliant splash of color against the white and glass of her workspace. Kara approached them slowly before glancing around to see if she was the only recipient of such a gift. Everyone else’s desks looked plain in comparison.
“Somebody’s got a secret admirer,” Winn said as she breathed in the scent of one of the more exotic blooms, her fingers carefully tracing the deep red petals.
“I…” Kara shook her head, nudging her glasses closer to her eyes as she turned to face him.
“Who’s the lucky guy?”
There was no card, but Kara didn’t need one. She turned her head, spying Cat already in her office and her whole body flushed with warmth. The flowers would have easily cost Kara two weeks pay and the style - expensive, beautiful, and elegant - was all Cat.
“Who says they’re from a guy?” Kara answered, distracted.
Cat sat at her desk, glasses perched on the end of her nose as she typed on her laptop. Kara got the distinct impression Cat wasn’t actually writing anything, only pretending to, and Kara smiled bashfully at the idea the older woman had been watching her for her reaction.
Biting her lip, Kara entered, latte in hand, trying to decide what to say about the flowers, if she should say anything at all. She went still when she spied the penguin sitting on Cat’s credenza. It had been an impulse buy before she’d left for the DEO, the creature too adorable to pass up.
When she had the presence of mind to jerk her gaze back on Cat, the older woman was already watching her.
“M...morning, Ms. Grant.” Kara savored the jolt of heat in her stomach as their eyes met.
“Keira,” Cat drawled, enunciating the name more than usual.
Kara handed her the latte and their fingers brushed, lingering for a moment. “Cute,” she said, pointing to the penguin. “Although he clashes with your decor.”
Cat smirked faintly. “A gift from my plus-one last night.”
“That’s from Supergirl?” Kara played along, ignoring a pang of guilt. The closer she got to Cat, the more she hated playing this game.
“Hmm.” Cat leaned back in her chair, slipping her glasses off. “You gave her the invitation?”
Smiling tightly, Kara nodded.
“Thank you, for coming to my rescue,” Cat said sincerely. “I had a very… very nice time.”
“That’s… that’s good,” Kara stuttered at the slow sensual smile that shaped Cat’s lips. She could still remember what they tasted like. How soft they’d been. “You’re in early.”
“It happens.”
Rarely, Kara almost said but didn’t. “Um… thank you,” she said, too curious about Cat’s reaction to stay quiet. “For the flowers.”
Cat paused, looking pleased with her powers of deduction. “And what makes you think they’re from me?”
“I don’t know anyone else who has such beautiful taste.”
“Yes, well.” Cat cleared her throat, blushing slightly at the sincere compliment. “You saved me from the hell that was my mother last night. Consider it a reward for good work.”
Kara didn’t buy the excuse, even if it was entirely plausible. Cat had bought her flowers, had gone out of her way to get them after spending the evening with Supergirl. Kara’s stomach flipped at the realization. Maybe Lucy was right. Maybe Cat saw more of her than she realized.
As Kara stared at her boss, Cat stared back, secrets thick in the air between them. Kara’s heart began to pound and she could hear Cat’s keeping time.
“Cat…” Kara whispered, watching Cat’s hazel eyes widen almost imperceptibly. “Do you…”
“Here you are, Ms. Grant,” Kelly said as she entered Cat’s office, breaking the spell. “Morning, Kara.”
“Morning, Kelly.” Kara stepped back, adjusting her glasses, as Kelly handed a tablet to Cat. A mix of relief and disappointment swirled through her at the interruption.
“That’s everything we have so far on the Joker. There’s more where that came from, though. I figured you would want to get started.”
Kara drew in a sharp breath.
“Yes. Thank you,” Cat said in a subdued voice, refusing to look at Kara now as she began to peruse the information.
Kelly recognized the dismissal for what it was and left the room, leaving Kara and Cat in an uneasy pool of silence.
“The Joker?” Kara asked slowly.
Cat kept her head down. “Apparently the Clown Prince of Crime is in National City. Lucky us. If nothing else, he’ll sell more papers.”
“Is it a good idea to be investigating someone like that, Ms. Grant?”
Cat tapped her chin with a pen as she read. “You forget, Keira, I’m from Metropolis. I’ve had run-ins with the Joker before.”
“I’m sure Supergirl can handle him. You have an empire to run.”
Lazily, Cat set the tablet on her desk and glanced up at Kara, a challenge clear in every line of her body. “Supergirl doesn’t know him like I do. She needs all the help she can get.” Cat’s tone was arch, pointed, seeming to dare Kara to confront her.
Deliberately, Kara stepped closer, stopping just shy of Cat’s desk. “Why are you doing this? You don’t need to paint a target on your back, on CatCo’s back.”
“I can handle the Joker. I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again,” Cat vowed and Kara wondered if she was trying to convince her or herself. “Now if you’re through questioning my judgment, I have some reading to do.”
Kara flinched. “Ms. Grant…”
“Keira, I think you have enough on your plate to worry about right now… don’t you?” Cat slipped her glasses back on before picking the tablet up again.
Kara’s fists clenched at her sides. “Thanks for the flowers,” she ground out, pivoting on her heel and leaving the room before she said something she might regret.
“Thanks for the penguin,” Cat murmured under her breath.
Kara returned to her desk, shooting Cat one last exasperated look through the glass before she retrieved her phone, relieved to find Vasquez’s file on the Joker in her inbox. She dove in, determined to stop him before anyone, including Cat Grant, got the chance.