Close Quarters

"Kiera, you're late! heaven knows why, it doesn't look like you spent the extra time on your appearance."

The hand that wasn't clutching Cat's latte reached down to run self-consciously over her outfit. There was something about Cat's tone and the way she enunciated 'Kiera' that made Kara uneasy.

She adjusted the position of her glasses nervously.

"I'm sorry Miss Grant, I had to walk from the subway station, there was a power cut on the NC main line and..."

"blah blah blah, I don't want your excuses, I want back the 38 minutes I spent waiting for you to join me for breakfast at Petunia's Bakery." She looked up briefly, her eyes hidden behind darkened designer shades. "And also my morning latte."

Kara frowned as she deposited the slightly tepid latte on the edge of Cat's desk. Petunia's Bakery was National City's new breakfast hot spot. She was pretty sure she would have remembered if she and Cat had had an early morning meeting scheduled there, especially given that she would have been the one to make the reservation.

"I'm sorry, Breakfast?" she queried, brows furrowing. The early pressure of a headache beginning to form behind her eyes.

"Yes, I was expecting you at 7:00am, honestly Kiera you need to be more on top of your schedule. How can I trust you to organise my day if you cannot take care of your own?" She waved a dismissive hand. "Make yourself useful and go get me some of that triple filtered Juju water, the one that Jennifer drinks."

"Jennifer?"

"Aniston, Kiera. Pay attention," she snapped.

The younger woman swallowed her frustration. She didn't point out that Cat referred to several Jennifers in the space of as many hours some days. Morrison; Lawrence; Beals; Love-Hewitt; Garner, to name a few.

Wait… Triple filtered Juju water? Her eyes roved the desk keenly, she noted the bottle of Advil, the half-eaten bagel and the untouched Sudoku game from this morning's edition. Coupled with the sunglasses, it could only mean one thing. Now the extra meanness made sense, Cat was hungover. Great. That's just what she needed, today of all days.

Cat didn't need to make a further motion to shoo her assistant away, rather, her whole body was radiating one massive shooing gesture.

Kara took a deep breath and turned to make her way back to her desk.

It was going to be an exceptionally long day.

Sitting in her chair, she reached up a hand to massage the cramp in her aching neck - she too could do with an Advil, or perhaps ten.

She had blown out her powers last night fighting a particularly nasty Fort Rozz escapee. One who could split himself into three super powered – not to mention lightning bolt firing - entities and attack in perfect synchrony. The triple faceted alien had royally kicked her butt and would have won their epic battle if not for her Aunt Astra and the DEO coming to her aid. She hated being out of her depth and her shoulders were extra slumpy today because of it.

Her sister had given her a ride home and a whole 'you played well' speech, reserved for kids whose team lost a game. She was now under strict orders to keep a low profile until her powers returned.

Well, it didn't get more low profile than ordering ridiculously expensive water and answering the phones at CatCo.

She logged into her computer.

Almost immediately a meeting invite popped up on her screen. It had been sent this morning - at 2:20am!

She blew out a mildly irritated breath. Sometimes it seemed like Cat thought that Kara had absolutely no life outside of her job. And yes, so maybe on any other day she would have picked up the invite on her cell when she rose at 5:30 for Supergirl's morning sweep of the city. But still…

Clicking into the invite, she saw that it had been carelessly composed at best. It read:

'Kara ew need to tlak – meet me fir breakasft please. CAt.'

'7am Petunia's Barkery'

She wondered what in Rao's name the older woman had wanted to talk about - and at 2:20am. Definitely not something she could approach her about this morning, she knew that much. If Cat had wanted to divulge, she would have. It would have to wait until her hangover had blown over at the very least.

Her eyes glanced back over the meeting request.

Kara?

She never called her Kara.

Her desk phone rang, startling her out of her musing.

"Hello, Miss Grant's office, Keira, I mean Kara speaking, how can I help?"

"My latte is cold."

She turned her head to look through the glass and into Cat's office. The older woman was glaring and holding up the offending latte cup. Phone cradled awkwardly under her chin.

It was always a bad sign when Cat didn't just yell her name to get her attention. The phone call meant that she was well and truly in the doghouse, or Cathouse in this instance.

"Well, don't just sit there with that puppy expression plastered across you face. Get in here."

"Uh, yes Miss Grant."

Kara hung up the phone and made her way to the glass office.

"I have a very special job for you Kiera," Cat said as Kara approached the desk. "Do you suppose you can manage your day effectively enough to complete it?"

"Miss Grant, respectfully, that meeting invite was sent after 2am!"

"When I was a little girl my Aunt Margie used to chew tobacco."

"What?"

"I'm sorry, I thought we were both making inconsequential statements."

Kara resisted the urge to scowl. Instead she kept her tone formal.

"Miss Grant, I believe you said you had a job for me?"

"Yes."

The older woman motioned to the couch. On it was a small blue duffel bag. "I need you to deposit the contents of that bag at the National City Bank on First. She scribbled a series of numbers down on her note pad before tearing out the page and passing it to the younger woman. "This is the checking account."

Kara took the piece of paper and then went to retrieve the duffel bag. It was heavy to lift, the effort straining her sore neck.

"Oh and Kiera, please count it all personally before you go and then ensure that you stay in the bank whilst the cashier also counts it," she said with a marked smile in her voice. "It's the contents of Carter's quarter jar, it's very important," she added smoothly as Kara was leaving.

Two hundred and eighty five dollars and twenty-five cents and 1141 coins later and Kara was swearing under her breath to Rao or anyone that would listen. Exactly how big was this jar that Cat's son had been collecting quarters in? And why did this task have to be today when her super powers were absent.

It had taken her the best part of the morning to count it all and then return it to the duffel bag. Her fingers were stiff and aching. Every now and then she had looked up and caught a smirking Cat watching her from her office.

On separate occasions both Winn and James had almost made her lose count when they'd stopped by her desk to ask what she was doing. Regardless of where the money came from or why she was counting it, it was pretty damn obvious what she was doing, surely. She had told them as much with an uncharacteristic growl. Leaving them both calling the DEO seeking reassurance about Red K exposure.

Now as she hefted the heavy bag onto her shoulder and made her way to the elevator she was wondering to herself if she was under the influence of Red K - she was absolutely furious. Barely resisting the urge to throw the stupid bag out of the closed window. This inane task felt a lot like punishment, and more than Cat being irritated by her tardiness or even the cold latte. She wondered what she could have done to deserve this. She hated being on Cat's bad side and with no discernible reason.

Pressing the elevator call button, she waited impatiently.

Her lack of super hearing had allowed an intruder to sneak up behind her. And, as the elevator doors pinged open, a low seductive rumble curled around her ear. "Hold the elevator please."

Her spine tingled.

She spun around. With as much of a spin as one can manage when hoisting a duffel full of quarters.

"M-Miss Grant, what are you…why are you here…" she stuttered. Her cheeks betraying her as they flushed with color.

"I work here Keira," Cat said simply. The shades were gone, meaning that the hangover was likely gone too. Her amused blue eyes observed her assistant attentively, making the young woman blush further.

Kara snorted adorably.

"Well…I know…that…of course I do, but what are you doing here, here?"

"I'm going to accompany you to the Bank. I need some fresh air and this beeping thingy with all the numbers advised me to improve my step count."

She motioned to the pedometer on her wrist, a birthday gift from Carter. The white strap proudly adorned with the symbol of the House of El. Cat had assumed that the strap was some kind of promotional Supergirl/man rip off, yet she wore it to make her son happy. What she didn't know was that the strap itself had actually been a gift from Kara. It was unique, something personally forged by the Kryptonian. She had slipped it in anonymously with all the opulent presents that came to the office from various celebs. And whilst Carter assumed it had come from one of her friends, Cat had assumed it was a gift from him to compliment the device.

It made something inside Kara's chest grow warm every time she saw it displayed on the tiny wrist.

She realised she was staring and that Cat was observing her curiously. The older woman shifted slightly.

"As much as I enjoy…the décor, I don't have all day," she said, stepping around Kara and into the open elevator.

"Oh but…"

"No 'buts' Kiera, I'm coming with you," she asserted. "I have a private matter to attend to at the bank," she added.

Leaving Kara no choice but to nod.

Words failed her as she stepped inside the car to the intoxicating scent of Cat's expensive perfume.

Kara's irritation of earlier melted away, replaced by the sweet day dreaming that tended to come with being alone with, and in such close proximity to, the woman on whom she had been quietly crushing for years.

The journey to the ground floor was silent.

It was just the two of them. A glare from Cat had stopped any other would be passengers when the doors had opened on other floors.

Exiting the elevator in the foyer, neither spoke. They left the plaza through the main entrance and took the steps down to the street.

They walked the three blocks to the Bank without a word.

It wasn't an uncomfortable silence per se, it just felt a little loaded somehow.

Kara probably couldn't hold a conversation right now anyway. The exertion of carrying the bag of coins was causing her to wheeze softly. If Cat noticed, she didn't mention it.

It was when they were stood to one side of the huge banking hall waiting for a Banker's assistant that Cat finally decided to break the silence.

"So, do you want to explain to me how we are going to play this?" her voice was soft and held no accusation.

"Miss Grant?" Kara questioned, confused.

"Come off it Kiera, I'm not the idiot my mother claims that I am. I get it, okay." There was an edge of vulnerability in her voice.

"Get what?"

"Keira, you have been late to work less times than I have had civil conversations with Lois Lane," she said. "You ignored my request to meet…and you're back to bringing cold lattes…do I need to find a new assistant?"

"You're firing me?!" Kara said stunned.

Cat's eyebrow lifts at her expression.

"I assumed you would be quitting."

"Quit? I don't want to quit."

"You don't?"

"No, not at all. I love working for you."

Something akin to relief crosses Cat's face and she takes a deep breath.

"Okay, well we are both professionals, let's move on and never speak of it again, like Jennifer did with her nose job." Her eyes are guarded and her tone neutral as she speaks.

"Huh?"

"Aniston. Honestly Kiera," she said, but it lacked bite.

The banking assistant chose that moment to interrupt them.

"Miss Grant, Mr Croft is ready for you now, if you'd like to follow me."

She nodded to him.

Turning back to her assistant, she reached up to brush a soft hand across the younger woman's cheek. Their eyes meet for a second and her neutrality slips away. Kara is hypnotised by the sudden fondness shining through in her gaze. Her skin tingles under Cat's caress. It's a continuous motion, a light trail, that gently slides around her ear, smoothing out errant strands of blonde hair in its wake.

The intimacy is so unexpected and sudden that Kara is unable to process it before it is over. The hand retreats, and she misses the contact immediately.

Cat's eyes are still shining with emotion.

"Thank you Kara, for being so gracious with a silly old fool," she whispers.

And Kara can do nothing in that moment except watch as Cat turns and strides after the banker.

She stands dumfounded, staring after the older woman until she's staring at a closed door.

Kara has no clue what had just transpired, she needed Alex's wisdom on this.

Reaching into her purse she scrabbled to find her cell.

In her haste to get to work this morning (Not being able to use super speed really made getting dressed a chore), she had neglected to check it. The blinking light and screen display showed that she had missed several calls. Two of them were from Alex this morning, and a further three were from Cat, those had come in around 2am. There was also three voice mails.

She dialled her mailbox and listened to the messages newest to older.

"Hey Kara, just checking in. Take it easy today okay? Last night's alien was a tough one, I doubt anyone could have defeated it alone. I'll drop round tonight with pizza. And try not to worry, we've got the city covered, Supergirl needs down time too sometimes. Love you." Her sister knew her too well.

[Beep]

"Kara, regarding the unfortunate message of earlier, please meet me for breakfast at Petunia's bakery, 7:00am?…and I will try to explain myself." [Beep] Cat's voice was gentle, though definitely slurred.

Her earlier message was more obviously slurred. The monologue began aggressively then softened towards the close:

"…I just want to strangle James Olsen with my bare hands. How can someone who has won prizes for his artistic eye not see exquisite beauty when it's directly in front of him…he doesn't deserve your attention Kara…If I were so blessed, I would worship you, worship you like National City worships Supergirl…And yes I know, it's a bad cliché - the CEO and her assistant, but I just can't stop myself from wanting you…wanting to be close to you…be submerged in the light that shines from you…You're amazing, do you know that?, so inherently kind and gentle and with such a fierce intelligence…and courage …and you handle me so well…like no one before you…you make me a better person… I long to hold you in my arms, some days to the point that I cannot breathe…Everything about you distracts me…I love the way you fiddle with your glasses when you get nervous. I love the cute wrinkling of your nose when someone pays you a compliment…and oh how I love the way your eyes sparkle when you laugh…I love – [Beep]"

Kara brought the phone from her ear. Wide eyes stared at it with the same concentration she used when powering up her heat vision…

Her mouth forming a stunned 'o' shape.

She would have probably remained stock still, in that exact spot, for quite some time had it not been for a gunshot echoing in the huge hall, waking her from her shock.

Her eyes followed the sound, coming to focus upon two armed men in ski masks who were stood in the centre of the hall. One of them apparently having just fired a bullet into the ceiling.

She reached instinctively to pull open her shirt and reveal the Supersuit, her cool fingers touched the warmth of bare skin, reminding her of her current powerless situation.

"Rao's light!" she cursed under her breath.

A quick count of the occupants of the room revealed 19 citizens and two security officers.

Her eyes tracked nervously across to the door that Cat had only a moment ago gone through. She prayed to Rao that she would stay wherever she was within the bank and not walk out into this threat.

"Everybody just stay calm and nobody gets hurt, understand?" one of the would be robbers yelled.

Their guns were trained on the two security guards.

"Slide over your weapons and then get down on the ground," he said.

The younger of the two security personnel looked like she wanted to protest, but her older colleague shook his head in silent warning before sliding his gun over to the men and getting to the floor as instructed. The young woman followed suit.

"Same goes for the rest of you, down on the ground," the same man shouted, waving the gun menacingly.

"Hey blondie, are you deaf? I said down on the ground!"

Kara winced when she realised he was talking to her, his gun pointed in her direction. She quickly lowered herself to the floor.

In a central room of the bank, Cat sat across from a senior banker.

He was in the middle of boring her senseless with details about the private storage vault. She was distracted by the hideous wallpaper and not really listening to his droning when a high-pitched alarm sounded, seemingly from his pocket.

It pounded through her head which was still fragile from last night's excess of alcohol.

"What on earth is that infernal noise? Actually, spare me the time it takes to explain and just turn the damn thing off!"

"Oh dear, It's a security protocol. Alarm tone 7." His eyes widened. "Armed robbery." He stood abruptly, looking a little frantic.

"Excuse me?" Cat said, still cringing slightly from the sound. He tapped his pocket, silencing the noise.

He motioned for her to follow him.

"We have different tones indicating various situations in the bank," he explained, as he lead her through the corridor to a small room containing several security monitors. "Aggressive customers, VIP customers, armed robbers…"

"You mean to tell me that this bank is currently being robbed?"

He pointed to one of the monitors showing the masked men.

"It would appear so. However, don't worry Miss Grant, we're perfectly safe back here, I assure you. The alarm was sounded, it means the security shutters have been activated and the intruders are currently trapped in the banking hall, they cannot get to us."

"But there are innocent people in the banking hall," Kara, "My assistant is in the banking hall! Your security protocol is to entrap armed and potentially unstable gunmen in a room with your customers?"

"When you put it like that, it does seem a little…"

"Moronic." Cat finished for him.

She stared at the gunmen on the screen. They appeared to be arguing. To one side of the hall sat the terrified customers. She spotted Kara sitting calmly, her eyes observing the men keenly.

"Don't do anything stupid Keira," she muttered.

Cat's exterior remained composed, though her stomach knotted in fear. She stood there, fists clenched, watching the screen for a flash of red and blue or even flashing red and blue, she would be satisfied with any rescue that delivered her young assistant out of harm's way.

Ten minutes - the kind that felt like hours - later and Cat was done with feeling helpless, she was a woman of action. Grabbing her cell she dialled a number, one that she wasn't supposed to have.

Alexandra Danvers was midway into an experiment in her lab when her cell vibrated urgently. She didn't recognise the number on the caller display but she answered anyway.

"Hello?"

"Agent Surly?" queried the distinctly recognisable voice of Cat Grant.

"This is Agent Danvers, who is this?" Alex knew very well who it was, still she knew it would irk Cat to pretend.

"This is Cat Grant of Catco media, tell Supergirl that she needs to get her lycra wearing butt down to the National City bank on First immediatelyor she's fired!"

The brunette's hackles raised. Who the hell did Cat Grant think she was. Honestly.

"You can't fire her, she doesn't work for you!" Not exactly, she thought.

"Whatever. There is an armed robbery in progress and my assistant," her voice softened slightly "your sister…is amongst those in the room being held at gunpoint."

"Kara is inside the bank?"

"I'm sorry Agent, did I stutter?" the woman retorted dryly.

Alex hung up the phone.

"I'm going to the National City Bank on First," Alex told Hank via the mic in her earpiece, already suiting up for action.

"We have it covered already Agent Danvers," came his rich baritone.

"Nah uh, Kara is in there, she's without her powers, there's no telling what might happen."

"Okay, be careful Agent!"

"Always."

Cat Grant wasn't the only person who had an Emergency Contact that she wasn't supposed to have. Making her way round the back of the DEO base she pressed her thumb to a small innocuous pebble shaped devise. It glowed blue briefly.

She checked her arsenal as she waited for a reply.

A beat later and her hair whipped up as a figure landed beside her in a whoosh of power.

"Twice in two days Brave one, perhaps you are hungry for my company..." a voice teased smoothly.

Alex ignored the comment.

"Kara is in trouble," she said, succinctly.

"What do you require?" All traces of humour erased from the voice at those four words.

"I need a ride."

"Of course."

Astra wrapped her arms protectively around the younger brunette and they were rising into the sky. Alex closed her eyes and breathed deeply, resisting the urge to snuggle deeper into Astra's safe arms. She most definitely did not have a crush on her sister's morally ambiguous aunt. No Sir. And her toes did not curl in pleasure when she felt warm lips against her ear.

"Where to?" the rich tone questioned.

"Huh?" she answered, distracted. Not by thoughts of the woman whose tight embrace she was melting into of course.

"Where are we going Brave one?" the movement of the lips, still soft against the shell of her ear, caused her brain to liquefy, but she did manage to croak out the address.

And then the roar of the wind filled her ears as they sped to their destination.

They touched down on the roof of the bank, the landing was sloppy and not at all controlled and Alex felt Astra's weight sagging against her.

"Ugh..." the older woman managed before her knees gave way. Alex's sharp reflexes caught her and she lowered her gently to the ground.

"Astra?" she said in concern.

"I'll be okay Brave one," she said her voice breathless. "the fight with the Vasupian depleted my powers. Go, save my niece, I will join you as soon as I am able."

"No, stay here. I've got this."

Astra nodded weakly.

"Unlock the door," Cat commanded the Banker.

"Are you out of your mind Miss Grant? There are armed men in there."

"Men are just men, armed or not. I wish to speak with them. Unlock this door or CatCo will remove every single cent that is banked here. And then on live TV I will do an expose on this heist and your security protocols. I'm wondering how the citizens of National City will feel about you trapping criminals in with innocent people…"

The older man scratched nervously at the back of his neck, flustered. Reaching a decision, he tapped in the code for the door that lead into the security compartment between them and the banking hall. Moving with Cat into the space he waited for the first door to close before punching in the code for the second.

Cat rolled her eyes at his shaking hands. Beads of sweat had appeared from his hairline. She shuddered.

He cracked the door open enough for her to slip through, his expression clearly stating that he was not prepared to follow her into this risky situation.

Entering the hall she spoke clearly and assertively.

"Which one of you is in charge?"

Both men swung around to face her, guns at the ready.

There was a gasp and movement to her right as Kara leapt to her feet.

Cat kept her eyes on the men.

"Everybody relax," she said in an almost bored tone. "My name is Cat Grant of CatCo Media Worldwide, perhaps you've heard of me?"

"You're that broad from the TV?"

Cat rolled her eyes. Gruff, uncouth robbers, how pedestrian.

"I just came to inform you that Supergirl is on her way," she bluffed.

She held up her pedometer so that the House of El symbol was clearly visible.

"I'm friends with the girl of steel and I assure you, she will be here any moment, it would be in your best interests to surrender your weapons."

The more dominant of the two men tilted his head menacingly.

"A friend of Supergirl's?" he sneered.

"Yes," Cat nodded confidently.

"I hate that bitch. My brother is on death row because of her."

The hairs on the back of Cat's neck rose at his tone. Uh oh.

"Tell me Cat Grant of Catco Media Worldwide, just how will your friend Supergirl feel when she finds out she didn't get here in time to stop me from killing her annoying rich bitch celebrity friend?"

His finger squeezed the trigger.

Kara had begun to move the second he called her a bitch. She didn't have super speed, but she had urgent motivation on her side and she managed to leap in front of Cat just in time.

White hot pain tore through her as the bullet pierced her chest.

"Kara NO!" Cat's pained cry rang out over the sound of a second gunshot.

In quick succession Kara and the man who had shot her dropped to the floor. One stone cold dead, the other barely breathing. The bag of quarters, still slung over the young woman's shoulder burst open as she hit the ground, spraying silver coins noisily across the floor.

The other robber had his gun fixed on a pale faced DEO agent who had just killed the man that had shot her sister.

"Kara," she called out emotionally.

"Drop the gun!" the man barked, a note of fear in his voice.

"Not a chance," Alex replied, though her hand was shaking.

"I'll give you money," Cat said desperately, looking up at him from her position on the floor at Kara's side.

She tried not to think about the feel of the warm red liquid seeping through her fingers. She held her hands tight to the wound. Kara's laboured breathing echoed in her ears. "That's what you wanted, isn't it, Money? She needs to get to the hospital, please, I'll give you one million dollars, you have my word, you'll get out of prison one day a rich man, if you please just drop the gun and surrender."

He looked between her and Alex and then to his dead companion. He hadn't signed up for this. No-one will get hurt he'd been promised.

He nodded to Cat, then slowly lowered his weapon to the floor and kicked it towards Alex.

Switching into auto-pilot, the brunette agent crosses the hall swiftly to cuff the robber. Touching her earpiece her voice cracks as she speaks. "Hank, Kara's been shot."

Then she's kneeling by her sister on the opposite side to Cat.

"Kara, help is on the way, just stay with me," she says, taking hold of her hand.

Kara's eyes flutter open, she tries to brave a smile for her sister, but it is more of a weak grimace.

Her light is fading.

"You cannot die. I forbid it!" Cat says firmly, the tears in her eyes belaying her authority.

"Miss Grant, could I speak with my sister alone, for a second?" Kara wheezes.

"Oh," she looks down at her ineffectual hands pressed firmly to the bullet wound. A pair of sturdy calloused hands move over hers to take their place.

"I've got this," Alex says.

Their eyes lock briefly, the helpless desperation mirrored and multiplied.

Wordlessly Cat gets up and moves to the side.

"Take care of Cat, Alex, promise me." Kara says when Cat is out of earshot.

"Kara," Alex warns, but in her heart she knows the truth, her sister has lost too much blood, even if Astra or Hank were here to fly her to the hospital, it would be too late.

She chokes on a sob.

"I promise, but I sure as hell aint fetching her dry cleaning," she says, eliciting a small grimaced smile from the blond.

"I want you to have my mother's necklace," she says "and try not to be too sad, I'll be...with my parents…and Alex, you and Astra…you'd make a beautiful couple, I want you both to find happiness."

Her eyes close.

"Kara," Alex sobs.

They open again.

"Take care of Cat," she repeats, her voice weaker.

"I will," Alex promises.

"Listen to my voicemails…"

Alex nods, unwilling to question her sister in this moment.

"Cat," Kara says.

"I'll take care of her,"

"…need to speak to her…" she utters, swallowing dryly.

"Cat," Alex calls.

She's there in an instant. "She wants you," she says softly, and stands.

"Hey," Cat says, as she kneels beside the blonde, instead of 'What were you thinking?' or 'you silly girl!' or 'don't you dare leave me!' because, like Alex, she knows the time for that has passed.

"I got your messages, but only when we got to the bank," Kara explains, struggling to breath. "It would have been my pleasure to meet you for breakfast," she confides, her whole body beginning to still.

Cat whimpers softly in grief. She clutches the younger woman's hand in desperation.

"Thank you for saving me, you're my hero," she chokes out through tears.

Then she leans down and presses her lips to Kara's in a gentle kiss. It's warm and soft, and salted with tears and nothing like Kara imagined a kiss between them would be.

It's perfect.

Kara breathes her in, like it's her last breath.

And that's exactly what it would have been, except that her Kryptonian adrenal glands respond to the sweet kiss by firing multiple shots of adrenaline into her body.

Her eyes open sharply, brightness flooding back into them as the wound in her chest begins to close.

She moves to sit up, startling the older woman.

"Wha-" is all Cat manages before a Kara is lifted up in a blur of blue and red and the swish of a cape.

Supergirl.

The blonde hero flies from the room with the injured girl.

Leaving Cat to stare at the pool of blood, piles of red spattered quarters winking at her in accusation. This was all her fault, her pettiness had almost gotten Kara killed, she might still die. Her stomach roils, the metallic smell of blood assaulting her nose.

She clutches her aching chest and heaves.

A hand squeezes her shoulder.

She turns her head to stare into the grief filled eyes of Alex Danvers.

"This is all my fault. She was here because of me, she got shot because of me, because of my arrogance," she blurts out.

"No, she got shot because some piece of shit with a gun tried to hurt people and she made a choice to protect them," Alex says firmly.

They stare at one another in silent battle, Cat desperate to take the blame for this tragedy and Alex determined to relieve her of the misplaced guilt. Protect her, as she had promised her sister she would.

They are both drawn from the showdown by another swoosh of cape. Supergirl touches down in the banking hall once more.

Alex crosses to her immediately.

"Jon?" she questions quietly.

"It's me Kara," comes the response, and Alex is sobbing freely and pulling her sister into a desperate hug.

"I thought I'd lost you."

"I know," she says softly, squeezing back tightly. "but I'm okay, it's all over Alex." she pulls back to look at her sister with a meaningful smile "I saw Astra, she's in the medical bay at the DEO, she's fine too, in fact she's asking for you 'Brave one'"

Alex blushes despite her tears and shoves her sister lightly.

"You!" a voice accuses from behind them.

Kara whirls to face a furious Cat Grant.

It's a toss-up as to who is the most shocked, when Cat punches Supergirl square in the jaw.

"You were late!" she says angrily, her voice shaking with emotion.

"Miss Grant, I'm very sorry, I came to tell you that your assistant is fine, she's going to make a full and very quick recovery."

"She is?" Cat says, relief flooding her eyes.

"Yes, she told me to tell you that you are her hero and asked if it were possible to reschedule your breakfast meeting until tomorrow?"

Cat smiles a small private smile, before looking back at Kara.

"Tell her not to be late," she says, but its clear to anyone listening that it's just bravado. "I have a company to run. I'll let you get back to your girlfriend."

"Wuh, NO." Alex and Kara state in horrified unison.

"She's my si…she's my friend."

Cat isn't listening as she stalks off, exiting the bank through the recently opened doors, ignoring the protests of police officers muttering about taking statements. She is keen to get away from this place and the terror of what could have happened.

About two blocks from the bank, the queen of all media ducks into an alley way and vomits aggressively - still unable to shake the image of her assistant pale and fading. She sobs uncontrollably.

On the rooftop of the building that Cat is now leaning against, Kara listens sympathetically and longs to soothe the weeping woman, but she knows she cannot do so, not right now. So she waits there solidly, eyes closed, projecting her comfort silently.

The next morning Cat sat alone at a table in Petunia's bakery. The venue was deserted apart from her. Yes, it was a little extravagant, booking out the entire place, but it was a special occasion. Not only was this the first potential date with the girl she had been pining after for the last couple of years. But it was also a thank you to said girl for saving her life.

She folds and unfolds her napkin nervously as she waits, she wouldn't believe that Kara was really okay, until she saw with her own eyes.

"Cat," Kara says tentatively, when she finally arrives.

Her arm is in a fake sling and there's a bandage taped to her chest (an itchy bandage).

"Oh Kara," Cat says tenderly, standing to greet the younger woman, and the emotion spills over and slides down her cheeks. This time Kara wastes no time in pulling Cat into a warm, one-armed hug.

"Hey, it's okay, I'm alright. It doesn't even hurt," she whispers.

"Don't ever do that again Kara, don't ever put yourself in harm's way because of me, do you understand?"

It's more of a command than a question and Kara doesn't answer, instead she concentrates on the warmth and contentment seeping into her. She had never expected this to ever be a reality. Her and Cat holding each other.

The body wrapped around her shudders with more sobs.

"Hey, shhh..." she comforts.

Cat's grip tightens.

"I heard that you punched Supergirl…" Kara says, pulling back slightly, eyes twinkling at the memory, attempting to lighten the mood. It works, and Cat looks up ruefully.

"Yes, well I didn't know at the time that she had managed to save you," she says. "but I probably won't do that again anytime soon." She holds up her fist to show off her bruised knuckles.

Kara winces compassionately. Shyly, she brings Cat's closed hand up to her lips, and places a soft kiss on each knuckle.

Cat smiles softly at the gesture. Kara blushes adorably, before her expression turns serious and she looks the older woman in the eye.

"Supergirl didn't save me, you did," she says gently.

Cat considers this for a moment. It had certainly seemed that way, before Supergirl had flown in and whisked her away.

"I…I don't really understand what happened, you...were dying and then I kissed you, and you appeared to recover a little. I'm far too old to believe in fairy-tales and trues loves kiss, but…I can't think of another way to describe it..."

Kara grinned.

"Miss Grant, are you professing your love for your young assistant? quite the scandal," she teased.

"Very funny Kiera."

"I think you might need to refresh my memory," Kara says shyly, "of just how magical your kisses are."

Cat responds to the invitation by gently capturing the blonde's lips in a soft kiss. It's slow and sweet. Kara's hand traces light circles on Cat's back. One of Cat's hands rests gently at the nape of Kara's neck, the other on her hip, before the two hands tug in unison, pulling her deeper into the embrace. Her lips part instinctively, allowing Cat's tongue to flick gently over hers. There is a soft moan that neither of them are certain who makes, as they each come undone at the taste of the other. It's the kind of kiss in which you lose yourself and find yourself all in one, and Kara is most definitely lost and found in that moment, just as she was in their first kiss...

The End.

A/N Supercat is my guilty little pleasure ship. I hadn't really intended to write anything for it, but this story demanded to be written. Thank you for reading. Reviews are always appreciated.

:)