Disclaimer: I do not own Supergirl

Author's Notes: Unlike these three chapters, I don't have anything written beyond this so the update might take longer especially because I need to finish up my SuperCatSlam entry soon, so bare with me, please.

Chapter 3

"There's no such thing as a coincidence," she finished, eyes squinting in studious focus of reading Kara's face.

Kara cleared her throat before attempting to speak, a swift glance down at the hand on her knee causing a blush to rise up her neck. "What...what do you mean by that, Miss—Cat?"

Cat squeezed Kara's knee. "That I'm intensely grateful you saved my son, Kara. Don't you dare lie to me now. His life was literally in the fray and you went to him," she gulped down her emotions, tears prickling her eyes before vanishing once more. "Thank you," she whispered in the most genuine tone Kara had ever heard from her boss' voice, not even when conversing with her son.

The Kryptonian bit her lip, trying not to stutter her automatic response of lying whenever someone attempted to address her secret. It was second nature by now, so to prevent that, she looked down to her lap and placed a soft hand over Cat's. Kara focused on breathing evenly and not freaking out about losing her job again, but did hear the brief quickening of Cat's heart. She smiled slightly.

"Please don't fire me, Cat. Working for you makes me feel normal, it balances my life out, not to mention helps pay the bills," Kara finally spoke in a soft voice, figuring that honesty was the best way to get through to her boss. If Cat understood the gravity and meaning of her job at CatCo maybe she would reconsider firing her.

"Oh, Kara," she scoffed, drawing the younger woman's curious eyes up again. "Why do you think I gave you an office without windows and a quick escape to the stairs?"

"...To work my way up to a better office?" Kara asked.

Cat actually chuckled. "Typically yes, that would be a valid reason, but no...your little stunt double fooled me for several moments, maybe a day at most, but I knew you must work for some shady Men in Black-esque organization and could pull that rabbit out of the hat easily. There's no one else in National City that could be Supergirl but you. Who else but Sunny Danvers to save the day?" Cat explained with a lightheartedness.

"You knew, but...promoted me anyways?" Kara asked carefully. Cat nodded, allowing Kara to process the information.

"How did you arrive so quickly at the school?" Cat prodded slightly, changing the subject smoothly.

"I was in the bullpen when you got the call. I heard lockdown and Carter's school. I left immediately," Kara admitted, her blush rising to her cheeks, fingers flexing slightly against Cat's hand. She wasn't uncomfortable with the contact so much as unused to it. It was a nice reminder to ground herself and not worry too much, a reassurance of sorts.

"Ah...super hearing. That's how you knew about Dirk and how you always heard me calling your name no matter where you were. Helping in being my assistant, no doubt?" Cat raised an eyebrow teasingly. It was then she she carefully flipped her hand so their palms were facing one another. She did no more, allowing Kara to entwine their fingers if she so desired. "I saw that the teacher got shot in the shoulder, will make a full recovery. You got a look of sadness on your face Friday, Kara. Are you okay?" Cat questioned softly.

Kara looked down again, the memory of not saving that teacher and feeling left out in Cat's office that day coming back in perfect clarity thanks to her alien brain. She sighed and decided to be brave by properly holding Cat Grant's hand. "Yeah...I just...I should have gotten there sooner. Then she wouldn't have been hurt. I feel...guilty," she said.

"Out of hundreds of students and faculty in the school, only one got wounded. You saved everyone in that building, especially my son," Cat attempted to reason with Kara.

"Which makes it seem like the only reason I was there was for Carter's sake," Kara pouted, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. True, she had initially gone to the school to protect Cat's son but she would have been called there anyways eventually and wanted to help everyone but she couldn't lie when the question would come about what her priority was. Which was finding Carter.

"And for that I'm eternally grateful, Kara," Cat emphasized the name to get her attention. "You could not have done any better, I promise," she spoke slowly so her meaning was implicitly understood. Kara released the breath she had been holding, a wan smile trying to cross her face. Cat was mildly worried that the sunny smile wasn't immediately brought back to Kara's face and wasn't entirely sure how to provoke it back into existence. Wasn't sure how to cheer her former assistant up.

"I wish I had your optimism about this," Kara responded, seemingly intent on bemoaning her decisions.

"Oh, for crying out loud, Kara," Cat huffed in exasperation before leaning forward and placing a light kiss on Kara's cheek. "You're the most optimistic person on this planet or any other. You have to move past this and keep going," she said sternly.

Kara's free hand had raised to the spot where Cat had kissed her cheek as she stared at her boss stunned. Her mouth had gone dry when the woman leaned into her and she felt herself frozen on the spot after it happened, hardly registering what Cat had said to her. "Uh...uhm...I..." she stammered, keenly aware of the heat in her cheeks.

Cat watched on in intrigue. Perhaps...no. Kara couldn't feel that way for her too. She was simply surprised at her boss acting so strangely toward her of late. Nothing more, nothing less. Which swiftly sent a pang of regret and hurt to her heart, but this was old hat for her by now. She was about to pull her hand back, but found Kara's grip increase slightly as she continued to find something to retort with. Very intriguing...

"In your office Friday..." she started, staring at their hands as her thumb began to rub Cat's knuckles, focusing her mind in order to speak. "I felt...like something was missing, like I felt left out when Carter was leaning on you. I know it's silly," Kara covered swiftly then began to speak quickly to suppress any awkwardness, "I have my own family and I should be happy with that and I totally am despite losing another father but I can't explain what I felt when I saw how sweet the two of you were or why I felt that way, but I did and it's been on my mind all weekend and-"

Cat cut her off with a single finger pressed to Kara's lips. Slowly Kara brought her gaze up to Cat's, gulping when she saw compassion in her emerald orbs. "I don't think you even realize how effectively you've wormed your way into our life. It's not surprising that you want a larger part, that you want to spend more time with Carter," Cat spoke carefully, putting her focus on her son versus her own selfish desire.

"It's not just Carter," Kara surprised herself with the easy admission. Her eyes widened slightly, but the grip on her hand tightened once more preventing her from pulling away.

"Oh?"

Kara gulped, worrying her lip for a moment or two before pulling at her Supergirl confidence. "I...I want to get to know you, Cat," it was like pulling teeth for the Kryptonian to reveal she wanted something out loud. She had been gifted so much as is that it felt unfair to ask for more. "I want to be more than friends," she added for clarity's sake, jaw sitting strong as she awaited for the let down, the dismissal.

Cat's heart fluttered at hearing Kara speak those words. She hadn't been wrong. The feelings she suspected from her former assistant had been accurately discerned. They had reciprocal feelings for one another and she felt her mind explode at the thought of pursuing a relationship with Kara, of courting her. No matter how old fashioned that term sounded.

She decided to test her luck, and Kara's confidence, "More than friends in what sense...Kara?"

Kara's breath hitched, eyes dilating slightly at hearing the purr of her name from Cat's lips. "More than friends, like...your...girlfriend," she managed to reply evenly, moving closer to Cat's face, not once breaking eye contact. "Will you be my girlfriend, Cat?" Kara whispered when their noses nearly brushed, a wave of excitement shooting through her when she realized Cat had mirrored her movement.

As their breaths mingled, Cat remained silent, contemplative. It would be so easy to close the short distance and finally kiss the object of her desire, sealing the deal and falling further for this beautiful creature. No worries seemed to cross Kara's mind as she revealed her true feelings for her, but something nagged in the back of Cat's mind, listing the many reasons they might not work as a couple. If her rational side were functioning in such close proximity to Kara it would inform her these were the reasons others would tear them down for being together. Not her own insecurities because frankly, she was entirely too selfish when it came to Kara Danvers.

"Please?" Kara's eyes closed, her head angled slightly in preparation for a kiss, so close Cat ached.

Somewhere the words "fuck it" came to mind and Cat took the leap, kissing Kara with a gentleness she was unused to, taking her time to enjoy this moment, to explore each other. Kara was no novice to kissing, but took great care in following Cat's lead, easily mimicking the older woman's movements in opposite synchronicity. It was tender and sweet and so lovely that Cat felt herself grow lightheaded when she brought her hand up to rest on Kara's neck to keep her close.

Cat sighed when she couldn't kiss Kara any longer, the relief felt at taking that last step giving her the strength of heart to fly, if not the ability itself. The grin on her face was entirely too goofy for her usually calm demeanor and Kara was giggling quietly to herself.

"That was really nice," Kara murmured, a blush coating her cheeks.

"Yes it was," Cat agreed, leaning in to peck at Kara's lower lip teasing it with her teeth to earn a gasp before pulling back once more and resting their foreheads together. Kara's breathing had sped up at the unexpected shot of pain, but she smiled wider.

"You didn't answer my question."

Cat batted at Kara's shoulder. "You implied the response was a kiss, so you should have your answer, Supergirl," she teased. Kara relaxed as she stole a quick kiss from Cat.

"That will never not feel new to me," Kara admitted, despite the worry her cliché might warrant a glare.

"Could get used to it..." Cat caught her gaze with a mischievous gleam. Kara giggled nervously, biting her own lower lip before Cat placed a soothing kiss on the same spot. "Stop, worrying will you?" she asked, kissing Kara's cheek. "You caught me. Hook, line and sinker," she promised sincerely.

"Are you..." Kara was going to get smacked. "...a catfish?" the shit-eating grin on her face was enough to cause Cat to pause in her glare but she did slap Kara's shoulder once more.

"That's the only free pass you get, Keira. I hope you realize that," Cat intoned purposefully. Kara nodded deftly, removing her hand from Cat's grip to pull the older woman into a proper hug, burying her nose in Cat's soft curls.

Cat sighed at the sweet gesture, gladly letting herself be engulfed by strong arms, hands splayed on Kara's shoulders. How she hadn't told Kara she knew that night on the balcony during Myriad was a miracle. How she hadn't told her her feelings, was beyond restraint. There was no doubt in her mind that Kara and Supergirl were one, that parlor trick fooling her briefly. It scared her when Kara came to her office the day after, baring her soul to Cat in some futile attempt at open honesty and not what it truly was: a suicide note. Had she gone to everyone and told them something equally as special? She had hardly been able to keep it together in the moment, she couldn't imagine how everyone else handled the change in personality. Cat's fingers dug into the fabric of Kara's dress, clinging to her as she realized how grateful Kara was still here.

If Kara noted the difference in Cat's position in the hug, she made no mention, or altered herself, simply continuing to rub her hands along Cat's back, basking in her scent and comforted by her presence. So comfortable and safe she didn't even notice that they were no longer alone.

Carter cleared his throat softly. "Done making out?" he asked with a decidedly devious lilt to his voice.

Cat pulled away from Kara first, despite her desire to feel the other's existence since her thoughts went dark. "No, darling, why don't you give us another hour," she said sarcastically, winking at her son.

Carter giggled in turn, creeping closer before sitting on the coffee table to face them both. He wrung his hands in his lap for a moment. "So...I was only teasing. What, uh...what did you talk about?" he didn't mean to intrude, didn't mean to assume things. He was fairly certain both women had feelings for the other, but he knew that sometimes those things didn't work out well and hoped he hadn't screwed things up or made them more awkward with his earlier remark. Which is why he was now attempting to cover it up by asking straight out what happened.

"Well, unsurprisingly, Cat knows my secret. Was probably always the first to know my secret," Kara piped up, glancing at Cat mid-sentence.

"Carter, sweetie..." Cat jumped in. "Would you mind if Kara and I began to date?" It was a sensitive subject. None of Cat's previous interests had been known to last long enough to meet Carter, much less require the teen's permission to continue dating his mother. They were typically one time deals, or simply hookups that she had no intention of ever bringing up with Carter.

The teen took a few silent moments to ponder the question, amping up Kara's anxiety in the process. Then Carter looked at Kara and very seriously asked, "What are your intentions with my mother?"

Unintentionally, Kara barked out a slight laugh before composing herself. "Oh, wow. You're serious," she chuckled nervously. She was going to answer anyway, but it had been so unexpected it was amusing and her reactions spot on. "All I intend to do is make her happy," Kara answered.

Cat leaned into Kara's side and breathed, "You already make me happy," not caring how gooey and warm it made her seem.

Carter's face broke into a smile. "Yeah, that's what I figured," he informed them, smiling at the expression of pure bliss on his mother's face. She had never before looked so calm and ethereal, as though this was what the universe had always intended for her. That it had just been waiting for Kara's arrival and if she had been patient, she wouldn't have had to suffer through the rest of her heartache, but then...maybe Adam's dad, Adam, him and his own father were a means to where his mother was now. That if they hadn't happened, none of this would have happened anyways, Kara or no Kara. Hm... It was a confusing and convoluted subject to pursue, so Carter put that thought on a back burner and focused on the present. And the fact that his mom and Kara seemed to fit well together.

He moved from his spot to sit by Kara and wrap his arms around her waist, leaning against her in a similar manner to his mother. "Besides, I already like Kara, so this is great," Carter added, nuzzling Kara's shoulder.

Kara glanced between the two of them, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears. Not two days ago she had been wishing for just such a scene to unfold for her and now here she was. She felt complete and perfect, loved without so many scary and far too early words, and that she belonged. Kara could be herself with the Grants, they both knew her secret and didn't care that she could hold the wait of a building on her back, could break the sound barrier, had laser vision, or was faster than a speeding bullet. No...they cared for her as she was, as Kara Zor El Danvers. And she would never take that for granted.