The Blackout

Cat put her glasses on, took her purse and started walking away.

"And Kiera, I'll need those layouts waiting for me on my desk first thing tomorrow. I don't want to have to ask for them."

"Yes, miss Grant. I'll take care of it."

Cat walked into her personal elevator, typing on her phone. "Also, I need you to make some calls about..." She glanced up and saw Kara two steps away from the threshold. "Kiera!" She snapped.

Kara's eyes widened.

"Do keep up! I don't have all day."

"Wha... Miss Grant. But.. you want me to.." She touched her glasses. "You want me to join you?"

Cat rolled her eyes. "I spend more time with you than I do with my own son." She sighed. "Unfortunately. You might as well just get inside. Chop Chop."

Kara swallowed, nodded vigorously and stepped in.

"Now, listen. About those calls.."

She was interrupted again, though. As the elevator doors closed, the lights flickered and went off. The elevator tried to move, but it just stopped working with a loud noise.

"What's this?" Cat immediately supported herself holding on Kara's arm. Her breathing was already erratic. "What's going on?"

Kara looked at the hand on the biceps. "I don't know, Miss Grant. It seems like a blackout."

"That's not possible. We have an energy generator, it should hold for a few hours, unless..." Her eyes widened, and she held even tighter, burying her nails on Kara's skin.

Kara winced and watched her close.

"Leslie."

"No!" Kara faced her, and she was the one touching the other woman's arm now. "She's not here, she can't, she's detained and we're all safe from her. I assure you, miss Grant."

Cat looked into her eyes. "How would you know?"

Kara's eyes flickered to the ground.

"Of course."

Cat stepped away from her. She went to a corner and braced herself, trying to get it together. Kara heard her whisper. "Always hated heights. We're too far high." She closed her eyes.

Kara saw she was visibly terrified and felt awful. She knew since her first day at CatCo that her boss wasn't a fan of heights, and that she fought her fears every time she rode elevators. Although Cat didn't show, Kara knew it had gotten way worse after the fight with Livewire at CatCo and after the red k balcony incident. And for that she felt terrible.

"Everyone knows we're in here. I'm sure they're already working on it."

Cat was doing her best, but she was already breathing rapidly.

"Hey." Kara touched her arm. "We'll be fine."

Cat glared at her. "I don't like heights. And I don't like being stuck in this tiny metal box over 30 floors high."

"I know. Just.. try to take deep breaths and slow it down." Kara touched both her arms now. "Focus on me. Let me help you, and we'll be out of here soon."

"Just get us out of here." She closed her eyes and asked.

"What.. How?" She stuttered and reached for her glasses again.

Cat looked at her. "Not now, Kara. Please, just get us out of here." She begged.

"I.." She swallowed hard and grimaced. "I can't." She breathed out. "I can't, miss Grant."

Cat looked at her in disbelief. Kara looked at her feet.

"I know everyone saw us both coming in, but you can just takes us somewhere else, and we'll happily declare Supergirl just came in and took us both to my penthouse. It's perfect."

"I can't."

"You're unbelievable!" She said with a shaky voice and looked up blinking away some stupid tears.

"Take a deep breath." She reached for her.

"Do not touch me." She snapped. "If you were really worried, if you really cared..." She gasped. "You could.. do something." She exhaled loudly. "I can close my eyes, if you'd like."

"Miss Grant.." Kara looked at her and she seemed like she could cry. "Please, just let me help you."

"Then help us out." It didn't came out as angry as she intended, she could feel her throat constricting now. She knew it wasn't actually happening, that it was her anxiety taking over her and making her panic, but there's no way you can control anxiety.

When Kara didn't answer, but just looked at her apologetically again, she turned to the walls and braced herself against it with her eyes closed.

Kara looked at her, not knowing what to do. She wanted to reach out and help the woman in every way she could. Slowly she stepped closer and touched her back.

"Cat. I'm here with you. You can lean on me." She had her body against the older woman's now.

Cat wanted to make a biting remark on that. Kara didn't even trust her, why should she trust the younger woman then? She felt her strength leaving her every second, though, so she just let her be consoled.

Eventually, Kara managed to make Cat turn into her arms and lay her head on her chest. She could feel Cat's raging heart. She tucked a strand of hair behind Cat's ear and whispered.

"We'll be out soon. I promise. We'll be fine. You're safe with me. Always."

But then, people were just outside working on getting them out and there was another loud noise and the elevator moved again. For a second, Cat thought they were falling and that was enough to make her pass out. Kara held her and kneeled, holding Cat's body.

"Miss... Cat, Cat!" She said louder the second time, touching her face. "Oh, Rao, Rao, please be okay." A tear came down her face. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

Finally the doors opened, and she was quick to stand up holding Cat and walking to her office, even though everyone was watching them.

"Kara!" Winn looked at her alarmed as she put Cat down on the couch. "You shoudn't have.." He whispered. "Carried her... like that. Is she okay?"

Kara looked past him at the crowd that had gathered, curious eyes looking through the glass doors.

She said in a hard tone. "There's nothing to see here. Scatter away." Then she looked at Winn and went on softer. "She's fine, she just needs some time." Kara caressed Cat's face.

Winn seemed confused, but left them alone.

Cat woke up, feeling dizzy. She opened her eyes and saw blue wet eyes staring back at her.

"Hey." Kara said softly and smiled. "How are you feeling?"

Cat felt Kara's hand still on her face and touched it. She then looked around, realising that she must have passed out and was now laying on her couch. She felt ashamed, outraged that everyone in the office had seen her so vulnerable, and the ones who hadn't were most certainly already hearing all about it. She sat.

"Easy, you might still feel dizzy." Kara was still steading her. Cat gave her such an intense look that it caused her to drop her hands.

"I'm fine. Now gather my stuff. I'm going home." She stood up and walked away.

She went after her. "Miss Grant, wait, you should.."

Cat turn away so abruptly that their bodies almost collided. She looked at Kara's eyes.

"I hope you're satisfied, Kara." She dragged out her name. "Once again, you're safe from the life threatening danger of me knowing. Your so important secret stands, after all, no matter at what cost, isn't it so?"

She walked away and Kara felt like she's never seen her so hurt. She was angry, yes, but she was mostly hurt.

Kara put her hands on her hips and looked down swallowing her tears. By the time, she recomposed and gathered Cat's personal belongings, she was already waiting for them in the car. Kara knocked on the driver's glass.

"Hey, can you give us some time?"

Donald immediately complied, leaving the car, and leaving Cat confused. "What the hell? Donald?"

Kara opened the behind door, getting inside of the car.

"Since when do you tell my employees what to do?"

"I'm your assistant. I do that all the time."

"Brazen, aren't you now? Careful, Kira, Kira, you've wasted enough of my time today, and I long to be home."

"I know that you're mad at me, but please.."

"What is your problem? Do you know since when I know? Since you got my stupid car flying around and opened your mouth to give me that first interview. Do you really underestimate me that much? Now, what have I ever done to make you question my trust? Sure, I might have threatened to fire you a couple of times.." She rolled her eyes. "Because I was tired of playing around this. I thought that you'd trust me at so point. Yes, I am mad at you, but I'm mostly mad at myself, Kara! For being so wrong about this."

Kara looked hurt, but she couldn't care now. She had been terrified in there, she had begged.

"Are you about to let me leave any time soon?"

"You.. " She finally found her voice. "You have to know that it's not about that, you have to know, Cat." She looked at her eyes and touched Cat's knee. "I trust you with my life." She said, exasperated.

Although being bewildered at those words, the sudden use of her name and the sudden contact, Cat scoffed.

"You have to know it's not about that. I'd never let you suffer and just watch it. I've told you more than once that you're safe with me and that's true. I'd... I would never let anything hurt you if I could just stop it. I... Cat.. I..."

Her eyes suddenly flickered down to Cat's lips, then back to her eyes. Cat looked at Kara's hand on her knee. As following the woman's glance, Kara pulled her hand away, settling it down on her own lap and looking at it. Her lips threaten to tremble. Cat saw that, and looked away through the window. She didn't want to feel sorry for Kara right now.

"I blew off my powers last night."

That made Cat look back at her, astonished, but Kara didn't dare look up at her again.

"I really just couldn't get us out."

She opened the door and left.