(my ko-fi, if youâre so inclined)
Oh my God. Youâre in love with her.Â
Alex shows up at Catco three hours after the fight where Supergirl went down. Catâs nerves are fried. Normally on a day this bad, Kara would appear and offer her M&Ms before she got a chance to pour herself a drink. Even now, Kara a reporter and no longer her assistant, she always managed to arrive just before Cat stood up to head to her bar in the middle of the day.
She wasnât here this afternoon, though, so by the time Alex gets there, Catâs two drinks in, trying to hide the way her hands have started shaking.
âAgent Scully, finally,â Cat says. âCan we quote you for a story on Supergirlâs condition?â
âSheâs fine,â Alex says, closing the door to Catâs office behind her.
Cat doesnât believe her. âSurely you donât mind if I could hear that from the hero herself?â
Except Kara fell out of the sky.
Cat has been pretending all day like the sight didnât stop her heart dead in her chest. Sheâs been yelling at employees, demanding a source, demanding eyes on Supergirl before any other news outlet. Sheâs been making it seem like itâs about the story instead of the girl.
She canât simply believe sheâs fine.
âWhen can we expect her back in our skies?â Cat asks. Sheâs rearranging things on her desk like sheâs looking for a document, but what sheâs actually doing is avoiding Alexâs eyes. âHow long do criminals only have to outwit the NCPD instead of Supergirl?â
âShe told me to tell you her article will be finished by tomorrow,â Alex says. âThough she claims Snapper will throw it in the trash anyway.â
The papers Cat is holding flutter to the ground.
Of course she knows Kara is Supergirl. Sheâs known, of course she has known. Itâs clear, even, that Kara knows she knows, but theyâve never addressed it. Not directly. And here Alex is, talking about Karaâs assignments. Talking about Snapper. Alex would never do this if Kara didnât insistâwhich means Kara is okay, must be, okay enough to have pushed this plan on her sister.
Cat sets her palms flat on her desk, pays no attention to the papers scattered around her feet.
âGood,â she says. âIâm glad to hear that.â
She still hasnât looked at Alex, but something must cross Catâs face, because the other woman lets out a harsh breath.
âOh my God,â Alex says. âYouâre in love with her.â
On any other day, sheâd have a better poker face. But she flinches, and her fingernails scrape against her desk, and sheâs sure thatâs all Alex needs to know.
âSheâs probably right about Snapper,â Cat says like Alex never said anything. âBut someday sheâll write something heâs actually willing to publish, I promise.â
âTell your staff youâre leaving for the day,â Alex says.
Cat finally looks at her. âExcuse me?â
âYouâre coming to the DEO,â Alex says. âYou and Kara need to talk.â
Alex levels her with a look like sheâs an idiot.Â
Cat tries not to hope too much as she gathers her purse and coat. Sheâs too old for butterflies, but as she leads Alex to her private elevator, they swoop through her stomach anyway.