Cat groaned as she began to regain consciousness, her senses slowly waking up and filtering through the haze of confusion and exhaustion that was currently clouding her mind. As her thoughts fought to organize the physical information trickled in, making her aware of the cold, hard surface under her back, aware of the fact that she couldn't hear the customary sounds of the city traffic that somehow always managed to seep through the expensive soundproofing of her penthouse apartment, and, most importantly, aware of the fact that she could not feel the warmth of another person pressed against her side.
And that, that last one, it settled over her, a discomfort more than anything those other sensations could cause, an unease because she knew that that should be there, that person, even if other things were out of place.
There could be logical explanations for the first two, explanations as to why she wasn't waking up in her own bed, why she wasn't at home, but no matter where she was, the one thing that really didn't make sense was the fact that that girl hadn't followed her, that that girl hadn't curled into her, hadn't sought her out. Yes, those other things could be explained away, somehow, she was sure, but what couldn't, what she absolutely knew was wrong with this situation, was the fact that she could not feel Kara in her arms. It was a presence that she had grown used to over the last few months, a presence that had become so second nature that she could barely remember what it was like to wake up without the soft pressure of a head on her shoulder, of a hand splayed across her ribs, clutching at her shirt or dancing across her bare skin. She could barely remember what it was like to wake up with her own hand empty, and she closed her fingers reflexively, searchingly, wondering why she couldn't feel the soft strands of golden hair that should be held tightly, possessively in her grasp.
Kara should be there, in Cat's arms, and the realization that the girl wasn't made Cat frown even as she still wasn't thinking clearly enough to open her eyes. Kara should be there, so where was…
They had been heading home, leaving the office late when…
"Kara!"
The memory jarred her awake, removing the last residual haze from her mind as her eyes shot open and she struggled to sit up, knowledge of the events returning along with a flood of panic. She and Kara had left the office together, she remembered that now, they had climbed into the back of Cat's private car and Cat had already been threading their fingers together, already been applying a gentle tug to pull the girl towards her, when a soft hiss had distracted her, and a moment later she had realized that the sound was connected to the gas that was filling the chamber, enveloping the two of them. Kara had reached for the door, reacting first, but when she had pushed against the metal frame nothing had happened, which was when Cat had noticed the greenish tint in the air, the kryptonite that had been infused into the gas, the kryptonite that had made Kara just as weak, if not weaker, than Cat.
Cat remembered her fear as she had watched Kara slump over first, at hearing the girl cry out in pain, the kryptonite in her lungs doing more than just knocking her out, but then Cat too had been falling, succumbing to the drug, and now…
"Kara!" This time she called the name out loud, strength surging back into her limbs as she spotted the girl several feet away, still unconscious, but not restrained. Crawling over to her, Cat pressed her hand against Kara's cheek, her eyes skimming over the girl's body, checking and rechecking for signs of damage.
Nothing. Cat let out a soft, relieved sigh, that, at least, was something. The last effects of the inhaled kryptonite would be fading soon, were already fading, if the way Kara turned her face into Cat's hand, her eyes scrunching as she wavered on the edge of consciousness, was to be believed. And so Kara just had to wake up, just wake up and then they could get out of here.
Wherever here was.
Looking around, not wanting to take her eyes off the younger woman but needing to assess the predicament, Cat took in the strange metal box, empty except for the lights across the ceiling, and, of course, the two occupants held within. It didn't seem that imposing, not when she knew that Kara could easily break out of something like this, but it also made no sense that someone would go through the trouble of containing them, of using kryptonite, and then not have a contingency plan.
Cat turned her attention back to Kara, scanning her again, looking for any sort of kryptonite restraint, and when she didn't see any she carefully pressed her nails into the soft skin of Kara's arm, not wanting to hurt her, but needing to know if her powers were still working. Adding slightly more pressure Cat held her grip for a moment before pulling back, watching for reddened skin, an indication that she had left a mark. There was one, but it faded after only a moment, faded as the last of the kryptonite was filtered out of Kara's system and her powers returned.
Kara's eyes were just fluttering open, the girl's mouth moving to say Cat's name, when another voice beat her to it.
"Cat, Supergirl, welcome! I'm so glad you could join me today," and suddenly one entire wall lit up, transforming into the face of Maxwell Lord, his malevolent smile making Cat want to pull back and push Kara behind her. Cat wanted to hide Kara away from that evil look, but of course Kara was faster, the potential threat to Cat propelling her into action, and instead Cat found that she was the one who was shoved back, Kara stumbling to her feet and shielding the human from the man on the screen.
"Lord," the word spilled from Kara's lips, angry and dark, and even through Cat's worry about everything else that was going on that sound stuck in her mind, reverberating there because there was something troublesome about it, something off about the way Kara had pronounced it, an inflection that tugged at Cat's memories from an earlier time. It was a tone that she thought she recognized, but Cat pushed the concern away for the moment and returned her attention to Maxwell Lord. Of course Kara would be angry right now, Cat was angry as well, there was nothing more to the matter than that.
"What are we doing here, Max? Surely you realize what a mistake this is?" Cat found her own feet as she was speaking, not content to let Kara stand in front of her. It wasn't like the man was actually here, anyway, and she very much doubted that there was a physical threat from the screen.
"Oh, you think it's a mistake, do you? Don't worry, little kitten, you won't have to think for much longer," at his words Kara let out an uncharacteristic growl, earning a concerned glance from Cat, the sound once again settling uncomfortably in her ears, even as it also drew an amused look from Lord.
"There, you see? It's starting to work already! A little more time and this will all be over."
Cat reached out and placed a restraining hand on Kara's arm as the girl started to shift her weight forward, not liking the way Kara's stance was changing from protective to threatening, but the girl shrugged it away, yanking her arm with enough force to send Cat stumbling. Cat let out a confused yelp, more from the surprise at Kara's action, at Kara doing something without considering how her movement might endanger Cat, than anything else, and at the noise Kara spun around, catching her before she could fall, and Kara's own eyes widened with equal shock and confusion as she realized what she had done.
"Cat, I'm sorry, I…" and then a look of horror crossed Kara's face and she dropped her hands away from Cat's body, backing up so fast that she crashed into the wall with enough force to break it open.
Or enough force that it should have broken open, but instead the wall flashed green, just for an instant, just in the moment of contact, and Kara cried out instead, falling to the ground as she actually felt the pain of the impact. Cat took a step forward, Lord almost forgotten in the face of Kara's hurt, but the girl held out her hand to stop her.
"No Cat, don't come near me!" And the fear in Kara's voice was so real, so raw, that Cat found herself stopping, even though all of her instincts were screaming at her to move to Kara's side.
And then Lord's laughter was echoing through the chamber. "You see? You won't be getting out of here on your own. Every inch of this cell is monitored, and the moment you try to hit your way out, or if try to use your lasers or freeze breath on the walls or ceiling, the kryptonite will activate and you'll lose all your force. There's a layer of kryptonite under the floor as well, it's a few inches down so that you can stand without feeling the effects, but you won't get out that way, either. But don't worry, as long as you're not trying to escape you'll be at full power, and if your lasers are pointed at Cat, well…"
"No," Kara was trembling now, Cat could see that, but she didn't really understand. They were trapped, obviously, and so some concern was to be expected, but Kara had battled looming aliens capable of doing so much harm, had thrown herself into space to save them all once, and so this reaction, this extreme of a reaction, from just being trapped in a metal box, it didn't make sense. It didn't, until Cat started to move again, started to take another step towards the girl and something flashed across Kara's skin.
Red.
There was brief moment where the color illuminated Kara's features, red veins standing out in stark contrast to her pale face and Cat finally understood. Cat realized what Kara had figured out in that moment when she had pushed Cat away, and suddenly this, Kara's behavior, it did made sense, for all that Cat wished that it didn't. Kara wasn't scared because they were trapped, she wasn't even scared because Cat was at risk from Lord, no, what was really causing this fear, this terror, even, was the fact that Cat was in here. The fact that Cat was in here with her.
Kara was terrified because she was losing control, and Cat was the only one here for her to hurt.
"Just a little something left over from the last time, the red kryptonite should be taking full effect in the next few minutes, and I think we all know what will happen then. I saved it for this, you know, I saved it so that I could use it again after those other Kryptonians were defeated. We needed Supergirl then, we couldn't have beaten them without her, but now that they're gone she's just another threat, just another alien, and it's time to fix that."
Cat wanted to ignore him, wanted to find some way of reassuring Kara, but she couldn't because her heart had started racing with fear, fear of Kara, fear of the woman who had thrown her off of the balcony all those months ago, fear because if Kara hurt her now, again, Kara would never be able to get over it. Fear because Cat could take whatever Kara threw at her, could forgive her, even if she killed her, but Kara?
If Kara hurt her, killed her, the girl would never survive.
"Everyone forgave what happened last time because no one really got hurt, but if Supergirl destroys the Queen of All Media now? Even under the influence of a drug that won't be enough of an excuse. It will be a one-way ticket to Cadmus and then it's only a matter of time before the world turns on Superman next, their fear of her spreading to him. And after that, after that the Earth will finally be safe, all thanks to me."
His logic made no sense, or it did make sense, but in a twisted sort of way, a way that was very Max, and that Cat knew that she wouldn't be able to change, not in whatever brief period of time was left to them. And so she couldn't reason with him right now, but maybe if she could threaten him, maybe if she could convince him that this wasn't worth the risk to his own person...
"You won't get away with this, Max! The DEO-"
"Ah, yes, the DEO," Lord cut Cat off, "I'll sit in one of their cells for a couple of days, but eventually they'll let me out. Without Supergirl I'm the best defense this city has, and once Superman is gone as well, well, then they'll need me and my technology to continue where those two left off. It will be better that way, you can see that, can't you, Cat? It will be better for the Earth to be protected by humans instead of aliens," he laughed again and Cat's hands balled into fists at her sides. "The DEO has locked me up before, but it never lasts. They'll be picking me up in a few minutes, but you two, it will take them several hours to find you, and I'm betting that by then it will be too late."
"Let Cat out, please! I'll do whatever you want, I'll let you lock me up, I won't fight you, anything! Please, please just let Cat go!" Kara was huddled against the wall, pressing herself into the surface to keep as far away from Cat as possible, and Cat could see the green kryptonite starting to react. Not enough to really sicken the girl, but enough to keep her from breaking out.
Lord only smiled wider and Cat's stomach churned as she realized that he was enjoying Kara's pleas, enjoying hearing Kara beg. Her hands clenched harder and she noticed absently that she had broken her own skin, blood pooling in her fists, it was going to ruin her clothes but she didn't care. Kara was only supposed to beg for her, and this, what Lord was doing to Kara, it was unacceptable, even more so than anything Kara might do to her. It was unacceptable because Kara was hers, and, despite everything else that was going on, the thought of Kara bending to anyone but her could not be allowed to pass.
Part of her thought that was funny, this reaction, funny that even at the threat of her own life she cared more about what this would do, was doing, to Kara, but it was a humor that couldn't compete against her anger, and Cat's lips drew back in a snarl. She was just about to speak again when Lord's smile faltered and he looked to the side, obviously distracted by something off camera.
"Well that was quick," he muttered, before retuning his attention to his prisoners, "it seems that the DEO has arrived faster than I expected, so for now I'll have to sign off. Kara, dear, I look forward to seeing you again in the near future, and Cat, well, what can I say? Thank you for your sacrifice. It's been fun," and with that the screen when dark and the only sound left to Cat was her own heavy breathing and pounding heart.
"Kara…"
"Stay back!" And then Kara was moving, pulling herself away from the wall, but only for a moment. In the next instant she was slamming herself against it again, stumbling back, only to rush forward another time.
"Kara!" Cat called again but the girl ignored her, throwing herself against the wall again and Cat flinched when she heard the stifled gasp of pain.
"Kara, stop!" But Kara wasn't listening, and with the next attempt she altered her position, crashing not just her body, but her head into the wall as well.
"She's not trying to escape," Cat realized, "she's trying to hurt herself, trying to cause herself enough damage that she won't heal in time!"
It wouldn't work, of course not, Lord would have carefully calculated how much kryptonite was needed for the wall to prevent any damage from lasting more than a few seconds, but that wouldn't stop Kara from trying, even if all she was doing was causing herself physical, non-lasting pain with her frantic efforts.
Cat did move forward then, slipping into the space between the wall and Kara just in time to stop the girl from another attempt. Kara slid to a halt, her hands reaching out to brace herself on either side of Cat, just barely avoiding a full on collision, and before Kara could back away again, could throw herself against the opposite wall, Cat reached out. The fingers of her right hand twisted into Kara's hair, tight enough that if the girl wanted to pull away she would have to wrench herself back, not harming herself, but possibly hurting Cat.
"Let go, Cat, please, get away," but there was no force behind the words, only desperate, pleading fear, and Cat let her other hand come up to rest on Kara's chest, feeling the tremors that were running through the girl's body.
Ignoring Kara's words and the expression on her face, an expression that even now was hardening into something darker, Cat gave her a gentle shove, pushing her back and stepping forward at the same time to maneuver them into the center of the room. She knew her heart was still racing, that she was still afraid, and that Kara could tell, but she also knew that it was her turn. Kara had saved her so many times, and this, right now, this was finally her chance to save Kara.
"Don't move," a command, a tone that Kara was so used to following, a tone that Cat had to have faith that she would continue to follow. Cat paused for a second, locking eyes with Kara and waiting for the small nod, the one that told her that Kara would obey, at least for now, before she untangled her hand from Kara's hair and moved to the accessory that hung low across her hips. She was glad she had worn this outfit today, the dress had a thin, black leather belt that was more fashionable that useful, but now, now it was going to be useful. Now it was going to help Cat save both her life, and Kara's. Or at least, that was what she hoped.
Pulling it off she measured it out, knowing how long it would have to be, before holding it up and indicating a specific spot to the girl.
"Rip," another command, from now on everything was going to have to be a command if they wanted to get out of this in one piece. Kara did as she was told, tearing the leather in the precise spot that Cat had specified, even as face was still awash with anxiety and fear.
"Cat…"
"No, this will work, Kara," and then Cat was discarding the excess material, tossing it aside without a second thought and moving to tighten the shortened belt around Kara's neck, unable to stop her small smile of satisfaction when Kara bent her head obediently, tilting her neck to give Cat better access. Cat took some pleasure in that, pleasure in the fact that even now, even in this situation, Kara was still giving in, still trusting her, still submitting to her will.
Cat struggled with the clasp slightly, having to force a new hole in the material to secure the belt in place, but she wouldn't ask Kara for additional help, not at this point. She always had to be the one to put the collar on the girl, it was part of the ritual, part of her assuming complete command, and now, more than ever, she needed that control to be clear. A second later the material tore and she pulled the collar snug. It wasn't their collar, not the one Cat had had specially made for Kara, not the one with Cat's initials engraved on a small metal pendent that hung in the center of Kara's throat, but it would have to do.
Cat ran her hands across the leather, straightening it until she was pleased with how it looked, noticing how Kara had started to relax when she felt the tight fit around her neck, her trust and acceptance of Cat calming her down. Good, that was what Cat had been looking for, but it wasn't enough, not quite. Yes, Kara had relaxed, but not enough, and as she opened her mouth again to argue Cat placed a finger across those lips, stopping the protest.
"No, Kara, you know the rules," she tried to sound assured, confident that this would indeed work. She had to stay confident because that was part of it as well, part of her control, and this was their best chance and so she had to believe that it would be enough.
Another flash of red passed over Kara's skin and Cat felt her heart skip as Kara grit her teeth, as Kara's body tensed again, but then, just as Cat had hoped, the girl bit back her remark and sank to her knees. She hovered like that for a moment, watching Cat intently, before lowering herself back, sitting on her heels and laying her palms flat against her thighs, waiting, just like Cat had taught her so long ago.
"Good girl," Cat whispered, running her hand over Kara's cheek, taking heart from the way the girl's face lit up at the praise, before taking a step back and shifting herself to a position of power, standing several feet away where she could look down at Kara easily, but where she was still close enough that Kara would have to crane her neck to see all of Cat.
Taking a deep breath, her first real breath since she had woken up here, Cat was careful to keep her face schooled in a controlled calm as she considered what to do next. They had a few minutes before the full effects of the red kryptonite took over, she knew, and she had to use that time to consider how best to proceed. In any other situation Cat wouldn't have to say anything after putting the collar around Kara neck, the established rules would have assured her of that, rules that dictated that once the collar was in place Kara wouldn't move or speak until given permission. But this was far from a normal situation.
"A few hours," Cat thought, just a few hours before the DEO would find them, would give Kara the antidote. A few hours was nothing. She had left Kara like this before, kneeling and waiting for her, sometimes ignoring her completely and even leaving the apartment, testing to see how long the girl would stay. And Kara had always stayed, always remained unmoving, compliant. Other times Cat had pleasured herself in front of Kara, torturing her by making her wait, silent and wanting, pushing Kara to her limits for an endless amount of time before finally allowing the younger woman to come to her, to crawl to her, before guiding Kara's face between her legs, taking whatever personal enjoyment she wanted from her first, before finally, after she was satisfied, finally moving in to touch Kara in return.
And Kara had taken that, reveled in it, been strengthened by it, and so a few hours? They could handle that. Kara was hers, and obeying Cat, submitting to her, it was something that was ingrained into the girl. Red kryptonite might alter Kara, but it couldn't create something new, it could only build on whatever small shreds of darkness lurked in any mortal heart. It could only build on want, and what Kara wanted, when it came to Cat, what Kara wanted was to find someone stronger than herself, find someone with more power. Even last time, when Kara had thrown her off of the balcony, even that hadn't been about hurting Cat, not really. It had been about displaying that power, it had been a challenge to show Cat just how strong Kara really was, a gauge so that Cat would know how much of her own power she would have to apply to claim Kara for herself.
But Lord didn't know that. Lord didn't realize the full extent of their relationship, didn't realize what it was that Kara really wanted, what she needed, and it was a need that Lord hadn't factored into his calculations of how long it would take before Kara killed Cat. Which was why this would work, the collar. It would work because as long as Cat could keep her control, could show that she was in charge, even if it wasn't because she was physically stronger, as long as Cat could do that even red kryptonite Kara would bow to her. But Cat still had to be careful.
"You're allowed to speak," she said finally, breaking the silence, meeting that steady gaze, a gaze that had shifted while she had been thinking, moving from scared to something else. It wasn't there yet, not fully, there was still a hint of her soft Kara underneath, but it was fading, which was why she had to allow the girl to talk. She did, because noise was the easiest rule to break. Even under normal circumstances Kara couldn't always hold herself back, and sometimes Cat would catch a moan or a whimper before she had given the girl leave to make a sound, especially when Kara knew that Cat was nearby.
And so she had to allow Kara to speak because this Kara would want to test her, test to see if Cat was worthy of this control, but she couldn't do that without either moving or speaking, and speaking was less dangerous. If Cat didn't allow it, this Kara might last for a little while, but not for a few hours, and eventually she would break that rule, eventually she would start talking, and once she broke the first rule, once she saw that Cat couldn't do anything about it, it would be so easy for her to break the next.
Once Kara broke one rule and Cat didn't stop her, the red kryptonite in her system would tell her that Cat wasn't worthy of possessing her in this way, and it would demand retribution. But by cutting that off before it had a chance to happen, by giving Kara permission to speak now, it would buy them a little more time, time that would be further extended because Cat knew that Kara would still fight to keep Cat safe with everything that she had. Whatever was left of the real Kara behind the drug would hold out for a long as possible, whatever was left would push for even more time, staying quiet and still despite the permission that she had been granted.
And Kara did fight, she did hold the drug in check, and it was almost an hour before Kara finally took her up on that permission. It was an hour where Cat was forced to watch the last of the brightness fade from Kara's face, watch as those eyes turned cruel and calculating, watch as the head tilted to the side, just slightly, not enough to be considered a real movement, small shifts like that were allowed, but enough to make the dark, considering look on the girl's face clear. And when Kara finally spoke it was in a voice Cat had never heard before, not even the last time she had been affected by the substance.
"Don't you want to play with me, Cat?" It was teasing, not the normal tone Kara would use when she was having fun, but a tone that had a seductive, suggestive edge, and despite herself, Cat felt a jolt of desire coil low in her abdomen. "I know you like me like this, on my knees, waiting for you, but wouldn't you like it better if you could feel your control, and not just see it?"
Cat kept her face carefully blank, trying not to show any hint of what that voice was doing to her, of how it was wrapping around her, seeping into her skin. She had thought about this sometimes, never when they were together, but sometimes when she was alone she had thought about the Kara that she had seen in the office that week. She had thought about the Kara that had ridden her personal elevator without permission, that had stalked around the office like a primal being, and even though it wasn't a version of Kara, or anyone, really, that Cat would want for something real, there was no denying the attraction of a Kara that was fully aware of her power, the attraction of a dark Kara like this.
It wasn't anything Cat would want long term, but for a night? For a few hours? Yes, she had thought about it, thought about how it would make her feel to see that Kara submit to her, to feel that Kara give in.
"You know I won't touch you, that I would never touch you like that without permission, even now, especially now, because it wouldn't do anything for me," the tone was trying to be reassuring, but it was failing, still coming off as more suggestive. Even so it served its purpose, showing the continued submission.
And that was the purpose, to highlight the power dynamic, it was because both of them were well aware of the fact that Kara didn't pose a threat to Cat, not in that way at least. It was why Cat hadn't even had the slightest hesitation before putting the collar on this Kara, why she hadn't worried about turning the situation sexual. She didn't need to worry because of the exact reason Kara had just given. Kara might hurt Cat if she decided Cat wasn't worthy of possessing her, might kill Cat, but she wouldn't even think about touching Cat in another way. She wouldn't because it would mean nothing to her, it would just be a waste of time, and this Kara did not want to spend time doing anything that didn't play to her own, personal desires. And so no, Cat wasn't worried, but Kara wasn't done.
"I won't touch you, but you can touch me, you can take me, Cat, don't you want to?" Kara tilted her head back as she spoke, her smirk widening when Cat couldn't keep her gaze from lingering on the exposed neck, on the makeshift collar, and with the movement Cat started to realize the full extent of what she had done. Because yes, she had thought about this, but only in the abstract, it was never something that she had ever expected to encounter, and just thinking about this Kara giving into her was one thing, but seeing it? Experiencing it? That was something different.
She hadn't worried about Kara touching her, but this situation? This was a Kara infinitely more dark and desperate that her normal Kara, and yet somehow, it was a Kara that was still on her knees, that was still wearing a collar around her neck, was still willing to submit, at least for the moment. Whatever she had imagined in the past, it could never have hoped to come close to this reality, and however much she might hate this situation, however much she didn't actually want this Kara, some part of her was basking in the revelation, in the feeling, the visual of this Kara kneeling before her.
Kara was still grinning at her, the girl's tongue darting out to wet her lips, and in response Cat suppressed a shiver, struggling not to engage.
"Don't you want to tie my hands behind my back, Cat? Shove me forward, press me into the ground and make me beg? Don't you want to see how far you can push me, test how strong your power over me really is?"
Cat forced herself to remain silent and cold, counting her breaths to distract herself from the girl at her feet.
"You know you can do anything you want to me right now, Cat, don't you want to play?" Kara bit her lip as she finished, and that, the flash of teeth, it was so inviting that Cat found herself starting to speak before she could remember to hold back.
"I can always do anything I want to you, Kiera," Cat stressed the wrong name, still trying to keeping her voice commanding and assured, even as she broke her resolve to remain distant. And it was a mistake, speaking, she should have remained silent, because the way Kara was looking at her now, the hungry glint in her eyes? It was drawing Cat in.
"But I don't think that's quite true, is it? You hold yourself back, don't you? I can tell. You don't think I can take it, take everything that you are, and you're afraid to push," that surprised Cat, she hadn't realized that Kara had known. But it was true, she did temper herself, somewhat. She allowed herself more with Kara than she ever had with anyone else, knowing that physically the girl could take it, but she held herself back because she was scared of destroying the girl, of what she would do to her if she let herself be completely free with Kara, if she let herself love the girl unhindered and without restraint.
"I think you're afraid of yourself, Cat, afraid of what you might do to me, what you might turn me into. But right now there's nothing you can do to me that would twist me any further, nothing you could do that would make me any darker than I already am. Right now you really can do anything you want to me without repercussions, anything at all, don't you want that?"
Cat felt an ache at those words, the swell of desire that she didn't want to feel, not now, not in this moment. She tried to push it away again, because how could she want this? How could she want a Kara that was already twisted into the worst form of herself?
She knew how. She did, because this was a Kara that Cat couldn't hurt, couldn't damage. If this Kara was without her light, it wasn't because of anything Cat had done, it wasn't something that Cat would have to take responsibility for. Which was why this Kara was so appealing, because this was a Kara that she could take without worry, a Kara she could take without giving all of herself in return. As wrong as it sounded, this was a Kara that was safe.
Her heart clenched at the realization, but even as she felt shame at her thoughts, she also felt something else, something that she hadn't considered before, each time she had pictured the dark Kara in the past. Because what she had just been thinking, it made her contemplate the difference between a Kara that surrendered to her alone, vs. a Kara that had been broken by something else, by this foreign substance. And while there was something reassuring about the knowledge that Cat couldn't hurt this Kara, not really, something in the back of her mind was also whispering that it was only because this Kara wasn't really hers, that this Kara was molded by something else, giving in to something else, something other than Cat. And Cat… well, Cat did not like to share.
"Don't you want to fuck me, Cat?"
And that decided it, those words, because yes, yes she did. Yes, she did want to do all the things that Kara had suggested and more. Yes, she did want to descend on the girl and take everything that she had, but it wasn't this Kara that she wanted, not really, no matter what her idle fantasies might have suggested.
Her Kara, the real one, her Kara was never like this, never asked Cat in such an inviting tone if she wanted to fuck her, never taunted her like that. It wasn't that Kara would never speak those words, no, she would, if Cat prompted, but it would be different. Cat could make Kara say those things, but she would make Kara beg them, make Kara beg Cat to fuck her, and that was so very different.
It was different because Kara would always blush, always look shy, even as she would also give in to Cat's demands. It was different because even if hearing Kara speak like this, even if the thought of Kara displaying her power, of the darker Kara, even if that did something to Cat, she didn't really want it, not when she considered everything that went along with that change. No, some part of her did enjoy this, desire it, but she wanted to see this happen because she was the one who had brought Kara here, because she was the one, the only one, that could pull out Kara's desire to the point that it would consume her, consume them both. Cat didn't want this Kara that taunted and teased of her own volition, without prompting, she didn't, because Cat wanted the Kara that would give in because of her, for her, and for her alone.
And then there was the fact that Cat knew that this Kara was only acting like this, still kneeling, because of the real Kara, because that Kara belonged to her, because part of that ownership was bleeding through. This Kara was only still here because Cat's control over the real Kara was so strong that it was enough to make even this Kara consider that Cat might be worthy. Kara was only still waiting for Cat because Cat's power over her was so unconditional, so complete, that even a drug that could turn her into a monster could never completely tear that away.
And that, that was the real power. It was, because this Kara, there wasn't any power in giving in to this one. This one would let her do anything, that was true, but so would the real one. And the difference was, was that this Kara didn't care, didn't want all of Cat in return, and so she wasn't nearly strong enough to pull Cat in. The real Kara was stronger, much stronger, because the real Kara had the ability to claim Cat just as thoroughly as Cat could claim her. Which was why taking that Kara, the real one, was so much more enthralling than anything this version could ever hope to offer.
Cat smiled then, feeling that realization draw around her, giving her strength as she looked down at the woman at her feet.
"I am going to fuck you, Kara," her voice was sure as she spoke, and Kara's smile twisted further into triumph at her words, but the smile fell away as Cat kept speaking. "But not now. Later. Later when we're home, when you're yourself again," a hiss cut her off as Kara's face contorted with anger.
Kara's expression shifted so suddenly, that, seeing that look, Cat felt the last of the pull fade away. It was so clear now, looking at the rage in those eyes, the rage that had bubbled to the surface to easily, it was so clear that this was just a shell, just a body, not a real challenge at all. It was so clear that this Kara was too weak to give Cat any sort of true satisfaction.
"And why should I obey now, then? If you're not going to give me what I want, when I want it?" Kara's hands, which until now had been resting open on the girl's thighs, balled into tight fists at her last words, drawing Cat's gaze. Taking a step forward Cat returned her eyes to Kara's face, her hand reaching down to grip the girl's hair and yank her head back, slightly relieved that Kara still let her do that, even through her obvious anger.
"You're going to sit there and do exactly what I tell you because it you don't, you'll never know what limits I've been setting. You're going to stay just like this until I tell you otherwise because if you don't, you won't get all of me, you won't get to see me when I really let go. You're going to submit to me now because you want to know all the things I could do to you if I stop holding myself back," Cat let her own dark smile play across her face, a promise of what was to come as she lifted her foot and pressed down against one of Kara's balled fists.
They looked at each other and Cat kept her gaze steady as she watched the emotions play across the girl's face. Watched the rage fight with lust fight with need. Cat watched as this Kara, this Kara that was only want, fought within herself, and Cat watched as the strongest desire, the desire for Cat, won out. Cat watched as the force of her dominance, of her grip on Kara's hair, of the pressure of her foot against Kara's hand, as that, to a Kara driven only by baser instincts, as that began to push back against all of Kara's other desires. Cat continued applying pressure until the girl unclasped her fingers and flattened her hand back against her thigh, and Cat didn't need to look to know that the other hand had loosened as well, trusting in Kara's surrender, but she didn't pull away, the heel of her stiletto continuing to dig sharply into Kara's leg.
She didn't pull back because Kara was still tense under her hands, and Cat could still see that anger, still see the desire to hurt Cat fighting to take over, and so reaching down with her other hand she closed her fingers around the collar, giving a sharp tug and twisting it so that it dug into the girl's skin. A whine escaped from deep within Kara's throat at that, her eyes dilating and breath coming fast, and just as had happened when Cat had first put the collar around her neck, Kara's body relaxed again under the pressure, and just for a moment Cat caught a glimpse of the real Kara in that gaze. Cat let out a small sound of approval at that look, her eyes glistening with pride because it was a look that told her that yes, the real Kara truly was more powerful. She was, because that Kara could still surface even now, in response to Cat's call.
"See?" she whispered, bending down so that her lips were barely brushing against the shell of the girl's ear, "isn't it better this way? Isn't it better when you realize that you can't taunt me into touching you, that I'm stronger than you? Isn't it better knowing that every single thing I do to you is deliberate? That I'll only touch you when I decide that I want to, when you know that you have my full, complete attention? Isn't it better knowing that I don't just want you because you're there, because you're available, but that I want you because of who you are? Because of what you alone can do to me? Isn't it better when you just accept that you're mine, Kara? Isn't it?"
Cat didn't wait for a response, shoving the girl slightly as she pulled away, not enough to knock her over, but enough to set the boundaries back in place, and, turning her back dismissively, Cat moved away, striding around Kara to stand at her back, feeling her own tension drain away with a confidence, a complete and utter belief that Kara was indeed hers, and hers alone.
When the DEO arrived an hour later that was how they found them, Kara still kneeling, still waiting, and Cat standing behind her, Cat still in complete control. And later, much later, after they had been assured that Lord was in custody, after tests had been run, and after they had finally been allowed to go home, then Cat had strapped the real collar around Kara's neck.
"You were so good today, Kara, so very good," she purred, running her hands down Kara's sides. "You were so perfect, showing me just how strong your devotion really is, how obedient you can be." She pulled Kara into a kiss, claiming her briefly before moving back, shifting to stalk around the girl, touching, tasting, whispering soft phrases to let Kara know just how truly pleased she was with her, just how much that had meant to her, how much Kara meant to her.
Cat took her time with this part, lingering with her words longer than she normally would, knowing that Kara really needed that now, really needed to hear that Cat wasn't upset with her, that Cat forgave her, that actually, there was nothing to forgive. Cat took her time because she was finally going to stop holding herself back, because she was finally going to let herself fall into the girl, to offer up everything, and Cat took her time because this wasn't just about her own pleasure, it had never been just about her own pleasure. Cat took her time because Kara was shivering under her fingers, Kara was responding to her every touch, every word, and because Kara was looking at her like she was everything, and for Kara, Cat wanted to be just that.
Cat took her time because for Kara, Cat wanted to give everything and hold nothing back.
Her nails bit into Kara's skin as she continued her movement, her praise, and her smile widened as she took in the response. This was normally the point where the girl wouldn't be able to contain herself, would she would cry out, despite the fact that it would be at least another few minutes before Cat would give her permission to make any sound, but now… now Kara remained silent, straining with everything she had to obey.
Now Kara held herself completely bent to Cat's will because if Cat had been holding herself back, Kara had as well. Kara had been good, had offered up so much, but as long as Cat wasn't willing to offer everything of herself, Cat had never been able to push Kara to her limit, and so some part of the girl had always allowed for those small deviations. But Cat wasn't setting limits, not anymore, and in return, there was no end to what Kara could give.
"So perfect," Cat repeated, "and mine."
And then Cat was pulling Kara towards her, pulling her in because it was time to stop waiting. She had the rest of the night to make Kara beg, but right now, right now she was just going to take her, right now she was going to fulfill the promise to offer all of herself, and right now she just going to let herself go and claim this beautiful girl in her arms.