Push Your Luck

Magnus had found her easily enough and Kate wondered just how long it was going to take for the others as well. From what she had picked up on her conversation with the Doc, there weren't any hard-feelings between her and the rest, but that didn't make her feel better about what had happened.

She really hadn't wanted to hurt them, but she was just so free and invincible in that suit, something she had never felt before. It was the most liberating thing she'd ever experienced. And to have that power suddenly taken away from her was terrifying, which is why she reacted the way she had.

Biggie and Will would have to eventually forgive her. Magnus already had, so she figured the guys wouldn't be far behind. She figured they would use their shiny new battle wounds to guilt her into doing stuff for them, but soon the marks would fade and everything would go back to normal. Or so she hoped.

But then there was Henry. That was a whole other situation. She didn't really have anything to apologize to him for, nothing other then stunning him with his own gun. Oh, and yeah, the kiss. Ironically the only thing she didn't really want to apologize for.

Kate sighed, looking out the window again. She didn't know what had made her do it, maybe the appreciative look in his eyes as he stared at her. Or his comment before that. She smiled as she looked out onto the view of Old City, the sun beaming on the water. Yeah, she regretted doing a lot of things, but that wasn't one of them.

But where did that leave them now?

"Hey, Catwoman,"

A voice broke her out of her thoughts and she turned her head to see Henry standing in the spot Magnus had previously been. His hands were shoved in his pockets, standing at least five feet from the woman who could've kicked his ass, but hadn't. She knew he knew she had whipped everyone else's ass, but not him.

No, instead she kissed him, then shot him with his own gun, which while having hurt a little, was nothing that wouldn't heal. But this kiss... that was one the best thing that had happened to him in a long while. Henry figured it was the suit that made her react, since that was her distraction, but that didn't mean he hadn't enjoy the kiss. In fact, he wanted more.

Kate lifted her head and turned towards him, ignoring the slight jump in her stomach when she realized who it was. "Hey..."

"Missing the suit?" He asked, nodding towards the window, wondering if she would rather be out there with the suit, than in the Sanctuary being 'normal'.

She looked out the window again, taking in the sight and smiling. "Nah, not really." Kate stood by what she had said to Magnus, it was good to be home.

"Are the rest mad at me? Magnus tried to tell me no, but I don't really buy it..." She asked, biting her lip. She was really sorry for that part.

"Uh..." Henry trailed off. "Not really mad, just sore from the ass whoopin'," he chuckled.

Kate chuckled as well, shaking her head and sighing. Yeah, she was probably going to have to grovel with them a bit, but they'd come around to it eventually.

"The others know you didn't really mean to kick their asses... at least, that's what we're told."

For all he knew, deep down she wanted to beat them and be free. But the suit, it was a complicated thing, and what those men had done to her... he couldn't imagine what she had gone through, alone.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, cocking his head to the side and studying her face.

"I'm fine, small headache and a little tired, but nothing else. Doc says it's more my body getting used to being normal again."

Henry nodded as if he understood. As werewolf, he did understand, in a way.

When Kate didn't send him away, he took the opportunity to sit by her. He stayed close, but not too close, in case she didn't want him around. Henry debated on asking her about the kiss, but it might embarrass her; and it would embarrass him if it didn't mean anything other than a simple distraction.

"Kate, don't take this the wrong way, but you looked really awesome in that outfit," he grinned, not meeting her eye.

Kate chuckled at his comment. "So I noticed." She turned to look at him, teasing. "You may have mentioned it before I shot you." 'Before I kissed you.'

"Oh, yeah... the shot," he chuckled.

He waited a few more seconds before he finally had to ask the question that was brewing on his mind since he woke up from the shot. If he didn't ask now, he might not get the nerve to do it later, and then he would lose the chance to ask forever.

"Kate... about the kiss... did you just do that so you could shoot me?" Henry asked, unable to stop the blush rising to his cheeks.

Though, it had crossed his mind that she could've shot him easily without having to kiss him, and he was the only one she didn't actually beat up.

Henry's question gets her off guard and she has to think about it for a bit, considering what her options might be. Answer him truthfully or just let it slide?

"Does it matter?" She asks instead, deflecting the question and somehow turning the tables for the time being.

"Yeah, actually, it does," he replied, a little too defensively. "You could've just shot me instead of kissing me, but you didn't, and since I don't know what your true intentions were while you were in that damn suit, I want you to tell me now."

Henry stopped and took a breath. That didn't come out the way he wanted it to - necessarily. It was what he wanted to say, but he used to the wrong tone. If she kissed him for the hell of it, it would be a low blow to his stomach, but he had to know.

His reaction startled her and it took her a moment to think it out. Why had she kissed him anyway? 'Because I wanted To' didn't seem like the best answer somehow.

"I er, I don't really know why I did." Kate started, biting her lip. "I'm sorry, for doing it, I shouldn't have..."

She trailed off, wondering what his reaction would be. Somehow she had the feeling that asking Biggie for forgiveness was going to be infinity times easier then this.

"Kate, I don't mind that you did it," he admitted without thinking. "I just want to know why."

He wanted nothing more than for her to do it again, but if she didn't have a real pupose for doing it, then he knew he was never going to get that chance again. When she still didn't answer him, Henry rephrased his question.

"I guess what I'm really asking is, did you do it because of the suit or you really wanted to?"

"Oh." She said. That made things a little easier.

"I did it because I wanted to." Kate admitted, turning her head towards the window again, staring at the view and trying to think of what could possibly be her answer to the question that was certainly coming.

Why? Why indeed.

"Okay..." Henry said softly. "Why did you want to? Better yet, how long have you wanted to?"

Henry turned to her, watching her. The brightness coming in through the window illuminated her face beautifully.

"I...don't know." She replied honestly, forehead burrowed in concentration.

Henry only nodded his head. This conversation wasn't really going anywhere, and he didn't know where else to take it. He turned from her and stared at the wall opposite the window. Henry wasn't sure which question she had answered, but he was sure he would've got the same answer for both.

"Why do you want to know?" She asked, if she was being interrogated it was only fair he be too.

Besides, that gave her time to think how well she could phrase 'I like you.' without giving him that type of power over her.

"Because I want to know if I should worry about asking you out to dinner, or if I should stop looking too far into this," he replied softly.

Henry felt like he was standing at the edge of the roof of the Sanctuary, and he was ready to jump. His nerves were jumping up and down in his stomach, but he knew if he didn't do this now, then he would regret not doing so.

She turned to look at him slowly. "Are you asking me out to dinner? Or just wondering if you should?"

"I was asking you out, but from your lack of enthusiasm I think I already know your answer. Just forget about it Kate." He replied bitterly, giving her a sad smile.

Henry stood up, ready to leave. He berated himself, knowing he shouldn't have asked her.

"Henry." Kate started, her hand reaching out to grab his wrist and stop him from leaving. "Are you only asking me out because you think that's what I expect from you after the kiss"

"I'm asking because... the kiss made it easier, in a way, for me to ask what I've wanted to for a long time. Up until now, I didn't think you'd care for the idea of us going to dinner."

Henry could feel the heat from her hand seeking into his and he turned his wrist around to grab her hand in his.

"When?" She asked, turning her head to stare up at him, waiting.

"If you're trying to spare my feelings, Kate, don't bother." He didn't turn his head and kept his eyes concentrated on his feet.

"Since when have I done something I didn't want, to spare someone's feelings, Hank?" She asked again, this time turning her whole body around, her bent legs lowering towards the floor. They were still holding hands.

"Since you started knowing you're wanted here," Henry pointed out, his thumb caressing her skin softly.

"Oh…" Kate said, turning her head towards the window and thinking about what he had said. She let go of his hand.

Henry felt the lose immediately and sighed, stuffing his hands into his pocket and turning around "I really am glad you're feeling better." He said, before walking down the hallway.

"Saturday." Kate said, her voice stopping him as he turned to stare at her. "At 8pm, pick somewhere nice. I'm not wearing a dress and I can't promise a skirt either."

She turned to stare at him, giving him a small smile.

"Got it." Henry smiled back and looked down at his feet. "Not even a black leather one?"

He asked hopefully, his eyes dancing. Kate in the tight black outfit was still very fresh in his mind and he couldn't help but want to see her again in something similar.

"Don't push your luck Hank." She warned, but there was a smile to her face.

"Had to try." He grinned back, turning around again and walking down the hall.

Kate shook her head as he walked down the hall, still not really sure what had happened, but loving it either way. She brought one of her hands up to her lips, fingers tracing it and thinking back to that moment.

Maybe this time he would be the one that initiated it.