Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Rolling her eyes at the lack of her assistant media mogul Cat Grant indulged in wondering where Kiera had gotten off to once again. Sighing she held her tongue, she didn't need to hear Witt stumbling through some pathetic regalement of Kiera's fictitious ineptitude with the copier.

She blustered for a moment glaring at the cardigan hobbit. Just as she reached the door of her office she heard the elevator. A biting comment regarding millennial's punctuality or lack thereof died on her lips as she turned.

"Ah Lucy, I'm sorry but I've already filed the position you so hastily vacated."

Major Lane stood before her in full uniform, her mouth in a grim line looking rather worse for the ware in Cat's opinion.

"I'm not here for that Ms Grant. I need to speak with you in private."

"So you just decided to flounce into my office and demand i rearrange my schedule? A bit presumptuous don't you agree? Schedule an appointment with my assistant, whenever she decides to show"

Lucy bristled at the comment shooting a mournful glance to Kara's empty desk. A glance that Cat did not miss. Interesting.

"Although i suppose I'm free until my eleven o'clock meeting with the board. Very well, Major Lane how can I be of service?"

Briefly meeting the worried eyes of Winn, Lucy tightens her jaw, schooling her face in an attempt to maintain her composure.

"This is private Cat."

Lucy leads Cat to her desk pausing to ensure the door was firmly closed behind them.

"At oh three hundred today Supergirl saved National City form a missile. She was unable to release the weapon. It."

Lucy paused, breathing deeply to take the edge out of her voice, persevering as if she was not on the brink of tears.

"It's homing system kept redirecting it to the city. She flew as far as she could and never let it go. We, we are still looking for her however it's not likely that she survived. She deserves for the city to remember her as a hero. That's why I'm bringing this story to you."

Cat closed her eyes. Of course she'd been fighting as hard as she could to change the narrative currently framing Supergirl. While she was sure she wouldn't fail it was taking an annoyingly long time for the sheep to follow. This changed everything. She wanted Supergirl to once again be a symbol of hope, not a martyr.

"We are doing everything that we can but I think that this city deserves to know. She deserves for the city to know what she's done."

Cat's silence only served to ignite Lucy's sense of duty. She knew Kara, and she knew that out of everyone Kara would want Cat to break the story. Kara had dedicated so much of herself to Cat Grant as both Kara Danvers and Supergirl, it only seemed fitting.

" please know that I wouldn't share this with you under normal circumstances."

With a steady hand she reached into her pocket, pulled out a flash drive, and placed it on the table.

Cat cast a suspicious glance at the device before turning her gaze onto Lucy who had spent enough time at Catco to be aware of her policy on handing her such things.

"These could be Supergirl's last words, you owe it to her to listen. She says your name, there's a message for you. For her sister, for her mother, for her friends and loved ones. She left a message for this city and we should carry her final words with us."

Cat's heart was thundering in her chest as she stared at the flash drive containing what she could only assume was an audio file. Lucy made no move to leave and with a sigh Cat realized that she wasn't going to until they'd listened to every second. Despite the weight in her chest and rolling of her stomach Cat knew, that she would listen as many times as she could. If Supergirl really was gone then she owed it to the hero to be with her in those last moments in any way that she could. To cling to the life that had been freely given to save a city.

"Does this have confidential information that could compromise Supergirl's identity?"

Lucy glanced up at Cat for a moment, that was a surprisingly considerate inquiry.

"Yes."

Crossing her arms over her chest Cat glared

"Then I don't want to hear it. I refuse to compromise her identity until we know for sure that she's not coming back.I'm not going to destroy something that she has so obviously fought to keep."

For the first time Cat noticed the tears that were pooling around Lucy's eyes as they made eye contact across her desk.

"Superman, the coast guard, the navy, and several other organizations have been searching every inch of sea. We haven't found a trace, all evidence indicates that there is no way for her to have survived that blast."

"You're still looking."

"It's personal. She's a friend, more than a friend, a role model and she is the kindest person I know. I can't accept that she's just gone. I will have as many people out looking for her for as long as I can because I owe that to her. Still, the reality of this situation is that it is very likely that we're never going to see her again. Even if we do, I'm not exposing her and I'm not asking you to expose her. I'm asking you to bring coverage to the fact that at this time all evidence indicates that she sacrificed herself to save this city. Maybe people when they realize what they've lost will begin to appreciate what they had."

Cat stood slowly, walked heavily to her cabinet each step carrying a weight much greater than her own. As she poured a glass of whisky for herself she swallowed thickly schooling her face and steadying her voice before returning.

"You believe that it's necessary for me to listen to this recording in order to understand the situation that we are in?"

Lucy nodded. Cat finally noticed the red rims around her eyes.

"I think that in order for you to report this Cat, you need to hear her."

There was that incessant drumming in her chest that did nothing to alleviate the tension of the situation. This was not how she imagined her morning would go. Suddenly Kara's absence seemed far more pronounced, the blonde had a calming effect, for the most part. Briefly she glanced at the empty desk outside of her office before nodding at Lucy to play the file.

I've also posted this work on AO3. Thanks for reading. Let me know what you think.