"Ms Grant, is it true that you are dating a reporter?" The question is thrown out at the end of the press conference and Cat doesn't even give it pause. She continues walking out of the room.
"Find out who asked that last question and ask him to stay for a one-on-one," Cat snaps at her assistant.
"Yes Ms Grant." The woman replies and immediately motions for the intern to go take care of it.
The assistant clears her throat when they enter the elevator.
"Yes, Betty?" Cat asks as she waits for her to punch the button.
"It's Betsy. And, uh, I just wanted to remind you that Kara Danvers signed into the visitor's log when she was here last week." the young woman points out carefully. "Her visit was official."
"I am well aware that her visit was official, I helped arrange it. But what isn't clear to me is why you would immediately decide that Kara Danvers is the reporter in question?" Cat inquires, her voice tight.
"Uh, ma'am...er Ms Grant. It's just that Ms Danvers is a reporter and she was just here, that is the only reason that I assumed that she was the reporter in question," Betsy stammers, while she didn't see anything untoward during the reporter's visit, she definitely felt the charged energy between the two. "Should I issue a press release that she was here on an official visit arranged by CATCO? Perhaps it would clear up this...misunderstanding."
Cat doesn't respond, instead she just stares ahead. She knew the moment Lena Luthor proposed the story that it was a bad idea. But one that she herself would have pushed for if the tables were turned, so how could she refuse. It's not like Kara could even consider not writing the feature once it was offered to her. This type of profile has the potential to launch her career. And it's not like the reporter could very well write a profile of Cat Grant's transition from Media Queen to Presidential Spokesperson without an official visit to the White real question is why anyone would conclude that the visit was romantic. They had dinner with a small group of Cat's staff at The Capital Grille on Saturday night and Cat arrived and left alone in her usual car. Kara stayed at The Jefferson, certainly not typical for a reporter, but now that Lena Luthor is running CATCO, travel budgets are no longer Cat's to approve.
The elevator dings their arrival and Cat pauses before exiting. "Let me know who the reporter is as soon as possible."
Nick Farrow is sitting in the conference room nervously waiting for Cat Grant. He threw the question out hoping to get a public reaction, but she was practically out of the room when he shouted it. Until the intern caught him at the gate, he wasn't even sure she heard it. Now he's going to either get an exclusive or a dressing down. He texted his editor and let her know that he was detained and meeting with the Press Secretary. To her credit she offered to send a house attorney to sit with him, but he told her it was just a follow up session. He hadn't cleared any of this by her and he wasn't about to tell her via text, that he had witnessed Kara Danvers sneaking out of Cat Grant's DC townhouse for coffee Sunday morning. Ever since he got the White House assignment, he changed his running route to take him past the Capitol Hill townhouses where many of the political elite live.
The door opens abruptly and the petite press secretary enters smiling.
"Mr Farrow from The Post," Cat greets him cordially.
The reporter stands politely and waits for her to sit down, before responding.
"Yes, Ms Grant. Nick Farrow, I believe that you knew my father Nathan." It's grown old, this constantly having to remind people of his journalism pedigree, it's time for him to make a name for himself, which is partially why he threw out that question at the end of the briefing.
"Nathan Farrow, I haven't thought of him in years," Cat pauses before continuing. "I was sorry to hear of his passing...I see that you are following in his footsteps at The Post."
Nick nods his head politely. Everyone who knew his father says pretty much the same thing.
"Your father was a top notch journalist, it's the one thing that I admired most about him. Well, that and he always did his own research. He always put in the time and he always got the story right. I don't think he ever had a story pulled for bad research and he would never have even considered ambushing a White House Press Secretary at an official briefing with an unsubstantiated rumor." Cat's voice growing stronger at the end.
"Cat," Nick begins, which prompts her to focus her trademark glare directly at him. He winces and quickly realizes that he has just made this worse. "Er, Ms Grant. I sort of have proof, you see I was out running early on Sunday morning and I just happened to see a reporter leaving your house," he explains.
"I see," Cat pauses and a small smile tugs at the corner of her mouth. And for one fleeting moment Nick thinks that he's got her. That she is going to admit everything. This was his second miscalculation of the morning.
"Mr Farrow, should I assume that there is an acceptable reason that you know where I live? And should I also assume that you contacted her office to find out why she was in Washington?"
"Uh, well I did make some calls, you know. I did research on both of you and in National City it seems that there were rumors about the two of you, since she was your assistant for so long and then was promoted. It seemed that maybe this was proof that there is something to the rumors. I mean something between the two of you." He stammers through the last part and finally takes a deep breath.
"I find it quite interesting, that your research seemed to focus on rumor and innuendo without uncovering any actual facts. Such as... fact one, Ms Danvers was here on an official visit to the White House, scheduled weeks ago. Fact two, Ms Danvers was here on assignment to profile me for an upcoming special issue of CATCO magazine." Cat utters this diatribe in one long caustic monologue barely pausing to breathe.
"I, uh, I may have missed a few key points, but none of this explains why she was at your house at six o'clock on a Sunday morning." Nick replies sticking to his point.
"It is a known fact that Ms Danvers was my executive assistant for almost three years and is considered a close personal friend. Now personally, I do not think it at all odd for a close personal friend to visit another friend's home, but then apparently I am old-fashioned that way."
"It was really early in the morning," he repeats defensively.
"Mr Farrow, I took the liberty of looking over your credentials and while I was not surprised to see that you are a college graduate, I did find it interesting that you scored in the bottom sector of your degree field. Oh, and since I spoke at your college recently, I contacted one of your former professors, who told me an amusing anecdote about you being on academic probation so often that the professors had a betting pool as to whether you would actually graduate." Cat pauses now, noting that the young reporter is now sweating nervously.
"Oh and isn't it a coincidence that one of my former interns now works at the post? I called her this morning and asked about you, she mentioned that your father called in every favor he could just to get you a proper internship. Oh and is there any truth to the rumor that the managing editor lost a bet to you in a card game which is how you managed to get into the White House Press Pool?" Cat questions calmly.
The reporter gulps uncomfortably and nods slightly.
"Now, had you actually worked your way onto the Press Corp, you would know that it is not uncommon for Presidential Press Secretaries, especially those whom have worked in media to have friends in the field. Ordinarily, I wouldn't consider having to explain this process to a reporter, let alone, one from The Post, but since you seem to prefer rumor and innuendo then perhaps you don't know how this works when it's done through proper channels," Cat pauses.
The young reporter looks up quickly, hoping that this means she's done.
"And since you apparently do not know how to go through proper channels, let me assure you that should you chose to pursue this story, the President and I truly believe in a free and independent press, but the line will be drawn at libel. So unless you have something besides rumor and statements from disgruntled employees I suggest that you issue a formal apology today. And if you want to question the selection of Ms Danvers for this assignment, then I suggest that you contact her Editor in Chief, Snapper Carr. Lucas has really enjoyed mentoring Ms Danvers and teaching her his craft. Pity that you didn't have someone like Mr Carr to teach you the ropes, Mr Farrow." Cat snarks.
"I probably should have called to find out why she was in town," Farrow says by way of an apology.
"Hmmpf," Cat snorts indicating to him that she suspected he had not bothered to check with CATCO to see if Kara was on assignment. "Or consult the White House Twitter feed or Instagram," Cat adds clicking the remote on the table. The tv flickers and the screen is filled with official White House photos of the CATCO reporter touring the White House and meeting with Cat.
Nick closes his eyes and shakes his head. He was spoiling for a scandal and was sure that this was his first big break, but now he's wondering if he'll have a job when he leaves here.
Cat clicks off the tv and stands up.
"My assistant will show you out. Oh and Mr Farrow, your Editor in Chief wants to meet with you, so if I were you, I would head straight to his office," Cat remarks, dropping the bomb carefully before slipping out the door.
"Hey, I didn't expect to hear from you today," Kara says slipping into the stairwell for some privacy.
"You're positive that these phones are secure?" Cat questions tensely.
"Absolutely, Alex set them up herself. Why? What's going on?" Kara asks concerned.
"At the end of this morning's briefing, I was asked if I was dating a reporter," Cat answers.
"What?" Kara blurts out.
"Yes darling, it would appear that your early morning coffee run, romantic as it were, was witnessed by a reporter from The Post who just happened to be running in the neighborhood," Cat explains.
"Cat, I am so sorry. I looked for cameras, I didn't think about joggers." Kara replies apologetically.
"I know, I know," Cat remarks soothingly. "Well I met with him and told him that we're friends and that you were here on assignment. And it shouldn't be a problem going forward, he has been removed from the White House press pool and probably demoted, but hopefully fired."
"You got him fired? But he was doing his job!" Kara blurts out trying to keep her voice down.
"Running around Capitol Hill homes at the crack of dawn and ambushing press briefings with unfounded rumors is certainly not his job. Now darling, we can talk more later, but I just wanted you to know. Apparently someone at CATCO has been talking about us too. Mr Farrow indicated that he has contacts there. So just be careful, please." Cat implores her before they wrap up the call.
Kara groans as the call ends. She was so careful that morning, all she could think of was seeing the look on Cat's face when she entered the bedroom with a piping hot latte.
"How was Washington?" Snapper calls out when Kara walks past his office.
"It was great. I have a lot of notes, I'll get them typed up by this afternoon," Kara answers pausing briefly.
"I want them on my desk by noon and we'll to go over them together. I have a meeting with the boss at the end of the day to review the upcoming issue," he grumbles. "Now has the White House sent us the photos yet?"
"I haven't seen anything, but they were going to send them to James," Kara informs him.
"Okay fine, I just hope they got some decent shots, who was the photographer?" Snapper asks.
"Jonas Stewart, he said to tell you…" the reporter pauses. "Well, I'm not comfortable repeating it," Kara says blushing slightly.
"Ha, he's said that before," the editor chuckles as he thinks about his friend. "Well unless that old son of bitch is losing his touch then we should have some good prints coming. Excuse me, while I call and find out who the hell he pissed off to get assigned as Cat Grant's photographer," Snapper grunts before dismissing her with a wave of his hand as he picks up his phone.
Kara is busy typing up her notes when James enters her office and closes the door behind him.
"Hey, I got the photos and there are a few here that we can't use. I thought maybe you'd want to have them," he says passing the folder over to her.
"Why?" Kara asks as she accepts the folder from her friend.
James gestures for her to look at them.
Kara opens the folder and tries not to react to the top photo. In the photo, Cat is the center, but Kara is off to the side, sitting in a relaxed pose with a look on her face that has nothing to do with the interview.
"Uh, so how long?" James asks as she picks up the picture to look at it more closely..
"How long?" Kara swallows awkwardly as she lays the picture down on the desk.
James pushes the top photo aside to reveal the other photo and taps it with his finger. "Come on Kara, it's not like I hadn't noticed the way you look at her, but this is the first time I've seen her return the look."
"James, y-you're reading an awful lot into these two photos," Kara stammers.
"Don't forget that I know you and I know her. Most people wouldn't notice what I am noticing in these photos, but just to be safe, I've removed them from the official record of the visit," James informs her.
"Wait, you can do that?" Kara blurts out.
"Yes, we commissioned the photos, they belong to us. So I just amended the file and let the photographer know to remove them from his file as well." James explains.
"T-thanks," Kara murmurs. "I don't know what to say."
"Is this why you broke up with me? Did she promote you so that she could date you?" James blurts out without thinking.
"Seriously James? You of all people know how hard that I have worked to get to where I am. I can't believe that you would even ask me that?" Kara remarks angrily.
His eyes soften as he realizes what he said. "I know that you deserved that promotion. I didn't mean to imply otherwise, but I have to wonder about the timing? And what was that whole deal with Mon-El? It never made sense to me, unless you did it to cover up this relationship."
Kara rises to her feet and leans over the desk.
"None of this is any of your damn business," she hisses. "And while I appreciate your discretion with the photos, I think you should get the hell out of my office right now."
James rises to his feet and takes a step towards the door before turning around to face her again. His jaws clench, he has half a mind to remind her that he's her boss, but then he remembers that he's not any longer.
"I wonder what Lena would think of this," he tosses at her before storming out of the office.
"Hold for Cat Grant." Eve practically jumps out of her chair and sprints into Lena's office. "Ms Grant is calling," she blurts out before returning to her desk to grab the call.
"Yes, Ms Luthor is expecting you Ms Grant. It's so good to hear your voice Ms Grant," Eve adds before transferring the call.
"I trust that the official visit went well. I haven't had a chance to talk with Kara, but James seemed pleased with the photo array," Lena says after their initial greeting.
"There's a slight issue, I've handled it, but I wanted you to be aware," Cat begins explaining the situation carefully.