Back with a vengeance…

This fic takes place a few months after the season finale, but pretending that Karolsen and Cat's job offer never existed. Enjoy!


"Okay, so what I think was fate, you think is an accident?"

Kara sighed, landing in an alleyway just across the street from Noonan's. The memories still seemed unchanged from months ago. Pristine. It was bizarre how they played over in such clarity – perhaps it was only the apprehension of seeing him again that had made them appear so clear; perhaps out of sheer nervousness, she had remembered them.

"If I have learned anything from the past few weeks… if I don't have room in my life for a great guy like you, maybe I don't have room for anyone. I don't know if that makes you feel any better…"

She bit her lip, brushing down her outfit: a white blouse, a pastel blue cardigan and a skirt of the same hue. She walked out of the alley with one set of fingers curling around her bag, the others shaking at her sides. She could catch bullets with her bare hands, shoot lasers out of her eyes, and yet she could not handle confrontation – especially when the man she was confronting was probably not very happy that she "broke his heart", in her boss' words. It was all too complicated for her to keep walking across the street, and yet she knew she had to persist.

"Not really. I thought this wasn't gonna work because of my issues; my baggage… and I'd be the one to chicken out."

She almost shuddered, even though it was summer in National City, with only the slightest breeze flowing through the trees and whispering through her ears. The blue-eyed woman had no idea why he even wanted to see her; why he had suddenly returned from Opal City, completely out of the blue. Did he hate her? Did he understand their faults? Too many questions were swirling in her mind for those ever-complicated two to be added and fussed over, so she attempted to silence all the voices and focus instead on her feet hitting the pavement.

"I'm sorry."

The blonde had almost finished playing out everything in her memory, all the refined details and specifics that she had been running away from since then – how her lips quivered, how his brows raised, then furrowed. She never wanted to relive them, and she never needed to. Besides, she had bigger things to be dwelling on nowadays – continuous blackmail from Maxwell Lord (now that he had helped her save the universe, he wanted something in return) – or the new threats across National City. Yet, she shut her eyes for a moment and walked slower as she remembered all that had happened that night.

"I know you are."

Finally, she took control of her hand and used it to push through the glass door of the café, looking around as she nervously nibbled on her lower lip to scan for signs of him. When she finally spotted him, he was looking at her across the room, his eyes weaving through other people and the heavy scent of coffee to get to her. He stood up and nodded at her awkwardly – Kara assumed that was her invitation to move over to him, and finally forced her rigid, shell-shocked body over. She began smiling politely, awkwardly, obligatorily, meeting him at two leather seats and a coffee table. As subtly as possible, Kara was trying to read him, and was hoping he didn't want to start things up again. She couldn't even give him half of the attention he deserved while living this exasperating double-life. "Adam, hi."

"Hey, it's good to see you." He reciprocated, but did not make any movements to touch her – not a handshake, not a hug – just a gesture for her to sit. They did so, and as Kara made herself comfortable in her seat, she noticed he had already gotten her order – spiced pumpkin with extra foam and cinnamon. She peered over to his side of the table, noticing Adam's medium-sized Americano, and peered back up at him. He sensed her expression. "I hope this isn't too forward, I just have somewhere I need to be later, but I really needed to see you first."

"Oh! No, no it's fine. Thank you. I will… I'll pay you back later. Thank you." She spoke, flustered, and picked up the coffee cup. "So, uh… welcome back!"

He raised his eyebrows and nodded. "Y-yeah, I guess so, huh?"

The blonde broke away from her cup, licking her lips. "I'd hate for you to take this the wrong way, but… what brought you back to National City?"

"Uh… unfinished business, I guess." The boy answered, raking a hand through the short chestnut hair at the back of his head.

She lifted her head from her coffee cup at his reply, blue doe-eyes widening in interest. "With your mom?"

"Yeah, I guess. I mean, I didn't want to leave this new life behind, you know? Besides, it is way more interesting here than Opal City ever was." He chuckled, but silence seemed impatient with their conversation and it finally wanted to have a say. Finally, Adam spoke again, interrupting the quiet that had filled the conversation while they sipped on their coffee. "Um… listen, I was kind of surprised you came. I don't know, I just thought… well, I just wanted to make sure there weren't any hard feelings. I totally get why things didn't work out. From the looks of it, I might be staying here for a while… permanently, even… and I'll probably be visiting my mom a lot. I guess I just didn't want things to be awkward."

Kara blushed, resting her coffee on her lap as she looked at the brunette boy before her. "No, no... Seriously- I… of course not, Adam. I wouldn't want things to be awkward either. It's great to have you back, and… I'm glad you're here. And I'm sure Cat is too." She gave him a tight-lipped smile as he reciprocated the gesture.

"Well… good. I'm glad."

Kara breathed out a sigh of nervous relief, looking down at her coffee cup, using her index finger to trace around the rim, giving her something to do with her anxious hands. She lifted her head up at him, noticing how he had been looking at her actions as the silence persisted. "So, uh… are you excited to meet your brother? Cat told me you didn't get a chance to meet the last time you were here."

They talked for minutes about Carter, Cat and the city. Kara was grateful for the lack of silence, but she began to feel discomfort in seeing the man she had hurt. Before she knew it, she was butting in the conversation as a short silence finally made itself known. "Listen, I'm really sorry about what happened. Like, between us, I mean. I really do feel bad about it and if you don't like me or whatever, I totally understand. I just... I feel terrible, seriously-"

He leaned forward in his seat and looked at her sincerely, as if he had been expecting her flustered apology sooner or later. "Kara, honestly, it's fine. I forgive you. Really." He looked down into his Americano, which was an inch from being finished. Kara couldn't help but mistake that as a give-away that he was still somewhat hurt.

She was about to say something else when she felt her phone buzz in her purse and, quickly putting her cup down on the table and fishing it out, notified it as Alex. "I- sorry, I have to take this." She pressed the 'accept' button and moved the device to her ear, greeting her sister but groaning almost instantly when Alex simply voiced the issue and the name "Maxwell Lord" found its way in between her words. Rolling her eyes, Kara mumbled a simple "I'm on my way" before hanging up. She turned to face Adam, who had been occupying the time by looking at the TV screen near them. Hurriedly collecting her things together, she began spluttering another apology. "This is so typical of me, God… I'm so sorry, I have to go…"

"Hey, no- it's fine. I should probably attend to my own business anyway." Adam nodded, downing the last of his coffee before the two of them parted ways in a hurry.


As usual, when landing at Lord Technologies, Maxwell Lord himself had just requested a "chat" with Supergirl, welcoming her into his office and offering her a seat in front of his desk, which Kara found herself accepting cautiously. Maxwell took the seat opposite her, his usual smug grin plastered across his face as he rested his feet on the desk, the mahogany structure acting as the only distance between them. "You know, Supergirl, I've been thinking a lot more about that speech you made to the brainwashed minions of the universe that fateful night. Pretty inspirational, if I'm honest. I didn't know you had it in you."

Supergirl raised an eyebrow in disbelief at his compliment. "What do you want?"

"Well… I guess it just got me thinking. Your speech was all about hope, right? So I've decided to make an active effort to become more hopeful. All thanks to you." He gleamed. "So, I was hoping if you could give me something in return, considering that if it wasn't for me, no one would be alive right now. I think that's the least I deserve, don't you?"

"Well, that would depend on what exactly you want, Mr. Lord." Supergirl crossed her arms, reclining in her seat. "But I hope you can understand my slight hesitation to trust you, after spying on my life and trying to kill me… twice."

"I have learnt my lesson." The businessman raised his hands in defence, tilting forward as he took his feet off the table and leaned over to answer his office phone as it buzzed, pressing the speaker button. "Talk to me." And so a muffled voice replied, needing to discuss business concerning new mechanics. Max looked to Kara, who was just watching the exchange. "Of course. Come in, you aren't interrupting."

Kara fought the urge to roll her eyes at the man – even if she always tried to be a positive person, the man before her had a special way to get under her bulletproof skin. She heard a man behind her come into the office, and he began speaking as though he was reading off words. "We are out of supplies for the new compartment for your newest mechanic innovation. I was just asking whether we should order more, or whether you are considering a compromise."

The voice seemed somehow familiar and, finally giving into curiosity, Kara found blue eyes peering at the man in the lab coat. He read off a tablet, then lifted his head up to Max. He glossed over the sight of Supergirl, but she could not gloss over the sight of him. Adam. Donned in a pristinely white lab coat with a Lord Technologies logo stamped on the breast pocket.

She felt her cheeks turning red and instantly spun back forward, hiding her increasingly flustered face behind strands of golden hair. She bit her lip. It couldn't be happening. Of course, she didn't know Adam well enough to learn of his hobbies; his occupation… but she never expected this. He worked for someone who had tried to kill her and, despite any help he had given her, he had an underlying devilish tone behind every word he spoke. Surely Adam was not associated with him? Surely it was all some kind of mix-up? She squeezed her eyes shut in the hopes she could zap herself out of the room somehow or reverse the events that had unfolded, but alas, it wasn't one of her many superhuman abilities. She tried to remind herself that Adam didn't know Supergirl; that he had only glanced at her briefly anyway, looking at her the same way Maxwell did. He had no idea of the density behind her presence. Still, even with all of these things persisting in her mind, the concept of it all had shaken her long after he had left and Maxwell had continued with his blackmailing monologue.


Later that evening, Kara was lounging on the couch in her apartment, sharing a blanket with Alex as the two watched an episode of Friends – this is how they had remained for 2 hours now, and the remnants of 5 cartons of Ben and Jerry's ice cream on the coffee table proved this (only one of which had been eaten by Alex). Kara was working on her 5th. Usually, surrounded by ice cream and blankets had left Kara blissful after a busy day, but that evening, Alex noted a change in her sister, made obvious by her furrowed brow looking down at her ice cream and up towards the screen. "You've been acting kind of down tonight, what's up?"

Kara pouted into her cookie dough ice cream. "I don't wanna talk about it."

Alex chuckled. "Okay, since when? I'm your sister, Kara." When Kara's pout only increased, her older sister sang. "Pleaaaase?"

Kara huffed. "I saw Adam today."

Alex's teasing smile faltered, then dropped completely. "Oh… how?"

"Well, first he invited me to Noonan's for coffee. It was a little awkward… but nice. You know, we brushed over any hard feelings." The girl sighed, playing with her spoon and scraping it against the cardboard of the ice cream container. "But then… when I went to Lord Technologies… he was there. He works there. I just… I can't believe he actually works for that man."

Alex exhaled through her nostrils, looking down, but words did not escape from her mouth in a rush of support and optimism the way they always did.

Kara filled the silence. "I mean, it's not like I… you know… like Adam or anything… just… Maxwell Lord makes my skin crawl. It's always blackmail, and sarcasm, and I just thought I pinned Adam down as a good guy. But now, like… what if he's not?"

Alex brushed past the density of her query and mumbled. "I'm sure he's a good guy."

The younger woman raised an eyebrow. "How do you know?"

"I just… I think you're looking too much into it. Besides, you probably won't see Adam much anyway. His life doesn't really affect you. Just don't sweat it." Her sister persisted, although it all seemed miscellaneous and blunt somehow. Kara wasn't used to the nature of Alex's words.

The blonde's eyebrows practically interweaved in frustration as she put down her ice cream. "Okay, what's going on? I'm literally telling you that the guy I was heartbroken over for days miraculously comes back to National City and I found out today that he also just happens to work for the man who spied on you and tried to kill me, and you're more concerned about an episode of Friends that you've seen 20 times. Doesn't that seem even a little odd to you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. But please, just try to forget about Adam. I'm sure everything's fine." Alex tried to mend the situation, but her words still offered no remorse and little productive advice. Kara huffed, realising that this was all she would get out of her sister tonight, and couldn't help but wonder why all of a sudden Alex seemed so distant. Still, after such a surreal day, she could not muster any intent to argue, so instead retrieved her ice cream and focused any negative energy into finishing it before it melted.


The rush of yesterday persisted in Kara's mind, and it was growing tiring already as she flew into the DEO base centre the next morning, her thoughts swirling like the wind. She landed and groaned at the thought of seeing her sister, wondering if she would be the same blunt and guarded character she had been last night. In all honestly, Kara hated being mad at her sister – but it was obvious she was being lied to, and from Alex, she had expected more. They were sisters, and told each other everything now – even in dire situations. According to Alex, though, this was not a dire situation and could obviously wait, and to say that Kara was a little irritated at the lack of interest was an understatement. So, when Kara walked into the entrance of the base to be greeted by her sister almost immediately, she was not overjoyed as usual. "Alex, not now. Let's just see what my assignment is today." With that, the girl whisked past her with a flash of red, heading towards the centre of the grounds, where Hank was.

Alex followed quickly, trying to get in front of her and stop her furious pacing. "You don't have an assignment."

Kara stopped, deflated. "Then why am I here?"

The brunette before her exhaled heavily, placing her hands on Kara's arms in comfort. "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you before, it was just too risky. Please don't be mad."

Before Kara had time to answer, Hank was striding over to the siblings with a man in tow. "Supergirl, allow me to introduce a new member of the DEO who was relocated to our National City base. He works undercover. Agent Foster?"

There, donned in entirely black gear like the rest of them, emerged Adam, who smiled politely and reached to shake Kara's hand. The blonde girl stared wide-eyed in complete shock and disbelief, her hand growing limp at the sight of him. "It's a pleasure to meet you." He looked at her fully.

She continued to gawk at the man before her, some of the cogs finally turning in her brain. "H-Hi." She breathed, finally forcing herself to reply, raising an eyebrow as he shook her deadened hand. "You were at Lord Technologies earlier?"

Director Henshaw offered an explanation, confirming what Kara had already worked out. "Agent Foster works undercover there, helping us deem Lord Technologies' next move and the intentions of Mr. Lord."

"Oh…" Kara exhaled, still staring at Adam in astonishment. She finally bit down on her gormless expression and let go of his hand, not able to stutter out anything else, just watching him look at her. She fumbled with the fabric of her sleeve that tied in between her right thumb and index finger, listening to Hank and Alex brief him about the DEO's relationship with Supergirl and the history behind their work at the base. They all turned to echoes around her; white noise as her brain finally cleared for the first time since Adam had asked her out to coffee. He was standing in front of her now, looking strangely like himself in an area which Kara was convinced he didn't belong in. He had so many secrets; so many layers and now, like a curious child, Kara Danvers found herself peeling them back, one by one, discovering new realms of this man she had honestly only briefly encountered. She nibbled on her lower lip and felt eyes on her. She was uncomfortable and flustered under his curious gaze, yet marooned.

She vaguely heard Alex mumbling about discussing business further in her office, and was secretly grateful – her sister must have sensed her discomfort, and that her clear mind was now once again filling with an unlimited, infinite amount of questions. Kara acted on the opportunity of silence now that her sister and Adam had gone, and followed Hank across the grounds. "Why is he here? And since when was he a DEO agent? Wh… Why didn't anyone tell me? Does he know my identity yet?"

Finally, Hank turned around, exasperated by the pace of queries and decided to begin answering them before the girl's panicked tone gave him a headache. "Agent Foster has been training in our program since the age of 19, Miss Danvers. He trained in Opal City until his course found its way here."

"But… Adam went to Cornell University…" Kara furrowed her brows, looking down from his gaze.

"Actually, he didn't. Agent Foster has been training in our facilities, but since we are an extranormal, secret force, he had to come up with a lie." The man began walking again as Kara remained, trailing behind. "Didn't you, Miss Danvers?"

"But… he's been hiding this for 5 years?"

"Haven't you hid a secret for longer?"

Kara shrugged. "Yeah, but… I had to."

"And so did he. And Alex, until recently when she told you. And me, for even longer than you have, Kara. We couldn't tell you he was involved with our force for the same reasons."

"Protection." She said in realisation.

"Precisely." He turned around finally as they arrived at the circular table in the centre of the grounds. "And to answer your final interrogation, for various reasons I have to tell him your identity. And I haven't yet, but after Alex has briefed him, I have to. Now, I know nothing of what has happened between you and Agent Foster, but if you can deal with your sister being at the frontline, I can only assume that his being here will pose even less of an issue. Don't disappoint me, Miss Danvers."

As Hank walked away, Kara rested her palms on the circular table in the centre, trying to avert some of the weight that had been thrown onto her over the last five minutes onto the object. She sighed, and looked over through glass into Alex's office, where Adam stood, discussing things with her sister. She looked over and down before he had the chance to glance at her.

After minutes of stress and slow comprehension that felt like hours to the blue-eyed woman, Alex finally left the glass walls of her office and began to take apprehensive steps over to Kara. The blonde was actually relieved, even if seconds before she had been agitated by her sister – now she could understand why everything was so blurred last night. "You owe me so many donuts after this." Kara huffed, causing Alex's mouth to tease up at the corners without hesitation.

"You bet. But I have to go and run an errand with Hank right now… so… Adam will be doing your training session." She informed her sister surreptitiously, unsurprised when her reaction was less than thrilled. Kara had definitely been thrown in the deep end with all of this new information, and the brunette felt guilty now that she would have to be confronted so early on.

Kara raised her eyebrows in shock, then deflated further onto the table, breathing a sarcastic "great" across the surface of the table. With another rushed apology, Alex was gone, leaving Kara's eyes to wander timidly to where Adam was standing, looking at her. Hank must have told him everything by now, but she couldn't read the look on his face well enough to see how he had taken it; the lines on his forehead and the way his lower lip jutted out the tiniest bit could not determine whether he loved or hated her yet. Finally spinning around from her wilting position on the table, she clenched her jaw in discomfort and plucked up the courage to get to her feet, walking over to the man who had so much complexity, it made the Girl of Steel go dizzy in miscomprehension.


Just a heads up: this story is going to be a lot shorter than my other ones (or so I have planned). I used to write chapters with 3-11k words, and honestly, it got me so tired out. Back then, it worked because I was so passionate about writing, and you could say that passion has faded. I so want to be passionate about writing again, but for now, I'll regain that passion by writing in short spurts. Plus, it will probably be easier, considering next month I'll be starting sixth form (that's "junior year" at high school for you 'Muricans), and probably won't have much time to write at length anyway!

Please feel welcome to leave a review (it would absolutely make my day) and follow/favourite if you so desire :)

-Beth/jennoists xx