Cat inhaled as deeply as she could, trying her hardest to tamper down the terror that she felt before she sent the link.
She looked at her iPhone one last time, and before she could think better of it, she hit the blue arrow, sending the song to the woman that she had been miserable without.
She continued to hold the breath she'd taken until the 'Read' receipt had popped up… Then, well… if she threw her phone across the room out of fear, who could really blame her?
XXX
Kara's phone went off at 6:30 in the morning, which was the exact same time her alarm went off, telling her that it was time for her to get around for work. She groaned as she sat up and stretched, and then, looked at her phone. She smiled brightly at the feelings of butterflies she'd gotten when she saw that there was a message from Lena on her phone.
Lena: Good morning, Sleeping Beauty. I can't wait to see you today.
I have something I need to talk to you about.
Kara: Well that text started off happily,
but then immediately tuned terrifying :).
Kara laughed as she sent the text message, but as soon as she hit the send button, her phone went off again… This time it was the woman she still loved... Cat. Butterflies and happiness exuded through her entire body as she opened the message.
Cat 3: I know that we are only friends. I know that I've hurt you.
I know that I'm a moronic bitch who never knows how to let
a good thing last when I've found it, but every word of this
song is true. I am so sorry for everything that I've done to make
even remotely sad, darling. I want to make up for everything that
I've done. I apologize for it being country… I know we both hate
it, but I couldn't find an NSYNC song that fit my predicament
as well as this song does. Please, Darling…Know that I mean every word.
Kara swallowed the lump in her throat as she re-read that text repeatedly. There were thousands of ways that Cat could have meant that… It didn't mean that she wanted Kara back, right? OF course, not. She'd been the one to break up with Kara… Not the other way around. She'd been adamant that their relationship would be better off as platonic.
She buried down her hope and clicked on the link that her ex-girlfriend sent her.
Tell me what I have to do tonight
'Cause I'd do anything to make it right
Let's be us again
I'm sorry for the way I lost my head
I don't know why I said the things I said
Let's be us again
Here I stand
With everything to lose
And all I know is I don't want to ever see the end
Baby please, I'm reaching out for you
Won't you open up your heart and let me come back in
Let's be us again
Oh us again
Look at me, I'm way past pride
Isn't there some way that we can try
To be us again
Even if it takes a while
I'll wait right here until I see that smile
That says we're us again
Here I stand
With everything to lose
And all I know is I don't want to ever see the end
Baby please, I'm reaching out for you
Won't you open up your heart and let me come back in
Let's be us
Baby baby what would I do
I can't imagine life without you
Here I stand
With everything to lose
And all I know is I don't want to ever see the end
Baby please, I'm reaching out for you
Won't you open up your heart and let me come back in
Oh, here I am
I'm reaching out for you
So won't you open up your heart and let me come back in
Let's be us again
Oh let's be us again
The song ended, and Kara sat on her bed in shock…. Was Cat serious? Was this her finally coming back to Kara after all these years and saying that she had made a mistake? There were so many things that she wanted to say, but all she could think was this…
Kara: Why now?
XXX
Cat waited nervously and impatiently for the text to come through, and when it did, it wasn't at all what she'd expected… She'd expected outrage or disbelief… and in her wildest dreams acceptance… but never this.
My : Why now?
Cat clenched her teeth. The nonchalant response was enough to kill her inside. It was almost as if Kara didn't care any longer, and that destroyed Cat. Sure, she'd messed up; but she had a very good reason… She'd just never really told Kara the whole truth because she knew Kara wouldn't see it the same way, that Kara would've fought for her, and Cat would have stayed.
But she couldn't have stayed… Kara deserved normalcy, and dating her boss was not going to provide that for her. Not at all, it'd cause speculation, and more importantly, it'd decrease any amount of professional credibility she'd made, they wouldn't see her as spectacular and talented reporter she was. She'd never win a Pulitzer, and everything she did would be because she 'slept her way to the top.' No one would ever take her seriously because they wouldn't see Kara's achievements as her own, and that was not something Cat could allow to happen. Kara craved validity, she craved to prove herself, to show herself and the ones she loved that she was more than a Kryptonian and hero and Cat wanted her to have that. So, as much as it killed Cat, she dove.
She went off to Bhutan for a year, hoping that it'd give her some clear insight, when Olivia called to ask her to become the White House Press secretary, and that's when the idea to create GrantCo hit her like a freight train… She just didn't know what GrantCo would focus on… Gossip? No… That was beneath them both. It couldn't be the Superheroes either, that'd be a conflict of interest and put too much attention on Kara and the Supers… people might figure Kara's secret identity out; it's not that hard if you stare at her long enough… Which Cat did frequently.
Then a year into her run as Press Secretary, she came to the conclusion, that GrantCo would focus on the Government after she saw a terrible Scandal get covered up by the very people who committed it. She had managed to slip the scoop to Lois Lane (begrudgingly so,) and it was brought back to life, but that was where she saw her opportunity… She wouldn't let a single lie slip through the cracks of the government without being brought to light by Cat Grant herself.
GrantCo Media would be based in National City (so that Kara wouldn't be tempted to say no to Cat's offer) but have little plants throughout America; and in the future, other countries as well. The primary goal would be to prevent any falsities being passed off as truths to the general public. All governments needed transparency, and without that, there could never be peace.
Cat knew that not only would Kara love the idea of helping the world even more through her work as a journalist, but she'd also love the idea of owning half of the company and working along side Cat instead of beneath her… Now that Kara's proven herself as a capable reporter it wouldn't be as confusing about why Cat had chosen her to be her business partner instead of the likes of Lois Lane or Clark Kent. There'd be virtually no backlash now, and once Cat and Kara became business partners, their relationship going public would be scandal free. Kara would receive no harsh criticism about her promotions, since her entire career started after Cat had left National City and kicked off once she became White House Press Secretary and had absolutely on affiliation with CatCo Worldwide Media whatsoever.
There would be no power dynamic between the two. Besides the obvious Kryptonian physiology; they'd be respectable equals in every aspect, which would make their relationship a lot easier to manage than it had previously been.
Everything could work out, but only one thing remained a complication… Cat Grant had broken Kara Danvers' heart, and Kara Danvers might not want her back now.
She looked back at the text and cleared her throat. There was no reason to respond, any response that she could think up at the moment would be incredibly cryptic and Kara needed answers, which was good because she was sitting outside of CatCo waiting for its doors to open so she could come in and hopefully be allowed to have a word with Kara… preferably alone, but it was doubtful that would happen. Not only were the Kryptonian's friends dreadfully protective, but her older sister had a hit out on Cat the moment Kara's heart broke because Cat declared she needed a break from all things National City… which included their secret romance.
XXX
CatCo had been graced with Kara Danvers' presence for a little over ten minutes before Cat finally got up the courage to get out of her TownCar and ascend the building to find her.
Her heart was pounding rapidly in her chest as she entered the elevator that used to be only hers and Kara's but was currently filled with herself and five other people. She tried to regulate her breathing as the elevator finally reached the 40th story and she stepped out into the bullpen to see Kara and James talking animatedly about something in Kara's hands.
She froze as she was up-close and personal with the woman that had owned her heart for the past six years as the most gut-wrenching memory she had, overtook her mind.
"Kara, darling… We need to talk." Cat said solemnly as Kara entered the glass office.
Kara's face immediately became crestfallen as she closed the door behind her. "Cat, please… If this is because I brought up going public about us, I take it back. If you aren't ready I completely understand."
Cat sighed, it was because Kara had brought that up, but not because she didn't want to become publicly and privately Kara Danvers' girlfriend… It was because she wanted to become publicly and privately Kara Danvers' wife… but she had realized the consequences for Kara were too great. She'd already lost her entire culture, heritage, race, and family… She didn't need to lose that last piece of herself that made her feel normal. That wasn't fair to her, and Cat couldn't be selfish enough to take it from her… She had to leave; it was the only way Kara could move on and make herself a well-known reporter, maybe someday she could come back and they could work this out once Kara had made herself known… until then Cat had to do the hardest thing she'd ever had to do, and break the love of her life's heart.
"Kara, please… can we go to the balcony? People are still here, and I don't want to risk them overhearing us." Cat asked stoically.
There were tears brimming Kara's eyes as she complied to Cat's request. It seemed like Kara knew where this conversation was headed, and it broke Cat's heart. She wanted more than anything to love Kara until the end of time, and with Kryptonian technology that was a very possibly feat, but she couldn't yet… Kara needed more from life than being deemed Cat Grant's lover that slept her way to the top of the food chain.
Once they were both on the balcony, Kara stood with her arms around her abdomen squeezing herself tightly, as she curled in on herself; it was almost as if Kara was shielding herself from Cat, and that made the older woman want to just jump off the balcony… But it would be of no use; Kara would catch her.
"P-please Cat, I'm sorry I suggested it… it's just that… We've been together for over a year now, and… I'm just so tired of not being able to hold you at work as well as in private." Kara begged, "If you don't want to go public I understand, and we don't have to."
"Kara…"
"I know that I've been really busy with the DEO lately too, and I'm sorry I promise I will make more time for you. I never mean to neglect you so much. You and Alex are the most important people in my life, and I promise that if you give me a chance to make it up to you I wi-"
"Kara! Darling, please calm down." Cat interrupted.
Kara's mouth snapped shut aggressively as she nodded her head in acquiescence.
"Kara, I'm leaving," Cat said softly.
Kara whimpered. "I know you're leaving me Cat, that's why I'm begging you to stay. Just give me one last chance, please."
Cat took Kara's hands into her own and squeezed them lovingly. "Darling, I'm leaving National City…"
Kara's eyes widened. "Cat, no! You can't leave CatCo just because of me… I can resign as your assistant. I-I can go back to just being a waitress at Noonan's… it pays about the same."
Cat chuckled at the little jab at the job, but her heart was still cracking with each passing moment. "NO, darling… I'm leaving National City because I've done all I can do here at CatCo, and it's time for me to explore other horizons."
Kara seemed to relax. "So you and I are going to be long-distance for a while?" Kara added with a nod to herself. "That's fine, I would have preferred you had talked to me about this first, but with Cellphones and my superspeed and flying it shouldn't be that much different. I can still see you whenever we want."
Cat frowned. "No, darling… National City has become a cage to me… I need to let it go… All of it."
Kara's face quickly morphed from confusion, to realization, to devastation in a matter of nanoseconds. Tears began to fall from her face at a rapid pace and she yanked her hands back. "You're scared." Kara deadpanned. "I brought up becoming public and that scared you. That's okay, Cat… I can wait for you."
Cat shook her head. "Kara, I don't want you to wait for me. I love you more than anything else on this planet, but I can't ask you to do that for me… I'm letting you go."
"I DON'T WANT LET GO OF!" Kara cried out. She grabbed Cat by the waist and pulled the older woman into a tight embrace. "I love you! You love me! That's all that matters! We can get through anything."
Cat wrapped her arms around the woman of steel and let the sobs overtake them both. "I have to leave, Kara… I have to. We will recover from this both and come out stronger, more independent women."
Kara whimpered, and Cat could tell that Kara was resigning herself to the fate that Cat had chosen for them, but it still broke them both. As they stood on the balcony, in each other's arms, sobbing with each other, Cat vowed that as soon as Kara became a renowned journalist, she would do everything in her power to win her love back… even if it was in vain.
"Miss Grant?!" A voice called out to her from across the room, startling Cat from her reverie.
Cat shook her head to clear her mind as she focused on the woman responsible for her shock. "Miss Tessmacher!" Cat responded as she made her way to the younger woman's desk. "Is it at all possible for me to sneak into Mr. Olsen's office by any chance?"
Eve contemplated it for a moment, but when she looked back up and saw Cat's trademark 'I asked you nicely, but it wasn't a request' glare, she gulped and nodded her head.
Smirking triumphantly the founder of CatCo trotted into her former office.
When the doors closed behind her, two sets of eyes darted towards her; a pair of chocolate brown ones, and a pair of ocean blue ones that she'd gotten lost in countless times.
"Miss Grant?"
"Cat!?"
They questioned in unison. Cat smiled nervously at the woman she loved, completely ignoring the existence of the man who'd gotten to kiss Kara first. "Kara, darling." She husked out.
Kara dropped her clipboard and rushed over to the older woman, embracing her tightly. "Oh my god. I missed you so much!" She whispered excitedly.
Cat embraced the reporter just as snugly. "Oh, darling. You have no idea how much I've missed you too." She breathed. "We've got a lot of catching up to do… Daily text conversations just don't cut it." She said as she pulled back slightly to smile at the woman in front of her. "But firstly, I wanted to talk to you about a business proposition."
Kara furrowed her brow. "Like, a story?"
Cat shook her head. "I'm moving back to National city in a little over a month, and I'd like it if you would help me with my new Media empire."
Kara's eyes widened. "You're starting a second CatCo?"
Cat made a 'so/so' gesture with her hand. "Of sorts," She says before explaining further. "But I want this one to be focused solely on the government, and keeping it as honest as we possibly can… CatCo is more focused on the big stories… I want us to be focused 100% on the government. Every branch, Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. Every level; Federal, State, and Local. Everything. I saw quite a few things happen that were hidden by different sectors, and they could have been potentially deadly had Olivia not gotten wind of them. Of course, I hope this to never happen again, but even if it doesn't happen in Washington, it could happen in several other parts of the government. With you by my side I'm sure you could help me take on the world."
"How would I be able to help you?" Kara asked confusedly.
Cat smiled at the adorable little crinkle she'd missed so terribly, and lifted one hand that held the reporter around her waist, and brushed the back of her index and middle fingers over the chiseled jawline she'd kissed fervently in the past. "By being an incredible reporter and editor."
"Editor!?" Kara asked, flabbergasted.
Cat smiled adoringly at the woman before her and nodded. "Head Editor, to be exact."
Kara's eyes brightened, and as they heard the door close behind them, signaling that James left the office. Kara sobered up. "Cat, you can't expect me to just… just…"
"I know," Cat admitted solemnly, releasing her hold on the woman before her.
"I-I mean.. you left, Cat. You left, and you broke my heart, and it took forever for me to be okay again." Kara said, her lips trembling.
Cat fought back her own tears as she nodded. "I know."
"You said we could be friends, Cat… FRIENDS!"
"I was wrong…" Cat said. "I was so, sowrong, Kara."
Kara paused. "What?"
"I was an idiot… I shouldn't have said that. But I didn't leave because I was trapped. I didn't leave because I was scared, or because I didn't love you anymore. I left because when you asked me to go public I realized something. I didn't want to be your girlfriend." Kara's face fell, so Cat hurried up to finish her explanation. "I wanted to be your wife and as many times I tried to convince myself that becoming a public couple with you wouldn't have any negative effects on you, I couldn't. Because if you came out as my girlfriend, and I promoted you to a position other than my assistant, you'd never be taken seriously. Your entire career would be ruined because everyone would think you got to where you were because you slept with me. I knew how much your career meant to you. I knew that it was the only part of your life, besides your sister, that made you feel at home on this planet, and I wasn't going to take that away from you… I'm not asking for you to forgive me, I don't think I'll ever forgive myself for hurting you the way that I did back then, but I am asking you to come work at GrantCo."
Kara hesitated for a moment, which caused Cat's heart to stop. "I forgive you." Kara said tearfully. "I understand why you did it; it doesn't stop the pain from knowing that you aren't mine anymore… but I understand." Kara said with a nod. "But… you have to know, I would have chosen you. Consequences be damned."
Cat's heart ached as she took her hands to cup Kara's cheeks. "I am yours. I never stopped being yours. Not once."
Kara looked into Cat's eyes, her pools of cerulean searching for any sign of falsehood in the orbs of hazel. "S-so… what does this mean?"
Cat gulped, "It means, I'll always be yours."
Kara's breath hitched. "We need to talk more." She whispered, Cat nodded in agreement before Kara continued. "But people are beginning to stare at us outside, so I think we should move to my office. I have a non-see through door." She said with her bright smile.
Cat nodded eagerly as she took the Kryptonian's offered hand and kissed it before allowing said hand to pull her into the direction of the mentioned office.
As soon as the door was closed behind them, Kara turned to face Cat. "Why not just buy back CatCo and refocus its attention?"
Cat shook her head. "I can't. It'd look like I'd been controlling it from behind the scenes the entire time I was Press Secretary and then CatCo's integrity will come into question. But also, because I want CatCo to eventually partner up with GrantCo on occasion."
Kara nodded her head. "I will join your team, but only if Lena is okay with it. I don't want her feeling as though I betrayed her."
Cat creased her brow. "Why would she feel betrayed?" She asked quizzically.
"Because I kind of influenced her into buying CatCo, and if I just walk away from it without talking to her first it would be like slapping her in the face."
Cat hummed in acknowledgment… That deed sounded a bit like something a very wealthy admirer would do for their crush… Something a bit like jealousy swam in the bottom of the Press Secretary's stomach, but she ignored it. "I understand, darling."
Kara smiled. "I haven't heard you call me that in a while."
The older woman's heart melted at the smile sent her way. "You could hear me call you it much more often if you give me one last chance." She hid her nervousness as best she could, but she couldn't help the way her voice trembled slightly on the last word.
Kara closed the small distance between them. "How about we take this slow this time… I want to be with you, Cat… but I'm terrified you'll walk out again."
Cat nodded and stared at the reporter's lips through hooded eyes. "I understand, Darling." She whispered huskily. "But walking away last time almost ended me… I wouldn't survive a second time."
At that last statement, Kara captured Cat's lips with her own; sending shockwaves through Cat's entire body. The kiss was desperate, messy, and perfect. The older woman couldn't get enough of the reporter as she pulled her impossibly close and tightened kissed as fervently as possible. Cat pulled back slightly as the need for oxygen overtook her. She rested her forehead against Kara's and huffed out a laugh. "I thought you said we should take it slow?"
Kara chuckled. "We will.. after this." She smiled.
Cat smirked and shook her head, causing the Kryptonian's head to move along with hers. "Will you go out on a date with me, Kara Zor-El?"
Kara nodded. "Absolutely Catherine Grant," Kara responded before surging forward and connecting their lips once more.
As soon as their lips touched, there was a knock at the office door, and with a groan, they begrudgingly pulled apart.
Cat straightened her hair skirt and answered the door to find a very upset looking Lena Luthor on the other side.
"Ah. So the rumors are true! The woman who started it all came back to start it again!" Her tone was friendly to the average person, nut Cat and Lena were birds of a feather, and the older woman could tell that there was resentment in her tone.
She couldn't help herself as she smirked and countered her slight jab. "Oh, please, Dear. I never stopped. Just changed lanes for a while." She said. She could tell now, that Lena had feelings for Kara, and although she wanted to hate her for it, she couldn't… It was easy to fall in love with the young reporter… Honestly, it was impossible not to fall in love with her. Practically everyone in national City was in love with her as either Kara Danvers, Supergirl, or both.
Kara came around and greeted Lena, and she watched their interaction closely as Lena asked questions, and she answered them for her. It was clear that Lena was head over heels in love with Kara, and it was even clearer that Kara had some feelings for Lena… they just weren't substantial enough for either woman to realize at the moment. Cat hoped that they never grew, but if they did, and Kara wanted Lena kore, Cat would step back… the only thing that mattered to her, above all else, was Kara's happiness.
I really hope that you enjoyed! So pretty please let me know if you did! 3