It takes Kara a long minute to wake up the next morning, as comfortable as she is. She doesn't want the moment to end, enjoys the warmth surrounding her far too much. Waking means dealing with the night before, means leaving the comfort she's managed to find and facing the cold world around her.
In the end it's the realization that the warm feeling surrounding her is the woman she's only met the day before that jolts her into full alertness, though she's careful not to move and disturb her. Cat has one arm under her head and the other draped over her, holding Kara turned close into her side. It can't be comfortable, and yet she's sleeping peacefully despite the fact the sunlight streaming into the room makes it obvious it's well past eight.
Despite the firm grip Cat has on her, Kara slowly begins to slide away, hoping if she moves slowly enough she won't wake the other woman with her movements. It almost works, but at the last moment Kara slips against the sheets and suddenly Cat is opening her eyes in surprise.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," Kara says quickly, knowing she's blushing but unable to help it. She feels comfortable around Cat yes, but that doesn't make waking up in her arms after horrible nightmares any easier.
"It's fine," Cat grumbles, voice heavy with sleep. "Are you okay? Sleep better the second time around?" Thankfully there's no judgement in her tone, which lets Kara's blush fade from glow in the dark to a more normal flush.
"I did. You didn't have to stay in here though," Kara says quietly, because as much as she knows the woman's presence probably helped, she hates having inconvenienced her. "I'm glad you woke me up, obviously, but I've been enough of a burden already."
"Hardly that," Cat says, sitting up quickly to look at her sharply. "A burden would imply that I was unwilling to help, or that I did so reluctantly." Her tone invites no argument, so rather than continue to protest or apologize Kara simply nods. She might not agree, but she won't risk upsetting Cat.
Whatever she would have said is lost as her phone rings shrilly into the silence, and Kara shoots Cat an apologetic glance as she reaches for it, barely glancing at the screen to see that it's Alex calling before she answers. "Hello?" She mouths 'my sister' to Cat as Alex starts in, getting an interested nod in reply before turning her attention back to the call.
"Celeste, where the hell are you and why do I have Mom calling me at eight on a Sunday morning worrying about you?" Alex sounds more worried than angry, though she's clearly trying to pretend she's not. And Kara can only wince, because even though she's an adult, with a college degree, Eliza worries as if she's still thirteen rather than twenty four, and she knows that.
"I forgot to call her," she says apologetically, standing and starting to pace the room, aware that Cat is watching her but not particularly caring. If the woman hadn't run after two panic attacks and nightmares that led to sharing a bed, a little family drama should be nothing. She's made a far worse impression so far anyway. "I'm in the city, a friend offered to let me stay the night instead of taking a bus back home."
"A friend huh?" Cat says from the bed, leaning back on the headboard with a smirk on her face. "So, we're friends now, are we Celeste?" She's teasing and Kara knows it, so she spares a moment from listening to Alex rant to stick her tongue out at her, loving the way her childish behavior earns a laugh from the other woman.
"I thought all your friends moved out of the city," Alex says when she finishes lecturing about the importance of making sure someone knows where you are at all times, especially in the city. As seriously as she takes her responsibility to protect Kara, she's still her big sister and can still be distracted by the little things. "And you didn't mention that you were meeting anyone when you called Friday night." Her tone isn't exactly suggestive, but Kara can tell she's starting to form a few suspicions that are only half true at best.
"They did," Kara agrees, because she's horrible at lying and Alex will see through her in a second. "But it is possible to make new friends you know." She ignores the fact that she hadn't made a new friend in years, had barely made the few friends she'd had in college, and hadn't tried too hard to keep in touch when they moved away. Other than Alex, who is the best friend anyone could ask for and the only friend Kara needs, she really doesn't have anyone else. Until Cat, apparently.
"You suck at making friends," Alex says, not bothering to sugarcoat the truth that Kara had avoided. "So be honest, did you forget to call mom because you were in the middle of some National City Saturday night hookup? Because if so I'm hanging up now to let you get back to that and you can call me with details later."
"No!" Kara says in shock, earning a raised eyebrow from Cat at her sudden vehemence. "Look, Alex, I'm sorry I didn't call mom, but everything's fine and nothing happened." She hopes Cat doesn't understand what she's telling her sister and just assumes the panic attacks have happened before, because she really doesn't know how to explain this to the woman. Sure she's attractive, and Kara is at least decently secure in her own looks, but she'd just met the woman and comfort in her presence aside knows far too little about her to entertain the thought of more.
"She's welcome to come by if she's in town," Cat offers suddenly, surprising Kara into silence. "I'm not normally one to host strangers in my apartment, but I think that after everything I can make another exception this time. If she needs convincing you're okay, that is."
"I really should just be heading home," Kara says awkwardly, the silence on the other end of the phone telling her that Alex is listening carefully for any clues, suspicions still raised despite Kara's denials. "Alex just worries too much." That earns a muffled 'hey' from her sister that Kara pointedly ignores, trying to wordlessly convince Cat that everything is fine.
"I promised you breakfast, and obviously Alex has worried enough about you, so trust me when I say it's okay to invite her over." Kara thinks it's probably a bad sign that she already can't say no to Cat, but with Alex in her ear obviously having caught bits of the conversation and urging her just to accept, she knows she doesn't have a chance.
"If you're sure," she says, ignoring the smug chuckles from Alex that she knows means endless teasing later, shrinking back slightly at the mild glare Cat sends her way. The smile tugging at her mouth is enough to soften it and convince Kara that she isn't actually angry, but something about Cat glaring at her is intimidating enough even with that.
"Just let her know the address and as whether she'll be wanting breakfast too so I know how much to make," Cat says with a dismissive flick of her wrist, and Kara is again struck by how comfortable being around Cat feels, as if they've known each other for years. Cat is making her breakfast, willingly inviting her sister into her apartment, and all within 24 hours of meeting.
"She says yes to breakfast," Kara says without needing to ask, because Alex is on the other line crowing about free food loudly enough that she's surprised Cat doesn't hear her. Hopefully her sister won't embarrass her too much when she actually arrives…
X
"Tell me that's not what you wore to find a hook up," Alex says as soon as Kara opens the door, thankfully quietly enough that Cat doesn't hear from where she's busy in the kitchen. "Because I know I taught you better than that."
"It wasn't a hook up," Kara hisses, fiddling with her glasses and second guessing every bit of her decision to invite Alex. "It was a kind gesture, that's all." Her nerves obviously don't help her case any if the way Alex's eyes narrow in her direction are anything to go by, but Kara tries not to give anything else away. "We just met yesterday anyway, and you know that's not my usual type."
"You met her yesterday, stayed at her apartment all night, were still here when I called, and you expect me to believe nothing happened," Alex asks in disbelief, sending a calculated look towards where Cat is pointedly ignoring them. "Seriously Celeste, look me in the eye and tell me you didn't sleep with her."
"What?! Of course we didn't sleep together!" Kara whispers in shock, fighting to keep her voice quiet.
"Your words say no but the flush on your cheeks says there are juicy details you're hiding," Alex says with a smirk, crossing her arms and waiting for Kara's response.
"Nothing happened," she says immediately, wincing at the way Alex's smirk widens. "It didn't. I had a nightmare and she woke me from it, and then stayed until I fell asleep. Well, technically until I woke up." She really should have left that last detail out if the way Alex's eyes widen is any indication, but Kara is saved by Cat announcing that breakfast is ready behind her, granting a momentary reprieve.
Conversation flows easily over food, though Kara can feel Alex glancing between them every so often, obviously studying their interactions for any clues. She's determined not to give her anything to go on, especially when nothing happened, but she knows Alex will at least pick up on Kara's comfort here. And that she still doesn't have an answer for.
"So, I have to admit I would not have guessed you were sisters," Cat says as they clear their places, both sisters refusing to let her do all the work. "Cousins maybe, or very close childhood friends from the way you act alike, but the physical similarities just aren't there."
"Oh, I'm adopted," Kara says with an attempt at nonchalance, though she feels the familiar tightening in her stomach that always comes when discussing her past. "When I was thirteen, or at least that's what we guessed." She can tell Alex is tensing as well, though it shouldn't be obvious to anyone that doesn't know her. For some reason her sister had always been just as touchy when the subject comes up.
"I'm sorry to hear that," Cat says after a moment spent looking between them. "I didn't mean to pry." Kara can tell she means it, that she regrets bringing up what could easily be a painful topic, and speaks up before she can think too much about it to ease that guilt.
"It's okay, I don't really remember it anyway," she admits. "Just waking up and not knowing where I was. The Danvers took me in, gave me a place to belong, and where I came from never seemed that important after that." It's a lie, but it's the closest Kara can come to telling the truth. She'd wanted to know her past a few times over the years, but every time she thought about looking into it she'd shut down before getting anywhere.
"And you'll always have a place with us," Alex says quietly from where she's standing with her arms folded tightly across her chest, looking troubled but clearly meaning what she says.
Cat looks between them once again, eyes calculating as she takes in their stances, obviously noting their various tells. It makes Kara wonder what the woman sees from her, how much of her muted fear is clear in her face or body, how much of her lingering unease. And Alex, usually so hard to read, might not present as much of a challenge to a woman skilled and brave enough to stake out a drug den by herself.
"Well, Celeste, if you ever want help looking I would be glad to offer my help. I may not have my name on many serious bylines just yet, but that doesn't mean the skills aren't there." The offer is almost gentle despite Cat's slightly brusque tone, the softness around her eyes telling Kara that she truly means her offer of help. It's a tell of her own, and Kara wonders when she'd studied Cat closely enough to pick up on it.
She also sees the sudden increased tension in Alex's frame, and after a moment of careful study realizes that her sister doesn't want her to accept Cat's offer. And usually that would be enough to keep Kara from doing something, but despite the fear she feels and the knowledge that finding out what secrets her past hides will be unimaginably painful, Kara wants to know. The brief flashes of memory over the past day have stoked her curiosity in ways nothing else has, and she thinks she might be ready to face whatever she finds. That it might be worth it, in the end.
"I think I'll take you up on that," Kara says with a small smile, ignoring Alex's look of sudden panic. "Maybe it's time to find out who I was." She's careful not to dismiss who she is now, because what the Danvers have given her is worth more to her than words can describe. They're her family, and she is who she is now because of them. But there are thirteen years of her life that she can't account for, experiences and memories that could have shaped her life as well, and part of her longs for that.
Cat looks surprised at Kara's acceptance, and a little calculating as she takes in Alex's reaction. "Well, the first step is always to gather the basic information," is all she says, but something in her tone tells Kara to brace for what comes next. "So Alex, I think that means we start with you."
"What do you mean?" Alex says quickly, face carefully blank.
"You're the only one here with memories of how Celeste was found, so if we're starting at the beginning you're the obvious starting point. Anything you remember could give us a clue where to look next." There's definitely a calculating look on Cat's face now, and Kara wonders if this was such a good idea after all. She trusts Cat beyond what reason says she should, but she can't help the flicker of unease when she sees Alex tense in response.
"I don't really know how I could help, I was only fourteen," is all Alex says, and Kara suddenly knows her sister has more information than she's letting on.
"Alex, please," Kara asks, trying to keep her sudden desperation out of her voice. She's pushed her past away for so long, now that she's decided to search it out she can't take not knowing everything there is to know. Even if it isn't all the answers, she needs to know what she can.
"Celeste, you have to be sure about this," Alex says seriously, and Kara sees Cat straighten in her seat at the sudden weight in her tone. "Any time we tried to talk about it in the past, you shut down. You weren't ready to hear. If that hasn't changed, then I won't risk hurting you again."
"I need to know," Kara whispers, unable to speak any louder. "Please, Alex, I need you to tell me. I don't know why, but there's something inside me that needs to hear what you know."
"Okay," Alex says reluctantly before turning to Cat. "Then the second thing I need is to know you won't publish this, that you won't hurt my sister. I know you don't know her well enough to ask that of you, but I am anyway. I need to know that your need for a story won't put Celeste in danger."
"You don't have to worry," Cat says instantly, a trace of pain hiding in the tightness of her lips. "I will never write anything that would put another person in danger, or hide a truth that would do the same. I've learned that lesson well enough for ten lifetimes."
The sisters look at each other as they take that in, before Kara nods at Alex, signaling her to start. It's time to find out who she is.
X
Astra turns from the latest imposter without even a sigh, unable to manage a reaction beyond deep sorrow. It's been thirty three years of constant searching for her niece, and those years have taken their toll. She's seen too much of this world, and yet not enough to find Kara. Instead she's found greed, and selfishness, and more hatred than she'd thought could exist in a culture that still somehow thrived.
And while she will never stop searching, will never relinquish the small flicker of hope that still resides in her heart, she cannot take the strain of human interaction any longer. Every false hope nearly kills her, cleaving her already broken heart into increasingly smaller pieces.
"I will find you, Kara, I promise you that," she whispers into the night sky before taking off, leaving human society behind.