She spent the weekend at home, with Carter, enjoying her son's presence. It was tough not having him there all the time. She's definitely learnt a couple of things with Adam, so she fought harder through this divorce. She wanted to do better justice for Carter, for herself. She didn't want him to learn to grow up without his true mother figure. It pained her to let Adam go, more than she could've ever imagined and now she definitely knew she should never have let go.

Yearly cards for his birthday and Christmas to Adam just seemed so cliché, so fake. It didn't represent anything real to Cat, it didn't mean anything anymore. When she would think about it a lot, she would almost come to the point where she would think she completely lost Adam.

So now she was fighting with Carter's father for more time with her. Carter, now at the grown age of 12, realized himself how nice it felt to be with his mother for a change. They always had fun together, he would tell her, and they never failed to tell each other anything. They were truly close.

And Cat was so thankful to the gods or to whoever was up there, because she loved him with all her heart. And she would not let him slip away from her.

They used to watch movies, play board games –scores were always tight- and go out to eat and have walks. Every few months or so, when Carter was on vacation, she would take a few days off and they would go travel somewhere, just the two of them. They had so many memories and Carter reassured her every time they would make more.

When she was with him, she tended to forget about her problems. This weekend for example, she had forgotten about Kara or whatever it was that made her notice her more and more.

And yet when Monday came and she was forced to stay late at work to finish some reports, faith would have it that so would Kara. Apparently, the stack of papers on desk needed finishing by next Friday.

Again, they were the only ones left, on their floor at least. She never knew how it happened, that only they were left. As she finished one of the many reports that were yet to come, she stepped out on her balcony. It was, without a doubt, one of her favorite places.

Soon enough Kara made her presence known. "Miss Grant?"

Cat turned slightly, her eyes still focused on the glowing city. "Yes?"

"I need you to sign this," she said, extending her a file.

"What's this?"

"It's my contract. It says it's available for two months."

"Right," Cat said and signed it without needing time to think. She modified the assistants' contracts because she would decide if she liked them or not, if they were helpful or not in a matter of two months. "By the way," she said, as she looked back to the first paper in her file, the one with her personal information, "I've been meaning to ask, if it's not a problem. You don't have to answer."

"Sure," she said.

"Next to your parents' names, there's their… death dates," she said, reluctantly. "May I ask what happened?"

Kara looked down, sitting down on the arm of one of Cat's big balcony armchairs. She bit her lower lip ever so slightly. She started talking, without looking at Cat. "They… they died when I was 13; in a fire."

Cat let out a silent breath, having no words to follow Kara's except for a faint 'Oh'.

"I don't remember what or how it happened and I never really wanted to find out, so they never told me. I can remember being there, at their funeral, but I was still confused." Kara's voice was quivering slightly, but she managed to contain any tears that would drop.

Cat found her voice. Silently, barely audible, she said, "I'm sorry."

Kara's mouth formed a little smile, but not her usual, happy kind; a sad smile. Cat realized this one didn't suit her. "No, nonsense, don't be. I can… I can actually remember them. My mother, she… she was really kind and understanding. She never failed to make me smile; whenever I was down she and my father would come and sit next to me, not letting me go until I was laughing, sincerely laughing." Her sad smile remained as she remembered what she said. "We were really close. I never hid anything from them. So then it was really strange; they suddenly left, and they would never come back." She paused for a minute. Cat didn't say anything yet.

"But, you know, everything they've told me is still with me. I remember particularly a few things; I think I'll never forget those."

Then she looked back up at Cat, who, surprisingly, had tears gathered in her eyes, still keeping her look on Kara. "I miss them, but I've grown up learning that they can still hear me, they can see me and that's comforting. Even if it's not real or whatever, it's nice… to think that way."

The few tears she had rolled down on her cheeks, but Cat quickly wiped them away. She rarely cried, and never in front of anyone. That was a basic rule for her; she would think she seems weak or pathetic. But now she realized that was stupid of her to think. Tears aren't supposed to show you're weak, they mean that you simply care and that you have feelings. We don't have to be robots.

More importantly, Cat didn't look at Kara with pity, or mercy; she admired her. Despite growing up without any parental models, she became this polite, kind and admirable person. Many steered away from the good path. She was afraid that would happen to Adam. Luckily, his father still had some decency to teach him well.

"Well, I don't really know what to tell you, other than the fact that you've become a truly good and estimable person. You are worthwhile," she told her, remembering what Kara said on their first meeting.

Kara smiled and let out a small laugh. "Thank you, Miss Grant."

"No, thank you for telling me; for opening up to me that way," she said honestly.

Cat handed back her file, and as Kara made her way back, Cat spoke up again. "You know, I may seem cold and detached and emotionless, but I'm not. If you ever need to talk, I can listen."

Kara smiled, and nodding, she left the balcony.

Cat turned back to facing the city, losing herself in all the bright lights. She never seemed to get tired of it. She enjoyed just standing there, thinking and cooling in the evening air. It started being really hot in daytime, so evenings and nights were really pleasant.

And Kara… oh, Kara... Why her?

Why exactly the girl I can't have?