Not much had changed at Catco in her absence. True, there was now another mystery person that every other paper in the country was competing to feature, but she wasn't exactly prioritizing that one. When the section editors met her they had fear in their eyes, voicing the inevitable tentative questions. She just shrugged and looked bored.

"Oh? You think it's important that we cover this…person more? Well gee, it must be beyond my intellect to come to that stunning conclusion," she made sure they were all staring slightly away from her, and smiled to herself that she hadn't completely lost her touch. "Well, by all means. Find me a picture that isn't pathetic and blurry, and we'll have a story to feature. Until you do, this isn't a media feeding frenzy. It's an abandoned buffet at Sizzler. It's been over a week, people. You can't have a story when there's no content. So unless you get off your collective asses and do something useful… " She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "If I hear one more pathetic suggestion I'm just going to start firing people at random."

When the last of them ran off to lick their wounds, she called the computer elf in to see her. He hesitated briefly before entering her office. Cat wasn't sure if she liked him being more afraid of her than usual, but she hadn't exactly tried very hard to dissuade him. Old habits.

"Miss Grant?" he made his way towards her like he was walking into certain doom.

"Oh please, get that look off your face. Have I dropped a piano on your head? Thrown you against a wall? No. Believe it or not, I reserve my superpowers for people who are physically threatening me."

He went a little red, looking behind him as if he expected the editorial meeting to suddenly materialize again.

"Relax, nobody's within earshot. I'd know."

"Oh."

She sighed and went to pour herself a drink. For Kara's sake, she'd be nice. She could do nice.

"Come on," she walked to her couch and motioned for him to join her. "Sit. Talk."

He nodded and sat, eyeing her carefully. She rolled he eyes.

"Winn. The results?" she sighed. "Though I do so like being kept in suspense."

"Right," he said. He scrolled through his iPad, showing her various blown-up versions of that image of her hovering over the parking garage. "I've enhanced it every way I know how, run it through every program known to man. You're safe."

She leant back into her couch a little, releasing a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.

"Oh, thank God."

"Probably a better idea to have, like, a mask or something next time."

She shot him a glare and he stuttered, almost dropping his iPad. But she gave him a wry smile when he was done with his little moment of terror.

"Kara has already made that suggestion, as I'm sure you know."

"Yeah…"

"I'm curious. You do know she is capable of crushing you with her pinkie, right? She's much more terrifying than I am."

He shook his head, but didn't disagree out loud. She sighed, waving an annoyed hand.

"Ok then," she raised her eyebrows when he seemed frozen on the spot. "Off you go, Toyman Jr. I'm sure you have Star Trek technology to argue over. Some spreadsheet to make more dull?"

Kara came to find her a little while later. Cat was deep in paperwork, but she stopped the instant Kara met her eye.

"You could just ask him nicely you know," Kara offered, walking the distance to Cat's desk and handing her a latte.

"I have an assistant that can do these things, Kara."

"Well, I like doing things for you."

Cat smiled, and took a long sip of the scalding coffee.

"Perfect," she looked up to see a familiar, soft expression cross Kara's face. God Cat wished she could kiss her, but she'd have to settle for something smaller. She reached up and took hold of Kara's hand, giving it a squeeze.

"So," Kara said. "Winn says you're in the clear."

Cat nodded, sighing into the relief that statement brought.

"No fun little surprises waiting for me, thank God. I can't believe I forgot to throw a Zorro mask over my head when I was trying desperately not to die."

"Still too soon to joke about that," Kara said.

"Sorry," Cat said. "I just eviscerated a whole room of editors. I'm still riding that wave."

"Is it weird that I'm a little turned on by that?"

Cat laughed.

"God," she groaned. "Don't tempt me with all these people around."

She looked through the glass at the room full of her scurrying little worker bees, a few of whom were shooting her office a quick once-over. As if they couldn't quite believe she was capable of laughter that didn't end with someone getting fired. Perhaps some tiny adjustments were necessary.

"I don't deliberately terrorize him, you know," she said. "Your friend. Even when I'm nice, he quivers like some Victorian maiden."

"I think he is just…impressed."

"Oh sure, that's what impressed looks like. He does know I'm not a supervillan plotting to take over the city, right?"

"You can just be intimidating," Kara shrugged. "Sometimes."

"Mmmm," Cat mused. "Only sometimes."

Kara's expression was warm as she smiled back.

"I wish I could kiss you."

"Believe me, I'm counting down the hours. And that reminds me," she pulled open her top drawer and handed Kara a small key, dangling on a simple keychain. "It isn't ready yet, but…"

Kara took it from her as if it was something truly precious.

"I can't believe you're asking me to move in with you."

Cat rolled her eyes, and Kara giggled.

"Just a few more days of boarded-up windows, I'm afraid. Unless you'll let me talk to your building's Super…"

"No…oh, no. Please don't."

"What on earth do you think I'll say to him? He should have fixed the windows by now."

"You broke the windows, Cat."

"Not all of them," she pouted. "And fine. They're installing the kitchen in the new penthouse today, and by the weekend all the furniture should be delivered."

"Including my couch."

Cat sighed a long-suffering sigh.

"Yes."

It was worth it to see Kara's blinding grin. Cat wanted to kiss her even more now, and she fixed a glare at the glass walls of her office briefly before reaching out to cup Kara's cheek. It was just a small moment, though, before she forced herself to pull away.

"I'm sure you have work to do."

Kara nodded.

"Six on the dot," Kara reminded her. "And we're gone."

"Six on the dot," Cat agreed.

There would be changes, many changes. Some of them small, some of them enormous. And she would do everything in her power to make sure she stuck to them.