Renee leaves shortly after Supergirl unpacks her medical supplies. I kind of wanted her here because I didn't want to be left alone with Supergirl. At the same time, I'm glad because I knew she would make things awkward for me. When Supergirl has everything out that she needs, she detaches her cape from her costume and walks over to me.
"Okay Katherine, is it okay if I take your comforter off you? I need to X-ray you and it would make it simple for me if you weren't covered."
"Can't you see through it?"
Supergirl smiles and nods. "Yes, but afterwards I'll be applying the medicine and it would be easier if the comforter was already off."
"Okay." Supergirl reaches down and pulls the comforter until it's piled at the foot of my bed. I didn't realize how cold my room is, so with the comforter gone and me in nothing but my bra and underwear I shiver.
"Are you okay, Kate?" I nod. "Good, I'm going to X-ray you now." Starting from my head, her eyes go down my body until they reach my feet. Then she makes her way up and stops at my head again. "You have a sprained ankle, five cracked ribs on your right side, and other than a lot of cuts and bruises you're fine… Kate, are you okay?"
"Why do you say that?"
"Because you're extremely… rigid. You can to relax. I'm not going to hurt you."
"I know that."
Supergirl rolls her eyes at me. "Then relax and take a few breaths. If you're uncomfortable now, you're not going to be comfortable in the next few moments."
"Why?"
"One of the cracks is just under your right breast. I'm going to need you to take your bra off."
"I'm not shy." Not usually.
"Then tell your red face that." I'm sure I turn a shade darker as Supergirl steps away to graph her supplies.
This isn't me. I'm not the kind of woman that turns red at a comment or gets shy. I'm Katherine Kane! I'm not afraid of anyone! I take a breath and exhale through my nose. I can be better.
"Here." I pop out of my thoughts as Supergirl hands me a stretchy black cloth made from a smooth material.
"What is this?"
"It's a material I wear under my suit. I can't wear traditional or exercise bras because they can show through the suit. I used to not wear anything at all but then a friend of mine developed this." I'm holding Supergirl's bra in my hand? Oh, fanboys and fangirls everywhere would be jealous if they knew.
"Thank you, Supergirl."
"Call me, Kara, and you're welcome." I go to remove my bra but the pain from my ribs hurts too much. I let out a string of curses as I put my hand down.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Is that anyway for a lady to talk?"
"It is when she's got five cracked ribs." Whoa. Déjà vu.
"I see. Well, try to keep the expletives to yourself."
"You don't cuss?"
"What I say off duty can slip through on duty. And when you're me, you have a lot of children looking up to you."
"Well, I don't."
"You're right, you don't."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Supergirl pauses what she's doing and looks me in the eyes.
"How many little girls have you seen around here dressed as you?"
"None."
"They probably don't even know you exist… Which is nice, but not for me."
"And recognition is?"
"No, hope is. And the best way I can give hope is to be very present." Supergirl takes out a cloth and pours a mixture on it. I think it's alcohol until Supergirl presses it to my legs. It feels cool and warm at the same time. "Feels nice, huh?" she says with a smile. I nod and watch Supergirl's hands go up and down my legs cleaning the cuts. "It's sort of a Kryptonian alcohol, or the closest thing to it." Next, she cleans the cuts on my arms and neck. When she reaches my stomach, I flinch. "You okay?"
"Yeah, just a little ticklish there."
"Ticklish? I'll have to keep that in mind for later." Later for what?
When I feel Supergirl's hands go over my body again, I forget her comment and close my eyes and relax. I'm surprised at how delicate her fingers move over me. You wouldn't expect someone with the ability to pick of tank or throw cars one-handed to be so gentle. I wonder what else she is gentle at.
"Excuse you?" I open my eyes to Supergirl mixing a bowl over me.
"What?"
"Well, you asked if there was anything else I was gentle at."
"I did?" Supergirl's confusion breaks out into a smile.
"You did. May I ask what you were originally thinking I was gentle at?" she says with the raise of an eyebrow.
"Um, I was just thinking that… y-you…" Supergirl's smile gets wider the more I try to think of what to say. "I was just surprised with how gentle you are with your hands. You can pick up cars, and are bulletproof, and I even saw a clip of you crushing a piece of coal into a diamond. I'm just surprised." Supergirl's smile falls into a frown. She sits on my bed and moves a strand of hair off my face.
"Like you, Kate, I have another side to me. A side I use to fit into this world. So, I need to know how to be gentle. I need to know how to open a door without pulling it off its hinges. I need to know how to shake a hand without crushing it. I need to know how to kiss someone without breaking their teeth." The last example takes me by surprise. I reach up with my left arm and move her hair out of her face and behind her ears.
"This must be so hard for you. You always have to be in control. It's like… it's like you're living in a world made of cardboard and candy wafers." Supergirl smiles softly and grabs my hand in hers, then rubs her thumb over my knuckles.
"I always have to be careful around humans. They break so easily." Supergirl says the last part off to the side. I refrain from commenting on it. I just let her stand up and finish mixing whatever it is in the bowl. Supergirl takes a breath and leans over me. "Now this will sting. If it doesn't, that's a good sign I didn't mix it right. You might also want to take that bra off now and put on the one I gave you."
"Could you help me with it?"
"Sure." Supergirl helps me sit then sits behind me. She undoes the clasp with one hand and I let it fall. I give Supergirl the special bra and she brings it over my head and shoulders. I hiss from pain when her fingers brush against my ribs. "Sorry, sorry."
"It's okay," I breathe out. When the bra is around my waist and my arms are over it, Supergirl brings the bra back up my body. Careful of my ribs, she fits the bra over my breasts comfortably then helps me lie down. Then she takes the bowl in her hand and scoops a tiny amount with her other. I flinch when she applies the salve to my sprained ankle.
My ankle hums under the salve. "That wasn't so bad," I say.
"We're not done yet." Supergirl walks to the other side of my bed. "I need to put you on your side." It hurts to be moved. Though, thankfully not as much as I expected. "Here, bite this." Her hand comes in front of my face with a bite stick in it.
"I can stand pain. Besides, my ankle didn't hurt that much."
"That's because it was only sprained. Your ribs are fractured, with two close to being broken. Bite this." I'm not in the mood to argue with her, so I do as I am told. As soon as my teeth are comfortable gripping it, Supergirl gives me a warning. I roll my eyes.
As soon as her fingers touch my skin, I feel a burning sensation. I grip the stick hard in my teeth to keep from screaming. As she works, my body shakes from the pain. The last thing I remember is hearing the bite stick crack before all goes black.
XXX
"How's she feeling?"
"Fine now. She passed out while I applied it to her ribs but that's understandable. I'm surprised she lasted as long as she did."
"That's Kate for you."
"I'm beginning to realize that."
This is the third time I've woken with no clue as to what is going on. I yawn then sit up in my bed and look around. Sitting in my bedroom armchair, her glasses hanging on the end of her nose for dear life, with the throw blanket from my couch wrapped around her is Linda. From what I can see, she's wearing her street clothes and her hair is up in her traditional ponytail. I'm close enough to her that it's easy to slip a long strand of hair that escaped the tie behind her ear. When I lean back, I notice a note on my night-stand.
Kate,
If you are reading this before 12 pm the salve needs to stay on longer. If you're reading this after 12 pm feel free to take a shower.
Kara
PS. If I were you, I would throw your sheets in the washer. The salve has a tendency to stain cloth.
The clock says 1:15 pm.
I eye Linda's sleeping form. She'll be fine until I get out of the shower. I get up and tiptoe to my dresser drawers and pull out underwear and a bra. Unfortunately, I can't keep Supergirl's bra. I will eventually need to give it back to her. Before I leave the room, I place a kiss on Linda's forehead and slip her glasses up her nose. She smiles and shifts a little in the chair. It puts a smile on my face to see her so at peace.