Cat Grant was afraid. Sure, last night had been amazing. (She tried, in vain, to remember the last time she had used that phrase to describe anything that didn't include sex. Or really, to use that phrase at all.) But when reality began to interfere with… whatever this thing with Kara was… she feared that the façade would crumble.

Kara was so very young. Did she really have feelings for Cat, or was she just drawn to her mentor? Would they fade when she saw the day-to-day reality of life with Cat Grant? Would Cat manage to push her away, like she had everyone else? Would Kara realize that the age difference was just too much?

Cat was terrified that she would hurt the girl. Kara was so vulnerable, and so trusting. Right now, Cat wielded a power over the young woman that frightened her. Of course, Kara held that same power over the older woman. "I've opened myself up to her," Cat realized. "I've let her into my heart, and she has the ability to destroy me. If I lose her, it will rip my heart to pieces."

Carter was coming home today. Normally, Cat's heart would leap at the thought, but right now she felt unsettled. Kara wouldn't want to be saddled with Cat's children, would she? Cat knew that Kara liked Carter, but Kara was young, and beautiful, and had her whole life in front of her. "Why would she want to be a part of mine?" Cat wondered.

Should she do the right thing, and end this now? Was that even the right thing? Or should she go all in, and risk everything? Cat shook her head, realizing it was too late to ask that question. She was all in. Her heart gave her no other choice. And Kara was more than worth the risk. She would have to try her hardest not to screw this up.

Cat stepped out of the shower, effectively putting an end to her monologue. She quickly dressed and applied her makeup. When she opened the bathroom door, she was greeted by a smiling superhero, who offered a steaming mug of coffee. Every other thought flew out of Cat's head as her heart stuttered. "She looks like an angel standing there," Cat thought. "But I've never seen an angel that beautiful. And I don't think angels usually serve coffee."

Cat took the mug, smiling, then set it down behind her. She wrapped her arms around Kara, pulling her impossibly close, and kissed her gently. When she finally ended the kiss, she murmured quietly, "Is this even real?"

Kara grinned widely. "I sure hope so," she responded. "But if it's not, it's way better than my usual dreams."

At that, Cat paused and considered the hero. She lifted the coffee mug and took a sip, then asked, "No nightmares last night?"

Kara shook her head, not quite meeting Cat's eyes. "Nope."

Cat was a skilled investigator, but this? This was child's play. She simply fixed her gaze on Kara and waited.

Kara shifted uncomfortably, and then mumbled, "I might have spent the whole night looking at you, rather than sleeping."

As adorable as Kara was – and that response ranked pretty high on the scale – Cat suspected that it wasn't just infatuation keeping the girl up all night. "You were avoiding the nightmares, weren't you?"

Kara's shoulders slumped miserably. "Cat, I just – Well, you hadn't slept much the last two nights. I know you needed a good night of sleep. And everything was so perfect last night; I couldn't bear to ruin it."

Cat sighed, and sat down on the bed, pulling the girl down next to her. This couldn't possibly work if Kara shut her out. "Kara, do you remember what I said to you when I first brought you here?" Cat paused, looking into Kara's eyes. "I asked you to let me take care of you. I told you I'm here for you. That hasn't changed, and it won't, no matter what happens between us. You need to believe that I can love the real you, not just the parts you let me see. If you were worried about me getting enough sleep, you should have talked to me about it, rather than making the decision for me."

Kara nodded. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Kara. I know you meant well. I just want you to understand that you need to trust me." Cat stood up abruptly. "I hate cutting off this conversation, but if I don't hurry, I'm going to be late. Not all of us have super-speed," she said, raising an eyebrow at Kara. "So let's talk later, okay?"

As the two women headed to work, Cat tried desperately to ignore her own uncertainty. She had asked Kara to trust her, and she needed to do the same. But she hadn't brought up the topic of Carter. How would Kara handle a thirteen-year-old boy being part of their relationship? Carter was more important to her than anything else in the world, and he always came first. But she desperately wanted to believe there was room in her life for Kara, too.

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The day flew by. Both women had full schedules, after missing the previous day. Kara tried hard not to think about Cat – about how safe she felt in Cat's arms, about the kisses that had sent tingling sensations through her whole body, about how breathless she felt when Cat admitted she was in love with Kara. Still, she found herself daydreaming frequently.

James and Winn each stopped by to check on her, concerned that Kara had taken a sick day. Her interaction with James was awkward and stilted; the one with Winn, slightly less so. But Kara wasn't ready to talk with either one about the events in her life, so both conversations were brief. Kara reassured both men that she was fine, and had just needed to rest after her late-night heroics.

She thought about how what Alex said, that Cat thought she was too old, jaded, and selfish to be in a relationship with Kara, and was worried about abusing her position of power. They hadn't really talked much, after Alex left. Kara smiled – they'd been rather distracted. But she hoped that Cat didn't really believe any of those things.

Kara knew that none of those things were true. This was not a fling for Kara: she had been attracted to Cat Grant since the first day they met, and her feelings had only grown stronger over time. And despite the walls the older woman constructed around herself, Kara saw right through those barriers. She knew that Cat was an amazing, beautiful, brilliant woman. She was not the least bit selfish – in fact, it was Cat's selflessness that caused her to push people away, for fear of hurting them. She would just need to convince Cat not to do that to her. For behind Cat's brashness and confidence was a scared, insecure woman, and Kara was determined to care for that vulnerable heart.

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By mid-afternoon, Cat knew she had put off the conversation about Carter long enough. She knocked on Kara's door, and her heart rate spiked briefly at the wide smile that greeted her. She smiled back. "I heard from editing that your article is fantastic. I can't wait to read it."

"Really?" Kara asked, eyes wide. I was worried they would tear it apart."

"Kara, someday maybe you'll have a little faith in yourself. You're very talented." Cat sat down in front of Kara's desk. "But that's not why I'm here." She leveled her gaze at Kara, and said, "Carter comes home today."

Kara nodded. Although she was no longer Cat's assistant, she still knew Cat's schedule pretty well.

Cat continued, "I don't want you to think I'm avoiding you, but Kara, I want to spend the evening with my son. I love spending time with you too, but I haven't seen him in a week, and he and I both need some time together. Is that okay?"

Kara responded without hesitation, "Cat, of course that's okay. Family comes first. Carter always comes first." She knew how much Carter meant to Cat, and she would never want to take away the mother's time with her son. She liked Carter, and was hoping she would eventually get to spend time with him too. She wanted to get to know the kind, intelligent boy who had captured Cat's heart. Kara forced herself to hide a pang of anxiety at the thought that he might not want her there.

Cat continued, "If you need me for anything, please call me. I'm here for you, Kara. But I think it's better if you don't come over. Is that okay?"

Although Kara hadn't intended to come over, she couldn't help feeling a little nervous. The way Cat was phrasing her comments… maybe she didn't want Carter to know about Kara. She had been hoping for some hint that Cat would talk with Carter about what was going on, and maybe eventually allow Kara to spend time with the two of them. Trying to hide her uncertainty, Kara said, "I completely understand. Just let me know what you're comfortable with."

Cat was relieved to hear that Kara understood her devotion to Carter, but she couldn't help thinking that Kara seemed... worried. "Maybe she's just now remembering that I have a thirteen-year-old son… and another one that she dated," Cat thought grimly. "That probably terrifies her. What twenty-four-year-old wants to deal with a teenage son?" She decided not to press the girl right now.

"Thank you, Kara. But I mean it: Call me if you need anything at all. And if you have nightmares, please call so I can help you calm down, okay?" Kara nodded. Cat smiled warmly at the girl, and then left, still wondering at the unspoken wariness in those deep blue eyes.

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Cat made sure she was home early, and tried not to pace the hallway while she waited for Carter to arrive. Hearing the door open, she headed around the corner and grabbed her boy into a tight hug. A kiss on the cheek made him squirm uncomfortably, and she laughed and said, "Sorry. I couldn't help myself. How was your week?"

"It was okay, mom, but I would rather have been here." Cat forced herself not to smile at his comment. As difficult as her own relationship with Carter's father had been, she knew it was important for Carter to spend time with him. She was just glad he was home.

The two chatted about Carter's experiences while Cat prepared dinner. She loved this boy so very much. While she wished she could somehow pack Carter in bubble wrap and protect him from everything in the world, she was intensely proud of the young man he'd become. He was reaching a point in his life where she could no longer express that to him, and she dreaded the day that her hugs would no longer be welcomed. They would get through it, though. She would do anything for her son.

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After Carter had managed to nearly demolish an entire shepherd's pie, Cat put down her fork and said, "Carter, I need to talk with you about something."

Carter looked up at his mom. This sounded important.

"Carter, how would you feel about me seeing someone?" Cat was tense. If Carter didn't respond well, it could be devastating. Carter would always come first.

"Well, I guess it's up to you," Carter mused. "I mean, it's your life. What I think doesn't really matter."

Cat frowned. That did not sound encouraging. "But you aren't pleased about it," she speculated.

"Well, it's really not my decision. I mean, I'm almost a grownup. You get to have your own life too."

Cat preferred not to think about the fact that Carter would be an adult soon. She knew it was inevitable, but she couldn't bear the thought of letting him go. But right now, she needed to get to the bottom of this. "Carter, your opinion is more important to me than anything in the world. And if this isn't something you're comfortable with, then it's not going to happen, period." She paused, then asked gently, "Will you tell me what you're thinking? Please?"

Carter hesitated. "Mom, it's just that… when you've been in relationships, you don't always do it for the right reasons, or pick the right people. Like, you dated Max Lord because your mom thought you needed to be with someone. And he was kind of a jerk."

Cat badly wanted to respond to that, but she knew that she had to hear the boy out. When Carter spoke, he was slow and deliberate, choosing his words carefully. She owed it to him to let him finish. Plus… everything he'd said so far had been completely true.

"When you really care about someone," Carter continued, "you push them away. The people you date are the ones you don't feel that strongly about. You think that way it won't hurt as much when things go bad. But every time a relationship ends, you feel a little worse about yourself. I hate seeing you go through that."

Carter had delivered his speech while staring down at his empty plate, slightly embarrassed. Now, he sat in silence, scraping a few crumbs with his fork. Cat watched him for a moment, amazed by how perceptive he was. "I think you know me better than I know myself," she commented quietly. "But Carter, is it possible that this time could be different?"

Carter shook his head. "No. It won't," he answered flatly.

"Why do you say that?"

Carter looked her in the eyes finally, and she could see the concern and devotion in them. "Because, mom, there's only one person you're in love with, and you would never date Kara. So whoever this guy is, you're lying to yourself if you think he's right for you."

Cat was speechless. After staring at Carter for a moment, she murmured, "Why do I pay so much money for therapy when you have all the answers already?" She paused, then asked slowly, "Why wouldn't I date Kara?"

"You're her boss, and you'd worry that you'd be taking advantage of her. But mostly, you'd be too afraid of hurting her, or getting hurt. I can't see you taking that chance."

"Carter…" She exhaled, marveling at this sweet, amazing boy. "You are way too smart for your own good. But I think… maybe I'm ready to take that chance."

She saw realization dawn on him, followed by surprise and hope. "Mom, it's Kara?"

Cat smiled slightly, and then answered, "Well, that depends on you, darling. If you're okay with it, I'd like to try."

Carter grinned widely, and jumped out of his chair to give her a hug. "I like Kara a lot. And I love you. Mom, I'm so happy for you. I really want this to work."

Cat's heart melted at his declaration, and she felt like all of the tension was draining out of her shoulders. "So you're really okay with this?"

"More than okay," Carter responded, still smiling. "She's perfect for you."

And with those words, Cat felt like she could handle anything.