Arrowverse || Kanvers || Arrowverse || She's Her Supergirl || Arrowverse || Kanvers || Arrowverse
Title: She's Her Supergirl – What If Kara Saved Beth?
Fandom: DC Comics / Arrowverse
Disclaimer: All rights concerning the show reserved to Greg Berlanti and Marc Guggenheim, all rights for the comics reserved to DC. This fanfiction on the other hand is entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.
Tags: f/f, Canon Divergent – Beth is saved, pining, m/f
Main Pairing: Kate/Kara
Side Pairing: Clark/Diana
DC Characters: Kara Danvers, Katherine 'Kate' Kane, Elizabeth 'Beth' Kane, Mary Hamilton, Alexandra 'Alex' Danvers, Winn Schott, James Olsen, Clark Kent, Diana Prince, Bruce Wayne
Summary: In the new, merged reality, Clark and Bruce were friends and Clark came to visit Gotham a lot. What if he brought Kara with him, occasionally? What if Kara and Kate were friends as kids? What if Kara was there when the accident happened? What if Kara saved Beth...?
She's Her Supergirl
What If Kara Saved Beth?
Kara loved the Danvers family. She would forever be grateful to them for taking her in and for treating her like their own, regardless of how rocky her start with Alex had been she was now the sister Kara never had. She loved them fiercely, because they were her family now. But sometimes, it was hard. Sometimes, she got so tired of pretending to be human, of always having to control herself because if she hugged too enthusiastically she may crack someone's ribs, if she showed herself she may get herself and them in trouble. And especially for a child – a child who simply wanted to be herself and have fun – this could get very overwhelming.
Those were the times when Clark would step in. With that charming farmboy smile of his, he had Eliza wrapped around his finger already. They all agreed that it was good for Kara to spend time with Clark, to bond with him – well, it was good for them both. Because Clark never had a connection to his past, to Krypton. So Kara spent every second weekend at Clark's. She taught him their language, she told him about their family and their planet. He, in return, taught her what life for a Kryptonian on Earth was like. These weekends, they helped Kara feel more grounded.
At first, Kara just came and visited Clark in Metropolis. After all, everything was still new to Kara. Soon, she also got to see other places with him. Went to the Kent Farm, met 'aunt Martha', who absolutely insisted on that. Then, tentative and awkward, Clark had introduced Kara to his fiance at the time – Diana Prince. Diana was amazing and soon became Kara's personal hero. Wonder Woman, an amazon, a half-goddess. She was unique, quite literally there was no one like her. And in their otherness, Clark and Diana had found each other, found strength and support and love.
Kara, she found a role-model in Diana. She found strength and inspiration in Diana.
Her absolute favorite thing to do with Clark and Diana however was when they took her to visit their friend Bruce in Gotham. One of their super-friends. There were not many of them and they didn't necessarily do a lot of team-ups, but they were friends and could rely on help with bigger problems. A bat in Gotham, a man of lightning in Freeland and a prince of Atlantis.
The bat in Gotham though, he was one of Clark's best friends – even though the two of them could not possibly be any more different. The fun part about visiting Bruce in Gotham City however was the fact that Bruce had two young cousins around Kara's age. The first time Clark and Diana took Kara with them to Gotham, the twins had been visiting Bruce and the three girls spent all day playing. After that, Clark took Kara to Gotham a bit more often and Kara started to form a friendship with them. While the adults did boring adult stuff, the girls played together.
"Listen, Kara", sighed Clark as he looked around. "Something came up in Themyscira and we'd have to hurry. It shouldn't take more than an hour, two at best."
"But we don't know how safe it is for you to come along, so would you mind staying?", asked Diana. "Stay with Bruce, we trust him to keep you safe, okay?"
Kara tilted her head as she looked at them. "Sure. Beth and Kate should be on their way here anyway, so I can play with them while you're gone."
"We'll be back for dinner", promised Diana with a smile, bringing Kara close to kiss her forehead.
Kara smiled as she watched the two of them fly off. They were the definition of a power-couple to Kara and she dreamed of one day having that too. She wondered if she could. Part of her wanted to be a normal girl, live a normal life, but the other part of her knew that she wasn't normal – not by human standards – and that she never would be normal.
For a little while, Kara simply sat in Bruce's office, drawing pictures. At least until she noticed Bruce rushing in. He looked troubled and then he looked annoyed. Probably because he saw the note from Clark and Diana. Kara hummed and continued on with her drawing.
"Kara. Something very urgent has come up. It is incredibly important that you stay put. You're a big girl and you're responsible, right? You will stay put, won't you?"
Kara nodded obediently, but then Bruce rushed off to his Bat Cave and Kara watched with her x-ray vision and... maybe she should follow him, right? Diana and Clark were fine, they were together and super-powered, but Bruce was just human. Maybe he had been annoyed because Diana and Clark weren't here to come with him and help out? Maybe Kara could help?
So she followed, using her speed to run after him at a good, safe distance. What she saw at their destination shocked her though. A car accident and Bruce – as Batman – barely got to pull Kate out of the car, before securing it and getting distracted by the other people endangered in it. However, Kara saw that the car was not as secure as Bruce had thought when he had left. Kate stood in front of it, petrified in fear and trauma. Beth inside the car was screaming and pleading loudly.
Ever since arriving on Earth, everyone kept Kara that the most important thing for her was to keep her powers a secret. But there was one of her two best friends, in life-threatening danger and she could help – how could she possibly stand back and not help?
She rushed over, grabbed the car – deforming the metal in the process – and pulling it up. All while being stared at by a wide-eyed Kate. As soon as the car was safely on the ground, Kara climbed up to help Beth out. She hurried a little more when she saw the decapitated state of Mrs. Kane. Carefully, she tucked Beth closer, trying to shield her from seeing it.
"K... Kara... you saved Beth", whispered Kate as she collapsed next to them. "How?"
"Uhm... I... I have powers?", offered Kara reluctant, afraid.
Powers were weird. Humans tended to shun the weird; she had seen it often enough. The smallest deviation from what was deemed the norm was reason enough for bullying at their school. She? She was more than just different. A gasp escaped her as she was being squeezed tightly by a sobbing Beth and then, from the other side, by Kate, sandwiched between the Kane sisters.
"You're amazing", whimpered Beth. "You saved me."
"You... You're my hero", whispered Kate in awe.
/break\
"Why is it that whenever something goes wrong, it is the three of you?"
Kara wiggled her nose and turned to look at Kate and Beth. Both Kane sisters shrugged, Beth turning toward Alex, nudging Kara along. In that way that was meant to encourage her to use the puppy-dog eyes to get them out of trouble. Everyone knew Alex Danvers was totally weak to the puppy-dog eyes, ever since she had warmed up to Kara and accepted her as her sister.
"All three of you could really learn something from Mary", pointed Alex out.
The Kane sisters rolled their eyes, but Kara grinned. Mary Hamilton-Kane was the still very new stepsister of Kate and Beth. And while Beth had really taken to Mary immediately, Kate was more awkward with it. At least until Kara gave her more of a nudging (because she knew Kate's reluctance was linked to how quickly Beth had taken to Mary). This wasn't someone trying to take her sister away, this was a new, additional sister. Still, the younger girl usually didn't tag along with Kate, Kara and Beth – the three were early teens, they didn't need a kid to tag along (now, Kara also understood why Alex had been so frustrated and embarrassed when they had first met). So they usually left her in Alex' care whenever they went to explore together.
"I shouldn't even be surprised", muttered Alex softly. "Who puts a teen genius mastermind, a trouble-maker and a super girl together and expects no problems."
Beth grinned smugly and shrugged. "Oh come on, nothing really bad happened. No need to tell our parents, right? You're cooler than that, right Alex? Right?"
Alex narrowed her eyes at that, causing Kate to huff. "You're not a snitch, Alex. C'mon."
"You three. I can't wait for when you become someone else's problem!", huffed Alex offended.
"You don't mean that, you love me", called Kara after her sister.
/break\
Kate frowned as she read the newspaper. The guy in red spandex in Central City was making headlines again. Ever since Batman had vanished not long ago, first page headlines were more and more about other city's problems – also known as supervillains and the corresponding heroes.
"You're doing that thing again where you frown annoyed whenever you read about a her."
"Shove it, Beth", muttered Kate and quickly folded the newspaper.
Beth turned around to smirk at her twin, causing Kate to roll her eyes. The two of them were living together – as soon as they had moved out of the penthouse, they had taken an apartment together. They were still as inseparable as they had always been, Kate couldn't imagine a life where Beth wasn't at her side at every important event happening in her life.
"I saved a plane!"
Kate didn't even startle, though Beth jumped a little bit. No, Kara suddenly popping up unannounced had stopped startling Kate years ago. The girl had super speed and could fly. She very often and very randomly just came over, flying in through an open window, without any warning. Raising one eyebrow, Kate turned toward Kara and nearly dropped the cup of coffee she had just gotten herself. Kara was wearing a rather tight-looking blue shirt and a ridiculously short red skirt. The thing barely covered her ass. She had such pretty legs. Kate was a a weak lesbian and Kara was her Kryptonite. The sunshine smiles, the legs, the arms, the everything honestly, every curve of her body, every curve of her smiles, her long golden curls.
"...You joined an alien cheerleading squad", whispered Beth stunned.
"What. No. I saved a plane – I just said it!", exclaimed Kara, holding up a newspaper from National City. "That. That's me. I saved a plane. And I told Winn about it and he helped me design a costume and by Rao, I... I think I am going to do this, I think I'm becoming a hero."
Her eyes were so wide, like a frightened doe. Kate put her cup down and stepped up to Kara, gently cupping her face and making her look at Kate. She breathed slowly, until Kara copied the motion.
"Finally!", exclaimed Beth exasperated once Kara was calmed down. "Seriously, we've been telling you so since like... the day you saved my life? And I tried getting louder when the weirdo in green popped up in Starling City and when the one in the unfortunate red spandex showed up in Central City – I mean, come on, you always saying that the world already has your cousin and Batman and Wonder Woman like that's all the heroes the world needs. You know how big the world is?"
An amused smile found its way onto Kate's lips at that. Beth took the words right out of her mouth there. Ever since Kara had saved them, they had tried to convince her that she could save so many more. But they didn't want to force it upon her... they both also understood why she would want a normal life. Especially after she told the sisters the story of how she had come to Earth. She had watched her entire planet die, had lost her parents and friends and everyone. Yes, she deserved a break, she deserved to just live and try to cope with her loss and trauma.
"So you told Winn, huh?", asked Kate amused. "How did he take it? I know he has that adorable little puppy-crush on you. Always staring so doe-eyed at you."
"He got super excited and, well, he helped me make my costume", stated Kara.
"So wait, you really wanna save the world looking like a cheerleader?", asked Beth doubtfully.
"Shush, Beth", huffed Kate, elbowing Beth. "It's Kara's body, Kara's choice."
"I like it", hummed Kara and gave it a whirl. "I mean, I would have complained or made a suggestion for change if it'd bother me. It's great having Winn in my corner though – through comms. But... I couldn't not tell you guys! Look at me, I'm a hero!"
"Kara, you've always been a hero", whispered Kate gently.
/break\
Kara was smiling from ear to ear as she sat together with her best friends in her apartment. Alex was laughing and arguing with Kate, while Beth was talking something science-y with Winn. Mary all the while was asking James a million questions about Superman.
She had friends. Multiple ones. Ever since getting to Earth, she had only had Alex and the Kane sisters. Now, she also had Winn Schott and, recently, James Olsen. These were her people. The people who knew her secret too. Well, Mary was still very new, but considering that when Mary had come into the lives of Kate and Beth as a new little sister, she had kind of also become like a little sister to Kara. And since Alex, Beth, Kate, Winn and even James, who she barely knew, knew that she was Supergirl, she had to also tell Mary, who had gotten so excited.
"This is all so exciting, I never thought I'd actually be friends with a superhero", stated Mary.
She looked so excited as she stared starry-eyed at Kara. Smiling amused, Kara turned toward her. A superhero. That still felt so surreal. When everyone started theorizing what kind of brilliant and shining hero she was going to be, Kara groaned and leaned sideways, burying her face in Kate's shoulder. Kate laughed softly and wrapped an arm around her.
"You know what the first thing Winn said was, when I told him?", asked Kara.
"That you're awesome? Because you totally are awesome", guessed Mary with a grin.
"No. He thought I was coming out as a lesbian", sighed Kara amused, shaking her head. "And how that explained why I wasn't into him. How is this nerd so full of himself?"
"...Kara, you are a lesbian", pointed Beth out, blinking a couple of times.
"I mean, yes, but that's beside the point", grinned Kara with a shrug. "Though it is... peculiar that my identity as an alien and my sexual identity do overlap in experience there..."
"So you are a lesbian! Why did I not know that?", asked Winn wounded.
"It never came up?", replied Kara with a thoughtful frown. "I... I kind of did hide it, like my alien nature, but over the years, Kate... Kate really helped me be true to myself. Having that kind of out and loud and proud lesbian in my life was... a real eye-opener?"
"I swear, when one Danvers sister after the other came out to me, I felt like Kate was just... converting everyone to lesbianism", muttered Beth gravely.
Alex flushed and ducked her head. She still had some problems saying it out loud, it had taken her more time than Kara, but in the end, in the same vein Kate had helped her be true to herself too. Kate's presence was so overwhelming and she was so in your face with her sexuality, with standing true to who she was, it was incredibly uplifting and encouraging to be around her.
"...So, wait...", drawled Winn and squinted as he pointed from Kara to Kate. "You two-"
Kara's eyes widened and her cheeks turned dark red as she sputtered. "W... What? No!"
"Really?", asked Winn confused. "But that'd explain so much."
"We know", sighed Beth, Mary and Alex.
Blinking a couple of times, Kara looked at her sister and at Kate's sisters. What was that supposed to mean? James laughed loudly, a real belly-laugh, and rested a hand on Kara's shoulder. He shook his head a little, a smile forming on his lips as he motioned for the kitchen. Blinking confused, Kara excused herself to go get more snacks and help James carry it.
"What?", asked Kara as soon as they were alone.
"I'm sorry. You just... reminded me a lot of Clark", smiled James.
"How...?" Kara always perked up a little bit at these things.
"Him and Diana. They spent so many years just being 'super friends'. Even though Clark was so busy staring heart-eyed at her at all times", whispered James gently. "You Els, you pine very obviously, because you pine very fiercely."
"Why would you call me out like this, James?", asked Kara softly, a bit offended.
"Because clearly, both your sisters are as exasperated as all of Clark and Diana's other super-friends were back in the day", smiled James fondly. "Look, we may not have known each other for long, but I am glad that you're including me like this. I'd be honored to be your friend and I want to help you. Not just because Clark asked me to, but because you're a good person, Kara."
It made Kara smile. She really was making great friends. One may even say she was making super-friends, even if they may not be super in the sense of being superheroes.
/break\
So Kara now had actual super-friends in the sense of them being actual superheroes.
First the Flash, who then introduced her to the Green Arrow. They had other superhero friends – the Vixen, Hawkman and Hawkgirl, the Atom, the Canaries. Making friends was important, it was what Clark had always said to her. Friends who had the capabilities to help, who in return also could ask for help. They created a network of their own, a need-only base to call for help.
Clark and Diana mostly retired from the superhero life when Diana got pregnant. After Lara was born, they spent the majority of their time at Kent Farm, living a peaceful, normal life with their daughter. It was easier, knowing that the world was still protected by other heroes.
Bruce was the next to retire, when he realized that his on-again-off-again girlfriend Selina was pregnant. He had tried raising children before, the Robins, and they always ended up dragged into the messy life of a superhero. Not this time, not this baby. The Joker was gone, most major villains were locked up for good or had died one way or another and Bruce figured Gotham was safe.
The oldest son of Bruce, he had moved on to Bludhaven and was living his own vigilante life there. Kara knew he had no plans on returning to Gotham, but she thought that Gotham City still needed a hero. That city was messed up. Someone had to step up and take over Bruce's legacy.
Kara thought it should be Kate. Beth, she was a scholar, she had the qualities of the woman in the chair, and Mary was aiming to become a doctor, to make the world better in her own way. But Kate? She still had all that anger about their mother's death, she worked so hard and trained so hard. Maybe it was because Kara had become a superhero, but Kate rained even more. She found the former leader of the League of Assassins (well, one of the by now many) – Nyssa al Ghul. Kara knew the two were more than just training buddies and Kara also knew she was incredibly jealous.
It wasn't her place to be jealous. She had no claim over Kate, she just pined.
"The world is changing", mused Kara softly as she surveyed the tower.
It had been Barry's idea, but J'onn had helped. They needed a real place, a place to gather in case of a world-threatening crisis – of which they had already faced some together. Black Lightning, who had only recently come out of retirement, had very begrudgingly agreed to join their 'little club' too, because it was good to have someone to rely on if push came to shove. They were a league now, a league of their own – a league of superheroes and justice.
"And I am very proud of you", replied Clark with a smile. "You helped change it."
"I'm just one-", started Kara to argue.
"Back in the day, we were friends, sure, but we were never a team", interrupted Clark, his arms crossed over his chest. "Diana, Bruce and me, we were friends and helped out if necessary. But what you guys are doing here and all the new heroes you're gathering. I'm proud of you."
Smiling at him, she pulled him into a bear-hug, making him laugh. "Thank you."
"And if the world's ending, Diana and I are just one call away", tagged Clark on. "Ma loves her days of babysitting and Themyscira has been trying to steal Lara since her birth."
That made Kara laugh. She knew the Amazons were absolutely enamored with Diana's daughter.
"Can... you help me with one thing, Clark?", requested Kara softly.
"Anything. You know that, big cousin", smiled Clark nearly teasingly.
"How... How can I put Kate onto the path of being a superhero without outing Bruce? If Kate knew that the cousin she admires so very dearly is Batman, she would put on the suit."
"You really want her to become a hero."
"No. No, it's not... She is a hero. She has been working for it for so long but she doesn't seem to know where to channel that energy. Aimless. But she would be an amazing hero. I think that is where she... where she belongs, where she could belong."
"You always do see the best in people", noted Clark with a soft smile.
"Well, do you have any advise for me?", asked Kara hopefully.
"Give it time. Trust her. She's a clever woman. I am wondering how those three Kane sisters haven't figured Bruce's secret out on their own yet, to be honest. Bruce leaves Gotham City and Batman disappears and no one puts one and one together...?", offered Clark.
Kara tilted her head at that. This was true. It was a miracle that women as bright as them hadn't put it together yet on their own, after all they always spent a lot of time at their cousin Bruce's. (Mary lived for Bruce's parties and nowadays, she had become his successor in the party person aspect.)
/break\
"Okay but like how long have you been in love with Kate? C'mon, spill it, girl."
Kara rolled her eyes, though with a fond smile. Ever since Winn had realized that Kara was indeed a lesbian, he had become the number one ally. He even went to pride with her. The enthusiasm was kind of adorable and Kara did appreciate being embraced by him.
"It's a tale as old as time", sighed Alex dramatically. "Quite literally. Kara's barely been on Earth for a year when she had already befriended the Kane sisters. But with Kate? She's always been especially close. It was really cute and innocent in the beginning, but as teens, it turned into this."
"This being all the heart-eyed pining?", guessed Winn with a laugh.
"You're all so cruel", sighed Kara with a pout. "Can we please commence game night?"
Thankfully, the two had mercy and they just continued with their games. What they said was right, of course. She had been pining for so long, but Kate seemed so... untouchable at times.
/break\
"Bruce has been gone for months now. Why do you think you'll find a clue for his whereabouts here, of all places?", questioned Beth as they looked around Bruce's office.
"Just a... hunch", offered Mary. "He's always been in here all the time."
Kara was glad the sisters had gotten this far without her interference. If they'd now just find the Bat Cave on their own... She held back, hung back. Waited patiently until they stumbled over it. The pearls from their aunt Martha that were slightly out of place. The breathless, wide-eyed, open-mouthed expressions on the Kanes' faces was simply priceless.
"Bruce Wayne is Batman. Oh my gosh, of course", gasped Mary out excitedly. "Of course he is! He put on that party persona to seem less likely, but he had the means and the time and the built and when he disappeared, Batman disappeared and it was so obvious all along, I can't believe-"
While Mary and Beth were immediately in there exploring everything, Kate pulled Kara just a little aside. "Did... Did you know? You're Supergirl. You know their identities, all of them, right?"
"...Yes", whispered Kara and averted her eyes. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I know you trusted me-"
"I do trust you, Kara", interrupted Kate with a frown, squeezing Kara's hand. "This... wasn't your secret to tell, how could I possibly expect you to? I just... wanted to know if you knew."
"I did. And ever since Bruce retired, I was thinking about how you would be such a great successor for him and I thought if you knew that the cousin you admire is Batman, I thought you would maybe consider – you are a great person with great potential and I think you could use that potential to make the world a better place. To make Gotham City a better place."
"Wow", whispered Kate surprised, her eyebrows raised. "You... think very highly of me."
"I think the world of you", blurted Kara out, cheeks red.
They stood in front of the Bat suit, the light from the glass-case illuminating them both as Kate got lost in Kara's eyes. Slowly, without even noticing it, she leaned in more. And more. Until their lips touched for the first time, after some ten years of pining. Kate's hand found its way into Kara's neck, pulling her closer until they leaned against each other. Their kiss seemed to go on forever, until Beth and Mary noticed and squealed loud enough for the two to bolt apart.
"Alex is gonna be so jealous she missed this!", exclaimed Mary as she took a picture. "I gotta text her ASAP. Wait, who's winning the bet now, Beth?"
Beth, smiling warmly at Kate, chuckled softly. "I believe it's Diana. I guess her first-hand experience with that El bloodline and their pining has paid off."
"This is an outrage. Our families have conspired against us", whispered Kara offended.
Kate laughed to herself, her arms around Kara's waist. She was feeling far too high on their kiss and the knowledge that Kara liked her like that to even feel offended by her sisters and their conspiracies. Turning some, she looked at the suit behind the glass and saw her own reflection behind the cowl. Could she do this? Could she really? She had spent years training for something – but she didn't know what. Her ex girlfriend had snatched the top position with the Crows; that was not Kate's place. The Crows in general. There must have been another path, she had been telling that to herself for so long now but she was always so... lost.
"Supergirl and Batgirl, now if that isn't going to be the next power-couple!", exclaimed Mary. "I can already see the CatCo headlines, written by Kara Danvers."
"What. No", grunted Kate flatly.
"...So you don't wanna be girlfriends?", asked Kara with that most endearing sad puppy-pout.
"No, no, not that part! The Batgirl part. No offense to you owning up to that, that's your choice. But I'm not a girl anymore. I'm a woman", declared Kate with furrowed brows.
"Supergirl and Batwoman", corrected Mary then, grinning. "Sounds good too."
Yes. Yes, it did. It sounded quite good. And maybe even like the next upcoming power-couple.
~*~ The End ~*~
Author's note: Maybe the thing that bothers me THE MOST about the merged Earths is that we don't REALLY dive into how it affects our heroes' personal realities, ESPECIALLY Kara's. She is now on this whole new Earth where everything must have played out differently, where she would have met Barry and Oliver far earlier (and easier) and had more casual team-ups and stuff. And that made me think of the other implication - now Batman and Superman exist in the same world, have existed in the same world for years. And THAT made me think that Kate and Kara could have known each other since childhood and well that resulted in this story. Also Diana because I'm SuperWonder trash so there's that.