The President

A rescue... a talk... and some truths

SuperCat. Pretty PG. More of an exploration of some past transgressions.

The sky was dark and swirling, and rain spit fitfully from the sky as Supergirl used her thumb print to open the entrance of the small, rustic cabin used as a DEO safe house. She kicked the door shut behind her, very gently laid her friend down on the couch and then lowered herself to her knees beside her as she pushed her own damp, blonde hair back from her eyes.

Supergirl had carried the woman away from an assassination attempt, holding her tightly as she shook in reaction but, on the way, Cat Grant, exhausted President of the United States of America, had calmed and dozed off, head pressed against Supergirl's shoulder.

"Madam President?" Kara said softly. The older woman mumbled something even the hero couldn't make out, but her eyes remained firmly shut. "Cat," Kara said, resting her hand on her friend's shoulder and squeezing just a tad. Green eyes suddenly rolled toward her and a small smile lifted Cat's lips.

"I've had more comfortable flights but under the circumstances, that wasn't all that bad," she teased gently but there was as much gratefulness as mirth in the green depths. "Where are we?" she asked then, sitting up and swinging her legs around to sit facing her friend.

But, despite having caught the three bullets headed POTUS' way, Kara was first and foremost concerned that Cat might somehow be hurt. She narrowed her eyes and scanned the President's body from head to toe. "No injuries," she murmured softly. "Good. Do we have any idea who did this?"

"The Secret Service keep the credible threats to themselves, so I have no idea… and you'd better not have been looking at anything private, Supergirl," the older woman teased, fully expecting a blush and maybe even some stammering from her former assistant but instead, to her surprise, twinkling blue eyes met hers solidly as Kara laughed softly.

"I wouldn't," she said. "I promise." She got to her feet then and went to the window, pulling back the net curtain to look outside. "And we're in Colorado," she said.

"You flew me all the way to Colorado? The Secret Service is going to be pissed," Cat said with a quirk of her eyebrow.

The hero frowned unhappily. "They weren't able to protect you. I was. They'll have to deal," she said simply. But then she pressed her lips together sheepishly. "Besides, honestly, this was the only safehouse location I could remember. It's been a while since my DEO training." She tapped her earpiece. "Director Danvers, do you read?" Cat waited not-so-patiently, pacing a little with her arms folded. "Director Danvers, come in please?"

"Anything?" Cat asked.

Kara went to the window again to look out. "Just static. We're surrounded by mountains, plus with the weather being so bad, I don't think the signal is getting out. Do you have your cell?"

"No, I left it in my purse in the Beast."

Kara reached into her boot and pulled out her iPhone. "Of fucking course," she muttered, holding the device in the air and moving around the room, willing the indicator to change. "No signal."

As if on cue, the sky lit up with a brilliant flash of lightning followed by a loud crash of thunder. Then it began to torrentially rain. "Perfect," Cat sighed, shaking her head.

"I'll fly above the tree line and see if I can get a signal," Kara said, moving to open the door, but Cat stopped her by grasping her cape and tugging hard.

"There's no way I'm letting you fly in this. What if you're struck by lightning?"

Kara shrugged. "Wouldn't be the first time."

But Cat shook her head adamantly. "And I remember what happened before when Leslie shocked you. You were incapacitated for a while and if anything happens to you, Supergirl, I'm stuck here alone with no communication and no clue where I am. So no, you're staying inside with your feet firmly on the ground. Am I understood?"

Kara blinked and folded her arms, bristling a little. "Um… ok... you may be POTUS, but I'm pretty sure I don't work for you." She looked away. "You made sure of that."

Cat sighed and shook her head, taking a deep breath as a twinge of guilt hit her. All Kara's messages and emails to her that went unanswered... "Kara, I'm trying to work on being more truthful with my feelings. Even though my points are valid about my safety, I also don't want you to get struck by lightning because I don't want you to get hurt."

Supergirl's posture relaxed a little. "Finally listening to Carter?" she asked with a small smile.

"And someone else who encouraged me to be more open a few years ago." Cat let her eyes meet her friend's. "But it's a work in progress."

They smiled at each other for a long moment and Kara reached out to squeeze Cat's shoulder. Then she looked around the small cabin. "Ok, so looks like we might be here a while, and I'm already starving, so why don't we see what we have by way of provisions. I don't know about you, Madam President, but I could really use some coffee." She reached into her boot and pulled out her glasses to set them on her nose. Immediately, her super suit melted away, leaving her in jeans and a t-shirt with a rainbow flag on the front. She tied her hair up into a loose ponytail, stuck her phone in her back pocket and then headed for the kitchen.

"Wow," Cat said softly as she followed. "Does the suit choose what clothes to put on you?"

Kara, who was looking in one of the cabinets, looked back over her shoulder with eyebrows raised. "Huh? Oh… no… well… it's advanced nanotechnology. The nanites replace my street clothes with the suit and then put them back when I don't need the suit anymore. I was wearing this outfit this morning before I changed to come hear you speak." She went back to her rummaging. "Well, we probably won't starve," she added as she pulled out several containers of ramen noodles in various flavors.

"Those take me back to my college days," Cat said with a snort of a laugh. "I lived on these things my first semester. I couldn't find a job for a while and had to make do." Kara's eyes widened in surprise. "I wasn't always rich, you know," the older woman went on. "I'd barely launched CatCo when I was your age."

"But you already had a couple of Pulitzers under your belt at that point," Kara commented.

"True, just like you... and you're not rich," Cat smiled. "Congratulations by the way. I really wanted to be there to see you receive the second one but… POTUS an' all." She gave a little wave of her hand. "I told you to go out there and make me proud and you certainly did that."

"Thank you, Cat," Kara said softly. Their eyes met and held again, and Kara took a step forward, drawn to the older woman as she'd always been. But she cleared her throat then and turned back to the cabinet. "Powdered milk, coffee... thank God... sugar, cheese grits, oatmeal, rice… ooohhh Mac and cheese!"

"Yum," the President replied, a distinct lack of enthusiasm in her voice that made Kara grin. "And you seem to have the palate of a nine-year-old boy, Kara."

"You won't starve, but I might," the hero said with a frown. "I eat this much in one day… and also HEY!"

Cat ignored the hero's indignation. "Well, hopefully the storm will pass, and we'll be able to get out of here." She looked at her watch. "It's close to five. Let's see what the rest of this place looks like before we eat."

Kara followed the President down a short hallway. There were only two more doors and Cat opened one and stuck her head inside. "Bathroom," she said. "The seventies called. It wants it's décor back."

Kara snickered as she stuck her head into the other room. "Uh oh," she said softly.

"What?" Cat asked, leaning around her friend to look at the space. "Oh…"

The bedroom was small and looked comfortable enough… but had one major flaw.

"Only one bed," Kara sighed. She squared her shoulders then. "No worries. I'll take the couch."

Cat's eyebrows lifted. "I was just lying on the couch. It's not suitable for sleeping on."

"I'll be fine," Kara replied with a smile. "I can sleep-float or just not sleep at all. I don't need much."

But Cat sighed, her eyes downcast. "I confess, I'm a little… disconcerted… after being shot at. I would appreciate it, if you would stay with me, Supergirl."

The hero moved closer and, using two gentle fingers, tilted Cat's chin up so their eyes could meet. "There's no shame in asking for help, Cat," she said. "I'd be happy to stay with you."

The President nodded. "I'm glad it's you I'm with," she said. "I couldn't imagine… I wouldn't be able to be myself with anyone else."

Kara nodded and took a couple of steps back as she let out a breath. "So, what do you think for dinner?"

"Something carb dense so you don't die of starvation in the middle of the night," Cat deadpanned.

"Wait," Kara said then as she tipped her glasses down and x-rayed the property. "There's a hidden panel that has guns behind it but there are bottles too. Might be more supplies."

"Handy," Cat commented offhandedly. "Can you see through everything?"

"Everything on Earth but lead," the hero replied as she headed back to the kitchen. "Aha!" She pressed a panel and heard a click as it unlatched and allowed her to swing it back. There was another small, square plate behind it, and she pressed her thumb to it and waited. Nothing happened. "Huh. Guess it's not a thumb print."

Cat stepped forward to look at it and then chuckled. "You millennial techie types think too highbrow." She swung the hinged plate up and, underneath it was a good old-fashioned combination lock.

The hero nodded. "Good job, but, since we don't have the combination... be quiet just a moment please?" Kara turned the knob to the left, listening to the tumblers, then to the right and then to the left again grinning triumphantly as the gun safe's door swung open.

"Good job," Cat said, echoing her friend's words as she stepped closer to see what was inside. At the same time, Kara stepped back, and she bumped right into Cat, almost knocking her over. She grabbed for the smaller woman, apologies spilling from her lips as she pulled her flush against her own body. "Oh my God. Are you ok? I'm so sorry. I'm normally MUCH more careful around humans."

Cat laughed softly, her forehead pressing against Kara's shoulder. "The Girl of Steel is actually made of steel. Imagine that."

The hero eased back, cupping the older woman's cheek. "Are you ok?"

Cat's hand caressed absently over the rainbow flag on the younger woman's chest, smiling softly. "I'm fine. Really."

Kara swallowed and then eased around her, holding her hand out. "Then after you, Madam President."

But Cat took the hand and held it gently. "Kara?" she said. "Is this what it's like for you all the time? Having to be so careful and watch every move you make?"

The hero nodded, eyes lowering. "Yeah," she replied softly. "It's mostly second nature but I'm still always aware. I'd never forgive myself if I inadvertently hurt someone."

"When you hug someone? When you kiss someone…. Or… touch someone intimately?"

The Kryptonian just nodded again. "Crushing body parts doesn't generally get you another date," she joked but Cat sensed her discomfort around the topic.

"Neither does being President," the older woman sighed. She let go of Kara's hand then and leaned over to investigate the gun safe. "Oh! Now, THAT'S what I'm talking about." She pulled out a bottle of scotch and looked at the label. "Adequate." She grinned at her friend and waggled her eyebrows. "This'll spice up that mac and cheese, Darling."

And Kara just laughed.

Xx

It was getting late. Kara had lit the fire and they were chatting together on the couch in front of it, savoring the warmth and glad for their full stomachs.

"He very much deserved it… I can tell you. It was one of those boring state dinners I loathe but my Chief of Staff insisted…" Cat paused. "You know how I always show up fashionably late to my parties and leave early."

"Of course, Miss Grant," Kara teased.

"Well, my Chief of Staff insisted I stay the whole night. I arrived perfectly on time and had to stay four whole hours!"

"Devastating!" Kara exclaimed with a mock gasp.

Cat waved her glass a little, sloshing her scotch. "Exactly!" She pushed her hair back from her eyes. "So anyway… he asked me to dance, and I had to of course, so I wouldn't start an international incident or some such other ridiculousness…" She took another sip. "I was wearing this black sequined dress with a rather… and I admit this freely… daring slit up one leg."

Kara swallowed as she pictured it and absently ran her hands up and down her thighs. "Mmmhmm."

"So, we were dancing, and my Secret Service detail was watching like hawks but the next thing I knew, his hand is sliding up the slit in my dress and then around to grab my ass UNDER my dress.

Kara gasped and leaned forward. "What a fucking asshole!" she exclaimed indignantly.

Cat laughed. "That's pretty much what I told him and the next thing I know, the Secret Service agents have him on the ground, arms twisted behind his back. He was in BIG trouble for assaulting POTUS."

The hero's chortles wound down and she leaned her elbow on the back of her end of the couch, resting her head on her hand as she gazed at Cat on the other. "I'm sorry that happened to you," she said. "But… I bet you looked gorgeous in that dress."

The President smiled and looked down at her glass, the amber liquid twinkling back at her in the fire light. "I've missed that," she said softly.

"Missed what?" Kara asked, just as softly.

"The way you look at me."

The hero swallowed and her blue eyes flitted away. "How… how do I look at you?"

"Like I'm someone important."

Kara smiled a little. "You're the President. You're the most important person in the country… maybe even the world."

"No," Cat replied, returning the smile. "Someone important for just being me. Someone who's important to you."

The Kryptonian cleared her throat gently. "Cat, maybe we shouldn't talk about this right now… not when you've been drinking."

"I'm not drunk, Kara."

"I know you're not… but…" Kara closed her eyes.

The older woman set her glass down on the coffee table and slid closer to her friend. "I want to kiss you."

"We can't," the hero replied, eyes sliding closed. "I can't…"

"Why?" Cat was closer now, close enough for Kara to just lean into her lips.

"Because you hurt me… and… and I'm terrified it'll happen again."

The words were out and hung suspended in long spans between them.

"Kara…" Cat began.

"No…" the Kryptonian held up her hand. "We spent a fucking incredible night together, Cat. And then you just left me behind. Don't get me wrong… I didn't expect you to stay for me or anything, but you could have answered my damn texts. I told you I was Supergirl, and you ignored me anyway." She got up and went to the window, pulling the curtain aside to look out. Light rain was still speckling the glass and it's sound blended with the sharp crackles of the fire as the hero gazed sightlessly into the darkness.

Cat watched the stiff set of her friend's shoulders from the couch, then slowly got up to approach her and as Kara turned, pressed her hands against her chest right over the spot where her suit's crest would be. "I left, partly because I was in love with you." The hero took a shocked breath. "And partly because… I knew you were in love with me." She caressed Kara's chest again. "But mostly because… I knew I couldn't give you what you wanted back then, and I needed us to make a clean break. I never meant what happened between us to happen, Kara. I never imagined the sex would be… mind-blowing… I never thought… it would make me love you even more than I already did." Tears crept down her cheeks, but she didn't try to hide them.

Kara just breathed for a long moment as her mind processed her friend's words. Then she looked down as a little smile lifted her lips and she covered Cat's hands with her own. "Being more honest about your feelings is really a thing, huh?"

The President laughed softly but then she ducked her head a little to look into Kara's eyes. "It is… most definitely a thing."

"I'm still in love with you, Cat. I don't think that will ever not be the case."

The older woman nodded and took her friend's hand to lead her back to the couch where they sat down together. "When you saved me today, I felt everything all over again. All those times I needed you and you were always there… and I realized that you're the ONLY person on this planet I feel totally safe with. My feelings haven't gone away any more than yours have." She caressed Kara's cheek. "I'm sorry I hurt you, Sweetheart." She pressed a chaste kiss to the younger woman's lips. "I'm sorry I didn't say all this sooner. And Kara… I want to tell you now… I…"

"Superg…, can… hear… e?"

Kara almost levitated off the couch with fright at the sudden staticky sounds in her ear and Cat started laughing. "Your sister, I presume?"

Kara laughed and touched her earpiece. "I hear you, Director Danvers. POTUS is with me and she's safe. We're at Sierra Hotel Charlie."

"I figured… much," Alex chuckled. "It was the… ly one you could ev… remember. It's looking like the sto… is …assing."

"Yeah, lighter rain, and the lightening has stopped, but I'm not comfortable with leaving yet. I'll reassess in the morning, ok?"

"O…, Supergirl. I'll… the Secret Service …ow. They're having a nervous breakdown."

"President Grant is safe with me." And to Cat's surprise and relief, Kara kissed her briefly. "I'll make sure she's ok."

"Talk to you tomorrow, Supergirl. Danvers out."

And then Kara's earpiece was on the coffee table and Cat was in her lap and they were kissing like two people dying of need.

Minutes or hours… the hero wasn't exactly sure how long… later, Cat was easing back a little to look into darkened blue eyes, her hands moving restlessly over her Kryptonian's breasts under her shirt. "Kara… I know this is complicated and we still have a lot to talk about but… I love you. Please… take me to bed and blow my mind."

Kara nodded as she trailed open mouthed kisses down the column of the older woman's throat. "I serve at the pleasure of the President," she whispered. Then she stood and held Cat in her arms as she walked down the hallway to the bedroom, lips and tongue still exploring every bit of skin she could reach.

And said President just moaned.