Chapter 36

In the morning, Kara awoke to find the penthouse completely empty. She wondered if Kate had had another Batwoman call and didn't wake her. It would have been odd but considering that she knew the brunette had a lot on her mind, maybe it wasn't.

Kara quickly showered, got dressed, and then sent a text to her sister and Nia. Both responded that they were heading to breakfast at the hotel and they hoped she could join them. She promised she'd be there in a flash and went to the windows before stopping herself. Quickly, she sent a text to Kate, so her friend would know where she was off to, and then she took of out the now open window.

Kate did not get the text message – mostly because she'd put her phone on silent. She had gone to Crow headquarters that morning, very early, knowing her father would be there. After a big event, like the night prior, Jacob often spent long hours the next day reviewing security footage and reading the reports from his officers. He liked to get in early, so that he wouldn't be disturbed so much. There were always officers on duty, which of course included overnight, but it was usually fairly quiet, after a certain hour. Things had grown even more quiet overnight lately and that made him wonder if it was because of Batwoman.

"Going over what happened yesterday?" She hadn't even knocked, just let herself into his office.

"The Mayor wants a full report. Especially since there was a different Super involved, than the one who's been hanging around lately. Also apparently, more friends of Supergirl are here in our city," Jacob said without even looking up from his paperwork.

"Supergirl called for backup. There was a bit of a situation that needed to be handled not in Gotham," Kate said, like it was just a perfectly normal state of affairs to speak about hero business with him.

"So even a Super needs backup?" Her father now looked up from his paperwork and directly at his daughter.

"She has a whole team in National City. They handle a lot of nasty things that we should be thankful haven't decided to make Gotham their next target. Despite everything you've done for this city, things are not in control. Once Batman left, this city was a target. I'm making sure it isn't one now. Especially since the entire city, and possibly the entire world, now knows I have two very powerful friends who will step into help. We had a talk about me being a Crow, remember?" Kate asked. Her father nodded.

"This fulfills my purpose and it helps the city to know that it has a hero again. With Alice locked up and her gang destroyed, maybe just maybe, we can all get a decent night's sleep. The Many Arms of Death is officially out of Gotham. While Tatiana was not caught, she's now on her own. If she's smart, she'll leave Gotham and hide from wherever her boss will go looking for her. If not, she's not coming for the city, she'll come for me. That leaves the civilians out of it. Too many have already suffered because of the corruption in the GCPD. That corruption must be rooted out and I will have a unique ability to assist in that endeavor. A day may come when I hang up my uniform, but that day is not today and it certainly isn't tomorrow. Let me help in the best way I know how," she continued.

"You knew how I felt about vigilantes and yet you did what you wanted anyway. You're not going to stop, just because I tell you to," he heaved a sigh before continuing, "I don't like it and I don't support it, but I will instruct all Crows that Batwoman is not our enemy."

"It's a step in the right direction. I'm disappointed though. You knew that I was not one to shy away from who and what I am. Somehow being gay is actually less of a problem for you, than me being a vigilante," Kate frowned and crossed her arms over her chest.

"A vigilante created the Joker and the Joker was there when you and your sister and your mother went into the river. Our family was destroyed that day," Jacob hadn't lost his cool, but he was working on it.

"It's not my secret to share but Batman came about because he lost family. He turned his loss into the city's gain. The Joker would have existed, whether we had Batman or not. You ever stop to think that if Batman hadn't been there that maybe you would have lost all of us? I've been right here Dad, this whole time, yet after the accident, it didn't matter. We've both turned our grief into something positive for this city and I'm still not good enough," Kate spun on her heels and was about to leave the room, when she felt his hand on her arm.

"Don't walk out that door Kate. Please…" Jacob said.

"Give me a reason to stay," she gave him a look. There was a knock on the door, which interrupted their conversation. Neither moved but the voice made them move.

"I know you're in there. I could have busted the door, but I didn't," the person said. Kate inwardly smirked.

"Come in…" Jacob was confused and he let go of Kate.

"Kara called me, said there was trouble. I wasn't sure there would be trouble at Crow headquarters again, but I figured I'd better check it out," the blonde said as she opened the door. She was wearing her outfit and Kate now smirked on the outside.

"This Kara is awfully nosy," Jacob gave her a look.

"No. She just cares for her friend and when her friend didn't answer her phone, she grew even more concerned. Lucky for me, I can hear everything, so I figured out where Kate was," Supergirl told him.

"You've been listening in on our conversation?" Jacob wanted to know.

"I didn't have to, in order to figure out what was going on. I lost my entire planet and was sent off into space, when I was only a teenager. Superman was the only family I had when I landed here. I made a new family and was lucky enough recently to discover that part of my planet survived the destruction. Still, I lost my father. He died trying to save my mother and some of our fellow Kryptonians. Do not squander what you have, sir. I know you know loss. So does Kate. Let her honor her mother and the sister she used to know in a way that allows others not to suffer as you both have. Regrettably, trouble calls me back to National City, but I will keep in touch with Kate and I will be keeping an eye on Gotham," with that Supergirl left the room and Kate quickly followed her, leaving Jacob to ponder what the blonde had said. The Kryptonian quickly left the building and ducked out of sight of the security cameras before turning back into her mild-mannered reporter outfit. She was waiting for Kate on the sidewalk when the brunette exited the building.

"What's going on in National City?" Her friend asked as they walked to where Kate had parked her motorcycle.

"The time has come for Lena to say goodbye to her mother before she gets sent away to an ARGUS facility. Andrea is being transferred as well. I need to be there for Lena. She's about to be alone again and I can't let her go through that. We've had our ups and downs, but we're still best friends," Kara explained.

"I can offer the Wayne Enterprises jet for you, Alex, and Nia. Thank you for all your help," the brunette smiled as they climbed onto the motorcycle.

"You know my number if you need me. Now how about a ride to the airport?" Kara winked. Kate chuckled and fired up the engine before they shot out into the street, heading to get Kara's luggage first and the SUV.

To Be Continued…