I know, I know, it's been ages. Book II is taking a while to write, and I've had a lot on my plate this summer. But I felt it was well past time that Kara got a bit of a chance to shine on her own, especially since the majority of the action in Book I was Barry-centric.

December 2008

"Keira!"

"Coming, Ms. Grant!"

Twenty-four Earth years old, Kara Danvers possessed what anyone would call an impressive set of skills. Graduating summa cum laude with a degree in journalism from Central City University, mentored by Sarah Jane Smith, Wonder Woman, and the Martian Manhunter, defeated a dozen alien invasions, saved thousands of lives, hired by a media giant straight out of college, skilled and proficient reporter at a young age...the one thing, it appeared, that she couldn't do was get her boss to pronounce her name right.

"Ah, Keira, excellent. These articles need proofing and finishing. Not bad, you only made three spelling mistakes this time. Anyone would think you're from another planet with the way you spell."

This whole diatribe had been delivered in a single breath, without Cat Grant ever looking up from her tablet.

Kara froze for a second. She doesn't know. Does she? She can't.

"Well? Was there anything else?"

"Um, no, Ms. Grant."

She turned and left.

"That woman is scary," Kara announced as she slipped into the abandoned office she was using as a base for her "extracurricular activities," as Kal called it.

"I know, right?" Winn Schott, resident CatCo IT expert, agreed as he spun around in his chair. "One time, I swear she got mad at me for breathing too loud."

Kara snorted out a laugh. "So what do we have?"

"Livewire's acting up again."

"Oh, Rao," Kara complained, rolling her eyes. "If I'd known saving her would lead to her throwing a superpowered temper tantrum every six months or so, I..."

"Still would've saved her," Winn smirked, expertly pulling up CCTV footage of the metahuman, who was currently materializing inside a National City power plant. "Because you're a hero, Kara. And that's what heroes do. While computer geeks like me provide mission control and watch in awe."

"As long as you don't accidentally hack into the sprinklers again."

"Hey, that was one time!"

She grinned and turned towards the window, pulling open her shirt to reveal the House of El symbol on her uniform underneath.

"How does she keep that hidden under there?" Winn wondered aloud as he watched his friend fly off.

"Ah, Keira," Cat called, later that afternoon. Kara turned back from the article she was writing to look up at her boss, massaging her head. Even Kryptonian invulnerability had its limits, and massive amounts of electricity was one of them.

"You've proven yourself...not entirely useless as a reporter. This is our new cub, Nia Nal. Show her around, get her settled. See if she's actually as good as she says she is."

"You got it, boss."

"Hi," Nia shook her hand. "Hey. Keira, right?"

"Hey," the other woman smiled, trying not to show how much her head was still ringing. "Keira to her, Kara to literally everyone else on the planet. And beyond. Uh, anyway."

"So, um, what do we do first?" Nia asked. "Is there, like, an orientation process, or do we just, like, dive right in? Because knowing Cat-well, I don't really know her, obviously, but, y'know, I've interviewed her, and I've been following her for ages-it seems like she's more of the "throw them in the deep end with the sharks and see if they swim" kind of person, though obviously I'm not saying you're a shark, you seem pretty nice, but..."

"Oh my God," Kara breathed, staring at the babbling young woman. "You're me."

"I am? Is that bad? Should I stop? Whatever it is, I can totally stop."

"Hey," Winn came around the desk, hand outstretched. Then he wiped his hand on his pants leg, offered it again, and made a vain attempt to flatten his hair with the other. "I'm Winn. Schott. Junior, obviously."

"Oh. Um, hi. Hello."

"Hello. How, um, who are you?"

Kara looked at the way her two coworkers were staring into each other's eyes, hearing their hearts starting to pound in unison, and rolled her own eyes as she rubbed at her forehead.

I am gonna need so many pot stickers tonight.

I hope to have at least a teaser chapter of Book II up soon. Be well, all.