A/N: Hello folks sorry for the space between posts but I was trying to get my Bride's Tale one-shot just right, if you guys haven't read it yet then shame on you. My original one-shot wasn't in first person but third and incorporated a lot of this chapter. Hope you guys haven't given up on me. I have spent a lot of time in the last month working on exams and papers for school so my posting schedule got a little behind. Please read and review.
Love and Capes: A Hero's Tale
Autumn had begun to set in around Metropolis the day Kara returned from the Wayne wedding. Karen Kent and her best friend Kim Ito made a mad dash for their second period math class. They had just returned home that morning and were both still suffering from jet lag. Or at least Karen pretended to be. As soon as the wedding ended Kim had bombarded Karen with questions about the Kryptonian armour she wore to the wedding and why she wore it instead of the ten thousand dollar dress Bruce had bought. Karen explained that she found Dick Grayson her former boy friend making out with Barbara Gordon only thirty minutes before the ceremony started. She knew that Clark had tried to warn her about Dick's impulses but it had still hurt. She had taken off to fly to the fortress near the North Pole. She loved going up there because she felt like she was back on Krypton. The Eradicator computer automatically activated a hard light image of her mother when ever she entered. It had been her mother who had told her about the legend of Nightwing and Flamebird as a child. Kara told her mother about Dick and everything that happened between the two of them. After listening to Kara's recount her mother told her that what she had felt could not have been the mating bond Elle-Gol. If she had truly undergone the bonding separation from her mate for more than an earth standard week would have rendered her incapacitated. Even though the holographic representation of her mother had only been a recreation of her personality she found comfort in being able to crawl into her mothers lap. Clark had offered to activate the memory engram of her father as well but Karen had already destroyed it. She never wanted to look at a picture of her father for the rest of her life. He had done terrible things to her as a child. She still had nightmares of the way all the children in her old high school had made fun of her family position. They used to throw things at her and openly mock her as a blood traitor. Then her father had given her the combat simulator for her fifteenth birthday. He would make her replay killing everyone in her school over and over again. Especially Loran Vor-Chal, she had been her best friend in primary school but after she hit puberty in their fifth year she stopped being friends with Kara. Loran had developed larger breasts than Kara and as a result was instantly more popular. Kara while still a fairly small chested girl had been chastised by Loran for being a Zor-El freak. When the tremors that eventually destroyed Krypton began her program was interrupted and her father, seeing an opportunity to insure her victory over Kal-El, boosted her adrenal output. The result sent her into a rage killing every last person in her school. Loran she saved for last making sure her death was slow and very painful.
Karen heard a snap and realized that she had been flashing back to her past. Kim had a worried look on her face.
'You ok Karen?' She asked her eyes full of concern.
'Yeah I'm fine just blanked out for a second.' She said in response trying not to worry her friend. It didn't work.
'You are not fine. You got that same distant look you had when we walked in on Richard the other day.' She said placing a tiny hand on her friends shoulder for comfort.
'He doesn't deserve being called by his full name. He's a dick so he deserves to be called one.' She rebuked pushing past her friend.
Kim winced and let out a small scream of pain. Karen looked back and saw that her wrist had broken. She had been so furious at her father and Dick that she had forgotten to lighten her density.
'Oh god Kim I'm so sorry.' She apologized running her x-ray vision over her friends arm. 'You need to see a doctor.'
Kim didn't say a word and Karen was afraid that she was madder at her than in pain. That was until she saw a thin line of blood trickle form Kim's mouth. She had bitten through her tongue. Quickly Karen picked her up and hurried out a side entrance to the school just as the bell for first period rang.
Seconds later Karen had flown Kim to S.T.A.R. labs. She couldn't take her to a regular hospital because people would have asked how the bone had been broken. The head of the Metropolis office was Dr John Henry Irons. He had a very gentle manner about him and he loved to go out of his way for anyone how wore the 'S' shield. John had let Karen help with resetting the bones as her microscopic vision combined with heat vision was ten times more accurate than a surgical laser. After the bones had been set back into place and reshaped, again with the help of Karen's heat vision, John felt it was ok to send both girls home.
As they walked through downtown Metropolis Kim eyed her newly healed wrist. 'Jeez girl, I'm glad I have you as a friend instead of some other teen super hero.' Karen gave her and odd look and Kim elaborated. 'I mean no normal meta-human in like the whole world is as powerful as you.'
At this Karen smiled glad that her friend wasn't mad at her. The two girls walked alone through the shopping district the rest of the day. Coming out of Gucci an hour later Karen collided with someone the street sending him to the pavement.
'I'm so sorry. I've been such a klutz today.' She said taking in the man on the sidewalk. He had collar length hair and broad shoulders. He reminded her of that actor Justin something from those nineties Disney movies 'Other Mothers' and 'Susie Q'
'That's quite all right. My name is James.' He responded standing up and brushing himself off. 'I'd love to run into women as beautiful as you more often.'
Karen blushed deep red and went to offer him her hand but Kim had carefully slipped a foot in front of her which she of course tripped over landing on his chest. 'We'll I'm just all kinds of lucky today aren't I?' He said with a laugh.
Karen giggled covering her mouth with her hands. 'Sorry it's been a long day.'
'Hey you don't have to apologize to me.' He replied giving her a sly grin. 'I was just headed to the campus food court would you like to join me.'
Karen's eyes bulged, he thought they were college students. Looking around she realized they were just across the street from the main arches of Met U. Karen choked unable to speak, luckily or unluckily for her Kim spoke up and told him that they would love to eat lunch with him. Karen was about to protest when he smiled and all of a sudden she lost her voice completely. He led the both of them across the university quad to the large student centre where the food court was located. Karen didn't say a word until both she and Kim were seated at a table and even then she only vaguely remembered agreeing to a hamburger. She looked over at her best friend to find a bright smiling face.
'Why are you so happy?' Karen asked matching the smile with a scowl. The only answer she received was a curt statement about how clueless Kryptonians could be which Karen took great offence to. She would be the first to say that Kryptonian teenagers are much the same as their human counter parts. She never got to finish her thought as James had returned with the food a silly smile still firmly planted on his face.
'I never did catch your name.' He said raising an eyebrow and sipping on a strawberry milkshake.
'My name's Karen.' She said trying to return the smile but only half succeeding.
'What's your major?' Kim chimed in. Karen was half tempted to kick her shin but was afraid she might over do it again.
'Journalism' he replied. The statement had been directed at Karen as he was looking at her with his deep blue eyes.
She felt her face go crimson and she silently wished that she could die. 'My mom and dad are journalists.' She said absentmindedly.
'Really, which publication?' He asked excitedly.
'Oh they work for the Daily Planet.' She said brightening up a little now that they had a common interest.
'That's awesome I work there too.' He said his smile now nearly ear to ear. 'What are their names?'
Karen though felt deflated. He was sure to now Lois and Clark which would totally blow her cover as this pretty college girl. 'Kent'.
'Your C K's daughter?' He said his eye suddenly became as big as saucers.
The rest of lunch went by without a word as Karen was too embarrassed to say anything. She felt dejected and the feeling must have shown because James's face softened up. 'I'm sorry about all of that.' He said setting down his napkin.
'Why are you sorry?' She asked she felt the red returning to her face.
'I was coming on really strong there.' He said, his eyes had changed they no longer conveyed the same strong will that they had before. Now his eyes seemed to be telling her that he was sad.
'I didn't mind.' She said in a soothing tone. She really hadn't she was just afraid of what he would say when he found out she was in high school. She reached out and wrapped one of his hands in hers. It felt warm and soft around the edges like worn wood. Her kinetic field picked up on something chemical but she wasn't experienced enough yet to figure out what it was.
His smile came back but only at half strength. 'I used to date your aunt.' He patted her hand and stood up. 'Sorry about hanging you out to dry like that.'
When he moved his hand she felt physically void from the absence of whatever chemical his body was emitting. She wanted to be able to touch him again if for no other reason than to fell that chemical bond again. It was odd because she had never felt that with Dick or any other man she had come into contact with. Perhaps he was a meta-human. Kim stomped on her foot and while it didn't hurt she didn't have to look at Kim to understand the meaning. Darting up from her seat she reached for his arm to keep him form leaving. He turned to look straight into her eyes and her mind went blank. Trying to think of something to say she said the first thing that came to mind.
'You know I'm adopted right?' She mentally kicked herself for saying it but she didn't much care because she could feel the chemical again and her body kept telling her that everything would be ok.
He laughed and his smile returned full force. 'Yeah I know that you're adopted. Still though nice a girl as you are it would still feel weird.' He turned to go but found that he couldn't budge his arm from her grip. Tears started to roll down her cheeks. Her brain wanted to let go but her heart seemed to have taken over.
'You don't get to make that call. You can't hit on a girl and then just get up and leave James. You should have at least not called me afterward or something.' As she said this her face contorted until she looked murderous.
James looked into her eyes and sighed deeply. 'Are you sure your not really Lois's daughter.' He said with a chuckle. 'All right then, I have to go check in on a copy in sent to press this morning so how about we get some coffee afterward.'
Kara nodded her head. 'Deal, I'll meet you at the cafe across form the Planet building in twenty minutes.'
James nodded in compliance and turned to leave. 'Oh, my friends call me Jimmy by the way.' He said before walking out the glass doors.
Kara flew Kim home and made it back to the cafe early. Her friend had prodded her and called her a player for flirting with her aunts ex. She didn't care what she said though her body screamed for the connection they seemed to share. When she arrived home that night she would have to ask Clark about it. Several minutes after Karen had sat down at one of the cafe's outdoor tables Jimmy came out of the Planet and dashed across the street. When he reached her table his smile came back. She realized that his smile helped frame in his face around his chestnut bangs. Now that she wasn't as bashful as she had been earlier Kara found that she couldn't help but notice that he was gorgeous. It was like every tiny aspect of his face was beautiful even the small scar under his chin. She returned the grin full heartedly. She felt like a fool grinning and giggling at every little facial expression he made. The two of them didn't say a word to each other for nearly ten minutes. That was at least until a waiter came over and asked them if they were going to order anything.
'You want to just get out of here.' He said sliding his hand across the table and squeezing hers.
She was too giddy to say a thing so she just shook her head to say yes. Getting up they both walked from the cafe and wandered around the city. An hour had passed and she could have spent the rest of the night without saying anything but Jimmy seemed like he needed to say something. 'What's on your mind?' She asked hoping to alleviate the tension.
'I just can't get Lucy out of my head I guess.' He hung his head and rubbed the back of his neck with the hand not entwined with Karen's. 'I know that sounds terrible especially with how oddly pleasant this day has been.'
'No I understand, I've been thinking about my ex a lot lately.' She said giving him a big grin. 'So you look like a football player, you on the team?'
He returned her grin and nodded. 'That I do, I play tackle, number 81.' When Karen let out a gut wrenching laugh he stopped and looked at her quizzically. 'What's so funny about that?'
Once she calmed down she chuckled at the defeated look on his face. She placed a reassuring hand on his chest and grinned up into his eyes. 'My ex plays for Gotham U and I just remembered seeing a shot of you knocking him on his butt in last week's game.' She giggled again at the look of recognition in his eyes.
'Your ex is Dick Grayson the heir to Wayne Corporation!' He was shocked and surprised that someone who could bag the playboy himself would want anything to do with him.
'Yeah well he couldn't settle for something as simple as a favourite restaurant much less a serious relationship.' A light bulb went off in her head and she dragged him through the streets until they had reached the river. 'Hope you aren't afraid of getting a little wet.' She said as she began stripping off her cloths.
Jimmy went wide eyed as she slipped off her slacks to reveal a pair of blue silk panties. His eyes stayed glued to the view until he noticed that she had stripped of her top as well. Her bra was blue silk as well and had a small 'S' shield in one corner. Apparently she wasn't immune to Superman's charm either.
'Hope you won't be put off.' She said before reaching into her brown hair revealing that she was wearing a wig. Jimmy didn't mind at all as he could now see her full head of beautiful golden blond hair. He was taken back by how perfect her body was. She was thin but not too thin and muscular but not too muscular. In other words perfect.
'Come on in' she yelled as she leaped over the iron railing.
Jimmy hadn't thought she was really going to jump in and without thinking dove in after her with all of his cloths on. It was the middle of fall so the water had already gotten ice cold. Jimmy swam around for a minute but couldn't find her anywhere. After a few minutes the cold had penetrated to the bone and he was going to have to warm up sooner or later.
Kara who couldn't care less what temperature the water was swam all the way to the bottom of the river and waited there for several minutes. Finally she saw Jimmy begin to swim deeper. She laid back careful not to stir up the silt and pretended to be dead. The prank was rather easy as she could force her heart to stop for hours. All of her muscles including her brain could convert the solar energy stored in her cells into usable sugars. This allowed for longer periods without air or food. She could even fly into open space for nearly a day without stopping to recharge. Or at least that's what Clark had told her. She shut her eyes when Jimmy came near, she could feel his arms wrap around her as they ascended to the surface.
Once Jimmy had pulled her onto the concrete he began pumping her chest to try and resuscitate her. Even though she didn't open her eyes she could tell that he was anxious. Every forceful thrust upon her chest felt magical even though she new that he wasn't thinking along those lines she still couldn't help but to drink in the touch and taste of his lips on hers. She had counted thirty seconds since she had come out of the water and decided that she was within expected norms for a human being so she coughed up a bit of water that she had swallowed and fluttered her eyes open.
The look of concern in his eyes burned her soul. She felt bad for the charade but she needed him to feel like she was nothing more than human. Never again would the Dick Grayson's of the world use her as play toys. If Jimmy ever loved her she wanted him to love her soul and not her powers or her body. When she looked into his eyes he looked afraid what exactly of she wasn't sure but the chemical her body had been wrapping itself in had doubled in potency and she never cared if she ever left that spot so long as that bond could stay.