Oh shit. That was the worst case scenario. Or second worst case scenario, her mother showing up would have been worse. But Tyler…he was worse than her commander. Commander Kane knew what had been between her and Kate, he was the only person Sophie had ever told that she loved Kate. What had changed that she didn't dare to tell him about her feelings for his daughter now? Was it because was Batwoman? And Tyler…he had been not cool when he found out Sophie and Kate had been together for three years. Which was not a surprise considering the fact that Sophie had kept it a secret and couldn't tell him, she was not interested in Kate anymore. She had tried. Hard. And then Kate came back and no matter what she told her, that she told her to move on, she knew it was not what she wanted and that the signals her body sent made it clear it were all lies. Like it had been a lie when she had told Kate in Point Rock that she didn't love her.
"He saw you."
Great. A scene in a restaurant. Again. Sophie closed her eyes and wished she could just disappear. Or that something happened that got Tyler's attention off her. An earthquake. She needed a light earthquake so people had other things on their mind.
"Sophie."
Damn. Sophie looked up at Tyler. She hadn't seen him since he had told her to decide if she wanted the same future he wanted. This should tell him she didn't. It was not what she had planned, he wasn't supposed to find out this way, she wanted to tell him in private.
"Hello Tyler." What was she supposed to tell him? Should she apologize for what he saw?
"Kate."
"Hi Tyler."
Gosh, Kate sounded so casual as if Tyler showing up was nothing special, was no problem at all.
"I think I go to the ladies."
No! Don't leave. Sophie's eyes starred at Kate, who got up and excused herself. It was the polite thing to do, she was giving them some time and space and at the same time it was the worst thing she could have done to Sophie.
Tyler sat on Kate's chair, watched Sophie like he was trying to figure her out. Good luck with that, Sophie had problems figuring herself out.
"I heard you are suspended. What happened?"
He'd find out anyway, there was no reason to lie to him. She had lied to him enough. No matter if these lies hadn't been planned or wanted. "I found Batwoman tied up by Nocturna and freed her before our men saw her." She had taken her time to untie Batwoman, she had enjoyed being this close to her. It was not because she was in control and Batwoman was helpless, hell no, Batwoman was never helpless, it was because they were only inches apart and Sophie had been able to touch her.
"Why?"
"She saved my life twice, I thought I owe it to her."
"Twice? I know she caught you when Alice pushed over the plank."
"Remember the court employee, who became judge, jury and executor? When he had the cop killed, I was in the storage room too, with Batwoman. Commander Kane had sent me after her. When the riffles shot, she saved me and brought me to a doctor."
"I had no idea. Why didn't you tell me?"
"I was embarrassed." And she had been sure it was Kate, she didn't want to tell anybody before she hadn't talked to Kate.
"And I never saw the wound."
"No." No, back then they hadn't exactly had an active sex life. It had been her fault, she had pushed him away. The longer Kate had been back to Gotham, the less intimacy she had wanted. As Batwoman had taken her to Mary's clinic, a clinic Sophie hadn't known before, there was no official statement of a doctor, no sick leave note.
"Are you working with Batwoman?"
He had asked her the same, when she had lied and told everybody, she hadn't seen or talked to Batwoman and he saw a surveillance video of them talking. These videos were had downfall.
"No."
"But you would let her go if you found her again."
Yes. Yes, she would risk her career for Batwoman. Kate. "I can't promise I won't. She is not our enemy. She fights criminals, just like we do."
"It's not her job."
"Batman did a great job protecting the city, he has saved many lives."
"He also attracted many crazy people."
"Alice was here before Batwoman was. I'm afraid Gotham attracts them itself." Some city drew criminals in, no matter who tried to protect the city. All right, that the criminals in Gotham liked to dress up was different from other cities, but that was the only difference.
Tyler looked in the direction Kate had left. "Is this a friendly dinner or your decision?"