"Wait!" Sophie struggled, caught between running towards the other woman and away from her. She knew she was supposed to turn and walk away, leave and never see her again. It was what was expected of her and she had worked hard to get where she was now. There had been so many things in life she had given up only to become who she was: Sophie "Freaking" Moore, second in command of the Crows, one of the largest security companies in the country. She had real chances to be in charge one day, she had all chances and because she could have it all, she could also lose it all.
Everything she had fought for, everything she had dreamed of.
Batwoman stopped and turned, facing her. She had accepted the fact Sophie needed to stay away from her or she could lose everything. Had not tried to argue, had not tried to change her mind. No, she had lowered her eyes for a second and then told her, she'd leave.
It was the right thing to do. Which didn't make it what Sophie wanted.
Sophie closed the space between them until they were only inches apart. So close. Like they had been the night before, when Sophie had untied Batwoman, had let her escape before the Crows saw her, captured her. She had done the opposite of what she was told to do. And it had been caught on camera, had been watched by her boss.
Those green eyes. Batwoman or your job. Batwoman or the Crows.
There was no decision for her to make, her body reacted on pure instincts, closed the little gap between them and their lips met. So soft, so familiar. Yes, she knew these lips, how could she ever forget them? And the fact that the kiss was responded told her, she was not the only one, who wanted this.
No, she was the stupid one, who made them wait for the kiss so long.
Their lips parted and Sophie got lost once again in these green eyes. How had she missed this, how had she missed kissing her.
Before she could flee or say anything, Batwoman closed the gap between them and kissed Sophie. The kiss they should have had years ago, when Sophie made the wrong decision. So many years of longing, so many years of pain, of heartache. All these feelings were washed into the kiss, a kiss they shared on the rooftop, next to the bat symbol. The kiss, that was not supposed to happen. The kiss, that could cost her her job, her life, her future.
And give her everything she had been missing for years. "Kate," Sophie mumbled.
"Batwoman."
"As if I didn't know these lips, these eyes," Sophie smiled and let her finger run softly over the cheek of the other woman. "I haven't forgotten how your lips feel, how it felt when you held me. When you saved me that night Alice let me fall off the wood plank I knew it's you. No matter what you said, how you denied it I knew it."
"Sophie..."
"Sush." She put her finger over Kate's lips, the same way Kate had done that night and the night, they had met Mouse and Alice at the farm, where Alice had been captured when she had been Beth.
Something else that had told her, Batwoman and Kate were the same person.
"I've disappointed you way too many times, I'm not going to do it again. I'm not going to tell your father or anybody else." She looked down and pressed the button of the choice changer. "No need for this when I'm around."
"Sophie."
Kate's voice, the way she said her name, sent shivers down her spine. And it brought back so many memories. Of them together. Happy.
"What are you going to do now?" Kate asked.
Sophie sighed and closed her eyes for a second. "I'm going to stay away from Batwoman, as your father demands. So please, I can only do it when we work together. I'm...if I ever find you tied up or unconsciousness somewhere, I'm not going to cal the Crows, I'll do whatever I can to protect you, but...you can't call me, can't see me at scenes. I have no idea why your father hates Batwoman so much, she...you, have saved his life when you were in court and about to die of cyanide poisoning. But...I want this job because I have no idea who or what I am when I don't have this job."
"I can do that, stay away I mean. If that is what you want."
"No, it's not what I want, it's what I have to do."
"What do you want?"
Oh, she wanted so many things. So many things, that were not helping her career.
"You. I want you, Kate and I want to be strong enough to be with you, strong enough not to disappoint and hurt you again." Strong enough to be proud of who she was. Strong enough to stand up for herself. And for Kate. For them.
Kate bent forward and kissed her gently. "I want the same."
It was like the dream she had many times. About them, them against the world, them together. "I...I'm not sure if I can be this person right away. You know...it will be difficult enough to stay away from Batwoman, she is...not only extremely sexy, but also important to me. And to my work I see you and us not as opponents, I believe, Batwoman and the Crows together could make a difference to the city, a positive one."
"Yeah...that's not going to happen," Kate answered dryly.
"No." Not unless Kate's father changed his point of view on Batwoman.
"I take it, you don't want me picking you up from work for a date. As in me and not as in Batwoman." Trick question. There were these things Sophie wanted and the things she feared and the reaction of her environment about her dating Kate...let's just say, the things that had happened back in point Rock, still impressed her, scared her.
"You have never hidden who you are — except in Point Rock — to make life easier for the two of us. And when they caught us, you stood for us. I...did what I thought was right and it was in so many ways the worst decision in my life."
"It also got you where you wanted to be."
"It did. But I found out the price was too high. Is too high."
"So, I won't pick you up, won't kiss you hello when we see each other."
"But there is no reason why we can't go out and have dinner together. Be friends. Officially. Until...I am ready for more. If you can imagine this." She didn't want to hurt her again. There had to be a way to agree on something that made both happy and comfortable.
"I can," Kate smiled, "I mean, you are still a married woman, we shouldn't walk around kissing." "No." Sophie sighed. Tyler. That was something else she had to take care of. She owned him an explanation and that before the rest of the world knew she and Kate were dating. He had a right to know there was somebody else in her life and she doubted he'd be really surprised.
"He'll be fine and there is no need to tell him today or tomorrow. Take some time and then talk to
him. We are not in a hurry.
Sophie pulled her into her arms. She could. This meant, there was a real chance for them, a second
chance. And Sophie would be damned if she blew this one up again.