After Supergirl leaves, I don't feel the need to stick around longer than I need to. Although, I am curious to see who will be cleaning up after us, I figure they won't show until I leave. I grab the carnation off the table, including the vase, and leave the cathedral around 2:00 am. Instead of the fast track, I take the scenic route on the walk back to my apartment. To be frank, the walk from the Gotham Cathedral to my apartment is about an hour long but I don't care.
I've got another thirty minutes to my apartment when I spy Stephanie leaving a restaurant with Tim Drake. They talk for a few moments and then kiss. It's cute and I think they make a great couple. But from personal experiences, I know having a relationship with another crime fighter can be difficult. Tim and Stephanie end their kiss and he walks away backwards to his motorcycle, which causes him to almost fall over it. Stephanie giggles and watches him get on his bike.
"You two make a sweet couple." Stephanie tears her eyes from Tim. She smiles once she realizes who spoke to her.
"We do, don't we? Hey! What are you doing up so late? I figured you be catching up on some sleep with Bruce giving us the night off."
"I had other plans." Stephanie gives me a lecherous smile and bumps my hip.
"You wouldn't happen to be sneaking out of someone's apartment, now would you?"
I go wide-eyed and hit Stephanie in the arm. "Steph!"
She laughs and hits me back. "Oh, come on Kate. How many times have I been on patrol and caught you sneaking out of some one-night-stand's apartment?"
"One time! That happened one time!" Stephanie's laugh turns into a mix of giggles and snorts and it catches the attention of the few people walking by us. "Steph," I say, lowering my voice from our audience. "Perhaps it would be best if we continue this conversation inside your car." Stephanie pulls out her keys and tries to hand them to me while attempting to get control of her laughter. I mutter a few expletives under my breath while unlocking her car and getting in. "Come on Steph, get your ass in the car."
She stands straight and makes her way over to me. "Ooh, Kate Kane cussed. I haven't heard that in a while. Is that girl-scout sweet stuff Linda and Supergirl rubbed on you finally wearing off?" Stephanie slides into the passenger seat and I pull away from the curb and in the direction of my apartment.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Stephanie yawns and reclines her seat.
"Ever since you've been hanging around those two goody-two-shoes, you've lost your bite, Kate."
"Trust me, my bite is still good."
Stephanie chuckles but keeps her eyes closed. "I'm just sayin'." She only says that when she has more to say but doesn't feel like arguing.
I sigh and signal to go right down Smith St. "What is it?"
Stephanie shrugs and snuggles into her seat. "You've…" she opens her eyes and looks directly at me. "You've matured, Kate. You're growing up. Even Bruce commented on that the other night."
"Really?"
"Yeah, he was talking with Babs and Supergirl when he said it too. Babs agreed but Supergirl was a little unsure."
"What!" Stephanie reaches up and pushes my face back to the road. "Steph, what did Supergirl say?"
"Nothing really, she said you weren't quite there yet, that there was something missing."
"Something missing? What's missing?"
"How should I know?" I focus on my driving the best I can, but the fact Kara didn't quite agree makes me unnerved.
How come she didn't tell me about this during dinner?
"Whoa! What?"
Oops, I said that last part out loud.
"Your date was Supergirl, the Supergirl?" I give Stephanie a sheepish grin, which might just match the one the Girl of Steel gave me earlier tonight. She pulls her seat up and angles her body to stare at me. Great.
"It was nothing."
"Uh-uh, dinner is always something. Now Supergirl doesn't do dinner with anyone, so you must be pecial to her in order for her to take time out of her day to do it. Especially since this was her last day in Gotham. Dish." I finally reach my apartment and find a spot across the street from it. When I put the car in park, I unbuckle and turn so I can speak to Stephanie properly.
"Okay," I take a breath, "here it goes…" I tell Stephanie everything, from the day I met Supergirl to the dinner. Surprisingly, she doesn't interrupt me. This also disturbs me because Stephanie can never go one minute without interrupting a conversation. "So, what do you think?"
She doesn't say anything but keeps this blank stare on her face. Then slowly, almost second-by-second, her blank stare turns into a bright Cheshire smile.
"You. Went. On. A Date. With. Supergirl… Totally freakin' awesome!" Stephanie lurches forward and envelops me in a tight hug.
"Steph… Stephanie, you're choking me." She lets go and tries to fix my jacket and beret that fell off. "That's not the reaction I was expecting."
"Kate, do you know what you are?"
"Lucky?"
"Rare! You are one of the few who have an insight into the psyche of the great and powerful Supergirl. Someone with whom men and women have crushed on since she first arrived. You, my dear Kate Kane, are her friend. A rarity when it comes to that blonde bluebird."
"Then why do I feel like I know very little about her? That there is this whole other side to her I might never see?"
"That's the thing about us, human or alien, we never show others the whole picture just a small piece. But even if Supergirl hasn't made her your confidante, you need to know you are a part of her fave five. I wouldn't take that for granted if I were you."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Good, now get out of my car so I can go home." I smack Stephanie in the arm and get out. As I walk around it, she stops me for a moment. "You know, Kate you really are one lucky duck."
"I know Steph and thank you." Stephanie grins then gets into the driver's side. I watch her pull off and wait to go inside until her car disappears.
Since the elevator is broken, I take the stairs up to my apartment. Before I even reach the door, I can see someone sitting in front of it.
"Linda?" Her head pops up and she smiles at me. Once I reach my door, she is already standing with her bag on her shoulder. "What you doing here so late?"
"I didn't like how we left things last time and wanted to talk with you about it. I didn't realize you'd be out so late." Earlier, I figured Linda would be the friend cleaning up Kara's and my dinner, but I guess I was wrong.
"How long have you been waiting here?"
Linda runs a hand through her hair and shrugs. "Not sure."
As I unlock the door, I use the time to give Linda a onceover. She's wearing black flip-flops (which is odd considering how chilly it is tonight), a pair of dark-blue jeans torn at the knees, a red flannel shirt, and her worn-out tan jacket. Her dark brown hair looks more unruly than usual and she has a new pair of glasses hanging off the edge of her nose. I open the door and let Linda precede me, so I can close and lock the door behind us.
"Make yourself comfortable. I'll be right back." She gives me a crooked smile then sits on my couch. I go to my bedroom and drop off my coat, beret, shoes, and purse. When I walk into the living room, Linda is reclining on the couch. Her jacket is draped over the back of it and her bare feet are propped up on the couch's arm closest to me. "You look quite at home." Linda wiggles deeper into the cushions and crosses her arms.
"You have a very comfortable couch. Besides, I've slept here before so it's not like I'm a stranger here."
"Point taken, do you want anything to eat?"
"Nah, I'm good."
"How about anything to drink?"
"Kate, I'm fine really. But if it'll make you feel better, I'll have a glass of water." I go to the kitchen and pour Linda a glass of water while I make myself a cup of black tea with a touch of honey.
"Are you sure this is all you want?" I ask while handing her the water.
"I'm fine. Thank you though." With Linda stretched out on the couch, I decide to sit in my recliner. Looking at her long body stretched out, shoulders against one arm while her feet are propped up on the other, I'm reminded of how tall Linda is.
"Geez, how tall are you?"
"Almost five-foot-nine, why?"
"That's ridiculous," I can tell Linda is laughing at what I said because her glass is on her stomach and there are vibrations shaking the water.
"If you think I'm tall, you should see my friend Diana. She's over six feet." The smile on my lips disappears as soon as this Diana is mentioned again. Linda notices. "Kate, you okay?"
Changing the subject is a better option that answering her. "How did you meet Diana?" The question catches her by surprise. She places her water on the coffee table and shifts so that she's sitting with her body facing mine.
"How did I meet her…?" She taps her right index finger against her lips several times before continuing. "I guess we officially met at a dinner being held in Wonder Woman's honor. Wonder Woman had made her debut and Diana was there with her now boyfriend Steve Trevor. He's the liaison between the JLA and the US government. I was chilling out on the balcony when Diana came out to catch a breath of fresh air. That's when we met. Later on, we had another run-in in New York, and after that we became close friends."
"She's a New Yorker?"
"Technically she's Greek. You know, has that whole black hair and olive skin thing going for her." Great, I'm competing with an Amazon… wait, boyfriend?
"Wait. Did you say she has a boyfriend?"
"Great job with the paying attention Katherine, and yes, she has a boyfriend." The next thing I say comes out before I have the chance to stop myself.
"What about you?"
Linda chooses not to answer my question immediately and opts to take a long sip from her water. "What about me?" I don't have to read minds to know Linda knows exactly what I'm inferring.
"Are you dating anyone?"
Linda smiles softly then sets her glass on the table. "No, but I know someone who likes me." I can feel my heart beat faster.
"Is it someone I know?" She doesn't say anything but stands up and walks over to me. My heart is beating like a hummingbird's as she slides in the chair with me; the side of our legs, thighs, hips, and shoulders fully against each other's.
"Depends…"
"Depends on what?"
Linda locks eyes with me. "Depends on if she's willing to tell me how she feels."
Busted.
I close my eyes and take a breath. After picturing countless different ways about how this would go, this was not on the list. Just as I'm about to open my eyes, I feel a slight pressure on my left temple. I can't help as my eyes flutter open but all I see are dark curls.
Linda pulls away and smiles the softest and most beautiful smile I have ever seen. "I know, Kate. I've known for a while."
"H-How?" I barely whisper out.
"I'm reporter, remember?" She runs her fingers through the strands of my hair then puts her right arm around my shoulders to pull me in. It feels like I'm cuddling with a warm teddy-bear; a fit, drop-dead gorgeous teddy-bear. "So, why don't you tell me how your day went, and we'll go from there." And that is exactly what I do.
XXX
When I wake up, I'm in my bed and dressed in my pajamas. I don't even remember changing into them. The clock is shining 6:00 am. I was certain I wouldn't get up until after ten since I went to bed so late, but I guess I'm meant to open the book shop today. I shuffle into the kitchen and start the percolator. Just as I turn to go back and get dressed for the day, I find a card sitting on the counter. On the front is a picture with different red-heads, it says "They say by 2056 redheads will be completely absorbed into the gene pool…" When I open the card it says, "…so I guess I should spend as much time with you as possible." I smile at the gesture and notice Linda wrote a note for me opposite the printed message.
Dear Katherine,
Last night (or technically this morning) was one of the best times I've had in a long while. I'm afraid it will be one of our last for a long time. My flight for Qurac is being pushed forward for this afternoon. I wish we would spend more time together but my duty to the people who read the Daily Planet comes first. I promise to see you one more time before leaving. I'll be thinking of you every day while I'm gone and I hope you'll be thinking of me just as much.
Always,
Linda
I let the tears fall down my cheeks without bothering to wipe them away. And I'm not sure if it's because I'm sad Linda is leaving or overwhelmed with how much she cares for me. I've never met anyone like her, and I'm sure I never will. While I prepare the coffee, I reread the note until I have it memorized; from the words on the page to the way she wrote each letter. There is nothing I want to forget.
After I eat my breakfast, I get dressed in a pair of jeans, a Boston Homicide softball shirt, sneakers, and my Ray Ban sunglasses. I brush my teeth, grab my keys, and take off for the shop but not before I set the card next to the picture of my sister Beth and me when we were little.
When I get to the store, I park behind it and go in the back entrance. I take the needed cash out of the safe and get ready to let people in; though it's not like people are lining up to buy books. I pull up the blinds and flip over the open/close sign, and with a flick of the lock I wait for the few customers who will come by today to walk in the door.
It's almost 10:30 when my first customer walks in. A woman dressed in a naval officer's uniform comes in without saying a word to me and floats over to the shelves. She's tall with black hair and prescription glasses that should have died in the 80's. I watch her walk back and forth amongst the books for what feels like a while when Linda pops her head in the door.
"Hey, Kate." I go to reply but Linda keeps talking. "Have you seen anyone walk in here the past ten minutes? I'm supposed to be-"
"Linda! Back here!" yells the officer.
"Never-mind." Linda disappears in the stacks with the woman who came in earlier. I can see them move around and every so often, hear a giggle or a loud outburst from Linda. I don't know who this woman is, but I have a pretty good idea; Yeoman Diana Prince. I turn on the television and turn the channel to PGN news to distract myself. Three news segments and the weather later, Linda and Diana make their way to the counter with a stack of twelve books.
"Wow, doing some light reading?" Linda smiles at my attempt at humor but Diana doesn't move a facial muscle.
"Linda suggested I read these." The majority of the books were history related, mainly US history while a few of them were crime novels.
"I didn't know you were a history buff, Linda?"
Linda runs a hand through her curls, which look just as unkempt as they were last night, then pushes her glasses up her nose. "People try so hard to learn about other cultures when there is so much rich and beautiful history here. I was thinking of majoring in US history at Metropolis University, but plans change, and I landed with minoring in it instead and majoring in English."
"Don't forget about that second minor in journalism, Lin."
"You have a nickname for her?" I blurt out before Linda can comment on what was said. I deserve a good smack in the forehead right now.
"Of course, I do," answers Yeomen Prince. "She calls me Di and I call her Lin. I thought it was a fair trade." A 'fair trade'? Could this woman be anymore dull?
"When did I start calling you that?" asks Linda. "I know it wasn't when we first met."
Yeomen Prince answers immediately. "On the island, remember? It was your first time there and we were walking on the beach and it just slipped out." Linda smiles knowingly and bumps Yeomen Prince in the shoulder with a book in her hand I didn't see before.
"I remember. I was so scared too. I thought you were going to pummel me. But you just smiled, told me you liked it, and we moved on."
"Why were you scared I was going to hit you?" Linda shrugs then pushes her glasses up her nose again.
"Everyone called you Diana. Calling you something else felt like I was degrading you or lowering your authority. Looking back, I know I was being a stupid kid, but you can't blame me. You were intimidating. Still are." I'm getting tired of Linda and Yeomen Prince acting like I'm not here, so I clear my throat which brings their attention back to me. "Sorry Kate, Diana and I haven't seen each other in about a month."
I ignore her and ring up the books. I'm not sure if Linda is surprised or not by my reaction but I don't care. I don't like being ignored. While I enter the prices of the books, Linda and Yeomen Prince comment on the news.
"I spoke with Cat yesterday," says Linda. "She wondered why I kept the Colonel Kane article from Perry."
"What did you tell her?"
"I told her that something better came up and that it was unnecessary to cause such uproar over something not that important. Besides, I have this personal connection with his daughter and you know me. If it's too personal, I don't let it go to print." I don't need to look up from the register to know that Linda is staring at me as she says this.
"What did Perry say?"
"Once I sent him my Intergang article, he cooled down."
"Smooth."
"That's me, Linda 'Smooth' Danvers." Just as the words leave her mouth, she steps back and almost trips over her feet. Yeomen Prince laughs at her and I do my best to keep the giggles back.
"Oh, so smooth like gravel." It is obvious humor is not Yeomen Prince's strong suit. I finish ringing up the books and tell her the price. She hands me the money and I give her back the change. "I'll see you outside," she says to Linda. As soon as the door closes, Linda slides fully into view and leans on the counter.
"I have something for you. I noticed it wasn't in your shelves and thought you might like it." Linda hands me the book that was in her hands. The thin book is the complete collection of Shakespearean sonnets. "I was perusing through your poetry section and all I could find was Walt Whitman and Sappho. You really need to widen your range of books, love." I take a deliberate breath, hidden as best as I can, with Linda's use of the pet name.
"I-I will keep that in mind."
"Good," says Linda with a smile. "I even circled my favorite one, or at least the first one I ever memorized."
"Quote it to me." Linda is surprised by my outburst. I keep having a lot of those, at least for me anyway.
"You sure?" I shake my head yes and Linda clears her throat before speaking. When she starts off, her voice is low and raspy. I've never heard her speak this way before.
"My mistress eyes are nothing like the sun,
coral is far more red than her lips red.
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun,
if hair be wires black wires grow on her head.
I have seen roses damasked red and white
yet no such roses see I in her cheeks.
And in some perfume is there more delight
than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak yet well I know that music hath a far more pleasing sound.
I grant I never saw a goddess go,
my mistress when she walks reads on the ground.
And yet by Heaven I think my love is rare,
as any she belied with false compare."
Breathe, remember to breathe Kate. Linda, who with each phrase leaned in closer and closer to me, pulls back with a crooked smile that ends with a wink when she stops moving.
"I'm not one for quoting poetry to people. Consider yourself one of the few." I blink a few times and nod my head. Linda's smile stretches into a full grin and she taps a short cadence on the counter. "Did you see the card?"
"Yes, I loved it." I can feel the tears welling up behind my eyes, but I work to keep them back. I don't want Linda to see me cry. The look in Linda's eyes flashes that familiar softness for a moment but disappears just as quickly.
Linda suddenly leans over the counter and grabs the back of my head to pull me towards her. She gives me a long and intense kiss on the forehead, as if she will never see me again, and lets me go. I watch her as she walks to the exit. When she opens the door, she pauses for a moment then halfway turns back to me. "Oh, and Katherine…"
I snap out of my daze and focus on her. "What is it?"
Linda tilts her head slightly to the right and smiles softly at me. "I love you too." And just like that, she gives me a wink and leaves the shop.
Forty-five minutes later, Bette pops through the door with a skip and a hop. She's humming Kiss Me by Sixpence None the Richer and dances across the floor to it until she comes to a stop at the counter. "So, My B-E-A-utiful cousin, what have you been up to lately?"
I think about my answer for a moment then smile. "Just getting by, cuz, just gettin' by."
Go read The Other Side of The Story, which is this fic from Kara's POV. OR go read Red, White, & Blonde, which is a three-part sequel. (My recommendation is The Other Side THEN RW&B, but it's up to you.)