Jimmy returned to his home after work with an immense sense of relief. Now that the hunt for Metallo was over things with Kara had gotten easier, especially with the kryptonite collected and destroyed. He also found time to hang out with Clark and Lois before they returned to Argo to finish their vacation. It was great seeing them again. The tall black man couldn't get the smile off his face.
He got to his house and found the garage door open, his bike supported by a metal jack lifting its wheels from the floor. He had bought one when he tried to do his own repairs, kept it in the back corner. His new mechanic Jake had clearly found it and hoisted his motorcycle up to start tinkering with the engine. The dark haired young man looked up hearing his footsteps, seeing Jimmy approach to find him kneeling beside the vehicle with his arms covered in oil and dirt, his jacket hanging from the nearby hangers. "I hope you don't mind me just turning up like this" he said apologetically, putting down his tools to hold up a cog in his hands. "My guy just sent me through the first major part you need and I wanted to get it installed as soon as possible."
Jimmy nodded, putting his bag down to join him and examine his work so far. After getting to know the guy she decided to give him a key to the garage so he could work on the bike. The rest of the house was locked to him and he made sure Jake knew that. He crouched down to see the part, then at the almost dismantled engine. "How long did this take you?" he asked curiously.
"Ten minutes" he replied. "I tried to call but your phone was busy. Left a voice mail saying I was going to get started fifteen minutes ago."
Jimmy checked his phone. He'd left it on silent so he wouldn't get disturbed saying his goodbyes to Superman. Sure enough he had three texts and a voice mail from Jake. "Want some help?" he asked, rolling up his shirt sleeves.
Jake smiled. "I won't say no" he said, passing him the spanner.
A few hours later the two of them were elbow deep in the engine fitting the fresh part in. during the process Jake became aware of more issues, which he brought to Olsen's attention. The gunfire had case more damage than either of them thought, but nothing that could be repaired. Jimmy willingly got his hands dirty installing the components, holding it in place so Jake could twist the wrench and tighten the bolts. Once it was done they sat back and looked it over. "I'll still need the other pieces from my contacts before we can try running it, but it's a good start" Jake said.
"Until then, I we'd better clean up and fix some of this" Jimmy agreed, holding up the tray of damaged pieces. "I think I keep some spares in my drawer" he said, rising to his feet to cross the garage.
"If you don't, I know I can find some at my place" Jake told him. "I'll even strike it from my pay check."
Jimmy laughed, wiping his arms as he returned to the man. "So you used to do this with your father?" he asked, tossing his a fresh rag.
Jake caught it and started wiping the muck from the gears. "Yeah, for a good chunk of my school years. I'd come home, find him at the shop fixing the same old banger trying to convince the owner to scrap it. But of course it was sentimental so we had to make it run for the next week until it came back."
"You ever consider joining him in his business?"
"Of course I did. But my dad wouldn't have that. I noticed I had a knack for tinkering with things other than engines. I helped repair most of the TVs in my street, even installed a shop's security system. He thought I was meant for bigger designs so got me into college. The engineering degree was one of the best ideas he ever had. Didn't stop me from helping around the garage though" he added with a smirk.
Jimmy laughed, taking a seat beside him. "Yeah, my old man inspired me onto the path I took too" he said. "Best thing that ever happened. Photography, journalism…"
"And now editor of a massive new station" Jake finished. "Look how far we've come."
"And still we're in this garage fixing a bike with our own two hands" Jimmy chuckled. They laughed, both agreeing they wouldn't have it any other way. "So do still talk with your father?"
Jake suddenly became downcast, quietly replying "not for a few years. We just sort of…lost touch."
Jimmy looked at him sadly. "I'm sorry to hear that. What about your mother?"
"She died a few years after I was born. Cancer, came back so I'm told. It was just me and dad."
Jimmy nodded, saying nothing. Silence spoke more than words could. It conveyed his sympathies. "So brought you to the states?" he asked after a moment.
"Work" was the response. "Until I was laid off. Since then I've been moving from company to company, sort of freelancing but… nothing seemed to stick. It was either the company or something interfered in my private life…most recently I was just travelling, trying to find my place in the world. I can't say why I stop here" he noted.
Jimmy cocked an eyebrow. "Can't you?" he said, drawing Jake's confused look. "You sure it had nothing to do with a certain reporter" he asked.
Jake scoffed, looking away. "We had one date and it was a travesty."
"One date after meeting that same morning" Jimmy noted. "And now you're friends." He watched the man busy himself with the bike engine, breaking into a broad smile. "Mate, I've been photographing people long enough to tell when they are interested in each other, and you definitely have a thing for Kara."
"I do not have a thing for Kara" he insisted.
"You offered to help a complete stranger with his bike" he said, pointing to the garage they were in. Jake refused to comment so Jimmy told him "well I know Kara likes you, given how she went to bat for you to get this gig."
Jake finished with the part he was cleaning and slotted it back into place, sitting back with a sigh wiping his face leaving a black smudge on his cheek. "Did she tell you why our date went so badly?" he asked the photographer.
"No, she didn't" he replied, lowing his voice a little. "Does it have something to do with that ring you keep on your finger?" he asked. Jake froze, staring straight ahead. "Most mechanics I've seen remove their jewellery before working on an engine" Jimmy observed. He then looked at Jake's, still on his finger. The young man didn't say anything, so Jimmy was left to make his assumptions. "I get things might be complicated. I'm not going to ask how or why, but I do have some advice. If you want things between you and Kara to get better, then the first step is being honest with her. That is the only way anything would work."
Jake was silent for a long minute before turning to Jimmy asking "what if you weren't ready to talk about it?"
Jimmy put a hand on his shoulder. "Then tell her that. I know her, she can be patient. But she needs to know she can trust you. To do that, you need to show you can trust her."
Later that evening Kara was walking through the city that was only recently still rebuilding from the Metallo attack. It amazed her how quickly things could return to normal when the whole city and its people banded together to make this right. She made a point to walk through each neighbourhood to see the people, greeting them with a wave and a smile. They didn't know she was Supergirl, but she made sure she acknowledged everything they'd done all the same. She sent an email to Jimmy suggesting their next story should be about that exact topic. She had a feeling he'd agree.
"Nice night for a walk" Jake's voice told her just before she was about to cross an intersection. She turned and found him climbing off his bike, his helmet on the seat. "Sorry if I startled you. I'd just finished at your friend Olsen's place and was going to get a takeaway."
"No, that's fine" she said smiling, pushing her glasses up her nose. She walked over to join him by the bike, rubbing her arms against the chill that came out of nowhere. "I was taking the long way home, see how the city was recovering."
"Yeah, last few days were crazy weren't they" he said, putting his hands into his pockets. Kara nodded, folding her arms awkwardly. They realised they were both standing in silence and chuckled. "You'd think we'd be past the awkwardness by now" he said.
"You'd think" Kara nodded.
Jake looked across to the shop front he was going to order from, a small fast food restaurant with a red banner. "You know, if my memory serves, your apartment is only a few block away right?"
Kara looked at him with a suspicious expression. "Maybe" she said cautiously.
"Well, how you like to let me buy you a meal to go and I can walk you to your apartment building?" he asked, promising "just to the front door."
Kara considered it. The last time she brought him home was the first time she met him so she guessed she could trust him not to push him luck like she did. "Just the front door. No expectations" she said. He agreed. "And you're paying."
"Of course" he agreed.
She looked at the restaurant. "Would that make this our second date?"
Jake blinked, reconsidering his offer. "Did you want it to be a date?" he asked cautiously.
"Well, I don't know. Did you want it to be a date?" she asked him, pondering if that's why he asked her.
He shrugged. "I…wouldn't be against it" he confessed.
She paused before hesitantly replying "neither would I."
They both looked at each other and reluctantly nodded. They guessed it was a date then.
Mercifully, this date didn't go as badly as the first one and didn't last as long. The walk was only twenty minutes and they had finished eating their takeaway on the way. "I swear this is the best chips in the city" Jake said with his mouth full."
"Fries. Its fries in this country" Kara corrected.
"I don't care, they're still the best in the city" he laughed.
Kara scoffed even harder. "No, no way. Best fries in the city have to be on Rockwell Street."
"Don't they put too much oil on their food?" Jake in disgust.
"That's the best part" she argued. "It's better than your craving for salt."
"Oi, there's nothing wrong with putting salt on chips!"
"You put enough on to clog your arteries for years" he told him.
"Better than drowning my food in oil" he countered.
They both finished their playful yet serious argument at the foot of Kara's front steps, her apartment building rising above them. They threw their empty trays into the nearby bin and came to a stop. "So, this is me" Kara said.
"I remember" Jake teased, causing her cheeks to flush in embarrassment. "I had a good walk tonight" he said. "Better than dressing in a rental suit at a fancy restaurant."
"It wasn't that fancy" Kara pointed out. "But yeah, I had a good time too." She looked at the handsome young man for a moment, admiring his smooth jaw and charming grey eyes with those blue flecks around the edges. When he caught her staring she looked away, muttering "well, goodnight Mr White" before rushing up the steps.
Jake waited for a few seconds, watching her hurry up to her front door before calling out "there was someone else. Once." She stopped by the door to look back, waiting to hear what he had to say. He looked down at the floor nervously, but compelled to explain "when you asked the first time, I should've told you. But it was…difficult for me."
She took her hand off the handle and stepped back down to join him, waiting patiently to listen. "There was someone and we were engaged. She was the one to ask me, ironically on the same day I was going to ask her. We both picked out rings for the other, it was rather embarrassing and incredible and perfect. But it didn't work out for us. She…she passed away a while ago."
Kara's expression turned to shock, then to sadness, then to guilt as he looked down at the engagement ring on his finger. "I still wear it to remember her. Can't bring myself to take it off, not yet. Not even now. It's why I haven't dated anyone since. Not until…" he looked at her, suppressing the grief hidden behind his eyes. Kara felt horrible for the accusations she made now. She hadn't realised, didn't even stop to hear his side. She reached out and took his hand in hers, feeling a need to comfort him. "I don't know what this is between us" he told her. "I don't know if I'll ever take this ring back off. So if this is…what I think it's becoming, you deserve to know the…"
She interrupted him with yet another spontaneous action as she leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. She didn't plan it, didn't expect it and was just as shocked as he was when he pulled away. They stared at each other in disbelief. But before Kara could apologise Jake suddenly did the same and kissed her back. They stood at the foot of the steps with their lips interlocked and arms embracing each other until the kiss ended and they both locked eyes.
"So, um…what does this mean?" Jake asked her.
Kara opened her mouth, but she was at a loss for words. She guessed this meant they were about to find out what this was between them as they found themselves drawn back in to share another kiss in the cold night air.