Chapter 12 - Willful Woman

"Kara, enough is enough. Let me in," Cat said, standing outside an opaque door, seeing Kara's shadowy form seated in what she guessed was a prayer room.

After a moment without a response, Cat sighed, not above resorting to a little manipulation. "You are not being a very good hostess, neglecting your guest."

That got a response. Kara slowly stood from her seated position and went to the door, opening it. "I apologize. Do you need something?"

"For you to stop brooding and talk with me," she said, gaining an irritated look. "Is there someplace to sit comfortably? My feet are killing me," she added, glancing down at her stylish Louboutins. "Unfortunately, your little robot friend couldn't fix that problem either," she groused.

Kara looked at her feet curiously, noting the painful-looking footwear. "I am not surprised, if you insist on wearing those," she said with a slight grimace. Cat glared at her.

"Please," Kara said, politely motioned for Cat across the corridor to another door, which opened to a room that contained two couches, both large enough to seat several people. On the wall was a control panel which Kara tapped, causing the lighting to increase.

"So all this . . . ," Cat asked curiously, motioning around vaguely, "is familiar to you?"

"Yes," Kara said, offering no more. Cat nearly growled at Kara continued reticence.

Kara politely motioned for Cat to sit across from her but Cat rolled her eyes and instead, sat next to Kara, their shoulders nearly touching.

"You are a willful woman, Catherine Grant," Kara said bluntly, though found comfort in Cat's presence.

"Well, you don't get to be the CEO of a media empire without being willful," Cat said, with a hint of pride.

"Empire?"

"Well, a collection of several media platforms," Cat explained. "I provide information to the public through a magazine, newspaper, website, television station, radio station and, of course, the ubiquitous social media. Hence, the Empire," she said, her pride evident.

"Information is a critical resource. You have a noble profession," Kara noted approvingly.

Cat laughed derisively. "Well, not if you listen to my mother. She still thinks I deal with gossip. To her, I would have to be a published novelist to have a serious profession. The fact that I did write best-selling books? Or built a successful media company? Didn't count," she responded tersely, clearly bothered.

"Then I will not listen to your mother," Kara declared with a small smile, though saddened Catherine did not have the support of her mother.

"You just can't help yourself, can you?" Cat shook her head.

"What do you mean?"

"Here I am, trying to comfort you, and you end up comforting me," Cat said, looking at her in amazement.

Kara smiled. "Someone recently told me I was not a very good hostess, so I am merely trying to improve," she said dryly.

Cat chuckled softly. "Well, other than a memory problem, your mind seems to be as sharp as ever," she observed. "How are you feeling?" She asked gently.

Kara sighed. "I still feel . . . overwhelmed. I do not think I will ever find peace, knowing I did not raise him, as was my duty."

Kara glanced to Cat, who sighed and remained silent, studying her a long moment.

"What?" Kara asked, uncomfortable with the scrutiny.

"I'm just trying to imagine what your parents were expecting to happen. Do 13-year-old Kryptonians normally raise babies on unfamiliar alien planets?"

"Of course not."

Cat kept looking at her silently, compelling Kara to explain.

"It was not a normal situation," Kara added a bit defensively.

"Oh. So you don't blame them for giving you a duty that normally no adult would ever give a child . . . because it was out of their control?"

"Yes!" Kara said emphatically.

"Hmm. You don't blame them because it was out of their control," Cat repeated her distilled understanding with a thoughtful nod.

Kara looked at her a moment, then sighed. "It is far easier to forgive others," she admitted quietly.

"I know you will always feel some regret and guilt. But in the end, were the goals of your and Kal-El's parents achieved? That he make a good home here?"

"I never taught him about his heritage," she said, stubbornly clinging to her guilt.

"It's still not too late for you to do that, Kara," Cat said sincerely, taking her hand and squeezing. "Better late than never," she added with a small smile and shrug.

Kara sat a thoughtful moment, then took a deep breath and looked into Cat's eyes. "Better late than never," she repeated that truth. "Rao has truly blessed me with your friendship. How did we meet, Catherine?" Kara asked curiously, wanting to learn more about her steadfast friend.

Cat almost told her to call her Cat, but for some reason, she didn't mind Kara using her full name.

"You came for a job interview with me, about three years ago. And, of course, you got the job," Cat said.

"What job did I get?"

"You were my assistant. For three years, you made my life easier. It started with answering phones and handling my schedule and some other small tasks. Then, you took it upon yourself to expand your job duties, well beyond assistant, to screening work products and offering advice, which amazingly everyone accepted. Though, actually, it wasn't that amazing - you made their work much better and helped them keep their jobs."

Kara frowned, surprising Cat. "What's wrong?" Cat asked worriedly. "Are you disappointed you came here to Earth just to become someone's assistant?"

"Oh, no," Kara said. "It is an honor to assist others in worthwhile endeavors and important to gain valuable experience. But it will be difficult to resume my duties without my memories," she admitted with concern.

"You don't have to worry about that. We'll figure something out," Cat said warmly. "Just know that you are a friend," she offered with a smile, then added in jest "to the House of Grant."

Kara's eyes widened. "You honor me."

Cat immediately felt bad, never meaning to trivialize what was important to Kara.

"Kara, I shouldn't joke about having a Kryptonian House," she said uncomfortably, making Kara smile at her thoughtfulness. "But the sentiment is the same. If you need something within my ability to provide, I will provide it. And if I can't, I'll find someone who can," Cat vowed, then felt self-conscious at her unexpectedly bold declaration that had Kara looking at her, riveted.

"Besides," Cat plowed ahead. "It's the least I could do. After all, you did save my life a few times, not to mention all of humanity. Though, to be honest, not all of humanity deserved to be saved," she groused.

"Catherine, I take no offense. And I recognized the sincerity within your humor, which I find amusing . . . usually," Kara added with mischief in her eyes, causing Cat's brow to rise. "But you said I saved all of humanity. I can not begin to comprehend how that is even possible. I am just one person."

"An extraordinary one," Cat immediately countered, getting a perplexed look from Kara, who was no closer to understanding. "The threat was called Myriad. I will tell you everything I know. But my knowledge is unfortunately limited . . . for now," she admitted.

SGSG

Several silent moments after relaying what she knew, Cat noted the hard look still on Kara's face — the look that had formed while silently sitting through her disturbing report on Myriad.

"Kara," she sighed. "They chose their path."

"And in doing so, brought dishonor to our people and my house with their arrogance," Kara practically growled, her anger palpable. Without thought, Cat reached out and caressed her arm. The touch calmed Kara, prompting a heavy exhale.

"Unfortunately, Kryptonian arrogance is not uncommon," Kara offered. "It brought about the destruction of our planet. I loved my Aunt dearly, she made time for me and taught me so many things. But my mother said I should not listen to her preaching about the end of our planet, that she was misguided and her beliefs were dangerous. It seems both my mother and Astra were right . . . and wrong," she said tersely, falling silent.

"Your hurt and anger are understandable," Cat said softly.

Kara sighed heavily and shook her head. "Non's actions were . . . incomprehensible."

"Well, sadly, many human actions are incomprehensible," Cat countered. "Like the attack on you after you saved us."

"If they consider me as dangerous as Non, it is not surprising," Kara said dejectedly.

Cat wanted to argue, but Kara was right. Fear drove people do stupid things. And when Kara's mind was altered, the public, including the woman who named her, began to fear what she was and what she could do, Cat considered sadly, then recalled what was in her pocket. She dug out the flash drive and offered it to Kara, asking, "Can you view the video from this?"

"Probably," Kara and shrugged, then called out. "Kelex?"

When the attendant floated into the room, it asked, "How may I assist you, Lady Kara?"

"Can you play the files on this device?" Kara asked, handing over the flash drive.

"Affirmative. Do you wish to view the files now?" Kelex asked.

"Is there there one we should play first?" Kara asked Cat, who nodded.

"Video file, ISS.m7v."

"Play that file, Kelex," Kara said, motioning to the wall.

A screen of light materialized on the selected wall and the video started. The sharp video quality impressed Cat. As they watched, Kara tilted her head in disbelief, studying the image of herself pushing Fort Rozz. "Rao! I can fly, like my cousin?"

"Yes. You have several remarkable powers, including flying."

"I am not sure I truly believe he flies, even after having witnessed it," Kara admitted with amazement. "My mother told me the yellow sun would give us great powers, but I could never have imagined I would be able to fly," she said with wonder, then suddenly stood and looked at her feet with great concentration . . . then consternation, when she didn't levitate.

"Kara, darling, I think your powers are still out," Cat offered with an amused smile. "Though, if you get them back before your memories, you may have difficulty adjusting to them," Cat gently warned.

"What other powers did I have?" Kara asked, sitting back down as the video continued to play, unwatched, as she looked at Cat curiously.

"Let's see," Cat said, recalling what she knew of her hero. "Heat vision, x-ray vision, freeze breath, super strength, obviously," she said, motioning to the video projection, drawing their attention to the screen showing Kara releasing the ship and floating away. Cat frowned.

"You were so calm." Cat said uncomfortably, glancing to the disturbing image then looking at Kara, puzzled. "How could you possibly be so calm?"

"How could I not?" Kara responded simply. "I would have found peace in knowing I helped Earth and would be joining my family in Rao's light," she smiled.

"Your God, Rao, is very important to you," Cat said with fascination, not particularly religious herself. Well, unless she was threatened by maniacal, super-powered ex-employees, reentering Earth's atmosphere in a tiny spaceship, or dining with her mother.

"Very much so. He is a part of us. We thrive in his light. Our sun was also called Rao," Kara said, then sighed thoughtfully. "I will not see his light again, until I depart this mortal realm and join him."

"Something I hope you do not do, for a very, very long time," Cat said softly, taking Kara's hand.

Kara gazed upon her with devotion.

Cat cleared her throat, feeling decidedly warm. "Kelex, please forward the video one hour and 55 minutes," she commanded, unwilling to endure anymore of seeing Kara floating in space . . . alone.

"Yes, Lady Catherine," Kelex responded and forwarded the video.

Cat, surprised by the title, looked at Kara questioningly with a raised eyebrow.

Kara grinned and shrugged. "You are the head of the House of Grant, are you not?"

"Hmmm," she responded, not hating the title. She was about to question Kara how she managed to inform her robot of her new designation without her knowledge, but Kara spoke.

"Is that my pod?" Kara asked with surprise, seeing the silver craft appear.

"Yes. Your sister," Cat said, startling Kara, "your human sister is flying it," she quickly amended. "She brought you back. She saved your life," Cat stressed.

"I . . . have a human family?" Kara said in amazement.

"You do. The Danvers. A good family that took you in and loved you," Cat was pleased to report. "You are especially close with your sister Alex. Unfortunately, she is ridiculously over-protective of you and feels responsible for the injuries you received floating in space," she said disapprovingly.

"Why?" Kara asked, baffled by the thought.

"She felt she should have been able to get to you sooner than the two hours it took to learn how to pilot your spaceship and retrieve you."

Kara shook her head. "A human managed to override Kryptonian pod interlocks and learn how to fly it . . . within two Earth-hours?" She asked incredulously.

Cat shook her head in amazement and chuckled softly. "Well, when it comes to you? She is very determined."

"Tell me more."

Cat smiled.