Chapter Summary: Oliver thinks life is easier for Kara and her shinny world. Kara thinks things are way easier for him since there are no aliens on his Earth. Who's right? See them challenge each other and try to spend a whole day on each other's shoes to find out.
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2. Role Reversal
- Oliver, go to your right! – He heard Felicity's voice on his comm, trying to focus on his task: grab the bastard that was trying to blow the city up.
It was just another Thursday.
Oliver drove his bike focused while above him, on the sky, Supergirl flew.
It was a cool thing, to be able to fly, he thought. It sure made things easier, at least when it came to chase criminals down the street. Constantly, his friends had the habit of forgetting he was just a human, no super powers at all, and it annoyed him. Like, for example, right now, Felicity just made him go straight to a no exit alley, filled with guys with heavy armory, shooting nonstop.
- I'm sorry, it was your left, you could…
- Have taken a shortcut and surprised them from the other side of the street, I know, Felicity! – He said really pissed about her mistake. Lucky for him he had good reflexes and threw himself on the floor, right behind a huge trash can. – Also, I'm not bullet proof!
Supergirl saw Oliver going the wrong way and quickly speed up, landing beside him graciously. She walked towards the guys, bullets bouncing off her. She took their guns in super speed, breaking them in half and throwing it on the floor. Oliver took advantage of the fact that she was distracting them to jump from behind the trash can, attacking two of them at the same time brutally.
- Where is the bomb? – He yelled at one guy, feeling beyond pissed.
- I can't tell you…
- YOU WILL TELL ME OR I WILL BREAK YOUR ARM! WHERE IS THE BOMB? – Oliver said as he beat the crap out of the guy, twisting his arm backwards while he used his free arm to grab the other guys' collar and make him hit his head on the wall.
Kara, with a single punch, knocked the rest of the gang down and looked scared at Oliver.
- I need to do this! – He said while looking at her. – It's the only way he will give me information.
- Maybe there's another way….
- Not in my city!
- Oliver!
They exchanged looks, Oliver biting his tongue. He loved her, yes he did but sometimes her shiny hope that all criminal could cooperate without extreme violence really annoyed him. He tried more than once making her understand things on his Earth were totally different than her shiny and bright Earth, but she could be really stubborn when she wanted to. They were together for a while now and he was used to it, he actually loved her for having this amount of faith in people, because she also had a huge amount of faith in him, but he couldn't think about faith when he had a criminal on his hands that could give him valuable information.
- What do you suggest? – He finally gave in and she smiled at him.
Kara grabbed the guy by his shoulders, looking serious at him.
- Let's try this… You tell us where the bomb is, and we can ask the police to take easy on you… Or you can make this difficult and I can take you to space, where I am sure you'll be convinced to tell us what we want. Your choice…
- This is a joke, right? – The guy told her, laughing at her suggestion.
Kara looked pissed at him, and flew high on the sky with him.
- I'm not joking. I can get you to space and make you talk.
- Oh…Ok… - He looked down at the ground, realizing they were really high on the sky and he was scare to death she would drop him. – Ok, I'll talk! It's in the bathroom of the 6th floor of Palmer Tech. Please let me down.
- Sure!
Kara used her super speed to bring him and his buddies to the SCPD and came back in seconds, tapping her comm.
- Barry, the bomb it's at Palmer Tech, bathroom, 6th floor.
She turned her comm off and smiled at Oliver.
- I told there was another way…
- Kara…
- What? – She arched an eyebrow as she noticed his serious looks at her.
- You have to understand is easier for you to get information without heavy violence, I can't take a criminal to the sky or run in super speed. I can only rely on my body being the weapon, on myself. You don't live here; I can't expect you to solve all my problems…
- Things are not easier for me, Oliver… I fight aliens and creatures from everywhere; sometimes they have powerful stuff that can hurt me, like kryptonite…
- I hate those green rocks, and I'm not telling you I don't understand how serious they are… - He reached for her arms – And I'm the first to tell you not to rely on your powers only, because one day they might fail you, but even when you fight monsters, you can use your heat vision, you can freeze them, you can give them one single punch and knock them out. I can't do that. Things on my city are heavier, darker… I have to do what it takes so criminals give me information I want. They won't talk, they will just shoot me. Again, I'm not bulletproof; I can't take the risk of getting shot. I have to be faster than them and take them out first. I know you don't like extreme violence, but sometimes, I have to…
Kara looked Oliver with a serious look on her face and took her arms away from his hands, crossing them on her chest.
- I know things are darker here, Oliver. But they are humans. You told me you are human, I know that, but they are as well. I don't think torture is the solution because they are human; those things are terrible even for a terrible person. Deep down, they have a choice, to do things right.
- Not everyone thinks like that around here. I have met vicious people that only care about destruction.
- Then give them the chance to pay for it the right way!
- It's not that easy!
- I'm not saying is easy, but it can be done… I faced criminals without my powers once; I could reach them, their humanity.
- National City is not Star City, Kara… - He looked at her, knowing they would get nowhere with their conversation. If only she could see what it was like for him…
Then, an idea came to him. He smiled at her, making Kara look at him confused.
- What now?
- I just know how we can settle this.
- How? Cause I won't change my mind…
- I know. I just want you to have a different perspective… How about you spend a few days on my City, doing what I do, no powers allowed?
Kara looked at him, thinking about what he was proposing her. She arched an eyebrow, smiling back at him.
- Only if you spend the same amount of days on my Earth, doing what I do…
- I would love to, except I don't have powers.
- You will have resources. Believe me – She smiled at him. – You can handle it!
- Kara Zor El, are you challenging me? – He took a few steps closer to her.
- You challenged me first, Oliver Queen!
- 3 days. No powers! – He told her, looking from her eyes to her lips. Suddenly, their argument and her determined posture were turning him on.
- 3 days, you have access to everything the DEO has to offer to compensate the lack of super powers, so it's a fair challenge.
- Deal!
Oliver crashed her lips with his, feeling the need for her. They were in the middle of the street but he couldn't care less. They kissed in such a passionate way, Oliver could only tell she felt the same way he did. He blinked and felt a rush of airs around him, suddenly; they were at the empty bunker. His back was pressed against the mattress he always left on there, just in case, as Kara attacked his mouth. They would start with their challenge in the morning, for now they had unfinished business.
- I don't like arguing with you… But you are so stubborn – She said between kisses as she took his shirt off.
- Same – He smiled, lifting his body a bit, earning a playful bite on his lower lip.
- Shhh! – She told him as she pushed him back on the mattress, laying on top of him and going back to kissing him passionately.
The next day, they gathered at the bunker with Diggle, Felicity and Thea. Oliver explained everything to them, and Felicity looked at him like he was nuts.
- So, you are going to spend 3 days on Supergirl's Earth, trying to deal with things she deals there… Hello, are you insane?
- He can handle it! We have resources… - Kara smiled, looking at him with a knowing look.
- Still… This is crazy…
- And we get to have an alien with us for the same 3 days? Cool! – Thea smiled excited with the idea.
- No powers allowed! Diggle will tell me if she uses them and she will lose!
- Damn it! – Thea said feeling disappointed.
- What's the point in all of this, anyways? – Felicity asked as she looked from Oliver to Kara, trying to understand that nonsense she was hearing.
Kara and Oliver looked at each other. Oliver reached for her hand and she grabbed his with hers, caressing it slightly.
- We decided we need a little bit of each other's perspective…
- And it's a challenge! I never back down from challenges! – Oliver said, looking at his team with a peaceful look, like he was sure he was going to win.
- Me neither! – Kara looked innocently at the team, blushing hard when she thought about the night she had with Oliver and all challenges they made to each other.
She was definitely the winner of that, and she would win this one as well.
- By the way, the loser has to do anything the other wants… - Kara looked quickly at Oliver with a mischievous smile on her lips.
- Fine by me!
- This is going to be interesting… - Thea looked from her brother to Kara, finding it all really funny. She was glad Oliver was with Kara, she made him way more fun and chill out than he ever was before. He actually smiled way more as well.
Kara brought Oliver to her Earth with her device, so she could let them know Oliver was going to help them for 3 days. J'onn looked at Kara, feeling unsure about it.
- Are you sure about this? This world needs Supergirl!
- I know. And I trust Oliver. – She looked at him – All teasing and challenge outside, I would never agree to this if I didn't know Oliver. I saw what he can do in his Earth…
- But things here are not easy! – Alex said with a worried look in her face.
- Exactly my point! – Kara smiled at Oliver and looked at her sister – But he can handle this.
- We just need some perspective in our relationship. Kara needs to understand how it's like to have to fight criminals on my city without abilities.
- And Oliver needs to understand that things are not easier for me just because I have my powers and that he deals with humans, while we constantly fight crazy aliens' hell bent on destruction.
- Ok we got it! – J'onn – Since Oliver is a vigilante, we will give him resources to help us. And I will personally help in any case things get out of hand.
- Thank you for understanding – Kara smiled, hugging J'onn, feeling him hugging her back. – Now I got to go, I have a dark city to take care off.
- Are you going to turn your powers off somehow? – Alex looked worried at Kara.
- No. I will just not use them – Kara told her.
- I would never put Kara at risk, being vulnerable on my city.
- I could totally handle it, by the way…
- I wouldn't risk it anyways! – Oliver looked at her, kissing her forehead.
- These two will end up married, I'm telling you. They already argue as a married couple! – Alex looked at J'onn, with no patience at all. She loved her sister and that she was happy, but sometimes she felt like locking her and Oliver inside a room until they stopped being cutely annoying.
Kara went back to Star City using her device and Oliver stayed at the DEO, looking excited to star already.
STAR CITY
- Ok, so how do we do this? – Kara said, looking excited at Felicity, Diggle and Thea.
Felicity had just discovered a psychotic cop-killer called David Drayson. The lunatic wore a red fabric mask that covered half his face and a black deep V-neck suit. He wore a belt with an S and Kara looked at his picture on the computer, feeling a bit weird about that guy.
- He calls himself Slingshot and really hates cops. He's been killing them and terrifying all Star City. We need to stop him! – Felicity explained them while she looked at his picture on the screen – He's really dangerous, and knows how to fight.
- He hasn't met me! – Kara crossed her arms feeling confident.
- Don't forget you can't use your powers! – Diggle smiled at her.
- I know. But I'm invincible. He can't hurt me!
- That's our greatest luck! – Thea put one of her hands on her shoulder – But to take him down we'll have to do it the old fashioned way.
- Kicking his ass! – Diggle completed as they all suited up.
Kara stood there, looking at everyone, unsure of what to do next.
- Hum… I usually fly towards the bad guys…
- You can go with Thea on Oliver's bike, or with me in the van. – Diggle said as he grabbed his gun.
- I choose the van… - Kara smiled as she followed Diggle.
Back on her Earth, Kara had always in her mind how important being fast was, to get to criminals on time before anything bad happened. She usually got to fly around the city in super speed and stop bad guys right on time, avoiding any huge crisis. Now she realized how it really was for Oliver, to drive to wherever he had to go and risk miss the bad guys or go to the wrong place, or arrive too late.
- Can we go…faster? – She asked innocently as she looked at Diggle driving.
- We are as fast as we can go, Supergirl.
- Ok.
The van was indeed fast, but Kara still thought it wasn't enough. She missed flying. Once they got to the place the lunatic was supposed to be, they got out of the van, looking around cautiously.
- I know you are bulletproof, but be careful. – Diggle said as he watched Thea arriving on Oliver's bike.
She jumped from it after parking on the street and grabbed her red and black bow, ready to fight. Kara walked alongside with them as she looked around, alert. It sucked that she couldn't use her X-ray vision to see if there weren't any surprises for them there; it could save them so much time. She thought about all the times Oliver had to do this, sometimes going blind into situations and risking his life. She got so used to her powers; she forgot that for him was not that easy. Even if she was dealing with humans, it was nerve wrecking to not be sure of what was going to happen and who was there.
Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows. It was the cop-killer and he was more terrifying in person, for sure. Thea tried to shoot a few arrows on him, but he avoided all of them, his techniques were incredible. He managed to kick Diggle's gun out of his hand and was ready to stab him with a knife when Kara ran as fast as she could in regular speed and stood up in front of Diggle. The knife broke in half and the guy looked at her a bit frightened.
- What are you?
- The girl of steel! – She said as she gave him a right hook on his chin, making him fall down disorientated. She smiled and looked at Diggle – It's a fair fight! I just can't stop my strength.
- That's ok, thank you!
Kara was distracted and couldn't stop Slingshot from grabbing her ankles and making her rotate on air and fall to the ground. She rolled on the floor and stood up quickly.
- That's one persistent guy!
Thea, Diggle and Kara surrounded Slingshot, having turns on hitting him and getting hit by him. After a while, Kara was feeling ok but one look at Thea and Diggle told her they were beaten pretty bad and exhausted. This guy was a nightmare and was giving them nightmares. She wasn't going to let them be at risk because of a bet she made with Oliver. She looked at them and nodded with her head.
- I'm sorry guys, I have to do this! – She said as she used her fist to punch his cheek strongly enough to knock him down but not enough to kill him.
She looked at Thea and Diggle, both exhausted, hurt, bleeding. There was no way any one of them would drive now. She looked around and could understand one more thing about Oliver's life. There was no other way for him. After a huge fight, he had to manage to go home, or sometimes to his bunker to take care of his bruises since he couldn't go to the hospital without people discovering who he really was. He needed to find strength to drive home, or walk home somehow and also try not to hit anything or kill anyone by accident along the way. She held both of them with her arms and took flight back to the arrow bunker. She could get the van and Oliver's bike later.
Once back in the bunker, Kara called for Felicity's help. Felicity ran towards her and helped Thea while Kara held Diggle.
- You're going to be ok, Dig – She smiled at him while trying to help Felicity taking care of their bruises.
NATIONAL CITY
- Do you see what I see? – Oliver asked J'onn as he stared at that strange orange woman with orange hair and green eyes.
- Yes, she is a Tamaranean creature from an organization called Crucible Academy.
- Diggle would love this place…
Oliver thought about that world that was Earth 38. For sure, he visited Kara a lot and was used to see an alien or two out there, but suddenly he realized this was their reality: beings from all the galaxy, from all places could just show up on Earth and try to take them. This orange woman, for what J'onn have told him, had energy projection abilities so they had to be careful to no be fooled by her, and could fly, which made things difficult for Oliver. They had taken an alien with similar abilities than Supergirl, so even if it was her taking down the beast, she would have some trouble, having found someone that matched all her powers.
They were near the City Hall where the alien was attacking civilians, and even with all DEO structure and help, it was hard as hell for Oliver to fight that.
- Her name is Rendll and that's all I could find about her! – Winn told him on the comm, from the DEO operations room.
- She is also from a strange place I've never heard of.
- The galaxy on this Earth's full with different creatures that seek refuge on this Earth, but sadly, half of them are not good creatures. They seek to conquer and dominate humans. – J'onn said as he used his powers to try to take her down, still having some difficulty. – But we still try to reach them or bring them to justice the right way.
- I see now – Oliver looked at J'onn, surprised to see that he was taking a hard time, even in his Martian form, to take down that alien.
It took 15 more minutes for them to be able to knock the alien down and bring her to the DEO. Oliver helped with the fight, but mostly watched firsthand how it was for super powered people to face other super powered people. Sometimes it could be easy, sometimes it could be hard because their opponents matched their abilities. It was really hard to tell what was going to happen in a fight on that world. And how Supergirl managed to win her every single fight, even facing a few hardships along the way was impressive. Alex showed Oliver some files from when Kara took her toughest enemies: Rhea, Non, Indigo, and Reign. The last one, made Oliver think about that entire crazy world and how much danger Kara had to face, almost dying even with all her powers.
- On your Earth, she is invulnerable, she can face anything, but around here there are great dangers for her.
- I know it, I never doubted it…
- I know it feels like Kara can take anything, I have this faith on her and I'm glad to see you also have. But we face pretty bad people that made me scare for her life. This made us realize we couldn't take anything for granted. – Alex said as she turned off the computer. – I think is great you had this idea of getting to feel what it's like for you to be on each other shoes, it gives a perspective many can't find.
Alex smiled at Oliver leaving him alone in the room. He looked around and felt like he had for sure, a new perspective of how it was like for Kara. There were scary beings on her world, the kind of beings that could give anyone nightmares, from all around the galaxy. Even so, she found compassion inside her, to give them the right of be judged by the right way. They locked the most dangerous in special cells inside the DEO, a few of them was sent to a place called the Phantom Zone and human criminal were sent to jail, sometimes highly secured prison. For sure, punches, fighting were inevitable, but he could use this on his favor instead of torturing people, he could see it worked on his short time in National City.
The last day came for both of them, and Oliver couldn't be happier. A breach opened in the middle of the operations room of the DEO and Oliver felt ten times better when he saw Supergirl's figure coming out of it. She ran to his arms, hugging him tight.
- Ouch! – Oliver felt the pain as it felt like Kara was smashing his bones.
- I'm sorry… - She said, kissing his cheek gently and blushing – I got way too excited to see you.
- I'm the one who's sorry. – Oliver said as he reached for her arms – I understand now how it's like to you… Having super powers not always gives someone the upper hand, especially if they are facing someone equally powerful. But babe, what you do here is incredible… - Oliver reached for her cheeks, caressing it as he brought his lips closer to hers, giving them a small peck. – Alex showed me your worst battles. It's amazing what you accomplished…
- I gotta tell you, how do you manage to do what you do as a human? – She looked at him surprised – I would never be able to do it if I lose my powers again…
- Something tells me you would…
- I confess I might have lost. Diggle and Thea were hurt and I was too nervous to drive… I flew them to the bunker and Felicity helped me taking care of them.
- I also lost. I gave up trying to face an orange woman even with all the help DEO gave me. J'onn took care of her…
- I think it's safe to say we both learned something from all of this, so I guess we are both winners – She smiled at him, hugging him once more. – But… You owe me something!
- You also owe me something… Bring it! – Oliver laughed and looked at her in a challenging way.
Later that night, Team Arrow, team Flash, Winn, J'onn, Alex and Kara were at a bar in Earth 1, Central City. They all were sat around a huge table, drinking and laughing.
- Thank you Kara, I don't think we could ever see something like this if it wasn't for you… - Diggle said as he looked at the stage of the bar.
Oliver Queen was up there, looking at some screen with a mic in his hand and feeling really pissed. He had to do it, it was what they agreed, but he hated anyways.
- You'll pay for this, Kara Danvers! – He said, looking at Kara with a knowing look
- I can't wait for it! – She laughed – But for now… SING!
Kara laughed, filming the whole scene with her cellphone as Oliver started singing, totally against his will, the song that started playing on the karaoke.
- GO OLLIE! – Barry yelled, laughing so hard he almost fell from his chair.
- I hate you, guys! – He murmured when he finished, going to sit beside Kara.
- Oh, I love you! – Kara said, still laughing as she gave Oliver a kiss.
- You just wait… - He murmured in a low voice to her, kissing her back.
He was going to have fun with his payback, that's for sure.
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NOTES:
Spoiler alert:
Two times Oliver almost proposed and the one time he did!