237. Chapter 237

Maggie called Cat Grant when Livewire was on the loose, because her girlfriend’s kid sister needed her then. And she’s calling Cat Grant again now, because Kara needs her now.

She hadn’t expected the Queen of All Media to save her number, but Cat picks up on the first ring and addresses Maggie by name.

“Detective Sawyer, tell me she’s fine and that you’re simply wasting my very precious time for the sake of a social call.”

Her voice is clipped and just on this side of professional, but Maggie easily detects the concern underneath it.

“She’s fine, Ms. Grant, she’s fine.”

She hears Cat sigh and she bites her lip. “Then what, pray tell, are you calling me for?”

“She’s fine, Ms. Grant, but she… she needs you.”

She doesn’t specify who: Kara or Supergirl. She knows she doesn’t need to.

There’s a long pause, and Maggie is about to ask if she’s still there.

“What happened?” Cat asks before she can, and her voice is thick.

“Best for her to tell you details, but the short of it, Alex’s father came back from the dead only to sort of… well, betray everyone. And she’s in this new relationship that she thinks is going to make her feel at least something, and – “

“I’m getting the next flight out. Thank you, Detective Sawyer.”

Maggie expects that to be it, but Cat’s still on the line. A brief pause. Then:

“Alex. Kara’s sister. Your girlfriend, correct? Is she alright? She… from my experiences with her, she’s a brave woman. And Kara idolizes her. You’re taking good care of her, too, I trust?”

Maggie smiles softly. “I’m doing my best with both Danvers girls, ma’am, but I think Kara could use a more familiar face than mine.”

“Well, as I said, I’ll arrange for a sitter for Carter and be on the next flight out. Thank you, Detective. For taking care of those girls. Don’t forget to be good to yourself, too.”

This time, the line does disconnect before Maggie can say any more.

But she smiles, because Cat Grant is on her way to Kara.

She makes sure Alex knows to keep Mon-El away from Kara’s apartment that night. J’onn invents work for him, gladly.

They don’t need a body to be dropped in Kara’s apartment by one Cat Grant.

The paperwork alone would be more trouble than it’d be worth.

The sharp rap on the door makes Kara think of Maggie, so she doesn’t bother checking with her x-ray vision, doesn’t even bother untangling from her blankets or putting down her pint of mint chocolate chip.

“It’s open,” she calls heartlessly, wondering if Maggie is looking for Alex or if she’s looking for another round of speed stacking to take Kara’s mind off things.

“Well, Keira, I have to say, I expected your apartment to be an explosion of millennial mess and absurd color, but I have to admit, it has a certain charm to it.”

The ice cream scatters and Kara falls ungracefully off the couch in a tangled mess of blankets with a series of loud shrieks.

If Cat is at all surprised, she hides it well, but the sparkle in her eyes and the smile tugging at her lips give her away the moment before she springs into action.

“Are you alright?” she rushes forward, just in time for Kara to unravel herself from the blanket and spring to her feet.

She has to remind herself strongly of earth physics as, pretenses and professionalism be damned, she wraps Cat it a full-bodied hug.

“Ms. Grant,” she breathes over her shoulder, and Cat freezes for only a moment before fully returning the embrace, fingers grasping for dear life onto the back of Kara’s shirt.

Cat is the first to pull back, and she wonders if her own tears are reflected in Kara’s blue eyes. She wonders how she ever forgot quite how crystalline they are.

“I hear you’re having a rough time, Kiera, and if the pint of – is that mint chocolate chip? – is any indication, my source is quite correct – “

“Snapper’s been calling you about me? But he’s been liking my work, he – “

Cat is tsking, now, and moving around the living room, collecting the ice cream and spoon and blanket, rearranging everything into its former semi-order.

“Not Snapper, dear. Your sister’s girlfriend. Seems to think you would benefit from my presence.”

Kara stiffens and her eyes widen and Cat remembers how much she’s missed watching Kara adjust her glasses like this. “Ms. Grant, you didn’t need to come all this way, I – “

“Oh nonsense, Keira. What have I told you? You need to learn, competent and efficient and brilliant as you are, when to ask for help. You’re entitled to do so, you know. And you’re entitled to receive it.”

Tears swim in Kara’s steady eyes, and she’s forgotten how to form words.

Ms. Grant, back in National City. Ms. Grant, in her apartment. Ms. Grant, seeing her be a complete and utter wreck.

“Ms. Grant, really, I – “ She tries to object, just once more, but she can’t even get that far. Because her voice cracks and her knees give out and she collapses back onto the couch, hugging herself because she’s completely lost sense of what is real.

“Oh, Kara,” Cat breathes, and the sound of her name on Cat’s lips works its way into her skin, through her muscles, into her bones, into her bloodstream. Into her heart.

“I’m here, Kara. I’m here.”

“Thank you,” Kara chokes, and Cat just nods, sitting softly and putting a hesitant hand on Kara’s knee. Kara takes it immediately, and a soft smile flits over Cat’s face.

They don’t talk about Jeremiah, and they don’t talk about Mon-El.

They talk about CatCo and they talk about Carter and Cat’s mother and Alex and Maggie and Kara cries without words and Cat comforts without words and Kara sits up straighter and cries less and less throughout the night.

Cat even shares a spoonful of her ice cream, and it’s this, more than anything, that makes Kara smile. That makes Kara feel so, so loved.

To make Kara remember what it was like when her life was like this.

To make her realize what she has to do to get back to that.

She makes a note to thank Maggie in the morning, but for now, sitting on her couch with Cat Grant and laughing about Snapper, she doesn’t want the morning to come. Not just yet.