543. Chapter 543
She’s not listening for anything in particular.
Whenever James or Winn ask her what it is that she strains her ears for while she flies above the city, she just shrugs. She doesn’t know how to explain it beyond, “I’ll know it when I hear it.”
Sometimes, it’s the sound of breaks screeching or a gun being cocked or a child calling up a tree for a snake named Fluffy that seems to enjoy heights.
Today, it’s a low, whimpering kind of whine emanating from an alleyway.
And just like she tells James and Winn, she knows it when she hears it.
She puts on a burst of speed and soars down at a pace Barry Allen would be impressed by.
“Hey little buddy,” she says immediately on landing.
On landing and finding a husky with matted fur and sad eyes, whining and whimpering and alternately licking one of their front paws and squeaking and rubbing it against the ground.
“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” she says, not moving as the pup notices her and tries to back away. “I’m not going to hurt you. But I see something did.”
“Supergirl,” Alex’s voice rings out in her ear. “Our telemetry from your suit says you put on a lot of speed there: did something happen? You okay?”
Kara just smiles, more to herself than to the puppy.
“You see? My sister’s a great doctor. She can help you with that paw of yours.”
“Kara?” Alex’s voice sounds more confused than efficient now, and Kara changes the tone of her voice to respond, but only slightly, not wanting to further frighten the dog.
“Alex, I’m fine, but I found a puppy in an alleyway on Third between Hudson and Main. Can you meet me here? I think something’s wrong with the little buddy’s paw.”
She feels more than hears Alex’s smile, the shake of her head that of course her superhero sister is a superhero for dogs, too.
“I’ll be right there,” she tells her, no hesitation, no “I’m a doctor, not a vet,” because Alex hides it better than Kara does, but her heart, more than anything, has always been her guide.
“See little friend? Help’s on the way.” Kara crouches even lower than she’d already been and slowly, slowly, extends a hand toward the pup. They watch her with cautious eyes, and she waits.
Waits for the pup to come to her, instead of the other way around, because touch is intimate, and so is trust.
The pup whimpers in acceptance, then, and shuffles forward, hurt paw bent inward, protectively, to bring their head to meet Kara’s hand. Kara smiles and slowly caresses their fur.
“Oh, you do like touch, huh? Is that a good spot?”
As though in response, the pup closes their eyes, like the pain, for a moment, has been forgotten.
They scamper when they hear a van pulling up outside the alleyway a few minutes later, but Kara soothes them, and Alex approaches slowly, slowly, cautiously, a soft smile on her face.
She’s carrying her med kit in one hand and a dog treat in the other.
Kara doesn’t ask where she got the latter so quickly, but she smiles when Alex, too, crouches a few feet away from the pup and from her sister, offering the treat as peace, as trust, as intimacy.
The pup calms, stills, and shuffles closer to Alex to accept the treat, scarfing it up like they haven’t eaten in far too long. Alex’s eyes water for a moment as their tongue searches her hand for more.
She reaches slowly behind her, into her backpack, and pulls out an entire bag of treats.
“Keep giving them treats while I look at their paw, okay?” she tells her sister softly, and Kara happily obliges.
“Hey there. Listen, I know you’re scared, and I know you’re feeling alone. I know your paw hurts. But you’ve got Supergirl with you. And I promise if you let me look at your paw, I can help. What do you think, buddy?” Alex asks, softly, so softly that Kara is surprised until she remembers that her sister wants to start a four-legged family with Maggie.
An idea forms in her mind – the pup has no collar – but she says nothing, for now, as Alex reaches out softly, waiting for permission to soothe their head, pet their matted fur, before examining their hurting paw. They sigh into Alex’s touch, and Alex clicks her tongue in dismay at the state of their coat.
“I’m sorry you’ve been out here all alone, buddy,” she murmurs as she gloves her hand and brings it slowly down to their paw.
The pup whimpers and starts to squirm away, but calms at both sisters’ soothing and Kara’s offer of treats.
“What’s wrong?” Kara asks Alex, and Alex hisses softly.
“Looks like a pretty infected bug bite. Allergies and all that. I should be able to…” She rummages around in her med kit for a cream she’d synthesized just for this purpose, for damage done in the field.
“Hey buddy, this is going to feel cool on your paw, okay? But then it’ll feel better, I promise. I – see? – there, that feels better already, doesn’t it?”
“You’re gonna make a great dog mama, Danvers,” a soft voice from behind them makes all three of them jump softly, but Alex and Kara relax when Maggie steps quietly into the alleyway.
“Maggie, how did you – “
“Winn told me Kara called you in, and I wanted to see if I can help. I heard we had a little hurt pup on our hands. Hey, cutie!” she crouches down, head tilted and dimples on full display.
Her hand finds the small of Alex’s back automatically, and Kara looks away from that deep, casual intimacy.
“The pup doesn’t have a collar, you know. Looks like they’ve been out on their own for a while. My professional opinion as Supergirl? They need a loving home.”
Kara gives their head one last affectionate rub and passes the bag of treats off to Maggie.
“You’re in good hands, little one. I’ll be seeing you soon.”
She winks at the pup like they have their own inside understanding, and Alex and Maggie just splutter and stammer and blush and fight down tears.
“Can we name you Gertrude?” Alex chokes out when she finally remembers how to speak.
Maggie laughs wetly and offers her hand out for the pup to sniff, to welcome. They do, and she lets a tear spill off her face.
“They seem to like it. Told you it’s not a bad name,” Alex beams thickly. “So can we? Name them Gertrude? Our first dog?”
Another tear drops from Maggie’s face as Gertrude snuggles closer into her hand.
“Yeah, Danvers. We can name them whatever you two want.”