DISCLAIMER: Supergirl is an American superhero fiction action-adventure drama television series developed by Ali Adler, Greg Berlanti and Andrew Kreisberg, that aired on CBS and sister network, The CW. It is based on the DC Comics character Supergirl (Kara Zor-El), created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino. No profit or infringement is intended with this fanfiction.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: written for Supercatslam with the theme for Sept 2016: Fall
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
FEEDBACK: To Geekgrrl.lurking[at]gmail.com
Playing With Fire
By Geekgrrl
"MIRIAM! WHERE ARE THOSE LAYOUTS?"
Cat Grant's voice echoed through the CatCo halls and even without her super hearing Kara Danvers knew her boss was pissed.
Marion, a.k.a. MIRIAM!!, was the latest in a long line of assistants hired since Kara's promotion. None of them had come even close to the high bar she had set as Ms. Grant's assistant.
Cat. Ugh, she had done it again. Kara pushed her glasses higher on her nose and mentally chastised herself for forgetting their new agreement. If she was calling her Kara then Ms. Grant wanted to be called Cat.
Closing her office door for the day with a soft click, smiling still at seeing her name on the door, Kara by passed the staff exodus happening at the elevators and instead made her way to Cat's office to see what was going on. With any luck it would be a pre-emptive strike on a late Friday afternoon firing.
"MIRIAM?" Cat's voice bounced off the hard surfaces in the staff bullpen just outside her glassed in office. "Where did that woman get to now?"
"Anything I can help with?" Kara entered the familiar glassed in office. God she missed her old desk, even though the privacy of her new one was certainly appreciated.
"Kara, thank God." Cat glanced up from her perch on the white leather couch, multiple page spreads fanned out around her. "Miriam has disappeared and I need the layouts from the third floor ASAP."
Kara glanced at her watch. It was 5:35 p.m. on a Friday afternoon. No wonder the new assistant was nowhere to be found.
"It's Marion, and I think she may have already left for the day. It is after 5 o'clock." Kara said logically, offering a half smile to Cat's rolling eyes. "I'll just go down and grab those layouts for you."
"Oh my God," Cat's eyes suddenly widened. "Did you say it was after five?" Cat stood and went over to her laptop, clicking on several keys before swearing under her breath. "She was supposed to remind me at 3 p.m. about the rental."
"Rental?" Kara moved closer. She wasn't privy to Cat's schedule any more, or at least to the same degree that she had been, and a pang of loss twinged in her gut. A downside to her promotion, there were actually many things she missed about her old position.
"I'm never going to get there in time." Cat threw her dark rimmed glasses down onto her desktop and flopped into her leather chair with an exasperated sigh. "Dammit."
Kara's eyebrows rose at the tone of voice, just as her cell phone chimed. She pulled the offending device from her pocket, glancing at the text message from Alex. Cancelling their after work plans for this mysterious Maggie woman. Again. Kara thumbed a quick 'K' and hit send, knowing that there was a discussion between them coming soon, but tonight was not the time.
"Am I keeping you too, Kara?" Cat watched her warily. Kara noticed the tightness around the older woman's eyes, the stillness as she waited for her answer. As if the answer was vitally important to her.
"No, I'm yours for as long as you need me." Kara said softly, knowing it had been the perfect response to whatever was troubling Ms. Grant – Cat. "What's the issue, maybe I can help."
"Carter is camping with his class, part of some bonding with nature and each other drivel his new school does every fall. Anyway at the parent teacher night they were looking for parent volunteers and I for some idiotic reason decided to make dinner and deliver it to the teachers and volunteers running the camping trip." Cat sighed, knowing it mostly had to do with getting away from the overly cloying principal hitting on her.
"So it was a good way for you to check in on Carter, to see if he was dealing with things. And make a good impression with his teachers." Kara smiled knowingly at Cat's apparent motivations, as the older woman glared at her before leaning forward and picking up her cell phone.
"Yes, well, that was part of it," Cat scrolled through her texts, finding one that caught her eye almost immediately. "Good, the rental company delivered an Escalade and it's downstairs. Security at least is doing it's job today."
Kara stepped back as Cat snapped her laptop closed and unplugged it, before grabbing her soft brown leather blazer jacket from the back of her chair.
"Chop, chop, Kara. There's no time to waste. I've got the food in the executive kitchen fridge and we can stop on the third floor for those layouts I need. Then you can drive while I finish this up in the SUV and email the final layouts enroute to the campsite."
"D-drive?" Kara's eyes widened as she scampered after her quickly moving boss, headed for the private elevator. She was suddenly very glad that Lucy made her take a defensive driving course for the DEO. Compared to that, this would be a piece of cake. "Of course, Ms. Grant…er…Cat."
Cat smiled as the elevator door opened with a cheery ding. The night was definitely looking up.
The drive north out of National City was uneventful as Cat mumbled and grumbled her way through her final layout edits. Kara was quite content to just drive, following the few instructions from the GPS unit as they went. She had been able to text Hank to let him know that she was unavailable for assignments before they left. It was kind of nice to have a night off from super duties and was enjoying the drive, at least until Cat finally powered down her laptop and awkward conversation began.
"So, how are things with you and …" Cat waved a hand, happy to let the question about Kara's romantic life linger, hanging in the air for the girl to either pick up and run with, or to shut down and not discuss.
"Actually, things with James and I… aren't." Kara sighed. She was never very good at keeping what was bothering her bottled up for too long. And Cat had an annoying knack for getting her to talk.
Cat glanced over at the young woman, taking in the grim line of her lips pressed together and the death grip Kara had on the large steering wheel. She didn't peg Olsen for a fool, but first Lucy and now Kara, letting both extraordinary women slip through his fingers, well there was no other explanation. The man was an idiot.
"I'm sorry, Kara." Cat said softly, surprised that she actually meant it. She only wanted the best for her. She didn't want to look to closely at why that was so important to her.
"Don't be," Kara sighed and smiled tightly. "Lucy was right, James and his loyalty to Superman is an issue. I need to be able to trust the person I'm with."
Cat shook her head, amazed at James' stupidity. Not that she could really throw stones, considering her own somewhat obsessive attachment to a certain blonde Kryptonian. Still though, she hoped that if she was in a relationship with someone that they would take precedence. They lapsed into silence for a few miles, the beauty of the setting sun capturing their mutual attention.
"Turn left onto State Park Road in half a mile." The clipped British tones of the GPS unit startled them both. Kara turned at the appointed time and they continued on towards the park. Not much longer and they would be at their destination.
"Good thing I got those layouts sent off. The cell signal is getting quite spotty." Cat said as she glanced down at her cell phone. "Not that the kids will notice, since all their devices have been banned for the camping trip."
Kara glanced over at Cat in mock horror.
"Yes, I have already heard ad nauseam how despicable the situation is, believe me." Cat smiled and glanced out the side window, watching the thickening forest around them.
"How does Carter like his new school?" Kara asked, as she slowed to avoid a pothole.
"He doesn't. It's a social justice based middle school and he didn't want to go at all." Cat sighed turning back to look at Kara's profile while she drove. She tried to ignore the cute furrowed brow as Kara concentrated on the road before her. "He came home on the first day and apparently that morning before anything else the teacher did a gender pronouns check-in."
Kara glanced over, a little shocked. Cat nodded in silent agreement. It was an excellent school and she knew her little man would excel in its different environment.
"What pronouns did he pick?"
"He said he was boring and picked he/him," Cat chuckled and Kara smiled to hear it. "I asked him if they would have done that at the other school he wanted to go to. He didn't think so and I know it got him thinking. So who knows how this year will go. I was worried he was going to have a melt down about this class camping trip, but he surprised me again."
"Turn left in one mile into Emerald Lake State Park." The disembodied GPS voice chimed in again. Cat scowled and turned the chattering device off. They knew where they were now anyway. Soon Kara was pulling into a parking spot not far from where the public campsites area were.
Grabbing various boxes and wrapped dishes, Kara followed her former boss into the camping area. The crisp fall air was a nice change to the smoggy heat of National City. Dried leaves crunched under Kara's shoes as they made their way towards the designated area for the teachers.
"Mom! Kara!" Carter saw the two women walking towards the main campsite area. Cat's face lit up as she saw her son so happy to see them. And that he had a little friend with him. Cat put her bag down and wrapped Carter into a warm hug, before pulling away for introductions.
"Dylan, this is my Mom and her friend from work, Kara Danvers." Carter grinned up at his favourite CatCo staff person. He had been sorry to see so much less of Kara since his mom had promoted her. The new assistants always treated him like he was four and it was annoying.
Dylan was a stocky boy, a good head shorter that Carter and apparently extremely shy as he just awkwardly waved at the new comers. Kara glanced up to see two men nearing them, one already reaching for their boxes and dishes.
"Hi we're Dylan's dads. I'm Mark and this is Frank. I didn't know that Carter had two moms." The taller muscular man smiled, taking some of Kara's items and nodding to his husband bringing up the rear.
"Oh, we're nuh…uh—" Kara stumbled over her words in surprise. Mark frowned slightly and looked over at Cat.
"We're still kind of new and on the down low." Cat said smoothly, glancing up at Kara's widening eyes and flushed face. She would have to explain the subterfuge on the way back to the city. The school principal had already flirted shamelessly with her at registration and she would take this opportunity to deflect the woman if given half the chance. Cat only prayed that the principal would take the hint. She smiled coyly and slid her hand into Kara's hoping the poor girl didn't faint from shock. "TMZ would eat us alive if it gets out, plus working together makes it a bit challenging. "
"I understand, say no more," Mark said softly as Frank came to stand beside his husband, reaching a hand out to Cat in greeting before grabbing a bag. "It's lovely to meet you both."
The boys had already raced ahead with a few bags of fruit, laughing as they went. The adults followed at a slower pace engaging in small talk. The homemade meal was a welcome sight for the few teachers and parents that had volunteered to go camping with the class.
Kara soon got caught up in the hustle and bustle of getting the beef barley stew warmed up in a big pot on one of the two portable barbeques that had been brought along by the staff, while Cat unwrapped several salads and buns. It wasn't long before the teachers and other adult volunteers were all fed and stuffed, refreshed and ready for the next round of activities for the evening with the students.
"Bye Mom!" Carter hugged Cat and then shyly hugged Kara too, before dashing off with Dylan and a few of the other kids to get kindling and learn to start a campfire.
"That went well," Kara said softly as they watched the boys disappear down to the fire pit area with some of the adult volunteers.
"Yes, thank God." Cat finished gathering the last of her dishes back into one of the boxes. "Time to get back to civilization before the bugs start to come out."
Kara grinned and followed her down the pathway to the parking area. They filled the back of the Escalade with the boxes and dishes before climbing back up into the large vehicle. Kara had automatically gone to the driver's side, pulled out the keys and went to start the SUV.
The engine rolled over ominously several times, but it didn't rumble to life. Eventually there was only a steady clicking sound.
"You might as well stop." Cat sighed, checking her phone signal before running a hand through her hair in frustration. "There is no cell service here and the nearest garage is probably closed for the night anyway."
Kara's eyes widened as the implications hit her.
"I think we're stuck here for the night, Kara."
The fire snapped and crackled, sending sparks and embers floating up into the dark sky. Long flames flickered and lit the unfamiliar faces surrounding the campfire with a warm glow. It was getting surprisingly cold for an early October night as life at the campsite began to settle down for the night.
Kara was quite glad that she had worn pants and a sweater set to work that day instead of the short tartan skirt she had originally planned on. Not that she really felt the cold the same as humans, but it did affect her.
An aching chill settled in Kara's hands, a remnant of her time stuck in the phantom zone, and she rubbed her hands together trying to get the circulation going again. Kara stared out across the fire, watching Cat work her magic with Hannah Breton, the principal of Carter's school.
Principal Breton was closer in age to Cat, and obviously well respected by her fellow teachers and other parents. She was also not shy about her interest in one Queen of All Media. Kara frowned, realizing how disrespectful that was if she was supposed to be Cat's girlfriend.
Kara tugged her camp blanket around her to keep the cool fall air at bay and tried to ignore the not so subtle flirting going on across the way. It wasn't as if she had any real claim to Cat, despite what impression the older woman had been giving some of the other parents.
Hannah's hand slid along Cat's shoulder adjusting the collar of her blouse peaking out of her dark leather blazer, her fingers lingering, brushing soft blond curls back. Cat's eyes shifted and locked with Kara's for a moment. The younger woman glanced away, suddenly shy as she was caught staring.
Kara pushed her glasses up and ignored the little flip flop her stomach was doing, stuffing her feelings back down into its neat and tidy compartments again. The glow from the fire highlighted the angles of Cat's cheekbones and the unruly hair and she couldn't stop the thought flashing through her mind at the sight.
Rao, she is beautiful.
Kara certainly couldn't blame Hannah for trying, not at all. She just never expected Cat to be interested. Or at least that's what it looked like from her side of the campfire, as her boss nodded and smiled again at something the principal had said, Cat's hand sliding along the woman's arm as she leaned closer to whisper something to her. Hannah suddenly looked across at Kara, with Cat smiling and doing the same. Kara froze, lost in the mischievous blue eyes of her boss.
The tension in the air was suddenly broken as Carter appeared next to her, and plopped down beside Kara, grinning up at her.
"I'm glad you're here." Carter said sincerely, glancing over at his mom and the principal and grimacing. Kara grinned at his words and at the clear indication that she wasn't the only one who wasn't thrilled with things progressing between the two women. "I miss having you around when I drop in at the office."
"I miss seeing you too," Kara wrapped her arm around his shoulder and hugged him closer. "What do you think of your new school?" They chatted quietly as a guitar began to strum to their left. It wasn't too long that he got restless, his friends at one of the other fire pits beckoning him over with promises of s'mores. Before he dashed off, he leaned over to give her a quick hug, whispering almost too quietly for human hearing "She's so much happier with you around too."
Kara smiled as he quickly moved away before she could say anything more. His words lingered in her mind and she turned to watch the dancing flames, getting lost in her thoughts. She was so entranced by the fire that she didn't even notice Cat's movements until she felt a familiar body drop down beside her.
"Hey, are you cold?" Cat leaned close, whispering softly into Kara's ear.
The shiver that ran down Kara's back had nothing to do with the temperature and everything to do with the timbre of Cat's voice. Kara nodded in response but stayed silent as her hands were captured and Cat began to massage them between her own. Kara watched their hands moving together, soaking up the combined body heat, enjoying the guilty pleasure of having this amazing woman touch her.
"I told Hannah we were together." Cat's hands slowed their movement against Kara's skin, as the girl stared deeper into the campfire flames. Kara was terrified of looking at her boss, her mentor and friend, afraid of what her eyes would give away to the observant woman. "I hope you don't mind playing along. I didn't want to offend her or piss her off when Carter is just starting at this new school." Cat glanced back into the darkness, in the direction the principal was last seen in.
Kara watched Cat turn her attention back to her, and as she gazed back into the concerned blue eyes she felt something seem to shift, deep inside. It was as if her world that had been floating aimlessly lately suddenly righted itself. Cat seemed to be feeling it too, as her fingers tentatively reached out and tucked a strand of loose hair back behind Kara's ear. Kara couldn't help herself, and turned into the caress.
Kara self-consciously glanced around the circle of those gathered around the campfire, approving teachers and other adults, the small public display of affection seeming to make little impact beyond simple acceptance. Kara swallowed hard and let the warmth of those surrounding her sink in before potentially ruining everything with her next words.
"What are we doing, Cat?" Kara asked cautiously, afraid to hope or put a label on what was starting to build between the two of them. What had been building for years if she was honest with herself. A happily ever after that she had begun to think would never be possible for her after her break up with James.
Leaning back Cat slid an arm across her shoulders, draping a warm blanket over both of them and staring once more into the flames. Kara tucked against her slim frame, settling there naturally, as if they had been doing this forever.
"Playing with fire..."
They sat for a long time after that, snuggled in each other's arms, just watching the flames jumping and dancing together. And for now, it was enough.
Why was it so hot?
Cat shifted under the blanket but found she couldn't move. Something was weighing her down in the tight confines of their borrowed tent and her sleepy mind wasn't quite grasping what it was. She frowned as tentative fingers tickled along her hip, sliding along her silky skin before finding twitching abs. A low moan came from behind her, the rumble of the voice vibrating against her back.
"Mm…Cat…" Kara sighed near her ear, her voice thick with sleep, or maybe it was desire, Cat wasn't exactly sure. Her body had no doubt though, as it responded to the teasing touches and the tone of Kara's voice, muscles clenching deep and low.
"God," Cat gasped and arched into the roaming hands now inching higher, possessively exploring her curves and valleys. She enjoyed the intimacy, surprised at how much more she wanted. She rolled to her back, giving Kara more access to her body. Opening her eyes she found vibrant blue eyes watching her, bright with a yearning hunger. Their gaze never broke as Kara tugged the thin blanket lower, exposing their bodies to each other.
Cat finally tore her gaze away, needing to watch Kara respond to her touch, as she began to move her hands along taut flesh, muscles rippling just beneath the smooth surface. She boldly reached out and took what she wanted, peeling the t-shirt from Kara's body easily. With a possessive growl, she pushed her onto her back and rolled onto the chuckling younger woman.
"Someone is pretty energetic this morning, even without her latte," Kara smiled up at her, Cat's heart being faster as she realized that this was something they both wanted to happen. Her hips rolled against the blonde, her whole body aware of the strong lean one beneath her.
"You have no idea…" Cat dipped her head, needing to taste those tender lips. Kara tugged her closer and opened herself to the older woman's questing tongue. Finally the need for air caused Cat to pull back, moving to the nearest earlobe, nibbling and sucking softly. For the first time in what seemed like forever she knew what she wanted.
What she wanted was Kara Danvers, every single, sexy, inch of her.
Cat reared back as that amazing thought sank in. And then every single doubt rolled in right after it, nipping and snapping at her shining moment of happiness.
"Please…" Kara's soft plea floated up as her eyes fluttered open and their eyes locked again. She reached up, the pad of her thumb tracing along Cat's full lower lip. The soft touch seemed to snap Cat back to the here and now, as the tender movement continued, long fingers trailing down her elegant neck before moving to grip her narrow shoulder, guiding her lower again. "Please, Cat, don't stop."
Cat blinked and then smiled, relaxing back down onto the warmth of the woman beneath her. They both wanted this, each other, how could that ever be wrong?
"Never," Cat all but growled, and started to make her way down Kara's shifting body, pleased as she arched her back, silently asking for more contact. She gasped as her leg slipped between Kara's strong thighs and felt the younger woman tuck hers against her center. She bucked against the immovable length of it, rolled her hips wantonly as she went to work teasing and twisting Kara's stiffening nipples. She moved closer to torment her soon to be lover, slowing making her way, exploring the undulating body laid out before her.
"Cat," Kara's voice was low, needy, almost desperate for her to move lower still. Cat grinned against the swell of a pert breast, nuzzling the soft flesh there. She sucked a tender nub into the heat of her mouth, flicked it with the tip of her tongue, enjoying the moan it caused.
"Mmm…am I getting warmer…"
"...warmer, Kara?"
Kara cracked an eye open at the softly mumbled words. It was rather warm in their borrowed tent. Then again it might have more to do with the petite body sprawled across her and the hand that was exploring her abs with possessive familiarity under the t-shirt she had borrowed from Dylan's dads to sleep in.
Her eyes snapped open as that reality suddenly hit her like a ton of Kryptonite. Kara shifted at the sudden rush of desire but quickly realized that she couldn't move. She ventured a glance down to find a messy blonde head tucked under her chin, burrowing ever closer. The exploring hand was still on her stomach, fingers slowly tracing along the bands of muscle there.
Dear Rao, what level of hell had she woken up in?
Kara let out a long breath and tried to think of something else, anything else, other than pouncing on her very handsy and adorable boss.
"Puppies and kittens, puppies and kittens," Kara murmured, biting her lower lip, trying to ignore the tightening of her body in response to Cat's touches.
"Mmm…" Cat sighed softly, the sound doing delicious things to Kara's already super heightened senses. She shifted and twitched, stretching ever so slightly along the length of Kara's body. Kara meanwhile was certainly not ready for the next sleepy mumbles of her tent mate. "…but I want to play with you…"
"Rao, give me strength," Kara croaked, and stayed perfectly still, waiting to see what new and delicious torture was awaiting her next this very fine morning.
Cat inhaled sharply and as if suddenly realizing something was off, she woke with a start. She pushed herself up slightly, her hand pressing into the warm body beneath her. Confused she blinked and glanced around the confined space, trying to place where she was and in who's bed she was sleeping in. Her eyes widened as she remembered flashes of the amazing dream she had been having, everything in vivid detail of what she had been doing with and to…
"Kara?" Cat tried to gather her wits and raging hormones, her body throbbing almost painfully from her very real dream. She forced herself to relax back down into the warm body she had been unconsciously snuggling and tried really hard not to panic and over react.
"Sshh, it's okay," Kara said softly, trying not to freak her out any more that her boss already was. "It sounded like you were having a bad dream of some sort, what with all the mumbling and groaning you were doing." Kara flushed, not sure what had been disturbing Cat's sleep, but hopeful that it had something to do with her and their little charade last night.
"Oh…" Cat tried to think quickly and wondered just what she might have given away in her sleep. "I can't quite remember, I was hot and couldn't seem to move for a bit, I think I was being held down…or chased maybe." Cat swallowed hard and tried to untangle herself, albeit reluctantly, from the young blonde's warmth. Could this be any more embarrassing?
The tent flap was unceremoniously unzipped from outside, and a blast of cool fresh air blew in, followed quickly by Carter sticking his grinning head inside.
"Mom! Kara! You're up! Can I come in?" He took in their closeness but didn't comment. Cat simply nodded and moved to one side, making space for him on the air mattress, as Kara shuffled the other way, her face flushed. "Hang on, I'll be right back!"
Kara and Cat just glanced at each other, slightly confused at the boy's antics. Cat cleared her throat self-consciously and ran a hand through her sleep tousled hair, glad for a few more moments alone with Kara to try to smooth out the awkwardness.
"I'm sorry I was sleeping all over you like that," Cat said softly, feeling a little more in control again. The dream had been very real and it was going to make her think long and hard about what she really wanted. She met Kara's knowing gaze, relieved at the kind smile that went with it.
"Don't apologize. It was…nice." Kara plucked at the blanket, a part of her seeming to settle at the thought, accepting what was pulsing just beneath the surface for both of them. Waking up with the mercurial woman wrapped around her every morning was something she could get very used to, given the chance.
Their gaze held a moment longer, both of them considering what the future could hold, if they dared. Kara reached out and tucked an unruly lock of hair back behind Cat's ear. There was that whole Supergirl secret thing that needed to be sorted out first, if Kara truly wanted this. And if the heat pulsing through her veins was an indicator, it was definitely a compelling argument that she did indeed want this. Cat leaned into the palm of her hand, reminiscent of her own actions at the campfire the night before. Kara let out a long breath, as time seemed to slow.
This was getting complicated, very quickly.
The moment however was broken by Carter's return, two steaming mugs of coffee in each hand. It smelled heavenly and the perfect way to start the day.
Well, not the most perfect way, but Kara would take it. The rest of it could be sorted out when they got back home. Cat met her gaze over the top of her son's head and smiled, sipping her coffee and not even complaining about the milk swirling in its murky depths.
Home suddenly seemed much closer than National City.
The End