#midvale au part 9

[ithinkthingsaboutstuff]

little Boy Blue (9)

little Boy Blue (9)

midvale AU part 9

Karadox- AU of the 3x06 e.p of supergirl, in which Brainy (teen Brainy) arrives in Midvale around the e.p timeline. this is part 9 where a few weeks have pasted since brainy arrived, and Alex has had enough.

It has been a few weeks since Querl came into their lives. Kara didn’t see or talk to him as much as she would have liked. With school work and strange cars driving all over town looking and looming over just about every inch of Midvale, the rumours began to spread in the school like wild fire, 

i heard it’s some big Gotham mafia boss in hiding   

i heard that their was serial killer who broke out and now he’s squatting in the woods

No way its a Luther family buy out mark my words, this whole place it going to get bulldozed or dug up for some kind of mad sci-fi bullshit 

i think they found an alien- 

-shut up, don’t be stupid Steven 

Kara did her best to keep a straight face, after all as they say fact is stranger then fiction and a boy with boy skin crashing in from the 31st centenary living in her basement would qualify. Kara in spite of the little time she got to spend with him really liked having him around, just something about his presents just put her at ease, like a warm blanket on your feet on a chilled night or a good book that sits on your nightstand watching over you with the silent promise of good things inside its pages. Querl did not leave the basement much (Alex thought this was for the best) but Kara would go down there and keep him company as she did her homework and when she was done she would watch him work. 

What he was working on however she was not sure of. Querl had torn apart any machine or electronic device he could get his hand on and would spend every minute of everyday loudly smashing and then reassemble the peaces into is apparatus i the middle of the room. From what Kara could gather he slept in small one hour intervals three times a day she was not sure if this was normal for is species or if it was just him, she had a feeling that it was just him.

Alex was reaching the end of her rope, Kara could hear her tossing and turning at night from at the sounds he was making, she would glare at the basement door every time she walked passed it and Kara was glad that Alex was not the one who could burn it down with a glace. Alex would usually end up just huffing and put her headphones in, Alex was stating to talk to Kara less and less not that they used to chat into the morning or anything before but with Querl here and Kenny knowing her secret, Alex seemed to have given herself permission to move away from Kara more then she already did, that was Alex’s right but Kara did seem to miss the small interactions at home more then she would ever admit. 

But all things have there tipping point and Alex was getting close to her’s. It was a clear Thursday morning and the two girls were getting ready for school. Eliza had left early so it was just the three of them Querl had made is daily walk out of the basement to get something to eat. Alex put on her headphones as she saw him and started to make her breakfast, Kara was eating her cereal and Querl had started eating his green apple and getting a cup of coffee form the pot. Alex put two peaces of bread in the toaster she pushed them down and then the whole thing fell apart all over the counter.

Kara snapped her head over to face Alex, Alex just stood there for a moment pressing her lips together they became white as her face became red. She turned to Querl who was quietly eating his apple and drinking his coffee like nothing had happened. Alex stomped over to him and looked down at him, after a moment he looked up at her, he did not reacted other than one or two confused blinks. Alex’s slowly opened her mouth and whispered

‘Why?’

Two more blinks

‘Why, what?’

‘Why, are you pulling my house apart,Why?’

Querl sipped his coffee again, 

‘I am simply getting the parts I need it has been more...difficult then i first thought...this certainty is nowhere near as advanced as my time or even my planet at this every moment, this place is simple and primitive, but alas i must prevail.’

he was claim but there was a hit of something else in his voice, a secret was hidden just out of site.

‘I don’t care about, whatever you are building down there just, egh.’

Alex held her hands up strangling the air, as she could see her words where falling on deaf ears. Alex just took a breath, shook her head, grabbed her bag and left the house.

Kara joined her shortly after, but before she did.

‘Hey Querl.’

‘Yes Kara’

‘I know how frustrating this place can be at times, but as primitive as it seems this is not a history class, this is how they have to live or rather this is how they know to live, so just try and remember that, this history has people in it living breathing people who can and will be upset with you, ok.’

he pocked his head up, her words rang inside his mind and he looked as if he had remembered something he had long forgotten.

‘Yes your right, i will remember that.’

Kara then went out to meet Alex as the bus pulled up. By the time lunch had come around Kara could see Alex tearing up her locker and bag.

‘where is it?’

Kara and Kenny walked over to her

‘Kara, did you take it?’

Alex asked with stress poring out of her voice.

‘Take what?’

‘My laptop, do you have my laptop.’

‘No, i think you had it in the kitchen last’

‘Damn it, great well nothing i can do now, I am having just the BEST day.’

Kara was going to say something but Alex just slammed her locker shut and walked over to Josie.

The bus home was quieter than usually and not just because Kenny went with his Mom today. The whole bus was quiet. Alex and Josie where at the back of the bus talking softly. Kara blinked and it was their stop, the two girls walked into the house and Kara went up stairs to put her things away. Kara had just taken off her bag and jumper when she heard a loud and angry scream.

‘What did you do!’

Kara then heard the basement door fly open and Alex stomp down its steps. Kara sped down into the basement, she saw Alex holding the remains of a laptop that most of the hardware torn out.  

‘What is wrong with you!’

she screeched, Querl just sat their with his hands together not even looking at Alex. Kara stepped between the two of them, 

‘Alex just take a breath.’

Alex then snapped her head to Kara

‘OH,Oh, of course you take his side, right, why wouldn’t you.’

‘I’m not taking sides Alex I just think you need to take a breath before you say anything else.’

‘Bullshit, ever since he got here, we have bent over backwards for him, He works on this thing all hours of the night, he is tearing apart the whole house and why, because YOUR cousin flew in and dumped him on us, because he didn’t want to do it himself,  

‘Alex that’s not what happened and you known it, it has to do with the future and Kal said he can’t mess with it’

‘Really, are you sure, are you really sure about that, If that were really true then,why is HE not at that fancy krypton fortress thing, doesn't that have that, oh so superior technology you and little boy blue over there go on and on about. So why is he ripping apart our stuff and not you cousins’

Kara held he mouth open for a moment to think about what Alex just said and as much as she hated to admit it she did have a point but that was not the point right now. 

‘I don’t know Alex, but Kal wanted to help Querl but for...what ever reason couldn’t do it himself so he trusted us to.’

‘Oh, well great, good for him to have such trustworthy people in his life, so trustworthy that he don’t feel the need to explain jackshit to them, When a whole ass strangler is thrown from the sky and into three other peoples lives and putting big brother in their whole town.’

‘Alex, Stop it that not fair, what were we meant to do throw Querl out because it wasn’t convenient for us. No, even if Kal had nothing to do with this, Querl would still be here because it’s the right thing to do and I know that despite how angry you are you know that, I know you know that. ’

It was at this point that Alex turned her attention back to Querl still angry.

‘Do you have anything to say for yourself...well?’

Querl looked up to Alex and slowly stood hands still placed together.

‘I need the parts...’

Alex threw her hands up.

‘I need the parts, i need the parts, I NEED THE PARTS, is that all you can say, are you broken.’

‘Alex!’ 

‘NO, Kara, what is wrong with him, really, what is wrong with you.’ 

Then Querl’s face for the very first time dropped what it was thinking, dropped the stoicness and his eyes let go of the veil that had been there since he had woken up on Kara’s bed some weeks ago and Querl’s eyes began to water.

‘I...I, Just, I just want to go home...’

Alex stopped and dropped her hands to her sides.

‘you see, something happened.... I made a mistake, a horrible mistake and I need to fix it, and can’t fix it sitting here, Clark can’t help me, My friends...can’t help.... me...I need to help ....them... I need to make this right, they should not suffer for my incompetence, So I need to get back to them...I need to...get back.’

Querl walked to the centre of the room were is machine laid, he then picked up a hammer.

‘I knew, I couldn’t build a ship but I thought I could build a beacon... for the others to find me.’

Kara stepped forward and asked softly

‘It didn’t work.’   

Querl took a breath through his noise

‘No, no, it did, its been working for two weeks now...’

Kara put her hand on Querl’s shoulder, he twitched under her touch but nestled himself into it after a moment.

‘I just thought maybe the signal was not strong enough so i keep working on it, then that didn’t work, so I tried again,

Querl hit the machine with the hammer making Kara move her hand back.

‘nothing, so I tried again,’

Hit 

‘and again’ 

Hit...Hit

‘and again and again,and again and AGAIN.’

Hit... Hit... Hit... Hit, Hit, Hit,Hit,HIT, HIT,HIT,HIT

‘AND NOTHING, So they either won’t answer me or,or....

....they can’t.’

Querl then dropped to his knees and let the hammer slip out of his hands. All three of them now in the wreckage. Kara then went down to him and pull his hands in hers, he didn’t look up at her but his hands twitched at her touch before squishing them. Alex walked over behind him and put her hand on his shoulder, he shook under her touch until she let go.

‘I’m sorry,’

Alex then wiped tears from her eyes and creeped up the basement steps. Kara was moving her thumbs over Querl’s pale blue skin and he held her hands tighter.

‘It’ll be ok, you’ll be ok, your not alone, I’m here.’ 

to be continued 

[ao3feed-supercorp]

Shake, Strain, Repeat

by BigMammaLlama5

In a bid to finally getting out on her own, Kara packs up her small life in Midvale and moves to National City. While preparing and searching for a journalism job, she finds her way into an odd combination of ghost writer and… bartender.

Words: 19554, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Series: Part 9 of Lounge Books

Fandoms: Supergirl (TV 2015)

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/F

Characters: Kara Danvers, Lena Luthor, Nia Nal, Jack Spheer, Alex Danvers

Relationships: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor

Additional Tags: Mild Language, Alcohol, Sex, Bartender AU, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, but more like, idiots to lovers, mild hygiene code violations, Punk!Lena, powers but no superheroing

from AO3 works tagged 'Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor' https://ift.tt/HAxGpQ3 via IFTTT https://ift.tt/HAxGpQ3

[amaltheaz]

2019 Fic Writing Roundup

Total 2019 Word Count: AO3 tells me it's 80,085 but it's also not taking into account my nano word count since I haven't posted them yet so with that included, plus the tumblr prompts I filled and the stuff I haven't posted yet... 319, 721 words

Total 2019 Hits - 54,879

Other 2019 AO3 Stats

Kudos - 3,493

Comment Threads - 325

Bookmarks - 710

Subscriptions - 437

Links & Titles to 2019 Works:

From recent to earlier in the year...

1. let there be damage ensued (in that kind of love)

Ship: Scott Moir/Tessa Virtue

Summary: Scott has no idea how much time has passed since the door shut behind them, since the lock was set in place. All he knows is that he is here and so is she.

aka

that pegging au I've been working on for way too long

Status: Completed.

2. you can see it with the lights out

Ship: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor

Summary: Prompt: Kara’s not affected by cold the way humans are and Lena has begun to take advantage of that fact. Kara’s warm skin is great for cold hands

Status: Completed

3. hang a shining star upon the highest place

Ship: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor

Summary: Their first time hosting Chanukkah for the family.

Status: Completed

4. did you mean it (when you said I was pretty)

Ship: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor

Summary: "Lena takes a deep breath to steady herself before she finally dares to look up. Dark blue eyes meet her gaze and she tries to swallow down the dry feeling in her throat, tries to see why Kara is looking at her like this because she's sure that friends don't do this."

aka my own little twist on that friends with benefits au

Status: work in progress

5. what a waste to say the heart could feel apart

Summary: "Despite how it happened, she feels better about coming out to Varia. It seems a similar feeling to the time she saved that plane, a complete body and soul relief that she was able to be who she truly wants to be. Kara can't help but think though, that coming out as Supergirl only resulted in her having to hide even more of herself, just so nobody suspected that she and Supergirl are one and the same."

Or

that alien activist au that nobody asked for but I wanted to write it anyway

Status; work in progress

6. and say you'll hold a place for me in your heart

Ship: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor

Summary: "It’s nearing midnight when they walk through the front door of their new home."

Status: Completed

7. we can move worlds again (like the way gold lasts forever)

Ship: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor

Summary: "The first time they meet, Kara Zor-El is in prison and in line for execution that very same day."

aka the mummy au nobody asked for

Inspired by the fanart in this post: foleypdx.tumblr.com/post/155613882562/luthoring-the-mummy-supercorp-au-lena-in-this

Status: work in progress

8. short on stardust, but there's still time

Summary: "Kara doesn't have to try too hard to single out Lena’s heartbeat across National City, finding it almost as easily as she finds Alex’s or Eliza’s. The ache in her chest loosens and relaxes when she hears the strong and steady beat and it tells her that Lena is unsurprisingly still awake.

And so Kara doesn't spare another thought before pressing Lena’s name on her phone."

Status; work in progress

9. i can try if you like it

Ship: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor

Summary: Tumblr prompt: intimate artistry and birthday fic

10. you danced inside my chest

Ship: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor

Summary: Lena melts under her touch, leaning into it in near the same way that a cat seeks affection."

11. teeth sinking into heart

Ship: Kara Danvers & Alex Danvers (danvers sisters please and thank you)

Summary: a little break in Midvale

Note; I'm really proud of this little ficlet.

12. the key to our heaven is mine

Ship: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor

Summary: "She wakes up with cold dread soaked into her bones."

And some more that I didn't post to AO3

Jack/Lena - Secret relationship & holiday fic

Tessa/Scott - pregnancy fic/hairbrushingbraiding

SuperCorp - "you don't have to hide from me"

Supercorp - "Kara, can you smell that? Is that—is that you?"

Supercorp - "this isn't how I imagined it happening"

Supercorp - "this is the plan?"

Supercorp - "how could you ever think that would be a good idea?"

Supercorp - "did I just say that?"

Supercorp - "kara looks down at the coffee order in her hand, shocked and disgusted that anybody in their right mind would order a triple shot with nothing to mask the bitterness, and wonders who in the goshdarn heck placed such an order."

Favorite Fic

- My favourite fic that I've written this year honestly would have to be my Jack/Lena from a prompt I filled. It was a nice change of pace to write a different pairing just to know that I can actually do it. This past year I had hoped to challenge myself a little more with my writing and writing Jack/Lena has helped with that.

Hardest Fic

- I had already said it earlier but fwb au for sure has been my hardest fic. I feel honestly part of it is that I know I'm close to the end and I don't want to get there, and the other part wants me to be there already, haha.

Do you plan on taking prompts in 2020?

- oh, for sure! Though I do have so many prompts waiting for me in my inbox, sometimes you just need new ones to unlock some of those creative juices.

What was the best thing about 2019?

- Getting to know my discord family over at @creatorsguildsc has definitely been something that has brought me great joy. Interacting with other content creators in fandom, day in and day out, sharing our frustrations and our love for the thing that we love doing, learning from and encouraging/enabling each other. For sure, this is the best thing about this year.

What was the worst thing about 2019?

- I feel this probably is the same as last year and that's how I wish I had written more.

Any last thoughts for 2019?

- Not bad. Let’s do more of that.

Goals for 2020:

- Finishing fwb au for sure, and hopefully some of my other fics too. I would really love to finish my Melinda/Nat fic as well. Hmm, I would also love to get to know other content creators in this fandom.

Tagging: @spaceman-earthgirl, @xxpaper-flowersxx, @nataliawhite92, @hrwinter, @pippytmi, @drfitzmonster, @spicycheeser, @outislanders, @semperpugnandi, @idontneedtobeforgiven, @ihavethewrongglass, @littlemousejelly, @bearpantaloons, @swashbucklery, @whythinktoomuch, @vox-ex, @storyiicharacter, @gveret-fic, @coffeeshib, @cyclone-rachel, @dcanslist, @thelnjames and any other writer who wants to join in, please feel free ❤️❤️❤️

[argyle-s]

Molly’s Supergirl Fic Masterlist (updated 9/21/19)

One Shots:

The Revenge of Scully Danvers -  Cat pushes Alex’s buttons one to many times, and Alex strikes back.  SuperCat

Sensible Precautions  -  Grumpy Space Dad has a problem. Sanvers

The Things We Forget -  Kara has forgotten something important. SuperCat

It Had To Happen Eventually... -  Lena's got some new shoes.

Coffee and Ice Cream -  One of Supergirl's rescues gets caught on tape...

Finding Out -  How the people in Kara's life find out she's in love. SuperCat

A Shoulder to Lean On -  After the Dominator Invasion, Sara gets Gideon to modify Kara’s phone so they can talk. Season 2 AU. Set between Medusa and Supergirl Lives on Supergirl, and Invasion Part 3 and Raiders of the Lost Art on Legends. SuperCanary, Sanvers side ship.

A Modest Proposal -  Kara overhears a couple of guys talking about Nia and decides to take action.  Dreamgirl (Kara x Nia), Alex x Kelly side ship

Quality of Life -  Kara has a hard day, and Nia helps her deal with it.  Dreamgirl (Kara x Nia)

Girl Crush -  Nia overhears Kara talking to Alex about having a crush on her best friend, and thinks she’s talking about Lena.  Dreamgirl (Kara x Nia), very brief mention of Alex x Kelly and past Sanvers.

One Morning on Argo -  Kara wakes up alone in bed and goes looking for her wife.  Dreamgirl (Kara x Nia)

To The Rescue -  Nia has a Dream and rushes to CatCo to rescue Kara, but when she gets there, she finds that she misinterpreted the reason Kara was screaming.  Supercat

Protection - Baker demands Cat tell him Supergirl’s secret identity. Cat’s reaction is not at all what he expects.  Supercat

Methadone -  When Kara can’t have her drug of choice, she finds an alternative.  Kalex

Series:

Caring for Kara (Series):  Supercat.  Sanvers Side Ship.

Just to See Her Smile -  Cat does what it takes to makes Kara smile. Set between Manhunter and World’s Finest. One-Sided Cat/Kara, Kara/James

Something Just Like This -  AU where Cat never left, and no pod showed up at the end of season one. When Kara’s relationship with James falls apart, she turns to Cat for comfort, but Cat’s having a hard time keeping her own feelings for Kara in check. Follows “Just To See Her Smile”.

Future Shock (Series):  Supercat.  Side Ships include:  Supercanary, Superlane, Sanvers, Clois, Susan Vasquez/Leslie Willis, BatCat, Jason Todd/Artemis of Bana-Mighdall, Winn Schott Jr./Kaldur’ahm, Avalance, Lena Luthor/Astra In-Ze, Eliza Danvers/J’onn J’onzz, Harley Quinn/Poison Ivy

The Shape of Things to Come -  With the help of Sara and M’gann, Kara travels back in time to a year before she becomes Supergirl from a future where all her worst fears have come to pass, and replaces her younger self.

Devils in the Dark (WIP) - Fourteen months ago, an older version of Kara travelled back in time, and merged her consciousness with her younger self in an effort to prevent a nightmare future. Eight weeks ago, she came out as Supergirl, catching Alex’s plane as it fell from the sky. Since that time, the knowledge and skills she acquired in the future have allowed her to make a number of changes for the better, but those changes haven’t been without consequences.Now, in the aftermath of a vicious attack, the tables are turned, and Kara is scrambling desperately to play catch up, but everything seems to be aligning against her. Her allies are starting to doubt her, she can’t seem to control her temper, she has to deal with a darker, more brutal version of Project Cadmus that seems hell bent on burning everything to the ground.The pressure is mounting, and the only place she can find peace is in the presence of Cat Grant, but even that relationship might be doomed when a ghost from Kara’s past walks back into her life.This story is the sequel to “The Shape of Things to Come,” and second in the Future Shock series. It does *not* stand alone.

Future Shock Setting Guide - This is a collection of notes and setting details about my Future Shock series. It's not a story, and has no narrative.

Little Girls Lost (Series):  Sanvers.

Taking In Strays -  Maggie’s dad became the new Sheriff in Midvale after Sheriff Collins is arrested for Kenny’s murder. A few months later, he finds out Maggie is gay and throws her out. When Kara finds her crying under the bleachers and takes her home, Eliza decides to take her in, and Alex makes a surprising discovery about herself.

[ithinkthingsaboutstuff]

do you think Brainy would have an inhibitor in the Midvale AU?

Good question as always,

I think it would be a fun idea to play around with. As to how to actually show it is another story.

I have a few ideas about it.

1, make that is a recent thing he has done so is still getting used to it so that has lead to some mistakes (as hinted at in part 9)

2, make his experiences in Midvale be what leads to him having the inhibitor. (from whats coming in the next few parts, spoiler)

3, make it that the inhibitor has been with him for a long time (since Colu or early legion days) and have him really ask himself why he has it (was it something he did for himself or to appease others) 

but I can’t decide between them at the moment, or if I what to include it at all right now. And i might end up doing a mix of all of these.

but as a side note, I would like to know why he has the inhibitor in the first place, again was it his idea, or R.J’s, the legions, the Colus or the united planets?

we know he was arrested, so was this a condition of his release? 

was this why he left Colu in the first place this version?

did he see what path he was taking (becoming like the brainaic’s) and this is how his young mind pushed them away?

the inhibitor raise so many questions in canon right now (which is cool) so knowing why its there in canon would really help place it for me.

[argyle-s]

Summary:

Adam arrives in National City, and has dinner with Cat and Kara. Lena and Astra go on their first date.

Notes:

I just want to give everyone a head's up well ahead of time. Chapter 64 of Devils in the Dark will be the last chapter of this story. It will post on September 14th, baring any unforeseen circumstances. At that time, Future Shock will go on a brief hiatus. My current plan is to start posting Future Shock Part 3: A Plague of Righteousness, on November 30. That means, basically, that there will be ten weeks without Future Shock.

I am really, really sorry this has to happen, but I'll be honestly. I have put out weekly, and sometimes more than weekly updates for Future Shock every week since February 11, of 2018. During that time, I also wrote and posted 13 Chapters of Something Just Like This as well as writing eleven other Supergirl stories, one of which is 190,000 words long (more on that in a minute).

Simply put folks, I am tired, and as hard as I have been busting my ass, I am only 45,000 words into A Plague of Righteousness. The ten weeks left between now and when the last chapter of this story posts is just not enough to make me feel comfortable with being able to get enough done to keep a consistent posting schedule. So, Future Shock is taking a break to give me time to get more of A Plague of Righteousness written before I start posting it.

That said, I do have some good news for you. Especially if you are a Sanvers fan, or a fan of the Midvale era Alex and Kara. Two weeks from today, I am going to start posting Taking In Strays, which is the first story in a new series called Little Girls Lost. Taking in Strays is 190,000 words, and divided into 19 chapters. It's a Sanvers High School AU. There will eventually be a sequel, which will be written and posted once Future Shock is finished. But the idea for the timing is simple. The last 9 Chapters of Devils in the Dark will go up side by side with the first 9 chapters of Taking In Strays. The last 10 chapters of Taking In Strays will cover the gap between Devils in the Dark and A Plague of Righteousness. Then, on November 30th, A Plague of Righteousness will start posting, and hopefully, it will roll right into In The Shadow of Rao, but I will be honest. That depends entirely on how quickly I can turn out A Plague of Righteousness.

So, if you don't want to miss anything, please, subscribe to author alerts.

Preview:

Monday, January 18, 2016

“Yeeessss you want you! Look at her, you know you do. It’s possible she wants you too. There’s one way to ask her. It don't take a word, not a single word. Go on and kiss the girl, kiss the girl,” Kara sang as she swung her Midnight Blue Aston Martin Rapide around a tight corner and headed towards Paramount on the Bay. “Sha la la la la la, My oh my! Looks like the girl's too shy-”

The song cut out, and Nimda said, “Lady Kara, Ms. Grant is asking to speak to you.”

“Put her through,” Kara said. “Hey, love.”

“Hello, Darling,” Cat said. “Where are you?”

“I’m about five minutes from the Paramount,” Kara said. “Why, is something wrong?”

“Nothing J’onn couldn’t handle,” Cat said. “I just wanted to make sure you were going to arrive on time.”

“Is that why you shoved me out the door this morning without so much as a goodbye kiss?” Kara asked.

“I just wanted to give you some incentive. The sooner you get to work, the sooner you can collect on that kiss I owe you,” Cat said.

“Why, Ms. Grant, are you suggesting we engage in a public display of affection in the office?” Kara asked.

“There won’t be anything public about it,” Cat said.

“Oh, that’s definitely motivation,” Kara said. “But barring a Cadmus attack, or supervillain shenanigans, I’ll have Carter to school early enough for his club meeting and be back at the office in time for the meeting with Astra, Lena, Sam and Zora.”

“Excellent,” Cat said. “Then you’ll have time to bring me a latté on your way back.”

“You called me to ask me to bring you a coffee?” Kara said, not able to keep the grin off her face or out of her voice. “Don’t we have three very well-paid assistants for that?”

“Jacob is still working on the treaty for the aquatic reclamation project. Jason never gets my order right, and Artemis spends so much time flirting with that purple-haired girl with the nose ring that my Latté is always cold,” Cat said.

Kara knew perfectly well that the request had nothing at all to do with the temperature of Cat’s coffee, because Konex, Gonk or Kleenex could have all prepared her an absolutely perfect Latté and transmatted it to her while it was still piping-hot. Requests like this were always about something else. Something had happened that hurt Cat, and she needed a little bit of attention and special treatment to feel like herself again.

“No problem,” Kara said. “One piping-hot latté for my lady love.”

“Of course,” Cat said. “Just make sure you’re on time picking up Carter.”

Ah. It had something to do with Carter then, which let Kara guess the rest.

“I’m pulling up to the Paramount now. Anthony knows I’m coming?” Kara asked.

“Yes,” Cat said, and her tone was enough to confirm Kara’s suspicions that he’d said something to her.

“He wanted to keep Carter until this Cadmus business was over,” Cat said.

“What?” Kara said.

“I told him it was out of the question,” Cat said, “but he said that if there’s another attack on CatCo, he’s calling his lawyer and suing for full custody.”

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