Chapter 22Notes:Sup!
Chapter TextKara pulled Daisy out of the bar, not really sure how much help she needed, "I know you're going to say you're fine, but it's four in the afternoon?" She was more put together than Alex had been the few times she'd been called to help her.
Daisy laughed, easy and loose, and then the door of the bar closed behind them and she rolled her neck, "I'm buzzed," And it was like a light switch had flipped, she settled back to her usual self. "Faking being drunk is not that hard." She held up the business card, "And I got what I needed."
"Wait…what?" Kara actually did trip over herself slightly as she followed the very much not faintly wobbly Daisy out of the alley.
Daisy grinned, "Spy," And she winked.
She spluttered, catching up, "Why would you fake that?!"
"Because I don't have time to build up the interpersonal relationships needed to gain the trust of anyone even half as suspicious of me as they should be. At least considering I'm not building myself a reputation as a naive foundling or something." Daisy swayed just enough to bump their shoulders together. "Not everyone invites strangers to sleep on their couch."
Kara frowned, "And what is that?"
Daisy paused but then reached out caught her hand, and pulled her along. "How I'm going to fix your Lord problem."
"My…" Her eyes widened. Kara pulled them to a stop. "He knows who I am."
Daisy looked at her, the settled surety of her stance as she tipped her chin up slightly leaving no doubt she was confident in her words. "He's a scared narcissist who thinks he's a hero. But he's not a psychopath, and he's not a sadist. He's a coward."
"That doesn't change that he could tell, everyone." Kara was serious as she listened.
Daisy tightened her hold on Kara's hand, "I know, but he won't. Because you are not going to be the one he's fighting. And keeping you in line is the only use that information has." She gave a pointed look at the open sidewalk they were on. "Come on, I'll explain the rest at yours."
And, well, cities had lots of alleys, and Kara could fly. Even if Daisy yelped something about not being a damsel or that drunk at being scooped up. Kara also had super speed. So exactly eighty seconds later, most of which was getting both of them out of sight enough she could take off without someone noticing, and they were home.
Kara set Daisy down, even if she didn't really want to. "What do you mean it only works against me?"
"It keeps you in line, it doesn't actually do anything if he tells anyone." Daisy sighed, "Everyone who is important knows who you are, Kara. It's an open secret. I found your identity in a day. It's not hard if you know what you're doing. The DEO knows, Cadmus knows, Lex Luthor probably knows, and his mother definitely does. The president could ask and find out anytime she wants. Cat Grant knows. A large number of military higher-ups know. The reason Kara Danvers is not splashed across newspapers everywhere is because the public doesn't want to know. The people in power don't want them to know."
Kara closed her eyes, "If people find out my family is at risk."
"Yes, they are." Daisy didn't soften that.
She wanted to protest, to argue all those people couldn't possibly know. But…most of, if not all of them probably did. So why not tell, everyone? "It hurts their cause if people know I'm Kara Danvers." Kara swallowed as she let herself think the problem through. "And they like me being scared."
"The power," Daisy nodded. "There are reasons someone might use that information against you. But it won't save him, and he won't give up power and the ability to make you fear him when it won't change anything." She touched Kara's arm. "And even if he was that stupid, I'd kill him if he tried."
Kara knew she shouldn't feel relieved, should be alarmed, but she was grateful. She pulled Daisy into her arms, hugging her. She pressed her face into Daisy's shoulder. "Please don't kill Maxwell, even if he deserves it."
"No promises if he decides to be colossally stupid." Daisy muttered, "But he's not that stupid."
She huffed in amusement before pulling back. Kara was serious though as she focused on Daisy. Her brow furrowed slightly, she hadn't known Daisy long, but going off on an entirely new mission without mentioning it when it was so close to home… "It's not your fault Myriad surprised us."
"I…" Daisy shook her head, running her hand through her hair, pushing it back and out of her face. "Knowing what threats are pressing is what I'm supposed to be good at."
Kara just hugged her friend who was being lovely, and also kind of stupid, again. "I'd have been alone, for hours without you there. I don't know if Max would have convinced the Army, maybe even me to use that horrible bomb. It mattered that you were there."
"I'm still going to get him arrested as soon as I sleep this buzz off." But Daisy was soft but also definitely smelled of alcohol as she physically hummed against Kara.
Kara smiled, "So, afternoon binge drinking a thing I should expect to happen again?"
"I'm not drunk!" Daisy protested, "And no, I don't get drunk drunk, I could crack open the San Andraous fault line or something because I sneezed."
Kara was checking on the enchiladas in the oven when she heard Alex's familiar heartbeat at the door. She whooshed to the door, opening it up and hugging her sister before Alex could knock. She sighed in contentment at holding her sister. "You're here!"
"Had to help you get ready," Alex hugged her back with her own happy hum. As she pulled back she went very stiff. "Who's this?"
Kara loved Alex and Daisy, but she'd admittedly been a bit nervous about them meeting. Mostly because both were a bit paranoid and not insignificantly pessimistic. And twitchy, very twitchy. But Daisy and Lucy seemed to get along, so Kara had hope this was going to go well. "So you haven't met yet, but Alex, this is Daisy, Daisy, this is my sister, Alex."
"Hi, heard a lot about you." Daisy closed her laptop, standing up from the table she'd been sitting at, and walked over, holding out her hand.
Alex's face was guarded as she held out her hand, shaking Daisy's, "I haven't heard anything about you?"
"New neighbor, your sister has been helping me get used to the city." It was distinctly weird to see Daisy making herself look…smaller. The way her shoulders were soft and how she was balancing her weight.
Kara barely kept from babbling.
Alex's hand dropped back to her side. "Of course, Kara would do that." And yup, Alex was disapproving of that.
"Well," Daisy flicked her attention to Kara. "I should be going, you have your party tonight. Make sure to take the enchiladas out in twenty minutes."
"What, you don't have to go," Kara would have reached out but Daisy was already out of arm's reach.
Daisy just shook her head as she slid her laptop under one arm, a faint smile on her face. "I trust you not to burn your dinner, and I have work to do. Thanks, for earlier."
"But…" Kara sighed, she knew when nothing short of physically dragging a person back in was going to keep them there. "Please drink lots of water."
Daisy just rolled her eyes while opening the window. "I'll keep that in mind." She looked over at Alex, "It was nice meeting you."
"Nice meeting you too," Alex had the funniest expression on her face. "Are you leaving out the window?"
Daisy shrugged, "I'm just down the escape." She waved and then swung out and disappeared down said fire escape.
Kara sighed as she went over and closed the window.
"Your neighbor comes in and out of your apartment through the fire escape?" Alex said slowly like she was trying to process just how many things were wrong with that.
Kara sighed, looking at her sister, "She's nice, and Lucy already did a background check. Daisy's really nice and she made dinner, so give her a chance, please?"
"She made dinner?" Alex's eyebrows were rising toward her hairline.
Kara beamed with excitement! "Yes! She's trying to learn to cook, and she's really good, or is now that she has a timer on her watch. Also Drew's mom loves her and has been sharing recipes with her."
"Huh," Alex opened up the fridge, automatically going for the shelf that typically had beer on it only to pause. But she grabbed one her eyes staring at the inside of the fridge. "You have a full fridge? Is that…an entire shelf of leftovers?"
She nodded happily, "Yes, Daisy started buying groceries, which I said wasn't fair, so then I started trying to get them first, but she complained about all the carrots I got." Kara was so happy to have Alex back, to be able to explain what had changed to her. "So Daisy put a shared note app on our phones to keep track of groceries."
Alex's voice was slightly pitched funny, "You have a shared grocery app, with your neighbor?"
"Yes? Oh! And she always just makes triple, sometimes quadruple batches so there's leftovers for lunches. I only order takeout once or twice a week now." Kara grinned, "Usually when she accidentally burns something or gets caught up with work and forgets to start making food." She grabbed the duster, if Eliza was coming over she had to make sure the house was clean. "You should have seen James's face when I brought a packed lunch to work the first time."
"How is James?" Alex shut the fridge door, turning and leaning on the kitchen island after popping the cap off of her beer.
Kara stopped moving as the question registered. She wasn't sure how to explain it exactly without explaining everything that had been going on. "We're friends again, it was weird for a while there, but with Myriad and everything, I think we're good."
"Friends?" Alex sounded vaguely disbelieving.
////
Daisy had considered the risks and benefits of who all was figuring out she was Quake. Myriad had kinda thrown a wrench in her expectations. Cat Grant had to suspect, Lucy knew which meant the DEO at large very easily could, and Kara's lying ability meant Daisy wasn't betting on the secret identity thing lasting long with Kara's circle. But that didn't mean she wanted it out willy nilly. On the other hand, she needed the cop to listen to her.
So she was taking a medium path. How she'd go forward would depend on the type of person the cop was. So she had the veil on underneath her mask as she waited for the detective to show up at the park, as agreed on via the short conversation on the phone they'd had earlier.
It was dark out, the street lights not lighting the area particularly well. Daisy was glad to have the excuse to avoid the family celebration happening at Kara's. Knowing she wouldn't belong there was very different than feeling that. And if she'd been in the building, Kara would have tried to loop her in.
Daisy clocked the woman in the leather jacket walking to the arranged bench. And sure enough, as the woman arrived, she pulled out a phone, and Daisy's line rang. She didn't pick up, instead jumping off of the roof she'd been sitting on and arching just enough to land with a soft thud, just behind the detective.
"What the fu-Quake." Detective Maggie Sawyers' hand dropped to her gun holster as she spun, recognition in her eyes.
She held up her hands, "Evening Detective, I'm just here to talk."
"You're who called?" Sawyer was a short woman, with dark wavy hair, and suspicion radiating from her.
Daisy used slow motions to reach up and pulled the mask off. "I agreed on no murder with Supergirl, thought arrest might be a good alternative."
"You're serious?" She dropped her hands to her waist, chin tipped up. "Of course you are. Give me one reason I shouldn't arrest you right now?"
Daisy raised a brow, "Arrest me for what crime?"
Sawyer blew out a long breath, before nodding to herself. "Fine, let's say I'm willing to listen, why show me your face?"
"This isn't my face," Daisy grinned, the face veil had been a good choice, and Jemma Simmons wasn't a citizen of this Earth. "It's technology, not shape-shifting if that matters to you."
The detective twitched slightly, "That makes me feel better actually." She gave a nod. "Ok, you know I'm not going to just arrest a person for you, right? That's not how this works."
"Even if I can hand you proof of them committing dozens of felonies including terrorism, murder, and an active plot to use a bomb that would kill 8% of the population of National City?" Daisy offered.
Sawyer was very still, "Shit, you're not lying?"
"No, I'm not. So, interested?" Daisy waited, she was interested in what little she'd looked into about Detective Sawyer. Not that she'd had a lot of time for doing more than briefly running her name.
"Fine, who is even capable of something like that?" Sawyers' arms changed so that they were crossed over her chest.
Daisy would be deciding what she thought of the detective depending on how she dealt with the bullshit. "Max Lord."
"You want me to arrest Max Lord? Even if you have evidence, no judge will sign off on a warrant for him. Not without something being utterly damning."
"They will when the video of him trying to argue dropping a kryptonite bomb on National City is the best way to stop Myriad leaks to every news organization in the country tomorrow morning. Kryptonite is a controlled substance, a felony just to possess it, let alone enough to build a bomb out of, unless I'm wrong about that." Daisy knew she wasn't wrong. She pulled out a flash drive and tossed it over.
Sawyer barely managed to catch it, "Is this the video?"
"That's the schematics of the bomb, as well as blueprints of his building. I highlighted every area you should make sure to look." Daisy grinned, "I'm good at things beyond punching. And, the records of some missing women's missing people reports, and them being referenced in Lord Tech documentation after their last known appearances. Figured that'd get you a search warrant once the media explodes tomorrow."
Sawyer's eyes narrowed, "Who knows what's about to happen?"
"You, me, Supergirl is aware I'm taking him off the board without putting a bullet between his eyes. And the Director of a classified government agency is prepared to ensure your prosecutor offers him a plea deal that he will accept before it goes to trial. No drawn-out legal battle."
Daisy sat straight up in bed, twisting to defend herself only to pause as she realized what had woken her up. She lowered her hand. "Kara?"
"I'm sorry, you were asleep and I-"
"Hey, no," Daisy tossed her blankets off of herself and was up and heading for Kara. "What's wrong? Did something happen?" She reached Kara but didn't reach out.
She was vibrating with something, "A pod crashed outside the city."
Daisy frowned, what about a pod had caused this?
"Like mine! It's Kryptonian." Even in the dark, it was clear how Kara's eyes were shining as she spoke.
"Oh wow, that's, there was a person in it?" Daisy was kinda shocked Kara would leave another Kryptonian for anything.
Kara nodded with joyous disbelief on her face. "He's alive!"
"That's amazing," Daisy caught Kara's forearms before she could start waving her arms. "He's ok?"
She shook her head, "He's unconscious, at the DEO, they don't know why he won't wake up, but he's alive!" Kara looked down, "They put him on a solar bed, but he's alive and real. Lucy made me come home but I just…ended up here. And I'm sorry for waking you up! I shouldn't have but I couldn't even think of sleeping."
"So what I'm hearing is we need to celebrate?" Daisy could see just how much energy Kara had burning under the surface. She glanced at the clock. It was only ten thirty, plenty of places were still open. "Come on, give me fifteen minutes."
Daisy pulled the flask of Alderanian rum out of her purse and liberally dumped it into Kara's drink. She winked at Kara's confused expression, "You need to let loose, I've got you."
"That's…why do you even have that?" Kara had to lean close and half shout to be heard.
Daisy was smug about that, "Bought a bottle the other day for you, figured you deserved to cut loose, a bit." She pressed the drink into Kara's hand and gave her a pointed look. It was easy to ignore the loud thumping of the bass in the club. Which, Daisy hadn't been sure a club was the right idea, up until she'd spotted Kara's expression at realizing where they were.
Kara was actually vibrating slightly with whatever was going on in that head of hers. With a swift movement, she downed the entire drink.
Daisy's brow shot up, but she also couldn't help grinning. Had not pegged Kara as a club person, but it had been the only thing other than just getting the woman drunk or sparring that Daisy could think of on short notice to get Kara to burn out whatever exactly was going on in her head. "Come on, dancing." It was admittedly nice Kara could just hear her. But Kara didn't let herself get pulled toward the dance floor. Daisy tilted her head, "What?"
Kara opened her mouth, and then leaned in, her mouth right by her ear, "What if I hurt someone?"
Oh. Less club person, more had never done it before then. Daisy squeezed, really squeezed Kara's wrist, hard. She met Kara's startled expression. "Just focus on me, I won't let you hurt anyone." It wouldn't be hard to keep anything from going wrong. "Ok?"
Kara bit at her lower lip, but she nodded.
"Come on," Daisy pulled Kara onto the crush of the dance floor. She held Kara's eyes as she pulled Kara's hands to her shoulders. "Hands up, or on me." No flying elbows that way, the rest was easy enough to prevent from going badly for a poor drunk sod. Touchier than Daisy would prefer, she was trying to put distance here, but Kara needed it and it wasn't a big deal. Friends danced together.
Now if she could just convince herself of that. But deafening music with a beat she could have felt in her bones without controlling soundwaves was easily distracting. And slowly, pulling Kara out of her shell was even more distracting.
Chapter 23Notes:The Supergirl episodes are so full of plot that it's insane. Like go pull up the episode summaries on Wikipedia, a single episode reads like what should be a quarter to half a season. I swear the rate at which they chewed through plot without like taking two seconds to breath or allow characters to marinate in what was happening because they had eight new plot things to happen is exhausting. It's a flaw in s1, but like as they add more characters with every season it gets worse, progressively.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter TextKara collapsed with giggles and all floaty and warm feelings on Daisy's bed. She let her arms flop. "It felt like flying!" Her nose wrinkled, "But smellier, all those people and just the noise! I can't believe I hadn't done that before."
There was a snort, "I'm getting you water in a minute."
She beamed at Daisy, who was next to her. "Thank you."
"Wasn't pegging you as a club sort, but noted." Daisy laughed, "I don't think I've been to one in ages."
Kara closed her eyes, enjoying how loose she felt. "I'm not sure I'd like to go a lot, but it was very nice." She sighed, everything felt right like this, next to Daisy. "We should go to the zoo on Saturday."
"We should, should we?" Daisy had sat up, pulling off the heels she'd been wearing from the sound of things. But there was an audible smile in her voice.
Kara hummed, "It's on our list and we haven't done anything on it yet."
"Don't you want to spend time with Alex? You just got her back." Daisy was off the bed, her feet padding across the floor.
Kara propped herself up on her elbows, eyes watching Daisy. There was something at what Daisy had said that prickled at her. Maybe it was just that Daisy looked different? She was wearing a dress for the first time since Kara had met her, her make-up heavier and there was glitter on her eyelids. But that didn't feel right. "Why would that mean I wouldn't want to spend time with you?"
"I just meant, your sister is important. I get it if you need to cut back on being around me to catch up with her." Daisy grabbed a water glass, filled it, and walked back over.
Kara sat up, "I can spend time with both of you." She had a horrible feeling at the thought of losing time or just anything with either of them.
"We can do the zoo?" Daisy sat back down next to her on the bed and pressed the glass of water into her hand. "I just don't want to get in the way of you and your sister."
She downed the glass of water in one go just so she could set it aside without worrying about it and hug Daisy properly. Which she promptly did, sighing in contentment as she laid her head on Daisy's shoulder, her arms wrapped around her. "They won't even confirm that the Kryptonian is a Kryptonian."
Daisy's arms wrapped easily around her, one hand rubbing a circle against her back. "So they're not sure he's Kryptonian?"
"They can't take samples because his skin breaks needles, and his readings are all in line for a Kryptonian, at least the ones they can take. And he was in a Kryptonian pod!" Kara tightened her hold on Daisy, "That has to mean something!"
Daisy hummed, "They probably don't want you to get your hopes up."
"But what else could he be?" Kara pulled back looking at Daisy trying to make her understand. "His clothing is even in Kryptonian fashion, well for pajamas, but still."
Daisy had a sad smile on her face, she reached up cupping the side of Kara's face. "I came to this world driving a demon's car, that doesn't make me a demon. But even if he isn't Kryptonian, he is someone who knows your people, in passing at least."
"If he is Kryptonian though he'll need help, and I won't be…" Kara bit back the word 'alone'. Because she wasn't, she had Daisy, Alex, J'onn, Winn, Lucy, Eliza, James, Cat.
Daisy pulled her forward holding her eyes. "No matter what species he is, you'll help him. Because that's who you are. And he might be Kryptonian but also an asshole. They're just protecting you." A gentle hum of vibrations passed through Kara. "And if anyone tries to keep you from him, or take control of him before he can defend himself I'll take care of it."
Kara laughed, "Take care of it, you always make it sound so serious." She pulled back, "Thank you, for just being here and lovely and you. And dancing, that was fun."
"Any time." Daisy looked serious then, "Anytime you need me, I'm here, ok?"
She hugged Daisy again, tipping them back over onto the bed and just felt content. It was probably too much for friends, but she still asked, "Can I stay here tonight?"
Daisy hesitated, a certain tension in her frame, "If you want."
////
Alex glared and dropped the stack of paperwork on Lucy's desk. "There, all the i's are dotted and the t's crossed. Now are you going to tell me what you know about my sister's neighbor or do I have to find out myself?"
"She's former Air Force, medical discharge." Lucy looked up, "And she's the idiot who yeeted themself out of a window to save Kara when she got thrown out the window." Lucy sighed, "And she knows Kara's Supergirl."
Alex went stiff, "She what!?"
"I already had her sign an NDA." Lucy folded her hands on top of her desk. "You may look at her record if you want, for all the good it will do."
Alex had so many burning questions, "She has a shared grocery app with Kara, I think she's spending almost every evening over there."
"She is," Lucy sighed, "Also she's very competitive at game night."
Alex hated she was asking Lucy and not her sister. "Kara seems…over James?"
"Do you think either of them have talked to me about that? And we're at work." Lucy was avoiding.
Alex's frown deepened, "What don't you want me to know?"
"I want you to go back to managing your sister. I'm the Director of the DEO, not Supergirl's babysitter." Lucy grabbed a folder and passed it over. "Until the newest Supergirl disaster starts up, go through those, I don't want to name a Cadmus mole as Assistant Director."
She opened up the folder, it was a series of face sheets on agents. "Fine, and how sure are you that Johnson isn't Cadmus?"
"No, we're not-" Lucy's words cut out as the door opened, "Agent Smith, has something happened?"
"Ma'am…Ma'am's," He licked at his lips nervously fingers twitching, "Just turn on the news, any channel, just turn it on."
Lucy was up and walking toward the door. "What's on the news, agent?"
"Just…just you have to see." The useless Agent Smith said.
Alex scoffed in disgust, following Lucy out of the room and straight for the large screens in the control room. Large screens pulled up to news stations. And Alex hissed as she stared at what was clearly security footage from Catco. Footage with Supergirl, Cat Grant, Max Lord, and Quake. And there Max was, saying the words 'We kill them all'.
Lucy reached over and yanked the folder out of Alex's hands. "How long is the footage?"
"It's all of it, Ma'am," Vasquez replied promptly.
Alex stepped to the panel, "How is there audio? The security cameras in Catco don't have sound."
"Quake," Lucy said through her teeth. She looked at Alex, "Make sure Supergirl doesn't do anything stupid."
Alex would be asking her burning questions later, but first, she was finding out just how much she was going to need to punch Max for what he'd done during Myriad.
Alex breezed into Kara's apartment, bagels in the bag as payment for surprising Kara just before work. "Kara!" She frowned looking around, where was Kara?
She set the bag on the counter and looked around, Kara's bed was made. Since when did Kara leave her apartment this early? It was another thing that made her hair stand up at the wrongness. Change in Kara. Changes she was going to find the cause of.
////
Kara felt a warm fluttering of excitement and joy still from that morning as she scurried into Ms. Grant's office. "You wanted to see me, Ms. Grant?"
"My entire media strategy has been thrown on the pyre," Ms. Grant scoffed. "Millions of dollars, the entire brand I built for Supergirl, all gone. Gone because depressed Hot Topic Angst bucket decided to burn and salt the earth of Max Lord's name and reputation." Ms. Grant finally looked up at her. "Give me something to work with that's not the ruin of my Supergirl branding, what's your answer?"
"Wha…" Kara felt three steps behind Ms. Grant's train of thought.
Ms. Grant stared at her like she was two inches tall. "What's the question? Your vocation. What is it?"
"Oh, you mean what job do I want?" Kara had solid ground beneath her once more. "Um, well… I haven't decided yet?"
Her voice was very 'chop chop'. "Why not?"
"Well, it's only been around twelve hours." Kara tried to laugh, "Since you asked me to choose a new position, and then half of those hours I was asleep."
Ms. Grant removed her sunglasses. "Really? I offer you the keys to the kingdom, and you just go to sleep?"
"It was nighttime?" Admittedly Kara had only slept for about five of those hours, but she wouldn't give up the time dancing or being curled together with Daisy for anything.
Ms. Grant gave her a look of grave disappointment. "How many hours do you think I slept last night, Kiera?" She didn't wait for Kara to reply. "Two. Because I care about making the most of my life. I squeeze every drop out of every single day. Sleeping is for slackers."
"Well, I did do this online quiz on my way here this morning. Where, you know, you list all your skills, And then it uses this kind of algorithm. To calculate your ideal career. And mine was marketing."
'Mmm.' Ms. Grant was unimpressed.
The nervous need to babble was coming out, "And according to the Catco website, marketing ranks high in potential salary, future growth and, interestingly enough, work-life balance which..." She swallowed, "What do you think?"
"I think that is the most pathetic thing I have ever heard." She replied dry save for a coating of disappointed disgust.
She shrunk slightly, "Oh, okay."
"You can't internet search a calling, Kiera." Her hands turned up where they were resting against the countertop. "A calling is something that is within you. Do you think that Supergirl is a hero, because flying is one of her skills?" Ms. Grant arched a brow, tone no less cutting. "No. She's a hero because she has a need. To help people, to protect the planet." Her tone turned to command. "Look inward, and figure out what Kara Danvers needs to do with her life. I am granting you three more days, as in seventy-two hours, and whatever you do, don't come back with the results of a Rorschach test."
Kara couldn't help the sick feeling in her stomach at that demand. How was she supposed to do that?
"Ms. Tessmacher!" Ms. Grant summoned.
Kara frowned slightly as she landed at the building that was apparently the DEO headquarters in the city. The ones she hadn't been allowed to know about. She shook off the unhappiness. Smile on her face she headed straight for Alex, a thing that meant she could peek through the glass at the unconscious Kryptonian.
"Supergirl," Alex looked at her in confusion and concern. "Is something wrong?"
Kara flopped her arms slightly, "I have to discover my calling."
"Your calling?" Alex asked, one hand dropping on her hip.
She sighed in frustration, "According to the algorithm I should go into marketing. It'd be very safe, pays well, good work-life balance, I'd be good at it. It'd be a good thing! Right?"
"Oh, don't do that." Alex pointed at her, "You're doing that thing where you're too excited but it really means you're stressed."
Kara huffed, "I don't do that."
"You do," Alex said without mercy. "Why don't you talk to James about it? He works for Catco and he knows you."
Kara didn't like the idea of it, it felt…weird. "I wouldn't want to bother him." It sounded weak even to her.
"Crinkle," Alex poked her between the eyebrows.
She hissed, "Crinkle."
"Want to try that again? You were all 'James, James, James' a month ago. And now you're awkward around him and don't even want to bring him up." Alex dropped both of her arms onto her hips.
Kara wasn't sure how to explain, "I don't know it's just…after the red kryptonite and you left and it was just…me. Winn was dating Siobhan, Ms. Grant was still mad at me, and James wanted time..."
"And that means you don't like James anymore?" Alex was kind of dubious as she looked at her.
Kara gave a slight nod. It wasn't the whole story, but Kara didn't know how to tell Alex all of it without it being a whole thing. At least not until Alex had gotten to know Daisy. "He's perfectly what I should like, but then it just never worked and I just felt…pathetic. Pining after someone who didn't want me enough to do anything about it."
"Well, he's an idiot for not realizing how special you are." Alex softened, "And I guess that makes asking him for career advice awkward?"
"Very," Kara said in a rush of relief.
There was a beeping sound from the computer console behind Alex. Alex turned, making a sound of interest as she turned off the alarm. "Why don't you spend some time thinking about your options?"
Kara ignored that, "Is it the Kryptonian? Is he ok?"
"Different lab results, if something changes with our new guest I'll let you know." Alex gave her the look that said 'you're underfoot sis'. "You don't have coffees to fetch, you can focus on figuring out what you want."
She started trying to say something but then sighed, nodding her head. "Ok, yeah. You'll call me if there's a change with the Kryptonian?"
"We don't know he's a Kryptonian," Alex was exasperated.
Kara set a potted violet on the counter. "Is Daisy available?" She looked at the young man in a red polo.
Fred, as his name tag declared him, blinked, "Uh, do you have a computer being repaired?"
"No, but I know her shift ends in five minutes and I thought she might be done early?" And Kara was going to go out of her skin if she kept thinking about what she wanted from Catco.
He blinked before looking over his shoulder in the direction Kara could hear Daisy's distinctive heartbeat. "I mean sure, uh she should be out in a minute if you don't mind waiting?"
"I can wait, that's fine." Kara awkwardly straightened her skirt. And looked around curiously. She'd been to an electronics store before, but it was still interesting that this was a place Daisy had wanted to work at. It was very normal, she couldn't actually picture Daisy doing customer service. Or…actually, she could. She'd seen how fast Daisy had just been a delivery person and how fast she'd dropped it.
Kara didn't have to wait long. She beamed as she saw Daisy walking over, a curiously amused look on her face, leather jacket pulled on over the uniform red polo. "Hi! I hope this is ok?"
"You're fine," Daisy's eyes hit the potted plant on the counter. "You know you're supposed to bring in computers, phones, electronics not plants?" The teasing in her tone was friendly, her eyes crinkled with silent laughter.
Kara still flushed slightly, she wasn't really sure what to do with the realization that she was kind of maybe, totally, accidentally in love with her friend. Humans were weird about the gender thing. But Daisy didn't care about that…probably? She was fine flirting with her when she was Quake? "It's on the list!"
Daisy's brow went up, "The list?"
"Well, you said you wanted to keep a plant alive before you got a pet. So I got you a violet. The plant lady said they're easy to keep alive, and they're purple. You like purple. I am now realizing I should have just given it to you at the apartment and not at work." Kara was too used to Catco and cubicles, Daisy definitely did not have her own cubicle here.
Daisy smiled and neatly snagged the potted plant, "That's really sweet of you, please say you asked the plant lady how often I'm supposed to water this though?" She threw a look over her shoulder as she started walking for the exit, "See you tomorrow Fred."
"Um…was I supposed to do that? I mean you water them once a month, right?" Kara waved at Fred as she followed Daisy out of the building.
Daisy stared at the plant, "You have cacti, pretty sure they get watered less often. You can google while I drive us home."
"I can do that," Kara had kind of forgotten Daisy drove to work, and getting the car back to the apartment was a thing. "I think all I've done all day is google things."
Daisy looked at her curiously, "What are you googling all day? Don't you have a replacement to train or something?"
"Ms. Grant says marketing isn't my calling and I have seventy-two hours to find my calling." Kara really could use a hug, but Daisy was holding the plant. Also, maybe, she was being too clingy?
Daisy snorted as she handed Kara the potted plant so she could unlock the car. "I know you like her, but really?"
"Daisy," Kara pushed her glasses up her nose. "How am I supposed to find my 'calling'? How do humans do that?"
"Uh, a lot of them don't." Daisy looked at her as she slid into the car, her hand absently waving at the passenger door opening it pointedly, "Do you think I like this job because removing viruses from computers, installing program suits, and putting together custom orders is the great objective of my life?"
Kara flushed at realizing she'd forgotten to even walk over to the passenger side of the car. She didn't drive a lot! She quickly hurried over and climbed in. "Sorry."
"You're fine, Ms. Superflight." Daisy handed her the potted violets before starting up the car. "And seriously, if I had like a magical job calling of endless fulfillment or whatever it'd be like being Robin Hood or something. Instead, I ended up a paramilitary spy/assassin/soldier. Life gets weird."
Kara relaxed against the leather seat, and everything just felt ok. She also smiled at the picture of Daisy in the Disney Robin Hood outfit. "You'd lose your hat if you were Robin Hood."
Daisy laughed, "Probably." She looked over at her, "So, how lost are you on the figuring out your calling thing are you?"
"Completely," Kara admitted.
Daisy hummed, looking back out the road. "Well, sounds like we can pick up some take-out, pull out a whiteboard and start listing out your options and we can figure out what you even want from a job and which ones would make you happy."
Kara actually slumped in pure relief. "Thank you."
"Anytime, also I'm going to be popping out later tonight for an errand to make sure something I noticed in LutherCorp's files isn't a big deal. Shouldn't be a big deal, but being proactive and all that. I'll let you know if it's anything to worry about. Want me to pick up ice cream on my way back?"
And it just, everything was going to be fine.
Notes:Also, while I gripe about the Supergirl writing a lot, because it's ass, it's a complaint more for the people calling the shots than the individual writers. Feel like I should be clear about that. Cause the show churned through writers, and the general lack of just...overarching narrative, it feels like some poor writers got locked in a room with a case of Redbull, a time limit from hell, and orders on how many dramatic plot beats to be fulfilled and then changed out the writers in the room every other episode or so. It really doesn't vibe like they had a cohesive team of writers with a clear season-long outline and character archs/themes, etc. Like just production in general is sloppy. The way time passes, how it'll be day in a scene, then night, then day again but only day canonically has passed. It really feels like the whole thing got made with the team on a treadmill and no chances to breathe and double check anything they were doing.
Chapter 24Notes:So, mead is a lot stronger than beer. I knew that, but know it much more now. Also delicious, very delicious.
Chapter TextLena Luthor would have screamed if she was a different woman. As it was she just went very rigid, "What the hell are you doing!?" Which was an asinine question to ask of an intruder in her office.
Because in her dark office was a glowing face. Sort of, if a face could be LED half-circle mouth and eyes. The city's lights meant that it only took a second for the dark shape of a woman sitting on her desk to become apparent.
"Quake." Lena straightened her spine, fingers moving toward her panic button. "Is there a reason my lights aren't working?"
"You have dramatic lighting in here, I couldn't resist." The voice changer didn't help make her any less alarming. She flicked her hand, the lights coming on. "Your panic button isn't going to work, I hard blocked your emergency line before I got here."
Lena pressed the button anyway, her gun was in her desk. The desk the intruder was on. "Well, that's unfortunate, here to threaten the new Luthor? You might as well get on with it."
"You know, I really thought you weren't going to be a problem," She cocked her head, unsettlingly unmoving, and emotionless LED face still looking at her.
She walked further into the room, she was not going to be intimidated in her own fucking office, especially not by a cheap skii mask. "I don't really care what you think so you can get out."
"See if you weren't about to commit genocide I'd be happy to do that," Quake replied like it was nothing. "Do you know how much I don't want to deal with you? I was happy ruining Lord's life, reputation, and miserable existence as thoroughly as I can without Supergirl stopping me. And yet, here I am, this was not on my list of chores."
Lena scoffed, crossing her arms, "Right, I'm a Luthor so I must be planning on one-upping my brother. Genocide, a completely logical assumption."
Quake held up the alien detection proto-type. It was lit up red. "Sorry for using it, I was curious if it'd think I was human or not, I'm three-quarters human after all. But nope, it registered the non-human stuff. Impressive."
Her jaw clenched, that prototype should have been in the safe in her office. The biometric one made out of Nth steel that not even a Super should have been able to crack. The absolute gall of the woman in front of her burned at the back of her neck like liquid fire. "Fabulous, you've proven I'm making a scanner. But I'm a Luthor so I must be evil."
"That's hilarious, you think I give a fuck about your name." The woman clapped her hands together once. "Buddy, my dad was a serial killer and my mom tried to wipe out human life on this planet. And they're like the least evil people I'm related to. You haven't even hit the murdering of your own family members to stop intergalactic war crimes yet. Obviously, I'm not an idiot and was going to keep an eye on you, but your medical nano-bot research sounded cool and you weren't pouring funding into weapons so I figured you'd be an average shitty billionaire, but my bad." She wiggled the proto-type.
"It's a scanner," Lena said dryly, eyes narrowing. Some pathetic sob story was not going to make her take rabid accusations laying down.
Quake was silent, the LED face not flickering or changing in the slightest.
"What, cat got your tongue? You can leave if that was all." Lena's skin crawled as she waved toward the balcony. She was going to have to rebuild her security from the ground up apparently.
Quake spoke slowly, "You're serious?"
"Yes, you can take your judgment and sob story and leave." Lena doubted it would do much but it'd make her feel better to shoot at the obnoxious woman if she could get to her fucking gun.
Quake sighed, the sound distorted, and then she tossed the prototype at Lena.
Lena barely caught the thing, sports had never been her passion. "What are you-" But her words choked off as Quake pulled her mask up and off, only the face looking back at her was her own.
"Not a shape-shifter before you ask," Quake said in Lena's own voice. "But you're the tech genius, I doubt I have to explain how this is possible." And it was galling as hell to hear her own voice being condescending back at her. The image of her face's lips pulled up in amusement, "Too much?"
Lena's teeth ground, "That seems a bit rude."
"Fair," And then the face flickered, a different face coming over. This one was of a woman in her mid-twenties, caucasian, with freckles, and copper-colored eyebrows. The tone of voice changed entirely. "You can stop bristling, just thought your face would be funny, and I was right. She hopped off the desk. "So, seriously have you never seen Jurassic Park, like any zombie movie, Space Odyssey?"
"I presume that's not your face either?" Lena stayed where she was. Moving to the desk too quickly could give away she wanted what was in it.
The woman laughed with what was almost certainly not her voice. "Nope, but ignoring my face, you can't seriously be stupid enough to not know what you've invented can you?"
"Aliens are about to have a right to be citizens of this country, but humans have a right to know who among them is one of them." Lena replied, "Humans are allowed to defend themselves."
Quake's borrowed face stared at her like she was a disappointing four-year-old. "Jesus, you're serious? Like genuinely."
Lena hadn't wanted to slap a person this badly in years as she bristled. "I'm a businesswoman, I make it a habit to be serious."
"Fucking science geniuses," Quake dropped onto the couch with an actual groan. "Not touching your xenophobia, but what do you think is going to happen when you release this shit?"
"Excuse me? Having the right to defend oneself is hardly xenophobic." Lena would strangle the woman if she didn't know that would go very badly for her.
Quake buried her face in her hands. "The fact you mean that is killing me. Did you not take a single ethics class…history? I'm a high school drop out and I know this shit."
"Security will be here in less than two minutes," Lena turned on her heel and strode for the exit of her office. She was not playing this game.
"Do you have a press release already written for when the bodies of dead children hits the five o'clock news? Or are you planning on winging it?" Quake's voice was cold, but also unflinchingly serious from behind her.
Lena paused, looking over her shoulder at the woman. "What are you talking about? It's not going to kill children."
"It will," And Quake meant it. That wasn't in question from her tone to her posture to her expression.
She looked up the ceiling and fine. Lena turned back towards the woman who didn't have a singular right to judge her. "And how exactly is a scanner going to kill anyone?" She crossed her arms staring at the face stealing twit.
"The scanner itself? Harmless as far as I know, the science bit isn't my wheelhouse but it is yours." Quake's false face raised a brow, cutting off Lena's reply. "But you're smarter than me, so tell me, what happens when say a grocery store makes customers use one on the way in?"
"Excuse me?" Lena's brow pulled together slightly, "The light goes off, everyone knows the truth without lies."
Quake's head, "And? You're Lex Luthor's sister, don't pretend you don't know how much hate there is against aliens. What happens then? When an alien is standing in the entrance of a grocery store and everyone knows they're different."
"Are you suggesting a mob is going to rip some random alien apart?" Lena asked in disbelief. "That's barbaric and ridiculous."
"Yes, I'm saying exactly that." Quake stared at her, "Have you seen what we do to each other? Or I guess you do to each other? Do I need to point out the Holocaust, refugee crises at borders the world over, hate crimes from the war on terror, the treatment of Native Americans, slavery, Jim Crow, lynchings, police shootings, gay bashing, and on and on I could keep going or are you done pretending to be stupid when we both know you're the smartest person in this room?" Her tone was poison.
Lena's teeth clicked together.
"Fine, you want to play stupid, let's do some basics, you can have homework, go fucking Google anti-alien hate crimes after I leave." Quake held her eye. "But let's play it out. Every store, every job. It'll take years for the legal system to catch up with the chaos. The aliens who've managed to pass will find themselves out of work. Any business with a xenophobic asshole at the cash register, as a manager, the doctor's office, the school office, etc, will refuse service. And when the more violent xenophobes are there there will be violence. Most aliens aren't Kryptonian, and that's not even touching people like me who are only part alien. They'll be sitting ducks."
Quake rose to her feet, stalking forward. "Some won't be, they'll be able to defend themselves. And the police will be called, the media will care about those ones, the aliens who kill humans no matter whether it's self-defense or not. And aliens aren't perfect, turn on the news. They love an alien rampage for Supergirl to stop and can't ignore human-caused Super incidents hard enough. Terror, a justification for xenophobia as the news plasters images of a handful of violent confrontations where humans are harmed, and the bodies will start piling up. Which won't be the end of it."
"I'm not responsible if people pervert my inventions," Lena felt something sick and sinking.
Quake raised a brow, "You are when you hand the worst elements of society the best weapon imaginable because you never bothered thinking through the effects and never bothered to hire PR, Legal or Ethics anyone in a position to point that out to you that your psychopath of a brother didn't put on staff personally."
"It's not a weapon!" Lena's arms moved with the force of her words.
The woman didn't even blink, as she came to a halt in front of her. "Information is the most valuable weapon on the planet and we both know it."
Lena refused to show a chink of weakness no matter how powerful this person was. It burned that she was right, at least about enough to make Lena's chest churn with discomfort. "I'm not my brother."
"I'd have killed you already if I thought you were." Quake said like the sky was blue. "Fix your genocide machine."
Lena raised a brow, clicking her tongue. "Or what, you'll kill me?"
Quake's face rippled, the fact it was an electronic weave apparent from the way it did so, and then Lena was looking at her own face again. "Nice chat, let's not do it again."
Lena's every muscle was furiously tense as she watched Quake walk out of her office and simply swing up and then disappear over the edge. She stood there for a minute before hurling the scanner against the wall so hard it shattered. Her breathing heavy she turned on her heel and strode out of her office as fast as her fashionable not practical heels would allow. She was ripping her digital security team to shreds, firing her entire ethics board, and then she was going to dry heave into a toilet until she was capable of following up on every god-forsaken point the monster in her office had just brought up. Even if she already knew in her bones what she'd find.
////
Maxwell Lord wasn't shocked to see his office door opening, "What is it, Nancy?"
"The police, Sir." Nancy, his latest PA announced all nervous dread.
He sighed, "Well, at least my lawyers will have someone besides myself to lecture. Show our good civil servants in then, if you would."
Nancy didn't have to do more than look into the hall, and in came the police, there were a lot of them.
He stood up, "I hope you have a warrant, Detective?" His eyes locked on the small woman who was certainly in charge.
She held out a piece of paper that was certainly a warrant, but instead of handing it to him, handed it to the cop next to her, "Maxwell Lord, you are under arrest."
////
Kara flopped over the arm of the couch, her head landing on Daisy's lap. "How do humans do this without computers telling them what is best? Earth's algorithms are the worst."
"By making their high school counselors consider early retirement," Daisy said dryly while looking down at her strangely. "You do know there are pillows?"
Kara knew she had to look ridiculous, she hadn't even thought about it. It'd just felt…automatic to be near Daisy like this. Liking someone didn't usually make her this terrible at humaning! Was this because she couldn't check in with Alex about this? "Is this weird?"
Daisy's hand on her shoulder kept Kara from sitting up. "You're fine, but um…you do know I wasn't exactly doing happy-friendly stuff earlier, right?"
"I know," Kara reached up, laying her hand over where Daisy's was on her shoulder. "Did it go well?"
Daisy huffed, but the tension Kara hadn't even noticed lessened. "It went weirdly, but I'm really good at pissing people off." She looked away, "It's weird, I used the veil again and I just…keep using Jemma's face. I know she wouldn't mind, but it's weird."
"Why are you using her face?" Kara asked curiously, looking up at Daisy.
Daisy replied easily, "Well it's weird having serious conversations wearing the mask, and I'm not showing my actual face to anyone. And Jemma doesn't exist on this planet. I know it's fine, probably even the smart thing to do. But…things with Jemma were complicated and wearing her face reminds me of that."
"You could use a different face?" Kara suggested, unsure if she should ask more about Jemma. It was one of the topics that Daisy avoided generally. The people from before.
Daisy's hand went back to her tablet. "I might, feel like talking about your promotion?"
"It feels like it's the only thing I can think about." Kara groaned. "Maybe editing? I'm really good at spelling but then I have a hard time making it work…so maybe not that?"
Daisy looked down at her, "Ok, what are the sort of things you were engineered to be really good at? It's not like they made you get horny at the sight of a microscope. So like what, I mean you're def not dyslexic cause that'd be a terrible combo. So what, highly inclined to puzzles? Is that a thing you guys could do?"
"Oh, find what uses the same skills as science but isn't science." Kara's eyes widened as she processed that. That would be just her version of a human calling, wouldn't it?
Daisy's lips just twitched up as she went back to her work, leaving Kara to think about it.
Kara stared at the ceiling, slowly turning over what exactly being born for the Science Guild meant. She was smart, her memorization skills were nearly photographic. She was curious and finding the truth was ingrained in her. The self-introspection was a bit funny, and she kind of wanted to start writing down a list of things she was supposed to be and organize it all out. But that would mean moving, and she didn't want to move. It was a bit of a conundrum.
The quiet peaceful thinking time was interrupted by the door opening. Or, well Kara felt a faint increase in hum from Daisy a split second before the door opened.
Kara poked her head up, "Alex!"
"Kara, and friend." Alex's eyes were sharp as they picked up on both of them on the couch. "I thought we could do a sisters' night, but if you're busy..."
"And that's my cue to go." Daisy was up and off the couch in a few seconds. "See you tomorrow Kara." She raised a hand to Alex and waved with a casual nonchalance, "Nice seeing you again, Alex."
Kara turned, nearly falling off the couch, "Wait, you don't have to go!"
"It's late," Daisy smiled at her and then ducked out the window and was gone.
Kara spluttered as she jumped to her feet, that was…rats. "Why does she keep doing that?"
"Maybe she has something to hide," Alex muttered, setting down a bag with ice cream in it on the counter.
She turned on her heel. "Would you stop chasing her away? If you just gave her a chance you two would really get along."
"It's hard to chase someone away who flees at the sight of your face." Alex leaned against the counter, arms crossed. "I mean sure Lucy ran her background, but how do you know she's not Cadmus? You can't just let people into your life because they're 'nice', Kara."
Which was ridiculous, sure Daisy wanted them to think she was former Cadmus, but that was Quake and Alex didn't know she was Quake. "That's unfair! She's trying to be nice because she knows I missed you! If you'd just try and talk to her instead of glaring she wouldn't leave so fast."
"You barely know her!" Alex gestured around the apartment. "How long have you known her and she just comes in and out of your window, you grocery shop together, she half lives here, that's her jacket on the chair over there. You might be too trusting, but she isn't."
Kara could feel herself bristling, she wasn't too trusting, or maybe sometimes, but not with this. "I know the important things. She's a good person, she isn't going to hurt me, or tell anyone anything."
"You don't think that's weird?" Alex was clearly frustrated. "While you're vulnerable, someone new just 'happens' to show up."
"It's not like that." Kara protested hotly.
Alex gave her one of those stupid condescending looks. "Random military vet just happens to move into the same apartment building as Supergirl, just happens to befriend you, burrows herself completely in your life, full access to Supergirl's apartment, she shows up at your work, cooks your food, people don't just 'happen' to do that, Kara. She has an agenda."
"She not using me!" Kara wanted to snap that Daisy was the only reason they hadn't had to fight each other during Myriad. That the two of them owed her everything. "Sure, she's really bad at not finding herself things to do. And does treat everything like some kind of mission, but that doesn't mean she's a bad person. I just want you to give her a chance."
Alex did not look impressed. "She's taking advantage of you being a good person, Kara. Do you think she would have put in any effort if you weren't Supergirl?"
"That's not…" Kara hated how she couldn't say that was untrue. "That's not fair."
"You can't even deny it." Alex threw her hands up. "Are you dating her, is that what this is? At least that would make sense."
Kara just knew her face was doing something embarrassing at that. "What, no. We're not dating, she's my friend! She jumped out of a window to save me. I wouldn't even still be able to have Kara Danvers if she hadn't done that."
"Jumping out a window after Supergirl is all reward, no risk." Alex's eyes narrowed further before she sighed, pressing her hand against her forehead. "Would you please just be careful and maybe stop letting her in through the window? Cut back on how much you're seeing her?"
The idea of cutting back time with Daisy was… "No."
"Excuse me? Kara she's a threat, no one wants to spend that much time with a near stranger. I'm trying to protect you."
"I don't need you to protect me from Daisy, she's not going to hurt me. Why can't you just trust me?!" Kara waved her arms.
Alex's face, one she'd mastered as a teen, clearly said 'are you for real?' "Because you just invited a stranger into your home and have let her find out your secret, the one that could get you, me, mom, and all of your friends killed. And you're telling me to just take it on the goodness of your heart."
"Why can't you accept that maybe I know her better than whatever report you read and maybe I know enough about her to trust her? Why isn't that an option?" Kara just wanted them to get along, dang it all. "You're being frustrating Alex, if you would just try and get to know her, you'd see!"
Alex pulled back, "You know what, this was a mistake. If you're going to be unreasonable I might as well not be here. I am not supporting whatever this mess is."
"Alex!" Kara hurt as she realized her sister was going to walk out of her apartment. "Come on, why does this have to be such a big deal? Would you just wait?!"
Alex looked at her, her hand on the door handle, "Are you willing to be reasonable about your 'totally normal' neighbor?"
"That's not…I'm not going to stop being friends with her just because you're being unreasonable." Kara begged for Alex to understand, just trust her.
"So no," Alex opened up the door. "Good night Kara."
Kara spun on her heel and walked toward her bed as the door closed. She faceplanted onto the soft mattress and screamed into her pillow.