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It had been a startling thing, seeing the woman who brought Kara forth into the universe. Dark hair where Kara’s was light, sharp features where Kara’s were soft, but undoubtedly the mother of Earth’s young heroine. Watching Kara cling to her mother as if she were her last lifeline and Alura whisper soft words into her ear, it was impossible to not see that. Cat had not been privy to Kara’s entire identity when Astra In-Ze had been alive, but she imagined even that close familial relationship could not compare to the one she saw before her.
If Cat were being honest, she was somewhat jealous of Alura’s return to Kara’s life. Just as she had finally convinced Kara to move in with her and abandon that shabby little apartment, Alura’s sudden arrival had sent her back to it. Alura needed a home, of course, and who better to guide her through earth’s customs than her own daughter? Cat could understand that — she was a mother herself and could not imagine being torn away from Carter in such a manner, but it did not douse the small flame of jealousy that burned in her heart every night Kara was not in her arms.
Cat could see in Alex’s eyes that she was not alone in the unfair sting of jealousy, but between them there was a silent promise to keep Kara, and by extension, Alura, unaware of their feelings. They would fade in time, both knew, as Alura adjusted to National City and Kara would eventually come to accept her mother’s presence without drowning in it. Waiting had never been Cat’s forte, but under the circumstances, there was no other choice.
Standing at the top of her balcony, staring out at the city below with a glass of bourbon in hand, Cat idly wondered at whether or not she could successfully convince Kara for a night alone within the upcoming week. Cat did not want to calculate the last time it was just the two of them. There had been several family gatherings, in which Cat, Carter, and Alex attempted to get to know the Kryptonian noblewoman, yet none ever left the evenings feeling as though they’d succeeded.
Cat sighed and closed her eyes, trying to turn her ever-active mind off for just a moment so that she might try and enjoy the clear night. It was too late to be brooding over the unchangeable, moreover something that she could never try to change, even if that were a possibility. Kara’s life had already been so impossibly hard and this one respite was long overdue.
“You look troubled.”
The voice made Cat jump, nearly spilling her drink. Her surprise was not lessened by the fact it had come from the subject of her thoughts, the very source of her troubles. Never before had Alura flown in front of Cat, and she was surprised by the near silence of it.
“Why aren’t you with Kara?” Cat asked immediately. She had never seen Alura away from Kara’s side, either, and worried that something might have happened.
“She’s sleeping,” Alura said by means of explanation. Alura’s eyes were set on the city with an sense of fondness, as if she, too, had come to find some worth in her adoptive city. Kara had once told Cat of how much greener National City was than Krypton, despite its southern Californian location. Cat wondered if Alura could remember a time when Krypton hadn’t been quite so desolate, or if its deterioration had been so firmly established throughout Alura’s life, as well.
“I am sorry if I am disturbing you,” Alura said after a long, pregnant pause had passed between them. “But I wanted to speak with you, without Kara’s presence.”
Cat raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. Each time she had met Alura previously, she had received the distinct feeling that she was being judged. Not in the way typically associated with the word, there was no particular maliciousness to it, but Alura’s watched each movement and each inflection of tone with great interest.
Alura, understanding that Cat had no intention of responding until more was said, continued. “Kara speaks of you quite often. I can tell that she cares for you, although the nature of how escapes me.”
It had been a mutual decision to keep Alura in the dark as to the exact nature of their relationship, one which Cat often found herself second guessing. Same-sex relationships were not heard of on Krypton, according to Kara, and Cat’s human physiology would give any Kryptonian, other than Kal-El, pause. There was too much for Alura to process and adapt to without worrying over her daughter’s romantic entanglements, although Cat should have realized Alura was clever enough to piece together bits of it on her own.
“I have come to understand that in your world, or rather, your nation, marriages are built in different ways than ours.” Alura’s eyes grew dark as she spoke, heavy with emotion. “My marriage was arranged for me before I could even speak and while I came to love my husband, that was not a requisite for our union. My sister fared poorer in her marriage to Non, even if some bond of camaraderie grew between them. But your country has long since abandoned this tradition.”
Alura stopped for a moment and Cat wondered if she expected a response, but the fact that her eyes were still trained on the flickering lights below kept Cat from speaking. Clearly she had realized more than Cat initially suspected, leaving Cat to wonder whether or not Kara was aware of Alura’s suspicions.
“I do not know whether my daughter told you that she was betrothed in Krypton?”
Cat’s jaw clenched automatically. “No, she did not.”
Since the subject had first been brought to Cat’s attention, all the way back in college, she had despised the thought of arranged marriages. Cultural considerations be damned, too many stories of young girls getting trapped in abusive, inescapable situations had crossed Cat’s desk to let her rethink the subject. Still, Krypton was dead, and as such, there was little point in pointing out her distaste to Alura. The woman had lost a culture and even Cat would not berate her for its flaws.
“I suppose it does not matter, but when I sent Kara away, the thought that I would never have grandchildren eligible of inheriting the legacies of both Zor-El and myself was difficult. I did not think that she might find a spouse upon this planet,” Alura admitted. “Was I wrong in that assumption, Catherine Grant?”
“Yes.” It was easy enough to answer. Even if Cat and Kara’s lives had never intersected, there would have been someone else, nor was Cat conceited enough to dismiss the possibility that there could be someone else to come, even after all they had been through. “But I understand.”
Alura smiled wistfully. “Tell me, what are you to my daughter?”
Kara would be mortified to think that this conversation was happening, her mother calling Cat out on there being something, even if she was not entirely sure what that something was. Cat smirked at the thought. She wondered how often Kara had mentioned her for Alura to put two and two together, since their little gatherings had no inkling of romanticism whatsoever.
“You should ask her that,” Cat said simply. Part of Cat did not want to betray Kara’s trust, but the other half was simply worried that her answer would be too presumptuous and inconsistent with whatever answer Kara would provide. “Although I’d say you’re probably on the right track.”
To Cat’s surprise, Alura laughed at the answer and shook her dead. “I am sure you are aware of this, but Kara can be difficult to talk to about these sort of things. I have tried to ask, but she skirts around my question. I thought you might be more direct.”
Cat could not help but chuckle lowly in response, picturing Kara changing subjects suddenly to avoid such a conversation. “I see.”
“May I ask, then, what is my daughter to you?” Alura was staring directly at her, with inquisitive eyes, fierce, yet not quite harsh.
“Are you going to throw me off the roof if you don’t like my answer?” Cat huffed, taking another sip of her bourbon. It was supposed to be a joke, but Cat couldn’t help but consider the possibility.
Alura knitted her eyebrows together in worry. “Surely you do not think so poorly of me.”
“It was a joke,” Cat explained. She considered Alura’s question a moment longer, wondering whether or not the truth was the best course of action. The bit of jealousy she held towards Alura for monopolizing Kara’s time over the past few weeks yearned to brag about the months she’d spent by Kara’s side, but it was childish and unbecoming, so Cat pushed the feeling down. Instead, she answered simply, “I love her.”
It was still terrifying to say aloud, especially to the mother of the object of her affections, but Alura did nothing more than nod in understanding. “Good.”
“Good?” Cat repeated incredulously.
“If it was something less than love, I may have taken issue with your relationship,” Alura hesitated on the last word, unsure if it was the proper term. “I want my daughter to be happy, after everything I have put her through.”
There was a hint of insecurity in her final statement and Cat reached out a hand, resting it against Alura’s shoulder as a sign of support. “She loves you and is beyond happy to have you back in her life.”
“I know, and I am, as well,” Alura said solemnly. A small smile found its way onto her lips after, and her tone turned lighter. “Although her constant worry over me is becoming a bit much.”
Cat was shocked to hear the words come from Alura’s mouth. There was an amused glint in her eyes, though, reassuring Cat that there was nothing to truly worry over. “Really?”
“I never want to be without my daughter again, but I am capable of living on my own. And her current living conditions were not designed for two.” Cat suppressed a grin.
“No,” she concurred, “They really aren’t.”
“I am not familiar enough with the American courting etiquette to provide any advice, but you have my blessing to proceed as you think best,” Alura reassured her.
“Are you sure?” Cat asked, trying not to jump at the opportunity only to have Alura regret her leniency later down the line.
“I am,” Alura promised with a smile. “And if need be, I would be happy to watch over your son so that you might spend some time with Kara. I would be pleased to get know him better.”
Cat’s mind was still struggling to process the words directed at her, but she nodded weakly, lump of emotion in throat. “Thank you, Alura.”
Alura looked out at the city one more time and nodded. “Of course. I should return to Kara’s home, lest she wake up to find me missing and panic.”
With a final smile of reassurance, she departed from the balcony as silently as she’d arrived.
There was a strange amount of noise coming from the apartment as Kara approached it. Alura had proven herself to be a quiet, collected roommate, having little reason to make a commotion. Kara would have been worried about the sheer amount of sound, if it wasn’t for the familiar voice of Carter making itself clear. It was strange to hear him in the apartment, but with the audible excitement in his voice, not worrying.
“Mom?” Kara called as she opened the door, immediately greeted by the sight of Alura wearing normal civilian clothes, standing by Carter’s side with a hand on the boy’s shoulder.
“Kara,” Alura greeted.
“Hi Kara!” Carter’s grin was infectious, even if its presence in her apartment was a source of confusion for Kara.
“Hey, buddy.” Kara clicked the door shut behind her and stepped closer to the pair, wary to get too close. “What’re you doing here?”
“I’m taking Alura to the Natural History Museum,” Carter explained and Alura nodded in confirmation. “And then we’re gonna get Italian. She says she hasn’t tried it yet.”
Kara, still struggling to understand the situation, looked to her mother for assistance, but Alura offered no support. Instead, she ushered Carter to the door and kissed Kara’s hairline before slipping out into the hallway. “We will return soon.”
“Wait a sec,” Kara started to protest, but Carter was already rushing towards the elevator with Alura in tow.
“Plans have been made to keep you occupied,” Alura called over her shoulder.
Kara would have darted out after them if it wasn’t for the soft cough from behind her. She spun around to see Cat leaning against the couch, purse slung over her shoulder and dressed in a tight fitting black dress that sent a wave a heat through Kara. Four weeks, Kara realized, of nothing more than a stolen kiss or two in the office was not nearly satisfying.
“Hi,” Cat said softly, as close to shy as Cat ever managed.
“Hi,” Kara whispered back, forcing her eyes up from the thigh-revealing slit. “Do you know what’s going on?”
“Your mother kindly offered to babysit so that we might spend some time together,” Cat explained, stepping forward slowly until she was directly in front of Kara, her lips only a few inches away. “She’s a very perceptive woman.”
“Oh Rao,” Kara muttered, eyes drifting back to the door. “She knows?”
Cat chuckled and nodded. “We had a lovely little talk. She’s fine with it, Kara.”
If Kara’s senses weren’t dazed by the scent of Cat’s perfume, she might have argued the point, but added with Cat’s proximity, she found herself struggling to think of a proper sentence. “Really?”
“Really.” Cat’s voice was so low, adding to the seduction act that Kara couldn’t believe her own mother had assisted in. “So tonight, I have plans for you, me, restaurant reservations, a bottle of wine, and a bed.”
“Does it have to be in that order?” Kara whimpered as Cat’s fingers ghosted over her back, drawing light patterns.
“That was the original plan, although you may be able to persuade me otherwise.” Cat’s cockiness faltered as Kara kissed her neck. “But we do need to talk at some point. I’m serious, Kara.”
Kara placed a light kiss on Cat’s brow and sighed. “I know.”
“Good,” Cat growled, stripping the jacket off of Kara’s shoulders and tossing her onto the couch. “But can we agree to talk about it later?”
Kara nodded eagerly as she fell back against the cushions and pulled Cat closer. “I like that plan.”