She’s silently crying when she feels a hand, a warm familiar palm really, settle around her shoulder and she doesn’t even need to look to know who it is. She would recognize that scent everywhere and even after all those years, it has a very powerful effect on her. It’s flowers, a hint of citrus and something earthy, indescribably pure.“Kara.” She whispers. She doesn’t move but the fingers curl around the sharp bones of her shoulder, a gentle thumb hesitantly brushing the patch of skin at the base of her neck. It’s incredibly familiar in a way that pokes at old, unhealed wounds. It’s soft and there’s some tenderness in the gesture but it’s heavy with memories she doesn’t want to revive, not today.“Hi Cat. Long time no see.” The voice is kind and low, it sounds different in her years. She’s not used to that odd, deep note in a tone that had always sounded too bright for the world they were living in. It unsettles her and she finally, finally muster the courage to meet Kara’s eyes.Oh.
She’s meet with the dazzlingly deep shade of blue that haunts her dreams and sometimes even her days. There’s a whole world in those eyes, burning stars forming unfinished comets and entire galaxies gravitating around the black hole of her pupils.It’s not as bright as it used to be, she notices and she takes in the rest of Kara’s features.It’s been something like ten years since they last saw each other and she slowly notices the cracks and wrinkles showing all over the younger woman’s expression. It’s subtle really, she’s probably the only one to see the lines of exhaustion on Kara’s forehead, the slight crinkles around her eyes and the discrete creases at the corner of her mouth. The once glowing skin is now a little drab and there’s some makeup to help with the color.It still looks smooth though and Cat remembers how it felt under her fingertips.Kara’s looking at her with her so ever blue eyes and Cat scowls her features into a composed expression but she can’t quite hide her surprise.“I didn’t know …” She trails off. She should have asked, she realizes it.“I … Carter invited me and I wanted to … be there, you know.” Kara Danvers, the girl of steel, sounds hesitant and Cat is brought back to a time when she was annoyed at that sort of uncertainty. One lifetime ago.“Of course. He’s going to be thrilled to see you here.” She forces the words out of her mouth and there’s the faintest hint of a smile tugging at Kara’s lips.Cat stares, she can’t help it. She wonders if it still tastes like pumpkin, cinnamon and cheap strawberry lipstick.“I saw him on my way here. He was indeed quite happy.” Kara said and this time, the smile is firmly on her lips and it’s soft, tender and it reaches her eyes. Suddenly, it’s like the whole universe is spinning again, for a few seconds. It doesn’t last.“I can’t believe he’s … “ Kara sounds almost sad and Cat’s heart aches because she realizes what’s happening in the younger woman’s head. She wants to reach out to tangle her fingers with Kara’s but she contains herself and she simply nods. Her voice is soft and melancholic when she speaks.“He’s all grown up and … well. That’s why I’m here.” She says, gesturing to the mess that her face must be. She’s swore to herself she wouldn’t cry but she’s too emotional.Her heart practically stops when Kara move her hand from her shoulder to actually touches her cheek. She catches a tear that threatened to fall on her dress and the drop sparkles on the woman’s finger. Kara looks entranced by it.Cat’s heart is slowly recovering and her skin tingles where she’s been caressed. She finds that she misses the contact already, even though it barely lasted half a second.“No one can blame you. Do you want me to leave you alone?” Kara asks, concern suddenly clear on her face as she takes a step back. Cat struggles not to grab her arm to make her stay. It’s been ten years but she’s still deeply affected by the younger woman’s presence.“No, it’s fine. I need to reapply my makeup so I can be ready for the whole ordeal.” She says and she sees the smile that ghost across Kara’s lips.“I can wait for you, if you want.” She says and Cat suddenly realizes that Kara doesn’t want to leave her. It’s an oddly comforting thought and she just nods, too taken aback to trust her voice and speak.Kara waits and she disappears into the bathroom to arrange her face. She takes an extra couple of minutes to try to calm the mess of her mind but it doesn’t work. Kara Danvers had always had that effect on her. It’s infuriating really.When she slips out to join Kara, she’s a little calmer and she looks ready to face the day. She doesn’t ask when Kara offers her arm, she just takes it and they walk away together.—The ceremony is beautiful and her makeup is ruined again.She’s just witnessed the wedding of her baby boy, the one with bright blue eyes and unruly curls who had a crush on Supergirl for years and she’s crying again when the familiar hand finds her way on her tight, a little above the knee.“I’m so proud of him.” She hears and she smiles because Kara’s voice is wavering with pride and love and too many other emotions at once. She glances to her left to see that the younger woman is also crying, tears rolling down her cheeks and falling on her exposed collarbone. She feels a little better and she wonders why.She accepts the hand Kara is offering to follow the happy couple out of Town-Hall and she doesn’t protest when she feels a hand against the small of her back. It’s familiar and comforting and she needs it. She lets Kara guide her to a car and she stays silent as they ride towards the beach house, where the real party will be happening.Kara doesn’t really leave her side and Cat finally realizes that Kara came alone. No Alex Danvers, no Maggie Sawyer, no cardigan hobbit or faithful guardian, no one came with National City’s most beloved hero. She almost asks but then she chose against it.Kara is smiling and joking with Carter and his newly appointed husband and it looks so normal, so natural, it warms her heart. Cat catches his son’s eyes on her and she smiles to reassure him. She’s feeling fine, surprisingly enough.Time goes by and night is slowly falling upon them when Cat hears the first note of a song she thought she would never hear again. Carter is looking sheepishly at her but then his husband is dragging him on the dance floor and she can’t help the smile that floats on her lips.Carter is happy, engulfed in his husband’s arms and it’s all she’s ever wanted for him.“It was our wedding song.” Kara’s voice is low and leaned with something that sounds like sadness. Not regret, not pain, just an infinite sadness that shines in her eyes a little too much. Cat just nods but she doesn’t tear her eyes away from her son dancing on the dance floor.She remembers like if it was yesterday, it was her dancing on a similar floor, securely being held by Kara’s strong arms as they were happily swaying together. It had been such a beautiful day, their wedding day.It had lasted five years and then she added another divorce at her list. It wasn’t anyone’s fault, really. Time, distance, work, National City, Supergirl’s duty, life happened and they simply parted way.Cat never got over their divorce.“May … May I have this dance?” She hears and she thinks she’s still caught in her past, until Kara steps forwards and extends a hand to her.People are joining the married couple on the dance floor and it’s another song now, one she recognizes as Carter’s favorite. She remembers, Kara loves it too.“You were never able to resist Ed Sheeran.” She says and she does something foolish, she accepts the hand. She follows Kara and there’s a moment when she thinks the girl of steel is going to change her mind but then …Then she feels two strong arms encircle her and she’s breathing in that earthy perfume that clings to Kara’s skin and she thinks that it’s the way it should be. It’s the balance of life itself being restored as she pressed her forehead against Kara’s shoulder and there’s a sob caught in her throat and a smile tugging at her lips because she knows.She knows it’s only for one dance, she knows she should hate Ed Sheeran but when Kara holds her like this, she can’t think of anything else but how she’s missed it.“I missed it. I missed you.” She hears and the sadness in Kara’s voice is clear. They both know it’s only for one night and then, tomorrow, they’ll be apart again.Cat’s sob escape her lips and Kara holds her tighter.“I know.” She manages to say and she feels Kara nod.She feels something wet fall into her hair and they cry in silence as the words echo endlessly.Oh maybe we found love right where we areAnd we found love right where we are
