Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Call Me Kara

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 08:

“How was your night?” Barry asked Kara over the phone, already knowing. Even though they saw each other during the day, they spent every night on the phone, rehashing anything the other might have missed.

“You know how my night was. Why did I get the jumper and you got the armed robbery?” Kara complained.

“Uh, you can fly so if the guy jumped, you could catch him? I would have loved to have been there and let you have the bad guys but it’s not my fault I can’t fly.”

“You saved me, okay you didn’t save me, but you caught me when I fell out of a building.” Kara reminded him.

“Yeah but you were already falling and I was already running. Catching a jumper in midair just seemed like more your thing. I mean you could have just floated…”

“Barry?”

“Yeah?”

“Why don’t you just admit that you want to go after bad guys instead of dealing with suicidal people?”

Silence.

“Barry?”

“Yeah?”

“Admit it.”

“Okay, yes I wanted to go after those guys. They had been active lately and this was the first time they had been caught in the act instead of after the fact. I wanted them. Besides you did great. I mean you talked the guy down. I don’t know if I could have done that.” Barry lied. He probably wouldn’t have tried. Running up buildings and catching people was much more fun and looked cooler on the news.

“I didn’t talk him down.” Kara admitted. “I told him to jump.”

Barry laughed.

“No really, what did you say to him?”

“I told him to jump.” Kara repeated.

“Oh, okay. Not the tactic I would have used but effective anyway. Did you want to make some dramatic midair save?”

“Nope. I wanted him to jump. Do you remember the jumper four days ago?”

“Yeah…”

“Same guy. Four days ago I caught him, carried him over my shoulder on the way down and he tried to grab my… you know, butt! So I see him again tonight and he tells me he only came up to the top so he would be seen and I would show up. He wanted a ride down and then asked me out! The pervert actually asked me out. So I told him to go ahead and jump but I wasn’t saving him. He was not going to have another free shot at my goods. Rao, I miss wearing a cape sometimes. No one tried to grope me from behind when I wore a cape.”

“Yeah but not having the cape isn’t a bad thing. I mean I definitely enjoy the view.”

Even over the phone Kara blushed. She had never had many successful relationships in her short twelve years on Earth, and none had ever gone very far, actually past the first date. In a lot of ways she was still the awkward, unsure kid that landed in a pod from outer space. Having a boyfriend to flirt with, make out with, who actually wanted her and didn’t look at other women when he was with her was a big deal. The fact that she was crazy about him didn’t hurt either. Still taking compliments about her appearance was a bit difficult for the beautiful woman. She had spent so much time trying to shy away from attention, dressing down and hiding under layers of clothes, she never had to get used to compliments.

“Well, since you put it that way, I suppose I can keep the cape off for now.”

“Would you have really let him fall?” Barry asked, knowing the answer.

“No but I would have waited until he nearly hit the ground and then flown him straight to a mental hospital. Or the police station.” Kara admitted.

“You could always press charges on the guy for lewd conduct.”

“And have a police officer write down Superwoman as the victim in the report? Yeah, I’m sure that trial would go over well. I’d have to change my name, get new IDs and start wearing glasses again. Oh hey, I’m watching the news. There you are, saving the day while I was encouraging a pervert to jump to his death.”

“You can have the next armed robbery and I will handle the not suicidal pervert, I promise. What are you doing tomorrow? Can we have lunch?”

“Oh, not tomorrow. I forgot to tell you I have a job interview!”

“A… a job interview? Isn’t it too soon? I mean you’ve only been here a month and you said you would take time to acclimate yourself…”

Barry knew a job would definitely cut down on the time he saw Kara everyday. They had lunch nearly everyday together unless she was out on Superwoman business. Plus her presence allowed him to not have to invent lame excuses to get out of work.

“I’ve been freeloading off Cait for a month.” Kara reminded him.

“She doesn’t mind. She loves having you there.”

“I mind Barry.”

“Sorry, you’re right, not my business.”

“Hey its not that it isn’t your business, its just if I am going to live here, have a life, with friends and you… I mean… yeah with you, then I need to get a life. I can’t hang out with Cisco and Cait all day watching them work, not being able to help and waiting for something to happen. I need as normal life as I can make for myself. Hanging out in a lab waiting for a reason to put on my suit is not a normal life. I have the sweet, hot boyfriend, great friends and now I need a job.”

“So am I more sweet or hot?”

“There is no way I can win with that question so I won’t answer. Anyway we will still be able to have lunch most days. I’ll be close to the police station. There is a bookstore not far from you. I applied there and they called me today.”

“A bookstore?” Barry repeated, sounding unexcited.

“Yeah. I love books.”

“You love TV.”

“And a lot of TV shows and movies started as books. I read that somewhere. No wait, I saw it on the E Channel. Besides its not a lot of money but its a start. The only job I have had before this was at CatCo and that doesn’t exist in this world. I’m still trying to get over Fox News and CNN. Are they always like this or is it because it’s an election year?”

“They are always like this. I get that you don’t have any jobs to put on a resume but Felicity can make you a job history at Palmer Tech. You are kind of overqualified for a bookstore Kara.”

“I need a job. I have applied at quite a few places and this store was the first one to call me back. Speaking of this mysterious Felicity woman, who Cait tells me she caught you in the lab with while she was shirtless, we are apparently meeting her for lunch tomorrow.”

“Number one, she was shirtless because I gave her a lift at really high speed to the lab and when we got there her shirt was on fire. You caught on fire for me too, remember?”

“Point taken. Anyway Cait said she is in Central City on business and wants us to have lunch. What did you tell her about me?”

“That you were a friend from another universe, Cisco saw you injured and I ran into the universe to bring you back here so we could help you and keep you safe. She kept bugging for more but I wouldn’t give in. Just be ready for an interrogation, but don’t worry, she is one of the best people I know.”

“You said the same thing about Iris.” Kara reminded him.

“And she has been writing some great articles about you. I think she feels bad about how she acted the first time you met. She said she planned to ask you to lunch the other day. Did she?”

“Uh… yeah, but something came up. I heard a dog ten blocks away crossing the street and a car blaring its horn. I was worried the dog would be hit so I flew to the scene. She was okay but I played with her for a while because she was so adorable.”

“You ditched lunch with Iris because a dog crossed a street?” Barry asked, trying not to laugh.

“She was really cute!”

“Okay, hey I don’t blame you. I haven’t spoken to her much lately either, but that doesn’t matter. How much or little you want to do with her is completely up to you. So I’m really not going to have lunch brought to me tomorrow? You know how busy I have been reassembling the bomb fragments. Having lunch with you in the lab is the only part of my day I enjoy. Can’t you come after lunch? I know you wouldn’t mind eating again.”

“No, if I keep showing up everyday your Captain is going to ban me from the building for distracting you. Beside you reassembled those bomb pieces in less than a minute the first night they came into your lab.” Kara reminded him.

“I know but I had to disassemble it because no one would believe it could be done that fast. Besides there was nothing there that I could find giving any clue who built it. We are also at a dead end on who the target might have been. I have a feeling, considering the bomb was high grade military tech, it probably falls more into A.R.G.U.S territory than Central City PD. Since they haven’t tried to take over the case it probably means they know who did it and don’t expect us to get anywhere regardless, so pushing us away from the case will just draw attention. Okay then, you’ll be at the lab after I get off? I miss you.”

“You saw me four hours ago.”

“Yeah…”

“I miss you too. Want me to fly over?”

“No!” Cait yelled from the living room. “Scandal starts in five minutes. Get off the phone with lover boy and get in here. We have ice cream to destroy!”

“I guess that answers your question. What about coffee at Jitters before your interview?” Barry suggested.

“Sounds great. I am kind of tired. If any perverts threaten suicide by jumping tonight let them.”

“Copy that Superwoman. See you in the morning. Hey Kara, I wanted to tell you I lo…”

“Don’t.” Kara said immediately.

“Oh, sorry. I just…” Barry stammered, making Kara feel bad instantly.

“Barry what I think you were about to say, has only been said to me by four people since I left Krypton. Eliza, Alex, Kal and Jeremiah. Not one of them meant it the way I think you do. When you say what I think you want to say, I want to be with you, not over the phone. Maybe I am totally wrong about what you…”

“No. You’re right. You’re also right that I should say it to you in person. See you tomorrow Kara Zor El.”

“Good night Barry. And hey, what I think you were going to say, just so you know I feel the same way.”

Kara ended the call and smiled, wondering what he was doing at this moment. Probably already in the shower in less than 5 seconds. She had been on this Earth for four weeks and in four weeks the two had learned nearly everything about each other. They had spent most of their time together, talking about anything and everything. It was as if the two weeks spent on Kara’s old world were never interrupted.

Kara walked back into the living room, curled up on the couch and laid her head on Cait’s shoulder, who handed her a spoon and ice cream carton. Neither talked while watching the TV, both pretending to watch the show but secretly just enjoying the comfort of their friendship. During the second commercial break, Cait spoke up about a concern she had.

“You realize if you get this job, it won’t pay much.” Cait brought up quietly. Kara’s ears perked up, her mind going in a thousand different directions.

“I know. But I can get two jobs. I don’t really get tired, I mean I do, but it usually takes something pretty extreme or a few days without sleep.” Kara told her. Perhaps Cait was tired of Kara’s reliance on her and Barry’s support. “I promise I will start…”

“Kara you can’t work two jobs and be Superwoman and see Barry and try to have any time to yourself. I’m just saying that I think its great if you get the job but don’t rush things. I really like having you here. Even if you get a job I still want you here and hope you won’t move into your own place.”

Kara felt relief and a weight off of her chest she didn’t realize had been there.

“Really?”

“Yeah, really. I’ve never had a roommate and I realize one day you may want to live with someone else, whoever that may be, probably a guy that spends half his time in a red suit, but I hope you will consider staying here for as long as you want. Coming to the apartment used to be the worst part of my day. It was always so quiet and reminded me that even though I had friends, I had no one to come home to. No one to cook for or with and watch TV with or share my day with. I want you to stay here. I realize you want to pay your own way and you can, you can pay whatever you can but just don’t rush, because you are wanted here. You’ve probably done as much for me as I have for you.”

Kara listened to the woman who had become her best friend quickly, and wanted to cry. The loneliness in Cait’s voice when she was obviously thinking about Ronnie broke her heart every time she heard it. Kara had lived alone as an adult on her old Earth but never felt alone, Alex always being there, seeming to know when she needed someone to hang out with, to cry with, to laugh with.

Being lonely was still a fear of Kara’s though. Despite Eliza and Jeremiah taking her in, and sharing a bedroom with Alex, until she learned English she felt very alone in the universe. Alex had tried her best to avoid her weird foster sister around her friends, not that Kara blamed her. Then once Alex was gone to college Kara had been left alone to try to navigate high school on her own, no longer having the protection of her older sister to keep others from picking on the strange girl who never went out, never drank, never had a boyfriend. She stayed alone until she arrived in National City. Then she had Alex and she had Winn and she had many failed dates that never elicited a second date but they were still dates. No one she met in National City knew she was the strange girl who was fascinated by birds and butterflies as a child and sometimes said the wrong word until her grasp of English was complete. She didn’t laugh at the right jokes, because she didn’t understand them and didn’t understand why some people picked on others just because of things like wealth and social standing. She wasn’t the girl who sat on the roof at night, staring at the stars while holding her necklace, wanting her mother, crying softly so she wouldn’t bother Eliza, who Kara could always hear crying in her own room at night over her dead husband.

“I’m not really good alone either. I mean I lived on my own before, but I was never there or if I was it seemed like someone was always with me. Honestly I hate being alone now. If not for you, Cisco and Barry I would have lost my mind, probably buried myself alive in Antarctica. I’d like to stay with you. Thank you Cait.”

Cait’s relieved smile was obvious but then gave way to uncertainty. Kara recognized the woman’s expressions, she was good at reading people. Cait wanted to ask her a question and wasn’t sure whether she should.

“You can ask me anything Cait.”

“Why there? Why do you go to the bottom of the Earth at times and stay for hours in that one spot? We have all wondered but I told Barry you would tell him when and if you were ever ready but I’m just curious. If it’s none of my business or I should take my advice to Barry…”

“Cait its okay. I think the two of us need a secret Barry doesn’t know. I mean thats what best friends have right? When I first came out as Super… her, I only told one person who didn’t already know, my best friend Winn. You are my best friend now too so I figure it gives you the right to one of my secrets.

I told you about my cousin, Kal El. When he was sent from Krypton by his parents he was an infant. I suppose they were able to fit more in his pod or my parents didn’t have time, I’m not really sure. When he grew up his human father gave him the contents of his pod, pieces of Kryptonian history, technology, knowledge banks, holograms of the planet, and crystals from our planet. He went to Antarctica, the most remote place on any earth I suppose and made a Fortress of sorts. He called it the Fortress of Solitude and only he and I could get in. It is where he protected what was left of our history. He invited me to visit several times after I arrived but I couldn’t do it. Every time I thought of taking him up on the offer, I thought of getting into that pod, saying goodbye to my parents, my mother telling me to protect my cousin and sending me off, knowing I would never see them, my home, anything ever again of my heritage. Then to have reminders in one place, I just couldn’t do it. I was dealing with a lot of grief when I arrived. I had been asleep for decades, never aging. When I woke it felt like I had just left Krytpon, felt the shock wave, understanding my home had just been destroyed along with everything and everyone I ever loved. I was doing the best I could but Kal didn’t understand. He grew up on Earth. He never worried about learning the language. He didn’t even come into his powers until he was 13 and they came to him slowly. The suns rays hit me at once, my cells fully matured already to be affected by the solar radiation and I had to deal with everything, all these powers and not knowing how to control them. The strength was so hard to control. I must have broken three sinks and a few toilets, don’t ask, before I finally got it under control. Anyway I just couldn’t do it. I tried so hard to fit in, find a purpose now that Kal didn’t need me, the last thing I wanted was to be forced to remember that which I was doing my best to move on from. Still it made me glad to know it was there, that somewhere in the world, I had something besides my mother’s necklace to remind me that I came from somewhere, that not all was lost.

Before Barry arrived in my life I was fighting this living computer woman. I needed information and the only way to find out how to defeat her was to visit the Fortress. A friend of mine and my cousin’s who had been there before showed me the way and I finally went inside. It was like being home again. Remembering my childhood, and I suppose enough time had passed that though it hurt, I felt safe as well. I promised myself that every chance I had, I would return, just to have my own little sanctuary away from the crazy world. I never got the chance to go back. When Cisco showed me the map of this world and I recognized the cities but some of the names were different I guess it really hit me then. I had to see for myself. I had to make sure. I don’t even know why, I knew it wouldn’t be there, but I went anyway. Of course where the Fortress was on my old Earth there was nothing but a solid ledge jutting out from a frozen mountain. But the way Barry and Cisco explained the multiverse, is our worlds aren’t far apart, just vibrating at different frequencies so we can’t see each other gave me an idea. So when I sit on that ledge, I know that even though I can’t see it, the Fortress is there with what was left of my home, and I feel closer to Kal, closer to my mother, closer to Krypton and closer to the life I left behind. I go there to think, and grieve. I’ve done quite a bit of both tin my life. I don’t have my own Fortress of Solitude but my ledge is a spot I can be alone, try to come to grips with my crazy life and wonder when my luck is going to run out.”

“What do you mean? When your luck is going to run out? Why would you think like that?” Cait asked, concerned.

Kara shrugged her shoulders.

“I escaped the death of my planet. I escape death at the hands of Reactron because James Olsen called my cousin to save me. If Kal had been somewhere else, Reactron would have killed me that day. Then I should have died after I put the prison into space. I would have if Alex hadn’t pulled off the impossible. After I was shot twice, on my knees before I passed out, I saw a man place a gun against my head. If Kal had been even a second later I would have died. Then my heart stopped while you were pulling off the impossible and saving my life. It just seems like I have been living on borrowed time since I escaped the destruction of my home. It has to end one day. I’ll keep pushing and die or give this all up. I don’t know if I can give it up so I wait for whatever tries to kill me next and hope I can get lucky once again. Hope that no one is taken down with me.”

“Kara you don’t need luck anymore. You have us and we are better than luck. I have the statistics to prove it to.”

This simple statement of confidence from Cait put a smile back on Kara’s face and once again she was struck by how lucky she was that Barry Allen accidentally jumped into her universe.

“I’m really lucky to have you Cait. If Barry hadn’t accidentally jumped into my universe…”

“That wasn’t luck.” Cait told her immediately. At Kara’s questioning gaze she clarified.

“I don’t believe in preordained futures. Lord knows we have screwed with timelines enough to prove that nothing is preordained. But when Barry first started out, he went to Oliver for advice. He knew before any of this happened that Oliver was the Green Arrow, they had a history, and Barry was filled with a lot of self doubt. Oliver told him that he believed it wasn’t an accident that the lightning bolt hit Barry but rather it chose him. Later on after Barry had temporarily lost his powers, and we were being attacked by a metahuman, he told me about that conversation and asked if I believed it. I told him I did and I meant it. Barry didn’t even know he could jump universes, Kara. It was an accident supposedly, but he could have jumped into countless worlds. He didn’t though, he wound up on yours, the minute you were falling out of a window. I truly believe that it was fate that brought the two of you together, because I understand probabilities and for what happened to actually occur, the timing, everything else, only a concept like fate could have had a part in it. The odds of two people so prefect for each other, finding their other halves by a random accident at just the right place and time is something I just can’t buy. That breach chose you for each other Kara. You were meant to be here.”

Kara reached over and hugged her, being gentle but Cait didn’t hold back. The two women stayed like that for a moment, before Kara wiped her eyes and decided it was time for bed. She had a big day tomorrow.

“By the way I put a dress in your closet. I bought it for myself but it was too long and since I lost the receipt I couldn’t return it. It would probably be the perfect length for you though. I think it would be great for you to wear to the interview tomorrow.”

Kara rolled her eyes. “You are almost as bad a liar as Barry but I will let it pass. Thank you for buying me a dress Cait.”

The next morning, Kara met Barry at Jitters. HIs eyes nearly popped out of his head when she walked in, wearing a blue sleeveless floral print, knee length dress with a sash around the middle. She wore small heels bringing her closer to his height and looked like a runway model only healthier.

“You look beautiful. Not that you don’t always but, wow. I mean, yeah, just wow.”

“Thank you,” Kara told him, pleased she passed inspection and giving him a quick kiss. He had her latte and two sticky buns ready and the two sat down to have their breakfast that had become a tradition of their’s on weekdays.

“So are you nervous?” he asked.

“Yeah, a little bit. I mean it can’t be as bad as my first interview with Cat, but still its a job interview. The whole point of them is for someone to judge you, determine if you are worthy…”

“Just because someone doesn’t hire you doesn’t make their opinion of you worthy. Maybe they are just too dumb to see greatness in front of them.”

“Hey I know. My whole disguise before my life here was blending in, hoping no one recognized me for the super heroine they expected, or even as simple as not being suspected as an alien. Do you plan on spending the day playing with the bomb again?”

“Nope, maybe later, but I have to work the evidence on a homicide yesterday.”

“That’s horrible. Is a metahuman involved?”

“Nope, just a normal all American married couple. The husband already admitted to killing his wife, I just have to clean up and organize the forensic analysis in the event he retracts his statement and takes it to trial. Not hard but it has to be done right or the case could be thrown out.”

“I hope I get this job. It would be so nice to have something to do, even if it isn’t important work like yours.”

“Hey, don’t say that. Everything you do is important.” Barry told her. Between the two of them they had enough self doubt and deep seeded grief and anger, it is a miracle either became the superheroes they were. Or perhaps it was because of these traits, that they became who they are.

The two talked about nothing of any importance, just enjoying each other’s company until Barry had to leave. She walked him to the station and then walked around the block, taking in the sights and sounds of the bustling city. Cait texted her before she began her interview, reminding of her date with Felicity for lunch with the two. Kara confirmed and then walked into the bookstore.

An hour later she arrived at the lunch destination to find Cait and a pretty blonde woman wearing glasses, sitting at a table on the patio. Kara sat down and took Felicity’s offered hand.

“Hi, I’m Felicity. You must be Kara, the one who stole Barry Allen’s heart?”

The heroine smiled, liking Felicity already, despite knowing nothing about her. She had this ray of sunshine in her smile and her eyes were like Cait’s, full of kindness she couldn’t hide. Kara had not expected this out of a CEO of a huge company.

“It’s nice to meet you.” Kara replied.

“So how did the interview go?” Cait asked, cutting to the chase. Kara’s face fell a bit so it obviously hadn’t gone well.

“I met with the lady, who took one look at me and I guess thought I wasn’t qualified to sell books. She asked me a few questions, looked me up and down a few times, really didn’t ask about my skills, just why do you think you would be a good fit for my shop, things like that. The whole thing lasted about five minutes. While I was leaving I saw another woman introduce herself. The owner talked to her for longer than five minutes. She actually smiled at this prospect and the two were laughing, joking, you would think they were old friends. I have a feeling I won’t be getting a call back.”

“Let me guess. The two women were not beautiful blondes and dressed like librarians, I’m betting hair in buns, and the applicant looked like a younger version of the owner, maybe not in appearance but mannerisms.” Felicity told her, making Kara wonder if the blonde CEO had been watching. “Don’t be surprised, some women are intimidated by other attractive women, can even look down on them without knowing anything about the person. She took one look at how beautiful you were and decided she couldn’t have that at her store. You got off lucky, she is probably full of misery. So you are from another universe?”

Kara’s eyes widened and she looked around to see who might have heard.

“Relax, no one would believe it even if they did hear.” Felicity told her, while Cait sat, enjoying Felicity’s lack of a verbal filter.

“Yeah. Thanks for all the… stuff by the way.”

“Took me like ten minutes and I got to grill Barry about a girl he really liked. Of course I want to kill him because he obviously left quite a bit out. I didn’t know he had it in him.”

Kara looked at Cait. “You told her?”

“Nope.” was Cait’s quick reply.

“Yeah seriously, you show up and then Barry has a new super powered partner he refuses to talk about? I’m blonde but not that blonde. So can I see it later?”

“See what?”

“See you fly?” Felicity whispered.

“Uh, yeah I guess.”

“Cool. So Barry was struck by lightning when the particle accelerator exploded. What the hell were you doing that gave you so many awesome powers? I mean a particle accelerator had to have exploded on your old Earth right?”

“Not exactly. No explosion or lightning.” Kara told her hesitantly. “I’m not a metahuman.”

Felicity’s eyes widened. She could tell the girl was not lying. Magic must be involved, the kind that made Damian Darhk look like an amateur.

“I see. Well I’m glad he was someone with him, not just to fight with by his side but obviously you have changed his life in more ways than one. When I spoke to him the last time he visited to pick up your items, I hadn’t seen him that happy, ever. So Cait I have an announcement to make. I am moving to Central City. For a while at least. Palmer Tech needs more space, a space dedicated to the nanite technology Ray developed that helped cure the blockage after he was shot and the chip buried in my spine. I’m separating the company from the regular business, the software and smart phone side of things and setting up in Central City.”

Cait was shocked, and a bit saddened. “Things still aren’t good with Oliver?”

Felicity’s face fell a bit. “We are working on some things but I think a little distance would do us good. I have no doubt, knowing him, that Thea will suddenly need a change of location as well, try to pass it off as a fresh start but the distance will do us some good. I love him, you know I do, and I have forgiven him for a lot. It’s not that I am angry he chose to keep his son a secret, its the fact that he doesn’t trust me. He really doesn’t trust anyone but himself when times get tough. Plus we are in a bad place right now due to recent events and could use some time to work on ourselves. I know I do. I have been with Oliver so long, I have forgotten who I was before him. I need to find out, before anything can be resolved and he needs to work on becoming the man who doesn’t go back to the island emotionally when things get tough. I suppose time will be the judge.”

“I’m sorry Felicity. I will be glad to have you here though.”

“Thanks. Maybe I can help out if you guys need it. I’m not talking full time of course because I am really focused on getting our tech off the ground. Curtis Holt is my right hand and will eventually take over the position in Central City but for now I want to oversee it myself.”

“Great. The three of us can hang out. Kara needs more friends than just the three of us. Harry isn’t the warmest person as you can imagine.”

“Yeah, it looks like I will have plenty of time to hang out.” Kara admitted.

“Hey Cait said you were an executive assistant to a CEO of the larger media corporation on your old Earth right?”

“Yeah, not that it does me a lot of good here.” Kara admitted. She missed her old job, her old friends, Cat, even if the woman wouldn’t call her by her correct name. It was the part of her life that grounded her, let her feel a bit of normalcy.

“Well my old EA doesn’t want to leave Star City so I planned to look for one here. Curtis will need an EA who knows the business when he takes over. The job is tough and the hours can be long but it’s yours if you want it. Plus I understand you are as bad at lying as Barry, so you wouldn’t have to come up with lame excuses to slip away and take care of your other… job.”

“Really? That would be so great! I can help you out so much. I’m really good at managing schedules, proofing documents, liasoning between departments, pretty much anything you need.” Kara told her, the idea of being involved in a large office environment exciting her.

“Great, The job doesn’t pay much, only $70 K a year, but there is always room for advancement.”

Kara froze.

“Did you say $70 K a year?”

“Yeah, I know it doesn’t seem like a lot for the responsibilities you will have but our asshole CFO has decided a budget is imperative in this venture. None of the board members are happy about us branching out but they can’t really do anything about it. I’m sticking to the budget for now to appease them, but once we are past FDA trials I see things really looking up.”

“$70, 000 is twice what I made at my old job.” Kara told her, still trying to wrap her head around the number.

“Really? You were the personal assistant to the CEO of the largest media conglomerate of your Earth and you made $35 K? The economy must have sucked there. So are you in?”

” I am definitely in. Thank you so much.”

“Thank you. I really hate dealing with the business side of things, so having someone with your skills will be huge for me.”

“I have to tell Barry! I’ll be right back!”

Kara walked away with as much control she had, managing not to fly off in front of everyone and tell Barry in person. She would see him this afternoon in person but had to share the news.

As the blonde heroine walked away Felicity looked at Cait and shook her head.

“You are right, she is certainly something. No wonder Barry fell so hard for her.”

“She is great. She is a survivor.” Cait agreed.

“You know what I am most jealous of her about?”

“The flying, super strength, heat vision?” Cait guessed.

“No her hair. Look at those waves. When she walks they just sort of accentuate her and bounce in slow motion. If my hair was that long and I didn’t keep it up, It would be all over the place within a couple hours. Look at her walking away. It’s like hair porn with every step she takes.” Felicity noted, envy in her voice.

“It takes her five minutes to look like that every morning.”

Felicity saw Cait was being serious. “Now I think I may hate her a bit. Nope, can’t do it. She is too adorable. So tell me about your love life.”

“Lack of one, you mean?” Cait started but her phone buzzed. She saw a text from Kara.

/Barry needs me. No super big deal. I’ll be back in twenty. Order me a double cheeseburger, all the way with bacon and avocado. Seasoned fries also. Thanks, love ya./

Cait relayed the information to Felicity.

“She can eat like that and maintain her figure? Okay if she isn’t a metahuman then how did she get these powers?”

Cait took a second.

“She will tell you I’m sure, but it is hers to tell.”

Felicity agreed, knowing Cait would never break confidence. She wouldn’t crack under her glare as easily as Barry did.

Barry had concentrated on his job as much as possible all morning, even going as far as taking his time and not using super speed to get the workload done early. He was used to seeing Kara nearly everyday at lunch and would probably have to wait until after work today. He could imagine once she was hired, there would be forms to complete, probably taking up most of her afternoon.

Instead he received a call from her, and listened fascinated, first by the news that Felicity would be in Central City for a while and second that Kara would be working for her. This was better than he could have hoped for. Kara was too talented at what she had done to settle for anything she could find here. He hung up and wondered what he could do to celebrate with her tonight before he was interrupted by an old friend.

“Hello Barry.”

Barry looked towards the door and saw Oliver Queen for the first time since Laurel’s funeral. He looked better of course but still tired. He had spoken to him on the phone but not as much since Kara had arrived back in his life and instantly felt bad about sort of putting his friend on the back burner.

“Oliver! Its great to see you man. I was just talking to… someone about Felicity moving here for a while. Are you… moving as well?”

“No. She thinks distance would do us some good. I’m not in any position to argue with her. Barry I need your help.”

Barry’s mouth opened and then closed. Oliver very rarely asked for help, even turning down Barry’s offers before. He preferred to handle things himself or with his own team.

“Okay, anything, you know that. What’s going on? Some new major villain messing with Star City again? You guys can’t catch a break, can you?”

“No, not some new villains, some old ones. Slade Wilson and Digger Harkness,” Oliver began.

“Deathstroke and Captain Boomerang, got it.”

Oliver rolled his eyes at Barry’s insistent use of those silly nicknames.

“Yes Barry, they escaped.”

“Oh, okay. So we head to the island and put them back in their cells?”

“Not that simple. Slade bent the bars of his cell, and walked out, releasing Harkness. There is no trace of them on the island, according to A.R.G.U.S. That means they had a ride out. Barry even on his best day, before the Mirakuru cure, Slade wasn’t strong enough to bend the kind of bars that were on his cell. Something has happened, because the security footage shows a hooded mystery man handing Slade a syringe. He injected himself and within minutes, opened the bars like he was walking through curtains. I’m worried, Barry. Felicity has decided to move at the best and worst time. Digger is going to come after Lyla eventually and Wilson… he promised me once he would take everything away that I hold dear. He wouldn’t stop until I had lost everything. Barry I have two people left that I love more than anyone or thing in this world, Felicity and Thea. He is going to come after them. I have to find him and kill him. I can’t just let him plan, like he did last time, always being one step ahead of me. But I can’t protect Felicity and despite Thea’s assertion that she can take both, we both know that isn’t true. I can’t take both at the same time. It took Thea and I to defeat him on the island last time as we lost the first fight. He wasn’t this strong either. I need your help and I need your girlfriend’s help. I can’t lose either of them Barry. I know it isn’t fair to ask you this, it isn’t your fight…”

“Hey, your fights are my fights alright? Let me call Kara. It just so happens Felicity just offered her a job. Did you know that would happen?”

“No idea. Felicity doesn’t exactly let me in on her plans right now. I suppose she wants to me to know what it is like.”

Kara walked in minutes after Barry’s text,surprised to see Barry with a man she did not recognize. Her first impression was that he had a charming smile, was obviously in shape and had a haunted look in his eyes. He had seen tragedy on a great scale. Kara saw the same look in Barry’s eyes at times, the same look in hers in the mirror when she was feeling particularly low. Unlike her and Barry’s eyes, this looked seemed permanently entrenched in his gaze.

“Hello, my name is Oliver Queen.” he told her, walking up and offering his hand. She took it, noticing the callouses immediately.

“I’ve heard a lot about you Mr. Queen. “I’m Kara Zorel.” she introduced herself, emphasis on the first syllable of her last name.

“Please call me Oliver. Zorel? Is that French?”

“Kryptonian.” Kara told him. Considering he had his own secrets and Barry trusted both him and Felicity she saw no reason to lie. Olivers eyes widened then he grinned.

“And here I was thinking I had traveled everywhere. Kara, Felicity and my sister are in danger. I don’t usually involve other people in my problems but they are all I have left, so pride be damned, I need you and Barry’s help.”

Kara walked over to Barry and kissed him in greeting then turned back to Oliver.

“Barry talks about you like family. Of course I will help. What do you need me to do?”

Oliver Queen had a genuine smile for the first time in weeks. Barry appeared calmer and more confident that he had ever seen him. He had gotten the girl after all and what a woman she was.

Good for him. He deserved it. If anyone deserved happiness it was Barry Allen.

“I need to tell you about two men named Slade Wilson and Digger Harkness…” the Arrow started.

“Deathstroke and Captain Boomerang? Yes, I’ve heard about them.” Kara told him.

Oliver rubbed his forehead.

Yep, they were perfect for each other.