To just be Kara Danvers

“Told you she couldn’t cut it.”

Kara ducked her head down, flushing. She was back at Catco, back working. It wasn’t as though she had a choice, there was no way she’d ever be caught wearing anything as skimpy as the DEO required, especially not in front of the city.

“Gets the spotlight for a day, then flakes. Figures.”

“Hear the rumours she was seen fighting some guy at an abandoned plant? Military swooped in, and ever since there’s been no sign of her.”

“Pretty pathetic then.”

Kara clenched her fist, accidentally snapping her pen.

It wasn’t as though she could do an interview to explain why; and even if she could, it was too humiliating to talk about. Oh, she could be a hero, she’d just have to basically be naked.

Her cheeks coloured at just the thought.

Almost the worst part was her boss, Cat Grant. Cat had been so enthusiastic about the idea of a female superhero, only for her to vanish without a trace. It was hard to tell whether Cat was more disappointed or annoyed.

She couldn’t just do nothing. Kara closed her eyes, trying to ignore the constant frustration she felt.

It was hard enough to ignore her super-hearing when people weren’t talking about her, but now all anyone ever wanted to do was denigrate Supergirl. She made a start, then vanished for days.

Kara overheard more than a few sexist epithets thrown at her. Damn it, she’d wanted to be a symbol, a sign for hope, and instead all people saw was…

When she got home, she looked longingly at the costume, the pointless indulgence that it was. She couldn’t be a hero, and even if she could she wouldn’t be able to wear it.

She sighed.

She couldn’t bear disappointing Cat, and she needed to explain herself to some degree. Maybe she could afford one last flight.

She waited until the evening. All too aware of her limits, it was just before sunset when she flew up to Cat’s balcony. Despite the fact there was still a little sunlight, most people had gone home.

She landed on Cat’s balcony neatly, knocking on the glass door. A little nervously, she waited for Cat to come out to her.

Now she knew what happened, how her powers failed to work, she could almost feel the weariness from just that quick flight. The relative darkness didn’t help.

“Supergirl,” Cat said coolly.

“Miss Grant,” Kara said. “I thought- You gave me my name, you defended me to the city, I thought I should at least tell you what happened.”

“You got scared, changed your mind,” Cat said. Her tone wasn’t as sympathetic as her words. “It happens to the best of us.”

“N-no!” Kara said. “Not exactly. I… I found out my powers are… unreliable. They work in short bursts, but anything more than that and- I could try to fly someone to safety, and drop them, or fall onto someone when I was trying to fly, or… It wasn’t safe. For anyone.”

Not to mention potentially humiliating. Still, Kara left that out.

“I… see,” Cat said slowly. “What do you expect me to do with this information?”

“I don’t know,” Kara said. “Publish it, or don’t. It’s up to you. I just thought you should know.”

Kara turned, jumping to fly away-

And fell almost immediately back to the balcony. She stared, first at her feet, then at the sunset.

No, no, no. This couldn’t be happening now, not so soon. Kara shifted again, trying to fly; she had a little of her powers, but not enough to actually lift off.

She shouldn’t have waited until it was so late.

Maybe if she waited, she’d recharge. Get enough to get her back home, maybe. Walking through Catco was hardly an option like this.

The alternative way of getting sunlight barely bore thinking about, especially with Cat watching her.