lol
The Redhead Displacement Theory
The atmosphere in the DEO’s temporary Seattle satellite office was thick with a tension that had nothing to do with intergalactic threats and everything to do with the fact that Alex Danvers was currently being treated like a museum exhibit. J’onn J’onzz stood by a monitor, his brow furrowed as he watched Alex pace the length of the room.
"Alex, you’re vibrating," J’onn noted calmly. "If you don't sit down, you’re going to wear a hole through the floorboards of a government-leased building."
"I can't sit down, J’onn! I just spent forty-eight hours being stared at by every surgeon in the Pacific Northwest because I have the misfortune of sharing a face with a woman who died in a plane crash," Alex snapped, her hands flying up in exasperation. "One guy—Dr. Sloan—actually tried to check if I had the same birthmark on my shoulder. I almost broke his nose."
Kara, who was sitting on a desk and swinging her legs with a dreamy expression, didn't seem to hear a word of her sister’s distress. She was staring at her phone, her thumb hovering over the contact she had saved as *Dr. Montgomery (Redhead/Important)*.
"And you!" Alex pointed a finger at her sister. "You’re compromised. You’ve been compromised by a neonatal surgeon with high-end highlights and a penchant for expensive perfume. We are supposed to be undercover, Kara. Not flirting with the staff."
Kara blinked, snapping out of her daze. "I wasn't flirting, Alex. I was... establishing a rapport. For the mission. Which was my health. Which is very important for National City."
"You were drooling," Alex countered. "When she touched your neck to check your lymph nodes, you actually purred. A Kryptonian purr, Kara. The monitors peaked."
"I did not purr," Kara whispered, though her face turned a shade of pink that rivaled Addison’s favorite scrub cap. "I was just... breathing deeply. Like Clark taught me for meditation."
Before Alex could launch into another lecture, the door opened. Winn Schott walked in, looking frantic as he balanced three tablets and a laptop. "Okay, so, bad news. Or weird news. Probably both? The 'Ghost of Lexie Grey' sightings have hit the hospital’s internal message boards. Apparently, the 'intern subculture' is convinced you’re a secret twin, a clone, or a very specific type of hallucination brought on by the hospital’s notoriously bad cafeteria fish."
Alex groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I just wanted to get Kara’s nerves checked. That’s it."
"Well, you’ve piqued the interest of the Chief of Surgery," Winn continued, tapping a screen. "Richard Webber has been looking into our 'government' credentials. He’s a smart guy, Alex. He knows the DEO isn't a standard branch of the CDC. And Dr. Shepherd? The neuro guy? He’s been asking around about the 'experimental metal plate' in Kara’s head. Apparently, he’s the one who invented half the plates used in the country, and he’s never heard of yours."
"We need to leave," Alex said decisively. "Pack it up. We’re going back to National City tonight."
"We can't," Kara blurted out, perhaps a little too fast. "I mean... my follow-up! Addison—Dr. Montgomery—said it was crucial to monitor the nerve conductivity over the next seventy-two hours. If we leave now, I could... I could have a relapse. My fingers could go numb again. I might not be able to catch a falling plane, Alex! Do you want a plane to fall?"
Alex stared at her sister, her eyes narrowing. "You are the worst liar in two galaxies."
"I'm serious!" Kara insisted, hopping off the desk. "And besides, J’onn, didn't you say there were reports of strange energy readings near the Seattle docks? It could be the synthetic Kryptonite. We should investigate while we’re here. It’s our duty."
J’onn looked from Kara’s pleading eyes to Alex’s murderous glare. He let out a long, weary sigh. "There are indeed energy readings. And while I suspect Kara’s primary motivation is a certain auburn-haired surgeon, she is right that we shouldn't leave a potential threat behind. We stay for two more days. But Alex, you stay out of the hospital."
"Gladly," Alex muttered.
***
Back at Seattle Grace, the atmosphere was no less chaotic. In the attending’s lounge, Addison Montgomery was attempting to chart, but she found her mind wandering back to the blonde woman with the glasses and the impossibly blue eyes. There was something about Kara Danvers that defied medical logic. Her skin had felt like silk over steel, and her heart rate... it hadn't just been fast. It had been powerful. Like a rhythmic engine that could power a city.
"You’re doing it again," a voice said from the doorway.
Addison looked up to see Meredith Grey leaning against the frame, a cup of coffee in her hand. Meredith looked exhausted, her eyes rimmed with red.
"Doing what?" Addison asked, smoothing her lab coat.
"Thinking about the sister," Meredith said. "The one who isn't Lexie. Although, God, Addison... even the way she stands. The way she tilts her head when she’s annoyed. It’s like seeing a ghost walk."
"She’s not a ghost, Meredith. She’s an Agent. Or a doctor. Or whatever she is," Addison said, her voice softening. "But her sister... Kara. There’s something about her. She’s so... earnest. I haven't seen that kind of genuine light in a patient in a long time. Especially not one who looks like she could bench press a mountain."
Meredith walked over and sat across from her. "Mark is a mess. He’s been hiding in the on-call room because he thinks he’s having a psychotic break. And Derek is obsessed with the medical files. He says the bone density readings on Kara are physically impossible for a human being."
Addison paused, her pen hovering over a chart. "Physically impossible?"
"He thinks the equipment was uncalibrated," Meredith said. "But we both know our equipment is the best in the world. So, either Kara Danvers is a medical miracle, or those two sisters are hiding something much bigger than a 'rare blood disorder.'"
Addison leaned back, thinking of the way Kara had looked at her. The sheer, unadulterated admiration in those eyes hadn't felt like a lie. It had felt like a sunbeam. "Whatever they’re hiding, I don't think they’re dangerous. At least, not to us."
"Maybe not," Meredith agreed. "But Callie is already planning to 'accidentally' bump into them at the coffee cart to see if the redhead has the same orthopedic structure as Lexie. It’s going to be a circus, Addison."
"It’s always a circus here," Addison remarked, a small smile playing on her lips. "I’m just glad I have a front-row seat."
***
The "front-row seat" became much more literal an hour later when Kara Danvers appeared at the nurse’s station on the surgical floor. She wasn't in a hospital gown this time; she was wearing a fitted flannel shirt, jeans, and her signature glasses. She looked less like a patient and more like a woman on a mission.
"I’m looking for Dr. Montgomery," Kara said to the nurse, her voice bright and hopeful.
"She’s in a consult, honey. You can wait in the lounge," the nurse said without looking up.
Kara nodded and turned, only to find herself face-to-face with Mark Sloan and Derek Shepherd. They were standing side-by-side, looking at her with a mix of professional curiosity and profound confusion.
"You’re the sister," Mark said, his eyes scanning her. "The one who doesn't look like Lexie."
"I'm Kara," she said, offering a polite, slightly awkward wave. "And you’re Dr. Sloan. The plastics guy. My sister mentioned you."
"Did she?" Mark smirked, his confidence returning. "What did she say? That I’m the best-looking guy in the building? That my technique is legendary?"
"She said you were 'prowling' and that she wanted to punch you in the throat," Kara said honestly.
Derek snorted, burying a laugh in his hand. Mark’s face fell.
"I like her," Derek said, stepping forward. "Kara, I’m Derek Shepherd. I’m the Head of Neurosurgery. I’ve been looking at your scans. Or, well, the lack of scans. That 'metal plate' your sister mentioned... is it a titanium alloy? Or something more... exotic?"
Kara felt a bead of sweat on her neck. "It’s... very exotic. From, uh, Chicago? They have great tech in Chicago."
"I’ve worked in Chicago," Derek said, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses. "I’ve never seen a plate that causes a 400% increase in bone density through the humerus and femur."
"Maybe I just drink a lot of milk?" Kara suggested weakly.
"Kara?"
The voice was like a cool breeze on a humid day. Kara turned to see Addison walking toward them, her red hair swaying with every step. She looked stunning, even with the dark circles of a long shift beginning to show.
"Dr. Montgomery!" Kara beamed, her entire aura lighting up. "I was... I was in the neighborhood. Investigating things. For my job. And I thought I should check in. For the follow-up."
Addison looked at Derek and Mark, who were watching the interaction like it was a championship tennis match. "Drs. Shepherd and Sloan, don't you have a craniotomy and a skin graft to get to?"
"We were just discussing bone density, Addison," Mark said, his eyes darting between Kara and his colleague.
"Go away," Addison said, her tone pleasant but leaving no room for argument.
The two men retreated, though they continued to whisper to each other until they hit the elevators. Addison turned back to Kara, an amused glint in her eyes.
"You’re a very bad liar, Kara Danvers," Addison said softly.
"Is it that obvious?" Kara sighed, her shoulders slumping. "I’m usually better at it. I have a secret identity and everything."
Addison laughed, a sound that made Kara’s heart do a little somersault. "A secret identity? Are you a spy? Or a masked vigilante?"
"Something like that," Kara murmured, looking down at her boots. "I just... I wanted to see you again. Without the hospital gown. And I wanted to say thank you. For not pushing. About the medical stuff. I know it doesn't make sense."
Addison stepped a little closer, moving into Kara’s personal space. The scent of citrus and vanilla was stronger now. "Kara, I’ve been a doctor for a long time. I’ve seen things that don't make sense every single day. But what I see when I look at you isn't a medical anomaly. I see someone who is trying very hard to do the right thing while carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders."
Kara looked up, surprised by the depth of Addison’s gaze. "How did you know?"
"I recognize the look. I see it in the mirror sometimes," Addison said. She reached out, her fingers grazing Kara’s forearm. "And for the record, you don't need an excuse to come see me. You have my number."
"I didn't want to be a pest," Kara admitted. "You’re a busy surgeon. You save babies. I just... I’m just a girl who likes potstickers and occasionally stops bank robberies."
Addison’s eyebrows shot up. "Bank robberies?"
"I mean... writing about them! As a journalist. For CatCo. It’s very... intense journalism."
Addison smiled, clearly not believing a word of it but charmed nonetheless. "Well, 'Intense Journalist,' I’m off shift in twenty minutes. There’s a bar across the street called Joe’s. It’s loud, the beer is mediocre, and the scotch is questionable. But it’s private. Would you like to join me?"
Kara felt like she was floating—literally. Her toes actually left the ground by half an inch before she caught herself and slammed her heels back down. "I would love to. I’ll meet you there. I just have to tell my sister I’m not being kidnapped by aliens."
"Good plan," Addison said, giving Kara’s arm a final, lingering squeeze. "See you in twenty, Kara."
***
Joe’s Emerald City Bar was packed with interns and residents trying to drown their sorrows in tequila. In a corner booth, tucked away from the prying eyes of the surgical staff, Kara and Addison sat across from each other.
Kara was nursing a club soda—alcohol didn't affect her anyway—while Addison had a glass of red wine.
"So," Addison said, leaning back. "Tell me about National City. And tell me about your sister. Because I have to know... is she always that terrifying?"
"Alex? Oh, she’s a teddy bear," Kara said, then paused. "A teddy bear with black-belt training and a very large gun. But she’s my hero. She’s spent her whole life protecting me. When we were kids, she gave up everything to make sure I was safe. That I could... fit in."
"She looks exactly like Lexie," Addison said quietly. "It’s been hard for everyone today. Lexie was... she was special. She was the heart of this place for a while. Seeing Alex walk through those doors was like seeing a ghost come home."
"I'm sorry," Kara said, reaching across the table to touch Addison’s hand. "We didn't mean to cause a scene. We just needed the best doctors, and everyone said that was here."
Addison looked down at Kara’s hand on hers. Kara’s grip was gentle, but Addison could feel the raw strength beneath the surface. It was a comforting weight. "Don't be sorry. It’s been a long time since this hospital had a good mystery. And it’s been even longer since I met someone who made me forget about my surgery schedule."
"I make you forget about surgery?" Kara asked, her eyes wide behind her glasses.
"You do," Addison admitted. "Which is a very dangerous thing for a woman like me."
The conversation flowed easily after that. They talked about everything and nothing—Kara’s love for mid-century musicals, Addison’s complicated history in New York, the absurdity of hospital politics. For an hour, Kara wasn't Supergirl, and Addison wasn't the world-renowned Dr. Montgomery. They were just two women in a dive bar, finding a connection in the middle of a storm.
Suddenly, Kara’s ears pricked up. A high-pitched frequency was ringing in the distance, something only she could hear. It was coming from the docks. The energy readings J’onn had mentioned.
"Kara? Is everything okay?" Addison asked, noticing the way Kara had gone rigid.
"I... I have to go," Kara said, her voice tight. "There’s a... a deadline. For my story. My editor, she’s very scary. If I’m late, she’ll have my head."
Addison blinked, taken aback by the sudden shift. "Oh. Of course. Work comes first."
"I'm so sorry, Addison. I really, really don't want to leave," Kara said, and the sincerity in her voice was heartbreaking. She stood up, leaning over the table. Before she could lose her nerve, she pressed a quick, soft kiss to Addison’s cheek. "I’ll call you. I promise."
And then, in a blur of motion that Addison’s eyes could barely track, Kara was gone.
Addison sat in the booth, the warmth of Kara’s kiss still lingering on her skin. She touched her cheek, a dazed smile spreading across her face.
"Well," Addison whispered to the empty booth. "That was definitely not a normal journalist."
***
At the Seattle docks, the scene was anything but normal. A group of smugglers was attempting to offload a crate that was glowing with a sickly, pulsing green light. Alex was already there, crouched behind a shipping container with her pulse rifle drawn.
"J’onn, I’ve got eyes on the target. It’s definitely the synthetic stuff," Alex said into her comms. "But there’s a lot of them. I might need backup."
"Backup is here!" Kara landed with a heavy *thud* beside her sister, her cape fluttering in the salty breeze.
"About time," Alex hissed. "How was your date?"
"It wasn't a date! It was a consult! Over drinks!" Kara adjusted her glasses, her eyes glowing red. "And it was wonderful. She’s wonderful."
"Focus, Supergirl," Alex said, though she couldn't help but smirk. "We take out the smugglers, secure the Kryptonite, and then we get out of this city before Mark Sloan tries to ask me out on a date."
"Deal," Kara said, a determined look on her face.
As Supergirl took to the sky, her heat vision cutting through the darkness, she couldn't help but think of a certain redhead back at the bar. Seattle was a city of rain and ghosts and complicated doctors, but as Kara looked down at the sparkling lights of the harbor, she knew one thing for sure.
She was definitely coming back for that follow-up.