Childhood Pals

Chapter 16: Identities Revealed?

"I am Mike Matthews, and my daytime job is a bartender here."

"Did . . . the D.E.O. allow you here?"

Mon-El nodded. "It was the only option so I could stay in this city."

Kara almost choked on her drink. "Are you telling me that the D.E.O. knew your identity all this time?"

Mon-El gave an unsure nod. Kara groaned. "Great. Another secret."

They were always hiding things from her. Things that she deserved to know. They always kept her in the dark. She worked for them too.

"I-I need to go."

"Uhm, alright. See you soon, I guess?"

"Yeah, sure."

Kara couldn't believe it. Valor was Mon-El. Mon-El was Mike Matthews. Her rival - her friend. Should she tell him who she truly was? She'd risk hurting him like she did Lena.

She had lost one best friend already. Was it worth it losing another?

To Mon-El, she was, Supergirl, Kara Zor-El, the Last Daughter of Krypton. To Mike Matthews, she was Linda Lee Danvers, a D.E.O. worker.

Between Lena and Mon-El, Kara couldn't figure out what she should do. Her mind was swimming with thoughts as she floated in the night sky.

She didn't even know if she wanted to go on with her meeting with Mike at the bar. She wanted to tell him - she just didn't know how to. 

She knew that she'd have to tell him eventually, but for now, she decided to play it safe.

~~~~~~~~

"Hey, I was beginning to think you wouldn't show up!" Mike, or Mon-El said cheerfully as he spied her from across the bar.

"I was . . . tired. Didn't know if I'd feel well enough to come."

"Funny. I'd think an alien like you wouldn't need to sleep that much."

Kara stopped. "Alien?"

"I figured you were an alien, no D.E.O. agent would come in dressed so casually."

"Um, my sister does? And so does J'onn."

"J'onn's an alien, too. Plus, I'd think your sister, as the new Director, would have authority. She'd be allowed to wear casual clothes here."

Kara forced a smile. "O-oh. How'd you figure out Alex was Director?"

"I, uhm, saw her with several D.E.O. agents once, they addressed her as Director Danvers."

"I see . . . "

As Kara stared into the distance, Mike said suddenly, "Hey, you okay, Linda?"

"I-I-I'm fine."

"Great! I'd like to introduce you to someone."

He gestured to the side. A man with slightly long, shoulder-length hair stepped out. "This is Querl Dox, otherwise known as Brainiac-5."

He extended his hand. "My friends call me Brainy. It's . . . a pleasure to meet you, Linda Lee Danvers."

Mike chuckled, leaning in to whisper, "Just Linda, dude."

"Just . . . Linda."

He facepalmed, and Kara let out a giggle.

Kara cracked a smile, "So, Mike. Uhm, tell me about . . . your Titanian girlfriend."

"O-oh! We actually broke up a couple days ago."

"I'm . . . sorry for asking."

"It's okay. I could tell she still loved me, but we both agreed to break up."

He is no longer with her.

Kara smiled, getting up. "I-it's getting late, I should go . . . "

Just as she turned, she saw her friends coming in. "God . . . "

"Hey, sis!"

"Hi!"

"Hey, Ka-"

"Hey, Nia!" She abruptly cut her friend off. She looked over Alex's shoulder. "Lena's here?"

"Yeah. I just wanted to apologise for how I acted the other day."

"No, it's fine. You needed space."

"Ahem." Kara heard from behind her. "You mind?"

"Oh, yeah. You already know Alex and J'onn. This is Lena, Nia, Sam, Kelly, Winn, James and M'gann."

Then she turned to her friends. "This is Mike and Brainy."

As they all sat down at a table, Brainy included, Mike tapped Kara's shoulder. "Can I talk to you? In private?"

"Sure?" Kara shrugged.

He brought her to the back room. "U-uh, Mike, I don't think I should be back here."

But he was staring. At her hair. She realised why.

"Mike, I-I can explain! I dy-"

"Save it. I think I'm starting to figure you out, Kara Danvers."