DISCLAIMER: I claim none of the characters. They are all DC's; a good majority of the characters are from the Superman comics, but there are a few of them from the Supergirl comic series. In short, they're not mine; I'm just borrowing them. I'll return them, I promise!
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Linda was near tears as she got off the elevator on the first floor, and she headed back towards the entrance, but she stopped when she saw the limo outside, Roderick standing outside, leaning against it. She really liked Roderick, but the last thing she wanted was to talk to him or to anyone; she needed to clear her head. She made her way out and headed down the sidewalk, trying to ignore him, hoping he wouldn’t see her.
“Miss?”
No such luck. She stopped and turned around. Roderick was slowly walking towards her, a concerned look on his face. She looked at him with wide, slightly scared eyes for a moment before she ran off into the shadows between the buildings. Roderick hurried after her on foot, calling out to her with reassuring words. “It’s not safe out here at night - I couldn’t let you go home by yourself!” He went in between the buildings where she disappeared and looked around. “Miss?” He saw lots of garbage lining an alley with a high brick wall that no one could get over, and there were no other places for her to hide, no other doors for her to go into.
After waiting a few moments, he reluctantly turned around and went back to the limo. He slowly drove off, watching for her as an uncle or a father or brother would do. He hadn’t known the young woman very long, but he really felt that she needed someone watching out for her - and from the look in her eyes when she ran off she wasn’t going to get that kind of protection from Lex.
Roderick drove slowly all the way back to her apartment building, pulled up beside the curb and got out. Glancing down the street, he looked to see if she was coming, but there was no sign of her. Hoping she had somehow beaten him, he walked up to the doorman standing outside the building.
“Excuse me,” he said, “but has Miss Lee arrived within the last few minutes?”
“No, she hasn’t,” the doorman replied. “She left with you.”
“Yes, but she . . . decided to walk home from her engagement,” Roderick said. He sighed as he reached in and pulled out a small LexCorp business card and a pen. He scribbled something on the back. “When she returns, could you give her this and ask her to call me, just so I know she made it back safely?” The doorman nodded, taking the offered card.
Roderick turned to leave, glancing down the street one last time, hoping to see Linda, but she wasn’t there. Sighing softly, he got into his limo and pulled into traffic, silently praying that the young woman would arrive at her apartment safely.
- - - -
Supergirl was covered in dried mud from head to toe, but she smiled sweetly as she posed with residents of an apartment building she saved from being burned down in Tokyo as cameras flashed. She couldn’t understand most of what was being said to her, but she still managed to communicate with the citizens she saved. After a few moments, the people left, and Supergirl turned to leave, but she stopped when she saw Superman fly down and land near her.
“I’ve got everything under control,” Supergirl said in a slightly defensive tone.
“I know you do,” Superman replied. “Just like the flood in northern Italy and the mudslide in India.” He nodded slightly at her appearance. “Which is how I’m guessing you got to be so muddy.”
“Actually, there was a two-for-one special at the mud wrestling joint on 5th,” Supergirl replied wryly.
Superman let the comment slide. He glanced around and saw a crowd forming, but no one got too close to them. He turned back and gave his cousin a concerned look. “Look,” he said quietly, “I know that you sometimes like to see the sights or save people around the world, but something tells me you left Metropolis for another reason.” He decided to tread very carefully. “Is there anything you want to talk about?”
“Not really,” Supergirl replied. “I’m going back to Metropolis. Wouldn’t want it to fall into the hands of evil while we’re away. Besides, I left the iron on at home.” She leapt into the air and head west.
“But you don’t iron!” he called after her. He and the crowd watched as she flew away, but he made no point in following her. He leapt into the air and headed south, hoping to get back to Australia before Lois missed him too much.
(End of Chapter 9)
