Kara's life had returned to normal. She continued her daily routine of commuting to work and, on weekends, either slept in or borrowed Jennifer's car to visit her hometown. She hadn't been back to Gotham since, and given that Jennifer's car was better than hers, it hardly mattered.
Jennifer didn't call Kara often; her schedule was as packed as ever. After Gotham's most powerful crime boss fell, the city's gangs splintered into over fifteen factions. Harvey was doing his best to fight them off, with Gordon lending his assistance.
Jennifer had called Kara once, mentioning that Bruce Wayne had been pursuing her relentlessly. It seemed Bruce wasn't satisfied with being brushed off so easily, or perhaps he had finally realized Jennifer's worth.
But it was too late for Bruce. Once a woman decides to move on, there's rarely any turning back. Jennifer had no time for Bruce; her focus was on her work.
Thanks to her and Harvey's relentless efforts, the Falcone family had been dismantled. Their new patriarch was arrested, and over 90% of the family's assets were seized. Only a small portion of their resources had been smuggled overseas by members who fled in time.
It was a complete victory, though Kara couldn't help but warn Jennifer to be cautious of potential retaliation.
"Don't worry, Kara. I've dealt with threats before. The car you're driving now? I bought it after the last one was blown up. These things don't scare me," Jennifer said confidently. Kara noticed that Jennifer was no longer the timid girl who once needed her protection.
With that, Kara stopped paying attention to Gotham's affairs. She had resolved not to play the role of an intermediary or a moral compass for Bruce anymore. Their ideals were too different. The only reason they were still friends was that Kara had distanced herself from the conflict; otherwise, they might have clashed by now.
Meanwhile, Kara's attention shifted to Clark. Recently, he'd befriended someone named Lex Luthor, which puzzled her. Unable to suppress her curiosity, Kara decided to visit Metropolis University over the weekend.
Returning to her alma mater brought a wave of nostalgia. She hadn't spent much time exploring the campus during her studies, always focused on absorbing knowledge. Still, her sense of direction, coupled with her super vision, made it easy to locate Clark.
When she found him, Kara raised an eyebrow. Clark was on the basketball court, laughing as he chased the ball with his friends. This was unusual; their adoptive father had always strictly forbidden them from participating in sports to avoid exposing their powers. Yet here was Clark, enjoying a carefree game with a bright smile she'd never seen before.
Seeing this, Kara decided not to interrupt and turned to leave, feeling relieved by Clark's happiness. Whatever her concerns about Lex could wait.
Just as she was about to leave, a shout came from behind, followed by a warning: "Heads up!" Kara spun around just in time to see a basketball hurtling toward her. Her hand shot up reflexively, and with a thud, she caught the ball effortlessly.
Clark looked startled, recognizing her instantly. "Kara? What are you doing here?"
The other players stared at her, mesmerized by her striking beauty. Kara, holding the ball with one hand, adjusted her glasses with the other and laughed. "What? Am I not allowed to check on my little brother? By the way, it's awfully hard to get a dinner invite from you. How many times have you stood me up?"
Clark scratched the back of his head, grinning sheepishly. One of his teammates nudged him and whispered, "Dude, you never told us your sister was this gorgeous."
Clark muttered in return, "She's ten years older than me, so don't even think about it."
"Hmm?" Kara tilted her head, her long blond hair shimmering as it caught the light.
"Clark Kent, it's not very gentlemanly to reveal a lady's age like that," she teased. "Be careful, or I might report this to Ma and Pa."
Clark groaned. "Fine."
Kara turned her attention to the basketball in her hand and, with a smirk, said, "Chasing a ball around with so many people? Couldn't you just buy more balls, one for each player?"
One of the players, clearly baffled, explained, "Miss Kent, basketball doesn't work like that."
Kara shrugged, took a quick glance at the hoop, and with a graceful leap, sent the ball flying through the air. It arced perfectly before sinking into the net. "Don't worry, I understand how it works. Just having a little fun," she said, winking at Clark.
Clark sighed and excused himself from the game, walking over to her. "Sister, that was a bit much. You're going to make things awkward for me."
Ignoring his protest, Kara grabbed a towel from nearby and began wiping the sweat from his forehead. "Don't bother," Clark mumbled, "I can do it myself."
Kara smirked. "Come on, little brother. I used to change your diapers and feed you. Now you're too grown-up for me?"
Clark sighed in defeat. There was no winning against her. As his older sister, Kara had an undeniable edge, especially with her arsenal of embarrassing childhood stories.
"Okay, Clark, call your friend Lex. Let's grab some food nearby. If Ma finds out I came to Metropolis and didn't spend time with you, I'll never hear the end of it."