Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

*

Life in the Old West? Let me tell you... It's like living in a giant furnace where even the rocks seem intent on killing you. The sun isn’t just hot… it’s hostile. Some days, you look up and swear the sun is challenging you to a duel. “Let’s see who dehydrates who first, Kate Bishop.” Spoiler alert... it always wins.  

And it’s not just the sun. Out here, everything in the desert that isn’t you, wants to— and will— kill you if given the chance.  

Cacti? Green traps full of spikes. Rattlesnakes? Living clocks of venom. Even the rabbits seem suspicious. Ever had a rabbit stare at you like it’s plotting something? I have.  

But I’m not one to shy away from a challenge. My name is Kate Bishop, and they say I’m Hawkeye, the fastest gun in the West. Sure, they also say I’m not exactly the friendliest person in town, but hey, you can’t have it all. Silence and precision… Those are my specialties. Speak only when the joke is good and shoot only when I can’t miss. Believe me, I’ve got great jokes, and I never miss. I just prefer talking less and drinking more.  

I sighed, taking another swig, my hands caressing my favorite weapons... two pistols. But I prefer to call them Rose and Nancy . Yeah, I named them. Judge me, and I’ll shoot you between the eyes.  

Oh, and there’s my bow and arrow. I can kill you with that too. Because sometimes, you don’t want the enemy to know they’re about to become a permanent ornament on the ground. The bow is special. It’s the only thing left of my family after Wilson Fisk—the richest, cruelest man in the region—decided he wanted the land where I grew up. My parents said "no." He responded with fire and bullets.  

I survived, but I lost everything. Everything except the bow. Since then, I carry it as both a reminder and a promise... One day, Fisk will pay for what he did. He’ll die by the arrow I shoot, no matter how long it takes.  

But life isn’t all vengeance, gunfights, and grief. I’ve also got my horse, Lucky. He’s my better half—smarter than most people I know and eerily good at judging character. If Lucky doesn’t like you, you probably deserve it . Honestly, he’s the best partner for patrolling the desert and Dustwood . The town’s far from perfect, but I won’t let it fall into complete chaos.  

Shang-Chi, the sheriff, is the voice of reason and one of the few people who can talk me out of shooting first and asking questions later. We work as a finely tuned team. I shoot, he cleans up the mess. He distracts the bad guys with his crazy martial arts moves he brought from the Orient, and I finish the problem with a bullet or an arrow.  

Yeah... I’m the perfect mix of hero and outlaw. The best bullets are still bought from me every day, and the northern tribes, who love me, keep gifting me amazing arrows. In return, I protect them with my life. Fair trade, right?  

When I’m racing full-speed across the desert, always hitting my targets, I know no one else could do what I do. This is exactly where I’m meant to be.  

It’s fun... until there’s blood and dead friends. Take this morning, for example. I had to take down three gunslingers who thought robbing the town bank was a good idea. Three shots, three falls. Lucky didn’t even stop running. No one died, the money was returned, and I pocketed another fat reward.  

Everything’s as perfect as it could be. But inside, everything hurts more than just physically. Still, I pretend well. I’m a survivor, no matter the reputation they slap on me.  

*

Days in the Old Wild West always start with dust. And shouting. And, occasionally, gunfire. But that morning, as I prepared Lucky for patrol, the town was quiet. Too quiet. It didn’t take long for Shang to show up, his hat as crumpled as always and an expression that mixed exhaustion and irritation.  

"The bells rang to the east of the mine... Fisk is sending men to mark territory." Shang informed me.

This was the only way we could help many of the settlements around Dustwood... The echoes of the canyons carried the chimes of any bell to Dustwood or to one of our allies, and we always came to help whenever we arrived in time.

"That mine near the canyon? They want to drive out anyone still there," I muttered, exhausted.

Same story as always. Fisk used his wealth to pressure, bribe, or eliminate anyone in his way. And while I wanted nothing more than to bring him down for good, I knew I couldn’t take on his organization alone. Not yet. Not until I was sure his fall wouldn’t drag Dustwood down with him.  

“I’ll handle it.” I replied, adjusting my hat and guiding Lucky out of town.  

The trail to the canyon was familiar but never easy. Narrow curves and suffocating heat made every trip a test of endurance. Still, I used the ride to practice. Drawing Rose and Nancy as I rode, I imagined Fisk as the target each time. One by one, my bullets found rocks, branches, or distant cacti. The echoes of gunshots reminded me that hesitation had no place in the West.  

I would never hesitate or hide again.  

The coal mine was a place where the sun didn’t shine—not even in spirit. Everything there seemed wrapped in a layer of black dust and despair. The makeshift homes around it, built of warped boards and old tarps, trembled in the dry wind, as if they knew they were doomed. It was easy to see why Fisk’s men picked this place to spread their cruelty. Tired, broken people fight less. Or so they thought.  

A woman’s scream cut through the heavy air, followed by a child’s sob. As I approached, I saw them… four armed men, clearly comfortable in the terror they caused. One, tall with a cruel grin, held a child by the arm, swinging him like a rag doll. “You’re leaving now, or we’ll burn everything!” he roared, pointing a torch at one of the fragile houses.  

They laughed as one of them kicked a miner who tried to intervene.  

The desperation on the workers’ faces gave me all the answers I needed. These men weren’t here to negotiate. Four idiots.  

Four against one... but that’s fine. Seems fair... to me.  

I dismounted Lucky silently, patting his neck to signal him to stay clear of the gunfire. “Stay close.” I murmured. He snorted softly, as if he understood. Then I drew Rose and Nancy, moving toward the strangers who were clearly new around here. Outsiders stirring up trouble?  

I whistled sharply to get their attention, and they readied their weapons quickly.  

One of them spotted me and signaled the others to lower their guns, stepping closer. “Hey, relax,” he said, laughing. “It’s just a girl…”

They always laugh because I’m just a girl. Until they’re not laughing anymore.

My dentist friend will be thrilled with the new collection of fractured smiles I’ll be bringing him today.

The tall man turned to face me, still holding the child. “Go back to where you came from, little lady. This isn’t your problem.”

“You’re right…” I replied, adjusting my favorite hat. “But you know what is my problem? Idiots with guns thinking they can terrorize my territory.”

Before he could retort or even breathe, Rose spoke for me. The sound of the gunshot echoed through the mine walls, and the big guy’s hat flew off, revealing a shiny bald head. He immediately let go of the child and stepped back, eyes wide, probably realizing for the first time that I’m not just a girl.

I’m Hawkeye—the fastest shot in this godforsaken hole at the edge of nowhere.

“If anyone else smiles, it’ll be the last thing they do.” I warned, pointing Nancy at the next man.

“Get her!” one of them shouted, making me clench my teeth in frustration.

Why the hell can’t they ever listen to me for the first time? Everything with these people always has to be resolved with bullets.

Yes… it does.

My finger on the trigger is as natural as breathing. I move, and my trigger moves with me. It’s always been that way… and it will be until the day someone faster sends my soul to hell.

The second bandit dropped before he could draw his gun. Nancy found his shoulder like one of the girls from the inn, sending him crashing into the dust with a dull thud. I heard the cries of the women and children, feeling like the scum of the earth for scaring them. That’s when I drew my bow, knowing I didn’t want to hurt anyone else—at least not in front of so many innocents.

The third one tried to close the distance between me and his fate, but my arrow found his leg before he could take two steps. He screamed, stumbling and collapsing to his knees, grunting like a skinned pig, but he didn’t dare move as I walked past him.

That left just the big guy—the most entertaining one, the one who smiled while torturing innocent people. He had good teeth too, which made me grin. He raised his hands, still flashing that fake smile, but fear was all over his eyes. “Okay, okay. You win. No need to do anything else.”

“You’re right. I don’t need to.” My voice was calm, but cold. “But I’ll do it anyway.” I shot the torch he was holding, knocking it to the ground and extinguishing the flames. “Now, tell me… are your teeth real or fake?” I asked, lowering my bow and slinging it onto my back.

“What?” he asked, staring at me in surprise. I walked up to him and delivered a short punch.

“I asked if your teeth are real, or if they’re a prosthetic? Think carefully about your answer—I’ll wait.” I sighed, crossing my arms. Thankfully, he just spat out the disgusting denture. I picked it up with disgust, but still smiling. “These will help some nice elder in Dustwood. Thanks for your cooperation. Now run until I’m just a tiny speck, before I change my mind…” I said, showing him the small gap between my fingers.

He hesitated but bolted the moment I pointed Rose at him. By the time Shang arrived, riding his horse, the chaos was over.

He looked at the fallen bodies, then at me as I was holstering my guns. “You could, I don’t know, arrest at least one of them? It’d be useful to interrogate someone every once in a while.”

“I always give them choices. They can run, fight, or give me their teeth…” I said, shrugging. “I just finish what they start. Not my fault they keep picking all the options. And hey, I didn’t kill them, although…” I defended myself.

He shook his head, exasperated, but there was a small smile on his face—the kind that said he knew I was right. Again.

*

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that calm never lasts in Dustwood. The air here always feels heavy with tension, like the desert itself is holding its breath. When it’s not bandits causing trouble, it’s the weather, the lack of food, or, sometimes, Sheriff Shang Chi talking too much for his own good.

“Kate…” he started, as we walked down the main street, the sun scorching our backs. “You’ve got to stop scaring the girls. They’ve got enough problems without you staring at them like targets.” He said this after I gave two of the most irritating women in town my infamous glare—they keep using lousy pickup lines on me like sleazy men.

“I don’t stare at anyone like a target!” I retorted, adjusting my hat to block the sun. “Unless they’re a problem. In that case, well, maybe I do. Those girls need to back off. First, they’re not my type. Second, I might be waiting for something much better than girls who lift their stinky skirts for any loser. And it’s not like I want the gossip that would come with it.”

Shang sighed—a sound I was all too familiar with. “And you wonder why people avoid you. You should enjoy their attention… they’re probably the only ones who’d listen to you talk so much.” He teased, snatching my hat off my head. I growled, laughing as I dodged him and headed into the inn.

He had a point, but I wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of admitting it.

The truth is, Dustwood wasn’t a big town, but its position at the crossroads of important routes made it a magnet for all sorts of people. Merchants, smugglers, bandits… They all passed through here and needed to blow off steam. My job was to make sure they left without causing too much damage. The girls’ job was to make them want to come back.

Not that I didn’t cause my fair share of damage—both material and emotional.

I sighed, glancing at Maria, the innkeeper—the woman I used to be involved with. Now she hated me because I told her I didn’t want anything serious.

And that’s fine... that’s just how things work around here. We break everything down to rebuild it all the next day... like normal life, for crying or laughing.

I retreated to my cheap but clean room to freshen up with a bath and catch some sleep.

Tomorrow will be a new day... and maybe, just maybe, the dust and wind will bring something good my way.

*

The rain pattered against the rusted roof of the abandoned building, the metallic drumming annoyingly intertwined with the cutting winds sweeping through the streets. Inside the warehouse, however, the air was dry, saturated with a thick layer of dust and rust—a sharp, acidic smell that clung to my nostrils, giving me all kinds of discomfort.

It was a perfect spot for a discreet mission. Except, with Valentina, nothing was ever discreet.

She wanted me to steal a mysterious device. A simple request, but one that immediately roused my suspicions. When someone refuses to explain what you’re carrying, it’s because they know you’re not going to like the answer. Still, money is money, and I’m the kind of person who loves keeping my fridge stocked with canned ravioli and cheap vodka.

“The device is in the central depot…” Valentina said with an unsettling calmness, as if it were the simplest thing in the world. I knew better, though. The place was more like a labyrinth of peeling walls, shelves stacked with boxes reaching the ceiling, and a silence broken only by strange echoes, as if the warehouse itself was feeding off my insecurities.

Finally, I found it. The “ device ” was a cross between a toaster and a time bomb—small, silver, with lights flashing frantically every time I grumbled, as if it had something important to say but couldn’t communicate coherently. Nothing suspicious, right? Sure.

“Okay, Valentina. Got your magic toaster.” I muttered, tossing the object into my bag with a swift motion. I was about to slip out quietly when I heard footsteps—heavy, fast, and heading straight for me. Of course, they found me. Because, naturally, nothing is ever easy.

I didn’t hesitate. Before I could even glance over my shoulder, I was running. Gun in my right hand, backpack swinging urgently on my left shoulder. The sound of gunfire echoed through the warehouse, slicing through the air and reverberating off the concrete walls like a symphony of shit.

“You know shooting at me won’t work, right?” I shouted over my shoulder, a nervous grin forming on my lips as my heart pounded, hammering against my chest like it wanted out.

I vaulted over a toppled table, slid under a partially open metal door, and then, salvation—a battered brown Van parked in the darkest corner of the warehouse. It looked ancient enough to have witnessed the end of the Cold War, but right now, it was exactly what I needed.

“Please, please work, babe.” I muttered, fumbling to open the door and throw myself inside.

The dashboard was as wrecked as the rest of the vehicle, and hotwiring it was much harder than any action movie made it seem. Then I noticed something odd on the dashboard—an identical device to the one in my bag, already slotted into place.

“Okay, that’s definitely not normal.” I glanced back, the sound of footsteps growing louder, more urgent. Time was running out.

My mind raced. I could ditch the device and bolt before the bullets caught up. Or... I could try fitting it into the panel, where it seemed to belong. Not a great idea, but, well, not the worst thing I’ve done either.

“Alright, little magic toaster, I’m ditching you for now, but I’ll come back if I survive.” I muttered.

With a resigned sigh, I slotted the device into the panel. Immediately, the lights began flashing like a psychedelic light show. The dashboard lit up with spiraling colors and strange sounds, like something out of a 1980s sci-fi movie Sonya made me watch a hundred times.

“Great. A light show.” I grumbled, desperately trying to get the door open and escape. Too late.

The van trembled violently, as if it were alive, and an invisible force began pulling everything toward the center of the panel, like a vortex. Before I could react, the van and I were sucked into an unknown dimension.

The world around me blurred into a frantic swirl of colors, sounds, and impossible shapes. I glimpsed fragmented realities—a world where giant fish floated in the sky, another where a version of me wore a golden crown and commanded an army of rats (yes, rats). The visions were so absurd that, for a moment, panic gave way to the surreal hypnosis of that psychedelic journey.

Then, suddenly, the Van stopped. No, stopped isn’t the right word. The van crashed . Hard .

The sound of impact came before the sensation. The metallic thud was followed by a muffled boom, like the ground had been ripped out from under us. When I finally came to, my head was spinning, my stomach churning, and I’d slammed into the steering wheel. I looked around in panic. The tunnel of madness was gone.

The whole thing lasted seconds—nothing, absolutely nothing, explained why the Van was now in the middle of a desert. A vast expanse of sand, spiky cacti, and more sand.

The heat was oppressive, the silence deafening. It was the kind of silence that screamed, louder than any noise in that abandoned warehouse.

“Alright…” I said, my stomach flipping in protest. I groaned, fumbling with the Van door and stumbling out onto the scorching sand.

“Welcome to hell, Yelena. Literally,” I muttered just before vomiting up all the ravioli I’d had for lunch.

This isn’t a good way to die...

*

The scorching desert sun south of Dustwood filtered through the shattered windows of the old, abandoned house, casting golden beams of light into the dark, dusty interior. I hated places like this... crumbling buildings that seemed to whisper ancient secrets. But they were unavoidable. Smugglers loved clichéd hideouts like this one.

I approached the house carefully, trying to get a glimpse of the interior, but the windows were sealed from the inside. I only knew someone was there, but I wasn’t certain if they were the smugglers I was tracking.

Judging by the gunshots I’d heard as I rode here... they definitely weren’t up to anything legal.

My bow was ready, an arrow nocked, as I moved silently across the creaking porch floorboards. My foot struck the door, forcing it open with a single blow.

That’s when I saw her for the first time… 

A petite blonde woman, utterly unbothered by my arrival, stood in the middle of the room like a figure from another world. She was dressed in strange clothes, surrounded by unconscious bodies, with compact, unusual weapons in each hand—and that smile. That smile that seemed to say everything was under her control. She moved with the confidence of someone who had nothing to fear, her leather boots leaving marks on the dusty floor as she paced back and forth in the cramped room. I had never seen anyone like her before.

“Another one?” she asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm, not even bothering to look in my direction. My breath hitched for a moment. Then she slowly turned, and our eyes met.

She smiled the moment she saw me, as if she’d been expecting me. I snapped back to attention.

“Who are you?” I demanded, pulling the bowstring tighter. My arrow was aimed directly between her eyes. If she made any suspicious moves, I was ready to shoot.

Or so I thought.

“I could ask you the same thing…” she replied, raising one of her pistols in a casual gesture. She pressed something on the weapon, and a small, bright light lit up, pointed directly at my chest. I scoffed— so this was going to be a duel.

An archer against a woman armed with technology I couldn’t begin to understand.

Time seemed to stop. I could feel sweat trickling down my temple, but my eyes stayed fixed on her. I was assessing everything about this woman who was unlike anyone I’d ever met—her appearance, her speech, her heavily accented voice, and the way she carried herself. Confident. Aware of everything. In control of her movements. Had I ever been in the presence of someone like this?

I knew nothing about her then, but something in her gaze disarmed me. It wasn’t fear. It wasn’t anger. It was... curiosity? As if she was as intrigued as I was about what would happen next.

My fingers eased slightly on the bowstring—not much, but enough for me to realize something was wrong with me. I should shoot her. She was an obvious threat, a threat with more victims around us than I could count... but I couldn’t fire. I was hesitating again. I swallowed hard, wanting to kill her just for making me feel like a coward again.

“Why haven’t you shot yet?” she asked, her voice filled with a soft, teasing provocation. Her smile widened, but her eyes were serious. “Afraid? Or maybe...”

“Maybe what?” I challenged, trying to sound firm, but my voice trembled. Damn it.

“Maybe you don’t want to hurt me as much as you think you do.” The way she said it made something inside me falter.

How could she be so calm?

The silent duel continued for a few more seconds, which felt like an eternity, but I noticed something even more curious—she hesitated too. Her finger was off the trigger. It was as if something invisible was holding us back. Some force I couldn’t name.

Finally, I relaxed the bowstring a little more. “What do you want here?” I asked, my voice steadier now.

She did something unexpected, lowering her pistols with a dramatic sigh. “First, how about we stop pointing deadly things at each other? Second, I’m probably here for the same reason you are. You look like one of the good guys. These idiots are trafficking things they shouldn’t be, and that’s bad for business.” She finished with a shrug.

“Business? I don’t do business with criminals. I stop them. I want them out of my city. I want people like you far from my people.” I growled, suspicious.

She holstered her weapons, the movement almost too casual for the situation. “Let’s just say I’ve been hired to stop them too. If it makes you feel better, my client wants exactly what you want—to shut these guys down.”

“And I’m supposed to believe you?” I asked skeptically.

“You’re still alive, aren’t you?” she replied with an insufferable smile on her annoyingly attractive face. “If I wanted to, you’d be on the floor with them. But here we are, you and me. Two strangers with the same goal.”

Something about the way she spoke irritated me deeply. Where the hell was that accent from? As confused as I was about everything about her, there was something almost... fascinating. I wanted to hate her. I wanted to distrust her. But the truth was, for some reason, I wanted to understand who she was and what made her act this way.

“Kate…” I said finally, lowering the bow completely. “My name is Kate Bishop.”

“Yelena,” she replied, extending her hand. When I hesitated, she smiled. “What? Isn’t this how people form temporary alliances in this world? Not that I’ve tried touching every filthy hand here. These men have terrible hygiene. Don’t even get me started on the stench under the skirts of the girls.” She muttered under her breath, grumbling in a way I understood.

Wait... how does she know about the smell under skirts?

A girl like me?

She looked at my hand again, and I sighed, shaking hers briefly before pulling away. “Don’t think I trust you. This is temporary. I’ll check your story, and if you’re lying, I’ll hunt you down!” I said, pointing at her.

She had single-handedly taken down 18... 19... 20 outlaws—alone.

"Are they dead?" I asked, stepping in to help her.

"Jesus, I’m not a savage... Not all the time, anyway," she muttered, crouching to feel for a pulse on a few jugulars. She turned back to me with a guilty expression. "Well... these ones are…" she added, her lips forming a small pout that almost made me laugh.

"Are you remorseful?" I asked while dragging the legs of a groaning man who was still alive.

"Not really... It was them or me. Although, I am a little sad I got caught... and, well, they were poor bastards." she replied with a sly grin, counting the meager coins and bills from their pockets. I couldn’t help but laugh at how completely unrepentant she seemed.

"I have a feeling you’re going to cause me problems soon…" I groaned, tying up the unconscious men. She stepped toward the exit with a casual air.

"Maybe... but if you’re a good girl, I might help you solve a lot of problems, Kate Bishop. See you soon—it’s been an absolute pleasure meeting you, Maliskha ." she said. A strange, shimmering mask appeared and covered her striking face. Before I could respond, she vanished into the desert dust, heading south toward Dustwood.

The mask unsettled me, but I could barely find my voice. Everything about this woman was... bizarre . Her manner of speaking, her accent, her clothing, her weapons.

Was she a witch?

Who the hell was she?

I felt a mix of fear and curiosity about her. But there was something else—something I couldn’t quite name yet.

It was strange, this pull between us. It had made us hesitate earlier, neither firing a shot nor loosing an arrow. It was as though some invisible force bound us together, despite our apparent differences.

Whoever this woman was, I knew this wasn’t the end. I had to uncover more about the enigmatic stranger.

*

The next time I saw her, she was at the bottom of a pitfall trap—one of many that Shang and I had set up around the town's perimeter.

Hearing the distant cries for help, I urged Lucky into a sprint, heading toward the source of the shouting.

From several meters away, I realized it was her—the woman I’d been wanting to find.

I’d tried to learn more about her since our first encounter, but every lead was contradictory or fantastical. Some described her as a mythic figure. Recently, criminals had been left tied up outside the station, utterly terrified. Their stories were all the same… a terrifying woman with dazzling tricks had taken them down.

They sobbed as they described how blinding light from her wrists seemed to drain their energy, leaving their bodies trembling and numb.

I’d thought they were drunk or poisoned. But their insistence on "magic" was hard to ignore. I hated that I couldn’t entirely dismiss it. My plan was to capture her and get some answers.

"Oh, thank God... I’m so happy to see you! Could you pretty please get me out of here?" she pleaded from the pit. I perched on the edge, surveying her dusty, disheveled figure. A stark contrast to her earlier poised and polished look while ambushing smugglers. Now, she looked no better than a vagrant.

"You know…" I began with a smirk, assembling a rope to disable the trap mechanism, "I’ve been hearing a lot about you." I paused, hoping she’d talk. I wanted to glean as much information as I could before hauling her in for questioning.

"Don’t tell me you think I’m a witch, too…" she said with mock horror, making me laugh.

"Well... you do have some impressive light tricks.." I said, pointing out her apparent abilities as I secured the trap’s release mechanism. The ladder-like steps I’d designed clicked into place, offering a way out.

Despite her magical tricks, she’d been caught in one of my traps .

"Yeah, I’ve heard the rumors... Some idiot saw me and started ranting about burning me at the stake…" she muttered as she climbed the steps, eventually collapsing beside me, exhausted.

I immediately grabbed Nancy and Rose , pointing them at her. She looked surprised, then deeply offended.

"What the hell are you doing?" she groaned, shielding her eyes while still lying on the ground. I circled her cautiously, scrutinizing every move.

"Being careful. You’re clearly dangerous. I’ve heard about your violence and your peculiar weapons," I said clinically, keeping my stance ready as she pushed herself up to face me.

She sprang toward me, undoubtedly thinking she could disarm me. Calmly, I stepped out of reach and fired a shot at her feet.

Her wide-eyed shock was almost comical. "Have you lost your mind? What happened to our truce?" she demanded, hands on her hips.

"There’s no truce. You’ve caused too much chaos. You’ve hurt innocent people!" I shouted, stepping farther back. She laughed, the sound low and taunting.

"C’mon, Kate Bishop... Those men were hardly innocent. They were in my way!" she growled, moving toward me again. I fired two more shots near her feet.

She stopped, grinding her teeth. Her eyes burned with fury as her hands hovered near her wrists, distracted.

"Okay... I’d hoped our next meeting would be more fun. But you don't wanna help yourself…" she sighed, shrugging. Then everything happened too quickly.

I had my Rose drawn, ready to shoot when she raised her arm, murmured an insincere "Sorry," and I felt it—

A beam of unnatural light burst from her wrist, striking my neck. Pain surged through me like fire ripping through my veins. My muscles seized, and an unbearable numbness spread as I collapsed, utterly helpless.

This was witchcraft. It had to be.

And then... everything faded. Like a lantern running out of oil, my consciousness flickered out.

*

Chapter Text

*

Is it serious that my only friend just shot me?

I stood there, staring at her body, lying motionless, surrounded by a yellowish puddle of urine. The scene was absurd and filled me with an almost inexplicable discomfort. It shouldn’t be like this… This wasn’t how I imagined meeting Kate Bishop again. Definitely, this wasn’t my plan.

The soft sound of hooves on the sandy ground caught my attention. A caramel-colored horse, elegant and with flowing mane, approached slowly, neighing in a tone that almost seemed sorrowful. Its dark eyes gleamed with an intelligence that made my chest tighten. It leaned toward Kate, as if asking what had happened.

I didn’t know exactly what to think either. I only knew that I had to act.

"Sorry…" I murmured, letting my eyes wander over the animal before briefly glancing at its private parts—an automatic, almost ridiculous gesture. I smiled, though there was no humor in it. "Sorry, buddy… I didn’t mean to do that to your girl." I cautiously raised my hand, offering it for him to sniff, but the horse snorted in irritation, pulling back. His hooves marked the ground in an anxious rhythm, and then he lifted his front legs in the air, as if trying to push me away.

I dug my feet into the ground, trying to stand firm, and took a deep breath as I looked around. I couldn’t just leave them there. Kate, vulnerable and unconscious, would be an easy target. As for the horse, it seemed more willing to kill me than anything else, but I needed to gain its trust.

Of all the stories I had heard about Kate since I arrived here, one was consistent: she was brave, daring, and dangerously attractive to anyone seeking power. And many people wanted to get their hands on her. The prime example of this was my most frequent employer, Fisk. He seemed to have an unsettling obsession with Kate Bishop, and the rumors didn’t help. They said that when they met, it would be his end. A crazy prophecy that more than one fool had whispered in my ear. Knowing the type of man Fisk was, I was sure he’d take any opportunity to turn things in his favor—and finding Kate like this, defenseless, would be all he needed.

"Shhhh, calm down… I’m not the villain here…" I said, approaching the horse again, rummaging through my pockets for one of my energy bars to offer to the animal, and it seemed to smile as it stepped closer to me.

He still seemed wary, but at least he wasn’t trying to crush me.

He lowered his head slowly, sniffing the offering before chewing it carefully. The sound of his teeth breaking the bar was soothing, almost domesticated. I took a small step back, watching his reaction. When he lightly neighed and stepped closer to me, I seized the opportunity.

"Yes, babe… I’m not a threat. I’m going to take care of your girl, I promise." My voice was low, a nearly intimate murmur, as if I were trying to convince myself too.

With the horse seemingly calmer, I turned my attention back to Kate. She was unconscious, but her breathing was steady. I knelt beside her, my eyes scanning her face. The stubbornness that made her shine even in tense situations was evident, even when she was unconscious.

"What am I going to do with you?" I murmured to myself, rubbing my forehead with my palm. The horse, seeming to feel the weight of the situation, neighed loudly, stamping its hooves on the ground forcefully. He looked toward the city, as if trying to tell me something.

"Do you want me to take her home?" I asked, not really expecting an answer. Still, he neighed again, and I smiled. "Alright… sounds like a good plan."

I wasted no time. Carefully, I positioned Kate’s body on the horse’s back, adjusting her so she’d stay secure. The heat of the day clung my clothes to my skin, and the smell of urine coming from her, combined with every movement, seemed to drain the little energy I had left. The horse neighed impatiently as I tried to settle her body so it wouldn’t fall halfway.

The horse still seemed wary of me and agitated, but he didn’t stop me from securing Kate on his back. After making sure she was properly strapped in, I finally breath.

Kate Bishop hung over the horse’s back, her body limp but breathing—at least that. She didn’t look anything like the woman I had heard about. She wasn’t the unbeatable archer, the quick shot, the legend who took down criminals like it was easy. No. Now, she was just an unconscious girl, face dirty, surrounded by urine, hair messy, but hell… she could never be accused of not being beautiful.

"You shot me, Malishka… " I whispered, as though she could hear me. The sound of my own voice was swallowed by the wind. "And now here I am, taking care of you. What the hell is wrong with me?"

I stepped forward and lifted her arm, which fell limply as if it were made of cloth. The horse grumbled, shaking its head, impatient. "Calm down, buddy…" I cooed, running my hand over its neck. "She’ll be fine… at least, I hope so..."

The horse neighed, as if scolding me for taking so long.

"Okay, okay, no need to be like this…" I grumbled, adjusting her body on the horse’s back. "Are you a horse or my boss now? You know you’re as annoying as your mother?" More neighs followed, before he crouched slightly on his knees so I could get on him.

"Thanks for this… you know… short legs… now… please… don’t drop us. Take us to your house." I asked, holding the reins. The horse seemed to understand, neighing excitedly before starting to trot quickly toward the city.

The warm wind whipped my face as we moved along the road. The heat made everything feel like a blur, a painting of blurry golden and brown hues. My thoughts were divided. On one hand, I was sure I was making a monumental mistake by helping Kate Bishop. On the other, something in me—something annoying—told me it was the right thing to do.

She was trouble. A big, beautiful, and troublesome piece of trouble. I barely knew her, but the stories about her were enough to keep me intrigued. The brave girl who defied criminals in a place where everyone just wanted to survive. The "heroe" who wasn’t afraid to face Wilson Fisk. And, of course, “The idiot who shot me.” I laughed to myself, shaking my head.

The horse’s trot was steady, but I could feel the tension in its movements, as if it still didn’t fully trust me.

"You're really protective, huh? I can't even complain about her?" I murmured, adjusting my weight on the horse.

The horse whinnied in response, shaking its mane as if agreeing. I stroked it gently, the soft fur under my hand a welcome distraction. "You're such a good boy. But your mom? She could use some manners."

*

The horse's trot was steady, but I could feel the tension in its movements, as if it still didn’t fully trust me. I glanced at Kate, sprawled over the animal's back, and sighed. Even unconscious, she wore a defiant expression, as though ready to fight even in her sleep.

"You're a tough one, Bishop..." I murmured, gently petting the horse's neck. "I hope you don't kill me..." I said absentmindedly.

But something started to change as we neared the entrance to the town. The horse slowed down, whinnying softly but insistently, and turned its head slightly toward a side path, a trail almost hidden among the trees.

"Hey, what are you doing?" I asked, pulling the reins to guide it back to the main road, but it didn't move. On the contrary, it dug in its heels, shaking its head as if saying " no ." "Okay, boy? You want me to trust you?"

The horse whinnied louder, stamping its hooves on the ground as if to reinforce its point.

I glanced briefly at Kate, then at the narrow path. It wasn’t like I had many options—the horse seemed more certain about the direction than I was at that moment.

"Alright, boy. You win." I murmured, releasing the reins to let it lead. It immediately turned onto the trail, trotting again, this time with a sense of urgency I hadn't seen before. The sound of the trees swaying in the wind and the rustling of leaves created a tense soundtrack as we moved forward.

The trail was long and winding, but Lucky knew exactly where it was going. When we finally reached a small clearing, my eyes widened. It was a hideout. There was no other way to describe the place. An improvised cover made of branches and leaves, nearly invisible among the trees, occupied the center of the area. It was rustic, but effective. I pushed aside the foliage just enough, and it was like a cave… I sighed deeply… it looked like a pretty good place… cold...

"So, this is your hideout?" I asked, half to the horse, half to myself, confused because I knew she could use the police station or the inn, but she also had this place. "Seems safe… pretty good, actually…" The horse nodded slightly, as if confirming.

Carefully, I dismounted the horse and began removing Kate from its back. She was still unconscious, murmuring incomprehensible things. The horse watched me closely, as if evaluating every move. Once I set her down inside the cave, it snorted, appearing satisfied.

"Done, stubborn. I brought your lady home." I crossed my arms, watching her for a moment. "Now, what do I do with you?" I said, looking at the horse carefully, which took a step closer, pressing its muzzle against my shoulder. The gesture caught me off guard, almost as if it was thanking me. I smiled, stroking its head.

"You're smart, boy. I'll give you that."

With Kate safe in this hideout, I felt the weight of the choices I had made. I should leave, let her wake up and deal with her own mess. But something told me that this wasn’t the end of the story—neither Kate’s nor mine.

"I'll give you a chance, Bishop," I murmured, adjusting her position on the ground. "But next time we meet, I hope you’re not pointing a gun at me." Maybe, just maybe, I had done the right thing this time.

*

“I want her neck on a rope in the town square!” I snarled, the anger burning in every word as I pressed the block of ice from the last snow of the south against the spot where the witch hit me, trying my best to ease the pain that seemed to eat through my skin, as if she had marked me permanently. But the physical pain was nothing compared to the agony of knowing that Lucky was in her hands.

The small object, still stuck to my body when I woke up, was now on Shang’s table. He watched it with an uncomfortable expression, clearly hesitating to touch it, as if that piece of witchcraft still held some cursed energy.

“This girl is going to cause us problems… she’s been involved in many robberies…” Shang murmured, his words muffled by the tension in the room as he flipped through some books in front of him, trying to find references about whatever the thing that looked like a metal spider was.

Robberies were the least of my problems at that moment. I groaned, feeling the anger bubble up. “To hell with the robberies! She took my horse… My Lucky is out there, in that witch’s hands!” I spat, swallowing the knot of anger and frustration growing in my throat.

Each second without knowing where he was made me more desperate. Shang stepped closer, placing his hands on my shoulders in a calm gesture I didn’t want to accept.

“Calm down. He’ll come back to you as soon as he gets the chance… I bet on it.” He promised, his voice firm, but there was a shadow of doubt I could feel, even without him saying a word. He wasn’t sure about it. He didn’t know Lucky like I did.

My boy had never been with strangers. He’s been with me since he was a colt, small, clumsy… beautiful...

I knew there was no one more worthy of his trust than me. God knows what that woman did to him. She must have taken my baby as just a simple trophy.

I couldn’t wait any longer. He should have returned. It was already night, it was too late. “I can’t sit here doing nothing…” I said, my voice quieter, but filled with hatred for that witch. “I’m going after my horse, and I’ll bring that woman back alive or dead. Or both.” I huffed impatiently, letting go of the sack of sawdust that kept my ice block frozen. Not anymore.

“Alive or dead? Both? You should get new clothes… you smell like piss…” Shang chuckled lightly, but the laugh seemed more like an attempt to ease the tension than anything else. I blinked hard, sending a cold stare across the room. Then, without another word, I turned and left, heading straight for the inn.

I really need a bath. After that, I’d go after her.

“Jesus… you smell like piss…” Maria commented as soon as I reached the stairs. She was standing up there, a sly smile on her face, but I stopped, grinding my teeth, trying to control my temper and the urge to destroy everything around me.

“Don’t play the smartass with me, Maria… not a good day.” My voice came out lower. She shouldn’t even be talking to me right now. “I just want a bath. Ask one of the girls, now.” I snarled, turning back to climb the stairs.

“I can wash your back myself…” Maria said with a slight laugh, but there was no humor in her voice. I turned to face her, the contempt evident on my face, and her expression shattered the moment I locked eyes with her.

“Nothing’s changed.” I said with a cutting calmness, now without any patience for her provocations. “I don’t want that kind of help.” And I didn’t expect a response. The tone was clear.

One day, Maria will get the hint. I don’t want her, and I won’t play with her feelings as if I did.

I kept climbing, ignoring the look she shot at me. I was on the verge of exploding, the adrenaline hitting hard. The bath would be the first step to clearing my mind. After that, I’d start my own witch hunt. She was going to pay.

For now, the only thing that mattered was my Lucky.

*

After leaving Kate Bishop safe in her hideout, the horse, which had been far friendlier with me than many humans here, including its own mom… brought me back to my own hideout.

The animal, with its steady and calm pace, sniffed everything around, from my clothes laid out to the wheels of the van... The joyful whinny it gave upon finding more energy bars was almost human, only it was happy on its part, as there were only two left until I could get more fruit to make more.

So I had to deny my new friend. "Unfortunately, I can't give you those, baby…" I cooed, and I swear on my Widow's bites that he smiled at me… I almost handed the bars to him...

But no… seriously, I can’t feed a horse with this economy...

I groaned, laughing out loud, as the horse followed me, hoping for the food he wanted. "Come on, baby, don’t do this to me… this isn’t easy… it’s not easy hunting food in a land that doesn’t know how to function… I know you're just a horse who doesn’t understand the concept of manners, but have some decorum…" He now let his lips nibble at my belly as if equally trying to make me laugh and give up denying him. What the hell… "Okay… okay… stop… I’m gonna pee like this..." I laughed. "Alright… I can give you an apple…" I said, hiding my hands behind my body, and the horse stopped, now sniffing my cheek before bouncing all around the space in the clearing as if it had recognized the word "apple."

God… he looks like a puppy… I smiled, watching the pure energy of the animal spread. Kate Bishop really did a good job. I didn’t know what I thought of her, but this horse seemed to convince me that the girl had something special.

I went over to the fruits and vegetables I had stolen that morning and with a sigh, I searched for an apple and a carrot. I didn’t know what made me happier—the kindness of a horse or the fact that it might be the only thing making me feel like, somehow, I was controlling something?

I only knew the answer to my doubt when I saw the animal become even more adorable… if he got excited about the apple… it turned into him becoming a ball of dancing energy and excitement when I showed him the carrot.

I laughed, unable to hold back the chuckle. "Oh, so these are your favorites?" I said as he devoured the carrot in two bites. "Yes… baby… you can have it. How about some water?" I dropped the carrot and, with a quick gesture, began looking for a bucket in the barrel I had hidden.

Around me, the space looked functional, but just by looking, I knew… it wasn’t really what I would call home. I was just surviving. Surviving was the goal, not living. Not yet. And that heavy thought hit me with a force I couldn’t ignore.

By my count… it's been 6 months since I arrived in this screwed-up, hot reality.

In the beginning, I thought it was just another one of those damn parallel realities. But it wasn’t just that. I spent two days vomiting my guts out, incredulous, hating everything about how I had been brought here.

After puking my guts out for about two days, sick of everything about how I ended up here, I finally managed to crawl to a small creek. I managed to get some clean water, took a bath, and finally felt human enough to go out and explore.

I really had trouble fitting in here… but fortunately, getting money here was like in the movies and video games… Rewards for bad men…

An idiot sent me to find Wilson Fisk for work, and I found him… though it was like working for Valentina again, I accepted… he didn’t seem interested in bothering me, and I wasn’t bothered explaining myself too much.

He gave me missions, and I completed them. It was a game of shadows and light. I felt a little less lonely, but also a little dirtier, having to deal with the most disgusting criminals in the city. In the end, it was just the job. Nothing more.

Sure, it wasn’t the dream world, but it was something. Survival was enough.

I tried to understand the damn device that brought me here many times… it now seemed dead… discharged… no more blinking lights responding to my bad mood… I tried to figure out the technology available here, but we didn’t even have electricity in this crap.

It was as if I were being ignored by the very technology that should guide me.

The only good thing that happened to me here was meeting her… Kate Bishop… She was different in a way I still couldn’t fully comprehend.

I sat down, feeling the hardness of the earth under my legs, and looked at Kate Bishop’s horse. Something was starting to form in my mind, a strange feeling that made me think about her more than I should. At least for someone who had been here for so long and already had her own battles to face.

I had heard about her since the first days, but I had no damn idea how she was even better than they told me…

They spoke about an angry, swift, violent, and beautiful girl… but I wasn’t impressed with the beauty, given that absolutely all the women here didn’t seem to have been graced with beauty… Not that I was picky trying to satisfy myself with some… Which was also hard… that didn’t really change in the future… no one here understands either how a girl doesn’t need a man.

The horse lay down completely near me in the shadow of the Van, and I smiled, stroking its mane softer than my hair had ever been. I messed with my now-short hair, feeling impatient…

Then I noticed a small medal hanging from the horse’s neck. The name engraved on it… Lucky. I smiled, touching the medal and whispering.

“Oh… Lucky…” I sighed, and the horse lifted just enough to look at me. “That’s your name… I like it… luck… I hope you bring me luck… I hope I get to meet your mom too…” I sighed, returning my thoughts to her.

She’s much better than I heard… If the other women weren’t so beautiful and didn’t smell good… she was a complete exception… Gorgeous… Looking like a model from the world I came… beautiful skin… and she didn’t smell bad… it was something like sweat… cinnamon… something sweet I didn’t have enough time to investigate… and alcohol… but basically… she was incredible… the smile… the angry eyes…

I smiled, looking at the horizon toward the city, knowing she’d probably be pissed when she woke up from the shock… maybe she’d give me trouble and want revenge… but I could hardly wait to see her again.

“Lucky… I’m going to need you to go home… to Kate Bishop…” I said quietly, and the horse looked at me before shifting, almost crushing me to stand up, seeming excited at hearing her name. “Yes, boy…” I stood up, wiping my hands on my jumpsuit before touching the beautiful mane. “You’re going back to Kate, and then… when she wants to find me… you promise to bring her?” I asked, placing my forehead on his head, and he neighed, dancing again.

“Thank you, friend… it was a lot of fun spending a minute with you… now go home… be careful… run to your home… go get Kate Bishop for me…” I said, guiding him toward the city, and a hard tap on his hindquarters made him run.

I watched the beautiful run until he disappeared on the horizon, and only then, with a deep sigh, did I start to get organized, preparing for what was coming. I washed my clothes and went to the river for a bath. The sound of the water hitting the rocks was the only background noise as I tried to wash the chaos that was still in me.

And so, after everything was ready, I lay down on the now-cold metal of the van, looking at the sky losing its washed-out hues until nightfall. Maybe I was waiting for something. Maybe I was waiting for the storm that would come because of my actions today.

Whatever it was, I knew Kate Bishop was safe right now, and soon, I’d see her again.

*

Chapter Text

*

I trotted on the back of one of the police station’s horses, feeling like a traitor for being with a horse that wasn’t my Lucky. Everything inside me burned to find the woman I was going to kill—and my horse. But after hours of wandering like a fool, I knew I wouldn’t find them.

It was only when dawn broke that I returned to the town, feeling useless for being able to hunt down any criminal yet failing to find my own horse.

The moment I entered the town, a wave of relief washed over me as I saw Lucky grazing in front of the inn, as if he hadn’t been kidnapped by a witch. I dismounted the horse while it was still moving, rushing toward my baby.

“Thank God you’re back, boy… I missed you…” I moaned, hugging him as he neighed in delight. His little happy dance made me laugh out loud. “I know you’re happy… I’m sorry I lost you, buddy… I feel so bad… Are you okay?” I asked, letting my hands run over his torso, belly, mane, and down to his hooves to check his shoes, sighing in relief that he wasn’t hurt.

“I’ll get the woman who took you, baby… I promise…” I said, untying his reins and finding a note written in sloppy handwriting.

Sorry for taking your horse. I took good care of him… If you need to talk to me, and promise not to shoot me, he can show you the way to my home… but first, let your baby rest… he’s had a tough day.

Sorry for the shock… you shot me first.

YB

I growled, shoving the damn note into my coat, knowing that at least we agreed on one thing: my horse needed care. But I would kill the crazy woman who took him.

*

I woke up feeling everything shaking around me. My body felt heavy… restrained. I felt my hands tied behind my back, as well as my feet, and sighed into the darkness of the hood over my head, exhaling my complete exhaustion with the stubborn woman who had captured me.

She attacked me while I was asleep…

What kind of person attacks their ally like that?

Was I wrong about her?

Does this woman understand nothing about alliances?

The damn woman didn’t do what I said in my note…

“Kate…” I called out loudly, snapping with the frustration of having to deal with someone so… annoying .

“Oh… the witch is awake…” Her voice came close, and I laughed at how she sounded equally angry and amused.

I chuckled, more out of disdain than anger. This girl is annoying, but she entertains me. “Yeah, I’m awake… What did we talk about regarding this witch nonsense?” I teased, feeling the knots of the ropes, recognizing an old knot I had learned to undo as a child.

She laughed without humor, her tone sharp as a blade. “I don’t know what the hell you are… and it doesn’t matter… You’re going to be hanged today… and if I’m not burning you alive, it’s only because I don’t want you to be memorable around here.” Her still-furious tone made me grit my teeth.

She wasn’t going to give me an easy time. Fuck me.

“Hanged, huh? Wow. Romantic.” I continued, feeling the knot give way under my fingers. Even as I untied my hands quickly, I didn’t let her notice. “Okay… Before that, can we talk? Could you at least take this hood off?” I asked, already working on the knots on my feet.

The hood was yanked off my head with as much violence as I expected, and I smiled wide. Despite everything, some things were still predictable. She looked even more stunning now, wearing an incredible three-piece suit. Her hair was tied up, unfortunately—I preferred it loose.

Elegant, professional… and totally infuriating.

“Wow… you look stunning … I like the hairstyle… but I also like your hair loose—” I ventured, flirting as much as I could, with a smile I knew would provoke her.

The punch came fast and accurate, hitting my mouth. The way it was both painfully satisfying and predictable made me groan, partly from the obvious pain… but also because she looked incredible doing it.

“Ouch… What was that for? I was complimenting you, dammit…” I said with my best pout, raising my hand to hold my jaw.

I’d buy a drink for an angry woman like that any day of the week.

Maybe after I get a bath…

“How did you…?” She gasped, seeing me free, and closed the distance to pin her knee against my chest. The bad angle and my legs still tied made every part of me creak.

“Damn it, Kate… Just stop this crap…” I groaned, quickly wriggling to free myself completely and using a leg lock to pin her between my thighs. Not bad…

She screamed furiously, her body thrashing like a living storm. “Just breathe… I don’t want to hurt you… but I will… damn it…” I groaned, struggling to steady us in the damn cart she was using to transport me. “Stop moving… let’s talk.” I growled.

“No. I’m going to kill you.” She said, her tone lethal, still trying to fight, and I squeezed harder.

“Of course you will, because that’s what you always do, isn’t it?” I said through clenched teeth, close to her ear, squeezing just enough to restrain her without hurting her. “C’mon, girl, you don’t really want to kill me… you’d have done it already if you wanted to… you know… just… breathe…” I smiled, and she froze.

I almost breathed in relief… almost.

Just as I was about to catch my breath to settle everything… When I really thought I had everything under control, she moved fluidly, throwing one of her legs toward my head in a very cool sambo move. I let her flip us, impressed that she knew the style.

The blow was skillful, precise—she’s so incredible…

"Wow... You know my favorite fighting style... Who taught you that?" I asked, feeling her elbow press harder against my neck.

"It doesn’t matter how I know… Maybe your mom taught me." she groaned, struggling to grab the rope again to tie me up. That’s when I decided this little game was over.

"Okay… you don’t want to talk. I get it. I’ll just…" I freed myself quickly, grabbing her rope to tie her up instead, but her sudden scream caught me off guard.

"SHANG!" Her voice sliced through the air, a sharp command that made the wagon stop abruptly. I rushed to bind her hands and grabbed her fancy weapon, bracing myself for whatever came next.

When the door swung open, I raised the pistol, only to be caught off guard by a man—Asian, fast as hell, moving like a snake.

What’s the name of that famous actor again?... Bruce Lee would look slow next to this guy…

I barely had time to voice the joke before the quick bastard yanked my legs out from under me. The gun was snatched from my grip, and I ground my teeth, more impatient than I’d ever been in my life.

Who the hell are these people?

He leaped onto me, pinning me down far more effectively with my beloved sambo techniques.

"Who the hell are you guys?" I growled, trying to regain control.

"We’re the coolest people around… and I don’t know who you are, lady, but I suggest you don’t fight." he said with a smirk. I sighed just before a sharp blow to my head brought darkness crashing over me.

*

This woman is seriously getting on my nerves.

I paced impatiently in front of her cell, making sure she wouldn’t pull one of her tricks to escape. I felt like a caged predator, which was ironic as hell considering she was the one behind bars. The whole point was that she was the prisoner—but I’d seen firsthand her uncanny ability to escape the most improbable situations.

My hands, usually steady and precise, now trembled with anger, resting on Nancy and Rose . My focus remained locked on her, waiting for her to wake up. There was no relaxing—not while that woman was in my custody. And today, I wanted to be the one to look her in the eye and tell her she would die. That her sentence would be carried out today.

It’s what she deserves, isn’t it?

Yes, she deserves it… She’s been defiant… threw her witchcraft at me… stole my damn horse…

Is this how we’re going to treat the only pretty girl to show up in Dustwood in decades?

Yes…

She’d been out cold for hours, and I’d already gone in twice to check if she was even breathing. Every time I found her alive, relief coursed through me—followed by a growing discomfort.

How do I explain that I want to kill this woman but am nearly celebrating the fact that she’s alive and that my blow didn’t cause serious harm?

"You can go rest, Kate… I’ll keep an eye on her." Shang offered for the fifth time, making me nearly jump out of my skin. I’d been so consumed by staring at the witch that I was deaf to the world.

"No… I’ll take care of her." I said firmly, my hand brushing the hilt of Nancy as if to warn him. "She’s too dangerous… and if she tries to escape, I’ll put a bullet in her knees." My words left no room for argument. He sighed, clearly tired.

"Kate… You haven’t slept in two days." he said again. I didn’t bother responding. "Fine, I’m going to rest, and when I come back, we’ll question her. Don’t kill her before we talk to her, please." I kept pacing as he left the station for some well-earned rest.

I waited an entire hour before she began to stir. The first thing she did was smile, as if she’d just had the best night’s sleep of her life.

"God… I don’t think I’ve slept this well since I was six…" she said in a hoarse voice that made me immediately snap to attention, her eyes still closed.

I growled in irritation for staring at her for more than two seconds.

"I don’t want to hear your jokes. As an officer of the law, I’m here to inform you that today is the day of your execution." I announced before stepping into the cell, letting the door slam shut behind me. "But first, you’re going to tell me who you really are." I snarled, locking us both inside.

She opened her eyes slowly, lazily, as if I were nothing more than a nuisance. With her hands clasped behind her head and her legs crossed, she looked unbelievably comfortable.

"Good morning, Kate Bishop… No violence? What a privilege… First, you let me sleep, and now we’re not rolling on the floor? Feels like Christmas." Her mocking tone was infuriating, but I nearly smiled at how her small, vividly green eyes looked rested.

"I’ll shoot your knees if you don’t start talking!" I warned, leaning against the bars. She sat up, stretching her back in a way that seemed almost pleasurable.

She stretched lazily, like a cat basking in the sun, and sighed. "Alright… No shooting today… I like my knees as they are." she said, leaning back against the wall and kissing her knees.

I rolled my eyes, barely stopping myself from scoffing. "Start talking, Witch. I don’t have all day." I growled, cocking my girls.

"OH, Kate Bishop… you’re so funny… I really like that… how about a—"  

Another shot, this time closer to her feet, interrupted her words, and she groaned, laughing despite herself.

"Okay, okay… I’ll talk. Just promise you won’t laugh… or shoot me… This is worse than witchcraft," she said, and I growled, firing a shot near her head to make it clear I wasn’t joking.

She shielded herself by laughing, her eyes shining as she looked at me—almost enchanted. It only made me angrier as I pointed at her again.

“Alright, violent one…” She took a deep breath before continuing. “You’re so hostile… First of all, I’m a Black Widow… none of that witch nonsense. I’m a trained assassin… since I was a girl… shaped in the Red Room… controlled by a man I destroyed the first chance I got. After that, I landed a really dumb job. I was stealing something… and then that something glowed… and within seconds, I was in the middle of this crazy desert…” she said in short, hurried breaths. I huffed impatiently, firing another shot, this one much closer to her head.

“I want the truth. I saw your powers—no lies. It’ll be worse if you don’t cooperate.” I threatened, stepping closer to let Nancy rest against her forehead.

She leaned on the small bed, holding my gaze, her expression hardening.

“I’m not lying… and it sounds crazy because it is crazy . I think I time-traveled… I can’t explain this crap any more than you understand why I dress like this or have these crazy weapons. I don’t have superpowers… though I am an enhanced supersoldier. The thing I used to knock you out yesterday is powered by something I’m not sure even exists in this century yet… electricity. Something that will bring light to everything in a few years…” she said with a shrug.

What the hell is this woman talking about?

A dry laugh escaped me at her nonsense. “Future traveler? How do you expect me to believe this crap?”

“I don’t expect you to believe it… I just want you to stop trying to hurt me, or I’ll be forced to do the only thing I know how to do best in this life…” she growled threateningly, for the first time entirely serious.

“So, you’re going to kill me, is that it? You’re threatening an officer of the law?” I teased, cocking my girls.

“No…” she murmured, her eyes beginning to shine with tears. “The only thing I know how to do in this miserable life is defend myself from anyone who won’t let me be free… I’ll die fighting to be free…”

The raw sincerity in her eyes hit me like a punch. It wasn’t a threat. It was a vow. Everything in her eyes told me she was telling the truth. She wouldn’t die without a fight. And then, just like in our first encounter when I couldn’t shoot her, I found myself lowering my weapons and taking two steps back.

She collapsed onto the bed, covering her face as silent tears streamed down. I was struck by how painfully she now held back her sobs—more broken than anyone I’d ever seen. I didn’t know how to continue this conversation…

There was no more sarcasm, just a pain so deep that it made me hesitate. For the first time, I didn’t feel like a coward for hesitating… quite the opposite. Right there, I felt strong enough to give her the space she needed so my anger wouldn’t lead me.

“Alright,” I whispered. “I won’t hurt you… please… don’t cry, Yelena… just… don’t cry…” I said, already leaving the room, leaving the cell door open. I stopped outside the cell, hearing the faint sobs and feeling like an idiot for hurting her, yet I didn’t feel wrong. I gave her the space I’d want to be given if it were me breaking down in front of a stranger.

What I need is to understand who she truly is, not hurt her just because I don’t know how to deal with her. “I want to talk to you after I get some rest… I haven’t slept in two days…” I said over my shoulder.

“I won’t be here when you get back…” she said under her breath.

I nodded without responding, knowing she was the kind of person I couldn’t force to bend to my will. She is free, and not even the bars of a cell or my bad attitude will make her bow to me.

I just hope that the next time I meet her… I won’t want to shoot her.

*

After my last encounter with Kate Bishop, things hadn’t improved. If before I was stuck in this hellhole, doing my missions without caring about anything or anyone… now she was constantly on my mind.

It was different, caring about someone other than myself, but I found myself refusing missions that I knew could cross paths with hers. If she wasn’t going to bother me, then I’d also try not to bother her.

The only genuinely good thing was that I no longer had to deal with trouble when going to the city to get food. It helped a lot… eating rabbits had lost its charm, and the nutritional bars I made myself took days to prepare.

I ran into Kate Bishop a few times, and she didn’t seem angry, even though she hadn’t spoken to me. She just tipped her hat in a greeting I’d seen in movies and went on her way. I also came across Lucky a few times, and I made sure to have carrots and some affection to offer him every time in exchange for some protection from the smart and gentle animal.

“You know… I’ve always thought that if Lucky didn’t like a human, it was a sign that person wasn’t any good…” Her voice whispered so close to me that I nearly jumped out of my skin, looking around in panic at their entire hideout. It was one of many nights when I visited Lucky to get some safe sleep, but even though I didn’t feel in danger, I still berated myself for not sensing her approach.

I quickly stepped away from the horse, fearing I might provoke more of her abrasive, sharp, and violent behavior. It was clear how taking Lucky that day had been a boundary crossed on my part against her, and I wouldn’t repeat it.

“I don’t want trouble, Kate Bishop. I just came to give your boy a carrot…” I said, backing away from the horse, who audibly complained about losing his carrot, and she snorted.

“Please, go on… he likes you. Even though I don’t like the fact that you know my safe place, I know you’ve been sleeping here many nights… if he brought you here, I won’t argue. He trusts you… and I trust my horse…” she said, moving closer to stop beside me, touching the horse before kissing his head.

I handed the carrot back to my friend. “I… it’s just… it’s safe here… he takes care of me. My home isn’t safe… sleeping in a van in the middle of nowhere isn’t safe…” I said, backing away further, tempted to flee when she turned to me.

“How about we get something to drink, and then you explain all of this to me better… you can prove everything you’ve said, right?” she asked in a whisper, and I sighed, stuffing my hands into my jumpsuit.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea…” I declined gently, not wanting to have difficult conversations. She had already shown more than once that she didn’t trust me, and I didn’t want to have to defend myself.

“Alright… fine… no difficult conversations. How about just the drink, and I help you take a bath?” she offered, making me look at her, suspicious.

“You mean… like, you bathing me?” I joked, and she burst out laughing.

“Jesus… no. But you stink, and I can let you use my bathtub at the inn…” she groaned playfully, as if she truly found me as annoying as I think she is.

“Well… that’s a shame… sorry for stinking up your space… I really do need a bath… my last one…” I said, sniffing my armpits. “That was a week ago… the river was too poorly frequented…” I confessed, almost inaudibly, and she looked at me, curious.

“What do you mean by that?” she asked, moving closer to look at me, far more curious than any other time, and I decided to be honest with her.

“Fisk has been working around there… I don’t like his gang… they’re dangerous…” I said quietly, and she gestured for me to follow her onto the trail that led to the city… this time, a different path that had me alert to everything.

I didn’t want to have to deal with her luring me into an ambush…

“Well… I guess… this is one of those moments where we might have common interests, Yelena. How about we talk about you helping me as much as you can, and I’ll pay you what you deserve?” she said, walking beside me, and I laughed.

“If that’s some sort of code for something sexual, I’m in.” I joked, and she laughed out loud.

“Does everything with you revolve around that? That’s not what I’m talking about. Though… be careful with those jokes… most people here aren’t… smart… enough to understand girls like us…” she said cautiously, and I chuckled softly.

“Girls like us? What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked, only because she was completely blushing about the subject.

“Well… you know… gi-girls who… love girls…” she stammered, and I laughed loudly.

“You’re a lesbian?” I asked, and she looked deeply offended.

“No, Yelena… I’m American…” she bit back, as offended as she was patriotic, and I nearly choked as I stopped to laugh out loud into the night.

She stopped, returning to being the angry girl as always, and I hid behind a branch, comically pointing my widow bites at her.

“Hey… don’t even think about attacking me…” I said, still losing my cool, and she approached me, looking utterly mortified and redder than ever.

“You know… it’s not cool to laugh at people like that…” she said sulkily, pulling off some pieces of the branch near me before stuffing both hands into her jacket.

I watched everything about her seem sad, and then I smiled, touched by how much younger she seemed this way, being shy.

“Sorry, Malishka… I’m not laughing at you… I promise.” I apologized, stepping out from my hiding spot to approach her. “It’s just funny… a lesbian is a woman who loves women… and the way you seemed offended and said, ‘I’m American’ —that’s the craziest thing I’ve heard around here… and you know my situation…” I rambled, still tempted to laugh.

She huffed, crossing her arms. “God… has anyone ever told you that you talk too much? You said you were a trained assassin… a supersoldier… but I don’t think those qualifications are helped by your tendency to ramble and get sidetracked…” She spoke in slow, serious tones, her stance exuding an air of authority. I smiled, raising my hands in surrender.

“Sorry… I can’t help it… when I see…” I said, gesturing at an imaginary path before us. “I’ve already gone there and said everything on my silly mind… especially if I feel even remotely comfortable…” I explained, resuming my chatter, and she chuckled softly, prompting us to start moving again.

“Well… you’re definitely a girl like me in many ways…” she muttered under her breath, as though I wasn’t supposed to hear it.

I sighed in relief because it felt good to know she was like me… if only she weren’t so angry…

“Well… anyway, thanks for the heads-up… and I want to tell you that people are still idiots about lesbians doing their magic even 155 years ahead…” I groaned in frustration, and she sighed.

“God… does this stuff ever get less strange?” she murmured softly.

“No… it doesn’t… the world is terrible in any time… nothing’s really gotten better… wait, no—that’s a lie. In the future, knives are better, and weapons are more fun… although much more dangerous too… massive bombs… nothing good to say about weapons. But cookware and household items? Amazing. I mean that. I miss the cold in Russia, but air conditioning makes hotter parts of the world bearable…” I rambled, and she stopped in front of me, looking genuinely shocked.

“Wait… you’re saying… Russia? Like… you’re from Russia?” she asked, genuinely curious, and I hesitated with a sigh. I wasn’t sure how to handle the fact that she had been talking to me without violence for quite a while now.

“I’m Russian… but I was here in America… New York… in the year 2027…” I explained shyly.

“Wow… that’s… a lot… okay, but what’s air conditioning?” she asked, walking backward in front of me, her eyes fixed on me.

“It’s a device that cools the air… like… it lowers the temperature of a house, like an enclosed space, when it’s hot… and it can also heat it in the cold. We have it in cars too… it’s the best invention after sliced bread…” I laughed, and she looked even more curious.

“They slice bread? Why?” The genuine horror in her voice made me laugh out loud.

“I don’t know… people got lazier. We also have showers… like running water, and it can be hot or cold… Oh, how I wish for a cold bath right now… but I don’t even know if ice has been invented yet…” I said sadly, feeling self-conscious again about how I must smell, and she sighed.

“I think ice… well… there’s winter… is there no winter in the future?” she asked innocently, genuinely surprised as we walked through the empty streets.

“No, silly… there’s still winter… but we learned to keep ice… like… freeze water. And we can make little blocks… stored in refrigerators… which are metal boxes that preserve food and drinks with the help of some gases I can’t name right now…” I explained.

“Oh my God… suddenly preserving meat with salt for centuries seems so silly. But about ice… we have a way to keep ice here… nothing as amazing as making it like that, of course… we just make some small bundles and hide them in sawdust and salt… it gives us a bit of an advantage…” she said excitedly, and I smiled at how genuinely comfortable she seemed talking to me for the first time.

“I want that… can you help me?” I asked, moving closer to her, and she laughed loudly.

“C'mon… let’s get you that cold bath.” She said, nudging me toward the station. “Maybe after that, we can make something like the shower you mentioned… it can’t be that hard… I’m good at building things.” she said shyly, and I sighed completely at how adorable she seemed.

One hour later, after a small adventure that included stealing some bags of sawdust as she suggested, we were now in our underwear, stuffed into her bathtub, groaning in relief from the cold bath.

I thought it would be awkward being half-naked with the strange, angry woman, but she was just flushed and avoiding eye contact with me… I felt self-conscious about my scars… but she never commented on them, other than saying she had many of the same. And here we were…

The ease didn’t surprise me, simply because I’d never had much privacy, and with how respectful and kind she was being, everything felt right. I wasn’t in a position to complain or to be shy… I needed water and soap.

Kate Bishop seemed to need to think… she had a glass of bourbon in her hand, which I had suggested could be drunk with ice, but she politely declined, sighing about how it would water down her good bourbon.

Now that I was clean, freshly washed, I allowed myself to observe Kate Bishop with much more attention. She was leaning over the edge of the bathtub, her elbows resting on the ceramic, completely focused as she sketched feverishly, as if our survival depended on that crazy idea. Her thick hair was once again loose and beautiful, falling over her eyes, though she impatiently brushed it aside, refusing to break her concentration on the lines forming on the paper.

She really looked beautiful…

There was a slight smile on her pretty lips every now and then. She sipped from her glass with the same intensity with which she drew, taking quick gulps, as if trying to speed up her own ideas. I wondered if she drank often… but I didn’t need an answer since her unfocused gaze betrayed a dependence I had recognized in many missions before. Maybe I could watch her more closely and help…

With every sip she took from her drink, her lips tightened in a way that made me think she wasn’t just pondering the solution for the shower. Perhaps she was distracting herself with thoughts about the life she was still trying to understand. She seemed curious about everything that had brought me here.

As she scribbled more lines on the paper, I lost myself in my own thoughts. How could sharing things like this with her change the future? But I also didn’t have a way to solve that problem… I didn’t even know how to get back home, and I wasn’t going to lose myself in any pointless hope.

"Alright… so the pipes need power to pump the water and heat it, right? How the hell are we going to do that? I know a little about how water boils at a certain temperature…" she muttered, still immersed in her idea of creating an electric shower before electricity was even a thing. As she spoke, I watched her intently…

She finished the rest of her drink in two long gulps before clearing away the papers, careful not to get everything wet.

"My van… as I explained to you… it has some technologies I can show you. It runs on gasoline, which I have no idea if it exists here… but maybe we can try another fuel… coal… I don’t know, Kate… I don’t want to think about this right now. This water… I just want to enjoy it…" I said, sinking into the bathwater until it covered my ears, savoring the chill.

She beamed brightly, mimicking my movements with a smile that was almost too sly.

"God… yes… this is the best thing in the world… but I do want to see your van. Maybe we can use alcohol as fuel… I just hope we don’t end up inventing one of those bombs you talked about earlier" she groaned, her voice carrying a tone that made my ears burn.

"Hey, can you help me get some more… appropriate clothes?" I asked, and she looked at me intently.

"Sure… but I only have pants and shirts. If you’re expecting dresses, we’ll have to talk to Maria." she said with distaste, and I groaned loudly in protest.

"God forbid I have to rely on your girlfriend. I bet she hates me by now." I muttered remembering the territorial woman who glared at me with deadly eyes when she saw us walking up the stairs to Kate's room who just hissed about her being jealous.

"She’s not my girlfriend…" she said, gritting her teeth in denial. "Alright… back to clothes. The tailor can help us make something that fits your height… but I’ll lend you some of mine. And… you need better undergarments. Yours are… different… tiny…" she said softly, glancing at my body. I nodded.

"I’ll take anything… and well, these are called panties and bras…" I said, standing up slightly in the water to show the elastic on the side. Her eyes widened as she blushed. "Hey, don’t look at me like that. Women will be free because of bras. One day, some of us will burn them in public squares—burn them to symbolize freedom…" I began, and she looked surprised.

"Wait… but didn’t you tell me someone controlled you—" she asked, adorably confused.

"You’ve got a point… but this isn’t about that. Well, the women who burned bras were disrespected too, I think. I don’t know everything… I lost more than half my life being controlled…" I rambled, and she raised her eyebrows like I was onto something.

"Damn, you’re so annoying… you… forget the damn history lesson." I groaned, and she laughed.

"Well, I was just saying that everything you wear is so small… and see-through." she said, shifting her gaze from my chest to the ceiling.

"Don’t be a prude. They’re just panties. I was lucky to have some in my backpack during the mission. I stole a bar of soap when I arrived here and can wash them, but I want to buy more things. I’ve made a lot of money… I can pay." I affirmed, and she smiled again.

"Of course, you have… outlaw …" she said, nudging me with her foot. "Like I said before… I think I want you to work with us…" she offered.

"I don’t think I want to… it doesn’t sound fun. But I can help whenever it’s convenient for me." I countered, and she seemed intrigued by my honesty.

"Alright… I can deal with that." she said, relaxing even more in the bathtub. I relaxed too until the water was no longer warm.

I got out of the tub feeling clean and fragrant with the new soap she had given me. She handed me clothes… cologne… I felt human again, even if the pants were too big and the shirts baggy.

"It looks like the dead owner of the clothes you inherited was much bigger. I think something’s missing… wait…" she said, returning with a nice hat and placing it on my head. "Done. Now you can blend in better around here. Use this suspender too—it’ll keep your pants from falling." she said, adjusting me like a caring mother.

"Thanks, Kate Bishop… I guess this means I don’t have to worry about you shooting me anymore, right?" I teased, pulling at her tie, and she snatched it from my hands.

"No… it just means I’m giving you a vote of confidence. Don’t get in my way… don’t commit crimes… don’t cause trouble… or I’ll shoot you." she warned. Her words were firm, but her smile made me grin.

"Then don’t complain if my Widow’s Bites find their way to your neck again." I joked, raising my fists.

She laughed, closing the distance and forcing me to lower them. "No, please, anything but that… avoid using those things. People already think you’re a witch because of them. Just… save them for special occasions. I don’t want to have to save you from a stake… OH! Maybe we can use them to power your van and somehow heat the water…" she said, inspecting my wrist curiously, touching my bracelets and my skin.

I was having so much fun with this girl, but I didn’t know it was about to get even better.

"Now… are you hungry?" she asked, and my stomach growled loudly like a meddlesome child interrupting an adult conversation.

I nodded eagerly, and she said the best thing in the world.

"You’ve had pasta, right? That Chinese invention that’s famous in Italy? Well, my friend… Sheriff Shang… he’s Chinese and taught me how to make it. I’ll add cheese, and the best meal in the world will be right there." she squealed excitedly, and my eyes widened.

"That’s my favorite food… in the future, we have it in boxes… ready in minutes." I said, and she led me to the sheriff's office kitchen, asking me everything about boxed foods. She seemed enchanted by the practicality of the future.

The entire evening was spent like that—her asking small and big questions and me being as honest as I could.

Even as I rode to my van on the horse she gave me, I couldn’t stop thinking about the stubborn, more violent-than-me girl… but one who could also be as sweet as a jar of honey.

I hoped to meet Kate Bishop many more times… because maybe, just maybe, this hellish desert wouldn’t be so bad if I could have a friend like her.

*

Chapter Text

*

A few weeks later, things started to get even more complicated. A shipment of gold was stolen from a stagecoach on its way to Fisk. Yelena had sent me information that this gold had been extracted from the river, just as she had told me on the day we talked.

I didn’t know exactly how she got the information, but given Yelena’s history, she was the first suspect on my list for this gold theft.

I followed a trail leading to the old canyon, a place where echoes turned any noise into a menacing roar… she had parked her strange cart there… the different thing… I knew there were things like this being used in Europe and even in some places around here… but everything about how it looked and its shape confirmed the nonsense she had said about it being from the future. I didn’t argue much about it… I asked questions when I had doubts, and she answered when she deemed it necessary.

And that’s where I found her, sitting on the seats of the ugly vehicle that looked like they were covered in the hide of some animal I didn’t recognize… she used the word synthetic… or whatever that means. She was cleaning her futuristic weapons.

“Howdy, angry honey pot… ” she exhaled as soon as she saw me, and I smiled, approaching. She seemed to have taken a bath and smelled good. The new clothes we had bought a few days ago looked so much better on her. Good leather pants… a comfortable shirt and an even nicer vest… everything looked better because she never abandoned the hat I gave her.

I let my fingers snap against the brim of said hat, smiling. “ Outlaw… I came because I need help… I want information about the stolen gold… do you have anything to do with it?” I sighed, glancing at the back of her cart.

“Do you really think I stole gold?” she asked, looking at my entire face.

“Well… I think that’s very much your style… after all, they contaminated your favorite river… and you loved buying your gold chains…” I smiled, crossing my arms.

She stepped out of the car almost offended. “Seriously, Bishop, even I have standards. What the hell would I do with gold? Not even in the future is it easy to sell that crap… it’s easy to buy… but selling, no… especially a cart full of it…”

“But you had something to do with it…” I stated because, after all, she wasn’t entirely innocent in anything.

Yelena raised her eyes to meet mine, a slow smile forming on her lips. “Maybe. Depends. Do you want to arrest me, or do you want my help?”

The right thing to say here was that I didn’t need her. I had always dealt with my own problems. But something in the way she said that, almost like a challenge, made me hesitate. And it was true. Against Wilson Fisk and all his henchmen, maybe I did need an advantage.

“Help, huh?” I asked. “What do you get out of it?”

She laughed, a light, unexpected sound. “Maybe I just enjoy watching you wrestle with your choices, Kate Bishop. It’s… entertaining.”

I huffed but couldn’t hold back a small smile. This woman was impossible, but for some reason, I felt that maybe, just maybe, she was the only one here who truly understood what it was like to fight against a world that always seemed to be against you.

And so, we started working together on a plan to uncover everything about the stolen gold while she introduced me to whatever the hell an engine was…

*

Her worn-out T-shirt, which appeared after she got rid of that thick leather jacket and the purple shirt that looked like it came straight out of a shop window, was making me kind of hypnotized. I didn’t want to stare, but I knew I was glancing every three seconds at this piece of modern history before bras. We should never have invented bras… because nipples… God…

Okay, it wasn’t all about that, though that was very important… the point is, my eyes were catching every detail. Maybe it was the unassuming way she fiddled with the engine, the sun highlighting the freckles on her shoulders, or just the fact that she looked gorgeous even covered in grease.

I could only watch everything while pretending I wasn’t noticing anything about her. It was simple.

She had both arms buried in the van’s engine, fiddling with the parts as if she knew exactly what she was doing—Spoiler… she didn’t, but she looked adorable anyway because, honestly, she didn’t even try to hide that she had absolutely no clue about the engine. Every time she asked something, her forehead furrowed, it was like she was trying to unlock the secrets of the universe there, among grease and bolts.

The entire afternoon was spent with her being all curious, asking me about every part as if it were some kind of archaeological artifact. With the hat still firmly on her head, protecting her from the sun that made even the sand shine, she murmured something about a connecting rod as if it were the most amazing thing she’d ever seen, and I just stayed there, trying to hold back laughter or the urge to crush her head in a hug.

Whatever .

"Okay, grease monkey, what’s the verdict? Can you fix it, or do we need to say a few words and let her rest in peace?" I mocked.

“So, I have no idea… the magical connecting rod links the piston to the crankshaft of the engine?” she asked as if I were truly a witch and as if I were telling her what was inside my cauldron.

“Yes… and then that makes the whole engine mechanism work… it needs to be well-lubricated…” I explained, amused by the sparkle in her eyes as I laid out the parts on the ground in separate sections so she could understand everything.

Once again… I really hope the damn future doesn’t change because of what Kate is learning…

No, I don’t care… she looks adorable learning, and I’d teach her how to detonate an atomic bomb if she asked me.

She looked at the pieces scattered on the ground as if they were relics from another world.

“I never thought something so simple could work like this. It’s almost… magical . I wish I could see it in motion!” she said, almost sadly. “I need to understand how to make your cart work soon, Yelena.” The finger pointing at me made me laugh. It was impossible to resist her enthusiasm.

“We don’t need fuel for you to see this… just…” I gathered the parts and performed a little act like a silly magician would, assembling them right there in front of her, exaggerating the movements and steps just to keep the attention I saw in her bright, beautiful eyes.

When I made the mechanism spin with my hands, she gasped loudly, everything becoming about excited squeals when the parts finally started to roll against each other. Then she froze, her eyes wide, her mouth forming that little “O” that I very deliberately pretended not to find adorable.

“Holy… What in tarnation?… that just… did something to me…” She sighed, throwing her head back and rolling her eyes with total exaggeration. “Ugh, that was almost indecent.”

The whole scene made me laugh out loud and look away from her. My ears and cheeks were burning, and it wasn’t because of the scorching sun above our heads.

"Okay... you're just being silly..." I huffed, feeling shy, and she smiled, stepping closer as she always did, with that crooked little grin that teetered between teasing and intimacy. Her hands were still dirty with grease when she tried to fix my messy hair.

I dodged her touch, laughing. "Don’t get grease on this crap, Kate... I’m not going to be able to clean myself for the next few days... for God’s sake." I whined, half desperate, half amused.

She huffed, shrugged, her eyes glinting like she was plotting something.

"Or... you could come back to the inn with me and bathe with me right now." she said casually, but there was something in her tone that made me stare at the ground.

There was a second of silence after she said that. Just a second, but it was enough for me to feel the weight of the offer. I knew she wanted me to say yes. Kate seemed to like my company—maybe more than she should. And that was... dangerous.

It hadn’t escaped me that she’d been seeking out my presence more and more. She seemed to enjoy being close, helping me with whatever I needed. I felt the same way, but I didn’t want to complicate things between us. She’d be the perfect distraction here, but I didn’t need distractions.

I couldn’t let myself get carried away with something like this. Not now, not like this.

"You know I can’t, Malishka ..." I began, trying to sound practical, but my tone came out more hesitant than I expected. "Fisk is gathering the men tonight. I need to know the locations of the gangs before heading north to investigate the gold theft. If I don’t know where they are, I won’t be able to tell you where to position your people." I explained too much, and even I could hear the escape in my words.

She was silent for a moment, long enough to make me look at her. Her small pout mirrored mine, but even so, she nodded as if she understood, though she didn’t like it.

"I know... I know it’s going to be complicated... it’s just... I think I’m going to miss you..." she said with a shy smile, that same timid smile that felt almost like a weapon against me.

Those words hit me hard. I tried to ignore them, to pretend they didn’t mean anything. But they did. They meant something too big to fit into the box I’d prepared for her in my mind.

"God, you’re so soft... don’t get needy with me... I’m a desert woman now." I huffed, pulling away to sort my protein bars, and she moved closer, reaching for one in my backpack.

"Hey!" I shouted, trying to grab it back. She was already biting off a piece, which only made me huff. "That’s for my survival, you thief! I should report you." I said with a pout.

"Relax. It’s just one bar! I’ll bring you more food when you come back..." she said, her mouth full, and I growled, still glaring at her, who now looked much younger and more carefree. "Don’t look at me like that... It’s not my fault your food is better than the inn’s." she said, breaking another piece and moaning loudly.

"I don’t know where my head is that I haven’t killed you and your horse yet." I huffed, crossing my arms.

She laughed again, but then her smile gave way to a more serious expression.

"Hey, no need to be harsh... you wouldn’t hurt us..." she sighed, stepping closer again. "C’mon... don’t be like that... I’m just... enjoying my time... it’s just that... I don’t have many people to talk to... Shang is my friend, but he doesn’t understand... having a girl like me around is fun..." she said, blushing.

That made me take a deep breath for the thousandth time that afternoon. I knew she didn’t mean more than what she was saying, but still, the weight of those words hit me hard. Whenever Kate got vulnerable like that, it was like she was trying to pull me into a place I shouldn’t be.

Kate was stirring things I didn’t want her to touch.

I turned to my backpack, trying to look busy and steer the conversation elsewhere.

"I think you should go. The sun’s already setting." my voice came out low, almost a whisper.

Lucky, as if sensing the mood, came closer and nuzzled his muzzle into my hair, chewing on a few strands before I could push him away. The horse had an infuriating yet adorable habit of chewing on my locks, which made me pull my head back with a grimace, never quite able to stop smiling.

"And I also need you to take your slobbering horse away from my hair." I whined, now fully wiping the slobber off my cheek.

Kate laughed so loudly that even Lucky seemed to perk up.

"And on that note of being kicked out... let’s go, Lucky. Leave her alone." she said, patting the horse’s neck. "Come on. I think we’re officially being expelled. Stop chasing after a woman who doesn’t want us." she teased, giving a piece of the stolen bar to my horse, who couldn’t have looked more horse-like. He just wasn’t like Lucky, and that was fine... he was getting all the care he needed.

"You should work harder for your tough-girl reputation, Kate Bishop." I mocked as she cooed softly for my horse to take care of me.

"I don’t need to pretend with you, Yelena..." she smiled, now preparing Lucky for their journey, climbing onto the horse with irritating ease.

Wearing her jacket and adjusting her hat, she looked more like the version of herself the world expected. Except I already knew there was more behind that façade.

I rolled my eyes, trying not to let it affect me.

"Just go before you say we’re a team. I’m not your partner, idiot!" I said, pretending to be the aloof woman I’d realized I could never be around Kate Bishop.

She pulled Lucky’s reins, stopping near me as if she could see right through my pretense. Before I could react, she leaned over from her horse and snatched my hat, forcing me to look at her.

“Just promise me you’ll take care of yourself…” she insisted, her gaze locking with mine. I sighed, unable to deny her.

“I promise to let the horse take care of me. Will you promise not to drink?” I shot back, more to tease her than anything.

Kate smirked, adjusting the hat atop her head.

“I can’t promise that... but I promise we’ll see each other soon.”

And then she was off, trotting at Lucky’s lazy pace. The sun painted the horizon in shades of orange, making her look like she was part of the landscape—like she had always belonged to the desert. I caught myself wondering what it would’ve been like if I’d met someone like her in another life.

“I really do hope to see you soon, Kate…” I murmured before forcing myself back to work.

It was better this way. I had a job to do, and she... well, she was exactly the kind of distraction I couldn’t afford. I loaded my gear onto my horse, trying to focus on what lay ahead, but no matter how hard I tried, a part of me already missed her.

*

I tilted the hat Kate had given me to shield my eyes as I surveyed the terrain. The oppressive heat wasn’t the only obstacle, even at night. Hunger gnawed at me, and I desperately needed a bath, but those would have to wait.

The deep ruts from wagon wheels and boot tracks in the dirt were fresh, pointing to a recent shipment passing through. I redirected my discomfort toward that.

Nothing—and no one—would escape me in this desert.

I exhaled sharply and urged my horse forward, following the tracks to a clearing. There, a group of men sat laughing around a makeshift campfire. Wagons—likely loaded with gold—stood off to the side. I inhaled deeply, steadying myself for the attack.

Positioning myself at a distance, I adjusted the widow’s bite strapped to my wrists and checked my pistols, now customized with ammunition I’d crafted with materials Kate and Shang had helped me acquire. I was more than ready.

Showtime.

My weapons felt like extensions of my body as I advanced silently toward the group, each step calculated, my movements lighter than the wind. It felt like dancing again.

With a subtle motion, I leapt into the perfect position. Memories of precision and grace, almost forgotten from my days as a ballerina, clashed with the brutality of my intent. Still, I indulged in a small, playful plié before clapping my hands mockingly.

“Hey, who’s there?” one of the men turned, startled by my self-applause.

“ Me there.” I replied with mock cheer, stepping out of the shadows. My voice was casual, but quiet. Their eyes immediately darted to my weapons, and I smiled, holstering them to give them a false sense of security. “Sorry to interrupt your little gathering…”

“You’d better leave, missy.” one of them warned, a malicious grin on his face. “Or maybe you should stay awhile.” He looked disturbingly familiar.

“Hold on… let me check if I can.” I grinned insincerely, raising a finger for them to wait as I fished through the many old papers stuffed into my many pockets. I pulled out a wanted poster and studied the face of the man who had spoken. A thief—and worse—a man who assaulted women before moving on. Lovely.

“Yeah, I think I’ll stick around for a bit.” I smiled, stepping closer as they began whispering amongst themselves, likely guessing who I was. Movement in my peripheral vision caught my attention, and I eagerly awaited their attack.

“You’ve got two choices here…” another man leveled his gun at me. “I know who you are… maybe we should just end you right here and right now…” He stepped closer, his grin widening.

I flashed a wide, toothy smile, reveling in the growing tension. “Now we’re talking. But before you try to end me, make sure you’re not already dead first.”

I spun swiftly, my body flowing like I was performing in the Moscow Ballet . A precise strike disarmed the man, leaving his weapon clattering to the ground.

Gunfire erupted around me, and I sighed, using the disarmed fool as a shield.

The first shot I fired landed with precision, disarming another man before he could take more than two steps toward me. His weapon fell with a muffled thud.

I didn’t wait. Twisting again, my feet touched the ground as softly as a contemporary dancer’s. My eyes locked on the others.

One man drew his gun, but he didn’t get a chance to use it. I fired a widow’s bite, hitting him square in the neck and disarming him before he could even process what happened.

“Let’s try this again…” I stepped over the first man, leveling my pistols at the others.

“You’re not walking out of here alive!” one of them shouted, rushing me with a knife.

Time seemed to slow as I watched his clumsy charge. Calmly, I crouched, pivoted on my heels, and fired. His body hit the ground before the others could react.

“That was stupid… Anyone else?” I asked, my tone casual as I advanced on the remaining men.

They hesitated. Some stepped back. But one, either bolder or dumber than the rest—yes, the one I’d identified earlier as the rapist—lunged at me again.

I spun with practiced ease, blocking his attack with my arm and pressing my pistol’s barrel to his chest.

“You’re the one who preys on women, aren’t you?” I asked, disdain dripping from my voice.

He froze, but his eyes betrayed the truth.

“You deserve nothing less than hell.” I whispered before unleashing a shockwave to her chest. “I’ll deal with you last.” The light in his eyes dimmed as he collapsed to the ground.

The few men left standing were petrified, looking at me as if I were a demon incarnate… an witch… If I could roll my eyes any harder, I would—because even scared, they were moving to attack me again.

“C’mon, guys. You can’t be this stupid…” I said, more tired of them than of the fight itself.

“You don’t know who you’re messing with, girl!” one of them shouted, drawing his weapon and charging toward me, firing. The bullet whizzed too close to my head, making me grit my teeth.

“Alright… if you don’t want to settle this peacefully, let’s do it your way.”

With a motion of pure grace—if I may say so myself—I spun in the air, landing with my legs slightly bent around his neck. He looked surprised, and I laughed out loud. My sister would’ve been proud to see her flashy poser move executed so perfectly. “That was cool, right?” His frightened expression didn’t stop me from firing my pistol into his chest, sending us both crashing to the ground without a sound.

He was definitely dead, and I wasn’t about to feel guilty… He shot at my head.

I marked my steps toward the cargo, brushing the dust off my hands before pulling back the thick tarp on the wagons. The scream of frustration that escaped me was drenched in anger. The gold wasn’t there. What they were hauling was a pile of coal.

“This can’t be right!” I muttered, checking the pile of coal again. I turned to the two remaining men, and only one was still conscious. “Alright, let’s try this again. Where’s the gold?” I growled, walking toward him.

He tried to run, but I was ready, blocking his escape with an almost impatient movement. This time, I didn’t wait to fire. The bullet hit his shoulder, force him to his knees with a cry of pain. I pressed the gun to his temple.

“I’ll ask one last time. Where’s the gold?”

The man seemed ready to speak, but as he opened his mouth, the older one made a final desperate move. With a knife in hand, he slashed the throat of the man who was about to talk, making me growl in fury. I didn’t have time to stop him.

The man tried to breathe, but his life drained away quickly. In a single motion, I grabbed the knife and hurled it into the older man’s chest, dropping the fool instantly.

I stood up, utterly exhausted, looking over the fallen men. They were probably all dead now. And there wasn’t an ounce of satisfaction in it… I’m no longer an assassin, nor am I some brilliant investigator. I couldn’t even find the damn gold. Every lead pointed to this shipment… everything led here. Kate’s men even confirmed our lead… The man who seemed willing to talk was killed by his own ally.

None of this makes sense.

What the hell am I missing?

I searched through the clothes of the fallen men for clues and found nothing… just more questions.

The toll of spending so much time in the desert was starting to weigh on me. I wasn’t sleeping properly, I couldn’t eat right, not even my hygiene was decent… but the scariest part was that my mind seemed more exhausted than my body.

I missed so many things from my life in the future… not that I had much to lose. My sister abandoned me. The other Widows were carving their own paths, and I ended up alone… working for Valentina on shady, gray-area missions.

Back there, every day I thought I should do more with my new life… Here, every day I think there isn’t much I can do. Maybe I should just accept my fate. 

Maybe I should steal this gold for myself and run somewhere… build a life.

Maybe Kate Bishop could come with me…

No… I doubt she’d commit a crime like this.

Enough dreaming… Right now, I need to keep going. My investigation doesn’t end here with today’s failure. I know I’m close to something bigger. Something that involves more than just simple gold theft.

“This isn’t over.” I muttered, still feeling the adrenaline coursing through my body.

With one last glance at the fallen men, I turned on my heels, walking away in search of answers—and my grouchy horse.

*

The moon lit the canyon in a way that was almost poetic, but I was too tired to appreciate it.

I rode for an hour, knowing exactly where I wanted to stop. A narrow stream I had crossed on the way here… It wasn’t as good as my river that had been contaminated, nor as beautiful as the water blade in Kate’s cave… but it would do.

The most important thing was that the area seemed isolated enough for what I needed—a proper bath without anyone interfering. I just needed to feel human again and take a full cleanse.

I paused my horse for a few minutes at the canyon, scanning for any movement. The last thing I wanted was to be interrupted by some idiot, which happened far more often than I liked. Only after I was sure it was safe did I dismount with a sigh, my tense muscles finally giving in to exhaustion.

“Come on, boy, you deserve a break.” I murmured, patting his neck twice, trying to look into his eyes as I used to with Lucky while feeding him, but there was nothing grand there—he always seemed perpetually bored with me.

I kissed him anyway. He’s the only companion I have, and he deserved some appreciation, even if he didn’t seem to like me much.

I loosened the reins as he grazed peacefully and let my eyes wander over the surroundings, always alert. The silence was broken only by the occasional sound of running water. Perfect.

The water seemed to be calling my name, and I needed it. It wasn’t just the sweat or dirt, though that was bad enough to make me gag—it was the weight of the mission. The weight of myself.

I thought of Kate, and my chest tightened with a nearly childish longing— it’s like missing my bed . Not that I’d ever had a bed for that long. Lies... I missed Ohio.

Would Ohio feel just as good in this weather too...?

Maybe I could ask Kate to take me there...

Maybe I should actually convince her to steal the gold and run away with me...

Maybe I’d even live in the cave...

I almost groaned, remembering Kate’s safe place, which always made me feel clean in a way that went beyond the physical. It wasn’t exactly the place... It was about Kate. Maybe the way she laughed whenever I was there, acting as if a cave was a luxury suite in the best hotel in the world.

All our moments there turned any banality into something memorable, and I knew it’s Kate’s fault—the world felt a little less empty when she was around.

The water was cold, biting, making me groan loudly in joy, and it’s exactly what I needed. Every drop of that stream seemed to strip away a piece of the weight I carried.

I touched the T-shirt beneath my jumpsuit, feeling how utterly filthy I was, and didn’t hesitate to wash my clothes as well as my body.

I scrubbed myself as if I were shedding layers of something that no longer belonged to me. My nails, my hair, even my clothes—everything was washed with a kind of anger, though a genuine smile rested on my face.

I left the clothes to dry on a rock while I sank back into the water. The cold made me feel alive, present. It reminded me of my beloved Russia... My mind wandered to Kate Bishop, as always. She hadn’t replied to my note, and I already knew the reason... she was probably drunk. I smiled, knowing that if she were here, she’d definitely be laughing at my worried state, teasing me for leaving the horse so close to the water, asking a thousand questions about everything she didn’t know...

It’s funny how her questions had grown beyond just the future... She asked about simple things… like cooking… books… She’s curious and wants to learn everything all the time...

I emerged from the water, feeling the cold breeze on my clean skin, resolved to get organized and return to Fisk’s warehouse with the false news about the shipment. I needed to investigate why everything seemed so off.

The moment I put on my underwear— the ugly long johns Kate had made me buy —I heard the first noise. A low sound, like leaves being trampled. My horse, calm until then, began to fidget, its hooves scraping the ground.

“Hey, boy... easy…” I whispered, but before I could do anything, he bolted, disappearing into the darkness. The sound of his hooves echoed until it faded completely.

“Great. Just… great. I know I’m not what you expected, buddy... but abandoning me here? Not cool.” I shouted into the night, feeling utterly betrayed by the horse. I’d have to ask Kate for a new one. I knew not all horses could be as smart as Lucky, but I’d at least like one that genuinely loved me.

I groaned completely exhausted and then felt the blow to my head. My attempt at defense was intercepted by another blow, this time from the butt of a gun. I wouldn’t go down easily... When I sought my attacker’s face, I saw one of the men I had attacked earlier tonight... That piece-of-shit rapist.

“You should’ve killed me, witch... Your witchcraft set me free the moment you left.” he said, throwing off my widow bites at me. I almost laughed at how he still believed I was a witch.

“Dude... you should be scared... I’m a very talented witch...” I said, stepping toward him. His shot was close, but just close enough.

“Don’t come any closer...” he said, clearly frightened, and I smiled, reaching for my jumpsuit. My widow bites should be ready for him.

“Looking for this?” He laughed, holding up one of my bracelets, and I couldn’t have been more irritated with him.

“What do you think is going to happen here, idiot?” I asked, exhausted. He stepped closer, reaching for my neck. The disgusting way he smelled my hair and neck gave me certainty that the end could never be different.

“You smell nice... If you don’t fight, I promise not to hurt you...” he said, his filthy caresses continuing. I took a deep breath before acting.

“Man... you should’ve run when you didn’t die... now...” I sighed, shifting my weight to flip him over my shoulders.

The dull sound of his stupid body hitting the ground hard made me smile as I reached for his gun and tossed it into the stream.

“Please... let me go... I promise I’ll...” He tried to escape uselessly, still groggy from the fall, and I stepped to my weapon, returning to him without any doubt about what needed to be done.

“Men like you don’t deserve mercy... and I won’t help you with that...” I sighed, completing the task with a single shot to his forehead. His lifeless body fell into the stream, immediately staining the waters.

I sat heavily, staring at the man’s body, knowing I’d done the right thing. But it still left a bitter taste.

I’m no longer an assassin...

*

The unbearable heat of today is what was on my damn menu, so I'm helping myself to a bottle they called whiskey—but honestly, it tasted more like bottled despair—when I overheard the rumors.

I was getting drunk at a bar outside town, thinking about her and the damn cold baths we’d shared, and especially the solo bath I’d had yesterday thinking exclusively about her...

I was lost in thoughts of her tiny panties when I heard a group of outsiders saying that... a "woman from another world" had taken down an entire gang without breaking a sweat. Armed men... falling to the ground like rag dolls. They didn’t say her name, but I knew it could only be Yelena.

“She fired as if the bullets danced... she herself seemed like a ballerina among the men... The ones who survived are terrified... She killed one of the men and a horse in cold blood...” a man said, frightened. “And those weapons? She drove me out of the river once... I’ve never seen anything like it. Clearly, the devil’s work.”

I sighed softly, feeling my head lighter from all the alcohol. Of course, she was drawing attention. I still didn’t know how to handle her violence—killing men was one thing… I couldn’t judge her for that. But killing a horse?

Out here, you do what you have to do. I thought, taking another full shot.

I didn’t expect to see her so soon. It had been days since she’d left on her mission to investigate the gold theft, and I could barely admit to myself that I missed her… but I knew I did.

After several potent drinks, I felt ready to head back and get some uninterrupted sleep, so I made my way home, sparing my horse the effort while cursing the heat and my longing for her.

“Maybe we should go look for her…” I murmured to Lucky, who seemed restless, almost dragging me down the path.

“No, you’re right… it’s dangerous… I know… she’s doing fine… she’s alive…” I spoke aloud, and Lucky’s neigh felt like confirmation.

“I just wanted to see her today…” I whined to the night, completely exasperated.

Lucky finally gave up walking with me and knelt down in front of me, urging me to mount him. “What? You don’t want to talk to me anymore?” My complaint was swallowed by the night as Lucky hurriedly carried me home.

As if someone had heard my prayers, or maybe my super-smart horse knew she was nearby, when I crossed the main street, I saw her by the stables of the sheriff’s office. She looked beautiful, and I smiled all the way as I rode toward her.

The moonlight illuminated her messy blonde hair, and the gleam of her weapons reflected like tiny ghosts of steel. She saw me before I could say anything.

“Kate Bishop…” she greeted me with that voice that always seemed a little bored yet full of meaning.

“Yelena…” I breathed, dismounting to go straight to her. She snorted as soon as I got close, stopping me from hugging her with a firm hand against my chest. My whine was just a small sample of how much I hated being prevented from touching her.

“Easy… you’ve been drinking again.” she noted seriously, keeping her hand on my chest to gently push me back. For some reason, she didn’t like finding me drunk, but I never had the time to explain how some of my problems just disappeared that way.

“Just a bottle… to warm me up…” I smiled, and she snorted, rolling her pretty eyes. She looked even more stunning pretending not to want to smile at me.

“That’s not safe… and it’s not like you need more heat in this hellscape.” she said, as always.

“It’s not like you prioritize safety either… I’ve been hearing about you… more than I’d like…” I growled, pointing at her.

“So, my show already made it to town?” She seemed proud, and I let out a loud scoff at how she was never afraid.

“Are you here to cause trouble or solve it?” My curiosity about which side of the law line she was on is always the same, from the very first day.

She tilted her head like a curious cat. “Maybe both. I’m stuck here, remember? I need to defend myself… and have some fun…”

“As an assassin?” I asked, trying to keep my tone cold as I recalled what the man had said about her killing a horse and a person in cold blood. “I heard you killed a man and a horse… Is that how you want to be remembered?” I murmured, moving closer to fix her hat so I could see her eyes.

Yelena shrugged as if my question was irrelevant. “I don’t care how I’m remembered. I’d rather be feared and forgotten. That man was assaulting girls around the Green Valley area… he tried his luck with me and paid for it… just the usual.” She sighed, annoyed, and I straightened up, moving closer. “And no, I didn’t kill a horse… that man killed my horse…” she added timidly.

“Oh no…” I gasped, moving even closer, finally realizing how alone she seemed. “Did you walk all the way here?” My concern was genuine, she's a big target around here.

“I don’t mind walking… I mind a lot more that you thought I killed a horse… I would never hurt an innocent…” she said, her usual sly pout etched into her features.

That caught me off guard. There was something in the way she said it that sounded… like she really meant it.

“I know everyone thinks I’m bad, and I don’t care about that… but I thought you understood…” She looked frankly sad. “Actually… you can think whatever you want.” The anger was now taking over, and I hurried to give her a better response.

“It shouldn’t be like that. I just said what I heard… and even if you had done something to the horse, I know it would’ve been for a serious reason. Sorry for the way I said it.” I sighed honestly.

“I rid the world of a bad man… but we lost a good horse…” she muttered with a marked pout, her fingers curling around my tie.

“I’ll get you another horse… this time, you’ll choose it…” I offered, moving even closer, bending my knees to look into her eyes. “Did that man… do something to you?” I whispered, worried, and she sighed, looking away.

“He tried… and that’s why I killed him… and you… why are you drinking like this?” she asked, her tired eyes returning to me.

“I just wanted to sleep…” I murmured, rubbing my eyes.

“Drinking will only make you more tired tomorrow…” she argued stubbornly.

“Maybe… but I’m safe…” I insisted, and she snorted.

“I wish I had that luxury…” Her whispered words probably weren’t meant for me, but I found myself determined to fix it.

“Listen… I know we’ve had this conversation before… and that you’re watching the van because it might be the key to getting you back home and to our shower … but I want to help you… I want to stash it in my hideout—you like it there… it has water, it’s cold… protected… and if you don’t want to sleep in the cave all the time… you can stay at the Inn with me too… I think it’s safer…” I offered, letting my finger touch the corner of her lips where her pout seemed most cruel.

Her step closer made me brace both hands against the fence behind her to support my slightly-too-drunk state… I couldn’t explain what she did to me… I always found myself wanting her closer…

If she were really a witch, it would be easier to explain…

“So, are you my protector now?” she asked, tilting her face up to me, and I smiled shyly, quickly averting my eyes.

“I don’t think you need protection… maybe I just want to give you a real advantage… since… you know… the desert is dangerous…” I murmured, now looking at her smiling lips. Her breath always smelled of apples, and I found myself inhaling the air around me, as I always did.

I’ve been thinking about her too much… about what… What if we…

“Hey, Kate… I have a question for you…” she said, still keeping the intimate closeness between us, which felt far from uncomfortable. I found myself nodding foolishly to whatever she wanted to say.

“Won’t Maria mind if I stay with you there?” she asked, almost upset, and I smiled, knowing there was no reason not to tease her.

“Jealous?” I sighed, touching a strand of her hair—blonde strands I knew she had cut herself with knives, yet they somehow suited her.

“Would you like me to be jealous?” she shot back without hesitation.

“Absolutely… but you don’t need to—” I said, looking directly into her nearly golden green eyes.

“That depends on your answer…” she interrupted, her fingers grazing the collar of my shirt. I felt as if I were under a spell cast by her.

“Maria and I… firstly, she has no say over who I sleep with… it’s complicated… we used to have something… but she wanted more… something I didn’t want back then…” I exhaled, looking past her.

“And now?” Her touch on my neck sent shivers through me.

“Now what?” I was barely focusing on the conversation… my gaze was fixed on her beautiful lips as she bit them.

“Now do you want more?” The question caught me off guard.

“What do you mean?” I asked, touching her neck to push back the fragrant hair, leaning closer to inhale the scent of her skin.

“I mean… so I don’t need to worry about her reacting badly to our… friendship ?”

I nodded, already lost in her neck. My nose brushed her soft skin. She was all I could think about as I replied. “No… if you don’t want to… you’ll never have to worry again in your life…” I promised, ready to let my tongue taste her skin. But before I could indulge, she moved out of my reach with a laugh.

Her flushed face was visible even in the night. I was a second away from trying again when she spoke.

“No. You’re drunk, Kate… I’m not taking advantage of that…” she said, now more serious.

“I’m letting you take advantage of me…” I said shamelessly, and she let out an exasperated huff.

I hadn’t moved, still confused about what had just happened… I thought she…

“Okay… I’ll think about it… now c'mon… I really want to sleep in a proper bed… if there’s even such a thing in this hole.” She sounded cheerful, already running to Lucky to plant a kiss on his head before mounting his back.

She had just rejected me gently… and now she’d stolen my horse again…

“I missed you too, boy… have you been taking care of your mom?” she whispered, and I grinned from ear to ear, watching my horse practically whimper with love for our criminal friend.

Alright… let’s roll with this… a refusal like this is meaningful. If a lady doesn’t take advantage of you when you’re drunk, you feel flattered and move on.

I smiled at her as always, mounting Lucky and taking the space behind her. The way it felt almost like an embrace made me smile fully as I buried my face in her hair, utterly content.

“Let’s go… if you’re lucky… we might even get to use the bathtub tonight…” I offered as always, but this time whispered directly into her ear. She laughed loudly, taking Lucky’s reins and galloping off toward town.

I smiled, watching her excitement, thinking about how adorable she was despite everything.

*

Her name was always there, lurking, like a shadow that never disappeared. Kate Bishop. Always insistent, always present, even when I was miles away.

I spent much of the night walking, keeping only her in my thoughts… I’d return to Fisk to report my mission, and then I’d go to her…

The muffled noise of the warehouse where Fisk kept his base, the scattered shouts of chaos caused by his men—none of it could drive her from my mind. I missed her in a way I didn’t know how to handle. It was a strange, uncomfortable feeling, but impossible to ignore.

I walked through the dark, stifling warehouse, avoiding the stares and crude jokes of the many idiots there. Everything here annoyed me, but the stench of rotten wood and sweat was the worst, aside from Wilson Fisk himself, leaning against a stack of crates, his hands crossed over his massive belly. His presence dominated the space in an oppressive way, and his eyes gleamed with the malice of someone who felt invincible.

When he approached, his smile was that of a man who believed he held all the cards. He thought he knew I was becoming vulnerable—or so he thought.

“I heard your mission failed…” he remarked with a smug grin.

“Unfortunately… the leads seemed good, but for some reason…” I sighed.

“Perhaps you’re not focused enough… Don’t you think you’re getting too close to Kate Bishop? Maybe that could be a problem, Yelena…” he said, his tone light but loaded with threat.

I smiled humorlessly, adjusting the bracelet on my right wrist, seriously debating whether he deserved a Widow’s Bite just for mentioning her name. “I don’t see how that’s any of your business, Fisk.”

“Oh, but it is. Everything here is my business. I’m the reason you’re still alive after all the trouble you’ve caused.” He tilted his head, like a lion eyeing unsuspecting prey. “I can protect you, Yelena, but it comes at a price. It’s complicated dealing with you killing my best men… befriending my enemies…”

Fisk spoke as if his words were an inevitable contract, as if the entire world owed him something. But he didn’t know who he was dealing with. I kept my tone neutral, my eyes fixed on him, every muscle ready to react.

“If that’s what you want to talk about, save your breath. I’m not interested. Those weren’t your best at anything… rapists… lazy… unfocused… and Kate Bishop is not my friend.” I lied nonchalantly, crossing my arms and my attention. Fisk was powerful, but he didn’t scare me.

He didn’t back down. Instead, he took a step closer, his boots creaking against the floor. "You don’t understand, do you? I don’t need smart men… I want them dumb and alive, doing exactly what I say. You should be out there looking for my gold, not working for Kate Bishop and me as if you could serve two truths so different…” He snarled, his fist slamming into a heavy crate beside him, shattering it.

I watched his trembling, furious outburst. The man I thought was cold and calculating was anything but… No… This was the skin of a dangerous, passionate man who was clearly afraid of Kate Bishop.

"I don’t understand why you’re tying me to Kate Bishop." I said absently, never acknowledging any connection.

"I’m bringing up Kate Bishop because she’s a bigger problem than you realize. She’s…” He paused, his smile fading. “She’s an omen of something I don’t want to face.”

"An omen ?" I asked, irony dripping from my words. "You’re scared of a girl?"

"She’s not just a girl, Yelena. She’s almost a legend…" Fisk stepped closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. I leaned in, despite myself, genuinely curious to hear more about her—even if it was a ridiculously biased version from a man who couldn’t be trusted.

"And what happens in this supposed legend?" I asked, almost amused. It’s fascinating to see a man like him visibly afraid of a woman. Poetic justice was the term circling in my mind.

“She knows the truth about what happened to her parents. She knows it was me, and one day, she’ll hunt me to the ends of hell. The stories say that the day I meet her face to face will be my end.”

Fisk stared at me now, hoping his words carried weight, as if I’d volunteer to protect him like these fools did—as if his fear would spark some pity in me. All it did was ignite a spark of derision.

"Then maybe you’d better stay out of her way." I countered, stepping forward, defiant. "If these stories are true, Fisk, you’re the one who should be worried. Because if Kate Bishop is everything you fear, your fate is sealed."

He laughed, a low, guttural sound that made my fists clench. "You’re deluding yourself, Yelena. Kate Bishop may not only be dangerous for me… Perhaps someone could use her against you." His venomous tone didn’t go unnoticed, and it enraged me. He was subtly threatening us.

“Well… maybe you’re giving Kate Bishop too much credit.” I said, my voice a sharp whisper. “And anyone who tries to pit her against me… well, they’ll find out what happens when they cross my path. And I guarantee, Fisk, they won’t like what they find.”

There was a moment of silence. He stared at me, as if trying to decide whether I was just bold or completely insane. Finally, he stepped back, but not without one last taunt.

"You can’t protect her, Yelena. The desert is cruel. And I’m worse."

“That’s not my problem, Fisk.” I said with a smirk, noticing the fury flickering in his eyes—a fury I’d seen in only a handful of people in this world.

“Be ready to head north in a week.” he said coldly. “Until then, I’ll be watching you.” His heavy footsteps echoing away did little to ease the fear that he’d do something to Kate.

I left the warehouse with adrenaline still coursing through my veins. Fisk is dangerous, that was obvious, but he was also predictable. His greatest weakness was his belief that everyone around him could be bought, intimidated, or manipulated. He couldn’t have been more wrong.

As I walked back to town, still fuming over the loss of my horse, my thoughts drifted to Kate. Fisk was right about one thing— she’s my weakness . But she was also one of the things keeping me strong in this insane reality. She’s the reason I kept fighting, kept risking everything. She’s what anchored me here.

So it only seemed fair that I’d do anything in this world to keep her safe… even if I didn’t yet fully understand Fisk’s threat.

When I saw her approaching me at the stables, smiling with that mix of confidence and vulnerability, I realized Fisk would never understand. He’d never grasp what it meant to care about someone.

Kate Bishop, with her slightly tipsy gaze and a smile that seemed to light up the night, cared about me—and I cared about her. It wasn’t complicated.

She approached with the confidence I knew the alcohol amplified. When we talked, that familiar warmth washed over me, a warmth that had nothing to do with the desert.

It’s everything about her—her curious tone, the way her words made my heart clench and relax. And more than that, she made it clear what she wanted from me.

I was here, entirely for her, but admitting it would be too much. So I just answered her questions, let her close the space between us, let her fill it with her energy. When she brought up the rumors about me, I felt torn between pride and frustration. It hurt that she might think I’d harm an innocent soul. I didn’t want her to see me as dangerous, but at the same time, that’s exactly who I was.

When she came closer, ready for more, my heartbeat quickened. Kate was a force, and I was as lost in her as I was in my own chaos.

The almost-kiss… well, resisting it was hard. She was so close, so tempting, but I couldn’t. Not like this. She’d been drinking, as she often did, and I’d never take advantage of that vulnerability—a vulnerability I didn’t yet fully understand. But with Fisk’s words about her parents, I had a clearer picture now.

I needed control around her, even though she left me with none.

*

When we reached the inn, breathless from laughing over our little horseback escapade that seemed more like Lucky trying to slow us down so Kate could keep leaning in and sniffing my neck, the worn-down façade of the place made me sigh. It was a quiet reminder that this town offered no ideal refuges—just enough to survive.

Maria was at the door, arms crossed, like a grumpy guardian of a castle barely worth defending. Her eyes caught our movement as we dismounted, but she didn’t speak immediately.

She just assessed us, her face expressionless, though the tension in her shoulders betrayed a mix of jealousy and distrust.

"So, you brought company..." she finally said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. The look she shot me was one of disdain, as though I were some unwelcome intruder. I met her gaze with equal, if not greater, defiance.

"Relax." Kate interjected before I could reply, her tone more weary than soothing. "We’re just here to sleep and, if we’re lucky, eat something that won’t kill us."

Maria didn’t look convinced. Her eyes narrowed as they flicked back to me. "You should be careful, Yelena. This place isn’t for just anyone."

I stepped forward, keeping my tone controlled but laced with clear intent. "I’m not just anyone."

The corner of her mouth twitched into what might have been a smile, though it seemed more like mockery. Before Maria could retort, Kate cut in again. "Maria, that’s enough. We don’t have time for this." Her voice carried a subtle irritation, and I realized she was just as drained as I was.

Maria stepped aside, letting us pass, but not before throwing a pointed glance at Kate, who chose to ignore it. We climbed the stairs in silence, the tension filling the air with unspoken words. As soon as we entered the room, Kate let out a deep sigh, releasing the tension she’d been holding in.

The room was small, furnished with basic necessities and a bed that barely looked inviting—but it would do. As Kate shut the door behind us, she immediately went for a bottle of whiskey sitting on a worn table. Her movements were automatic, almost impatient.

"You’re drinking again?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"Why not?" she replied, pouring the amber liquid into a glass. Her voice carried a hint of frustration, still raw from the encounter with Maria. "Whatever that was, it got on my nerves."

"This won’t help." I countered, stepping forward and snatching the glass from her hand before she could take a sip.

"Yelena!" Kate snapped, both surprised and annoyed. "I know my limits."

"Not tonight." I said calmly, setting the glass back on the table, out of her reach. "You have me to focus on. You’re tired and frustrated. This will only make tomorrow worse."

She glared at me, but there was something else behind her anger—emotional exhaustion, maybe. Eventually, she sighed and backed off. "You’re so bossy, you know that?"

"Someone has to be." I replied with a faint smile, relieved she wasn’t pushing back harder.

Kate sat on the bed, rubbing her temples. I leaned against the wall, watching her silently. There's clearly more on her mind. I could see it in the way she bit her lower lip, lost in thought.

"Are you okay?" I finally asked, breaking the silence.

Kate huffed, crossing her arms. "She has a knack for driving me crazy. Always has."

"Jealousy, maybe?" I teased, raising an eyebrow.

"Maria has no right." she replied sharply, her tone firm. "She acts like she holds some kind of power over me, like she can dictate my choices."

"It’s clear she can’t." I said, trying to lighten the mood. "But it’s obvious she wishes she could."

Kate laughed, though it wasn’t a happy sound. "She’s always been like this. It’s infuriating, as if I owe her something."

"You don’t owe anyone anything." I said softly, my voice more tender than I intended. The thought of someone like Maria trying to control or hurt Kate stirred an anger in me I didn’t fully understand.

*

After a cold bath and a bowl of warm soup, Kate and I finally lay down on the small but surprisingly soft bed. The silence between us shifted, no longer awkward but filled with an unspoken understanding—we both needed rest. I settled beside her, keeping some distance but acutely aware of her every movement. In the tiny room, the sound of our breaths seemed louder, more intimate.

"Did you find anything else about the gold or Fisk?" she asked, her voice low and hesitant.

"I’ve been following leads… it’s been tough." I admitted. "But don’t worry. I’ll figure it out. You don’t need to stress about it… Just sleep. I’ll take care of you."

She turned to face me, her eyes shining in the dim light. There’s something vulnerable and sincere in her gaze, something that made me want to shield her from everything. "Do you care that much?"

"More than I should." I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper.

For a moment, she said nothing, just studied me as if trying to decipher something even I couldn’t fully explain. Then she closed her eyes, her expression softening into a gentle smile. "Thank you."

I didn’t reply, but I knew she understood. She always seemed to understand.

The silence was broken only by the soft sound of her breathing as she drifted off. I stayed awake a while longer, my thoughts restless. Maria could glare all she wanted, Fisk could plot his schemes—but no one would harm Kate while I was around.

Eventually, I moved closer, resting my head on her chest and abandoning the pretense of distance. My hand stayed near the weapon she kept under her pillow. If anyone dared to cross that door, I’d be ready.

Watching her sleep, tracing her serene features with my eyes, I realized this was where I was meant to be—despite all the chaos…

By her side…

*

Chapter Text

*

I woke up to a loud crash, the shock hitting me like a punch. Instinct screamed before thought even formed, and in the blink of an eye, my hand had already found the gun under my pillow. My body moved automatically—feet planted firmly on the ground, fingers on the trigger, and my gaze sweeping across the entire room.

My pistol was aimed directly at a furious face, blue eyes burning with rage.

Maria.

Even recognizing the intruder, I didn’t lower my guard. My heart was still pounding in my chest, adrenaline still racing like lightning down my spine, so I kept my finger firm on the trigger, with no intention of disengaging it. 

The threat was still there, and I didn’t trust her. Especially not after she had just caught me sleeping with the woman she thought should be hers… maybe even the woman she loved.

"Are you going to shoot me now?" Maria growled, planting her hands on her hips as if she didn’t give a fuck about the gun aimed at her face.

I stared at her a second longer than I should have, savoring her audacity, and stepped a little closer. "It’s tempting…" I murmured, a lazy smile forming on my lips. Everything felt much more amusing because of the way her eye twitched with hatred.

Despite being clearly older, Maria still managed to stand out in this hellhole of dust and decay as one of the only two beautiful women within a 100-kilometer radius. She wasn’t just beautiful—she had presence. A fierce posture, a silent strength that made her stand out even in the bar that belonged to her, packed with drunks and worn-out whores. She was as beautiful as Kate, which was intimidating as hell, but her eyes didn’t have the same vibrant spark as Kate’s. And above all, she looked clean, which was a damn luxury around here.

"What do you want?" I asked, my voice taking on a deliberately bored tone as I began to circle around her.

Maria didn’t move, but I saw the way her shoulders tensed, as if she was holding herself back from reacting. She clenched her teeth, and for a moment, she seemed to be searching for patience or courage—or maybe both—to deal with me.

"Do I now have to explain myself to a worthless outsider who didn’t even pay for the night?" The venom in her tone irritated me, but it also amused me a little.

I didn’t care about her at all, but I needed to start dealing with this problem of her bothering Kate Bishop, and I would do it now. My next move was marked by the click of the trigger being released.

I tilted my head, letting my cynical smile widen. "Well… maybe I paid for the night in other ways…" I shrugged, still savoring my provocation.

Maybe my mistake was getting too comfortable, because I turned my back to her to wake Kate, but I was caught off guard by the almost feline movement of a now-awake Kate Bishop pulling another gun on me and a loud bang. The shot passed so close to my head that I shrank back, feeling the heat of the bullet burning the air beside my face.

"What the fuck are you doing?" I yelled, my heart racing from the shock as she stood on the bed, still pointing at me.

Her eyes were cold and hard now, looking past me.

"Drop it, Maria…" she ordered, and only then did I understand. Maria had her own gun aimed at my head.

Wonderful .

"She threatened me in my own home, I have the right to kill her." Maria said, cocking the gun, and I scoffed, laughing, quickly moving out of her line of fire.

"You broke into my room…" Kate intervened, her voice sharp. She stepped off the bed without hesitation, her gaze locked onto Maria like a sharpened blade. "When I pay very well for it to be secure."

I shouldn’t have found the scene exciting or anything, because this could easily turn into a mess, but I barely blinked as I watched them circle the small space, pointing their guns like that… they looked beautiful… hellish… like damned wires ready to snap.

I may or may not have sighed at that, but my idiocy was interrupted by the voice of the girl I definitely liked more between the two.

"You know you can’t beat me, Maria… lower your gun." Kate warned, and Maria let out a bitter laugh.

"You wouldn’t hurt me." The words seemed to have the desired effect. One second Kate looked angry, and the next, her gun was back at her waist.

"Yes, Maria… you’re right…" she exhaled harshly, heading straight for the bourbon bottle.

I gritted my teeth, glaring at Maria in a clear signal of "Look what you’ve done!"

Maria held my gaze, looking properly chastised as she glanced at me, silently asking me to do something. I rolled my eyes and stepped toward Kate.

"Kate… you don’t need this…" I took her glass, downing the shot under her betrayed stare.

"What the hell? I should just shoot both of you." She growled, snatching her glass back from me before cocking her gun straight at my face.

"Don’t touch my drink again." I swallowed hard as I watched her pour twice what I had just drunk and knock it back in one gulp.

"I came to bring you food." Maria tried, but I hadn’t even blinked yet, because Kate seemed not to recognize me at all right now as she kept her gun aimed at my forehead while casually taking another generous sip of her drink.

There wasn’t a shred of urgency. No hesitation. It was as if she was just pondering whether her next sip should be accompanied by a bullet to my head.

Great. Absolutely great. This feels exactly like our first encounters. Am I really going to have to win everything back because of Maria?

Maybe I should just kill this woman! I looked at Maria carefully, thinking hard about how one shot would be enough.

"You shouldn’t come into my room, Maria." Kate finally broke the silence, never taking her eyes off mine. Her voice was pure firmness. Cold, even. "If it’s not allowed under any other circumstances, it’s even more forbidden if I have company."

She said it without ever looking away from me. She lowered the gun, but not completely. She sighed before uncocking it, as if she had just made a heavy decision. "And you…" She exhaled, as if speaking to me was an effort. "Don’t think you have any power over my choices just because I didn’t kill you. Don’t pretend there’s a connection that you denied me yesterday just to get to Maria today. You didn’t pay for your stay like you told Maria because you don’t want to ."

Those words were a stab without warning.

Nothing could have disgusted me more than the way she was acting. The sweet woman was giving way to the angry avenger… The sweet woman who had fallen asleep beside me hours ago was gone, replaced by someone who apparently regretted her own vulnerability.

I didn’t wait to hear much more of it.

I walked straight to my things, dressed silently, grabbed my weapons from under the bed, knowing that the longer I stayed in her presence, the greater the chances of us fighting again.

And right now, the last thing I wanted was to fight with this Kate Bishop.

"Where do you think you’re going?" she growled, leaning on the table, and I didn’t even bother to answer.

Even Maria seemed to understand that Kate had just crossed an important line with me. Her look at me was obvious. She was curious and understood too well what it was like to receive this kind of crap from Kate.

The difference between us?

She accepts it… but I don’t need this shit.

I grabbed some money and handed it to Maria without ceremony. "Here’s for the night and the food. Thanks." My neutral tone gave nothing away about how bothered I was.

I sighed, picking up a huge piece of bread with a slice of ham and a glass of milk, and walked out, determined not to put myself in any critical situation, nor to expose how much this mess hurt.

My steps out of the room were quiet and certain because I wanted to make it very clear that this wasn’t a retreat—although it was—but I also didn’t linger, so she would understand that I wasn’t hesitating.

I walked under the weak morning sun to my van silently, chewing my food… thinking…

About the clothes I wanted to wash…

About the horse I needed to find.

And about the fact that Kate Bishop had just threatened me after sleeping with me.

What the fuck?

*

Waking up to a bunch of angry women sizing each other up in my room was anything but pleasant. They must have lost their minds if they thought for a second that I would accept this pissing contest.

Maria invaded my room.

Yelena tried to control my actions.

I was still staring at the empty space Yelena had left in the room when Maria growled. "Go after her, idiot."

I slowly lifted my eyes to her, feeling such an overwhelming irritation that it almost made me laugh. Maria was, without a doubt, the biggest culprit in this whole mess.

And I was feeling very inclined to take my frustration out on her.

"And why should I?" I murmured, moving to the basin of water to wash my face and brush my teeth.

Maria huffed indignantly, as if I were an idiot, and I laughed. "Why? Isn’t she your girl now? You just treated her like a dog, and maybe you should fix that…" I didn’t hold back, finally letting out the dry, disbelieving laughter threatening to break free.

"I’m treating you both like dogs because that’s exactly how you’re behaving." I wiped my mouth, turning to face her, my eyes sharp because I was frankly fed up. "Like two bitches fighting over my fucking attention with this nonsense." I yelled, pointing at her harshly. "You pointed a gun at her… she pointed a gun at you… And me? I don’t accept this bullshit… and it’s fine if you’re both mad at me for it. I don’t care." I said, grabbing the bourbon for another full, comforting dose while I searched for a clean set of clothes.

I could have asked her to leave, but instead, I didn’t care about undressing in front of Maria. I just heard her gasp, holding her breath like every damn time. "Why are you still here, Maria?" I snapped impatiently, walking naked to my drawer for undergarments.

She didn’t answer, and I felt more than saw her approach behind me. The subtle touch on my waist wasn’t bad, though it was useless for excitement and meant absolutely nothing to me.

"Don’t start, Maria!" I growled as I felt the gentle kiss on my back.

"Start what?" Her voice was thick with false innocence, the warm breath against my skin causing an involuntary shiver. "Let me celebrate the fact that that woman doesn’t matter and how you’re letting me touch you again."

This time, she didn’t wait for a response.

Her tongue slid slowly down the curve of my back, tracing a lazy path before her lips moved to my hip.

I closed my eyes for a moment. Not in pleasure, but pure frustration.

Because this meant nothing.

Because, deep down, it was Yelena I wanted to be with right now.

But she wasn’t.

And Maria was here. Ready.

Always eager to satisfy me.

"You never learn, do you, Maria?" I sighed, shifting my stance to open my legs for the woman who was always desperate to please me. I gripped the table hard, grinding my teeth in frustration, knowing this was wrong but wanting to use it to calm myself.

I’d have had the same… the whole night with Yelena…

Because if Maria hadn’t shown up earlier, I wish I’d be doing exactly this with Yelena.

"You’re perfect, love…" Maria moaned, her tongue already against my skin, and I groaned more out of displeasure than pleasure.

"Don’t call me that…" I growled. "Just keep going…"

Maria looked up at me without stopping. Her eyes shining with something I knew too well…

She knew this meant nothing, but she would cling to any crumbs.

I leaned slightly to get a better look at her.

I need to offer something in return…

"After you help me with this, I’ll give you my fingers, and then you’re leaving. This changes nothing." I commanded, and she nodded desperately at the promise of satisfaction, even though her tearful eyes told me everything about the humiliation of rejection.

Everything about the instant submission in Maria just hurt me because I never wanted to hurt her… I never meant to hurt her…

"Thank you, Kate…" she murmured falsely, intensifying all the movements of her tongue as I gripped her hair and ground myself against her mouth in search of the foolish, fleeting pleasure I should have been having with Yelena, not Maria.

But I wasn’t with Yelena… I didn’t have… I didn’t have Yelena… And this… This was going to become a problem very soon.

*

I decided not to see Kate Bishop anymore…

After everything, the desert would have to be big enough for both of us…

I didn’t want to think about her or the complicated feelings that came with her. Not that there was anything too overwhelming… though it wasn’t exactly simple either…

ENOUGH.

That’s exactly why I need to stay away. That woman makes me imagine too much, and I had no room for that kind of daydreaming in my painfully limited reality.

Life needed to go on as usual… and, in a way, it has. I pulled off a few heists in some remote towns, which helped keep me distracted while also gathering more money… and more information about the gold.

With every passing second, this hunt for the gold was becoming personal. I’d find it and use it to start a new life far away from everything. I’d kill Fisk if I had to…

Maybe it was an audacious plan, but I wasn’t ruling out any possibilities. If the opportunity arose, that gold would be mine.

Right now, I was also trying to avoid thinking about Kate Bishop and how I hadn’t heard from her in over a week. I wasn’t particularly eager to see her at this moment. Our last encounter had been tense, and it made me realize just how shamelessly I had claimed Kate Bishop for myself. And by provoking Maria, I had been childish as hell.

Yes, I was jealous, and I wouldn’t deny myself the experience of feeling possessive over someone. After sleeping with her, I just knew I wanted to piss Maria off. The problem was that I ended up pissing myself off too…

Kate Bishop not only refused to put up with my bullshit, but she also had the audacity to see right through me.

“Do you think they’re the ones we’re looking for?” One of Fisk’s men, who had been assisting me in my missions, asked in a nervous voice.

I growled, annoyed that I had let myself get distracted enough to forget I had company. I turned to him, wondering if he realized how much his mere existence, breathing the same air as me, irritated the hell out of me.

“I wish they were…” I sighed, impatient. “But until we find out, how about you stop shaking and go check the perimeter?” I offered him the obvious choice of leaving me alone, and the idiot moved almost too quickly to go investigate .

I’d bet my left ass cheek he'll hide.

The nearly abandoned town was in ruins, with debris scattered everywhere. The only sound was the raucous noise coming from a group of drunk men inside the town’s lone bar—booming laughter, breaking glass, and slurred voices carried through the space.

These were exactly the men I had been tracking for two days… the idiots my informants pointed to as responsible for the theft. I had followed their trail here… they were my last lead on the gold.

I moved silently down the main street, following the mess, nearly unconcerned—until the first gunshot rang out.

Der'mo Der'mo Der'mo 

Another round of bullets came flying along with shouts of alarm, and the bar erupted into chaos. I ducked, trying to pinpoint where the shots had come from as more gunfire exploded.

I quickly took cover behind a horse stall, already firing my first shots, hitting the bastard who had taken a shot at me.

I was preparing for the others when a new group of men stormed the main street, opening fire on the same targets I had been hunting.

A rival gang. Fisk’s enemies.

Shit. This isn’t good… but I could use them to my advantage.

I had to take advantage of their distraction. If I moved fast enough, I could get to the wagons—probably full of gold—before anyone else. I crouched low and ran behind the stables, weaving through rotting wood, hay bales, and restless horses, knowing I had to be fast and unseen.

Or almost unseen…

As I approached the side street where the men I had been watching were gathered, I wanted to scream in frustration.

Because at that exact moment, the damn church bells at the end of the street started ringing loudly, announcing that it was only a matter of time before Kate Bishop and Shang showed up…

If they found the gold, I’d lose my chance.

Kate would never let me steal that gold.

That wasn’t an option. I had to be faster.

The rival gang had already reached the first idiots, and chaos was unfolding. I had barely taken a few more steps when I felt their eyes on me—a small group that already seemed to know exactly who I was.

“The witch is here…” One of the bastards’ voices echoed through the entire town. Fantastic . “Don’t get close to her… those things on her fists are dangerous! Take cover!” he yelled, organizing his men just before a hail of bullets came my way.

FUCK .

I didn’t have time to find proper cover, but I managed to slip between a few abandoned buildings, creating more space for myself.

I barely had a second to breathe before two of them stormed into the rickety shack where I had taken refuge.

They entered with heavy steps, overconfident, shooting at everything.

These idiots were really taking this shit seriously today, huh?

I sighed, impatient, as splinters of wood shattered around me with every shot. But I waited until the last second—until I could smell the sweat and alcohol soaked into their clothes—and only then did I move.

Fighting them was never easy. These bastards might not have the best weapons, but they were determined as hell and had such fucking good aim.

The only thing in my favor? They were always too drunk to be truly efficient against me.

The first one didn’t even have time to register what happened before my elbow smashed into his nose, breaking the cartilage and sending warm blood spraying into the air.

The second one tried to react, and I really did try to be merciful… No, actually, I didn’t. My leg shot up with force, slamming into the side of his head and dropping him without ceremony.

I left him with one last kick—just to be sure.

“They’re here… Fall back!” I heard the call from outside and groaned in frustration.

The Damn Avengers arrived.

My time was running out, but the gunfire finally stopped… I rushed out of my hiding spot, sprinting toward the men to buy some time. If they were moving, my gold was being taken again.

My mission was to reach the shipment without getting killed—or noticed by Kate Bishop.

My next shots hit two of the idiots before more of them showed up. It didn’t even take a minute before another wave of drunks surrounded me. I groaned in frustration as I checked my ammo and realized I was running out of bullets.

All this time away from Kate also meant being away from my supplies, but I didn’t care. I would save my rounds and use my fists and kicks, just as effective—if not more.

I took down the idiots with a few well-placed hits, but I made the mistake of getting cut by a knife. The searing pain made me scream, and I struck the man with so much force that his head and the nearest wall became one.

I yanked the knife from my thigh, feeling the warm blood bubbling into my suit, but there was no time to recover or even try to stop the bleeding, because another idiot knocked my guns from my grasp.

I was about to use my Widow's Bite… when two arrows sliced through the air, and two men fell. That meant she was close.

I pushed myself up with difficulty, rushing toward the nearest wagon. But then—a gunshot. A high-caliber bullet hit me in the back, slowing every movement. I could barely breathe from the impact… probably too strong a round…

I felt all my enhancements failing miserably, my lungs struggling to keep me conscious, my vision blurring… but I couldn’t afford to stop and figure out where I was hit. I just kept moving.

The idiots saw me and ran to the wagons to escape. I tried to reach them, but my body refused to cooperate. My legs felt heavy… I felt myself collapsing as I reached the main street, where most of the men were already unconscious. And then I saw them—Shang and Kate Bishop.

My blurred vision made it impossible to see them clearly.

I only knew she was coming toward me, but I barely felt anything beyond the pain inside me.

Finally, I looked down at where I was hit… my chest…

This is not a good way to die…

I groaned as the pain intensified. The last thing I heard was her voice screaming my name in desperation… and then… everything went dark.

*

Our patrol today was hunting a rival group of Fisk’s that had been causing trouble in the region. Bells rang out in two towns, but we hadn’t arrived in time to catch them. When we reached the attacked towns, we found only dried blood and silence.

Too late.

Again.

One of the wounded survivors said they had heard the attackers were heading toward Greendale, a town just a few miles away, so we hurried to intercept them. I was worried about the level of violence in these attacks, they were killing too many innocent people for no apparent reason.

Word in the desert was that Fisk was furious over losing his gold, and other groups were taking advantage of his weakness to fight against him. I didn’t want to see this as an opportunity because innocent people were caught in the crossfire… but it was clear these groups were bleeding Fisk dry.

The thought of my personal revenge lingered in the back of my mind, refreshed by this new information, but I didn’t dare dwell on it.

The mission was to stop a violent group.

As we neared the county entrance, the bells signaled danger. This time, we had arrived in time.

“Shang, cover the south. I’ll go around the chaos. See you on the other side.” I signaled to my partner as I rode around the back, where the gunfire had already started. My stomach twisted with the feeling that something was wrong.

The bells kept tolling mournfully as I braced myself, assessing the space and the men involved. I recognized both the group we were hunting and Fisk’s men. This couldn’t be good.

I scanned the perimeter for civilians, but fear had already emptied the town. At the church, I recognized a man I had seen with Yelena before. The coward who was always away from battle.

“Hey, you…” I called out, catching my breath. “You can stop ringing that damn thing now.” I scolded, and he came running toward me, fear written all over his dirty face.

“Thank God you’re here… This place is hell…” he whined breathlessly, words stumbling over each other in panic. This guy was a joke. A weak, spineless thug. Just another parasite clinging to whoever was winning.

He started babbling about everything that had happened that morning, but I grew impatient as the gunfire intensified. I didn’t give a damn about his panic. If he was here, she had to be, too.

I needed to know about her.

“Focus… hey, focus.” I said, letting Lucky trot forward until we were inches apart. “Is she here?” I sighed, and he looked even more terrified.

“God… of course she is… that woman is insane… she’s probably the reason for all the gunfire… I got scared, so I called you,” he babbled again, but I ignored him. I was already moving, ready to get to work.

The mission now was to stop a violent group and find the girl who had been running from me like the devil from the cross.

*

I cleared the town entrance while Shang fought a group of unarmed men at the gates. The screams at the end of the street told me that was where the real chaos was happening. I ran along the buildings parallel to the fight, and my blood froze when I heard someone yell that she was close, followed by a hail of gunfire.

I dismounted from Lucky immediately, sending him to safety. "Out of the city, boy. Home. Now. Go." I commanded, and my horse neighed loudly, trotting off to obey.

I slipped through the side of the buildings, moving stealthily through the shadows until I had a clear view of the battle.

After taking out a few men at the bar entrance, I finally saw her battling a small but brutal group. 

Yelena was in the middle of the chaos.

Alone.

The fight was unfair.

They attacked from all sides, and I moved closer as I watched her fire her last bullet, then shift into hand-to-hand combat.

Despite being fast and lethal, she was at a disadvantage. Two men advanced on her at the same time, and I let my arrows fly, cutting through the air and striking them down before they could touch her.

I exhaled, almost relieved, when I saw the others hesitate, unsure if they should keep attacking.

I doubled back to the main street to clear her path. She was clearly trying to reach the wagons at the end of the street, and I made sure she could—but then, as the men began to retreat, I watched in horror as one of them fired at her.

She was hit.

Her thigh was bleeding, her mobility compromised, yet she didn’t seem shaken. She didn’t even look to find the shooter. My hands moved before I could think. My bow was already raised as I released another arrow, piercing the throat of the bastard who shot her.

A man who shoots in the back deserves to die.

The gunfire seemed to end as the remaining attackers fled, but I didn’t care. My full attention was on her staggering form. She looked slower, disoriented, as if assessing her injuries—then something shifted. She stopped completely and met my gaze.

"YELENA!" I shouted, breaking into a full sprint as she collapsed unconscious. I caught her limp body in my arms, checking the source of the blood.

A stab wound to her thigh. A bullet wound to her chest… too close to her heart.

No. No. No.

The sound of my own heartbeat pounded in my ears, drowning out everything around me. I could see nothing, hear nothing—just her. Just the warm blood seeping between my fingers. Just her cold body, her breath hanging by a thread.

"Shang… bring the wagon… she's losing too much blood!" I yelled, pressing down on the wound, tearing off my jacket to slow the bleeding until Shang reached us.

The blood kept coming. Too much. Too fast.

With near superhuman effort, I lifted her slack body and placed her in the back of the wagon. 

Shang urged the horses forward, and I massaged her chest desperately, trying to push air into her lungs. My hands were stained with blood, my mind spinning in panic as I yanked off my suspender and fashioned a tight tourniquet around her thigh.

But the bullet wound…

"Come on, witch… you can’t die in such a stupid way…" My voice broke as I tore her shirt open to examine the wound.

The shot was clean. Lethal. Too close to her heart.

She wasn’t breathing, and my chest tightened even more. It was like I couldn’t breathe if she couldn’t.

"Shang… hurry… she's not breathing… the bullet—damn it—it's near her heart! C’mon, Yelena… please…" I growled, never stopping my desperate attempts to get her to breathe. It was probably a high-caliber shot… she wasn’t responding at all. I grabbed my whiskey flask, pouring the entire contents over the wound to see just how deep the damage went. I could feel the bullet.

"The bullet is still in her, Shang!" I yelled, probing carefully with my fingers, but touching it only made the bleeding worse. Her body was growing weaker. "Her heart is stopping, Shang! Faster!" I screamed in agony as her body grew colder in my arms.

My vision blurred with panic.

"Hey, Kate… breathe… you need to stay calm… look at me…" Shang urged, eyes locked on the road. I sniffled, trying to focus. "Now… try the thing on her wrists… directly to the chest…"

I froze in fear.

"That could kill her…" I choked. "We need a doctor—"

"No, Kate… I don’t know if we’ll make it in time… remember what she explained?" His voice was urgent.

My mind spun. Remember? How could I remember anything right now?

Then… I almost heard Yelena’s voice in my mind.

A shock discharge can restart a system. It’s a brute force method, but it works.

"She said something about an electric shock… that it could jump-start things…" Shang exhaled as he drove onto the main road, and I groaned, searching for the bracelets on her wrists.

She had explained that it needed to be on the shooter’s wrist… I strapped one onto myself, trembling with nerves. This had to work .

"I’m trying it!" I shouted to Shang, who pushed the horses even faster.

"Do it—we’re almost home. This might give us an advantage…" he grunted. I took a deep breath, backing away from Yelena just enough. She had taught us: I couldn’t touch her while the charge was active. Right. I could do this.

"Sorry, witch… I hope you live to complain about how stupid this was…" Then, I pressed the small button on my wrist, watching as the tiny spider emblem connected with Yelena’s chest.

Her entire body reacted instantly. Her back arched violently. Her muscles tensed, stretching beneath her skin. Her teeth clenched with an audible grind, and I gasped, horrified as her eyes snapped open in shock.

A horror that mirrored my own—but it was also like my heart started beating again along with hers.

"I’m sorry…" I whispered uselessly, reaching to touch her, but she shook her head, muscles still locked in spasms from the charge. I sobbed, helpless, knowing she was in pain—but at least she was alive.

I had done it. She was alive. But I had hurt her.

She gasped, her chest rising and falling raggedly. Shakily, she lifted her hand to the device and tore it off, tossing it away before sagging back, panting in pain. She touched the wound on her chest, and I instinctively moved closer.

"You were shot… and I… I… I’m sorry…" I stammered, pressing down on the wound again. She gave me a weak nod, her trembling hand covering mine against her chest.

"I’ll… be fine…" she murmured just as the wagon jerked to a stop, and her eyes slid closed once more, unconscious again.

*

Chapter Text

*

I was wearing out my boots even more, pacing in circles in front of the small clinic where the town’s only doctor was also known as the dentist.  

The damn clinic was nothing more than a cramped cubicle behind the barbershop, with rusty dental instruments hanging like macabre trophies and a splintered wooden desk serving as both a reception counter and, often, an improvised hospital bed for Peter—the dentist who doubled as a surgeon. He had saved many cowboys with bullets lodged in their ribs and mothers on the brink of death. But today, my friend’s trembling hands—hands used to pulling molars and making dentures most of the time, though they were reliable in emergencies—now seemed far too small to hold onto her fragile thread of life.  

It’s a damn shame, but I have to trust Peter… He has saved more lives than I can count, so there was no reason to doubt him now—not when I had no other choice.  

Letting Yelena die wasn't an option. She had to be okay. The thought pounded in my skull in rhythm with the ticking of Shang’s pocket watch. I could barely breathe as I looked at Yelena, lying on that small bed…  

Letting her die is not an option!  

She’s the only thing left untouched in my rotten world.  

Her face, once so full of life beneath the felt hat I had given her—the one she wore with pride—now looked like marble under the glow of the kerosene lantern.  

“Kate, sit for a minute…” Shang’s voice was low, understanding, right beside me. “Peter says she’s gonna be fine… She just lost a lot of blood.”  

I didn’t have time to respond before a group of three men appeared at the entrance of the clinic. My eyes narrowed, and in an automatic motion, my hands found and unsheathed my pistols, the cold metal grounding me to reality.  

One of the men raised his hands quickly, a nervous surrender.  

“I’m the doctor sent by Fisk… I brought what the girl needs…” The man in front swallowed hard, his perfectly clean hands still raised. His dark coat—far too expensive for a place like this—seemed to gleam. “I brought what the girl needs… Fresh blood and sterilized instruments…” he whimpered, fear lacing his voice.  

The name Fisk cracked through the air like a whip. My jaw clenched, teeth grinding until it hurt. I stepped forward, only to have Nancy pressing against the sweaty forehead of the intruder.  

“We don’t need charity from a devil like Fisk!” I snarled, my voice raw from everything I had been through today—but most of all, from pure hatred. “Turn around before I paint the walls with your brain!”  

I was just about to make this good doctor dance to the rhythm of my bullets when Peter stepped between us.  

The hurried stomp of boots cut through the air.  

Peter, his apron stained with blood and his eyes swollen with exhaustion, wedged himself between us, his trembling hands invading my line of sight. “Kate… don’t do this… We can’t refuse help… She won’t survive without the transfusion.” Peter pleaded, but I didn’t back down.  

“Listen to the man, miss… I brought blood… She’ll need it… The instruments we brought are modern…” The nervous man spoke, directing his words at me.  

“Modern?!” I snarled, gritting my teeth as I shoved Peter out of my gun’s aim.  

Fisk’s ‘doctor’ stumbled back, tripping over a wooden stool. His lackeys, with their ruddy faces and immaculate leather gloves, were far too focused on me as my stomach twisted with unease.  

What would this help cost?  

How many lives would be owed later?  

Did I want to accept help from Fisk?  

Was this a price I was willing to pay?  

“Who told you we were here?” I demanded, pressing Rose’s barrel against the trembling man’s forehead, still suspicious of this sudden kindness.  

“I asked him to come…” Peter admitted, wedging himself between me and the man once again. “They have the supplies she needs… We need the blood…” His voice was desperate. “Step back, Kate. We don’t have much time. She’ll be dead in two hours without this.”  

My eyes remained locked on the man as I reluctantly lowered my gun.  

The silence that followed was broken only by the shallow, uneven sound of Yelena’s breathing.  

He let out a tense breath the moment I stepped back, and the other men rushed into the clinic.  

“Fine… We’ll take the help—but I’ll be the one giving her my blood. And I’ll pay for your services.” I said, already tearing off my shirt as I followed them to Yelena’s bedside.  

The sight hit me like a punch to the gut.  

She was too pale. Too fragile.  

She looked dead, and the mere thought of her dying made everything inside me ache. Since the shock from her own gun, she hadn’t woken up, but at least her heart was still beating.  

I watched as the men set up their instruments—silver tubes, needles—preparing to give her my blood.  

It’s the least I can do.  

I won’t let her die.  

Blood still seeped from the wound in her chest, soaking the coarse linen bandages brought by Fisk’s doctor. They were trying to contain the damage, but it felt useless. I sat beside her, pressing my hand firmly against the wound—doing whatever little I could to keep her alive.  

If only I could put her soul back into her body with my hands…  

Peter gently pulled my hand away, taking his time alongside the unwelcome doctor.  

I nearly shot the man again when he lifted an ether-soaked cloth to Yelena’s face—even though I knew she needed it. But Peter was beside me, whispering reassurances as he worked on her wound.  

It wasn’t long before the bleeding finally stopped. Peter began stitching her up with the silk threads I had waxed myself, and for the first time all day, I felt just a little less helpless.

I won’t let her die.

Once her thigh and chest were properly closed and no longer bleeding, Fisk’s doctor worked quickly. His fingers, now steady and free of blood, were preparing something he called a transfusion.

Two brass stands, looking almost new, held up tubes and silver needles that gleamed like viper fangs. I had heard of this before, but I had never actually seen it done. He said it was simple— “Just a needle in your arms, a sterilized silver tube, the brass mechanism moving the blood, and gravity doing the rest.” I studied the setup carefully—the delicate structure designed to suspend both her arm and mine as my blood flowed into her.

"And what the hell is gravity again? I forgot…" I muttered, still curious.

He sighed. "Gravity is like an invisible hand pulling everything to the ground. That’s why we don’t just float away." That reminded me of what my mother had taught me.

I lay beside her—as close as I could get. Not just because I wanted to be near her, but because it would help.

Just the two of us, bound together by this fragile thread of life.

I forced away the thought that, if given the choice, she would never have agreed to this. She had run from me for days, and I knew it was largely because of how deplorably I had treated her the morning after our most significant moment.

The doctor ran a few tests, and I watched every move, ready to intervene if anything went wrong. He warned me there was a chance my blood wouldn’t be compatible with hers. “If that happens, the mixed blood turn into a clot—a thickened mass.” He explained confidently.

I snorted. "I swear I’ll shoot you if you don’t explain that like I’m six years old."

He chuckled. "It’s like when a bruise forms after a hit… or like a chicken liver. The same thing happens if you mix rattlesnake venom with blood. If her blood isn’t compatible with yours, it’ll clot—curdle, like spoiled milk."

I understood, filing away the information for later. I need Yelena to wake up so I can bother her with my nonsense again.

"Wake up, witch…" I murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to her temple.

*

Luckily, my blood was exactly what she needed.

The doctor leaned over my bound arm, his cold fingers pressing against my wrist in a clinical rhythm. "Compatible…" he muttered, and the relief that flooded me was so overwhelming I nearly let out a bitter laugh.

"Let’s begin. Hold still."

I obeyed, my knuckles turning white from the effort. I extended my arm without hesitation as a leather strap tightened around my forearm, squeezing until my veins stood out.

"You’ll start feeling weak in a few minutes, but you need to stay strong and keep clenching your fist." the doctor instructed, demonstrating. The throbbing pressure was uncomfortable, but insignificant compared to what was at stake.

I’ll do whatever it takes.

I would pulse my life into her, drop by drop.

She has to live.

The first flow of blood was a cold stab. I felt warmth leave my limbs, draining through the tube like an escape from a fire. My heart pounded—not from pain, but from fear that it wouldn’t be enough. My eyes remained locked on Yelena—on her bluish lips, her pale skin, the faint rise and fall of her breath.

I can’t lose her too.

I can’t lose anyone else.

A creeping numbness spread through my body, but it was obvious this would work. She needed blood, and I was giving her mine.

"Alright… now we just wait. Try to relax." the doctor said, checking my pulse. "I’ll be outside while you rest."

Despite working for Fisk, he didn’t seem like a bad man. I nodded. "Thank you for coming. Sorry for my attitude."

He smiled. "No harm done. I knew your father—I know you’re a good woman. Your courage would make Colonel Bishop proud."

The mention of my father silenced me. I couldn’t think about my parents now.

Right now, the only thing that mattered was Yelena.

I sighed, settling in beside her.

"Yelena…" I murmured, brushing my fingers over her hand. "I need you to wake up soon… I have so many questions about this transfusion… I want you to wake up and tell me what it felt like later."

I tried to joke, but my throat burned with unshed tears.

I pressed a gentle kiss to her cold, unresponsive fingers.

I need her to wake up so I can finish what I started that last night.

I wanted more—I wanted to kiss more than just her hand. I would talk to her, ask for more…

I didn’t want to think about how I had taken Maria that day, pretending it was Yelena. She wouldn’t be happy to know that. Not that we had any commitments yet… but she had stormed out of my room in anger, clutching that stolen piece of bread in one hand and her jealousy tucked tightly beneath her crossed arms.

*

Time dragged on. My body protested the blood loss, a slow dizziness washing over me in waves, like the tides of a poisoned river. But I bit the inside of my cheek until I tasted iron—an ancient, instinctual anchor against unconsciousness. I stayed strong.

Even after lying beside her for over an hour, my blood steadily pumping into her, I didn’t relax. I barely blinked, unwilling to take my eyes off her.

Yelena’s pale lips remained slightly parted, her lashes barely fluttering.

I willed her to open her eyes.

The only thing that mattered now was that the bullet had been removed from her, and she was going to be okay.

I don’t know when I lost the battle against exhaustion, but I vaguely remember Shang’s voice telling me to sleep as he partially covered us with a warm blanket.

*

I woke up with a bitter taste in my mouth—blood. My first instinct was to turn completely to throw up, but my sudden movement seemed to drag another arm along with me. I couldn’t care less as I leaned over the bucket beside the bed, emptying everything my stomach had left. The green bile told me it wasn’t much.

The pulsating pain in my chest made me gasp as soon as I finished throwing up my guts and resentment, and I collapsed back onto the bed—only to realize that the arm tangled with mine belonged to Kate Bishop.

I traced the tube connecting us, seeing how she was giving me her blood, and the realization made me gasp. I remembered everything that had led me to this situation.

"Kate..." Her name came out ragged, my throat tasting like rust. My trembling fingers followed the line binding us, then brushed against her face. She stirred, instinctively seeking my body for a hug, still seemingly lost in sleep.

"Hello... Shang... is anyone there?" My voice was hoarse, scraping against everything inside me.

Shang entered like a hurricane, his coat stained with blood, followed by a frail man in an apron who smelled of cloves and formaldehyde. I eyed the strange man with suspicion, and Shang smiled.

"Hey, calm down... everything’s fine… this is Peter, the best doctor in the city." His playful words only confused me more.

"I'm not a doctor... just an overworked dentist, that’s all. How do you feel?" Peter adjusted his thin-rimmed glasses and came over to check the tubes in my arm and Kate’s. "Here… let’s take this out and let Kate get some rest. You’ve had enough of this."

He was careful as he removed the tubes, but the small cotton pad he used to stop the bleeding on my arm was soaked in alcohol, making me whimper as I pulled away to let him take care of Kate.

"Is she okay?" I asked, making myself comfortable to watch her. She didn’t look hurt, but the deep purple under her eyes told stories I didn’t want to hear.

"She’s fine. Just needs some sleep… and less whiskey… you know she doesn’t sleep enough and has been drinking too much." Shang spoke gently, tucking his friend in further.

"Yeah… I know… but what… I remember being…" Instinctively, I touched my chest and thigh. "Is everything okay?" I asked, curious, and both of them smiled.

"Yes, you’ll be fine… thank the witchcraft in your fists… Shang told me Kate got your heart beating again with that… I’m fascinated and would love to talk about it sometime. I might even need something like that around here…" the dentist nearly pleaded, and I sighed.

"That so-called witchcraft isn't meant to bring life… only to take it… it’s a weapon." I spat my explanation, and they laughed.

"Well, tell that to yourself… because that, along with Kate Bishop’s blood, brought you back."

Shang stepped closer when I made a move to get up. "I’d rather you rest a little longer." he urged, gently pushing me back down. "She won’t be happy if she wakes up and you’re not here."

I wanted to snap at him—that I don’t have to appease or please Kate Bishop, that I didn’t ask to be saved, and that I don’t need to wait around to show gratitude—but the woman’s arm was already wrapping around me again. I sighed, defeated, giving in to Shang’s request.

"I want water." I practically demanded, knowing I sounded like a spoiled, grumpy, and pained child.

"Here… I’ll give you water and morphine… that’ll help a lot." the doctor said, bringing it over with an annoyingly cheerful smile.

I accepted the care, feeling my body relax almost instantly as the walls of the clinic melted into watercolors, and Kate’s warmth against my hip became the only thing that mattered… Morphine feels much better in the past than in the future.

I felt my eyes growing heavy and didn’t fight it. Just a few more hours… then I’d get back to running.

*

The next time I woke up, I wasn’t in the dentist’s small bed anymore.

I scanned the space, realizing I was back in Kate’s room. Feeling around my body, I noticed that the oversized shirt I was wearing was one of Kate’s—it smelled like her. I wasn't wearing pants just my underwear…

I groaned, knowing she had probably take my clothes. " Blyad ..." I muttered, digging my nails into my own thighs.

The sound of water made me turn toward the bathtub, where Kate Bishop sat, writing furiously like she always did there. A whiskey glass sat beside her, accompanied by a cigarette in her hand.

The strong smell of the drink, mixed with the cigarette and soap, almost made me relax. I could just stay here a little longer, watching her… The late afternoon light flooding the room… the bare skin of her back painted in orange hues from the sun made me sigh.

I shouldn’t be here… I whimpered in my thoughts.

Nothing had changed since the morning I left this same room… It was still a terrible idea to be here.

She saved your life.

And I’m grateful… I’d probably do the same for her… but that doesn’t make it any less fucking complicated to be around her.

She shouldn’t be this beautiful…

I shouldn’t be sighing like this…

I need to get out of here.

I didn’t have much time to think about my escape plan because as soon as I opened my mouth to call out my wakefulness, the water rippled as she shifted position and for one insane moment, I swore I saw her smirk before she stood up abruptly, making me squeeze my eyes shut.

"Jesus Christ… you're naked!" I snapped sharply, squeezing my eyes shut until the little stars of embarrassment lit my way.

"Oh, thank God you're awake…" She celebrated completely.

"Sorry… I just woke up… I didn’t mean to—" I gestured vaguely toward where I knew she was standing, naked.

I heard her footsteps moving across the room and sank back down onto her bed.

"Okay, I’m decent now…" She said, stopping beside me, and I opened my eyes to see her.

Decent was generous. Kate was wrapped in a pair of loose men’s cotton underwear that barely covered her muscular thighs and a linen T-shirt worn so thin it was nearly transparent.

Almost as bad as seeing her naked… too much skin… very nice legs.

"How do you feel?" she asked, her voice full of concern as she perched on the bed beside me. I smiled as one of her knees found mine.

"Well… I think I’m sure now… the alcohol content in your blood is about 50% bourbon… all the bourbon you drink… I probably have enough in me to last the next year." I joked, and she groaned, her entire leg twitching nervously against mine.

"You’re so mean… the bourbon might have saved your life more than my blood, witch ."

I felt the gentle touch on my chest. "I think I’m going to… wait—" She pulled away to grab some bandages, and I sat up again. Her fingers, calloused from pulling the trigger and the string of her bow, carefully began unwrapping the dressings, and I sighed deeply, feeling the pain arrive before the warning.

"Sorry… we need to clean and change the bandages…"

The alcohol she used on the wound ripped a guttural snarl from my throat. My fingers involuntarily dug into her thigh.

"That hurts…" I groaned, and she rushed to finish her work.

"Peter also gave me opium for the pain." She held up an amber glass bottle, the thick liquid inside swirling. "Or we can try your Russian method."

"I think I’d rather stick with my sober Russian pain for now." I took her hand, feeling the warmth of Bishop’s blood under my skin.

"Peter told me to check your temperature when you woke up… we need to keep an eye on this so it doesn’t get infected…" She dropped everything, touching my forehead and neck before leaning in to press a soft kiss to my forehead. "Yeah, no fever either."

She seemed flustered as she continued tending to my wound, and I didn’t argue. I’d wait for her to finish, put on some pants, and then I’d leave.

"Are you hungry? I’ve got jerky and… well, more bourbon. This is going to sting…" She warned me just before the alcohol burned into my thigh.

"Holy shit, Kate." I gritted through my teeth, clutching her thigh again.

"Sorry, baby…" She apologized, softening her touch. "So, answer me—do you want to eat now, or do you want to sleep more? You’re going to need to rest for a few days… Peter told me you need care, and I’m going to take care of everything for you…" She rambled on, never once stopping what she was doing.

I couldn’t find my voice to deny any of it. It wasn’t fair that she looked so damn cute while being so concerned.

This was also the same woman who, one moment, was soft and sweet, and the next, had her weapons pointed at my face.

"I don’t plan on staying, and I’m gonna need my clothes…" I said, pulling away from her touch, and she let out a loud scoff.

"The hell you won’t stay." She declared, far too self-assured.

"There’s nothing you can do to make me stay if I don’t want to." I shot back with a smirk.

She stood up abruptly, walking to the door and leaning against it as if she were preparing to say something big. I held my breath when I heard her voice drop.

"I will tie you to this bed with the utmost care for your injuries… I will feed you by hand… God help me… I will wipe your damn ass if necessary… but you are not leaving my sight until you’re better. I’d bet my own ass on it!"

I knew it would be something like that, but I really wasn’t expecting so many details… okay… she’s said her piece, and now I need to respond.

It’s fine… that’s how communication works…

I stood up, motioning toward her as I walked to the water jug in the back of the room. I quickly checked my wrists, seeing I was only wearing one of my Widow’s Bites—that was fine too. I’d find the other one later… first, I needed to—

"Kate… I really appreciate what you did for me, and I understand your concern…" I said, pouring myself some water. Yeah, I needed this. "I’d do the same for you… and if you ever needed me, I wouldn’t hesitate for a second… but now…"

I turned to her, still planted in front of the door, clearly trying to stop me from leaving.

She sighed, stepping away from the door and walking toward me. "I was worried about you… I’m so sorry that—"

I swear I wanted to hear what she had to say, but I didn’t need to. That’s why I sent two Widow’s Bites into her. Kate dropped like a sack of potatoes. The muffled cry didn’t move me, but her lean body twitching on the floor did.

"Sorry, dorogaya… I swear I understand you… but you just lost your ass today…" I rushed across the room, gathering my weapons, my Widow's Bite and clothes quickly. "I really appreciate it, but I don’t intend to stay, and I won’t." I smirked as I got dressed, watching her glassy eyes track me. "I’m sorry for attacking you with that, but I have to go… and I don’t want you chasing after me…"

I stepped over her, pausing to meet her eyes one last time.

"Thanks for the girls' time."

I sighed, slipping out of the room and moving carefully so I wouldn’t be seen. It worked perfectly. I escaped without anyone noticing and found my way home, still feeling the burn in my chest and the ache in my thigh slowing me down. But I couldn’t stop.

In no time, Kate would be waking up, and I needed to be strong enough for when she arrived at the Van—bringing all of hell and a whole lot of rope with her.

*

Chapter Text

*

The moment she turned around, her cheeks full of water, I knew I’d have to beg her to stay—because I saw it in her eyes. She was ready to fight…

What I didn’t expect, though, was for her to throw those shocking-as-hell things at me. The jolt that shot through my body was unbearable. The tears spilling from my eyes were filled with hatred and betrayal—she was the one attacking me after everything we’d been through. But I didn’t resist much... because she told me before… The more I fought it, the longer it lasted.

I saw her through my gasps for air, getting her shit together, scrambling to run away while mumbling what I think were apologies… or thank-yous… But I could barely focus on her words. Even after she left, I just lay there, clenching my jaw, gnawing at the pain.

Minutes passed after she was gone. The current frying every inch of my body finally began to fade and then I could breathe again. My fists slowly unclenched, my jaw loosened, and when the tiny spiders' lights blinked out, I ripped them off of me and just stared at them—burning with hate. The physical pain was nothing compared to this betrayal.

Okay… that’s a lie. Everything still hurts like hell. But now I’ve got a new mission.

I gave that bitch her life back and now I’m going to take it away.

Poetic, if you ask me.

Back to the beginning. I’ll hunt that damned witch down and burn her body in the center of the town square.

I’ll dance on her ashes.

Yeah… I’ll do it. In a heartbeat. I just need to… 

I dragged myself to the bed, barely making it, collapsing face-first into a pillow still soaked with her scent. My breathing was strained but I needed to relax. I needed to… Maybe… maybe I should sleep first.

Yeah… I’ll sleep… and then I’ll go after her.

That’s the only plan I can follow right now…

*

I collapsed in the back of the van, no strength left to keep myself upright for even one more second. My knees buckled before I could fight it, and my body hit the cold metal floor with a dull thud. The freezing surface sent a shiver through me, clashing against the feverish heat boiling under my skin. It felt like I was burning from the inside. My chest was heaving, and every breath was a damn struggle. I wasn’t just tired— I was done. Physically. Mentally. Soul-deep. Like every step I’d taken to get here had ripped off a piece of me.

The pain was alive… It pulsed, it screamed… not just from my wounds, but from the memories, in the choices that brought me to this moment. Clearly… It was a mistake running from her care. Thinking I could do this alone... I should’ve stayed. Even with the fear. Even with the anger. I shouldn’t have let pride take the wheel. I shouldn’t have snapped at her like I did…

And now, I’m bleeding again.

The blood wasn’t just dripping anymore, it was soaking through the bandages she had carefully wrapped around me just minutes before I decided to be a dumbass. They were soaked, drenched in crimson, screaming for help, like the fabric itself was dying with me.

The sharp metallic stink of blood mixed with the sweat pouring off me in waves. The smell was so strong I couldn’t focus on anything else. It clung to me—wrapped me in a sticky, suffocating cocoon. I could taste it. Feel it in my throat and I knew… After that smell, another one always followed. A worse one… The smell of death.

My heart clenched hard at that realization. A cold shiver crawled up my spine as I stared at the van ceiling, like it could offer answers or some kind of comfort, but there was nothing. Just stained darkness, the wind howling outside, and the emptiness surrounding me.

I can’t believe this is how I’m gonna die…

This isn’t a good way to die.

Not like this… Alone… Lying in the back of a rusted-out van. with my body falling apart, with my fucking soul in pieces. With my regret eating away at me like acid.

Is this it?

Is this really how it ends?

When I closed my eyes, a deep sadness flooded me. Not just from the physical pain, but the bone-deep awareness that this might be my last breath. I knew. Somewhere inside, I knew I wasn’t gonna make it. And yeah, fear was there… but what hurt even more was the ache of what I’d miss. I cried…  Not loud… Not dramatic… Just a quiet sob… The kind that comes from real loss. From knowing this is goodbye.

I cried for my sister knowing I’d never see her again. That her eyes would never find mine, that her laughter would never fill the silence echoing around me now. Did my chest ache from thinking of her or from the damn bullet? I couldn’t tell anymore, but what crushed me the most… was not getting the chance to say goodbye. To tell her I cared. To hear her say she cared. Pain was all I had left.

I cried for everything I didn’t do… For not having enough time to make this second chance mean something. Because that’s what it was, right? A second shot. A clean slate…but I blew it… I ran from the one person who wanted to help me. I was a damn fool and now all I could do was wait… Wait for the end.

And then came the final sign… my body started going numb. First my feet… Then my fingers. A soft tingling at first, barely there… but then it spread like wildfire. My legs were gone. My arms were heavy. My thoughts began to blur…

Yeah… maybe, if I’m lucky, I could die in my sleep.

Maybe sleep would come for me first. Wrap me in a quiet, painless embrace. No screams. No suffering. That would be better… If I just drifted off… and never woke up… If my body shut down, and I simply ceased to exist without resistance.

But… if I didn’t die in my sleep… then maybe I’d die when she came back… even though this time, I knew she’d come back… different. Angrier than she’d ever been before… Maybe there wouldn’t be any mercy left in her eyes.

I shivered just imagining how easy it’d be for her to kill me now… because I didn’t have any strength left to fight her… Not physically, not emotionally… My body wouldn’t even respond.

I hurt her. I betrayed her—after she literally saved my life… and now, even if I wanted to face her… I couldn’t…  I couldn’t run… I couldn’t beg… I couldn’t do anything.

So maybe… maybe if I just waited… if I held on a little longer… maybe I could see her one last time… Maybe the last thing I’d hear would be her voice… and maybe… that’d be enough.

Maybe that would be a good way to die…

*

The heavy knocking on my bedroom door echoed in sync with the pain still vibrating through my body. 

“Go away…” I groaned to whoever the hell it was, my head pounding, every breath feeling like I was inhaling fire.

“No. Wake up…  you guys need to eat. I’m not letting some damn witch die under my roof.” Maria’s voice pulled me back into reality, and I dragged myself up, my back stiff and aching like hell.

I need to get myself together for… 

The door opened, and I let out a frustrated groan, totally over the fact that once again Maria had zero respect for my personal space. “Maria, do I really have to shoot you for you to understand you don’t just barge into my room?” I snarled, finally forcing my eyes open against the light.

She stood there in the middle of the room with a tray. Her eyes were wide like she was questioning the obvious, but I didn’t bother explaining anything. Just growled louder, even more annoyed. Maybe I did need to sleep a little more before…

“You can kill me in a second, fine… but first tell me, where the hell is the witch?” She asked, totally shocked. I groaned, sinking deeper into the pillow that still smelled like The traitor .

“She ran from me…” I whimpered, covering my eyes. Then I felt the weight of Maria sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Oh… I didn’t expect that… how’d it happen?” Maria asked, gently touching my chest where the spider marks had to be visible. “You look like shit…” she added softly. I finally met her eyes.

She looked surprised—almost moved—by whatever the hell she saw. Probably my pathetic energy about to pour out of me.

“You okay?” she whispered, brushing my foot gently.

“No, I’m not okay… she attacked me before she left…” I sobbed out my frustration, pulling my foot away to hug my knees to my chest. Maria seemed totally lost on how to handle me. And honestly… I didn’t know how to handle myself either. So I just hid there, trying to bury the pain, the frustration, the confusion… because I didn’t know how the hell to deal with Yelena.

“I didn’t expect that… I thought she really…” She tried, but couldn’t seem to finish.

“It’s okay… I didn’t expect it either… The thing with Yelena is… ugh… ” I huffed, wiping my face. “I like her… but she’s so complicated… And so damn stubborn.” I groaned, sitting up, gathering what little strength I had just to take a sip of bourbon. Only that could calm me down.

“I picked up on that part… What are you planning to do now?” Maria’s soft voice caught me off guard.

I shrugged, defeated. “I honestly don’t know… maybe I should kill her, just so I don’t fall in love with her…” I laughed, rubbing my face before taking another long sip. My bitter laugh wasn’t echoed by Maria like I expected, so I turned to look at her. She was walking toward me slowly, like she was working up the courage to say something big. I held my breath, waiting.

“Okay, I can’t believe I’m saying this but…” She exhaled hard, grabbing the half-empty glass from my hand. “Maybe you should tell her. Or at least try…” Maria winced at the burn of the alcohol, then sat on the bed, her eyes glossy with tears. 

I leaned closer, without even realizing it. “Oh, Maria…” I whispered, aching inside. “I don’t even know how to…” I would’ve rather clawed my own nails off than deal with this emotional drama.

“Hey… I’m fine…” she said, even though her voice cracked. “Even if it hurts that you didn’t choose me… and that you fell for… well, her ...” She murmured, carefully reaching for my hand. “I just want you to be happy, Kate.”

Her gentle touch on my face made me sigh. “Just go after her. She needs help. Try, just for a moment, to not be you . Drop the weapons. Go after the girl. No threats… Just care for her. And when she’s okay… then you can kill her and come back to me… ” she added with a smirk.

I burst out laughing, pulling Maria into the hug she so deserved. I’m pissed at her all the time— but I always forget how much she really loves me.

“I know I’m rough with you… and I’m probably stomping all over your heart every damn chance I get, Maria… I swear I don’t mean to… But I really do consider you a friend and I’m going to listen to you this time…” I promised, brushing her cheek.

“Okay, fine. Before you go chasing after the witch… eat something. Get ready. Then go. I’ll even pack some food for her…” Maria said, placing the tray in my lap.

I was gonna do things right this time… I’d spent enough time terrified of living in a world without Yelena, thinking she might die… It wasn’t fair to kill her off — or these good feelings — just because I was angry.

I’m gonna try hard this time…

*

Before I went to her, I knew I couldn’t show up empty-handed. Not after everything that happened. I owed her a horse, yeah… but I also owed her a gesture. Something that said, without words, everything my mouth kept choking on.

I didn’t want to fight… and I didn’t just wanna say “I’m sorry”… So, today, I decided I’d give her Fanny.

That would be my peace offering… My white flag.

I was giving Yelena the best mare in the station’s stables. The strongest, calmest, most loyal girl we had. The one that braved sandstorms and could find her way even in the darkest nights. If there was one creature that matched her — it was Fanny.

That’s what she needed. Something solid. Reliable. Something that could carry the weight of the world in silence… just like her.

I spent a few hours in the early morning getting everything ready. I personally checked each of Fanny’s horseshoes, brushed her coat gently, whispered everything I knew about Yelena into her ear. I didn’t want this to be just a horse — I wanted her to be a living symbol of the peace I was trying to offer. I wanted to give Yelena what she’d been giving me for months… 

A companion. A strong and trustworthy ally.

I waited for the supply store to open at dawn to buy a nice saddle — firm, elegant, but simple, just the way she liked it. I picked out sturdy leather reins, new stirrups, a thick blanket to protect her legs. I even found a travel bag with lots of pockets… she loves pockets. She’s always saying a well-placed pocket can save a mission.

This was gonna be my straightforward apology. My “stay”… but this time, with no demands attached.

I just hoped… she wouldn’t be a total shrew to me. That she wouldn’t look at me like I was the villain in her story.

*

When I finally spotted the van, the world around us felt frozen in time. The canyon rose like a cathedral of stone, cut off from everything. The wind whistled between the rocks, carrying the dry scent of sand, the warm breath of the rising sun, and the muffled hush of solitude. The van was there, leaning against the cliff wall like it had been abandoned to die — along with whoever was inside. I still didn’t know much about that ugly, beat-up thing, but I was grateful for the chunk of metal that now protected the only person who mattered in that moment…

The door hung slightly open, creaking with the wind — a low, almost sad sound. The kind of sound that makes your skin crawl with dread. What if Yelena wasn’t okay after walking all that way, injured like she was?

I slid off Lucky slowly, feeling every part of my body tense. My thoughts raced, all tangled up, fighting to figure out what I should say first… I don’t want to fight… I just need to take care of her… 

I ran my hand along Fanny’s strong torso — she walked calmly at my side like she knew exactly what we were doing. "Stay here, girl… stay alert… I’ll bring you your girl as soon as I know how she’s doing…" I whispered that to her, before walking up to the van.

My footsteps were quiet. The sand helped muffle the sound. I didn’t rush, but my heart was pounding like crazy. Part of me expected her to jump out at me again — A straight-up attack, like she always does. Hit me with one of those damn shock weapons or, worse… Look at me with that ice-cold stare that cuts deeper than any blade she carries.

But it wasn’t like that…

Inside the van, wrapped in the dim light of the early morning, Yelena was collapsed between tangled blankets and bits of straw from the mattress I gave her.

Her body looked small… almost swallowed by itself… Her face, usually so full of strength was pale, completely drained of color. Her lips were cracked, torn up by the dry heat. Her chest rose and fell slowly, like even breathing took effort. The bandages I had wrapped before were soaked in blood. Her eyes, closed, were trembling behind the lids.

No. No. No… not again.

She was right back on the edge.

She can’t die…

"Yelena?" I called out in a panic, stepping closer. My heart dropped when she didn’t respond.

Guilt slammed into me like a silent avalanche as I touched the cold skin on her forehead. I should’ve gotten here sooner… I should’ve fought harder for her… I let her leave after the way she lashed out… I could’ve followed her immediately… Yeah… 'Cause deep down, this is on me. Even after everything I did to save her… Even knowing how damn stubborn she is.

Because deep down I knew… she only ran because I hurt her first. If I hadn’t acted like I did, that battle she lost might’ve gone another way… I would’ve been right there by her side, and she wouldn’t have been hurt.

I was harsh. Cold. Way too hard on her that morning after… that night and she felt it. She felt all of it and now she’s dying again… She probably spent all this time scared, thinking I was coming back to finish her off. She must think that was the plan… Like she always says — it’s always my first plan.

I let out a quiet breath and dropped to my knees beside her, tearing away the useless bandages on her chest and thigh. Outside, Fanny and Lucky let out soft neighs, like they wanted to remind me they were there too — like they were worried about her, just like I was.

“She’s going to be fine…” I muttered under my breath, rushing to get everything in place so I could take care of her with the medical supplies Peter managed to get for me. It wasn’t much. In 1842, any kind of medicine was a luxury… but I’d figure it out. I had to.

The blood kept dripping—slow, relentless. The skin around it was burning hot, and I knew exactly what that meant. But I couldn’t let the fear of infection freeze me. I needed to act. Now.

I soaked the cloth with the clean water and started with the wound on her chest. The dried blood clung to her skin, but I was patient—even though I knew I had to move fast to save her. There was also the fear of what would happen when she woke up… I knew her. If she opened her eyes and saw me here, she’d instinctively try to fight me off. Even without the strength.

She’d die trying to defend herself…

Every move I made was careful. Precise… I cleaned the wound, disinfected it the best I could, silently thankful it wasn’t as bad as it looked. I wrapped it up again with one of the last clean pieces of cloth we had, already thinking about how I’d search for better supplies the moment I got the chance.

Once the bandage was tight enough to stop the bleeding, I took a deep breath and moved on to the wound on her thigh. It didn’t seem to be bleeding now, but I’d have to be even more careful with it—especially after how much she’d pushed herself to get here.

While I applied the fresh bandage, my mind drifted back to earlier. To the hit she landed on me. To her eyes—vacant, but also… full of pain. And more than anything, I kept thinking about the emptiness I felt the moment I realized she was gone.

Alone. Wounded. Pushing herself away from me…

I should be angry, but I’m not. Because if anything hurt more than the shock of her witchcraft, it was seeing her like that… broken. Vulnerable. Nearly dead again… twice in one day.

I was just finishing securing the bandage on her thigh when I felt her body tense up—signs she was waking. I counted down in my head.

One.

Two.

Three…

If she woke up now, she’d react on instinct. She’d try to push me away. Maybe even kick me.

Four.

Five.

And that’s when her eyes opened. Pupils blown wide, a dazed look, ragged breathing.

She tried to move, but before her body could jerk, I gripped her leg firmly, stretching it out gently so I wouldn’t mess up the wound—and I laughed out loud because I knew it. I knew it.

Yelena blinked, trying to make sense of the scene. Trying to figure out what the hell was going on—and I figured maybe this time… I’d be the one to wave the white flag first.

*

I woke up with a sharp jolt of pain in my thigh. My first instinct was to kick whoever was near me—but that backfired hard. My leg was lifted at a ridiculous angle, and I gasped in pain as a loud laugh filled the back of the van.

“I know we’ve done this more times than I can count… but maybe, just for now… while you’re literally bleeding to death… can we not fight?” Kate Bishop’s soft voice cut through the tight space like a knife.

I let out a full groan. “I don’t want to fight you… every part of me hurts right now… I think I’m already dying… if you’re patient, you might even get to see me die and finally get your full revenge…” I muttered between short breaths.

She sighed, then laid down beside me—causing my fists to clench on reflex, surprised by her calm presence. Everything about her movements was so slow… I found myself holding my breath just to hear what she was about to say.

“My body feels like it got trampled by a herd of buffalos… I can’t—and I don’t want—to fight…” she said, now staring at the van’s ceiling. I exhaled, following her gaze. She didn’t want to fight… She came all the way here, and she was helping me. I need to do better. I need to apologize.

“Sorry for hitting you with the Widow’s Bites… I didn’t want to hurt you… but you were doing that annoying thing again, being all rude and—” I whimpered, touching my aching chest and noticing I wasn’t bleeding anymore. She changed my bandage while I was unconscious. Yeah… I can’t fight her. And I’m not even talking about the physical kind.

“I cleaned the wound… you were bleeding when I found you here…” she murmured, turning her head to look at me as I gently touched the bandage on my shoulder. I held my breath, trying to process everything she’d done. She still looked serious… maybe she just wants a fair fight.

“I know you came here to kill me… why didn’t you just let me bleed out?” I whimpered again, even louder this time, and she let out a bitter laugh. I stared at her tired, beautiful face—just waiting. It was all I could do. I still couldn’t fight, but now with fresh bandages and feeling more alive… if she tried anything, I’d be ready this time. All my thoughts were cut off by the near-tearful voice of the woman beside me.

“I learned a lot yesterday while trying to save your life, Yelena… like… apparently we’ve got about six liters of blood in our body… I learned you can’t just give your blood to anyone…” I watched her sad eyes closely as she rambled like she always did… it almost felt like just another one of our days.

She propped herself up on one elbow, leaning even closer—and I froze, more alert than ever to everything about her.

“I also learned that if it’s not the right type of blood, it turns into this gross chicken-liver-looking mess… I learned what happens to our blood if a rattlesnake bites us… and beyond all that, I learned something else—something really important… I don’t want you dead. Not even a little. Every single time you looked too pale… too cold… almost gone… I just… I couldn’t stop thinking about it. About how much I didn’t want to lose you…” she said, eyes wet with the kind of tears that tried to hide.

The flushed, tear-stained cheeks made me cry too. I’d never had anyone tell me they were afraid of losing me before. Not even my sister.

I wiped my eyes, looking away from her, because it felt impossible to have her this close and not throw myself into her arms right then and there.

“I… I’m sorry I ran away from you…” I muttered, clearing my throat.

“I’ll forgive you if you forgive me for making you want to run… I know I was harsh the last time we saw each other… even if I didn’t like how you acted… I shouldn’t have threatened you… not after we slept together… not after sharing such an intimate night…” she apologized, her voice rough with nerves.

I didn’t want her to feel nervous around me, so I turned back to face her, feeling brave enough to be honest.

“I understood what you did… and I really hated how you acted like that, so cold, after we… I… I… look, let’s just forget that happened, okay? We’ve been friends for a while now, despite everything… allies… can you promise me you won’t aim for my face again?” I asked with a shy smile, and she hugged me in an almost automatic gesture.

“I promise I’ll try…” she whispered into my neck, and I nodded, knowing that was good enough. If she didn’t mean it, she would’ve said no loud and clear. She would’ve pointed a gun at me again… or worse… She would’ve come here to fight… She would’ve killed me in my sleep…

*

Once she finally explained everything about the blood transfusion, using that serious, focused, almost clinical tone she used whenever I had questions… Only then… I let myself breathe.

And then I caught myself thinking that beyond all the usual doubts I had about the future…

I also wanted to understand her more. I needed to understand her. I needed to hear her voice.

I needed to know what was going on inside her, what was breaking apart inside that she wouldn’t say out loud…

She really opened up. No sarcasm, no rush… She told me how scared she was when she arrived here bleeding… And something inside me softened even more for the stubborn little woman standing in front of me.

After that, I made her eat everything Maria had prepared. No negotiation.

I sat her down, fixed the bags she’d made into makeshift pillows behind her back, already thinking I’d bring her some real ones if she decided to stay here… I started making plans to take care of her… I wanted her to come back with me to the lodge, but this time, I’d ask properly… I stayed there, just listening, being gentle, waiting for her to accept my care.

And she never said no… Not even to Maria’s food, even though she made that bratty little pout and claimed she wasn’t hungry—three bites later, she was devouring everything.

It was kinda hilarious how hard she tried to keep her temper… Tried not to seem vulnerable…

Even though that’s exactly what she was at that moment. And even then—hurt, tired, motionally wrecked— She still found the energy to get jealous of Maria. She gave me a sharp look when I said I’d asked Maria for help with the food… and it was adorable. Irrational as hell—but way, way more adorable than my tired heart needed at the time. It’s just too easy to be around her…

But I didn’t tease her about it… didn’t even mention the jealousy, because I knew this wasn’t the time to play around. Not when she was being so vulnerable. I can’t risk pushing her away again. I did everything calmly, because I know the kind of pride she carries in that chest of hers. One wrong move and she’d shut down all over again— And the thing is, I don’t know if she’d ever open up again. Even if I found her physically after another escape… I get it now. She’s like me… The more she runs, the harder it is to catch up with her tolerance.

So yeah—messing with jealousy right now would’ve been cruel. I just wanted her to feel safe. That’s all.

If I’m being honest… In that moment, I decided that this whole insane tendency I have of falling for her… This entire thing inside me that speeds up just from hearing her voice… Had to cool down. I needed to keep it under control, because she told me, plain and simple, that she saw me as a friend, and that’s okay. I can be that for her.