Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"I have Yelena, but she's hurt, we need an extraction!" Kate shouted into her earpiece, one hand pressed firmly against the Widow’s stomach as she tried to stop the gushing blood. Needless to say, she wasn't succeeding. "Come on, Lena... Stay with me." she whispered, applying more pressure.

The unstable building trembled, debris crashing down just meters away from both of them, and Kate felt like she was ten again, with half her house destroyed as she watched the Chitauri fly over New York.

"No, no, I don't have time for this. Someone please respond!" Kate growled, yelling into her earpiece and repeating their coordinates over and over, hoping someone would get them out.

Her own leg was useless, her pants torn and stained red with her own blood where a metal rod had pierced through her.

"I'm on my way!" Kate felt like she could cry with relief when she heard Sentry's voice.

Then, like she could cry just from the anguish when she heard Bucky’s stern command. "No, Sentry! We need you here, with America and Strange, to guide the remaining civilians!"

"But Kate and Yelena—!"

"No." Bucky growled. Then, calmer but no less tense. "I already have someone heading to them. Kate, five minutes. Just hold on for five more minutes."

Kate felt tears fall as she watched Yelena’s chest rise and fall with each breath, moving weakly beneath the tactical suit. "I don't know if we have that time..."

"I'll try to make it three." Bucky promised before the comms cut off abruptly.

Kate sobbed, wiping her face with her shoulder before pressing both hands against Yelena’s wound. "They're coming. We're getting out of here, Lena. Just a little longer, sweetheart. Can you do that for me?" Kate whispered, letting her forehead rest gently against Yelena’s chest. Something in her breathing, however faint, was what kept her sane.

She didn’t know how long it would last.

She didn’t know how everything had gone so wrong to begin with, but at least they were here together. For once, with the rubble of the world around them, Kate wasn't alone like she had been for so long, when she was a child.

She felt selfish for thinking it.

"Come on, Lena." she whimpered. "Stay with me."

And it was in the silence of her own sobbing (and the chest rising and falling beneath her ear) that she heard the sound of hope.

A quinjet positioned itself above them, and Kate felt a choked cry escape her. It didn’t take long before someone descended, shouting.

"I'm Agent Daisy Johnson, from SHIELD, we're here to help!"

Chapter Text

Kate sniffled, sitting on the improvised stretcher in the small lab/infirmary where they had been taken. Yelena, also lying on a stretcher, was only a few feet away from her, alive, breathing. Finally safe in the hands of expert doctors, or at least that’s what Daisy had told her.

Daisy Johnson (and her team of super-spy agents) had certainly been a surprise, to say the least. SHIELD had supposedly fallen years ago, making way for other agencies like S.W.O.R.D. or even the CIA. But apparently, Kate had been wrong and Clint had lied to her face. Damn old man.

"Since 2014, SHIELD. has operated from the shadows. We've maintained contact with Fury and a few Avengers, but essentially we work alone and under the radar," Daisy had explained, arms crossed and with that whole Emo Bad Girl aura that had Kate clearly captivated. "We’re basically ghosts."

Daisy reminded her of Yelena, in a strange way. Which led her to another surprising realization,.Kate might actually have a type when it came to girls.

It had also been a shock to learn that Phil Coulson was, in fact, alive.

Everyone knew the story of how the Avengers first assembled, and the dead (yet very alive) man who had stood before her just a few hours ago was just another wild discovery that made her question how much of the internet and history books were actually true.

"How are you feeling?" Doctor Simmons approached her side, glancing over some papers before starting to inspect the bandages around Kate’s body. More specifically, her leg.

Kate, maybe a bit too high on the meds they had given her, smiled kindly. "I can't feel my leg, which,.I promise, is great after spending an hour arguing with it."

Simmons smiled with amusement, setting aside her reports and boring medical stuff. "The morphine's working, then." Then, with curiosity, she picked up Kate’s modified bow. "Would you mind if I let my husband take a look at this? It's flawless work,.he’d love to see it."

"No, yeah, of course." Kate nodded, wondering who this incredibly smart and amazing woman's husband could be. No one had ever stitched her up so cleanly, and she paid for an insanely expensive insurance plan. "I can even explain how I modified it."

"Oh, no. You need to rest, Miss Bishop." Simmons shook her head firmly, in a much stricter tone than Kate had heard from her so far. "We’re about to arrive at the base, and I don’t plan on letting you use that injured leg anytime soon."

Kate flinched slightly, shrinking under the older woman’s stern gaze before mumbling, "Yes, ma’am. I mean, doctor." She corrected herself. "Yes, doctor."

"Oh, so you've already met the difference between Simmons and Doctor Simmons." Daisy appeared at the door, peeking in with a completely delighted smile.

"I don’t know what you mean by that." Jemma murmured, turning to check something on her computer on the table.

"Better do what she says, Kate." Daisy laughed, sliding in to sit next to her. "I’ve known her for years and she’s patched me up more times than I can count. Listen to me, kid: you don’t want to piss her off."

Kate smiled tentatively, comforted by Daisy’s friendly and carefree tone. "I can already tell."

"Good. Trust me, a lot of people have made that mistake." Daisy grinned, patting the young Avenger on the shoulder before glancing at her friend. "We’ll be there in five. I’ll send someone to help with the Widow and get a room ready. I need to go talk to AC, we need to reconnect with Wilson, but I can take this one with me for a bit." She nodded toward Kate.

"Alright. Thank you, Daisy." Simmons smiled, closing her laptop. Daisy nodded, getting up again and leaving them alone. "Why don’t we get you a wheelchair, hmm?"

Kate nodded in agreement, but she couldn’t help asking, "Is Yelena going to be okay?"

Simmons’ gaze softened. "She’s seriously injured, I won’t lie. It was lucky the extraction team arrived in time, but what you did kept her from losing more blood. You managed to slow the bleeding enough for me to operate with better odds." The Agent explained slowly, making sure Kate understood. "So far, everything points to her making it. I’ll make sure of it."

"Thank you." Kate held back the urge to cry and gave her a trembling smile. "Really. I don’t know what I’d do without her."

Simmons smiled. "This job can be brutal. We just have to hold on to people. Believe me, I know."

Kate nodded, wiping her face quickly before chuckling under her breath. "Tell me about it."

"Welcome to the Playground!" Daisy announced, pushing the wheelchair where Kate sat. "We’ve got a drinks bar, multiple Quinjets, mad scientists, paranoid agents, and since one traumatic event, no psychologists!"

"Wow." Kate looked around in awe, watching agents walk back and forth. The base was massive, so big Kate couldn’t help but feel a bit envious.

Why did everyone suddenly have such awesome bases (like the Thunderbolts with Atalaya, and the new Avengers with the Compound), while Kate and her team were still meeting in her basement?

Yelena would laugh so hard at her if she could hear her thoughts.

"Impressive, right?" Daisy smiled proudly. "It took a while to get here, but it was worth it. SHIELD. is fully restored and operational."

"It’s incredible." Kate admitted, unable to help it. "I can’t believe you worked for so many years in the shadows."

Daisy winced. "We tried going public a few times, especially when we were about to take down Hydra. It was kind of a disaster. We stopped trying after that." She simply shrugged, guiding Kate toward the infirmary. Kate felt her breath catch.

"Yelena."

"Thought you'd want to see her before I took you to your room to rest." Daisy explained quietly, finally stopping the wheelchair in front of the cot where the Widow lay. "Don’t tell Simmons, but you can stand. Keep her company, I’ll be back in a few minutes." With one last pat on the shoulder, Daisy left them alone.

Kate felt her eyes well up. "Hey, Lena," she murmured softly, standing up on both legs before taking the unconscious woman’s hand. "They said you’re going to be okay… You almost gave me a heart attack back there, you know?" she whispered, lifting Yelena’s hand to her forehead. It was cold, but far warmer than it had been in that filthy, collapsing building. "You owe me a drink for that…" She then chuckled. "Scratch that, you owe me four. And a date. A real one. Dinner, flowers, candles. The whole deal."

Kate closed her eyes, feeling tears gather on her lashes. "Wake up. Please. Talking to myself is starting to feel weird."

With that, feeling her injured leg give out, Kate sat back down in the wheelchair. Still holding Yelena’s hand, Kate waited for Daisy to return.

It wasn’t long before she did, carrying a clean set of SHIELD. clothes for Kate. The latter smiled gratefully, letting Daisy wheel her out of the infirmary. With one last glance at Yelena, Kate finally let out a breath as she melted into the seat.

If Daisy noticed, she didn’t say anything, and took her to her room. It wasn’t very big, but the single bed looked comfortable, and it had its own bathroom, which was a huge relief. Kate (for the first time in her life, probably) wanted to follow Doctor Simmons’ instructions to the letter about not using her leg more than necessary.

"Alright, if you don’t need anything else…" Daisy smiled, arms crossed as she looked at Kate sitting on the bed, fidgeting with the clean clothes in her lap.

"What about the others?" Kate finally asked. "The Thunderbolts, the Avengers..."

Daisy softened, offering her a gentle expression. "We’re in contact with Barnes and Wilson. Last we heard, they’re safe, though they asked us to take in a few of theirs along with you and the Widow," she explained. "Your team is okay, but we won’t be able to meet up with them until it’s safe to move again."

Kate nodded, feeling her shoulders sink with relief. Then guilt and shame crept in. "I wish I’d done more," she admitted, looking down at her hands.

"Believe me, I get it."

"You fought with us too?"

Daisy smiled sheepishly. "I was on the front lines, with the other powered guys."

"You have powers?" Kate asked, curious and excited.

"I can cause earthquakes," she explained simply, not wanting to get into details. "The only problem is I need these gloves to help me, and my powers break my bones." Daisy winced. "Pretty ironic, right? I could split the world in half, but my body couldn’t take it." She sighed, glancing at her arms. The gauntlets hid the bandages beneath, bandages Jemma had wrapped before Barnes asked her to go save two of his own.

"It’s still amazing." Kate sighed dreamily. "Sometimes I wish I were more than just a regular human. Today was a reminder." Kate made a face, sighing. "It’s just me and my bow out there, you know?"

"I think that’s pretty badass," Daisy offered kindly. "Honestly, I always thought Hawkeye was super underrated. The guy was incredible, and don’t even get me started on his SHIELD. record!"

Kate felt a smile tug at her lips at seeing someone else admire her childhood hero. "That’s what I’ve been saying since I was ten."

Daisy chuckled before wincing and pressing a finger to her ear, probably her earpiece. "Sorry, Kate. I’ve gotta go." Daisy quickly stepped closer, offering one last warm smile. "If you need anything, just yell. You’re never alone down here, someone will hear you and you can ask for me."

"Thanks, Daisy. For everything you’ve done, for Yelena and me."

"It’s what we do, we’re the Shield." Daisy winked before disappearing.

Kate stared at the empty space for a moment, then two. She only lasted briefly before her cheeks turned pink.

"Shit, I didn’t think someone could be that cool," Kate sighed dreamily, letting herself fall back onto the bed that, just as she’d hoped, was very soft and comfortable.

Or maybe it was just that today had been so long and awful that it made her melt into the sheets.

Chapter Text

"Can I come in?" It was Daisy’s voice on the other side of the door, muffled.

Kate shouted an immediate yes, sitting up in bed. She had slept like the dead, or maybe it was a mix of morphine, the hot shower she had finally taken, and the adrenaline that had drained from her body the moment she laid her head on the pillow, leaving her completely knocked out.

Daisy opened the door softly and peeked in with a smile, holding a tray with two plastic cups of instant noodles already soaking in hot water.

"Hi, Daisy."

Chuckling, Daisy set the tray on the bed next to Kate and dragged the desk chair until she was sitting right in front of her.

"It’s not the most glamorous thing, but it could be worse. I got lucky and grabbed the chicken flavor before all that veggie stuff." Daisy laughed, offering her a plastic fork and one of the cups.

Kate accepted it with reverence, genuinely starving. She didn’t even know what time it was or the last time she had eaten since Sam had called her and her team. It could’ve been seven in the morning and she still would’ve devoured the instant noodles in three bites.

"Thanks. It’s perfect." Kate lifted the plastic lid, letting the smell of artificial food fill her nose. Then she stuck the fork in and started eating, not caring if she looked too desperate. Yelena always said she had a black hole for a stomach, but what did it matter? She burned it all off at the gym anyway. Looking back up, seeing the older woman eating far more politely, she asked, "Are there that many agents?"

"There are about two hundred of us, though more are scattered around. Mostly, people come and go." Daisy shrugged. "But right now we’re full, we’ve been taking in as many civilians and wounded as we could. If they couldn’t fit here, we moved them to one of the other bases. Fury left us at least four per location. Pretty handy for disasters like this one."

"Shit." Kate muttered with a grimace. She’d seen agents running back and forth when she arrived, but she’d been too drugged and tired to care. Now it made sense, someone had to clean up the mess after the battle. It was always like that.

"Don’t worry. We’ve got the resources and the people." Daisy gave her an encouraging smile. Then, as if she suddenly remembered something, she set her food aside. "Actually... there’s someone you might know. He’s in the medical wing right now."

Kate didn’t hesitate to get up from the wheelchair when she saw him, leaving Daisy behind.

She didn’t care, even among the crowd of civilians lying on the floor, injured and exhausted, nothing mattered when she saw him. The pizza guy. The one who had helped her take down Fisk alongside Daredevil years ago. The one who had practically become her brother in just a few years. The one who understood her better than anyone, the guy she’d spent countless sleepless nights with, her best friend.

"Peter!"

The boy in question was helping out, his face bruised and his clothes clearly borrowed from S.H.I.E.L.D. At that moment, he was sitting and talking with a few kids, probably trying to cheer them up. But the instant he heard her voice, his body reacted on instinct, he jumped up, scanning the room for Kate. The moment he spotted her, just as desperate as she was, he started running.

They met halfway.

"I was so worried..." Peter murmured into her shoulder, sobbing. Kate patted his back, sinking into his warmth. "The last thing I heard was that you were in trouble. Then Cassie, Eli, and I got separated. Next thing I know, I’m being pulled out from under the rubble. I lost contact, they told me everyone was fine, but I..."

"I know, I know. We’re here. That’s all that matters." Kate pulled back, grabbing him by the nape so she could look him in the eye. He always looked so young when she saw him like this, up close, without the Spider-Man mask hiding his face. "Listen to me, we’re okay. We’re not alone. We didn’t lose. Not as long as we’re still standing."

Peter nodded, wiping his face roughly. "I couldn’t have handled it... if I’d lost you, o-or anyone else."

"You didn’t," Kate repeated, closing her eyes as she tried to keep the tears from falling. When had everything gone so wrong? It was supposed to be a simple sighting, a ship from outer space. They were allies—but they had brought disaster with them. "We’re okay, we’re okay, alright?"

Peter opened his mouth, then shut it and shook his head, squeezing his eyes closed. He was trying not to cry, too. "Yelena...?"

"She’s fine. Hurt, but she’ll heal. She’s strong, you know that," Kate assured him.

Peter nodded quickly, starting to look her over. Daisy approached at that moment, pushing the wheelchair. Of course, Peter immediately made her sit when he saw the opportunity. "What happened?"

"The usual." Kate smiled bitterly. "I stuck my nose where it shouldn't have. Yelena jumped in after me."

Peter barely smiled. "You never could stay out of trouble." he admitted. "And she never could stay away from you." Then, as if realizing his manners late, he offered Daisy a small smile and handshake. "Sorry, I’m Peter."

"I know." Daisy smiled, shaking his hand. "Hill talked about you. So did Romanoff. I’m Daisy."

Peter blushed at that, still wiping his face. "I hope good things. I met Nat during the Civil War... and Maria on a school trip."

"All good stuff." Daisy assured him. "I’ve got a few things to handle, think you’ll be okay on your own?"

Kate nodded quickly, Peter did the same. "Thanks for everything, Daisy," Kate smiled.

"Don’t mention it." Daisy just winked as she left the medical wing. "See you around. Get your strength back, and call if you need anything."

The two young heroes stared at the spot where Daisy had been for a few moments before Peter muttered,

"Wow. That girl is cool as hell."

Kate felt herself blush again. "You’re telling me."

"One of those... things, attacked her," Kate finished explaining, fidgeting with her fingers while Peter sat on the edge of Yelena’s bed, holding her hand sadly. "I could only stop the bleeding while I waited. Then Shield. showed up and said she’d be fine. And here we are."

Peter nodded slowly, giving Yelena’s hand one last squeeze before letting go. Then he ran both hands through his hair. He had been growing it out a little these last few years, it suited him, made him look older, more mature. Or at least he seemed that way.

"I’m just glad you’re both okay," he finally murmured, letting his hands fall to his thighs.

Kate watched him, noticing his tense shoulders, the cuts on his face, and the faint limp in his right leg. Gently, she leaned forward and took one of his hands. Peter squeezed back firmly. "What happened to you, Pete?"

Peter winced, shrinking into himself before letting out a shaky sigh and beginning to speak. "I was with Eli and Cassie, but there were too many of them. We weren’t helping. The threat, Kate... it was way bigger than us. Way bigger than a bunch of kids trying to play heroes. This was for gods, for people like Thor, Captain Marvel, Strange, America, or Billy. Not someone who shoots webs from his wrists or a girl with a bow." Kate winced, looking down briefly. "I was terrified. And then I saw him, and it was worse."

Kate blinked, raising her head sharply. "You saw Doom?"

"Just barely." Peter swallowed hard. "He was too far away. Someone managed to hit him—I don’t even remember who. It felt like facing Thanos again, but ten times worse. And whoever landed that hit broke part of his mask. Not much, but I saw his eyes." Peter paused, feeling his stomach twist. "I don’t even know... it was only for a second before I was blown back and buried under debris... but he looked like someone I know. I just can’t remember who."

Kate nodded silently. She squeezed Peter’s hand, hoping it would be enough.

It had to be. At least for now.

"Peter...? Wha—?"

And suddenly, it was.

Peter turned his head, his mouth falling open. Yelena blinked, trying to sit up. Kate was faster—getting up from the wheelchair and throwing herself over her girlfriend. Yelena let out a small "Oof!" but nothing else mattered once Kate felt Yelena’s arms wrapping around her. It didn’t take long before a teary-eyed Peter joined the embrace, and both women welcomed him with open arms. They cried together for several minutes before Kate pulled back and began kissing all over Yelena’s face, wiping away the tears that kept falling from her cheeks.

"Detka... hi."

Kate felt another wave of tears hit her and stroked Yelena’s face as Peter slowly pulled away.

"Hi, honey."