"Wake up!" Kate's voice startles me awake. "Yelena just left!"
"What?" I shoot up out of bed and sprint past her, practically flying to the elevator and into the garage. Her car is gone. I start looking for a car to take when Kate comes out of the elevator and unlocks one with the key fob in her hand.
"You track her, I'll drive," She directs, and I hop into the passenger seat. When we finally find her, she's on a pier, talking to someone. I feel danger. Kate slowly pulls up and we get out of the car. I listen as we creep closer to the pier, fog obstructing even my vision. As we edge onto the dock, I hear Yelena telling the other person she wants in soon. I feel a chill run down my spine and gesture for Kate to follow my lead. We move toward the sound, Kate still unable to hear them, but my powers tune into the conversation easily.
"Val no longer trusts your judgment," A deep voice replies.
"If she doesn't go near those two she has no reason to," Yelena's voice is firm, confident.
"Everyone has a weakness," The other person chuckles. "Unfortunately, yours is going to cost you your life." I gasp right before I hear the gunshot. Kate and I rush down the dock, not caring who or where the other person is. Yelena is on the ground, curled into the fetal position. I hear a boat engine revving, but I don't pay any attention to it. I collapse next to Yelena, frantically pawing at her, trying to find the wound. She's so limp. I turn her onto her back, and oh no. It's her chest. Fuck, it's her chest. There's blood everywhere and I'm starting to panic. I can't tell where exactly the entry wound is, there's so much blood. Suddenly, Kate's grabbing me, shaking me.
"Pick her up, let's go!" I hear numbly, and I do as I'm told. I lift Yelena up in my arms, running toward the car as Kate sprints ahead and starts the engine. I climb into the back with Yelena, holding her tightly to me. Why would she do that? I fumble around, finding that she only had one weapon on her. She must've really thought this was just a parley. Oh fuck. There's blood all over her. I just hold her as tight as I can and keep as much pressure on her chest as possible, vaguely aware that Kate is talking to me. Yelena groans softly, and I feel tears escaping. I squeeze her to my chest, feeling her ragged breaths, focusing on the fact that she's not dead. When we pull into the tower, Kate helps me get her out of the car and leads me to the med bay. I lay her on a stretcher, and people in scrubs- I don't know if they're doctors or nurses- take her into the operating room. I try to follow, but Kate holds me back, and I'm too shocked to fight her. "They'll take care of her, y/n," Kate tells me as I stare at the door.
"Lena-" my voice breaks on her name, and I start sobbing. Kate holds me as I slide to the floor, and I realize she's crying too.
"She's gonna be okay," Kate assures me, "She'll be okay. We need to talk to my team." She wipes her tears and takes a deep breath. "We're gonna take out Val's secret weapons." Is that what she called us? gross.
"They're just kids, Katie, they don't need to-" I start, getting my breathing back under control. Kate cuts me off.
"They're a lot more than kids. Plus, they're not even that young. Johnny is my age, Cass is 19, and Quint is 18. America is only 16 though," she grins sheepishly.
"So, mostly teenagers. This isn't their fight," I insist.
"It's my fight. Now that Yelena's hurt," her voice cracks, "It's my fight. And they're my team." She stands up and reaches a hand to me. I take it, but I don't budge.
"We aren't doing anything until Yelena is okay. I didn't hear the whole conversation."
"Y/n, just trust me-"
"No, Kate! I am not moving from this spot until I see her come out of surgery and opens her eyes! End of discussion." I let go of her hand and turn to watch the doors to the operating room. She sighs and walks away, but I trust she isn't going to say anything to the kids. I sit there on the tile floor, covered in Yelena's blood, and stare at the doors. After probably 20 minutes, I hear footsteps, and see Kate coming back, a bundle in her arms.
"At least take a shower. And sit in a chair!" she points behind me at a couple of chairs that are against the wall. "Clint insisted we would want chairs here. Now I get why."
"I don't want to leave," I tell her as I move off of the floor.
"Then just change your clothes. Please. You're covered in blood." She hands me the bundle, and I see it's a change of clothes for me. "There's a bathroom around the corner," she informs me, and I do as I'm told. When I look in the mirror, I almost lose it again. There's so much blood. How did she lose so much blood and she's not dead? I change and scrub the blood from my face before joining Kate back at the chairs.
"Better?" I ask her, doing a twirl before sitting down.
"Much." She smiles weakly. We sit in silence, both of us focused solely on the door in front of us. I eventually have to say something.
"You were right, by the way. I'm in love with her," I admit, and just saying it outloud makes me tear up. "I'm in love with her, and I never told her." I keep my eyes on the door.
"I know." Kate grabs my hand. She's still staring forward, but she squeezes my hand a little bit. "I'm gonna be here for you no matter what."
"Me too." I squeeze back.
It's hours before the door finally opens, and we follow the gurney to an observation room. Kate and I sit on either side of the bed, anxiously watching her chest move as she breathes. The doctor tells us the surgery went well, the bullet missed her heart, but it nicked a lung. The healing process is going to be long and hard. I don't care, I just want her to wake up.
