Where You Left Me; M. Lopez (REVAMP)

twelve.

JOSEPHINE

The first thing Josephine noticed when the two of them located Kate's mom was the height of the man in front of them. Despite his un-intimidating clothing, his demeanor was quite intimidating.

Who is wearing Hawaiian shirts in on Christmas Eve in New York?

"Get away from my Mom." Kate demanded, standing tall with an arrow drawn back. Josephine maintained her position beside her, gun drawn.

"What are you going to do with that?" The man questioned straightening his posture and turning towards them.

Kate released the arrow hitting the man square in the chest and he didn't even flinch. He yanked the arrow out and tossed it to the side.

The archer had clearly pissed him off.

"What?" Kate exhaled sharply, drawing a different arrow, this one being some form of trick arrow.

As she released the arrow, a cord followed behind it, so once Wilson Fisk wrapped his hands around it he was able to yank Kate forward.

"Kate!"

The man tugged the sleeves of his suit jacket down, and just as Josephine was about to release a round of bullets into him, tires screeched, a car slamming him into the building.

Josephine flinched, her hand automatically reaching for Kate's, "We all need to get the hell out of here." She whispered sharply.

"What? It's not like he's gonna make a comeback from that." Kate nodded to the crushed in wall of the building.

"Did you not see him pull an arrow out of his chest and not even flinch?"

"Point taken," Kate sighed, the two women swiftly approached the crashed car that Eleanor sat in.

However, by the time they reached the car, Fisk had already made it back to his feet. Kate quickly stepped up onto the hood of the car, "Where you going big guy?"

Josephine wished Kate could have let it be, wish the two of them could have had time to collect their thoughts and form an actual plan. Simply because her jumping at him, and him flinging her to the side was simply not going to work.

Josephine was about to interviene once again when Kate used one of the trick arrows to block off the gaping hole in the wall. Which was also Josephine's quickest way of entry.

"Seriously?" Josephine peered in through the electric net meeting her girlfriend's eyes.

The man snapped Kate's arrows in half, tossing her to the side once again, "You are really starting to annoy me."

Much to Josephine's surprise, seconds after those words fell from his mouth a loud explosion rang out, sending him flying.

Kate disabled the net and climbed back through the window seconds later.

She brushed by Josephine giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

"Mom? Mom?" She walked to the driver's side door.

"Oh, Kate." Eleanor breathed a sigh of relief.

"Are you ok?" Kate voiced softly, and Eleanor wrapped her arms around her.

"I'm sorry." She breathed, "I'm so sorry, baby."

Kate closed her eyes, clinging onto her mom for a few extra seconds, knowing that this was the last time their relationship was going to be even close to what it was before.

"We'll put this all behind us, you'll see." Eleanor stated, "Ok? It'll all go back to normal."

Kate was already shaking her head the moment, her mother started with those claims.

"It's never been normal, Mom." She whispered, "I think part of me has always known that."

"Honey, this was just an unfortunate arrangement." Eleanor claimed, "And it's over."

"Killing Armand?" Kate shook her head, "Hiring an assassin to kill Clint? Framing your own fiancé? That was an unfortunate arrangement?"

"Yes, sweetie." Eleanor sighed, "that's how the world works. I've protected you from it. You may not have known what was going on...but I did it for you."

Kate shook her head and Josephine couldn't help but feel a burning hatred towards the woman.

"I know what it's like to have nothing. And you can't handle it."

"How do you know what I can handle?" Kate questioned, sirens screeching nearby.

"Because I know you." Eleanor sighed.

"And I know her too." Josephine interjected, "And she can handle anything that's thrown at her."

Kate offered Josephine a watery smile, as an officer approached.

"Ms. Bishop, you're under arrest for the murder of Armand Duquesne the Third. Turn around, please."

"Is this what heroes do? Arrest their mothers on Christmas?"

Josephine glared at Eleanor, "Only when their mothers are murderous scumbags."

"I'm sorry," Kate whispered, "I love you, Mom."

AUGUST

August let out a sharp breath, pressing her lips together in worry. Kazi was dead in a puddle of his own blood a few feet away from her, Maya disappeared to do god knows what, and Yelena was on the sheet of ice below her about to kill an Avenger.

Merry fucking Christmas to her.

She peered over the railing, glancing down at the sheet of ice. Yelena was standing over Clint her gun drawn, although she seemed to be frozen in place.

Yelena's grip on the weapon faltered as Clint spoke to her. August couldn't hear his words but they were clearly affecting the blonde woman.

After a few a few moments, Yelena helped him to his feet and tears glistened on her cheeks as she walked away.

August met her at the top of the steps, "I'm so sorry, Lena."

Yelena sniffled and allowed August to gently wrap her arms around her. Neither of them said anything as they walked away from the scene, Yelena quietly sniffling and August holding back her own tears.

Yelena didn't say what Clint Barton had told her on that ice and August didn't ask.

August cleared her throat, "Wanna get a drink?"

Her best friend forced a small smile, "That sounds only fitting right about now."

So, the two assassins walked to a nearby bar, and they drank. August spent most of the time trying not to worry about Maya.

They both quietly recalled stories about Natasha, always trying to keep her memory alive. August might've just been drunk but she could have sworn the owl sitting by the window was watching them in admiration.

It was silly the way your mind could play tricks on you like that. In fact, when she tried to point the owl out to Yelena, it was already gone.