SUNBEAM ☼ CAROL DANVERS

V.

SHE WAKES UP aching all over. Katha tries to move her arm out from where it's been propped under her head and winces.

She'd fallen into bed late into the night, in her day clothes and the room light still on. It was the first real rest she'd taken in almost a week.

Katha forces herself into an upright position, and her back muscles screech in protest. She stretches slowly, groaning as the knots along her spine strain at the movement.

Once she feels strong enough to move, she stands. Her thighs are shaking with the effort. Every fiber of her being wants to lie back down and curl up into a position that doesn't make her hurt all the way to her bones.

She decides to have another shower. She still doesn't feel quite clean, and the hot water should work out some of the worst aches.

Once she's finished, she rifles through the rest of the clothes she's been given. She puts on another pair of the soft black pants and a shirt that looks identical to her last one except for the color. This one is black, with words scrawled across it. She looks at it, but can't figure out what Def Leppard means.

There's a sharp knock at the door.

"Come in," she calls. She hears the tell-tale click of a lock being turned. So she is being locked in here. How delightful. A blonde head of hair peeks in.

Captain Danvers greets her cheerfully. "Sleep well?"

"As well as could be expected," Katha answers evasively. Carol is dressed differently today, with shorter pants that go about halfway down her thighs. Her brown jacket is still on. It must be a favorite of hers. "Are we going somewhere?"

"Just outside for now," Carol says. "I convinced Fury that debriefing can be done in fresh air."

Katha huffs. "I'm surprised he agrees to anything."

"Mostly just when I suggest it," Carol jokes, leaning against the doorway. "If you're ready, we can grab breakfast and—oh, right," she stops quickly at Katha's blank look. "Forgot. Well, you can finish getting ready while I eat, anyway."

Katha nods, and Carol slips away with another small smile.

☼

"READY FOR YOUR official Earth lessons?" Fury asks dryly. He hasn't changed since she's seen him. Same black overcoat, same fierce expression.

"If I must be," Katha answers. She's walking in between him and the Captain down the grey halls. Agents pass them and are failing fantastically at being inconspicuous in their surveying of her. She growls under her breath.

They reach a double set of doors that swing open by themselves. "We call this an automatic door," Fury explains.

"We have those." Katha shoots back. Carol's face twitches. Fury looks unamused as always.

"I'm covering all my bases here," he defends. "You aren't telling us much yourself."

They exit the building into scorching Nevada heat. Carol removes her jacket and ties it around her waist. Katha watches enviously, wishing she had some shorter pants of her own. Perhaps, if she can swallow her pride, she'll request some from Carol.

Fury points to a road. "That's a road."

Katha stares at him, not sure if he's joking or not. He doesn't think she's that ignorant, does he?

He turns to an odd patch of grass. "Grass. Don't see much of that around here."

He does.