A/N: So this story has been on hold for a while since i got distracted from it and kinda lost where i was going. Since there are a lot of y'all still reading this, and after what happened to Deadshot in the show i figured i owe it to y'all to finish this fic, so i went back over it and edited it here and there, and also here's a super longer chapter which i hope will suffice till the next update :D
Kaelie arrived at the hospital, hastily shoving her way through the reception as she went to seek out the ward that held her daughter. The sight of all the machines and doctors surrounding the small girl caused her to cry out loudly and she clung to Ella, who was hiccuping as she tried to control her breathing.
"Wha...What happened?"
She finally managed to speak out and the lead doctor turned to her with a grim look on his face.
"We thought we had managed to find a cure, but when we administered it the strain mutated and she reacted badly to it."
Kaelie's face turned a sickly grey and her knees would have give way if it wasn't for Ella holding her up.
"We've finally managed to stabilize her, but we're going to have a doctor and nurse on the clock at all times."
Kaelie nodded numbly slowly walking to the young girl's bedside and gently sitting down next to her. Her heart tightened at the sight of the child wrapped in tubes, her golden curls matted and tangled from obvious convulsions.
"Hey there little sparrow" She whispered out, forcing her voice not to sound sad, incase Maisy could hear her.
Kaelie reached out a shaking hand, brushing icy fingers across the girls forehead, feeling the blazing heat of a fever. This made more tears stream out of her eyes.
"You're going to be okay, you're going to get all better i promise." She repeated over and over, not sure if she was comforting the girl with those words or herself.
Kaelie brushed through the girls wild curls gently, untangling them as she muttered soothing words.
She spent hours in the hospital, refusing to leave her Little Sparrow's side. The doctor and nurse that had been assigned on watch waited outside the private room, to give some privacy to Kaelie and Maisy, every 10 minutes entering to check up on the little girls vitals.
It was well into the night, and despite the exhaustion she was starting to feel, Kaelie refused to let herself sleep, keeping her eyes on Maisy, not risking the chance of anything happening while she did. She did everything she could think of, from telling the girl all her favourite stories, singing the songs from all her favourite disney movies, just anything and everything to try and gain a response from Maisy. Tears welled up in her eyes and dropped down her cheeks, causing her to bury her face in the girls golden curls, not wanting Maisy to see her tears if she opened her eyes.
Kaelie jumped up in shock when a tiny hand wrapped around her shirt, tugging on it to get her attention.
"Mommy?"
Relief flooded over her and she clutched the little girl to her chest.
"Maisy!"
"Waah you're squishing me"
Her daughter squirmed limply, it obvious that she was weak, but the little girl wasnt about to let it get to her.
Kaelie laughed slowly loosening her grip and smiling, to not alarm Maisy. Her daughter was just as perceptive as she was though and didn't buy her mother's facade at all.
"You've been crying mommy"
She pouted jutting out her bottom lip and reaching out to wipe Kaelie's eyes.
"Yes i have"
Kaelie admitted and her daughter tutted, making her smile.
"Why? Are you sad?"
Kaelie shook her head and smiled.
"No, i was just a little scared thats all"
"Well i'm not afraid of anything, so you shouldn't be either because it's silly"
Maisy stated folding her arms and scolding her mother.
Kaelie laughed, happy to see Maisy acting like her normal self.
"You are too grown up for your own good little sparrow"
MAisy stuck out her tongue and nuzzled into Kaelie's side coughing feebly. KAelie patted her back, clutching maisy tightly again, until the doctors came in to do some more tests now that the young girl was conscious.
Kaelie watched over her daughter, not wanting to leave her, and Ella had been back and forth with coffee and food, though KAelie could barely recall eating or even taking a drink, her mind too busy focused on Maisy.
"You should go back to your apartment and take a shower and get some fresh clothes, it'll make you feel better"
"What'll make me feel better is for my daughter to be out of hospital and healthy"
Ella ignored the hostility in Kaelie's tone, knowing it was her sister-in-law's textbook coping mechanism when she was upset.
"Go freshen up Kae, it won't take you long, and i'll stay here and call you if anything happens when your gone."
Ella stated sternly, and Kaelie was forced to agree. With a sigh she nodded her head.
"I have no idea why my brother liked you, you're so bossy"
Kaelie grumbled, kissing a sleeping Maisy on the head before leaving to go home and shower.
In record time she had showered, blow-dried her hair and had changed into sweatpants and a faded red waffle knit tank top which she had tied in a knot around her waist. She was securing her hair into a sloppy braid when someone knocked on her door. Frowning she shook her wrist to loosen the electrum wire she always had looped around it, and she slowly moved towards the door. Opening it carefully KAelie sighed seeing it was one of the agents whose name had escaped her.
"Oh it's you."
"Miss Blackburn-"
The agent began but Kaelie cut him off as she slipped her feet into a pair of black distressed chucks.
"Sorry, but you caught me at a bad time, i'm actually heading back out so whatever it is Waller want's it can wait"
She tried to sidestep him and escape through the door but he blocked her exit, looking apologetic.
"Waller told me you needed to come right away, and that i had to make sure you didn't run off"
"Yeah well i've got a sick daughter to get to"
She growled out, glaring at him as he pulled her by the arm towards the car.
"Ella has been informed that you've been called in for work, and Waller asked the hospital to notify us of any change in your daughter's condition."
Kaelie, complied begrudgingly, slipping into the backseat of the car, though she knew that as soon as she arrived at the A.R.G.U.S building she'd end up blowing a gasket.
When she stepped into the building Kaelie angrily made her way to Amanda's office, shoving past the agents that were in the room.
"Care to explain why it's so important that i be here? Because i would just love to know what it is that takes precedence over my daughter that is dying!" She yelled out, causing Amanda's jaw to stiffen and the agents in the room to flinch.
"Leave us"
Amanda ordered them and a a fuming Kaelie was instantly left alone with her.
"You are being over emotional Kaelie"
"Oh yes, because god forbid i appear angry that i'm being pulled away from my daughter who could die at any moment, or feel sad."
"Kaelie, i understand that you are concerned for your daughter but we have our best scientists and doctors working on helping her-"
"Really because so for you managed to do nothing but make her worse. I only accepted my job here because you told me you could save her, and what have you done? Nothing."
Kaelie shook her head and but back her tears.
"I want out waller, i'm sick of doing your dirty work and getting nothing in return, if nothing can save my daughter then i want to be with her in her last moments, than hear about it from someone else."
KAelie started to walk out the door, surprising Amanda for a brief moment, since the woman had not expected it, before her cool, business like mask replaced her features.
"Miss Blackburn"
Amanda spoke sharply, bringing Kaelie's footsteps to a halt.
"What" The younger woman hissed out her eyes burning with anger.
"You won't leave us"
Kalei laughed shortly.
"Won't i?"
"No you won't. Because you will do whatever it is to ensure your daughter has a life"
"What are you saying?" Kaelie frowned at the knowing glint in Amanda's eyes.
"You'll complete the mission you're on, find out what Brody Arden is up to, and then when the time is right we'll bring him in. And once we have him, we can make him create a cure for maisy, because i have a feeling he knows just how to do it."
Amanda smirked victoriously, knowing full well that she had Kaelie's place in the organisation secured.
Kaelie bit onto her lip to stop the profanities from slipping out and she growled in annoyance, at the fact that amanda had one over her again.
"I'll complete the mission dn do whatever you say up until then, but after and when my daughters cured, i'm serious i don't want to be a part of this anymore."
"Let's wait till the time come and you're no longer throwing a childish temper tantrum, then we'll talk about your future at A.R.G.U.S"
Amanda stated cooly, though Kaelie could sense the underlying threat.
"Tomorrow you'll be back at the university to secure an invite to that secret society, so i suggest you prepare yourself"
Amanda spoke as if it was business as usual, which made Kaelie furious. Like hell was she going to act like nothing was wrong. Feeling like screeching she stormed out of the office, slamming the door shut violently.
After yelling at amanda kaelie headed back to her workshop she had no intention to work and she was furious, and then on top of that, terrified for her daughter. She had tried to put on a brave face, but after last night she just couldn't bring herself to do it anymore. She had screamed at lyla when the woman had stopped by to try and comfort her, but Kaelie had kicked her out saying she didn not want or need anyone's pity.
She had tried to distract herself by playing her music ear-achingly loud and tried to distract herself by completing mindless tasks like programming computer chips and soldering wire. She lost track of how many times her fingers were burned and electrocuted, due to her distracted mind, but she didn't care about the pain, in fact she welcomed it, she would take this pain over the pain of seeing her daughter hurt and fighting for her life any day.
With the added frustration of not being able to complete the simplest of task properly Kaelie need to vent on something and she shoved one of the workbench, sending papers and metal shattering to the floor.
Somewhere along the line she'd started drinking, in a bid to numb herself from her feelings. From starting with pouring generous amounts into glasses she moved onto drinking straight from the bottle, draining every last drop from every bottle she could find.
In her more than a little tipsy state she had started to clean her workshop, an obvious sign she was not herself since never liked to clean.
Kaelie alternated from cigarettes to alcohol, slipping into old bad habits to try and ease her anxiety.
"Get out"
Kaelie shouted feebly, upon hearing the door to her workshop slide open, assuming it was Lyla coming to babysit her and stop her from doing anything more stupid.
She fumbled with trying to unscrew the lid of the next alcoholic drink she had lined up, her fingers shaking as she attempted to get it open.
Frustrated with her struggle she growled in annoyance and tossed the bottle across the room causing it to explode into fractals of glass shards as it hit the wall.
"Coulda saved me a glass first Dove"
"Go away" She sighed, slipping into the back room and slid to the floor putting her hands in her face to avoid him. The last thing she needed was him teasing her when she was an absolute wreck.
When she heard his footsteps following her she groaned, not moving her hands.
"Please just, just get out, seriously you're not even supposed to be here"
In an attempt to try and cheer her up he grinned devilishly and shrugged.
"I go a lot of places i'm not supposed to be"
"So i've heard" She muttered through her hands, slowly pulling them away when she felt him sit down beside her.
"I heard you give Waller an earful"
"i'm pretty sure everyone did, i yell rather loudly"
"Can't say i disagree there"
Deadshot agreed, and Kaelie managed a small smile.
"So you got a kid huh?"
Lawton asked, remembering what he had heard when she was screaming at Waller.
Kaelie nodded mumbling a small 'yeah'
Lawton raised an eyebrow in surprise, not expecting it since never thought of her as the sort to be a mother.
"How old?"
"She's 5"
Finding herself feeling uneasy over what he might think of her after finding out she had had a kid so young she turned hostile, pulling herself up from her feet and speaking sharply.
"Whatever you're thinking of saying go ahead and say it, it's probably nothing i haven't already heard of it, and it's not like i'll remember it tomorrow anyway"
"Amanda sure knows what she's looking for in the people that work for her huh?"
Seeing the confusion on Kaelie's face he explained further.
"I got a daughter too"
Remembering the photographs that were pinned to the wall in Lawton's cell, Kaelie connected the dots.
"Oh"
Was all she managed out, unable to think of anything coherent, since he had surprised her by divulging to her about his personal life.
"Dumb question, but how are you feeling Dove?"
He asked, when she suddenly turned away from him, her lip quivering slightly.
After a long inhale she turned to him, rolling her eyes.
"It is a stupid question."
She slurred slightly, as if suddenly remembering she was intoxicated.
"But since you asked so nice i'll humour you"
After another sigh she began to speak again.
"I'm sad and i'm angry and i'm scared. but i'm wasted so right now i feel ok, well as okay as any highly intoxicated woman with a dying daughter and a selfish cow for a boss, is supposed to feel."
Feeling tears begin to build up again she tapped her hands against her sides to distract herself, biting her lip also.
"Can we, can you talk about about something else or distract, me just something, i really don't want to start crying again, but i am going to so.."
She started rambling, her voice quivering as she tried to restrain herself, and Lawton interrupted her, doing as she asked.
"You know it's a nice place you got here Dove, real cozy. you're a terrible decorator though"
He smirked, gesturing toward the upturned table and smashed bottle.
KAelie smiled appreciating the change in topic and she swatted his arm, laughing halfheartedly.
"Oh shut it, i was thinking of redecorating anyways."