Chapter two! I may not have the next chapter up for a few days cause I'm just getting back from Spring Break, I didn't go anywhere what with quarantines and all, but still...also I have to make 4 baby blankets for four different pregnant coworkers so there is that.

As always, please review :)

Swish!

Kate smiled as the basketball went through the net without ever touching the rim. She and Sam had been playing one on one basketball for the past hour and they were finally tied up. She really never played, or even watched basketball before she came to the compound, but Sam had taught her the finer points of the game and they played at least one game every Saturday. She was getting good, though she grudgingly admitted that Sam was still better at it.

"Alright." Sam said. "Next shot takes the game."

Kate grinned, feeling that giddy excitement of competitiveness as she followed his movements. She watched the ball cross from hand to hand and she seized a moment to steal, spinning to take the shot. Perfect aim or not, she was at a height disadvantage and Sam blocked her shot, quickly taking the opportunity to score.

"BOOM!" Sam called throwing his hands up in victory.

Kate stuck her tongue out at him with a pout but couldn't hold back a laugh.

As they grabbed water, they could hear a few more voices coming closer. Looking up, Kate saw Steve walking in with Bucky.

"Are you guys ready to get to work?" Steve asked, smiling.

Kate grinned, her muscles tensing in anticipation as Bucky tossed a wax staff in her direction. Catching it, she spun the staff easily.

…

Peter said bye to Happy and went toward the training area in the compound. May had reluctantly agreed to let him come out to the compound and he found he was excited about this. Following the steadily growing noise level, he found a small gathering of the Avengers that were present and not out on missions or other activities.

As he walked in, his gaze was immediately drawn up to where Wanda was using her powers to levitate nearly to the top of the high ceiling, Vision and Rhodey were also flying in the air. Peter knew Tony and Bruce were in the lab like always, so his attention was drawn towards the far end of the training area where Steve was standing, watching the activity on the mat. Peter's eyes widened as he took in the scene.

Kate was standing with a staff at the ready, Bucky and Sam, who each had a staff, were circling her looking for an opening. Sam was the first to move, striking out, but Kate quickly brought her staff up, blocking. Without pausing, she brought both of their staffs down, placing her foot on it so she could bring hers up to block Bucky, kicking off the ground to strike three times, high, low, middle, forcing Bucky back before she turned to catch Sam again, this time parrying and landing a hit to his back sending him stumbling.

Peter watched her spar with wide eyes. He had never seen her look so effortless, but also…beautiful. Her expression was practically glowing as she trained with the Falcon and Winter Soldier.

Steve, who had his arms crossed, watching with a careful eye noticed Peter before the occupants on the mat. He offered a nod; they were expecting him for training today before both of their heads snapped back to the mat after hearing a distinct smack.

Kate had stumbled, her hand raised to her temple. Bucky's eyes had widened, and Sam looked horrified. He had accidentally caught her with a lucky shot.

"Sam!" Bucky snapped.

Sam stepped forward. "My God, Kate I am so sorry!" He said.

"I'm fine." Kate said quickly with a smile as she looked up, though she kept her right eye closed like you would if you had a headache. "Really it's okay!"

Steve stepped forward. "Let me see." He instructed. At her sign of protest, he repeated firmly but kindly. "Let me see."

Kate signed and removed her hand, tilting her face up to the light as Steve gently moved her curls out of her face to reveal the rough split that went just slightly into her hairline. She rolled her eyes over the fuss.

"She's bleeding." Steve said. Sam's shoulders dropped a little. "But it's not deep." He looked at Kate. "You'll be fine."

Kate smiled. "Like I said." She quickly went to Sam and hugged him. "I'm fine Sam, it's okay."

Peter could tell Sam still felt bad, but Kate was clearly okay.

Stepping back, Kate turned and finally noticed the new addition and she immediately brightened. "Hey!" She ran over and wrapped her arms around his neck as his arms went around her waist (they were mindful not to show too much PDA in front of everyone else), and she kissed his cheek. "You made it!"

"Yeah." Peter smiled. "Finally. I think May is finally warming to the idea of me coming here more."

Understandably, his Aunt wasn't entirely okay with him being a superhero, but she was still accepting of it. However, Tony had earned her ire with enlisting him without telling her so that was a huge reason he didn't get to come here a lot because no matter how much he told her it wouldn't happen, she worried he would suddenly be taken to Europe or somewhere else with the Avengers. Thankfully, she still adored Kate.

Kate smiled.

"Alright you two!" Bucky's voice suddenly cut through the air, making the teens jump. "You're here to train, it's time to train."

Peter couldn't deny the sudden nerves at the amused expressions on the older men's faces.

Steve motioned for Peter to follow him onto the mat. With a glance at Kate, who smiled back at him, Peter followed.

…

Though the other Avengers had gone to find lunch, Kate stayed to watch the initial sparring session between Peter and Steve with a critical eye. In order to get a proper test of where Peter was at, they needed someone who could handle Peter's overall strength without being confined to a suit of armor and who could offer real time correction, Steve was the best choice.

Peter had been learning, she'd be lying if she said she wasn't impressed with the improvements that she saw from Germany and even from just a six months ago with the Vulture, but he could still be a little more refined.

He was a quick study though and every time Steve stopped to give him some instruction, she could see Peter absorbing it seriously and he made adjustments moving forward.

After about 45 minutes, Steve stopped the exercise. "You're good kid, but Kate is right you rely a lot on your senses to save you at the last minute." He said. "If you want to work on it, I think it would be great for you to go through some training here."

"That would be great." Peter said, still a little awestruck at talking with Captain America.

Steve nodded with a smile and opened his mouth to say something else when FRIDAY broke the silence overhead.

"Captain Rogers, you're needed in the conference room." The AI announced.

Steve sighed. "I'll be right back." He said.

Kate watched him leave before walking over to grab her water bottle. She took a drink before pulling her light sweater over her head, leaving her in workout leggings and a tank top. Turning as she tied the sweater in a tight knot around her waist, she smiled as she caught Peter looking away quickly.

…

Peter didn't mean to stare, but he knew that Kate had caught him. The light had been coming in through the windows perfectly and Peter found himself wishing that he had his camera to capture the image.

"Come on." She instructed as she walked back out onto the mat, her bare feet not making a sound as she moved.

"Aren't we gonna wait for—"

Kate spun, a mischievous look in her eyes. "Come on. You have time to look for camera shots you have time to train." She knew him too well.

The first time he had taken a picture of her, she had been a little freaked out (inner spy, covert life on the run and all) but she had gotten used to it the more she warmed up to him and now she posed easily. It caused a warm feeling to spread in his chest to know that she trusted him more now.

"Alright." Kate said facing him. "Take a swing at me."

That caused a brief misfire in his brain. "Wh—What?" He asked in shock.

Kate smiled. "I don't mean actually hit me." She replied patiently. "I want to show you something."

Peter still hesitated.

"I trust you." Kate replied in a gentle tone as she touched his arm, eyes wide and imploring.

"Okay." Peter said.

Yep, that was pretty easy.

She stepped back taking up a loose stance. "Okay, just go slow." She said. "I want to explain this as we go. Aim for my head."

Peter did as he was told, as his fist got close, she placed her hands at strategic points on his arm.

"So, if you can bring them in close, you can give them a false sense of security that they have you." She said positioning her shoulder against his. "Just make sure you're quick enough that they don't actually grab you."

Peter was listening so closely to her words that he missed the extra pressure she placed until it was too late, and his feet had left the ground. Before he knew it, he was on his back and she was now on top of him. His brain short circuited again.

"I know I couldn't keep you here." Kate said with a smile. "But I want to show you how you could immobilize a target if they matched you in strength."

"Right." Peter said, swallowing nervously. "Yeah."

…

It was funny making him squirm, and if she was honest the tight t-shirt was a little distracting, but Kate really did have a point to this. She got off and they spent the next twenty minutes going over multiple ways to restrain, break holds, and even choke someone out if needed.

"Okay, are you ready to try this again?" Kate asked as they stood facing each other.

"Yeah." Peter replied. "I think I got this."

They sparred at half speed and he actually managed to get her off her feet, both landing on the mat as he pinned her.

Kate grinned brightly. "Good job!" She said watching him smile. She quickly hooked her leg around his and used the momentum to roll them, so she was now pinning him, her hands and knees placed above joints preventing him from moving despite his far superior strength. "But I now have you right where I want you."

She leaned down and pressed a kiss to his lips, pulling back after a second to smile down at him as she released pressure on his joints allowing him more movement.

He sat up as she swung her leg over so she could sit alongside him; he pulled her close to give her a chaste kiss. "I can hear the others coming back." He said.

With a sigh, Kate pulled back as Peter stood up before letting him pull her to her feet. "Let's go get lunch." She said. "We have pizza left over."

The grabbed their stuff and went to towards the main kitchen to get food.

Peter looked at her. "So, when will you be coming back to stay in at the condo?" He asked.

Kate shrugged. "Whenever Clint or Natasha come back, I guess." She replied carefully.

She hadn't said much about it, but she was starting to really worry. This was the longest that she hadn't had contact with either of them in a long time.

Peter furrowed his brow looking worried. She was about to offer a reassuring statement, but she noticed that his eyes weren't completely trained on her, he was looking down the hall.

Glancing over she saw the conference room at the end of the hall, the door slightly ajar. She could see people inside; looking back at Peter, she frowned. "What can you hear?" She asked.

"Mr. Stark is talking about Natasha." He said.

Kate looked back. "What is he saying?" She asked.

Peter squinted in concentration. "He's saying, 'it was only supposed to be a three-day mission', Steve is there." He furrowed his brow, listening harder. "Something about meeting Clint. Ending it?"

Kate froze, her dread growing more and more as she listened.

"Kate, what does all that mean?" Peter asked looking at her worriedly.

"I'm not sure." She replied, quickly smoothing out her expression. "Don't worry about it, I'm sure it's Avengers business and we don't get know."

He looked far from convinced but he let it drop as she grabbed his hand and pulled him to the kitchen.

…

Kate was sitting on her bed that night when there was a knock at her door. Closing the screen on her Starkpad, she looked up as Bucky opened the door. "Hey." She said with a smile. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, just checking on you." He said. "You normally aren't up this late."

She shrugged. "I'm just finishing up a history report." She said indicating her textbook on the bed. "I'm going to bed."

Bucky nodded.

"Hey Bucky." She called before he could close the door. He looked at her. "Any word on Clint or Nat?"

There it was. The ever so brief pause. "Natasha's mission got extended a few more days." He said. "Nothing from Clint yet."

Kate nodded but she felt a pit form in her stomach. "Okay." She said. "Oh, before I forget, I have to be at the school a little early on Monday. We have a fieldtrip to MoMA; I didn't say anything because I figured Nat would have been back by now."

"Okay." Bucky said. "We'll make sure you're there. Good night."

"Night." She called as he closed the door.

Once she was alone, her smile faded as she turned the screen of her Starkpad back on and she pulled up the footage from the conference room.