Four
The rest of the shuttle ride went on smoothly. Emily found herself sitting beside McCoy while his hand clutched hers. He was struggling not to throw up the remaining contents of alcohol while Kirk tried figuring out who the woman known as Uhura sitting behind them was. The whole thing was amusing at best, if not annoying when Kirk would try and drag her into the conversation.
One withering look from McCoy was all it took for Kirk to quickly backpedal, though not without earning a nudge from her. History taught her how he would act around men who hit on her whenever they'd gone out together. At the time he and Pamela would have been married, or they would have just considered themselves friends going out for drinks after his divorce, he would often get frustrated or angry over the fact that other men were trying to hit on her around whenever they were together. The whole thing had been hilarious to watch.
Of course, the situation didn't get much better when McCoy suddenly threw up on Kirk's shoes. Emily almost laughed at the way Kirk jumped in disgust, followed by an apologetic McCoy. Once he calmed down enough she knew it wouldn't be long before he spilled the last contents of alcohol from his stomach. Fortunately the rest of the shuttle ride went on in relative silence.
She could feel McCoy's emotions running haywire when it finally reached the hangar bay in San Francisco. His hand clutched hers tighter than ever as it rocked back and forth due to an updraft. McCoy swore under his breath and ground his teeth together just as the shuttle finally landed.
Kirk watched him with a mixture of amusement and disgust. After his shoes were pretty much ruined, Emily couldn't blame him for feeling that way. She'd dealt with agents who had similar reactions in the past. Whether it was through their first mission or if they had too much alcohol, either way, it all ended the same.
"I've never put much faith into those metal death heaps," McCoy grumbled once they were cleared to leave. She couldn't hide the sheepish grin that followed as she gave him a playful nudge, earning an indignant glare in the process. "I don't know why you or your Pa ever used them so much."
"Unlike you or the rest of your family, we've learned to adapt," she reminded him with a pointed look. Her smirk widened when she caught Kirk glancing in their direction curiously. She knew what he was wondering: Whether or not they were a couple or if they'd just known each other so well. Both implications were technically true. "Besides, it's fun to watch you squirm, Leonard."
As the rest of the new recruits climbed out of the shuttle, Emily and McCoy walked alongside each other. It didn't take long for Kirk to follow them shortly after. Emily rose an eyebrow in amusement as she caught the look he threw them. She was relieved the weather cooperated that day; clouds obscured the sun, but it was pleasantly warm with little humidity in the air.
"Sorry 'bout the shoes," McCoy finally acknowledged Kirk once he caught up with them.
Kirk merely looked at the shoes that were soiled before tossing them into a nearby trash bin. As Emily swung her duffel bag over her shoulder, she glanced at her com in time to see that Clint had already sent a message. The archer reluctantly agreed to join her that morning to help out with whatever needed to be taken care of with the recruitment office.
She was thankful she didn't have to go through the placement testing. SHIELD was already one step ahead and had already sent her scores, along with whatever accommodations would be needed. She had a feeling that Director Fury would've gone through with sending those scores regardless of what her answer was.
Imagine his surprise if I had declined his offer, she thought bitterly.
She wished that she could be defiant towards that assignment, especially after everything she went through in the past. But she knew better than to deny the orders of her superior officers. Fury was one person she would rather avoid pissing off, even if it was fun at times to get a reaction out of him.
"I needed to get a new pair anyways," he replied with a shrug. There was a pause as they trailed after the group of new recruits headed to what Emily assumed was Starfleet Academy. Ahead, she could see a crop of large buildings towering over them. She knew the main branch of Starfleet took over much of San Francisco. There was still the beach and the shopping district, along with a sector where civilians lived and went to work. But this was the main hub of it all. "How is it the two of you aren't a couple?"
Emily knew he was watching their behavior. From the way they worked around each other to the way their hands would reach for one another. They displayed the obvious signs of a couple, or at least they had previously been a couple. Either way, Kirk's confusion was amendable. She understood why he was so confused and why he was trying to figure out what they were.
"Well, it ain't as if he's wrong," McCoy rolled his eyes in exasperation.
"I'm pretty sure Papa would be the first in line to leave your corpse on display," she retorted with a snort of annoyance. Kirk just looked at the two of them when he realized she was being dead serious. "And if he doesn't then Clint will likely use you for target practice."
McCoy didn't even look surprised with the death threats on his head. Emily knew in the back of her mind that she would never allow anything like that to happen. But she imagined Coulson, Clint or Tony pulling off that stunt. Natasha would likely be indifferent to whether or not they started seeing each other again.
She wasn't sure how Maria would react… the brunette had always been supportive of their relationship, but that all changed when McCoy betrayed her to Pamela. She pushed those thoughts aside. The last thing she wanted was to focus on the possibilities of running into such problems, even though she was becoming increasingly aware of how much closer they were.
"I take it you're all close?" Kirk asked.
He was genuinely curious. Emily shared a knowing look with McCoy. She had a feeling that Kirk would somehow work his way into their lives whether they wanted it or not. After realizing who his father was, she was left with a painful reminder of what had happened on the Kelvin. And it was only until after thinking of that when she felt McCoy's hand reach for hers.
"I have a rather large and unique family," she finally explained. She chewed the bottom of her lip as she thought of how to explain herself and the rest of her 'family'. "The rest is complicated."
McCoy only snorted at that, though he didn't bother pointing out the obvious. Emily threw him a withering look when she guessed what he was thinking. Tony and Clint were practically brothers to her. They had always looked out for her despite the crap she pulled on them.
When Tony had been attacked by Ivan Vanko during his fiasco with the arch reactor, she'd been there to help pull him through that spiral. Natasha was the one who'd been assigned as a liaison to him and his company, but Emily was the one who worked in the background to make sure he didn't go down the same path she did.
It hadn't taken Tony long to figure out why she was so determined to help him through that mess. After what she went through, she wouldn't wish that kind of pain on anyone, self-inflicted or not. Tony hadn't missed the fact that she went out of her way to help him, in fact, he was grateful that someone cared so much for him.
Fortunately they didn't have time to dwell on the subject when they finally reached the main campus of Starfleet Academy. A group of Cadets dressed in red were standing in the main courtyard, while another sea of recruits were gathering in the placement office. One newcomer in particular caught her attention. Emily glanced at McCoy warily, not missing the scathing glare Clint threw him.
"Give me one goddamn reason why I shouldn't shoot you on the spot right now?" he snapped after closing the distance between them.
Piercing blue eyes met a pair of hazel eyes. Despite the fear that everyone else showed around them, McCoy wasn't afraid. Though Emily swallowed hard when she realized he should have been. She knew full-well Clint wouldn't hesitate to follow through on his threat. He wasn't above breaking the rules like herself. Kirk just stared at the trio with renewed interest; it was obvious to him what was happening.
"Clint, this isn't the time or the place to pull off any death threats," she fired back without missing a beat. She didn't bother giving him the chance to recover from his initial surprise when she walked right up to him, ignoring the look of surprise Kirk gave them. "As far as I am concerned, Leonard is under my protection and you will have to go through me. And believe me when I say that's the last thing you want."
Her eyes narrowed dangerously when Clint glared back. It was clear he wanted to keep arguing when he seemed to think better. His jaw clenched as he looked between Emily and McCoy, not missing the way McCoy stiffened in surprise at her last comment. Even he knew not to cross her when it came to threatening the people she cared about. Still, that didn't stop him from raising his chin defiantly at the archer.
When Clint didn't bother carrying the argument, Emily let out a sigh of frustration and pulled McCoy to the side. She had a feeling that whatever was said between them would only end in an argument. Clint wasn't afraid to put anyone in their place, and McCoy was equally as stubborn. Putting the two of them in a room together wouldn't end well for anyone, especially when she was involved in said argument.
"That went better than expected," he let out a sigh of frustration once they were out of ear-shot. Emily pinched the bridge of her nose as she glanced in Clint's direction. She was grateful he hadn't tried pulling off any stunts… she knew she could easily fend him off, but it would mean giving away her position and hurting those around them. She wasn't in any hurry to let something like that happen. "You weren't kidding about the death threats."
"Like I said, Clint's been very… protective ever since this all happened," she let out a sigh of her own and looked down at the ground guiltily. "I knew he would pull off that stunt sooner or later… I just didn't expect him to pull it off here at the Academy."
"Knowing him he was waiting for the right opportunity," McCoy muttered crossly. Emily couldn't help but flinch when he suddenly lifted her chin carefully with his fingers so their eyes met. "Darlin', the last thing I want is to get between you and everyone at the agency."
She was ready to say something else when her com suddenly went off. Emily let out a sigh of frustration when she realized her adviser was trying to get a hold of her. The meeting she had scheduled was about to start, and she preferred being on time. Though if she was being honest with herself, she wanted nothing more than to forget about enlisting in the Academy.
"I have to get going," she murmured. It wasn't until feeling a pair of arms pull her into a warm embrace that Emily found herself burying her face into his shoulder. "Stay with Kirk… it looks like he could use a good friend here."
She allowed herself a rare smile as their eyes met once more. She knew he wasn't any happier with the idea of sticking around with some kid than she was of dealing with her new adviser. About the only consolation they had at that point was that they had each other. McCoy suddenly took her by surprise by kissing her on the forehead, brushing his fingers along her cheek tenderly before reluctantly pulling away.
It took a few seconds for her to register that he'd kissed her in front of Clint. One withering glare from the archer was all it took for her to guess what was running through his head. Thankfully he didn't say anything as she reached him, though not without receiving another glare. She knew he would never forgive McCoy, and a small part of her understood why.
"You know damn well why this has 'bad idea' of the year written all over it," Clint muttered once they were far enough away from Kirk and McCoy. "We all saw what you went through when that asshole pretty much abandoned you."
"Clint, please just stop," she let out another sigh of frustration when she realized he wasn't about to let it go anytime soon. She shook her head when he scoffed at her reluctance to carry on the argument. "I know you and Papa would be the first to get in line and do whatever it takes to get your revenge on Leonard, but even I know that's not the right answer."
Clint pursed his lips together as he took the time to process what she meant by that. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew she was right.
"You realize I'm not the only one who's gonna see this as a bad idea, right?" he snapped when they finally reached the administration's building.
"I'm well aware of what Papa will say, and of what Tony will say when he finds out," she replied without missing a beat. "It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks… it's my happiness that matters."
The archer didn't bother pointing out the fact that McCoy had once taken away that happiness. The silence that followed was unnerving. Emily glanced up in time to see that a large memorial display was set up in the main lobby of the building. The statue itself was that of the USS Kelvin. A shiver of unease swept through her when she saw the list of names that were etched within a bronze plate underneath the statue.
She didn't miss the wary look Clint threw her when he noticed her shaken appearance. It was only until his eyes landed on her name among those whose lives were taken that he understood her reaction. She stiffened when he suddenly took hold of her hand and gave it a light squeeze. She gratefully returned the gesture, knowing full-well he didn't need to go out of his way after the way she'd responded earlier.
Neither of them wanted to dwell on the topic. Emily led the way to her adviser's office. He'd sent her the room number the other day after they went back and forth about scheduling and everything else. Her own accommodations had been set to work within lecture halls as needed. She would attend classes like any other Cadet, but if she was needed by the agency, she could still submit her work online and keep in touch with her instructors that way as well. It was better that way. It gave her more flexibility both at the Academy and at the agency, and it also meant she would be busier than usual.
Emily paused in her stride when she saw the name of who her adviser happened to be. His name had been blocked during their chat sessions VIA data PADD. The last thing she expected was to recognize the name of said adviser. She couldn't help but frown when she saw him waiting for her outside his office.
The man himself just stared at her for a few seconds, as if he was trying to piece two and two together. For a moment, words were lost on her when she saw how much older he was. Of course he would have gotten older. That time on the USS Atlantis had been twenty years ago. She suddenly found herself wondering if he recognized who she was through his time on the Atlantis.
"Miss Coulson, it's a pleasure to finally meet you in person," he greeted her once he recovered. Emily rose an eyebrow in amusement as she caught Clint looking between them. The archer hadn't missed how the older man's eyes seemed to widen when he saw her approach. "When we sent messages on the PADD I expected you to be here earlier."
"Apologies, sir," she replied without missing a beat. "I ran into a little trouble before getting here, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle."
She added the last part with a glance towards Clint, who rolled his eyes in response.
"And who might this be?" Captain Christopher Pike looked between her and Clint once he led the way inside.
"Temporary escort," the archer replied before she could. "Once this mess is figured out I'm getting back to my family."
She nearly rolled her eyes at his callous response, though she didn't bother letting him get to her.
"Now, after receiving copies of your scores and your IQ test it's clear you're more than adequate for Starfleet," Pike decided to get straight to the point. Emily watched in amusement as he went through the basic material she'd already heard over a dozen times. "With that being said, do you know what field you want to be placed in?"
That was something she hadn't taken into consideration. Director Fury had assigned her to enlist in Starfleet so she could acquire information on the Federation. She knew that would mean years of gathering intel at the Academy and well beyond that. Yet it also meant giving her an opportunity to see what life was like at the Academy.
"I was thinking of going into the field as a Liaison," she replied hesitantly.
"Are you sure about that? Studying as a Liaison means you'll have to work twice as hard as any other Cadet and likely twice as long," Pike warned her.
"I think I'll let my scores speak for themselves," she crossed her arms and looked him right in the eye.
She knew that was a risk in itself. Pike's brows furrowed together in surprise, as if he recognized something he shouldn't have. A few seconds of tense, awkward silence followed as they sized each other up. She knew if he recognized her through the Atlantis, she would likely lose everything in that moment. A small twitch of his lips told her everything she needed to know. But almost as soon as that happened, he regained his composure and straightened up.
"Alright, most of your classes are assigned to you for the morning," he explained after typing away on his data PADD. "I assume from the notes I received that you have your own place? It's unusual for first years to be that lucky. Most would want the whole experience."
"I'd rather not have to deal with a roommate right away," she admitted when she let that information sink in.
She was well aware of the fact that SHIELD had offered an apartment right off of the main campus. It was close enough to one of the SHIELD facilities and to the main campus that if an emergency were to arise, she could reach it within seconds. She could tell from the curiosity sweeping across those eyes that Pike wanted to ask more, but he refrained from doing so.
Once that was established, Pike offered a map explaining where orientation was being held and where to pick up everything she would need for classes. Her shoulders sank with relief once she accepted the accommodations. She wasn't in any hurry to explain why she couldn't share a room with someone else, let alone a Starfleet Cadet.
"So, you wanna explain what happened back there?" Emily rose an eyebrow when Clint finally spoke up, not missing the way she and Pike had been scrutinizing each other throughout their meeting. "Seems like the two of you already knew each other."
"He was a First Officer at the time my parents worked aboard the USS Atlantis," she rolled her eyes in exasperation. It was Clint's turn to blink in surprise as he realized what she meant by that. "I'm not sure if he recognized me through that incident…"
"Well, if he was a First Officer and he knew your parents than he likely did recognize you," the archer muttered crossly. Emily grimaced at the thought of having to explain to Pike how she suddenly came back from the dead. "Even if that is the case, it's none of his business."
Emily snorted at his comment, though that didn't stop a familiar fear from worming its way into her stomach. She knew Pike hadn't been the best description of how people acted on Starships. But in his defense, he'd been close friends with her father at the time. She couldn't help but wonder if that would all change if he saw what her father had put her through.
She tried pushing those thoughts aside as she looked through the crowd of Cadets gathered outside the main residential area. It wasn't until spotting a familiar figure among the crowd that she offered a rare smile. The moment her eyes met McCoy's was when she heard Clint let out a huff of annoyance.
"Go on ahead… I don't think I can deal with that asshole for more than a few seconds," he practically growled after glaring in McCoy's direction.
Emily held back a sigh of frustration as he turned and left without another word. She knew it would take time for him to get over the fact that they were friends again. She shook her head in annoyance as she reached McCoy within seconds, not missing the fact that he'd averted Clint's piercing glare.
"I'm beginning to see what you mean about Barton's death threats," he muttered once she reached him.
"Even if he does try and follow through with them, he'd have to get through me first," she retorted. McCoy's face softened when he realized what she was implying. The fact that she was willing to sacrifice a strong friendship for someone who'd ultimately betrayed her meant more than he would ever admit out loud. "You mean too much to me, Leonard."
It wasn't until admitting that out loud that she realized how true it was. He meant so much more to her than just another friend or another partner. She didn't have the right words to describe what he was to her. But the moment she said it was when his hand reached for hers once more, sending a thrill of electrical shockwaves between them.
"You know I sure as hell haven't done anything to deserve you," he reminded her with a pointed look.
By now most of the crowd had dispersed once the orientation was over. Emily couldn't hide the small smile that followed as their eyes met. Before he had the chance to make sense of what happened next, she suddenly leaned on her tiptoes and kissed him without hesitation.
"You are an idiot, Leonard," she snorted in amusement. McCoy threw her an incredulous look, though he didn't bother arguing as they headed for the mess hall. The mess hall itself was crowded with both new recruits and returning Cadets. They found an empty table near the back of the mess hall, much to Emily's relief. She'd ordered a small salad, with McCoy doing something similar along with a much needed cup of coffee. "Have you found out who your roommate is yet?"
"Take a wild guess," he rolled his eyes in annoyance as he glanced in a certain direction. Emily followed his gaze and smirked when she saw Kirk flirting with a couple of women. "Of all the people I had to get roomed with…"
"Take it from someone who's had to share a room at the other academy, either make friends with him or work horrendous hours," she nudged him playfully.
"I'd rather take the latter option," McCoy grumbled while jabbing a fork into his salad.
She struggled not to laugh at his expense, especially as Kirk approached them shortly after.
"I know we may have gotten off on the wrong foot, but I was hoping we could get tolerate each other throughout these next few years," he explained when he took a seat across from them.
He didn't bother pointing out the fact that they were sitting side-by-side. Emily took a thoughtful bite out of her salad as she listened. She knew McCoy would be hesitant. After all, he'd already gone through four years of med school with roommates before enlisting in Starfleet. To suddenly be thrown into this life just made it that much more complicated.
"So what are you enlisted for?" Emily decided to break the ice before McCoy could say something that would make things worse.
"Navigational and command," he replied with a shrug. Emily was hardly surprised with that notion. Given his father's history and the fact that he was likely a genius like his father, she knew he would likely follow in his father's footsteps. "So what about the two of you?"
"I'm just here to break the ice," Emily replied without missing a beat. She gave McCoy a nudge, not missing the eye-roll that followed. "Come on Leonard, indulge him a little."
"I've already got my PHD and my MD," he retorted while struggling to maintain his dignity. "Last thing I should have to deal with is another roommate for God only knows how long."
"Ah come on, Bones, it won't be that bad!"
One withering look from McCoy was all it took for Kirk to finally leave them. By now, Emily was smothering a fit of laughter as he rolled his eyes once more and looked at her indignantly. She knew this wasn't going to be easy for him. It seemed as though Kirk was getting a kick out of the situation as well, though he at least knew his limits.
"These next few years are gonna be hell," McCoy muttered under his breath.
"It's not gonna be that bad, Leonard," she rolled her eyes in amusement. "He's clearly in need of a friend."
"And you got that just from analyzing his behavior in the last five minutes?" he asked in disbelief.
"I've gotten all of that from knowing who he is," she replied with a straight face. Her face suddenly grew serious as she caught the look McCoy was giving her. "Something tells me this won't be the last time he tries worming his way into our lives."
She added the last part with a knowing smirk. McCoy let out a sigh of frustration when he realized what she was implying. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew she made a valid point. Regardless of how many times he tried complaining, Kirk would still be his roommate. Something told her that they would both need each other in the long-run.