Seven
Her heart was racing with dread at the thought of how she would explain the situation to McCoy. When she returned late the other night neither were in the mood to talk about it. McCoy had spent the night at the dorms since she returned so late and Kirk had been otherwise occupied. It gave her the chance to think of what she would say when they met up the following morning.
She couldn't blame him for feeling so concerned over sharing a 'bond' with anyone, especially one that had the potential to invade his privacy. She chewed the bottom of her lip guiltily after realizing this was something they should have talked about sooner. When she tried bringing it up at the ICU he wanted nothing to do with her, and she couldn't blame him for feeling that way. It wasn't as if he'd asked for that kind of life, or to suddenly be forced into a life-bond with anyone.
"So what? We can read each other's thoughts now?" McCoy finally cut through the tense, awkward silence as they walked side-by-side.
They were headed for the coffee shop they normally visited every morning before classes. Once classes started they made it a daily routine to visit the coffee shop. Not only did it give them a chance to talk before heading for classes, it also gave them the chance to take a breath during the chaotic week at the Academy. Even though she had gotten used to the daily routine involved with Starfleet Academy, that didn't mean she wanted a break from that stress.
"I'm still trying to work out the kinks and everything, but that about sums it up," she explained with a shrug. She could tell from his body language that he was anything but happy. Her heart sank a little at the thought of what she would do if he wanted nothing to do with the bond. She wasn't sure what she would do if he chose to push her away after this. "I never intended for this to happen in the first place… if there's a way for me to sever the bond than I—"
"Emily, you need to breathe," McCoy reminded her with a look of concern. Emily flinched when he finally glanced at her, brows furrowed together with concern after noticing how tense she was. He let out a sigh of frustration and rubbed the back of his neck warily. "Look, I'm not angry over the idea of sharing a telepathic bond… strange as that sounds." He paused to give his answer some thought, and Emily could feel the mixture of emotions sweeping through him in that moment. "I'm not sure if I deserve a bond with you of all people."
Emily couldn't help but frown. She knew he blamed himself for what happened to her during their time apart. He felt guilty for ruining what they once had. She found herself wondering what their lives would have been like if he had been willing to overlook her own problems. She suddenly took hold of his hand and gave it a light squeeze, ignoring the look of surprise that followed.
"I can't think of anyone I'd rather put my trust in, Leonard," she reassured him with a faint smile. He let out an intake of breath after realizing just how much he meant to her. "I'm just surprised you're willing to accept it, all things considered."
"Darlin', after everything that's happened this ain't exactly a surprise," he snorted in amusement. "Besides, it makes it easier for me to figure out what's going on in that head of yours."
She just rolled her eyes at that, though it didn't stop her from grinning like an idiot.
"You're my Imzadi, Leonard," she admitted sheepishly.
The world felt strange to her, yet it was also familiar. She'd used it before during moments of intimacy, but never while they were out in the public. This was the first time she felt a real electrical surge when she said the word, especially as her hand was still wrapped in his. His thoughts were louder and his emotions were louder. It was clear how he felt, and to her surprise, he was genuinely curious about the bond they shared.
"Imzadi has a different meaning to you, doesn't it?" he asked after they reached the coffee shop and ordered their drinks.
It had been little more than a couple of weeks since they enlisted and the baristas had already gotten familiar with them. Emily snorted at the thought of people starting rumors on the two Starfleet Cadets that visited the cafe every morning. She knew they weren't the only allegedly established couples at the Academy, but it was a rare occurrence.
Once they finished taking their orders and paid for their coffee – the barista already knew what to expect from them at that point – they left wordlessly. She knew she had to explain a lot more than what the bond itself meant. Boundaries would need to be made to protect themselves from outside interference, and each other.
"I've heard other species describe it as 'Soulmate'," she said quietly. "But to me it has a deeper meaning."
McCoy's brows furrowed together in deep thought as he took in this new information. She knew it would take time for them to adjust to it all. A shiver of unease crawled through her when she found herself wondering if he would ever fully accept what just happened. While he seemed okay with it, his body language told her a different story. She desperately wanted to pick at his emotions and read them, but she knew better than to cross that line without his permission.
"Like I said before, I'm not entirely opposed to the idea of sharing my thoughts with yours," he reassured her once again. Emily merely rose an eyebrow in surprise as she took a sip of her coffee. She was grateful for his acceptance. It meant more than she would ever admit out loud. Then again, she didn't need to. McCoy could read it along her face, alluding to the fact that she had been worried over his reaction. Her shoulders sank with relief. For the first time since starting this venture with Starfleet, she felt a real sense of relief over the fact that they'd talked about their bond. "I guess this is where we part ways."
It didn't take long for them to reach the SHIELD base. It was disguised as a regular building among the dozens of skyscrapers surrounding them. The base itself was designed in a way for agents to recuperate from missions or meet up. There were thousands of bases across the world that all operated in similar ways. This one was no different, and the security surrounding said building was tight.
"Unfortunately," she let out a sigh as she leaned further into him. "I'm still not sure how I'm going to handle the situation with Captain Rogers… I mean, he's practically the world's greatest hero, and Papa pretty much had a man-crush on him."
If he wasn't smirking before, he was now at her joke. Many of the nights they'd spent together at their place had revolved around those stories. She could still remember showing him the collection Coulson tried hiding from her. While McCoy had been thoroughly impressed with the collection back in the day, he'd grown from that. Still, that didn't stop him from dwelling on those happier memories of when they were younger.
"Knowing you you'll be great at it," he replied without missing a beat. Emily rose an eyebrow in amusement as her eyes met his once more. "I'll see you tonight."
"Deal," she whispered after kissing him without hesitation.
Her heart fluttered a little when they reluctantly parted ways. She knew it wouldn't be easy trying to move on after that. But at least now they had something to work on besides rekindling their relationship. She let out a sigh of contentment once she was inside the SHIELD base. Though her contentment was short-lived when she spotted Maria waiting for her at the main lobby. The brunette had clearly watched the whole thing judging by the amusement and annoyance written across her face.
"That was quite the display you offered," she remarked once Emily reached her. "I'm surprised Coulson or Barton didn't try killing him after seeing him again."
"Oh, Clint's tried already," Emily rolled her eyes in response. Maria just smirked in amusement at the thought of Clint getting away with that tactic. "Papa was surprisingly more agreeable than Clint… I think even he realizes that I'll just go behind his back anyways. Leonard means too much for me to just ignore him for the rest of my life."
"Considering the lengths you've gone to protect him, I'm not entirely surprised," Maria replied as she led the way further inside. The base itself was oddly quiet. It was used mostly for agents who needed to restock or rest while on the move. Emily had only been to this base once or twice in her lifetime… truthfully she hadn't been planning on returning. "Just remember what Phil said: If he tries hurting you again, it won't end well for anyone involved."
Oh, I'm well aware of what will happen if that occurs, she reminded herself silently.
"So where's the asset in question?" she finally changed the subject.
"He's been waiting anxiously," Maria explained. She gestured towards one stranger in particular pacing about a set of couches placed in the center of a smaller room. Emily rose an eyebrow in surprise as she noticed how eerily familiar he seemed. "I arrived here with him a few days ago to get him adjusted. It's up to you to get him up to speed on what he's missed."
Emily pursed her lips together as they reached the man in question.
Captain Rogers was unlike anyone she had ever seen in person. His shoulders were broader and wider than anyone she had ever seen. Muscles protruded his shirt, though he did his best to try and hide them. What caught her attention though was his eyes. They were blue, though they weren't nearly as vibrant as Kirk's eyes. What took her by surprise was the flecks of green she saw within those blue eyes, a telltale sign of the Super Soldier Serum.
"Captain Rogers, this is Agent Coulson," Maria introduced her as the Captain turned to look at them.
Emily eyed him curiously as she caught him eyeing them suspiciously. She wondered how often people regarded him in a similar aspect. Considering he'd only just been revived from the ice, it was clear he was still struggling to adjust to today's world. She couldn't help but feel sorry for him. It wasn't as if he asked to be found after everything he went through.
"It's an honor to meet you, Captain," she greeted him with the same curtness Maria used.
"Ma'am," he greeted her with the same curtness, though there was a shyness to his voice that she detected. Emily rose an eyebrow in amusement as Maria left it at that. She knew the brunette would return later to see their progress. "Agent Coulson? I thought he was…"
"You were likely thinking of my father," she said when he trailed off. "Agent Phil Coulson adopted me when I was four. I wanted to follow in his footsteps and joined the agency."
The Captain just blinked in surprise at this new information. It was only until she saw heat rising to his cheeks that she guessed how often he'd worked with women. From the reports she read, he'd never dated anyone even before Project Rebirth. So she wasn't entirely surprised by his shyness or the way he seemed to stammer around her.
"Please, call me Steve," he finally said when she called him by his title once more. "I prefer avoiding my full title unless I'm in uniform."
"Then you'll have to call me Emily," she replied with a small smile. "About the only time people are professional around me is when I'm on a mission, and even then we rarely use formality."
Steve allowed himself a rare smile as well. Once they bypassed formalities, Emily went straight to work getting him acclimated with modern history. She knew all the information would be overwhelming for him. So she started off with the basics; the most popular sources of history were already on the Interstellar Web, which made her job a little easier. Steve seemed fascinated with the articles she went over, from the Lunar Landing event to the years of the Cold War.
It was only until she got into the century after that when Steve's brows furrowed together with concern. He eyed the papers curiously when he saw the reports on the Eugenics War. A small part of her had been reluctant to share that information with him… at least until she knew for sure he was ready to hear about it. But she knew he would find out sooner or later. Too much information on the history of the Eugenics War was available on the Interstellar Web, so it made sense to brace himself before getting deeper into the story behind it.
"You mean to tell me this war was started because of the Super Soldier Serum?" he asked in surprise.
"A lot of people thought they could copy Doctor Erskine's research," she explained with a shrug. "Families were torn apart because of what happened… the military was greedy and wanted more powerful weapons than what they already had. By the time the First Contact was recorded in history half of the population was wiped out."
The Super Soldier frowned when he realized what she meant by that. Nearly half of the human population had been wiped out because of the Eugenics War. It was only until after Khan was taken down that they began replenishing themselves. Making peace with the Vulcans had only been the start of the Federation, and a turning point for the human population.
"This is… a lot to take in," he admitted with a heavy sigh. Emily glanced at him curiously, not missing the way his brows were furrowed with concern. "I mean, I knew a lot of people back in the day were interested in his work, but the fact that it started a war…"
"Steve, you can't blame yourself or Doctor Erskine for what happened," she whispered. "He wanted to help people. The only reason they tried recreating the Serum was out of greed."
Steve gave her a thoughtful look. He was only just beginning to notice there were different sides to this woman. While she could be light and joking around him at times, she also took on a completely professional stance. Then there was the fact that she seemed more alert and aware than he realized. He let out another quiet sigh as she decided to call it a day.
"So what about you?" he asked as they left the building.
It only just dawned on him that they weren't in Brooklyn or anywhere near New York. Huge skyscrapers towered above them. Hover-craft vehicles and other strange objects zoomed past and above them. The whole experience was enough to make his head spin. Yet to his genuine surprise and relief, the air was still crisp and clean, almost as if the energy used to operate such instruments was designed that way.
"What about me do you wanna know?" she quarried while leading the way.
She was quick to avert anything related to Starfleet. She didn't want to overwhelm him too much on the first day. She could still remember the huge culture-shock she suffered from when she was released from the SHIELD facility over twenty years ago. Thankfully he seemed to focus more on their conversation than what loomed ahead of them.
"I don't know… maybe a little something about your life outside of SHIELD," he replied with a shrug.
Emily rose an eyebrow in amusement as she realized what he was doing. He was trying to break the ice between them. While he was clearly not used to working with women, he wanted to make things a little easier between them. She appreciated the gesture… it was like a breath of fresh air compared to what she normally had to deal with on a daily basis.
"I grew up in Georgia after I was adopted by Papa," she explained while carefully leaving out her role with the Kelvin event. "He wanted me to have a somewhat normal life after everything I experienced before then, and it did just that. He was good friends with a doctor who worked occasionally with the agency."
"Doctor McCoy," Steve said with a thoughtful look. Emily glanced at him in surprise as he offered a meek smile. "I've done a little research before we got to that base. He was infamous for working within the agency but never actually becoming an agent."
"Indeed he was," she offered a rare smile as memories came rushing back. "I grew up with his son… we've been best friends for as long as I can remember."
Steve couldn't help but look at her thoughtfully when he noticed how distant her gaze was. It was only until then that he realized why. It didn't take long for him to figure out what was really going on between her and Doctor McCoy's son.
He wasn't particularly informed in the world of romance, but he recognized the expression written across her face. Despite how hard she tried to hide her emotions, they were clear as day. Steve tilted his head to one side in surprise at that.
"I take it he followed in his father's footsteps?" he asked curiously.
"More or less," she replied. "We dated a few years back before things… fell apart. It was only until enlisting in the Academy that we started seeing each other again."
That only confirmed his earlier thoughts. Yet Steve didn't miss the way her face seemed to falter when she mentioned things falling apart. He couldn't help but eye her thoughtfully as he guessed something worse had happened. But she wasn't willing to delve further down that path, and frankly, it wasn't in his place to explore it.
Once they finished exploring the boardwalk – Emily made a mental note to stop by with McCoy for drinks or ice cream – she led the way back to the SHIELD base. Emily didn't miss the way Steve fell silent. It was clear their conversation about her relationship with McCoy had some kind of effect on him.
She wasn't sure how much he heard from Coulson or even from the database… she knew the agency had kept a close eye on their relationship for years. Considering McCoy was considered an asset to the agency, it wasn't all that surprising. Though it also annoyed her that she had seen their personal history within the database.
She tried pushing the uneasy thoughts as they reached the base. Maria was already waiting inside, arms crossed and face set with a look of annoyance. Emily rose an eyebrow in amusement as she caught the worry sweeping across Steve's face. He'd known about his limited access to the SHIELD database. Being allowed outside the base was a perk of getting to know her better.
"What part of keep everything on the base did you not understand?" Maria quipped while eyeing them warily.
"The part where I was supposed to be concerned about following the rules," Emily retorted without missing a beat. She caught Steve watching her in surprise. "We both needed a break… I figured some fresh air would help clear our heads."
Maria looked at the pair thoughtfully as she guessed what Emily meant by that. After seeing Steve's reaction to the Eugenics War, she knew the man needed a break from the rising tension. This was the best way of breaking said tension… at least she hoped that was the case. Steve gave them both a curt nod before leaving them to discuss the issue further.
"How'd he take the news?" she asked when they headed for the exit.
"About what? Being here in San Francisco or the Eugenics War?" she retorted. Maria just rolled her eyes while Emily crossed her arms in annoyance. "He didn't take it too well. And I'm assuming this is because he feels responsible for letting the formula fall into the wrong hands. He doesn't realize that none of that was his fault."
Maria seemed to take her words into consideration. After observing his behavior when she mentioned the issue with the Eugenics War, she knew it would take time for him to recover from that shock. She had a feeling he would never fully recover from what happened to him. Yet somehow he was coping. And she suspected that he would thrive in today's environment once he was given the chance.
AN: I thought it would be interesting to use the Super Soldier Serum as an excuse for the Eugenics War, though my information on how it started in the first place is sparse, so I apologize in advance if I've gotten anything wrong. Reviews are always welcome!