Daisy still had some work left to do after their practice ended, and the movie didn't start until seven, so they had agreed to meet back up at five.

Her morning of looking at the Murderdock-Exile angle hadn't yielded anything in particular, but it had gotten her gears turning on what they could do if they were backed by someone with a lot of money, or criminal connections, which meant a lot of new paperwork to go through. More than, say, checking every single person who had bought a console or gaming PC between the breakout and the first time they ran into Emulator. She was chasing down a paper trail, expecting yet another dead end when she realized she'd found them, Exiles gang.

Nobody had bought any suspicious property, except for some frat-boy who wanted a place to host raves, but someone had moved a lot of furniture to an unused factory.

She took a peak at nearby traffic cameras, fast forwarding through the footage, and confirmed that Exile, Hollow Furball, Fume and Jack had been seen around there. Another dozen minutes later she also spotted Dr. Miles Warren, the Jackal in his civilian clothes, transporting equipment that looked familiar, though she couldn't quite place it.

She kept going, hoping to find Emulator, but had little luck on that front, She either didn't leave the hide-out, which wouldn't surprise her given what her file said about her gaming habits, or she was hiding elsewhere.

When an alarm alerted her to the time she saved her notes then locked the system.

[Daisy Today: 16:55

Where are you?]

[Gwen 16:55

Training room]

Daisy smiled to herself as she walked down the hall. She still didn't know what to do about her public identity when she was dating someone with a secret one. Nobody would necessarily pay any attention to it, as Gwen had pointed out on their second date, but someone might .

When she entered the training room Inferno was there, lying on his back and breathing heavily.

"Have you two been going at it since practice ended?"

"Yeah," Dante said between breaths, "we have."

"We've been working on not getting in each other's way as much," Gwen said.

"That's great. You going to hit the showers before we leave? Or is that something you don't need to do anymore?" she asked.

"I'll shower." Gwen jogged towards the showers, still not exhausted after more than two, probably more than three, hours of almost non-stop exercise.

"Where are you going?" Dante asked. He wasn't breathing as heavy anymore and even managed to sit up.

"On a date," Daisy answered matter-of-factly. Gwen's feelings for her weren't exactly a secret, so the only reason to lie would be for her sake but that wasn't necessary.

"Really?" He smiled, wide. "That's great!"

She couldn't help the smile that spread on her own face in response to his enthusiasm. "Yeah," she said. "It is."

Gwen changed her surface into civilian clothes, a blue shoulder less dress with leggings underneath that were deceptively comfortable, as soon as she got done drying herself after her shower. Before she left the locker-room she made sure to look at herself in the bathroom-mirror.

She tweaked the shade a bit to compliment her eyes better, nodding to herself when she was happy with her 'clothes'. With that done Gwen opened the door to the hallway, finding Daisy already waiting for her.

She was wearing her usual purple leather jacket and skinny jeans but despite having seen it a million times already it still took her breath away, and she had to try hard to hide her glances at the older girl's legs.

"You ready?" Daisy asked, taking Gwen's hand.

"Yeah."

Gwen couldn't tell you when they started holding hands, or when it started feeling like the only right way to walk with Daisy, just that she was sure that they hadn't done it on their first date but by the end of the second one they definitely were, and it had felt like they'd always done it.

"So did your training with Inferno go well?" Daisy asked as they made their way to the elevator.

"Yeah, we managed to stay out of each other's way most of the time, and I barely even got hurt, we might even have it down at this point." She grinned.

"That's great, especially since I think I found where Exile's gang is hiding out." They got on to the elevator and Daisy looked at her seriously. "We'll attack them tomorrow."

"We're ready, Daisy," Gwen said, stroking her thumb over Daisy's knuckles, "It won't go like last time."

"Alright then," Daisy's shoulders relaxed a fraction. "So what will you do after our date?"

"Probably study for S.H.I.E.L.D., why?"

"Just curious. You seem to be taking this S.H.I.E.L.D. thing seriously though." Daisy paused at the door, her free hand on the handle.

"Yeah. I'm still not really sure if I'll go to music school or not yet but if the Mary Janes don't take off I think... I'm still not sure but maybe I'd like being an agent, maybe even if we 'make it'."

"Just don't spread yourself too thin between the two," Daisy looked at her gently, "both usually take full time focus to achieve; you don't want to accidentally fail at both."

"Yeah, but I think I'm already doing well on the S.H.I.E.L.D. thing, because: super-powers, and if I can spend some more time on my drumming I think I could get really good at that too."

Daisy opens the door and they both head out.

"What about high school?"

"That... I don't think I'm failing any classes right now."

Daisy stroked her thumb across Gwen's knuckles, and she moved closer in response. "That's good." She smiled and gave Gwen a quick peck on the cheek. "Just make sure to keep it that way. And try your best to at least focus when you're in class."

"I seem to recall you didn't graduate with excellent grades either..."

"No..." Then she continued more silently. "But I knew I wanted to join S.H.I.E.L.D. before I stopped studying to take up training with Captain Marvel, it wasn't just an alternative to college."

Gwen smiled. "Fair enough, I'll try my hardest in school too." Then she got an idea that made her smirk conspiratorially. "You know... I think it'd help if you gave me some incentive..."

"Oh? Like what?"

"Maybe a kiss?"Gwen blushed. "Every time I do well on a test?"

"Sure. In fact I think I might give you a few extra ones if you do well in multiple subjects."

"Really!? Sweet!" She couldn't help but grin.

"Well aren't you easy to please?"

"You know I like you a lot..."

"Yeah, I do." She pulled Gwen closer. "And I like you too."

Gwen blushed really hard

"So about you and Captain M..." Gwen whispered, changing the subject completely.

"What about her?"

"You seem really close," Gwen said with a shrug.

"Yeah. We met when I was sixteen, after I accidentally caused an earthquake, and we've been close ever since. She helped me find my first apartment, helped me move into the new one I got in New York, we always celebrate my birthday together and we often talk for hours.

"She even helped me when I was unsure about dating you..." Daisy blushed, and she'd only really seen it on their dates so it was rare enough that Gwen wished she had a photographic memory, just so she'd never forget the way Daisy looked just then.

"I'll..." she felt heat spread across her face, "have to thank her for that then."

They were still holding hands when they entered 'Roy's Kebab'. It was almost empty, one guy was waiting for his food to be ready and a couple was eating at one of the tables they had there but that was it. No other customers.

The shop was small, they only had four small tables and a bar counter for people to sit at, but Daisy guessed most people order out anyway, and they had exposed brick walls that were best described as quaint. It wasn't anything fancy but it was clean and in no way run-down.

"You ready to order?" Gwen asked when she stepped forward.

"Yeah." The menu had pizzas but since they were there to get kebab there was only really two ways you could get it, in bread or on a plate.

"Alright then," Gwen said, making the guy at the counter look up at them, "one 'Hawaii Kebab' and..." she trailed off looking at Daisy.

"A normal Kebab in bread."

"One Hawaii Kebab and one Kebab in bread," he said back to them, confirming their order. "Drinks are on the house with every order," he indicated a drink dispenser. "Are you eating here or take-out?"

"Here," Daisy answered since the movie wasn't for another forty minutes and the cinema was close by.

They went to a table and sat down, only then letting go of their hands to sit across from each other.

"What even is a Hawaii Kebab?" She asked as soon as they sat down.

"It's a normal kebab in bread but instead of onions they add pineapple and a different sauce. It's surprisingly good, you should try some."

"You know pineapple on pizza is already crazy, who thought it would be any better in a kebab?" Daisy joked.

"Actually pineapple on pizza is fine; people make a way bigger deal about it than they should. Heck I've seen people putting bananas on pizza, or tangerines, and I've never heard people complain about that ."

"New York is so weird..."

"It's a big city," Gwen shrugged, "all sorts of people ordering all sorts of things. If they don't sell it someone else will so they've got big menus."

"Sure, they also have doughnut shops that only sell vegan doughnuts; like that's a completely normal business model." That, at least to Daisy, in many ways epitomized what was strange about New-York's food.

"I'mean, they haven't gone out of business yet, have they?" Gwen retorted with a beautiful smile that made her hart skip a beat. She had propped up her head on her right hand. Her left arm was lying across the table and she almost just grabbed it, but she managed to stop herself.

"No, and I'll agree that the doughnuts are good, but it just doesn't sound like a sane idea on paper."

"Yeah, sure, but could you imagine if he hadn't tried anyway? We'd have missed out on chocolate covered Pumpkin doughnuts," Gwen said leaning forward slightly.

"Right! That one's the best doughnut they have!"

"I know..." Gwen's face grew slightly darker in shade.

"Hm?"

"I noticed that it was your favorite last time we went there."

"Oh." Daisy's face flushed with heat as reached out to take Gwen's hand. "So which one's your favorite?"

"The blueberry ones"

Then they sat in silence, Daisy occasionally stroking Gwen's hand, until their food was ready.

They were sharing a bucket of popcorn.

The cinema had, as all half decent cinema's do, arm rests between each seat with a cup holder at the end of it, and these particular ones could be folded up so that's the first thing Daisy had done when they'd taken their seats.

She'd folded up the only thing separating them.

For the first few minutes Gwen's heart had been beating in her throat but after a while she was so invested in the movie that she'd forgotten... right up until Daisy's hand and hers had brushed against each other when they both took some popcorn at the same time.

Gwen pulled her hand away. Even if it was silly, it didn't feel like she should touch Daisy like that, it'd feel like she was taking advantage of the older girl if she hadn't pulled away.

Daisy looked at her, then scooted closer. "You don't have to get embarrassed just because we accidentally touched each other," Daisy whispered. Gwen just nodded in response. "Is it alright if we cuddle?"

Gwen whipped her head around, making sure she heard right. Daisy was looking at her, with a light blush on her cheeks and her left arm up for her to scoot in.

Gwen wasn't sure she trusted her voice right then so she, again, just nodded. Then she scooted closer and leaned into Daisy's side.

When they were close like that Gwen could smell Daisy's strawberry shampoo, and she'd never known she liked the smell of strawberries that much but she did. When Daisy pulled her closer Gwen felt Daisy's body against her own. She was so soft and gentle, despite the muscles Gwen knew Daisy had, and comfortable .

They sat like that for the rest of the movie, and despite how distracting it was for about half that time Gwen thought she understood the plot by the end of it. As the theater brightened and the rest of the people in the room got ready to leave it hit Gwen that she'd only have a few more seconds to cuddle with Daisy, and that their date was just about over.

Daisy slowly began to pull away and, before they had even fully separated, Gwen already missed her touch. Missed Daisy's heat against her, now cold, side.

"Are you ready to leave?" Daisy asked, and of course her answer was a resounding 'no', because she wanted to keep cuddling Daisy until the credits were done scrolling by. There might even be a post-credits scene.

"Yeah," she said instead, gingerly standing up and stretching. Daisy did the same, then took her hand as they left.

"Did you like the movie?" Daisy asked once they got outside.

"Yeah, it was good." Even if I missed a pretty big part of it.

"That's good." Daisy said, succinctly, and that was the end of that. They walked in silence towards where Daisy parked her car. It wasn't a comfortable silence, unlike most of the quiet times they had on their dates; it was a silence heavy with words not spoken.

When Gwen glanced at the other girl she saw just how taut her face was. She rubbed her thumb over Daisy's knuckles, trying to relax her the same way Daisy had done earlier that evening, then Daisy stopped.

"What's wrong?" Gwen asked.

"Nothing. Just-" Daisy's face was growing red again; Gwen loved when it did that. Though she also loved when Daisy was serious, or happy, or relaxed... "Do-you-want-to-be-my-girlfriend?"

Gwen nodded dumbly. "You already know that I want to, why are you so nervous about asking me?"

"Because it changes things. Once we start dating we can't go back to how we used to be. If we break up we'll probably stop being friends, and even just dating will make some things harder..."

"Whatever it is," Gwen said as she took Daisy's other hand in hers, "I'm sure we can handle it."

The drive back to Gwen's house was a pleasant mix of comfortable silence and conversation without deeper meaning. Gwen had them stop for a bit so she could catch the Bodega Bandit again, and while she was gone Daisy made up her mind to tackle the other thing she needed to talk with Gwen about.

"Gwen, I read Murderdock's file," she said when Gwen got back into the car. "I've read it every day since he attacked you, just so I'd know if they made any progress, but… Did you tell them that he's in charge of Exiles gang?"

"Oh. Well I reported that he might be, didn't think they'd put it in the file without any evidence though."

"Gwen we barely had more than a name before you told us about him, we don't have evidence for anything in his file yet. That's the whole point of the stakeout they're doing right now, remember?"

"Oh yeah~" Gwen leaned back in her seat. Daisy suspected that if she weren't worried about dirtying her girlfriend's car she'd have brought her feet up into the seat, sitting cross-legged.

"Is there a reason you didn't tell the team about any of this?"

"Because I hope I'm wrong?" Gwen said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Gwen... If you think it's him you should have told us."

Gwen frowned at the roof of the car. "You, maybe, the rest of them though? Literally all I have is the color of the suit he wears, that's basically nothing.

"For the people investigating him it could help, maybe they can figure something out or tie him to what Exile is doing, but it doesn't change anything for the Secret Warriors."

"We could take steps to-"

"There is nothing we can do," Gwen interrupted. "If I'm right he already knows our secret identities, or he knows enough that it's only a matter of time before he finds out. He's probably been in America, Kamala, and Doreen's homes, and he'll have sent some ninjas to scope out Riri's and Dante's homes too. He knows everybody any of us cares about and he isn't above using them to get what he wants.

"He doesn't fight directly, the closest he comes to it is sending ninjas to assassinate someone, and there's nothing we can do to defend ourselves shy of going into protective custody.

"Now if I'm wrong telling them would only worry them and distract them from the bad guys they can do something about."

"I'm not sure I agree with you, Gwen. I think they deserve to know, even if there isn't anything they can do about it."

"Well you're the boss, so if that's what you think then you should tell them. Just hope they don't do anything stupid."

"Last I checked you were the one most likely to go off on your own."

"Yeah, yeah, you're probably-" Gwen threw herself under the dashboard.

"What's wrong?" Daisy asked, just half a second before she noticed someone looking out of a window at them. "Do you know that man?"

"No, but Jackal's Warren clone had some goons following me, maybe one of them hasn't got the memo that their boss is in jail.

"Just keep driving for now, I'll hop out of the car in a bit and double back."

When Gwen opened the door she called out to her dad, letting him know that she was back, then went up to her room. She threw herself on her bed and pulled out her phone. Opening the Mary Janes group chat she gushed to them about her new girlfriend.