Twenty Three (Graduation Day)
Graduation day came faster than anyone anticipated. The last three weeks had been a whirlwind of preparation for the graduating class. That year it was the biggest class in the county, and they had to rent a separate hall just to hold the ceremony in Atlanta. Because of this, Emily and Coulson stayed at a hotel a few miles from the arena where the ceremony was being held. She'd been receiving message after message from McCoy and even Pamela. Both were feeling anxious over the ceremony and how it would go. She was almost amused with the way that they both seemed to rely on her as a crutch when it came to their anxieties.
Tony had eventually chosen to go with the strawberry blond they'd interviewed earlier that week. Emily knew he wasn't happy with the choice, but the woman seemed like the best fit for him. And when they finally had the chance to meet, the woman had introduced herself as Pepper Potts. She could already see the changes that were happening without Tony even realizing it. Pepper did seem like a good fit for him, even if he didn't like it.
"You know you could've had all of this if you'd waited," Coulson pointed out as they headed to the arena in question. Emily just rolled her eyes when he gave the usual lecture on why she shouldn't have graduated as early as she did. "I know you thought you were ready, but there are times I wish you would've gone through the experience."
I don't think I could've handled another two years of Leonard with Nancy, she thought in annoyance. She'd heard from a source that Nancy was arrested a few weeks before her own graduation for being caught in a human trafficking ring. The whole thing was crazy to think about, because the man behind said ring was her boyfriend. McCoy had admitted to her at one point that the whole thing seemed a little fishy, especially since the man in question had been a few years older than Nancy. Now she suddenly understood why that was the case, and she was all-the-more grateful that McCoy hadn't been dragged into that mess.
"I think we can both agree that graduating early was the best thing I could do," she retorted. She crossed her arms and leaned back against the seat of the hover-car as Coulson gave her an incredulous look. "Enrolling in the agency was a good idea… it gave me an outlet to take out my frustration on something other than working on the family farm."
Coulson wasn't surprised to hear the remarks she made about her previous jobs. Though she did enjoy working with Hannah at the time, it was never the same as training. Maria was usually the one who pushed her into sparring sessions behind his back. The end results had led to bigger, more defined muscles that even he couldn't argue with. He would never point out the fact that she could have accepted a job offer from Stark industries. It was the better alternative, though she would have never been fully satisfied with what he had to offer.
He just shook his head and focused on the path ahead. Once they reached the arena, the sudden tension seemed to dissolve when she spotted Hannah and Doctor McCoy standing near the front entrance. The fact that they had waited meant more than she could admit out loud. They had become family to her, despite everything that happened.
"It's good to see you again," Hannah was the first to greet them with a warm hug. Doctor McCoy just greeted Coulson with a curt nod while shaking Emily's hand like he always did. He was usually curt in public. Emily had quickly learned over time that Doctor McCoy was much like Coulson in those aspects, especially whenever he was around family. "I take it your journey here wasn't too terrible?"
"The transporter took a little longer than usual to work," Coulson rolled his eyes knowingly and looked in Emily's direction, as if trying to pin the blame on her. She returned the gesture with an eye-roll of her own. She was all-too-aware that they wouldn't have been late if he hadn't taken a call from Director Fury before they left. "We still managed to get here in one piece though."
"I've never put much faith in those machines," Doctor McCoy snorted as they headed inside. "Getting your genes spliced doesn't sound like a walk in the park."
Emily struggled not to smirk in amusement at his response. He'd always had an interesting take in modern technology, often favoring in the older methods that some people still relied on. McCoy himself had taken after his father, admitting on more than one occasion that he was terrified of getting into shuttles for a reason. That was part of the reason she had been surprised when he agreed to go with her to visit Tony and Rhodes the other weekend. She'd known how difficult it was for him to climb into a shuttle or use the transporters like she and Coulson did regularly.
"How have your classes been going?" Hannah suddenly asked when they took their seats. "I know you and Lennie took that weekend trip to Malibu; all he talked about was how huge everything was compared to Savannah or even Atlanta."
Emily rose an eyebrow at her comment. The older woman had seen her with Tony and Rhodes on more than one occasion. Usually Tony would stop by on his own when he had a pet project that needed to be worked on. She had to admit, those were some of the better weekends she had when McCoy and Nancy were dating. On more than one occasion they would drink away their sorrows together, neither needing an excuse to do so. Thankfully Emily knew Coulson's schedule like the back of her hand, and she usually used that knowledge to her advantage.
A large crowd was already gathered inside. Considering how big the graduating class was, she wasn't too surprised. Still, the large crowd left her feeling a little unnerved as she sat between Hannah and Coulson. Fortunately, Hannah knew how to cause enough of a distraction. She and Doctor McCoy were fully aware of the agency and what the agency stood for. The good news was, both of them knew when to keep it discrete around bystanders in public.
"They've been keeping me on my toes for the last two months," she explained with a shrug. "I've heard horror stories of some students getting placed in more advanced classes, but luckily they're a breeze for me."
She added the last part with a scathing look in Coulson's direction, not bothering to hide how annoyed she was with his constant interfering. She'd heard from the rumor-mill that Coulson had a strong say in what occurred at the academy. Worst still was that he'd been trying to keep her out of the more difficult classes because he was worried about what would happen to her. She was hardly surprised that he interfered with her life at the academy, but it annoyed her that he didn't trust her or anyone else for that matter. The agency had provided the academy as an outlet for the newer recruits, providing suggestions for what field they wanted to be placed on.
Coulson tried hiding how uncomfortable he was at being put under the spotlight. She almost smirked at the way he was squirming in his seat as they discussed how her training had been going. The speeches that went on were the typical speeches she heard over the years. It wasn't until they started going over the names of graduates that Emily began focusing her attention.
Once they reached the M's of the list, Emily couldn't hide the grin that followed as they reached McCoy's name. He'd always been more popular at school, regardless of who he hung out with over the years. Because of that, everyone knew who he was. Emily shared a knowing look with Coulson as they cheered him on, ignoring the incredulous look that followed. She also cheered for Pamela when her name was called, despite everything that happened between them. Though there was still some tension between them, Emily realized with a start that Pamela was just looking out for McCoy. At least, she hoped that was the case. She knew the look of envy when she saw it, and every now and then she would see that look sweeping across Pamela's eyes when she saw them together.
It felt as if hours had passed when the ceremony itself was over. Emily's shoulders sagged with relief when she reached McCoy, not missing the fact that his eyes hadn't left hers. Despite the photos that were being taken and everything else, he reached her within a couple of strides and wasted no time in capturing her lips with his. She struggled to hide the knowing smirk that followed as she caught Coulson glaring in their direction. Though he did his best to hide it, she knew he would never be fully happy with whoever she was dating. He and Tony were more alike than the genius would want to admit.
"You're not getting away without a hug from your mother, Lennie," Hannah suddenly scolded him when she and Doctor McCoy reached them. She couldn't hide the smirk that followed when Coulson rolled his eyes at their public display, though at that point he didn't bother stopping either of them. "I'm so proud of you!"
Before McCoy could protest, she suddenly pulled him in for a bear hug. Emily almost laughed as he struggled to get away, realizing that everyone around them was watching the scene unfold. She was suddenly grateful that she'd escaped that embarrassment. She had a feeling Coulson wouldn't hesitate to pull off something like that around her, especially in light of recent events.
"I only wish we could've graduated together," he admitted when they were given time alone.
Arrangements had already been made for the family to get together at his place. She wasn't surprised with that notion. After spending the last ten years getting to know the family, she'd learned that they loved having people over. That was the one benefit of having such a large property.
Emily let out a quiet sigh as she leaned into him, relishing the warmth he provided. She had to admit, he looked different in the gown. She supposed she would have looked different as well if she'd gone through the ceremony. But life had always thrown a monkey-wrench into her plans, with this being no different.
"I think we can both agree that I was in no position to keep going at the time," she murmured quietly. McCoy's face morphed into a look of guilt, and Emily suddenly regretted bringing that up again. "I'm not saying any of it was your fault, Leonard. If anything, graduating early gave me a chance to grow further as an agent. I just wish it would have been under better circumstances."
"I don't plan on letting anything like that happen again," he reassured her with a kiss. Emily rose an eyebrow in surprise when he took hold of her hands, giving them a light squeeze. "You mean too much to me."
Her heart nearly swelled with joy upon hearing those words. She was only just beginning to realize why she cared so much for him. The fact that he was willing to admit that out loud meant more than she could ever admit out loud. It wasn't until hearing coughs from both Coulson and his father that they reluctantly pulled apart. She knew Coulson would likely hold this over their heads for the next few months… at least until he finally got used to seeing them together. Though she had a feeling that wasn't going to change anytime soon.
.
.
It only took a few hours for everyone to get together at the McCoy family farm. Emily spent most of her time with McCoy helping set the place up. His mother was busy with the food prep, though she insisted they take a break every now and then. Whenever she wasn't with McCoy, she was usually trying to reassure Coulson that he had nothing to worry about. She knew he was worried over the fact that she and McCoy were so close. Probably more so than he realized. She was suddenly grateful Coulson wasn't aware of what they did behind closed doors.
"It's hard to believe eleven years have passed since this venture," she heard Doctor McCoy sigh as she approached them.
He and Coulson had been spending more time together since more of the family showed up. She wasn't entirely surprised by that notion. Though he rarely showed it, he was anxious of what would the future held in store for her. She'd carved a path within the agency thanks to her efforts in joining said agency, but there would always be something to fall back on. McCoy had always reassured her that he would be there for her if she needed someone to rely on, something of which she secretly admired out of him.
"I never did get the chance to thank you for offering the place when you did," Coulson suddenly said. Emily rose an eyebrow and put enough distance between them. She was close enough that she could hear what they were saying, but far enough that they wouldn't see her. "I know Professor Xavier offered a place for her at his school, but I wanted her to have a somewhat normal childhood."
That was enough for her to stiffen in surprise. She'd heard enough rumors to know that he was talking about Professor Charles Xavier, a renowned professor who'd focused his life's work on the X-Gene. The fact that Coulson originally wanted her to enroll in said school was enough for her to gape. Sure, her powers had given her enough problems that she wished she had a decent teacher along the way. But over the years, she'd learned to use them and control them… with patience and some help from Coulson and Maria.
"This is a good place to grow up," Doctor McCoy replied. "Might not be the most accepting community at times, but most folks have gotten used to seeing something a little different."
Easier said than done, a small voice argued with him.
A select few students at the school had proven him otherwise, though she didn't bother arguing out loud. She knew those students had been preying on those they thought were weaker than them. Most of them had quickly learned that she wasn't an easy target of their abuse. Especially when McCoy eventually jumped to her defense.
Coulson said something else, though his voice was too quiet for her to make it out. Emily leaned forward, suddenly aware that she shouldn't be there in that moment. There was a reason why Coulson had kept most of his older life private and secret. He'd joined the agency because he believed in helping those who couldn't stand up for themselves. And it was that legacy that she desperately wanted to carry on.
"Are you sure it's safe to trust him with something like that?" Coulson suddenly spoke up once more.
"I know Leonard's had a few ups and downs over the past couple of years," Doctor McCoy admitted. Emily rose an eyebrow in surprise when McCoy's name was brought up. She knew it had to be serious if they were talking about herself and McCoy. "But I like to think he's grown up ever since he and Emily became good friends. It's clear he cares about her as more than just a friend."
It was at that point when Emily knew what they were talking about. A lump formed in the back of her throat when she turned to leave. She was ready to make her way back to the house when a new thought suddenly occurred to her, one that left her stomach twisting in a knot. She didn't know if McCoy was willing to put up with her once he started taking classes at med school. Sure, they'd talked about it from time to time. But in all reality, neither of them had been ready to accept that their lives were about to change dramatically.
"Everything alright there?" Emily froze at the sound of Jacob's voice. On any normal occasion during a McCoy family gathering, he usually spent most of his time with the rest of his cousins. Occasionally they would get together and hang out by their favorite spot, but that was only on special occasions. "You kinda looked lost there."
"Is it that obvious?" she asked with a sheepish look.
"More or less," he replied with a shrug.
He eyed her thoughtfully before gesturing for her to explain what was on her mind. She rarely talked about the way she really felt in front of anyone. Even McCoy was lucky to get a few talks here and there, but usually that was when she was ready to burst from the mounted stress or frustration. She let out a sigh and looked at nothing in particular.
"I'm just worried about how Leonard and I are going to handle the next few years," she explained warily. Jacob hardly looked surprised by the worry in her voice. Of all of his cousins she'd gotten to know over those last ten years, Jacob had always been her favorite. He was almost as hardheaded and stubborn as McCoy himself, but he also had a good heart. His sister, Alex, was usually a little more reserved than him, but they all seemed to get along pretty well. "We're both headed in different directions, and once he starts med school, he'll spend the next five or six years there."
Jacob gave a nod of understanding. His brows furrowed together as they stared off into the distance, neither sure of what the future held for them. It was worse for her though. She was never sure if she'd find a place where she truly belonged, regardless of how well she did in her career. She knew Tony's offer would always be open for her. Yet a small part of her knew she would never be satisfied with settling down in Malibu.
"Well, I know for sure that Leo wouldn't do anything as stupid as leave you behind," he reassured her with a knowing smirk. Emily rose an eyebrow in surprise when he gave her a playful nudge. "I think we can both safely assume he loves ya, regardless of what the idiot says."
Heat immediately rose to her cheeks at the mention of 'love'. It seemed like such a foreign word at the time. But the more time she spent with McCoy, the more she was beginning to understand what it really meant. It was also the first time she allowed herself the comfort of an outsider. True, they'd known each other for as long as she'd been McCoy's neighbor. But that didn't mean she trusted him like she trusted McCoy.
She wasn't sure if she could trust anyone after everything she was taught at the agency. There was an old familiar fear that sparked in the back of her mind over the notion that someone would eventually betray her. She knew it was important to always keep one eye over her shoulder. That edge was what would protect her from any threats.
"Thanks for being a good friend, Jake," she let out a sigh when she spotted McCoy approaching.
He merely offered a wide grin before wrapping an arm around her, catching her off guard once again, "Anytime, sweetheart."
"Idiot," she muttered under her breath once he left.
She couldn't hide the sheepish grin that followed though when McCoy reached her. He rose an eyebrow at the fact that they had been talking earlier. Not to mention she'd slipped away once they were finished setting the table up. This was the best time she could think over what to do for her own future. Plus it had become an escape from the rising tension within the family. McCoy's father had finally kicked Jacob's father out when he had enough with his behavior. Though family had always meant everything to the McCoy's, even Hannah agreed that Isaac had gone too far when he kept saying she didn't belong anywhere.
"What were you and Jake talking about?" he asked after deciding to bite the bullet.
"We were comparing your size," she quipped without missing a beat. She couldn't help but laugh as his cheeks turned a faint shade of pink. "How is it that you still blush anytime sex is mentioned?"
McCoy just rolled his eyes and sat beside her, ignoring the smirk she was giving him.
"Ma taught me to act like a gentleman," he explained. "Talking about things like that in public just doesn't sound right."
Emily only laughed in response.
"Leonard, I think it's safe to say that was thrown out the window the night of the prom," she reminded him. McCoy just threw her an incredulous look as she struggled to retrain her laughter. He knew she was right, though he didn't want to admit it out loud to everyone else. "We were talking about what we'd be doing in the future."
"You and Jake had an actual heart-to-heart?" he asked in disbelief.
"I know. It's kind of weird now that I'm thinking about it," she admitted sheepishly.
She was a bit surprised that Jacob had been willing to talk to her while they were alone. Then again, this could have been his way of digging up dirt on McCoy. He wasn't above pulling off that stunt. McCoy let out a sigh and suddenly wrapped his hand around hers, giving it a light squeeze. Emily rose an eyebrow and glanced at him self-consciously.
"You're worried about what's gonna happen to us, aren't you?" he asked.
Her heart sank when she caught the look he was giving her. He knew her well enough to know that something was on her mind. She chewed the bottom of her lip and thought of everything that happened over the last couple of years. She realized with a start that there would always be ups and downs. That was a natural part of life. She just needed to figure out how to deal with said life.
"I was, but… I know that whatever happens, we'll have each other," she replied.
The lopsided grin that followed was enough for her heart to soar with joy. She couldn't hide the sheepish grin that followed when he suddenly captured her lips with his. In that moment, she had no regrets in making the choices she made. If McCoy planned to wait until the right moment to tell her about the ring his father had given him, then she would wait. Because at the end of the day, he was worth the wait.