Twenty Five

When she first signed up for the agency, she had little to no idea what to expect out of it. She'd known going into it that it would be difficult. Maria had warned her that training would be intense, and she would have little time for breaks in between. Coulson had warned her that other agents would try and take advantage of her. What she didn't expect was to find a friend like Clint Barton.

The archer had proven himself an invaluable friend within the past month of joining said agency. Despite the fact that their personalities sometimes clashed, he did seem to care about her. The first time they had been forced to work together in a training exercise ended in miserable failure. Whereas she was hyper-focused on anything that moved, Clint was the exact opposite. He took everything a little less seriously, and it usually ended in failure. She had been furious of course when she took the full brunt of the blow when the simulation began fighting back. Eventually when Clint finally got his act together, he proved to be a valuable asset.

He quickly realized that she had friends higher up within the agency and outside the agency. It hadn't taken him long to figure out that she kept in touch with Tony periodically. The genius had been working harder than ever on trying to impress the public, though it was usually his assistant Pepper who played a large role in that. Emily almost smirked when she thought of how Tony had first claimed he didn't need an assistant. Pepper had also proven herself an invaluable asset to the company and to Tony himself. Despite his earlier misgivings, he'd grown to enjoy her company and the fact that she seemed to genuinely care about him as her boss.

Eventually the agency had been rebranded as SHIELD. The name itself was an acronym for the agency, and it seemed to suit said agency. Everyone working underground served to protect those who couldn't defend themselves. Emily realized with a start that that was why she had been so determined to follow in Coulson's footsteps. She desperately wanted to prove herself as a fellow agent and help those who couldn't help themselves. She knew there would always be mishaps here and there, but learning from those mistakes was what had gotten her this far in life. She wasn't planning on backing down from another challenge if one arose.

The moment she introduced Clint and McCoy properly was the moment worlds would collide around her. Emily knew it was a bad idea to bring in an outsider to the academy. But McCoy and his family knew more about SHIELD than most people. His father was the one who signed the agreement to keep everything confidential, all the while treating agents who'd suffered from serious injuries under unusual circumstances. His work in the medical field was something to be admired, and something that McCoy aspired to become. He'd only ever talked about becoming a doctor after the circus incident. At the time, he'd been torn between wanting to attend medical school or following his dreams of becoming a professional basketball player. At the end of the day, one field outweighed the other. At least he had a prosperous future in the medical field, whereas sports could be hit or miss.

She had just finished a long day of training when her com went off. After ensuring that she was finished with the simulation that the agency had set up, she grabbed her belongings and reached the hallway. A week had passed since she stopped by for McCoy's graduation. Since then she'd been working her ass off trying to make up for lost time. Needless to say, Maria was impressed with the progress she made in such a short time. There were few agents who worked nearly as hard as she did to obtain her goal. Then again, there were few agents who had someone like Coulson constantly making sure she didn't get assigned to field missions.

I wish he'd actually trust me to go out on my own, she thought angrily.

Coulson was so afraid that she would get hurt during a mission. The problem with that theory was that she would always take risks. Being a SHIELD agent meant that her life was constantly in danger, despite what he believed. She knew he couldn't keep her away from that life forever. Despite his best efforts at keeping her from said mission, she planned on signing up for one.

She'd already talked to Clint about what missions to look out for and what to expect from them. Fortunately, the archer was more than willing to help out whenever he could. Though, she had a feeling that he had his own agenda. She was lucky he hadn't told Coulson about the fact that they were meeting with McCoy this time around. Or that she had ulterior reasons for seeing McCoy.

Something told her that Coulson wouldn't hesitate to throttle McCoy if he really knew what they were up to. In her defense though, she knew it would be a while before they had some proper time alone again. McCoy was going to start classes in a couple of days. Most of his packing was already finished; now it was just a waiting game to see what his roommates were like and what his classes in general were like.

He'd admitted from time to time that he was worried about what his roommates would be like. She was well aware of how some roommates would clash with others personality-wise. McCoy was lucky he got along well with most people. Tony had been an exception to that rule... mostly because he never got over the fact that McCoy was the one who claimed her as his. He would never admit out loud that he still fumed over that notion.

'We're finally here. Took a while for the train to reach the station.'

She couldn't hide the smile that followed at the thought of seeing him again in person. McCoy had gone out of his way just to visit her before his classes started in Atlanta. She knew it wasn't easy for him to keep doing this, so she appreciated his efforts now more than ever. It would be even more difficult the moment she was sent on missions. For now though, she tried focusing on the fact that they would have some time together.

'I'm surprised you didn't take the transporter. It would've been easier and quicker,' she sent back once she made sure no one was looking.

'There's nothing good about a transporter when it's splicing my genes,' McCoy quickly retorted.

Emily let out a snort of laughter at that. She was well aware of his distaste in transporters. What made the whole thing funnier was that she had no problem with them. She and Coulson had gotten used to dealing with whatever availability they had in transportation. Because of that, she was more adaptable to certain situations.

Though in his defense, Emily understood why he was so wary of transporters. She'd heard enough horror stories to know that the machines were still flawed in so many ways. One miscalculation in their coordinates and everything could go horribly wrong. Or worse, like McCoy had pointed out, their genes could be spliced. Neither option sounded all that wonderful in her mind.

'I'll see you in a few minutes.'

"Your boyfriend's here?" Emily nearly leaped out of her skin at the sound of Clint's voice. She whirled around to see the archer smirking in amusement when he saw her reaction. "Relax, I'm not gonna go out of my way and tell everyone."

"You're an idiot, Barton," she muttered with a roll of her eyes. "His family actually signed a deal with the agency when his father and Papa met years ago."

Clint rose an eyebrow in surprise when he realized what she was implying. He had a dozen questions to ask regarding McCoy's personal history. She had a feeling that the moment they met was when chaos would ensue. Clint's personality was completely different compared to McCoy. He had a great sense of humor, but he could just as easily switch to being deadly serious and precise, whereas McCoy wasn't afraid to speak his mind and had followed in his father's footsteps in having a terrible bedside manner. Though they might have been different personality-wise, that didn't make her enjoy their company any less.

"So is he stopping by for the weekend? Or are you just keeping him on his tows?" Clint asked as he easily kept up with her.

She held back a sigh of annoyance when she realized he was going to follow her regardless of what she told him. Clint was a curious asshole who would go out of his way just to find out more about her personal life. She decided it was better to go with the flow and rolled her eyes once more as she led the way to the train station. She knew he would meet McCoy sooner or later if they continued seeing each other. He'd wormed his way into her heart faster than she thought possible.

"It's a week-long visit," she explained warily. Clint just gave her a knowing look when he guessed what that meant. He'd heard enough stories to know how close they were as friends, and then some. He was also aware of the fact that McCoy and his father had signed the agreement to keep the agency a secret. "He's going to be starting med school in another week... this might be our last chance to see each other for a while."

To her surprise, Clint gave a nod of understanding. He might not have shown it often, but he did seem to have a knack for relationships. He was the first to guess that she and McCoy were seeing each other. He was also the first to push her into admitting how she really felt about McCoy. The more she thought about it, the more grateful she was to have taken that step.

"Have you talked about what'll happen when you start going on missions?" he asked curiously. Emily drew in a sharp breath at the thought of leaving McCoy behind for said missions. "Because something tells me he'll be beyond worried the moment you're sent out to the field."

She glanced at Clint self-consciously when she felt his gaze boring through her. She suddenly found herself wondering if he recalled encountering McCoy at the circus. He hadn't seen any pictures since she started talking about him. Her stomach twisted in a knot at the thought of telling him the truth. McCoy had resigned himself to the fact that she wanted to be part of this world. He wasn't happy with the notion that she wanted to go on missions and help save people, but he wasn't going to stop her. There would always be risks in dating someone who worked for the agency. She'd reminded him that constantly, but that didn't make him any happier or ease his concerns.

"Do you remember that day we met at the circus?" she suddenly countered.

Clint just stared at her in surprise when she brought up that unpleasant memory. Unpleasant for him because she had kicked his ass, though not without telling him that he could be doing better. He had been lucky that day. He knew he could have suffered worse injuries if she hadn't stopped him.

"Kind of hard to forget that day when you're the one who found our stash," he grumbled.

"In my defense, you were stealing from local shops," she rolled her eyes. Clint just snorted at that, not wanting to admit that he'd also been in the wrong at the time. "But in all seriousness, Leonard was there that day."

The archer's brows furrowed together as he recalled the kid one of the guards had dragged in. Then his eyes widened in disbelief when he realized that the kid they dragged in was the same kid she'd been talking about. He crossed his arms and gave her an incredulous look as she glanced at him once again.

"You mean to tell me that he was willing to get his ass kicked just because the two of you are friends?" he snorted in amusement.

"Like I said, Leonard isn't like anyone I've ever met," she replied with a shrug. "He's open to learning about what was once thought to be impossible. And he's also willing to accept people who are different. I think a lot of that stems on the fact that his father is the one who pushed him into that kind of life."

He didn't bother arguing with that notion. Though he was a bit surprised when she mentioned his father. Clint knew very little about McCoy's family aside from what she told him, and even that wasn't much. The archer put enough distance between them so that he didn't pose as a threat. She knew McCoy would be a little more forgiving if she explained the situation to him. But for now, the archer made a wise choice in ensuring that he wasn't there to intervene when they reunited.

Emily couldn't hide the smile that followed when she reached the station. Sure enough, McCoy was already waiting when she arrived. She didn't hesitate to close the distance between them, and McCoy wasted no time in capturing her lips with his. The moment she was in his arms was when she immediately felt safe.

She wasn't going to lie when she admitted to relishing the connection they had. That bond was part of the reason she felt so safe in his arms. Emily knew that if it had been anyone else, she wouldn't have felt that safe. More importantly, McCoy left her feeling emotions she never felt towards anyone else. His emotions were easier to read since their bond was so powerful. And she knew in the back of her mind that she could easily dig through his thought process if she allowed herself. She wouldn't do that unless she had his permission, and she knew he wasn't ready to hear that bit of news.

"I've been looking forward to this visit," he admitted when they reluctantly broke apart.

"You and me both," she nodded in agreement. Her hand wrapped around his, ignoring the rest of the world around them for a brief moment. "I'm glad you were able to make it before classes started."

McCoy made a sound of agreement to that. For a while, neither of them said anything. At least until rounding the corner where Clint had been waiting. Emily rose an eyebrow in amusement when McCoy stiffened upon his sudden presence. She knew that Clint was trying not to pose as much of a threat, but that was easier said than done when SHIELD was involved. McCoy immediately tried squaring up to Clint. His expression wavered for a brief moment when he seemed to recognize the archer in question.

"You were one of the cronies at the circus," he finally remarked.

"Well, you're not wrong," Clint let out a huff of laughter. Emily smirked in amusement when he crossed his arms and refused to back down from McCoy's piercing gaze. "Em's told me a lot about you, including the fact that you know about the agency."

"Yeah, she talks about you too," McCoy said dryly. He threw Emily a wry look, and she was struggling not to laugh at his expense. "I'm surprised they let you join the agency."

By now, Emily was holding back a fit of laughter when they went at it for a few minutes. Clint was struggling to understand why McCoy knew so much about the agency in the first place. As an outsider, it wasn't as if he'd been given special permission. But the agreement his father signed was one of the few reasons they were able to be together. She knew this was McCoy's way of picking out all of Clint's faults. The more she thought about it, the more she realized she should have warned him that Clint would be there. The archer had been curious as to who McCoy was, and why they had grown up so close.

Having a committed relationship was rare within the agency. She was well aware of the risks involved with those who were happily engaged. But according to the rules and regulations, it was possible. And the more she thought about it, the happier she was with the idea of starting a family with him.

"Relax, Leonard," she suddenly took hold of his hand and gave it a squeeze, ignoring the shred look Clint was giving her. "I think it's safe to say Clint won't be pulling off any moves while you're around."

"Right… I'm pretty sure she'd kick my ass if I did," Clint snorted in response.

She just smirked at the thought of Clint trying to pull anything on her with McCoy around. Though he didn't show it often, McCoy did have a protective side. And while he would never go out of his way to pull her to the side for the sake of another man, that didn't mean he wasn't above breaking a few rules.

.

.

"I have to admit, this place is pretty impressive," McCoy remarked as he and Emily walked side-by-side.

Those who passed them were giving them strange looks along the way. Emily almost smirked at the dozens of questions that would have followed. After signing an agreement with Maria before even entering the building and swearing an oath that nothing left the building, he was free to roam the halls. As long as she was by his side. The agency wasn't taking any risks. Not that she didn't blame them. She knew there were those outside the agency that wouldn't hesitate to find information on it. Because of that fear, even though McCoy had proven on more than one occasion that he could be trusted, they still worried about his presence.

Not that she couldn't blame them. Anything could happen when civilians and outsiders were involved with the agency. There was a reason they carried out said protocols once they were dragged into the fray. She couldn't help but wonder what would happen once McCoy became more aware of the dangers revolving around herself and the missions she was assigned to.

"Just wait until you see the simulators," she said thoughtfully. She glanced at McCoy self-consciously when she felt his eyes boring through her. "The simulations are designed to help train an agent and prepare them for the field."

She didn't want to add that the simulators were usually programmed at the highest settings, even for new agents. The agency had done so just to ensure that no one was going to back down from the challenge. Emily had already sustained multiple injuries because of the simulations, but that also served as a reminder that she still had much to learn.

"I don't know how you do it," he admitted with a thoughtful look. "I'm not sure if I'd be able to keep doing what you do."

Emily simply rolled her eyes in response. She knew this wasn't for everyone. When she first talked to McCoy about joining the agency, he'd been doubtful about her position. But after going through the rigorous training she went through, he knew this was the right path for her. As difficult as it was to watch her go through some of the most intense training he'd ever seen, he knew she would keep going behind people's backs and breaking rules just to prove her point.

Her determination to prove to Coulson that she could do this was what had really taken everyone by surprise. As far as she was concerned, she was more than capable of doing things that Coulson once thought impossible. And she continued proving everyone wrong, despite what they thought of her.

"Well, with a bit more training I could see you working in the medical field," she replied with a shrug. McCoy just threw her an incredulous look at the thought of going into the medical field, and she couldn't hide the smirk that followed. "I'm just saying, there's always a need for good doctors out on the field."

McCoy made a face at the thought of having to deal with the agency. He'd seen what his father had to go through on a daily basis, and he wasn't in any hurry to go through something similar. Not that Emily couldn't blame him. Life as a SHIELD agent was full of stress. She was lucky to have the training she had, and to have friends outside the agency.

"I think we can both agree that joining the agency is your thing, not mine," he snorted in response.

"Yeah, you're probably right," she laughed in agreement.

"We're not gonna have much time together once classes start," he suddenly said. Emily frowned when she realized what he was implying. He was right about one thing – their lives were going to be busier than ever. Lives changed for the better, and sometimes for the worse. But she couldn't shake the feeling that this had something to do with their earlier conversation. "I'm worried about how we'll handle it."

She suddenly took hold of his hand and offered a small smile, knowing full-well this wasn't easy for him. She was grateful for the constant support he provided. Despite how difficult it could be knowing that her life was at risk, McCoy was willing to put up with it all. And it was because of that notion that she found herself admiring him all the more.

"Leonard, no matter what happens we'll always be there for each other," she reassured him.

His face softened when he suddenly captured her lips with his. Emily let out a sigh of relief as she allowed herself a rare moment when they were together. She didn't care at that point if anyone was watching them. Just being together in that moment was what mattered to her the most, and she didn't plan on letting go anytime soon.

"God, I love you," he whispered without hesitation.

Her heart nearly swelled with joy upon hearing those words. It was the first time he'd ever said it out loud, and she found herself cherishing the moment. She knew the feelings were mutual. Her love for him had only grown stronger within the past two years. She'd loved him even before they started dating, though she never had the heart to say it out loud at the time.

"Love you too, cowboy," she whispered back.

His face lit up at her response, despite his earlier doubts. She knew this wasn't going to be easy for either of them, but somehow, they'd make it work. And the sooner they made it work, the better off they both were.