Thirteen

Morning arrived far too quickly for Emily. As early rays of gold and yellow peeked through the curtains covering the windows, she blinked away the sleep from her eyes. As the foggy haze finally cleared from her mind, it took a few seconds for her to register that she wasn't alone. Of course, this was a feeling she had gotten used to over the last few weeks. She couldn't hide the sheepish grin that followed when she spotted McCoy covered in the blankets he'd pulled the other night.

Her own body heat protected her from the cool air of the night, though it usually also provided enough warmth to survive the coldest nights. Another odd quirk of hers that men had complained about in the past. McCoy was one of the few who didn't complain about her, though he sure as hell had his own reasons to do so. Her thoughts drifted back to their conversation earlier that night.

He had every right to be annoyed with her. She'd kept more than enough secrets from him throughout the years, even before she was taken. She could still remember the many times she'd slipped away in the middle of the night when they were younger. Whether it was to practice her abilities or just to clear her head, she would do so almost nightly.

McCoy had never known at the time just how insecure she really was… or how insecure she still was. That was the main reason she kept the suit. The last thing she wanted or needed was to feel anyone judging her every move, or for them to ask questions about where her scars came from. He was one of the lucky few who saw her for who she really was. Even though she was grateful for that notion, it still left her wondering how everyone else would react to the scars.

She held back a sigh as she sat up and glanced at the alarm clock. It wasn't even past 0500. She'd set up the alarm early so that she could have enough time in the morning to submit reports or do some last-minute paperwork for the agency. Years of habit had taught her it was best to always be on time with everything, even paperwork. Though after last night's escapade, she did find herself wanting a break.

She glanced at McCoy once more, smirking in amusement when she noticed his face was buried into the pillows. There were times she wished she could sleep as soundly as him. Hearing his soft snoring told her he was having a fitful sleep, which was something he desperately needed. She knew from his horrendous schedule that sleep was few and in between.

Med school had been draining for him both physically and emotionally since his father was also admitted to the hospital around the same time. The situation hadn't gotten much better since they enlisted in Starfleet, but at least now it seemed as though he had an established schedule.

Once that was established, she stretched herself and finally stood to get a better look at her surroundings. Their clothing lay in a pile next to the bed. Emily rose an eyebrow in amusement when she spotted her suit tossed carelessly to the side in a separate pile. McCoy had openly complained about the suit on more than one occasion. But as she changed back into it and watched the scars along her arms and stomach disappear, she knew wearing it was the right thing.

She wasn't in any hurry to reveal just how damaged she was. Once her suit was on, she gathered the rest of their clothing and folded his uniform into a neat pile next to his side of the bed. Hers was thrown into the laundry basket as she went for a fresh uniform. Emily paused for a brief moment when she looked at her reflection in the mirror for the first time in weeks.

She noticed with a start how much she had changed within that short period of time. She seemed almost… happy. There was a light in her eyes that hadn't been there before, confirming her earlier thoughts. McCoy had changed her for the better. She was only just beginning to realize how grateful she was that he'd chosen to go with her when she was given this assignment.

He could have just as easily found another job somewhere else. The fact that he enlisted in Starfleet just to be there with her had meant more than she would ever admit out loud. She only hoped that she could someday return the favor to him.

Emily shook her head at the thought as she made her way down the stairs. Once she had a fresh pot of coffee brewing, she turned on the holoscreen at a lower volume and pulled out her data PADD.

She rose an eyebrow when she noticed the dozen messages that came from Coulson and Clint. Most of them were regarding how things were going in New Mexico the week they arrived. The media had already made a whirlwind of stories over the anomaly Coulson and his team had been sent out to observe.

It was an 0-8-4, though the readings weren't nearly as close as hers had been to the very first anomaly Director Fury once discovered. She knew that was partly why Coulson's team was sent to that area. He had the most experience with those sort of energy readings, given that he adopted her.

The boss never made his intentions known as to why he was so interested in the energy readings. About the only thing she did know was that it had something to do with Captain Marvel. Coulson mentioned the name once when he talked about some of his past adventures with the agency. Of course, this was all after Emily made her own intentions clear.

"Norse mythology has become a reality today as we observe a fight between what appears to be a giant robotic piece of armor and the Norse god of thunder known as Thor…"

She glanced at the holoscreen in surprise when the reporter mentioned Thor. Years of research had taught her that in today's world, anything was possible. After dealing with everything at the agency she knew that the clips and reports were likely real. Her eyes narrowed as she saw the blue energy surrounding Thor's hammer, along with the robot she quickly picked out as the Destroyer. She wasn't familiar with Norse mythology, but she was familiar with the Viking era. She suspected there was more to the reports than the media portrayed.

It wasn't until hearing the sound of feet shuffling around the floor that Emily lowered the volume and finished searching through her messages. The last message was from Coulson. Apparently he'd gotten a hold of Doctor Jane Foster and her assistants after the incident was over. All three of them were interviewed and released from SHIELD's custody. Though she had a feeling the agency would be keeping a close eye on them once all was said and done.

"Morning," he greeted her with a warm kiss. Emily let out a sigh of contentment as she leaned into his touch, relishing how he felt. "I'm surprised you didn't jump at the opportunity to sleep in."

"I think we can both agree that sleeping in isn't an option," she reminded him with a pointed look. Though she couldn't hide the sheepish smirk that followed as he quirked an eyebrow in amusement. McCoy helped himself to some coffee while she finished the last of her notes. "Papa's going to have his hands full for the next couple of weeks."

"I'm not surprised he got dragged into that mess," McCoy remarked after watching the video feed himself. It didn't take long for him to settle beside her at the kitchen table. Part of their morning routine was just to sit and talk if classes weren't in full gear. Emily relished these mornings, mostly because they were few and in between. The Academy really had been one of the best changes she could have made, not only because it brought them back together but because it was something different from her daily routine at the agency. "Considering he was there when you were brought in…"

He trailed off, unsure how to finish as she took a long, thoughtful sip of her coffee. She knew what would have happened had Coulson not adopted her. Sooner or later she would have likely ended up on the streets because her parents wanted nothing to do with her. If they had abandoned her then it wasn't as if she would have been adopted by random citizens.

Truthfully she often thought of how fate worked. Coulson was the reason they met. More importantly, he was also the reason she had a second chance at life.

She couldn't help but think of how different their lives would have been had they not grown up together as children. Coulson gave her more than a second chance at life. When he introduced her to McCoy and his family, it was one of the best choices he could have made. He took a risk by introducing her to them, especially given her abilities and the threat she posed on them.

It's funny how little things like that seem to work out in the end, she thought.

"Papa always worked better with kids," she explained with a shrug. "Initially that's why the boss sent him in, because he knew I wouldn't talk to anyone else."

Emily chewed the bottom of her lip when she realized that Coulson brought her out of her shell as well. He'd done so much for her and all she did was make one mistake after the other. Coulson cared about the people he considered his friends and family. She supposed that was what made him such a good agent to reach out to.

It wasn't until feeling a hand reach for hers that Emily met McCoy's questioning gaze. She knew what was on his mind before he said it out loud. Through their telepathic bond it was easy to make out what he was thinking.

Then again, he's always been easy to read even without it, she reminded herself.

"Ya know, the best thing that ever happened to me was meeting you," he reassured her with a genuine smile. Her heart practically melted when his eyes lit up the whole room. Ever since the bitter fallout between himself and Pamela, he rarely smiled. The few times he did was when they were usually alone, and that made her appreciate him so much more. "I'm glad Pa took the risk in inviting Coulson to move next door."

Those words were enough for her heart to flutter with joy. She realized with a start that he sure as hell deserved better than what she had to offer. She knew she would have to tell him the truth about her past sooner or later. He deserved that much.

"Leonard, there's something I've been meaning to tell you," she started once she gathered the courage to tell him.

"I know." Emily's brows furrowed together with surprise when he looked at her with an expression that would've sent anyone else running. Her heart nearly skipped a beat when she scanned his thoughts, realizing with a start that he'd already known about that part of what she did during their time apart. "You really think Coulson would've let me get away with not knowing what you went through during our time apart?" Emily held back a sigh of frustration when he gave her hand a light squeeze after cupping his hand around it. "Darlin', I'd be an idiot if I couldn't see past what happened to you. Hell, I wish I could turn back the clock and stop it all from happening."

She wasn't sure how to respond as she realized what he was implying. She'd felt the guilt eating away at him since they got back together. Even though they hadn't talked about that, she knew he felt incredibly guilty for what happened to her during their time apart. He was far more accepting of what she had done than she expected, and that left her feeling guiltier than ever.

She pulled her hand away, knowing full-well that she couldn't let her guard down. Not that easily. In spite of sharing a bond with him that meant he could easily read her emotions, that didn't stop her from trying to block him out. That was partly why she blocked him out earlier the other day, though she had other selfish reasons for pushing him away as well.

"You deserve better," she muttered under her breath.

"Like hell I do," McCoy snapped without missing a beat. Emily was taken aback when he suddenly kissed her without hesitation. "I love you, Em… I know I haven't said it enough, but I love you."

Her heart soared with joy. She was only just beginning to understand how much they both changed in the past three years. For the first time since they got back together, Emily was only just beginning to understand what McCoy would do for her. She relished the time they had together, more so when she realized how much he meant to her.

"I love you too, cowboy," she whispered back without hesitation.

She was ready to say something else when a knock sounded on the door, breaking the trance-like spell she was under. They both let out a sigh of frustration; Emily knew that if it was anyone from the agency they wouldn't wait much longer.

Neither of them said a thing as she reached the door and answered it, only to find Maria standing outside. The brunette looked less-than-amused to see the two of them together. The only positive outcome Emily had was the fact that Maria had known she and McCoy were seeing each other again. She had a feeling that Coulson complained about it on more than one occasion.

"Agent Hill… to what do I owe the pleasure?" she greeted her SO with a curt nod as Maria eyed the pair suspiciously.

Emily didn't miss the fact that McCoy was done hiding their relationship. She shared a knowing look with him as he fell in beside her, ignoring the scrutinizing glare Maria gave him. It wasn't as if the brunette couldn't say anything that would change Emily's mind. She was well aware of the fact that Emily would bend the rules in her favor if she had to.

"Cut the pleasantries, Coulson," Maria snapped after rolling her eyes in exasperation, "I'm here to inform you that you've been reassigned."

Emily stiffened when she realized what Maria was implying. Her heart sank as she understood the meaning behind those words. It didn't take long for McCoy to register what was happening as well. He'd known going into this that there was a real possibility she could be reassigned. They talked about it a few times prior to this mess, but Emily always assumed she would have more time.

"Do you mind giving us a few minutes?" she asked warily, knowing full-well she would have to take the full brunt of it. Maria eyed the pair warily before nodding in agreement. Emily held back a sigh of frustration as her eyes met McCoy's. She hated this part of her job. Having to leave the people she cared about behind was far more difficult than she imagined. "I thought I would have more time to cope."

McCoy's face softened as he pulled her into a tight embrace. In spite of this sudden change, there was no denying the fact that he still had feelings for her. That would never change or fade. Emily buried her face into his shoulder as she drank in his scent, welcoming the warmth and comfort he provided. She wanted nothing more than to get lost within the feelings he provided.

"I know." Her gut wrenched at the softness of his voice. She realized with a start that he was far more accepting of this change than he should have been. "I also know that you'll go regardless of what I say. I can't take this job away from you."

"It won't be forever," she reassured him with a kiss.

"I sure hope not," he replied without missing a beat.

She couldn't hide the sheepish smile that followed as her eyes met his. Not for the first time, Emily found herself wondering how she had gotten so lucky with him. She hadn't realized until then that this was the life she had been looking for. She longed for a chance at living a normal life with someone who actually gave a damn about her.

"Communication in the base will be dicey, but there are ways to get around it," Maria warned her when they reluctantly parted ways.

She glanced at McCoy knowingly, all-too-aware of the bond they shared, "I don't think that's going to be a problem."

.

.

McCoy let out a heavy sigh as he walked across the campus alone for the first time in weeks. Bystanders threw him wary looks as he headed towards the mess hall. By now most folks at the Academy had seen him with Emily on a daily basis. It wasn't unknown to them that they had been seeing each other, and he wasn't about to deny their accusations either.

He wished they had more time together before she was taken back by the agency. It only just dawned on him how difficult it would be for them to part ways. He was only just beginning to realize how much she meant to him when she bailed him out of prison. Then there was the fact that she finally talked about the part of her past she was always reluctant to share.

As difficult as it had been for him to watch her blame herself for what happened, he knew she needed to admit it out loud. What hurt the most was knowing that she resorted to such lengths, all while he was happily living his life. He should have known better than to think that she would have been happy with his choices. Hell, everything that happened between them was because of stupid choices he made, and those choices altered their future.

Watching her leave through the transporter had been harder than he could've imagined. He supposed the only consolation he had was the fact that they could keep in touch with each other, even when communication was down at the base. That helped alleviate some of his concerns, though it certainly didn't help knowing they were apart again.

It seemed as though just when they were finally comfortable with each other, life always threw a monkey-wrench into their plans. He'd known going into this that it was always a possibility; he just hadn't realized how soon the reassignment would come.

It was early in the morning when he arrived on campus grounds. McCoy thanked his lucky stars that Emily convinced him to bring an extra set of clothes. It wasn't a secret that they were seeing each other, but he wasn't in the mood to deal with the questions that would follow if he showed up in the same uniform.

The mess hall was bustling with activity when McCoy arrived. He was hardly surprised to find Kirk already wide awake. The kid had a tendency to wake up early in the morning, a habit it seemed most folks he knew had. He knew he wasn't much better in those aspects. The few chances he had to sleep in were usually squandered by the internal alarm clock.

"Bones, I was wondering how long it would take you to get here," Kirk greeted him with a cheeky grin. McCoy just rolled his eyes as he took a seat across from him. He had a feeling that his already long morning would only get worse if Kirk was involved. "I'm surprised that Coulson isn't with you."

McCoy narrowed his eyes at the accusation in Kirk's voice. Though he managed to contain his irritation and the fact that his nose was buried in a data PADD, McCoy recognized it in an instant.

"Something came up that she needed to take care of," he tried brushing it off while finishing the last of his coffee.

"Or maybe she's been given a new assignment for that agency she works for." McCoy stiffened when Kirk suddenly turned his PADD around to reveal what he was looking at. His heart sank the moment Emily's image appeared across the screen, along with her information from the agency. He was suddenly grateful that Coulson told him everything. Whether it was to make him feel guiltier for what happened between them or not, McCoy didn't care. He was just thankful that Emily had already warned him ahead of time. "You're surprisingly calm for someone who's learned that the woman he loves is a murderer."

His heart sank as he scrolled down the page of information Kirk had been reading earlier. He'd known that she was admitted to the ICU during their time apart, but he hadn't realized how often that occurred. The further he read, the guiltier he felt for putting her in that position. Considering what she had been through while she was held captive, he wasn't surprised to find that she was emotionally unstable.

What really bothered him was the fact that he went out of his way to ignore the problem. At the time he hadn't exactly been helpful when it came to their relationship. He often found himself wondering if she would have taken a different path had he been there for her after she recovered.

"Dammit Jim, you have no right to accuse her of anything," he finally snapped.

"And here I was hoping that you'd at least have some sense of how insane this is," Kirk muttered crossly. "I don't know how you can defend her after everything she's done."

Because I'm half the reason she went down that path, a small voice shouted in his head.

McCoy's jaw clenched as cold realization dawned on him. None of that would have happened if he had been there for her. When she needed him the most he turned his back on her. He had been too terrified of what his life would have been like if he never had a normal life. The worst part of it was knowing that all of this could have been avoided if he had been there for her from the beginning.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and tried to push those thoughts aside. Kirk posed a bigger threat to Emily than the agency did at this point. If the kid decided to give away her position to the Council, the end results could prove disastrous. The last thing he wanted to think of was how she would be treated when all of this was over.

"Look, the only thing I do know is that the agency isn't gonna let you get away with hacking into their security," he retorted after regaining his composure.

The last thing he wanted was to give Kirk the satisfaction of knowing just how worried he was. He knew enough about the agency to know that they would consider Kirk a security threat.

"How is it that you're so calm about this?" Kirk demanded after taking the PADD back.

McCoy felt guilty enough for knowing what happened to her during their time apart. It wasn't something anyone enjoyed talking about, and McCoy doubted Emily would share that information with him. Not that he couldn't blame her, especially after everything he put her through. He let out a sigh of frustration and ran a hand through his hair, suddenly aware that Kirk was crossing a thin line.

Not for the first time, McCoy was grateful that they grew up together as children. He'd known about the agency long before she joined it. His father was the reason his family knew about the agency, simply for the fact that there were no secrets between them.

"I grew up knowing about the agency," he explained warily, keeping his voice down to avoid drawling attention. "My Pa was close to hers." He couldn't help but think of how those first few months went by when they first met. He realized with a start that his life had changed from the moment they met. There were times when he wished he could take back some of the harsher things that were said between them. "My point is, you have no right to judge her based on what you've read."

Kirk's mouth twisted into a thin line as he realized what McCoy was implying. McCoy was willing to go to such lengths if it meant protecting Emily. He hadn't been able to do that in the past, and he sure as hell planned on making up for that mess. He just hoped that Kirk was ready for the fight of his life, because he knew that he wasn't the only one who would willingly protect her.