A/N: Another Marvel Story that popped up after watching Hawkeye. Something about these two I'd love for them to meet and Kate to just drag Harley into all of the MCU insanity.
Warnings: There is the occasional swear word. Also this story is unbeta'd so future apologies for any grammatical mistakes.
Disclaimer: I do not own Spiderman or the Avengers and make no money from writing this.


Visiting her mother in prison always gave her complex emotions.

"So um how are you doing?"

Her mother was in a jumpsuit sitting down in front of her and separated by a sheet of glass. Going off of looks alone she seemed incredibly stripped down. Gone was the makeup, the clothes, the appearances needed to maintain just her mother incredibly worn down. It was hard to pin just by looking though how else she was feeling.

"Well it's not home but I'm getting by. Thanks for visiting by the way. Wasn't sure you would actually come."

"What?" Feeling taken aback. "Why not?" Even though to be fair it had taken her awhile.

Her mother strummed her fingers gently on the tabletop. "With everything that happened I wasn't sure how you'd feel after you'd finished processing everything."

'Oh that' Some days Kate didn't feel like SHE'd processed everything entirely from before Christmas. And the image she'd had of her mom was probably forever changed but. "It doesn't mean I've stopped caring about you. I can still love you but hate what you did."

Her mother let her lips quirk up at that, eyes warming. "You've always had such a big heart. It's nice to see that hasn't changed."

They made small talk and talked about a few things going on in Kate's life at the moment until it changed to Kate's other job, the unpaid vigilante one.

"Kate you can't keep doing this. I have made a lot of enemies over the years more than you know-"

"Yeah and when were you ever going to tell me about that?" Kate cut in sharply, narrowing her eyes. "Or was that going to be just another secret taken to the grave mom?"

Eleanor let out a frustrated sigh. "I didn't start this and never wanted this unlike your father. I was only trying to work my way out of the war zone that he left us in. And maybe those weren't the right calls at the time. But I didn't see any other way out. I kept us afloat and I gave you every opportunity that I never had."

Kate looked away focusing instead on the tabletop. "I'm just saying mom it's pretty hypocritical of you to be casting judgment on my decisions, when you've made some pretty terrible ones yourself."

"Kate," She rebuked in a disapproving manner, but she didn't say anything further in reprimand choosing to change the subject. "All I ever wanted was for you to be safe and kept out of this. If you keep taking example after the heroes of this city. You're going to make some very dangerous enemies, and when that happens. Who will you have watching your back?"

"I'm not alone mom, and I've trained for this my whole life." Kate said slowly, adjusting the phone in her hand. "I have people I can reach out to or call for help. And besides that's the risk you take when you try to become-"

"You're not a superhero!"

The words were ringing in Kate's ears, and she shifted uneasily as all of the guards watching them gave them warning looks. Her mother looked like she regretted her outburst but not her words.

"You're my daughter. My very human daughter who has no business aliens and robots, even the lower crime of New York."

"Because what? That's not our problem? I don't have any special powers that means I don't have a right to try to defend the people of this city?" Feeling a low sense of bitterness creeping into her words derailing her from wanting to listen any further. "And by the way before you cut me off I was going to say become something better than yourself. Something I think we could both work at."

It was quiet for a beat as Kate picked at her nail polish one handed waiting for her mother to respond.

Sure enough. "And when you go out every night who's with you making sure you get home alive?"

"I don't exactly go out every night-"

"Kate." She echoed back in clear exasperation.

"No one! Okay? I sometimes run a patrol with Spiderman, Clint, or Yelena when they are in town but they're busy okay? They have their own lives and families. I can't always expect them to cover me when I go out, and I shouldn't have to. Plenty of people do the solo hero gig and I'm beginning to understand why. It's just- it is what it is okay?"

Kate glanced up to see her mother look so sad and semi pitying. "Oh baby. It shouldn't be. Not for you. I don't want to get word in here that you were killed as collateral damage or mere revenge. Please I'm asking for you to stop and leave this dangerous path you've taken up."

She shook her head focusing back on the counter-top and knowing this was just a point among many that her mom and her were just never going to agree upon. "I can't do that mom. You know I can't."

"I know that you still seem to think you're invincible, but our time is up. At least...have the guards give me the news should the worst happen. I would rather know than be left assuming."

Holding in a despondent sigh Kate hung up the phone after muttering that she would be back next week unable to look back at her mother and take in the disappointment.

As she sat on the subway Kate was still thinking about it. Her mother wasn't wrong in that she didn't consistently have someone always there. Clint had his own life and family even before he met her. And even though she was now welcome to parts of it, it still didn't mean she had access to him 24/7.

Yelena was elusive before and after they met and still coming to terms with her wrong assumptions regarding Clint. She'd drop by from time to time usually breaking 'correcting sneaking' into her apartment, when she least expected it to check in. But she promised to keep her ears to the ground for information on anything related to her or Clint and checking in with the other widows. She was the type of person Kate pegged as a drifter by nature. Someone unable to settle down for long.

Spiderman was great, and someone she loved working with. But they didn't have a set patrol schedule (not to mention New York was pretty big) and would usually just team up whenever they happened to run across the other. The thing was he was very guarded, she had come to realize. Kate hardly knew anything about him, nothing personal at least.

They'd only worked together a few times, and it didn't feel like she was anywhere near being let in on who he really was. Which maybe he had his reasons, some days she wished she could have had a secret identity for protection. But it would just be really nice if he trusted her even a little bit with small stuff. And what exactly would that take to earn that from him?

She hadn't had a chance to meet the other Avengers yet or any other rumored superheroes or vigilantes, but Kate was hoping that would change. Being apart of a team like Clint had been with the other Avengers would be the dream, since speaking from experience going it alone kinda sucked

Jack was a surprise and helped her sort out the mess with Bishop security with its CEO being arrested. It was a shame he bought that book in vain, as he probably wouldn't be marrying her mother and making him her step-dad. Which was actually sad, because she was finally on board with the idea. But he checked in on her personally every few days, and it was far kinder then she deserved after what she did to him.

Unlocking her door and disarming the security system not even with the mood she was in was enough to stop her from smiling at Lucky's happy barking and near bowling her over across the threshold. "Hi! Did you miss me?" Enthusiastically scratching behind his ears. "Aww who's a good boy. Come on, let's get you fed for dinner. It's been a long day Luck. And let me tell you you're a sight for sore eyes."

She went to refill his bowl with food and water before grabbing her own leftovers from the fridge chatting to Lucky about her day. She then answered a few texts on her phone before proceeding to scroll through the dating website she was on. There were a few Kate was talking with casually, but one she really, REALLY liked that she was hitting it off with. Smart, attractive, and funny she knew he did something related to robotics.

The only thing was location wise he was from Tennessee which kinda sucked that he wasn't local. But he did say he made trips up to New York occasionally, because he had family up there. So it was possible they could make it work, but with everything going on Kate wasn't so sure.

The night they were actually supposed to meet. Several calls came in over her police scanner. Kate hesitated eying her selected outfit that she had picked out prior before shaking her head and suiting up texting him 'can they please rain check? something's come up' It was a few minutes before he texted it was fine. He would be in town a few days visiting different friends and dropping by Stark Ind. She patted Lucky on the head and then headed out. Really glad that he was cool with it.

After taking on Kingpin, Kate thought everyone else would be easier by comparison. However Kate had never gone up against a flag smasher. Noting that this one seemed like it was super human, as she worked to lead them away from the severely incapacitated police officers on the ground near their cars.

When giving her pointers Clint had told her to stick close to long range attacks, because both that worked the best for them and to always think smart. If you recognize you're outmatched either out think your opponent or get the hell out of dodge.

"Easier said than done." She groaned to herself from her place on the floor after having been thrown through a window of an empty warehouse. Nothing Kate had fired off earlier had worked. The flag smasher had broken through the rope arrow, caught the tranquilizer one, and tracked her through the smoke screen before breaking her remaining trick arrows and severely beating her.

Her ribs were bruised if not cracked or broken. Just breathing was painful at the moment. She was bleeding from her mouth. Her eye was already swelling shut and she was pretty sure she had a concussion on top of numerous cuts and smaller bruises. Kate slowly picked her head up as she watched with dazed eyes the flag smasher come through the window then standing above her. Only one last move came to her as she gripped the small pepper spray container she carried before all of this in her thigh pocket.

"What's wrong, little rich girl? No mommy's money to bail you out this time? You and your kind make me sick."

"Whoever...told you...that...I'm rich...was wrong." Somewhere between the blood in her mouth and massive amount of pain words were difficult to make it pass her lips. "But...I do...have...this."

Waiting until the flag smasher had stupidly leaned in close enough before pressing down the release button to spray their face. Their masks may protect most of their faces but their eyes are still exposed. As they screamed in pain staggering away Kate tried to get up but collapsed with a pained cry. Everything hurt and her muscles screamed at her when she moved.

That didn't matter though she had no choice it was move or be left for dead unless the anarchist was feeling generous. Pushing through the pain Kate grabbed the closest object which was a broken piece of metal pipe whipping it as hard as she could at the flag smasher's mask that would hopefully knock them out but not kill them.

Panting as she stood over their prone body Kate made sure they were really unconscious before making the very, VERY slow trek home. She got a lot of strange or hesitant glances but no one commented or made any move to approach her. She couldn't quite tell if she appreciated the distance or not, but at least she didn't run into any further trouble.

Once she got home Kate collapsed on her apartment floor to let her body rest for a bit before she moved again. Lucky quickly moved to lay down next to her, as she stared at her off white and stained ceiling taking in the piercing silence. Irritatingly teared prickled at the corners of her eyes in moments like these she felt very alone. It was difficult not to hear all the doubts her mother instilled in her echoing inside her head. Completely in over her head and out matched in every way.

All she wanted to do was help people and maybe...be a bit like her idols. Save someone else just like she had been when she was 9. Maybe it wasn't the ideal dream most parents envision for their kids, but at least it was something she could live with.

Resisting the urge to roll over and cry into Lucky's fur Kate leaned her head closer into him. At least she wasn't completely alone tonight.

Sleeping on the floor...was definitely a mistake. And now she wanted to cry just from the pain. "Lucky," She whimpered. "Please fetch ice packs." Pointing in the vague direction of her freezer.

Lucky however just tried licking the dried blood on her cheeks. They had time to work on that.

Recovery was slow over the next few days, as she stayed in her apartment and only left for Lucky's sake to take him for a snail's pace walk. She wasn't a god or a super soldier, so she healed at a slow rate, maybe even worse than that. Making notes on her whiteboard to FIX UNIFORM (Look into Kevlar/protective material) so hopefully in the future it would mean she got less beat up.

Kate answered texts from Jack and Clint dodging a few Face-times, so he couldn't see her recovering face. The last thing she needed was any more doubt from anyone, and at this rate it would definitely be awhile before she would next visit her mom. One look at Kate's face and the lecture and 'I told you so' would begin.

The problem with Yelena is that she never texted for some reason and would prefer to call directly. (Kate wasn't sure if that was a Russian thing or a Yelena one) So Kate tried to just leave a few text messages acknowledging that she was fine and alive, since if she answered the call no doubt within seconds would the other girl be able to pick up the pain in her voice. Apparently that wasn't good enough for her.

Probably the thing she was most bummed about was having to turn down her Tennessee guy. Because not only did she really like him, she just enjoyed having someone to talk with. She missed having people to talk to and hang out with. Her school friends had moved on and currently her closest relationships were a retired Avenger, an assassin, and a man who nearly married her mom that she tried to have arrested. But she knew he definitely didn't sign up for any of this.

"This sucks." She mumbled out loud to Lucky while she petted him on the couch that the two were currently reclined on. "I finally find a guy who doesn't seem like a total creep and tell him not using the words 'it's not you it's me' but also at the same time getting that message across. Maybe I should ask Clint for tips how he met Laura and made it work." Kate scrunched up her face leaning down closer to Lucky's ear. "No wait, that makes me sound pathetic doesn't it? Forget I said that."

A crisp knock suddenly came from outside her door making Kate tense and blindly search for the nearest weapon, before she could move a guy's voice called out with a slight accent.

"Hey um Kate? I'm really sorry because I know this is creepy and definitely not how I wanted to meet you for the first time. But I'm getting contacted by someone I tracked who's in Germany and sending me threatening voice-mails with the word Keelhauling from some burner phone? I'll be honest, I had to look that up because it sounded terrifying. Spoiler alert it is. And they wanted me to make sure you were okay since you were dodging their calls. They said you'd know who it is if I say your full name. Can I come in? Also is your friend some sort of supervillain-"

Kate was already opening the door to let him through. "Hi I'm so SO sorry about that. Please trust that I'd never actually let her do anything to you."

But Harley was now staring at her in shock and slight horror. "Oh my God Kate, your face...What happened?"

Seeing that they now had company Lucky ran over to meet him taking a cursory sniff and lick circling a few times before deeming him acceptable. Harley bore it patiently and without a word obviously used to dogs and too distracted by her to take notice.

She quickly brought a hand up to the bruises. "Oh this?" Feeling a nervous laugh bubble out. "Just got mugged, you know how New York is I'm sure. Um come on in please. Just ignore the mess. Haven't had time to clean."

He did so but quickly went to his phone to type something in and pulled up her fight at the Rockefeller center and she winced at now being called out. "Yeah I do know how New York is, but I get the feeling that," gesturing at her injuries. "Is more related to your moonlighting activity. Is that a wait until the 3rd date type of deal that you usually tell people or hope they just don't connect the dots ever?"

Putting her head in her hands embarrassed she muttered. "I don't know how to say it, and it feels like a turn off to add in my bio."

"Alright," Harley gave her, tilting his head in consideration. "I can see your point, and I guess at this point I shouldn't be surprised. It's kinda par for the course now for my life." He gave her a charming grin. "I like the snoopy sweatshirt and pants."

"Thanks." She huffed a sharp sigh glancing down. This however she refused to feel embarrassed over, because they were awesome. "Sorry if I had known you were coming I would have dressed not in pajamas." She couldn't help eying him back in subtle appreciation, noticing the style wasn't what she expected. He was wearing an old band shirt and a brown leather jacket.

He seemed to guess what she had been thinking. "People always seem surprised when they hear I don't live in flannel, but you can't live in Tennessee without going to a few concerts and the Jacket I got as a gift a few years ago."

"It's a pretty cool jacket." She admitted before rocking on the balls of her feet once. "So...on a scale of one to ten how would you rate our first meeting?

"I mean," Carefully pocketing his phone before remarking in amusement. "I met Tony Stark when I was 8 after he broke into my mom's garage. So that bar was kinda set for memorable first meetings." Running a hand through his hair Harley's voice shifted finally giving her a slight nervous energy to it.

"But I'm kinda just glad to be talking to you in person now after so long, especially before I have to leave. And while I realize I kinda intruded on your night, if you want. I can stay or pick you up some foods or meds. We can just chill or talk. This is obviously unorthodox, so I want you to call the shots on this."

"Yeah," She smiled curling back up on the sofa. "I'd really like it if you stayed. If you want, that is."

"Cool," He said, smiling back. "There's just one thing I need you to do first."

"What's that?"

"Please call your psychotic friend back before she or he threatens me with more fishing torture techniques. I don't even want to know how they got my contact information, or why they reached out to me. I thought about getting Pepper involved. But I try to make it a habit NOT to do that, and she's got enough to worry about right now."

Kate put her face back in her hands back to being embarrassed and hopped straight off the couch to grab her phone. "Yep, calling her right now. I'm so sorry. I promise while she makes a lot of threats, I'd do my best to make sure she doesn't carry out any of them. We're definitely going to have a long talk about this. Friendship boundaries among other things."

Dialing the number as quickly as she could but unable to help being endeared as Harley spoke quietly to Lucky scratching behind his ears. Despite her intense embarrassment and annoyance at what Yelena had done she also prevented Kate from blowing him off. Which she could now see she would have definitely regretted.

"Ah Kate Bishop so you are alive..."