A/ N In the A/N of chapter eight I said that I originally wanted this finished by Christmas day... And that is while I'll be updating (about) every two hours, until I run out, for the rest of today. So happy reading and hope I actually achieve this! (Also some reviews would be nice)
I love New York. That's what I've decided. The people I know are lovely, they look after me. I have friends, friends that I feel like will stick by me, especially now they know my secret. And I know my family will take me to see Klara if I need to. The buildings have become familiar and I'm happy to walk around by myself.
So I'm okay when Tony calls me and asks me if I'm okay to either walk or get the bus home. He says Steve could come if I really needed him to, but Steve driving... No. He didn't have a licence in the 40s, and now he'll occasionally press the accelerator or brake too hard. Plus scientific research shows exercise makes you happy. And today's been a good day, so I can be bothered to walk.
Tony's in his workshop, and according to both Clint and Natasha, who've just got back from somewhere where they'd been to be 'coupley' according to Clint, and is working on some kind of radiation, and should not be disturbed. Steve is working out, and Bucky is just plain out. Sam's still doing time at S.H.I.E.L.D. Oh and Thor and Jane are out doing lovey dovey stuff. I settle my self down at the kitchen breakfast bar with a hot chocolate and a pile of homework. I get the maths out the way first and begin on my Russian. I'm almost done when a person comes up behind me and says, "That's wrong. You've spelt that wrong."
I whip my hair around, which catches Klara in the face. Smiling, I roll my eyes. My spelling of Russian and hers were always different. Like Americans and English with grey and gray. "Hey," I pause, not wanting to sound rude, "Why exactly are you here?"
"Well a little birdie told me that while I was on my mission, someone came to see me, and looking back at the security feed, she was really upset. Oh and Coulson was coming so Anya Sam and I jumped on the plane. What's wrong Yana?" She says. I don't want to talk about that.
"Nothing. Not anymore." She raises an eyebrow. "What?! The problem was fixed, I'm fine now, just don't want to talk about it."
"Fine. D'you want any help?" I nod and give Klara everything except the Russian piece of been working on. She lands it all back on me except some physics or something.
I'm done much quicker than normal. Klara seems to make the time I'm working go faster. "Hey, Yana," Klara says quietly when I'm almost done, "You know you can tell me, right? You can tell me anything." I'm silent. She's not who she used to be anymore. "I've seen the footage. You crying like that is not for no reason."
"I'll tell you one day. Is Anya around? Natasha might want to see her."
"Her and Sam are probably... doing something." I raise my eyebrows. "Yeah. They're a thing. Don't tell anyone especially not... Hi Natasha. How are you?"
"What are you not telling anyone? And why are you here?" Natasha asks sharply.
"JARVIS delete the last five minutes of footage. And she came to see me. Anya's around too." I say slyly and Natasha just rolls her eyes.
"Done, Miss Stark." I grin.
"I will find out." Natasha says, and I don't doubt her. She's a master spy for goodness sake!
"Why don't you go and find her?" Klara smiles sweetly, and Natasha realises that we were talking about something to do with her sister. I think Klara meant to give her that clue.
"If you say so." Natasha goes off to find Anya. So that's news. Anya and Sam have a thing going. I really hope for Wilson's sake Natasha doesn't find out.
Klara talks to me about what she's been doing. Apparently HYDRA's really hard to catch, but they're looking for the same thing as S.H.I.E.L.D. so they've run in to each other a couple of times. Most of its classified, but she gives me all the gossip that to be honest I don't really care about. There's some stuff about Skye and it's good to hear she's doing okay.
Sam's happy to see Steve again, I mean they're friends so of course he would be. Natasha and Eva have an argument about something in Russian. I tune it out once I realise it's not interesting. Klara, Anya, Sam and I are all waiting for Natasha to kick off but it doesn't happen. They've avoided getting caught for now. But Natasha is a master spy, she's bound to find out eventually. They're lucky they've got this far.
Coulson is going back the next day, which means Klara and Eva have to too. Sam is staying as he and Steve have to sort some things out, and Sam's acting a lot like a messenger between S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers. Klara's aware that she doesn't have that much left and keeps trying to get it out of me. She doesn't keep trying, because I think she knows that it'll annoy me, and she wants to leave on a happy note.
Klara hugs me bye before everyone else gets up to say goodbye. She's still got the whole 'never show any weakness' drilled in to her, but the fact she's doing it is a step in the right direction. "Be careful, Yana. Be careful."
"You too." I whisper. It was nice seeing her again. "See you soon."
"Not if I see you first." She grins before everyone else comes out to the rooftop to say goodbye. I'll miss her, but not too much. I'm more comfortable her now, and I have people my age that I'm friends with.