Yelena lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling. It had been a weird few days. She was very bored, but also didn't feel very well and her body ached, so lying in bed doing nothing wasn't the worst thing. Kate came a lot, and they watched TV, though Yelena didn't pay much attention to what was on screen; she was just glad Kate was there and she wasn't alone. Sam and Bucky came to visit too and would bring non-hospital food for Kate. Yelena didn't eat much, she mostly felt like being sick, and food didn't help with that feeling.

Now the room was mostly dark, though hospital rooms were never truly dark, there were too many lights from all the machine and bits and pieces around her room. Not that she was hooked up to much other than the intravenous pain killers, but the machines were still there, just incase. Yelena knew she wouldn't need that stuff, but apparently being in the high care ward meant they had to be here. The pain and discomfort was mostly manageable, she had an alleviated temperature which came and went, but on the whole, she was ok. It could be worse. She'd had worse in the past. There was light from the hallway too, and light from the small window which was lit up from the street lights below and city lights beyond. Here she was in New York City, and stuck in hospital.

Yelena was having surgery in the morning, and was first up according to the doctor, so she wouldn't get to see Kate, because there was no way Kate could get herself to the hospital before 6am. Poor Kate, she'd ended up in this mess and looked so stressed and unsure and confused when she'd left Yelena this evening. There was more going on than Yelena knew how to explain, especially with constant interruptions from nurses and other medical staff. Bucky got it, or at least Yelena was pretty sure he did. When he'd visited this afternoon he hadn't said much as usual, but he looked prepared. Yelena hoped that preparedness wasn't in vain, much like she hoped her own hope wasn't misplaced.

Maybe she was wrong. Maybe it was all wishful thinking, the one little fantasy she allowed herself to have. Everyone was allowed one fantasy, right? Yelena smiled. At least the fantasy gave her some little happiness, and gave her hope. She closed her eyes, and allowed herself the luxury of leaning completely into her own imagination.

"Oh, I really thought I was about to fall asleep, and then you might come, but I wouldn't know because I'd be asleep, and you'd watch me, which would be kinda weird, and then you'd leave, and that would be it," Yelena said, sensing a shadow in the room.

"Gotta admit, I did think you were asleep."

Yelena opened her eyes and wished she could leap out of bed across to the figure lurking by the door. Only she couldn't leap anywhere, and if she moved too much at all she got an almighty pain shoot through her leg, so it was best just to stay where she was.

"Hang on, let me put the bed up a bit. I know what to press now so that the bed goes up, but I don't make the nurse come. And the morphine one only works every half hour, I got a dose not long before. Ok, there we go," Yelena said as the bed raised her into a more seated position. "I don't know if I'm really mad at you, or so relieved I don't care," she said with a small smile.

"I'm so sorry."

"Why? It's not your fault I got shot," Yelena said. She didn't want to the conversation to get too heavy, even though it needed too. Not now, anyway. She wanted to talk about nothing, though that was really hard at the moment.

"It kind of it."

"Yeah, it kind of is," Yelena agreed.

"And I had to check you were safe."

"I am," Yelena said. Talking was good. Talking helped, she'd learnt that from Kate. "I've got Kate and the others looking out for me."

"Including Clint?"

Yelena made a non-committal noise. She'd rather not talk about Clint. "Those mercs are so obvious," she said, changing the subject. "So stupid. And you are so annoying. But hey! Now you're here. I can't go home yet, but when I can you have to come over and I will make you mac and cheese. Not from a packet, I've learnt how to make it properly. Like with the proper white sauce, the good cheese, so cheesy, it's so good, you'll love it. And I can do the different combinations, like the roast cauliflower and the broccoli, the pumpkin, that's really nice. The leftover roast chicken and peas. I can do the roast chicken too. I've totally levelled up my cooking skills. Cooking is like the one thing we were never really taught, you know? But I've found some great blogs and now can make all sorts of things. Pancakes, butter chicken, roast potatoes that are really crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. I've gotten really good."

"I'd like to try your cooking."

"Mac and cheese? Or my amazing roast potatoes?"

"Either. Both. Everything sounds perfect."

Yelena smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Can you come back soon? To stay?"

"Soon."

"Bucky is looking for you too."

"I know."

"He would have seen you come to the hospital. He's keeping an eye out for more mercs, and the mercs are looking for you."

"I know, but I'm a better spy than him. And you. And those mercenaries. I'm just so sorry they got you caught up in all of this."

"Want to share what 'this' is?"

"One day. Maybe."

"Oh, you're so annoying. I - ow," Yelena said and screwed up her face as she went to adjust how she was sitting, but put just a little too much pressure on her right side, and it sent a jolt of pain down her leg.

"You need to call Clint."

"Nooo. I definitely don't need Clint," Yelena grimaced.

"Are your medications being adjusted?"

"Adjusted for what?"

"I'm going to guess they're not. Clint still has contacts from SHIELD. Whatever you were given back in the day, it's going to be close to what I got. Have them pull out my medical files, I've already been the pin-cushion, so it won't be so bad for you. They can test your levels for certain drugs, then adjust your medication accordingly. I know you're a badass, but you still need proper painkillers for an injury like that."

"It's fine," Yelena said, wishing the pain was easier to shrug off.

"Call Clint. Let him help."

"Well I can't now, because it's the middle of the night. You could call Clint for me," Yelena tried with a mischievous smile.

"I can't. Not yet."

"I wish you could stay," Yelena said softly and swallowed. "You look like shit, by the way."

"Like you can talk."

"I have like three broken bones that are getting put back together with bits of metal and stuff in the morning. I'm allowed to. Also the nurse took all my jewellery. She didn't steal it, she gave it to Bucky and now Kate's taken it home, but you look cool and I just look ill but I have a good excuse. What's your excuse?"

"I've been busy. I do want to explain one day."

"I really do wish you could stay," Yelena said, suddenly feeling a lump in her throat.

"I know."

"I really just want to be enough of a reason for you to stay," Yelena breathed, surprising herself that the words which had been in her heart for so long actually came out of her mouth.

"You have always been enough. You always are."

"Not for you to stay."

"I will, I promise. I will come back. Promise you'll listen to the medical staff, and call Clint."

"And that's the condition for you to come back to me?"

"No. No conditions. I just don't want you to go being a pain in the neck," Natasha smirked, stepping closer to the bed.

Yelena chuckled, though her eyes stung with tears. "We have a lot of catching up to do. And explaining, too. You know I live with Kate, right? And Lucky. He's a dog. The best dog."

"Yeah, I know. I'm so happy for you."

"Kate's totally the better Hawkeye."

"I'm really glad you found her, and you have a home. You seem really happy."

"Yeah," Yelena said. She was happy in with the new life she was building here. The only thing missing was standing just feet away from her and Yelena was afraid she would lose forever, but she didn't know how to say that. "I really want to hug Lucky right now. You'd like him too."

"I bet I would. Yelena, I really do have to go."

Yelena held out her hand, and she was pleasantly surprised when Natasha took it. "Come back."

"I will," Natasha said, giving Yelena's hand a squeeze and leaning over to give her a kiss on the forehead. "Take care."

"I really want this to be real," Yelena breathed and closed her eyes, taking in Natasha's closeness and warmth and subtle smell, which was so much gentler than the disinfectant and bleach which the room smelt like otherwise.

When Yelena opened her eyes, Natasha was gone. Like she'd never been there at all.

…

"Want me to pick you up on the way to the hospital?"

"Can you look after Alpine for me?"

"What?" Sam asked, looking at his phone to check he had actually called Bucky. That had not being the answer he was expecting. The answer had been 'sure, and we gotta get coffee on the way. Have you checked with Kate if she wants one, because we'll get the good sort, not the hospital cafe sort', not asking if Sam could mind his cat.

"I don't know how long I'll be, but a few weeks at least," Bucky said. "I'd ask Kate, but she's not really in the right frame of mind at the moment."

"You - where are you going?" Sam asked, still feeling completely thrown by the turn this call had taken.

"Work," Bucky replied.

"Ok. Good. Really specific."

"I gotta go," Bucky said. "I've got a flight just after lunch. Yelena will understand. She'll get it."

"Buck, what's going on?"

"Work, like I said."

"You need a buddy?" Sam asked, thinking that last minute 'work' like this sounded super suspicious and not super safe.

"Not on this one. Sorry, Sam."

"No offence taken," Sam said, as intrigued as annoyed. This was all very out of the blue. Admittedly, Bucky had been acting kind of weird all week, but it had been a weird week with Yelena getting attacked in broad daylight. Plus Bucky could be weird at the best of times. Sam got that Bucky was protective, that made sense. But now he was leaving? "Is this to do with the guys who attacked Yelena?"

"Yep."

"You sure you don't want a buddy?"

"Positive."

"And you don't want to wait until after Yelena's surgery? Go visit her this afternoon?"

"Yelena will be fine. And like I said, she'll understand."

Sam was beginning to understand, including why Bucky didn't want to say too much on the phone. "Why do I get the feeling that if I came where you're going, I'd be about as inconspicuous as you are in Wakanda."

"Something like that. The red, white and blue wouldn't go down super well either."

Sam chewed his lip. "Don't go chasing ghosts," he said quietly.

"I've got experience of being one," Bucky answered. "I know what I'm doing."

"Guess I'm just going to have to trust you on that one, because I sure as hell do not know what you are doing or how you think you're going to do it."

"I'll tell you when I get back. So, can you look after Alpine?"

"Yes, I'll look after Alpine. I'll be back and forwards to NYC until we know Yelena's all good anyway."

"Thanks, Sam. Really," Bucky said.

"Don't mention it. I guess she'll be in surgery as we speak."

"Yeah. I owe you a last minute cat-minding job."

"I don't have a cat."

"Maybe you should get one. Alpine is pretty great."

Sam chuckled. Bucky really did like that cat. "My nephews would love it."

"Exactly," Bucky said, and even through the phone, Sam could tell he was smiling. "But I have to do this, Sam. Those people who came after Yelena… you know, I have three older sisters, right?"

"What, really?"

"Had, have, whatever the right tense it. Grew up the youngest of four with three older sisters," Bucky explained. "Anne would be 110 if she was still alive. Anyway, obviously they're not around anymore, but I - I've kinda ended up with two little sisters and one of them was targeted. I - there's more to it than that, but to get to the bottom of it, I have to go."

"Ok," said Sam, sometimes forgetting that Bucky had a whole life and people he loved way back in the day, too. "I'll look after Alpine."

"Thank-you."

"I just hope you're not chasing shadows."

"Everyone knows shadows are real, Sam," Bucky said. "Ghosts are a bit more up for debate."

Sam had to laugh. "If you need me…"

"I know the number to call. There's plenty of kibble and tins of wet food for Alpine, but only about a week's worth of litter, so you'll need to get more of that. Alpine only likes the paper pallet sort, not the sandy sort, plus the sandy stuff makes the most massive mess because he kicks it everywhere."

"I will get the pallet-style cat litter. Well, good luck, I guess. I better message Kate, see if she wants a coffee."

"Yeah. I'll see you when I see you."

"See you, Buck."

"See ya, Sam."

Sam hung up and pocketed his phone before going to rummage through the draws to find Bucky's apartment key to put back on his own set of keys. So Bucky was heading off to… Russia? Eastern Europe at any rate. The mercenaries who had shot Yelena were still in hospital under the careful watch of Interpol agents, as they definitely were not supposed to be in the US, and were especially not supposed to be causing traffic incidents on purpose and shooting US residents. So Bucky was, what? Going to find their leader? Or their gang? Gang headquarters? The mercs were ghosts? Like, Winter Solider Program ghosts? Red Room ghosts? Wasn't that all gone? Or it had come back during the blip? That was messed up if it had come back. But why would they come after Yelena when she'd been in the US for a while now? Or was the ghost hunt…

Sam sighed as he looked out the window, his heart skipping a beat as his mind ran through every insane and impossible scenario. He just didn't want anyone getting hurt, or getting their hopes up and hearts broken over a wild goose chase.