New chapter. Note at the end this time.
As always, please review :)
Kate opened her eyes, blinking at the early morning sun filtering through her curtains. Her eyes burned, the only real stark reminder of her tears last night. She reached up to her nightstand to check the time on her phone, but as she shifted, she felt Peter tightened his arms around her waist in his sleep. She pulled her phone off the nightstand and settled back in his arms against his chest; he immediately cuddled her close again.
Looking at the time, she blinked in surprise. It was already 0900.
Groaning softly, Kate set her phone down and rubbed her eyes. Almost everyone was going to be up right now, and Peter was still in her room. Looking back, seeing him sleeping peacefully, she couldn't find it in herself to care.
Looking around she didn't see Lucky. Someone must have let him out; Natasha was her best guess on who, she was the one most likely to let the two continue sleeping.
Awake, without any real distraction, Kate's thoughts just pulled her down a dark spiral. She looked at her hand laying in the bed by her phone; turning her hand, she looked at her palm, her mind showing her the bloodstains that she had scrubbed clear last night.
Barney, hold on! Please!
Kate blinked through tears in surprise as a hand closed around her trembling one. Peter was talking to her calmly, soothingly as he hugged her tighter.
"I'm sorry." Kate said, hating herself for how broken her voice sounded to her own ears. She sniffed and raised her other hand to brush away a few tears as she gripped his hand tighter.
…
"Don't be sorry." Peter soothed, pressing a kiss to her cheek before loosening his arms to let her turn around. He watched her turn around and bury against his chest. He tightened his arms around her again, running a hand gently up and down her back. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Kate didn't say anything for a long time before she sniffed slightly and replied, voice slightly muffled against his chest. "Not right now if that's okay."
"Of course." He replied pressing a kiss to the top of her curls.
He had woken from a dead sleep when he heard her heart rate increase significantly and she started to tremble. He had opened his eyes to see the tears streaking silently down her cheeks. He was worried to death about her, but he knew it wouldn't serve to try and pressure her to talk. For now, he was content just to hold her.
After a little while, her shaking slowed to a stop and she pulled back a little, tilting her head so her nose brushed against his throat, resting her eyes against that spot for a moment. "Thank you." She whispered.
Peter frowned. "What for?" He asked confused.
"Just for being you." She replied. "Please don't ever forget how much I love you."
Peter frowned slightly and pulled back to try to look at her face. "I love you too." He replied. "Kate, is there something going on?"
Kate told him that she loved him, and she was a very snuggly person when they were alone, only allowing mild PDA when they were in a crowd, but there was something in her tone that was different. Like she was scared she would lose him.
Kate sniffed avoiding his gaze for a moment. Peter finally reached up to cup her face with his hands carefully.
"Look at me." He said gently. "Kate, what is going on?"
Her eyes were overbright with tears as she looked at him, lower lip quivering. She opened her mouth. "I—"
She was cut off by a quick knock at the door that startled both of them.
…
Kate jumped at the rap against her door, her fingers tensing into Peter's shirt as her heart rate doubled. "Who is it?" She called, keeping her voice carefully controlled.
"Kate." Vision's even tone filtered through the door. "Ms. Potts has asked that I collect you and Peter. You're both needed."
The reality of them both tangled under her blankets was still very much there, and both winced. They were both going to get a long lecture.
"Thanks Viz, we'll be there shortly." She said with a sigh. No use pretending that he wasn't in here with her.
Kate looked at Peter, who looked a little pale as he looked back at the door. "Don't worry." She chuckled softly, poking him in the ribs. "They've all known for a while, if we aren't dead yet, we won't be now."
Peter's eyes went back to her, his concern returning. "Kate—"
"I'm sorry." She said quickly. "I don't mean to make you worry." She shook her head. "The prison shook me up…I'll get through it, I promise."
Peter frowned slightly and brushed his fingers back along her cheek. "You don't have do it alone." He said caringly.
Kate smiled and pressed a kiss to his palm. "I know." She said with a smile. "Thank you."
Feeling his fingers curl around the back of her neck, she complied with his silent request to lean forward as his lips pressed to hers. They didn't have time to linger long, but they enjoyed the brief moment of stillness.
…
Before long they were both dressed for the day. Peter was sent to the lab and Kate went to the training room.
Walking to the archery range, she expected to find Clint waiting for her, but Natasha was there instead.
"Clint must really be pissed if you're here talking to me instead." Kate commented lightly as she picked up one of the training bows and a few arrows.
"Actually, he's in DC right now." Natasha replied looking at her phone, typing a message.
Kate raised an eyebrow but didn't comment, drawing the arrow back and letting it fly into a target.
Natasha suddenly put her phone away. "Come with me." She instructed.
Making a face, Kate hurried to put her arrows and bow away. "Why did you make me walk all the way over here if we were just going to leave anyways?" She asked.
The question went unanswered as Natasha walked out of the room; Kate hurried to follow as they went outside to where the cars were parked. Lucky had spotted them and ran to catch up and come along. Kate opened the back door and let the dog in before she jumped into the front passenger seat.
Natasha pulled the SUV out and away from the compound at an alarming speed, but Kate simply pulled one leg up, staring out the window bored. Once they were bordering on 100mph, Natasha broached the subject she wanted to talk about.
"We need to discuss Peter being in your room." Natasha said without preamble.
Kate groaned and reached for the door handle.
"Do NOT attempt to roll out of this car." Natasha ordered firmly grabbing a hold of Kate's upper arm. Kate groaned and sunk down in her chair. "We are going to have this conversation whether you like it or not."
"I can just save both of us the embarrassment and relay that nothing is happening." Kate replied. "We talk and we sleep, that is it."
Natasha's expression softened slightly. "I know that." She replied. "But it doesn't change the fact that it needs to happen less than it does now."
"Why?" Kate demanded in annoyance. "If you've let it go for this long, why draw the line now?"
Natasha pressed her lips into a line for a moment.
Kate frowned as she looked at the red head. "Unless it's not about us being in the room and more about what you guys are worried about what I'll tell him." She mused, watching for a reaction. "It's the only conclusion since it's the only new factor in the puzzle." Natasha's poker face was good, but Kate knew what she was looking for. "Why? Why would it be so bad if we told Peter the truth?"
"And what truth is that?" Natasha asked.
"That it looks like the King Pin is the one behind May's death, just like we suspected from the beginning." Kate replied.
"We don't know that's what truly is happening." Natasha countered in a level tone.
"All the evidence points to that Nat!" Kate cried out.
Kate could feel her temper rising, her frustrations boiling to the surface. She wasn't sad or overwhelmed, not she was simply angry.
"And what if you're wrong?"
The simple question cut through her fog for a moment and Kate looked at the super spy.
Natasha pulled the car over, under and overpass that was miles away from the compound and faced the teen girl. "What if you tell Peter this information, he does something reckless out of anger, and you are wrong?" She asked.
Kate paused, suddenly unsure of herself.
"Peter is sad, yes." Natasha spoke firmly, matter of fact tone cutting into Kate. "He is sad, but he is also angry. We all see that, and the only thing he needs is a focus point for that anger."
"You're asking me to lie to this boy that just lost his family." Kate said, voice straining with emotion. "What happens when—not if—he finds out that the people he is supposed to be able to trust, knew and lied about it?"
"By then, hopefully we have a full story to tell him." Natasha replied. "But we need actual evidence before we potentially unleash the wrath of a teenager with superpowers."
Kate spoke in a low, sure voice. "If we lose his trust, he may not listen to us long enough to hear the evidence."
Note: I think Barney dying would bother Kate, but not to a soul crushing degree. The idea that Kate promised to help Peter find the one responsible (and her own desire to find the source) and now she can't share this information with him, it would bother her considering all the faith that Peter has willingly shown and place in her. Just my thoughts though. Hopefully new chapter to come soon.