Twenty Two

Emily studied the ring that Leonard had given her thoughtfully as Natasha sat across from her in their apartment. She was still trying to process what happened less than twenty-four hours ago. His proposal rang in the back of her mind, leaving another reminder of just how shocked she was. She knew he had been planning to propose to her for some time. Try as he might to block that information from her prying thoughts, Leonard hadn't been able to block that one simmering thought from her curiosity. The last thing she expected was for him to ask that question after being discharged from the hospital.

She found it hard to believe that her life had changed so drastically. Five years ago she never would have pictured herself in this position. Then again, Leonard was also the one who had given her the ring before she was assigned to another mission. She gladly accepted it; after everything they had been through it seemed fitting to wear the ring once all was said and done.

"You said the ring was made out of vibranium?" Natasha asked after looking through multiple files.

She was well aware that the redhead was looking up information on Leonard's family history. She almost smirked at the thought. His father had known about the agency long before he found out about it. When David McCoy had met Coulson for the first time, neither of them knew what to make of each other. Eventually after Leonard's father treated Coulson's injury, they became fast friends. It was also through said friendship that his father understood what the agency stood for. Though David refused to sign up for the agency, he did sign an agreement to work part-time with injuries that were less-than-explainable to other doctors.

"His father did some field work in Wakanda for a few months," she explained with a shrug. Her fingers wrapped around the warm mug of coffee while she leaned against the sofa. Natasha sat in the chair while lounging about, looking almost bored. Though Emily could see right through the ruse. Try as she might to hide it, Natasha was impressed with what she found. That in itself was a difficult feat to reach. "Papa mentioned that the rings were only given out to a select few who worked closely on the project. David was one of the few doctors who had a license that allowed him to work outside the border."

Natasha rose an eyebrow in surprise when more and more information came to light. Leonard's family was deeply rooted with the Hatfield and McCoy incident. That was partly what made his family name so famous throughout the world. But what really took the cake was that the farm his mother owned also happened to be the same land that was owned by his family for generations. The McCoy family farm had been around for hundreds of years, and never once did it change hands. Leonard had already warned her that once his time came around, he would take charge of the property. Not that Emily didn't mind. After growing up in Savannah alongside him, she had no problems with living out in the country.

"That explains where the ring came from," Natasha said thoughtfully. "I'm surprised he didn't sign up for the agency."

She pursed her lips together at the thought of Leonard joining the agency. The image was almost laughable. Leonard would have fought tooth and nail before he gave a second thought to joining the agency. After everything that happened to her because of SHIELD, Emily couldn't blame him for being so reluctant. She understood his reluctance to join, and she certainly wasn't going to press the issue.

"The boss tried to convince him to join after seeing what a valuable asset he and his father made," she rolled her eyes and took a sip of her coffee. "But I think even Leonard has mentioned what an idiotic idea that is."

The redhead merely smirked in amusement. Though she and Leonard had only ever exchanged a few words here and there, she understood his tenacious nature. He had a terrible bedside manner to those who didn't know him well. Emily had little doubt in the back of her mind that Leonard would have given anyone within the agency hell if they tried reprimanding him for such behavior.

"Have the two of you discussed wedding dates?" she asked curiously.

"Honestly I think at this point I'm still trying to process the fact that Leonard actually proposed to me," Emily admitted guiltily. She looked back down at the ring, not missing the fact that the sapphire jewel set in the center seemed brighter than ever. She knew Leonard had taken it to get cleaned before this mess. She found herself wondering if he had been planning to propose sooner than this, but the chance never arose with so much going on. "I never imagined I would find myself in this position."

Natasha hummed in understanding. For so long she had been stuck in a relationship with someone who hadn't wanted to take that step. Sure, they talked about it from time to time. But as far as she was concerned, Leonard would never be ready for that step. He'd always been worried that their relationship would spiral again. Or they would end up in a similar position where he and Pamela had been. A shiver of rage swept through her at the thought of Pamela and what that woman had done to him.

God knows he deserves better, she reminded herself silently.

"Sometimes all it takes is a near-death experience for someone to finally open their eyes," she quipped.

Emily rose an eyebrow in surprise, but Natasha didn't give her the chance to ask what she meant by that. She was gone before Emily could make sense of what the redhead just told her. She shook her head in amusement after realizing Natasha referred to the fact that she technically died for a few hours. It was only thanks to Leonard's quick thinking that she was able to survive at all.

She let out a quiet sigh once she was left alone. Leonard had to work a double shift at the medical center… again. It meant he was working from early in the morning into the late afternoon, which gave her plenty of time to figure out where to go from there. They hadn't even had the chance to talk about possible wedding dates or where to go from his proposal.

She knew he would have to reach out to his mother sooner or later. Hannah had been equally worried about her over-worked son. Despite his fear of what she would say when he finally did reach out to her, Hannah cared about him and his wellbeing. They still managed to keep in touch with each other, and it was through their video chats that Hannah knew the state Leonard was in.

"He's just like his father," Hannah had shaken her head in disbelief when Emily explained what was happening before the Khan incident. "You know how much time David spent at the hospital."

"Technically we're both alike in that aspect," Emily admitted with a sheepish smile. "I prefer staying busy; it keeps me from getting into trouble."

The older woman merely smirked at the thought of her getting into trouble. It was a very real possibility, and it had occurred on more than one occasion when she was younger. Luckily now she had a better method of keeping herself distracted. Leonard had always been the best form of distraction, but that was only whenever he was around.

It wasn't until hearing her com go off that Emily stood up. She reached the kitchen table where she last placed her com, only to raise an eyebrow in amusement when she saw who was calling her.

It hadn't been too long since she last spoke to Tony. The billionaire was almost always coming up with a new project that needed to be worked on. Whether he was the one calling or if it was Pepper who wanted to talk about his obsession with new projects, she never minded. She knew it wasn't easy for either of them to adjust to being in a relationship. And she knew exactly how Tony operated. He would often get lost within a project, and it would sometimes take more than just a scolding for him to realize how late it was or that he hadn't even eaten yet. There were times when she and Leonard weren't much better in that aspect.

"Tony, what can I do for you?" she quipped after answering the call.

"When the hell were you gonna tell me that McCoy finally proposed to you?" was the first thing that flew from his mouth. Emily rolled her eyes in annoyance after realizing the real reason behind his call. "How is it that it took the media and Romanoff to finally fill me in with the details?"

"Relax, Tony," Emily huffed once she gathered herself. She should have known that Natasha would tell everyone once she was informed. What she hadn't realized was that the media had also gotten wind of their current situation. But as she turned on the news, reports were already being made on Leonard's most recent proposal. "I was going to tell you sooner or later, but I'm still trying to process what happened myself… it's only been a night since he proposed."

"Congratulations by the way!" Pepper suddenly called in the background. "I was wondering how long it would take for Len to drop the question."

Emily couldn't hide the smile that followed when Pepper spoke up. Pepper had always been supportive of whatever choices she made. Whether it was to work for Stark Industries like Tony proposed or continue working for SHIELD, Pepper was always available for her to talk to. More often than not, they would spend endless hours either complaining about Tony's habits or just catching up on what they missed.

"Thank you, Pepper," she couldn't help but grin when she heard the door prop open. "Tony, you know you would have been the first person I called once I figured out how to react. You're practically my brother."

She could picture the pout that sported his features earlier. She knew Tony would never get over the fact that Leonard had treated her the way he had in the past. A small part of her was grateful for the fact that she had Tony and Clint to rely on as brothers. They would always be there for her regardless of what happened. And she realized with a start how much she appreciated that notion.

'Natasha was here earlier,' she warned Leonard through their mental link, 'She must have told everyone on the team when I told her.'

'Figures she'd be the first to share that kind of news with everyone,' Leonard rolled his eyes once he kicked off his work boots and reached her. He was still dressed in his medical smock, though that didn't stop him from kissing the back of her hair after reaching her. 'I had a feeling Stark would be the first to call after finding out.'

She merely rose an eyebrow in surprise at his intuitiveness. For all the reluctance in the world Leonard had shown towards getting to know Tony better, he did know the genius better than Tony would have liked. Emily had to remind herself that Leonard was far more observant than most people realized.

"So is that the only reason you called?" she suddenly quipped.

"Actually, I called because I have a bit of a proposal for you," Tony admitted. Emily shared a knowing look with Leonard as she gestured for him to join her on the sofa, which he did without hesitation. "How do you feel about being a part of an interview with a press conference? I know you and McCoy have been dealing with reporters ever since they found out where you're from, and I'm willing to bet you're both tired of dealing with them."

She was taken aback by his proposal. The idea of having to deal with a large crowd asking dozens of questions was enough for her head to spin. But Emily knew that Tony made a valid point. She would have to come to terms with the media sooner or later. It meant dealing with the dozens of questions revolving around her heritage and Leonard's proposal, but at least they could finally rid themselves of getting ambushed day after day.

'It would be nice to finally leave the apartment without getting ambushed by reporters,' she said to Leonard.

'Yeah, it would be,' Leonard muttered in agreement, 'But we have no guarantee that it'll work. How do we know the press won't find other excuses to keep ambushing us?'

'We need to give them a good enough excuse that they'll finally find someone else to focus their attention on,' she warned him.

Leonard didn't look any happier with the idea of giving such information out, but he knew she was right. The press was always looking for juicy stories to cover. So far, hers had been the most exciting. From finding out that she was one of the last surviving members of a race that hadn't existed until a few months ago to the fact that she was also technically a princess… her story had been far more exciting than any others.

"I think an interview may go a long way," she finally said to Tony. "But it has to be with limitations… you know how I feel when it comes to being hounded by the press."

"Yeah, I do know," Tony replied gruffly. Emily smirked in amusement when Leonard threw her an incredulous look. "And make sure you keep Mc-Suck-it in line. Last thing I need is to do damage control."

Emily snorted at the newly dubbed nickname Tony chose for Leonard, whose jaw clenched with fury when he realized what the genius meant by that. Once that was established, Tony hung up with a final goodbye.

"Mc-Suck-it? Really?" Leonard threw her an incredulous look as she scoffed in amusement.

"Be thankful that's the only nickname he's given you," she retorted. "Out loud at least. It could be worse."

If he wasn't annoyed before, he was now as he understood the fact that Tony had been holding back for as long as he had. The only reason he didn't lash out sooner was because Pepper kept him in line. Emily knew that wouldn't last long since Leonard proposed to her. Tony would use that as an excuse to lash out, which would lead her to further problems later down the road.

"Your friends are a pain in the ass, you know that?" he grumbled after kissing her firmly on the lips.

"Oh, I am well aware of how much you hate Clint," she quipped while struggling not to laugh at his expense. "Though the feelings are entirely mutual."

Leonard made a face at the thought of Clint not forgiving him anytime soon. Neither of them said a thing as he kissed her feverishly. Through the rush of being proposed to the other night, she still hadn't gotten over the fact that they were more than ready for that step. It was clear Leonard hadn't forgotten either. Then again, it was hard not to forget a night like that.

"Well, I'll be damned if the media keeps pestering us the way they have," Leonard all-but-rolled his eyes as he pulled her closer, closing in the space between them. Emily only smirked at that when she found herself meeting his piercing gaze. "We've still got a lot of work to do before the big day."

"Like settle for a date and tell everyone," she guessed, knowing full-well that they really did have a lot to talk about.

Leonard gave a reluctant nod at that. He hated having to tell everyone as much as she did. But the sooner they spread the news about their engagement, the easier it would be for everyone. After all, the Command crew already knew. It was just a matter of telling everyone else.

"Lord knows it's been too damn long since I've actually spoken to my family," Leonard sighed irritably. Emily rose an eyebrow after she noticed how tense he was at bringing up his family. She knew it couldn't be easy for him to go back and talk to them after leaving them in silence for so long. "My Ma hasn't exactly been my biggest fan since I left Georgia all those years ago."

She held back a sigh as she gently cupped his cheek. She knew how hard this was for him. He had always been closer to his family than most people. All of that was torn away when Pamela ruined everything. From them getting married to the fact that she'd torn him apart, Pamela was responsible for a lot of the mess they were in. Emily doubted things would have been any different had she been more vocal, but that didn't stop her from feeling guilty.

It didn't help knowing that Hannah cared so much about her son. The older woman had been keeping in touch with her over the last four years since she and Leonard stopped talking. Emily couldn't imagine how difficult it must have been for her. She'd lost her husband as well as the only child she'd devoted so much of her time to.

"You shouldn't be afraid of what your mother is going to say," she reminded him with a pointed look. "Look, I'd give anything to have the ability to talk with my mother again if I knew she wasn't going to be a complete asshole about it. Your mother still cares about you."

She squeezed her eyes shut as she heard him let out another heavy sigh while she buried her face into his shoulder. Leonard's hands moved from her waist to her shoulder as he gave her a gentle squeeze. Emily would never get tired of the feeling of his warm embrace, or the way his hands felt when they gave her that reassuring squeeze.

"I wish I had your confidence, darlin'," he muttered.

"It isn't always about confidence," Emily pointed out. Though, she could tell there was something else bothering him. His body posture told her that he wanted to say something else, but he reluctantly kept his mouth shut. Emily held back a sigh and kissed him gently on the lips, knowing full-well confronting his past was anything but easy for him. "This isn't just about your mother, is it?"

From the way Leonard's face morphed into a deep scowl, she could only guess what had been eating away at him.

"Pamela wants to get together," he deadpanned.

Emily sucked in a breath when she realized what he was implying. For a moment, she wasn't sure what to say. She thought back to all the hell Pamela had put him through before he enlisted in Starfleet. He'd been a mess for months after the divorce, and it wasn't until being thrown in prison that Leonard finally got his shit together.

"And I'm guessing nothing good is going to come out of that confrontation," she sighed irritably.

"I know what the woman is like," Leonard rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Pamela's the ice-queen waiting to freeze over hell the next time I see her, and God knows what's gonna happen when we do confront one another."

She swallowed hard, knowing full-well that the issue wouldn't be resolved until they did confront one another. And Emily had a feeling that was going to end in disaster. But she wanted to hope that maybe Pamela had grown some backbone after all these years.

"Maybe we should discuss this after the press conference," she murmured after noticing how annoyed Leonard was getting at the mention of his ex-wife.

It was a bit of a kill-joy when she thought of where their future was headed. Yet, that didn't stop Leonard from suddenly pulling her in close and capturing her lips with his. Surprise swept through Emily as she felt the intensity of his kiss.

"You were always there for me Em, even before the divorce." Emily couldn't help but look him in the eye when she noticed just how nervous he was about having to deal with Pamela again. She knew it wasn't easy for him to confront the past, especially since she had some involvement with said past. "I know for a damn fact that I should've chosen you long before I chose her."

Her heart nearly soared upon hearing those words. It took a few seconds for her to register that Leonard actually meant what he said. And when they finally did, she suddenly kissed him back with equal intensity, wrapping her arms around his neck so that she could lean into his chest.

"You're always going to be my best friend, Leonard… no matter what happens," she reassured him.

It wasn't until hearing that that he offered a lopsided grin – her favorite smile. Neither of them said much after that, deciding to jump to dinner instead. She knew that they would find some time to discuss what to do about Pamela, but for now, Emily wanted nothing more than to focus on their own future. And that future certainly didn't involve his ex-wife.

Once they had finished eating and cleaning the table – they had decided to save the dishes for tomorrow – they reached the bedroom where they could finally relax. And it was in that moment when Emily found herself practically falling on top of Leonard when he changed out of his medical smock. She knew that it had already been a stressful day for him. Working in the hospital was anything but easy for anyone, but Leonard somehow always seemed to make it work.

"I think tonight's going to play out just a little differently," she started when she felt his hands already exploring her chest.

Despite her exhaustion, she felt a desperate need for relief, and his handy work wasn't helping matters.

"And exactly what did you have in mind?" he quipped after noticing the spark of mischief dancing across her eyes.

"You'll see," she replied without missing a beat.

Leonard merely rose an eyebrow when she suddenly pulled back. Hearing his groan of complaint was enough for her to smirk in amusement. She had been planning this for some time, actually. Tonight just happened to be the perfect time for them to have some decent activity.

Carefully, she suddenly leaned forward and kissed either side of his shoulders, ignoring the wide-eyed look that followed as she ground against him. They had already changed out of their clothing, making her job somewhat easier. She finally pried off her bra and underwear moments later while kissing lower and lower, until she reached his cock. Now, Leonard finally seemed to realize what she was about to do. The moment she reached his length was when she gave it a light kiss, her smirk widening when she slowly ran her hand along its side. Amusement swept through her when she saw it twitch with anticipation from the sudden body heat she provided.

Emily watched from the corner of her eyes as his hand suddenly ran through her hair when he realized what she was doing. They had nights like this before, and mornings after. But she rarely gave him the full treatment. Not unless it was well-deserved. Tonight was different, and she made a point of that as she finally grazed her tongue along his shaft. Gingerly, she took his whole length in, bobbing her head up and down every few seconds. Leonard finally let out a groan of satisfaction at the feeling of her warm mouth providing whatever pleasure she could. Her tongue swirled around his head every now and then to add the effect.

She knew she was doing a fine job from the sounds he made. He was careful not to buck out of pure instinct. The feeling of her warm mouth wrapped around his cock, and her tongue swirling around his shaft was almost too much. She couldn't hide the smirk that followed when he suddenly came, his warm seed shooting into her mouth. Hearing his embarrassingly loud moan seconds later only left her almost laughing once she swallowed it all. It had been a long time since she sucked off a cock. Even so, she had enough experience to know that she was an expert at it, having pleased many men in the past. Though she doubted he would have thanked her for admitting that out loud.

"If I'd known you were gonna give me the royal treatment, I would've proposed to you a hell of a lot sooner," Leonard groaned after she released his cock with a loud pop. Emily only smirked in response as she slid on top of him, relishing the feeling of their naked bodies pressed together. She knew from his own thoughts that Pamela had never treated him that way, even when they were married. She had always been willing to challenge herself further than most women, never afraid of putting herself out there in the world. And tonight was no different. "You're really goin' all out."

"Don't get used to it, sweetheart," she replied knowingly. "Starting in a few months, we aren't going to have the same privacy we have now."

Leonard nearly rolled his eyes at that. Luckily, he didn't seem to mind as she slid back. She wanted to be in full control for a change. And that required doing something that she rarely did unless the situation demanded it. Leonard already had a small idea of what she had planned for him, but Emily hesitated for a split second. It wasn't as if she hadn't been in charge before. But for a brief moment, she realized with a start that this was their first time together as an engaged couple.

Her heart nearly soared at the thought of how many couplings they had before this. She knew in that moment that she wanted their night to last. To claim him as hers and vise-versa. Her thoughts were suddenly more open than they had been, and Leonard could easily read what was on her mind. He rose an eyebrow in amusement as he guessed what she was really worried about.

"Darlin', you don't have to push yourself if you're not ready," he reminded her.

That only fueled her resolve to prove herself. She hated being told what she wasn't capable of doing, and he of all people knew that. She often pushed herself to the limits just to see whether or not she could prove everyone wrong. Tonight was no different in that aspect – she planned on ensuring that they were making the right choice.

"I'm not stopping now," she rolled her eyes.

He opened his mouth, ready to protest when she suddenly slid her opening over his cock. Emily had to bite back a groan of satisfaction when his cock filled her perfectly. Pleasure rolled off of her in waves as she slowly moved back and forth in a motion they were both comfortable with. He hardly had to move himself as she did most of the work for them, though he provided whatever pleasure he could by reaching for her breasts and palming them as if they were his treasure.

While she remained on top of him, Leonard immediately moved to explore her chest. By now, Emily was struggling not to cry out in pure pleasure when he squeezed her breasts until her nipples became hard pecks. She bounced up and down, relishing the feeling of his cock inside her. She leaned forward until her lips were inches from his. The feeling of his warm breath tickling her skin was almost too much for her. She could feel whatever he was feeling in that moment, and she knew she was providing an experience like no other.

The bond between them was powerful, so much so that they could feel whatever the latter was feeling. Emily realized with a start that Leonard truly was her Imzadi. That was what the term truly meant… as her soulmate and her partner, they would always be one. She didn't want that moment to change, especially knowing that their lives could change in a split second.

"You are the most beautiful woman I've ever met," he groaned, hot breath tickling her neck until their foreheads were locked together.

She loved hearing him say that. Anyone else could have said it, but those words wouldn't have held the meaning they did when Leonard said it out loud. She had never been able to admit out loud how much she cherished the way he treated her and the way he readily accepted her despite their constant arguments. Now, she knew full-well he deserved to know.

"I love you," she whispered back.

"I love you more," was Leonard's response when she fell back.

Admiration sparked across her eyes as she finally reached her climax. Leonard soon reached his own climax, and it wasn't long before they were both gasping for air. It took a few seconds for Emily to recover from the initial pleasure. Once she did, she carefully climbed off and collapsed on the bed beside him.

"Maybe we should have dessert more often," she quipped after finally catching her breath.

"I'm not sure if my body's gonna be able to handle that," Leonard chuckled dryly, though Emily was struggling not to laugh herself as she turned so that she was facing him.

"Are you trying to tell me that you're old?" she asked. When Leonard made a face at that, Emily finally let out a fit of laughter she hadn't realized she was holding in, "Leonard, you are not an old man. Despite the jokes Jim likes to crack."

She couldn't hide the sheepish smirk that followed when Leonard's face morphed into a lopsided grin. Once he managed to wrap his arms around her in a protective blanket, Emily snuggled into his bare chest and welcomed the warmth he provided.

"Remind me to tell the idiot that the next time he cracks that joke," he grunted once they'd settled into the sheets.

Emily only nodded in agreement to that. She had already reached the conclusion that if Jim joked about both of them being old, he would regret it. As she snuggled deeper into Leonard's chest, sleep came easily to her that night for the first time in months.