Kate's face blanched when she saw her doctor walking over to grab her chart. Please, if any gods are listening, she thought to herself, I need you. She tried to ignore the throb in her stab wound from where Yelena accidentally grabbed her. Hopefully Cassie didn't mark it down.

Yelena read the chart and turned to look at Kate, "is there something you'd like to tell me?"

Kate chucked, "depends on what's written in that chart, doc."

"Patient presenting with five inch laceration across left cheek. No signs of infection. Patient recently gave a tetanus shot. Patient given Cefuroxime sodium injection to stave off infection. Wound disinfected, irrigated and sutured," she looked up at Kate.

"Yep," she pointed to her cheek. "Seems accurate."

Yelena cleared her throat and looked down, "there's another note here."

"Another note?"

"Now I will ask again," she looked at the girl once more, "is there anything you want to tell me?"

Kate sighed, she was in for it now. The stab wound was definitely in those notes because of course it would be. "I kind of got a little stabbed. It's not really a big deal."

"Not a big deal?" She snapped the chart closed. "If I had not touched it, would you have just left here and not mentioned it to me? Seriously," she was sounding angry now. "What kind of doctor do you take me for? You thought hmm let me just pop in for a quick stitch. Yelena will never find out? The minute I would've seen your chart at the nurses station, I would've looked."

"I didn't think it was a big deal."

"No, Kate Bishop, you didn't think."

Kate hadn't felt this properly chastised in years. She knew Yelena would be upset but she didn't think she would be that hurt, "I'm sorry?"

"Is that a question?" She looked at the brunette for the first time since her mini outburst started. Kate was an adult and was perfectly capble of keeping herself alive or so she should be able to do so. Yelena had her doubts. "I shouldn't have yelled. As your…" she trailed off not know what exactly she was to Kate at this point. "Doctor… I would just hope that you wouldn't try to keep these important medical issues from me".

"The yelling was probably warranted," Kate shrugged. "It was a stupid thought that I could hide this from you. I just didn't want to make a big deal out of it or worry you."

"Little hawk," her demeanor softened significantly. Walking back over she cupped Kate's good cheek, "we've only been out a few times but I hope you know I care about you. I want to know you. The good. The bad. The clumsy. All of it. But any kind of relationship with me, even friendship, isn't going to work if you can't be honest with me."

"No. You are right. I know."

"Can I see it?" Yelena looked down at her leg.

"Umm," Kate blushed, "I would have to take my pants down."

"Kate Bishop," she smirked, "I'm a professional. I'm perfectly capable of seeing your wound and not try to gawk at your underwear."

Kate nodded, standing up from the bed. She slowly pushed her sweatpants over her hips and down her legs. She heard Yelena's breath hitch when her purple lace panties were exposed before she regained her composure, "would you like me to sit?"

Yelena cleared her throat, "please." She was immediately pissed that Cassie got that close to Kate in her underwear. Those were way too sexy for just a Thursday night but she was the doctor here, a professional as she told the brunette. She sat down on the wheeled seat and pulled up in front of Kate's leg. "This might hurt," she pulled the gauze away from the stitches. It was bloody already, probably from Yelena pushing on it when she kissed her. She walked over for a clean dressing before inspecting Cassie's sutures. "Another archery accident?"

When Yelena looked up Kate got nervous again. She knew the doctor was waiting for some explanation but she couldn't figure out how to tell

Yelena that she likes to hunt rapists, murderers and other criminals in her spare time. She didn't think Yelena was ready for the full truth. "I was larping. The archery story is true. I was with my friends from the larping group and we were practicing fighting. Guess I didn't see that knife coming but if you think this looks bad then you should see the other guy."

"It looks deep like it was deep." She ran her finger down the side of the wound. "Dr. Lang did pretty good work. There's a little puckering here but I think that due to the depth and not the sutures. Did she do an ultrasound to see about surgery? Muscle damage? Nerve damage?" The look at Kate's face told her all she needed to know, "and I guess I won't be able to talk you into it this time?" She put the new dressing over her sutures and kissed her right above her wound before sitting back up.

"I don't think this will make any of this better but this isn't my first stabbing," she shrugged. "I'm fine, Yelena. I promise. If I wasn't, I would have asked for more tests." Yelena scoffed. "Okay I wouldn't but I know if you thought it was serious you would pull your status and force me to stay."

"Let me see your prescriptions," she held out her hand waiting for Kate to place the papers in her hand.

"An antibiotic. That's it. I'm going to write you a prescription for a salve to help minimize scarring for both your cheek and your thigh here," she handed Kate back her original paper. "You can pull your pants up," she went over to the sink and washed her hands. "I'll be right back with your prescription and discharge papers. Don't leave."

"Anything you say, doctor," Kate pulled her pants up wincing as the pants touched her thigh. "Any chance I can get something for pain?"

"I'll see what I can do. Have a seat."

"Yelena?"

"Hmm?"

"Go easy on Cassie. She was just doing what I asked. She really tried to get me to do all that extra stuff," she reassured the doctor who simply nodded and left the exam room. "That could've gone better."

Yelena left the room and ran smack in her intern who seemed to be snooping outside of the door, "eavesdropping?"

"You told me not to go far. If it's any consolation, I tried to snoop but the doors are too thick to hear anything. Am I in trouble?"

"Walk with me," Yelena made her way over to the nurses's station that wasn't being utilized. "Your sutures look fine."

"So I'm not in trouble?"

"You technically did not do anything wrong however as your attending, I expect to know what's going on when my intern gets patients."

"Patients or your girlfriend?" She saw the fire in her boss's face. "Sorry that was uncalled for."

"Whatever is going on between me and Kate Bishop is outside of the hospital. Here, I am her doctor and she is my patient as apparently she is also yours. Her health and well-being is what is important when she is in these four walls. As my subordinate I expect you to tell me when she's here. That stab wound looked pretty serious."

"Look," Cassie was trying to keep the defensive nature from her voice. "I offered her all the tests to see if it needed a surgical fix. She told me she wasn't interested and that it wasn't her first stab wound. She was mostly interested in bullshitting and then getting out of here as fast as I could suture her up so she didn't run into you."

Yelena sighed knowing all of this already. She was testing Dr, Lang to see if she was going to lie to her as well and when she didn't Yelena was pleased with that. "I know, Dr. Lang. Kate Bishop is a stubborn one. Next time she sneaks in with a stab wound or any wound, please page me. The charge nurses knew to do so."

"Apologies, Dr. Belova. It won't happen again" she handed Yelena the discharge paperwork she had been gathering, "may I go?"

Yelena looked at the time. It was only an hour and a half until their three day on call shift was over, "yes go home. I will cover the rest of our shift."

Cassie looked up smiling, "you are the best."

The blonde grumbled, "do not forget that," she called after Cassie who was already halfway down the hall. She was quick to type up the salve prescription and the rest of her discharge papers before stopping at the medicine cabinet for a sample of the ointment until Kate could get to a pharmacy and a few painkillers. She wasn't going to give her a prescription for that still not ruling out a pill addiction. When she got back to the room, she saw the girl curled up on her side asleep on the bed. Obviously she'd been tired, she was stabbed. Yelena decided to leave her paperwork on the container with a note that read, "I'm off in 90 minutes. If you are up before I get back, wait for me or text me and I'll meet you outside. I marked where you need to sign." She covered up the brunette, turned off the lights and left her to her nap.

When Kate's eyes fluttered open she wasn't quite sure where she was waking up but she felt refreshed in the darkened room until she was reminded of the night by the deep throb in her thigh, "fuck. Okay," she pushed herself up in the bed, adjusting her eyes to the darkening patient room. She checked her phone, no messages. There was paperwork on the counter and what looked like a glass of water and some pills. She saw the note from Yelena and her heart twinged a little both in happiness and guilt for not being entirely forthcoming. She swallowed the pain pills, signed the appropriate spots on the paperwork and pulled out her phone to let Yelena know she'd be waiting outside for her.

Yelena (4:45am): I'm just going to get a quick shower and I'll be out.

Kate (4:46 am): take your time i'm not scared of the city and I need some fresh air.

Kate quickly put her phone back in her pocket, threw her hoodie over her head and exited the room. What she wasn't expecting was to run smack into someone on the other side of the door. "Excuse me," she mumbled.

"I heard you were here again," came the voice of someone Kate was quite familiar with. "Am I ever going to stop seeing you around here?"

"Hi," she was face to face with the one person she actively avoided when coming to the hospital.

"Hi?" Maria scoffed. "Why are you sleeping in my ER, Ms. Bishop?"

"Well," Kate seemed railroaded by Maria. "I'm assuming if you knew I was here then you've seen my chart. An accident. Well two accidents."

"I read it," she was not amused by the rambling. "That doesn't explain why you were sleeping here. We are not a homeless shelter."

"I have a home. You've been there. Look you can hate me all you want but I'm leaving so if you'll excuse me."

Maria held out her hand, stopping Kate from moving, "what's going on between you and my resident?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

"You are many things but stupid isn't one of them. You are idiotic, yes but stupid, no. What do you want with Dr. Belova?"

"We are just hanging out. Getting to know each other. Not that it's any of your business"

"What goes on in my ER is my business, Bishop."

"She's a friend. That's it. Are you planning on quizzing me about all of my social interactions? Because I'm supposed to be meeting someone outside."

"I heard rumors about you and Dr. Belova."

Kate shrugged, "well rumors happen. Is there something you wanted?"

"Does Yelena know about you? What you do? Why you keep showing up here? I mean she's also not stupid. That little stunt with the rapist a few weeks ago. That had your mark all over it. How long do you think she'll stick around once she learns the truth?"

"I'm leaving," Kate turned to walk away.

"I don't want any drama in my ER, Kate."

She laughed, "should've thought about that before you inserted yourself into my life the first time." With that she turned and left, walking straight out of the ER doors already seeing Yelena sitting on their bench smoking.

"There you are. I thought you may have left without me."

Kate noticed how tired the blonde looked, "I had to pee."

"36 hours of freedom until my next shift. Can I interest you in breakfast at my place and maybe some sleep?" She knew it was crossing a line to invite her to sleep over but it's not like it was an invitation for sex. She truly just wanted to sleep next to the girl. "I know you had a little nap back there…"

"I'd love that," Kate cut her off before she could finish her thought. "Is your sister home?"

Yelena laughed, "she's still at work until 8. Hopefully you'll be asleep by then. But we will probably see her later depending on when you want to leave."

"Never?"

Another deep chuckle, "Lucky will not be happy with that and you will definitely run into Natasha."

"I have someone who looks after Lucky when I'm not set to be at home. He's with one of the larper friends so we don't have to worry about him," Kate watched with rapt attention as Yelena brought her cigarette up to her lips and inhaled deeply. Was it possible to be jealous of a cigarette? Yes, it definitely was because Kate wanted to rip it from her lips and replace it with herself.

Yelena cleared her throat with a raised eyebrow while she exhaled, "see something you like?"

"You are a very dangerous person, Yelena Belova."

"I never said I wasn't," she stood, putting her cigarette out in the receptacle. She bumped into Kate's shoulder on purpose before sliding her hand into the brunette's, "ready?"

"So ready," she squeezed Yelena's hand knowing full well she would follow this woman to her death if it was meant to happen.

When they got back to her place, the apartment was quiet which was a relief to Yelena even though she knew her sister was still at work, "Wanda must still be sleeping. Make yourself at home. Do you have any allergies?"

"Nope," she took off her hoodie then took a seat at the kitchen island. "Do you like to cook?"

"I do," Yelena smiled, buzzing around the kitchen. "It is very relaxing. Plus, this is my first non hospital meal in over 72 hours. I always go big on the first meal at home after all the on call shifts. Hope you are hungry."

"I'm always ready to devour food," she hesitated, "as long as it's not vegetables."

"Vegetables are a staple, Kate Bishop. Are you opposed to fruit?"

Kate shook her head, "no. Fruit is delicious."

Yelena ended up cooking waffles with homemade breakfast potatoes and sausage. She enlisted Kate's help in cutting up fruit for a side as long as the brunette promised no more stitches for one day. The breakfast conversation flowed so well. Yelena was always surprised how comfortable she felt around the young woman. It had been years since she was so at ease around another person and she was relishing in it. Kate's hospital visits gave her pause but everyone had their secrets. It's not like they were officially dating so she didn't feel too put out by the secrecy.

"How old are you?" Kate asked, bringing Yelena out of her inner monologue.

"28. I'll be 29 in January. I know. Yuck. I am old."

"Please," Kate rolled her eyes. "28 is hardly old."

"I'm a good four years older than most of my colleagues."

"But you have life experience," Kate took an unusually large bite of her waffle, "I prefer older women."

"Charming," she chuckled.

"So this is what…like our sixth date?"

"Sixth? How did you come up with that number?"

"Easy," Kate started counting on her fingers. "The first hospital visit. You were totally flirting with me. I count that as our first date. Then the club. I brought you coffee at the hospital… that's three. Then the Empire State Building, Luna Park and now this. That's six."

"That's definitely six," Yelena smirked. "Any reason you are asking?"

Kate shrugged, "no."

"That is a lie."

"I guess I was just wondering what we are. What this is? Am I totally misreading the connection?"

"Those are loaded questions for someone who hasn't had proper sleep in over 72 hours."

"Forget it," Kate tried to wave it off. "Just a thought. Ready for bed?"

"Wait, Kate… sit. I am definitely ready for bed but I want to clean and redress your wounds first. I didn't say I didn't want to talk about this. I'd just like to sleep first and then talk about it later. Da?"

Kate didn't feel like that was a outright rejection so she was comfortable waiting to have the conversation plus she was dying to snuggle with Yelena again, "I guess I can wait."

"Let me clean up here. If you want to go take a shower you know where my bathroom is. Use whatever you'd like. Your pajamas you used last time are on the top shelf of my closet."

"Yes, I would love to get the hospital smell off of me," she walked over to kiss Yelena's cheek. "Oh also, you should never have cooked for me. I'll be expecting it all the time now."

Yelena watched the girl disappear around the corner, "such a brat."

After the leftover food was put away for her sister and the dishes were cleaned, Yelena made her way to her bedroom. She quickly got dressed in a pair of short cotton shorts and a tank top. The sigh of relief she felt from finally being out of her scrubs was indescribable, "having a moment?" Kate asked when she came in wearing the basketball shorts and US Army t-shirt from their first accidental sleepover, "this shirt is still the comfiest." She pulled up one leg, "I'm a little bloody."

Yelena noticed the bandage looked wet, "I'll take care of that. Have a seat."

Kate happily walked over to what she already claimed as her side of the bed from her previous stay, "fix me up, doc."

"If you wouldn't keep getting hurt then we wouldn't have to have these medically necessary sleepovers."

Kate winked at the older woman, "all part of my master plan to make you fall in love with me."

Yelena rolled her eyes, "because there's nothing sexier than stab wounds."

It was a rare occurrence when everyone was off on the same day in the Romanoff-Belova-Maximoff household but this was one of those days. Sometimes around 3, Natasha emerged from her bedroom making a beeline for her sister's door. Wanda of course knew about what had happened at the hospital and told her to maybe wait a few minutes but Natasha wasn't having any of that.

"Cut your sister some slack, Natalia," Wanda followed closely behind her.

"What's fun about that for me?" Her smirk was annoyingly endearing. "They came home before me and they are still in there sleeping? I bet they are in there fucking. It's family time," she announced.

"Since when do we have family time?" Wanda was also curious about them but Natasha could become extremely persistent and annoying. Wanda was certain that Natasha could break down one of those guardsmen outside of Buckingham Palace. She's told her this on multiple occasions since Yelena moved in and all it takes is Natasha smirking or winking and she forgets what her argument was.

"Wait here. I don't want you to see my sister naked. I'd have to kill the two of you." As she approached her sister's door she was listening for any sort of indication that there was something worthwhile going on in there besides sleeping but there were no sounds. She quietly turned the door knob, peeking inside. No, there was no sex. Natasha found her sister snuggling up against the brunette laying like a koala bear. Truthfully it was more disturbing than if she found them having sex. Her baby sister was a closeted snuggler and she would never let her live it down. She took out her phone and snapped a couple of pictures before heading back out, closing the door and then knocking. "Rise and shine, sis! Don't sleep away your whole day off!" She heard movement now, rustling and a quiet, "oh fuck." She smirked at her girlfriend who was just shaking her head from across the room. "I'm coming in."

Before she could open the door, Yelena had come out, shutting it behind her, "Natasha. What a wake up call. Can't a woman get more than 8 hours of sleep at one time?" She saw that insufferable smirk on her sister's face and immediately wanted to smack it off of her. "What?"

"Oh nothing."

"You came in the room," she rolled her eyes. "Wanda. Control your woman better."

"Sweetheart, you and I both know your sister does as she pleases," Wanda tried to keep the amusement out of her voice. "I did try. Clearly I wasn't successful."

"Look how absolutely adorable you are," she held her phone out in front of Yelena's face. "We should think about this picture for the family Christmas card. Look at you all koalaed up on your tree of a girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend," Yelena hissed in a whispered tone before nodding towards the living room. "We haven't had that conversation yet so I'd appreciate it if you didn't define us until we had a chance to."

"But look how cute," she passed the phone to Wanda.

"Yes, very cute but your sister does have a point. It's not fair to define their relationship for them," Wanda handed the phone back. "Is Kate okay?"

"Da. You read the file. I got a few details but I'm not entirely sure she's forthcoming with her information."

"But if she was your girlfriend you could force her to tell you," she looked at the unamused faces before her. "What? Nothing brings out the truth like the guilt of a relationship."

Yelena turned to Wanda, "I truly have no idea how you've managed to stay with my sister so long."

"I'm great in bed."

Wanda's cheeks blushed, "she's not wrong."

"I'm going to rip my ears off," Yelena turned to leave but was stopped. "What? I have company. Much better than the two of you," she turned to look at Wanda, "no offense."

"None taken."

"Look," Natasha held her hands up, "I get it. I'd rather be on there with the giant tree of a girl who probably knows what she's doing in bed."

"We haven't…"

"But," she cut her sister off, "I'd like to spend time with you and her I guess. We could go out to dinner. The four of us. Wanda makes things less awkward."

"Go to dinner? Like double date?"

"Yeah. Why not? We are very entertaining. We are all off tonight. What does Kate do for a living?" When Yelena hesitated to answer, Natasha continued, "see we can all get to know each other."

"I swear to god if you embarrass me or make Kate feel uncomfortable, I will kill you and nobody will question me."

"Threats will get you nowhere, sis."

Yelena smirked, "maybe not but you are not the only one with a phone full of embarrassing pictures. Would be an awful shame if they started leaking as the kids say."

Natasha's eyes widened, "fine. I'll be good. Go see if Kate's down. I know a place we can go."

"Why don't we stay in for dinner. We have food and drinks. I'll cook," Wanda offered.

"I think I like that better. Let me go see if Kate has plans tonight."

"Don't give her the option."

"Natalia," Wanda warned her girlfriend.

"Fine," she conceded. "Just let her know how anxious we are to get to know her. Oh and tell her how good Wanda's cooking is."

"She will probably have to go take care of Lucky at some point. He's at a friend's house because she came home with me this morning."

"That good boy I met when I told Kate to bring you coffee?"

"Yeah why?"

Natasha looked at Wanda before she smiled, "have her friend drop him off here."

"Wait? We can have dogs here and you never told me? You know I want to get a dog."

"Don't pout, dear. Go talk to Kate and let me know what she likes to eat."

"Anything but vegetables. Thanks Wanda," she called as she retreated back to her bedroom.

Yelena walked in and wasn't surprised to find that the brunette had fallen back asleep but now she was turned on her side, spooning Yelena's vacant pillow. Yeah, she thought, I'm in way too deep already. She quickly slid into the bed behind the other woman, snuggling up against her back. "I could be a big spoon," she mumbled against Kate's shoulder. "Little hawk," she said a little louder trying to stir her. She just felt Kate snuggle deeper into the bed. Yelena nosed the back of her neck, inhaling deeply. Kate smelled like home and Yelena knew the fine line she was walking was almost nonexistent. She placed a kiss behind Kate's ear, "time to wake up."

"No," Yelena heard a small whine from the other girl, "your bed is too comfy." Kate snuggled down further into the covers. Yelena kissed her behind her ear again and she was sure she felt Kate shiver, "don't start something you don't intend to finish, doctor."

A deep chuckle sounded from behind her, "I can not attend to you properly knowing my sister is probably standing outside listening. I would hate for her to hear you screaming my name."

Kate rolled over, bringing their lips together, "you can't say things like that and expect my vagina not to respond." She was kissing her again, deeper this time exploring her mouth before pulling the older woman on top of her. "Fuck," she hissed when Yelena's thigh touched her stitches. "Forgot about those."

"Another reason to stop getting injured," she leaned down to whisper next to Kate's ear, "because when I fuck you… you will feel it everywhere."

There was a loud banging on the door, "ten more minutes and I'm coming in there."

Yelena groaned and rolled off Kate, "told you." She wiped her hand down her face, trying to push the horny thoughts from her mind. "Natasha came in and caught us cuddling. So she's already ready to attack."

"I must say… These are some of the best cuddles I've ever gotten. I will say that the two times I've slept in this bed have been some of the best sleeps I've gotten. Maybe I need to injure myself more so I get more invitations."

"Do not even joke about that, Kate Bishop," Yelena's tone told her it was not up for debate. "Next time I won't be so nice and welcoming. Now," she sat up, "let me check your wounds and then we will need to decide what to do about Natasha."

"What about her?"

"Oh," Yelena rolled her eyes, "she and Wanda invited you to stay for dinner. Apparently a double date. Wanda wants to cook."

"Lucky will be home soon…"

Yelena cut her off, "they said Lucky is welcome to come over if your friend wants to drop him off."

"You make it impossibly hard for a girl to say no," she pulled out her phone to check the time. She already had something planned for later but she could cancel to spend more time with the girl who wasn't her girlfriend. "Okay. I would love to stay."

"Only if you don't have other plans. Don't feel obligated to stay."

"Hey," Kate sat up when she picked up on the underlying sad tone, "this is not an obligation to me. I will take any and every offer to spend more time getting to know you and that includes being harassed by your scary older sister and her girlfriend."

Yelena couldn't keep the smile off of her face, "it is settled . You will call for Lucky?" Kate nodded her agreement. "Great. I'll go get the supplies to clean your wound and you make the call. Da?" She made her way out of the room.

Kate pulled out her phone and saw several missed messages from her dog sitter and a new one from Cassie telling her she was interested in her offer from earlier. She would get back to Cassie later, right now she was more concerned about her dog. She brought up the contact and pressed the call button, "hey Carol, yeah no. I got your messages. My leg is fine. Yeah. No. Everything is cool. I'm actually here right now."

Natasha was walking by Yelena's room and heard the girl on the phone. She didn't intend to snoop but in her defense, Kate was talking loudly.

Can you bring Lucky by? I'll text the address. Yes… I'm staying for dinner. The doctor asked me to stay for dinner with her sister and the chief. *pause* yes this is a good idea. I really like her. Like way more than I thought possible. *pause* no I haven't told her anything yet. *pause* okay I know we were hunting tonight but I can't make it. Go without me or we can wait until tomorrow. Yes. So you'll bring Lucky?

Natasha walked away feeling more conflicted about the girl than she already was. Maria talked about her a lot and it wasn't always in a positive light. She didn't care what this girl was getting into but if Kate ever hurt her sister, she would kill her no questions asked. Kate came out of the room, "hi. Sorry. I have to pee."

Natasha plastered a smile on her face pretending she didn't hear anything, "cool. Bathroom is that way. Are you staying for dinner?"

"Yes, thank you for the invite. My friend Carol is going to drop by with Lucky. I'll just meet them downstairs. It was very considerate of you to invite the both of us."

Natasha raised an eyebrow, "anyone important to my sister is important to me. I look forward to getting to know you better." She gave Kate a final look that the brunette could not place before turning and walking back towards the living room.

Kate watched her walk away before heading towards the bathroom, "hey."

"All set?" The doctor kissed her cheek when she came into the bathroom. "I can get you fixed up.

"Yep. My friend is going to drop lucky off so we can stay as long as you'll have us," she kissed her quickly before pulling away and adding, "but I desperately need to pee."