Despite everything that had transpired the previous evening, Yelena slept like a rock. She didn't have many peaceful nights after the military but she would be a liar if she didn't attribute her restful night to the brunette she was currently spooned up again. She wanted to be there when Kate woke up but she really needed to use the bathroom and she wanted to cook some breakfast for her girlfriend so she was sure that the other woman ate before going back to the hospital. No matter what happened to Danvers, it was going to be a long couple of days for Kate. Yelena was not as optimistic as Wanda. That was a hell of a surgery with very complicated injuries. If Carol showed signs of brain activity, she would be shocked. Yelena carefully unwrapped herself from the hold she had on the younger woman and slipped out of the bed. She quickly checked her messages before covering Kate, kissing her cheek and heading downstairs. As soon as her foot hit the landing, Lucky came bounding over to her whining. "I know buddy. Just let me go pee then I will take you out."

"Do you think your mama has any breakfast stuff?" She asked the dog as she pulled her leather coat over her pajamas. Lucky let out a whisper bark as she checked the fridge and pantry, "I didn't think so. We will stop by the store," she grabbed his leash, "come on good boy."

They took the same path that Kate had walked Lucky the previous evening. He really loved the little patch of grass that was sandwiched between the high rises. It looked ridiculous and out of place but the mental image of Kate sitting on the little bench with Lucky circling for a spot made her smile. "Your mama kills people doesn't she?" Lucky turned to look at her like she understood him. "Do not look at me like you are shocked. I had suspected her for a while." He trotted over to her and rested his chin on her knee after she sat down. "There are only so many people who could shoot an arrow in a guy's neck with such accuracy. Quite impressive. But," the dog's ear perked up. "Murder is not something I condone though I would be a hypocrite as I, too, have killed many people." She lit a cigarette, "you do not mind, do you?" She chuckled at herself for having a conversation with Lucky. "You are a good boy. I have always wanted a dog. Such a good listener," she petted his head when he settled his cheek against her leg. "Do you think your mama is doing the right thing?" He whined in response. "How does she know Maria?" Lucky's head perked up at the mention of Hill's name, "oh so you know Maria, too." He let a huff out of her nose and relaxed his head, "you do not like her? Dogs are not very good at keeping secrets. It is okay. I do not like her very much either." She inhaled her puff from the cigarette, relaxing at the familiar early morning burn. "I am sure then that you are friends with Carol." That one earned a bark, "so you like that one. I am sorry if she does not make it. We tried everything." She finished the last few drags of her smoke before tossing it in the bin, "come on. Let's go get some stuff for breakfast."

Kate rolled over in bed and felt the cold coming from the otherside. She immediately felt disappointment that she was alone. "I just hope she didn't leave," she wasn't sorry she started to tell Yelena about her and Carol last night. It actually felt nice to share the load with someone. It had been hard to hold everything in. Well, she didn't tell her everything yet but it was only a matter of time before her girlfriend realized. The backstory was important so Yelena could understand why she and Carol do what they do. She rolled over and checked her phone to make sure there weren't any messages from the hospital. She wasn't sure how to feel about the surgery. From what Wanda had said, it was going to be a hard recovery. Kate wanted to think positively but she was also scared, sad and angry. Sad that she could lose her friend, scared that she would be alone again and angry that some asshole would do this to Carol. It had to be those assholes who work for Fisk. She thought they went away when her mother went to prison. Apparently that was a lie she was telling herself. Kate forced herself out of bed. She didn't hear anything downstairs including her dog so she figured Yelena couldn't have gone too far. Unless she did steal her puppy. She wouldn't have blamed her, Lucky was a very good boy. "Quick shower," she decided after looking in the mirror.

When Yelena and Lucky got back to Kate's, she immediately heard the shower running upstairs and felt a little bad she wasn't there when she woke up. "Here you go," she handed Lucky the treat she got for him at the market. "Be a good boy. It's going to be a hard few days on your mama." She watched the golden retriever head to the couch before connecting her Bluetooth to the speaker and turning her attention to the ingredients she bought to make a couple of spinach and feta omelets. She also brought home a box of donuts because she felt Kate needed a treat. As well as some fruit because she wanted Kate to have something that wasn't beige colored. Plus, the brunette didn't hate fruit so it was a small win for Yelena. "Good morning, Kate Bishop."

"You didn't even turn around. Are you sure hearing isn't your super power?"

Yelena chuckled, "military things. I have excellent hearing. Plus, I heard the shower turn off."

"Over the speaker?"

"Always doubting me," she whisked the eggs together in a small bowl. "You must learn that I am just very talented at everything I do."

Kate wanted to make a sexual reference but still felt bad about the way their time together got interrupted yesterday so she refrained, "can I help?"

"Cut up the fruit?" She passed the bag with strawberries, a pineapple and Kate wasn't sure what the other things in there were.

"Are these tomatoes because while I acknowledge that they belong to the fruit family, I will not be eating these like slices of apples."

Yelena held back a laugh, "such a refined palate you have, Kate Bishop." She noticed the look on her face, "those are persimmons. You will eat it and you will like it."

"If it tastes nasty then I get to pout for the rest of the day."

"No. These are ripe and will taste like honey." She turned around to grab something, "but if for some crazy reason that I will not be able to understand and you don't like them…Then here," she handed Kate the box, "I got you some donuts."

The smile on Kate's face was adorable but bordered on annoying, "you do care about my health and well-being."

"It is not too late to return those," she passed Kate a knife, a bowl and cutting board, "now cut up the fruit like my good girl and we can talk about the donuts."

Kate's brain malfunctioned once again at the use of the endearment, "I'm afraid I'm incapable of proper brain functioning after that."

"Just cut up the fruit," the deep chuckle that followed didn't help Kate's feelings.

Breakfast was finished quickly and Kate felt that she was becoming spoiled with Yelena cooking for her all the time. She wasn't about to complain about it. Somehow she even made scary fruits and vegetables taste delicious. The blonde's phone buzzed while they were finishing up, "is that the hospital?"

"Nyet. Natasha wanted to make sure I was alive," she rolled her eyes. "Sisters. So overbearing."

"Only child," Kate swallowed her last drink of orange juice. "I wouldn't know. Though, I am afraid of your sister so I get it."

"Natasha could kill you with less than 5 seconds of planning time. I would be afraid of her too if I didn't know all of her weaknesses," Yelena smirked.

"Any chance I can hear the story about the two of you? I've been given hints that you may have been adopted but I didn't want to assume."

Yelena shifted in her seat, "I suppose something for something. You shared with me. I don't really talk about this often."

"I'm fine with whatever you give me. Isn't that what you told me?"

Yelena's expression softened, "Nat and I were in the same orphanage in Russia. When our parents came to adopt us there was a problem with my paperwork and I could not go with them yet. They were never given a reason for the hold up. Melina's work took her to America so little Yelena got left behind." Kate's face fell upon hearing this story, "do not pity me for my past. It is not so different from your own. I was adopted. Very nice woman. Well she was until she sold me to a trafficking organization. Thankfully I was young. 7 or 8 so they did not use me for sex. I was put into training to help them kill. That was also not fun. I was used to rob and lure people in where they would be killed."

"How did you get out of that? Your family?"

Yelena felt the guilt and pity dripping off of her girlfriend and her initial reaction was to hate it but coming from Kate she could let it slide, "from what I'm told, Natasha wouldn't give up on me. Every year she would make Alexei come back to Russia to look for me. I do not know to this day how he found me but he did. I'm not sure what kind of deal or trade he had to make to get me but he did what he felt was right and off to Ohio I went."

"How old were you?"

"I celebrated my 10th birthday in Ohio. First birthday I ever had that I could remember."

"Yelena…" she saw the doctor's eyebrow raise as if daring her to offer sympathy. "I am sorry. I can't help but feel the feelings you don't want me to feel. You are the strongest person I've ever met. Honestly," she reached over and grabbed Yelena's hand. "I am happy you got reunited with your family though. I'm guessing that's one of the many reasons you and your sister are close?"

"After I came to Ohio, she didn't let me out of her sight. I was always with her. When I graduated and went into the military she had a fit. She was so upset that I was going to enlist and leave her."

Kate shrugged, "that I can relate to. I'd be very upset if you were going to leave me."

"I came back to her in one piece and she had already moved to New York. Her life went on with or without me here," she smirked, "she was also pissed when I turned down her invite to live with her when I got accepted into med school in the city. I wanted to stay close to home. I needed family support when I got back."

"Do you want to talk about that?"

Yelena shook her head, "one sad story at a time."

"Fair enough," she got up, grabbing their plates. "I'll clean up. You can entertain Lucky."

"I will cook every meal if it means I do not have to do the dishes. Excellent trade." She walked over, taking a seat next to Lucky on the couch. The dog immediately snuggled onto her lap like he was a small dog even though he was built like a weighted blanket. The comfort and support she felt from the pup must have given her the courage to ask her next question, "how long have you and Carol been killing people?"

Did Kate hear her correctly? Did she really just ask that? They had been so discrete. How had she figured it out? Of course she had, she's the smartest person Kate's ever met. The plate she was cleaning slipped out of her hand back into the basin, "what?"

"Kate, do not play dumb with me." She was turning to address the question when her phone started to ring. "Answer it. Do not worry. I will not forget the question."

"Hello?" She quickly answered, thankful for the small reprieve.

"Kate, hello. It's Chief Maximoff."

"Oh no," Kate immediately wanted to go back to Yelena's question. "You started with your title. This can't be good news."

"Kate, we need you to come back to the hospital as soon as possible."

"What happened with Carol? Is she okay? No, I'm guessing not. If she was okay then I wouldn't have to come back to the hospital as soon as possible. It has to be something bad. I don't think you'll tell me anything over the phone. Maybe you'll tell Yelena if I put her on? Can you tell Yelena? She's a doctor. I give her permission to hear whatever it is."

"Kate," Wanda's calm voice came through the speaker, "I need you to calm down, dear. It's something that needs to be discussed in person and no I can not discuss this over the phone with you nor Yelena. Please just come as quickly as possible. Remember to breathe, drive safely and we will see you soon."

Kate didn't say goodbye, she only nodded and hung up. "I have to go."

"I'll drive," Yelena gave Lucky one last pet before getting up. "I'm assuming she wouldn't tell you anything. Doctors. So annoying."

Kate could tell she was trying to lighten the mood after the question bomb and phone call. She appreciated the joke, "you don't have to come with me. I've monopolized a lot of your time recently."

Yelena quickly moved over to embrace her girlfriend, "I want to be there for you."

"You are too good to me," she kissed Yelena's cheek.

"You make it hard not to be, little hawk. Go get dressed."

The ride to the hospital was just as quiet as it was the night before. Kate couldn't shut her brain off. She was trying really hard to be positive but the tone of Wanda's voice did not make that an easy task. "I don't think I can do this. I don't think I can go in there," she said quietly, taking off her helmet after Yelena parked the bike in the employee garage.

"You can."

"No," Kate shook her head, "I'm not okay. She's my Carol and we fought about you really bad yesterday before you came over and the last things we said to each other were angry words. That's not how best friends treat each other."

"Kate," Yelena noticed the signs immediately. "Look at me," she grabbed Kate by the shoulders and forced her to look at her. Kate's breath was coming in short shallow bursts. "You are having a panic attack and will start to hyperventilate soon. You need to breathe with me. Like me. Here feel," she moved Kate's hand to her heart. "Deep breath in," she sucked a breath in while Kate did not. "Come on Детка," she encouraged Kate. "Deep breath in with me through your nose." She saw Kate inhale, "good now hold," she counted to five before she had her exhaling through her mouth. They repeated the action a few more times before the brunette started to settle. "Good, that is my good girl. Keep going. A few more breaths." When Kate's breathing settled, Yelena kissed her lightly on the corner of her mouth, "there you go. Just stay present with me and I'll help you through anything Wanda has to tell you."

Kate nodded, "okay yes. I can do this with you."

"Are you okay? Do you need a minute?"

"No," she shook her head, "might as well get this over with."

Yelena locked Kate's helmet up with her bike, carrying hers in her left hand while grabbing Kate's hand for support, "I'm right here," she squeezed her hand before pulling her towards the hospital. They walked to the receptionist station.

"Dr. Belova, hi," the woman greeted her. "I didn't know you were in today."

"Not to work. Could you either tell me where the chief is or what ICU room Carol Danvers is in?"

"Hmm," she looked through her records. "Killing two birds with one stone. The chief is in with that patient now according to her location. ICU bed number 6."

"Thanks," she smiled at both of the women before turning to Kate. "Ready?"

"You keep asking me that and the answer is no, never." She followed Yelena over to the elevator. Thankfully the blonde didn't let go of her hand. She felt grounded next to her girlfriend. "You know that feeling you get in the pit of your stomach on a rollercoaster before it drops?"

"Da," she closed the door and pushed the button to the floor that housed the ICU unit.

"That's been my stomach since yesterday but it's only gotten worse since the chief called."

Yelena only squeezed her hand tighter, "I understand that feeling. But I am here with you. Whatever it is, you don't have to decide anything alone."

"I seriously don't deserve you. I can't compete with how perfect you are."

"Stop saying things like that," Yelena had no explanation why but she was into this girl so much that it was bordering ridiculous. "I do not like when you put yourself down. I do not want to hear that again."

Kate blushed, "okay."

"Okay Детка," the doors opened. "You are strong. Remember this."

"I'm as ready as I'll ever get standing out here," she announced when they made it to room 6.

Wanda opened the door, "come on in. Sonya is here, too."

"Okay," Kate walked over to stand next to her best friend. She immediately grabbed Carol's hand and her stomach was at the peak again. "All of her surgeons in one room. This can't be good." She looked at her girlfriend who had been reading her overnight charts but couldn't make out any sort of expression on her face. When she closed the chart, Kate asked, "that good, huh?"

"Ms. Bishop," Sonya had been the overnight doctor with Carol so she felt it only right to tell her what she knew.

"Please call me Kate. Especially with whatever news you are about to give me. Call me Kate. Also, if I can ask," she looked between all three of them. "Don't dance around anything. Just tell me like you would tell someone you love."

Sonya cleared her throat while Yelena scratched behind her ear. "Kate," Wanda stepped over to her and motioned for her to take the seat next to Carol's bed. Wanda sat down on the rolling seat in front of her. "The severity of Carol's injuries have taken more of a toll on her body than what we had originally seen during the surgery. While we were successful in removing the bullets and fixing the problems with her body, the injuries took a heavy toll on her brain. We've been monitoring her since surgery and there's really no easy way to say this…"

"Yelena?" Kate looked over at her girlfriend knowing that she wouldn't sugar coat things or lie to her.

Yelena looked at Wanda who nodded before standing, leaving the seat open for the blonde, "Kate," she sat down and grabbed both of her hands. "I'm sorry but Carol has shown no brain activity for the past few hours."

"I thought she was in a medically induced coma? I don't understand."

"She is but Sonya and the Chief were monitoring her brain stem activity and there hasn't been any since early this morning. According to her chart, a neurologist came in to see her and ordered a CT scan which shows a lack of white and gray matter. Her brain cells are slowly dying but with a lack of stem response, the neurologist will pronounce her brain dead. I am so sorry."

"So that's it? She just dies?" Kate was trying so hard to hold her tears in. Her hands slipped from Yelena's. This couldn't be happening. After everything she and Carol managed to survive together. One night Kate wasn't there and she's just gone forever. "What do you need from me?" She looked at the chief, tears threatening to spill.

"You are her only known next of kin. It'll be your call when you want to stop the ventilators."

"Wow," Kate knew it was going to be bad but nothing in the world could've prepared her for this. "Umm… okay. I don't know…" she was desperately trying not to spiral out of control in front of the three surgeons.

"You don't have to decide anything right this second," Sonya added, trying to give her some relief. "There is no rush. We can give you some time with her."

"Take your time Kate," Wanda touched her on the shoulder, "I am very sorry."

"Would you like me to go too?" Yelena asked Kate quietly.

"Just for a few minutes. Please. Don't go far."

Yelena kissed her forehead, "I'll go get you something to drink then I'll be right outside. Come get me when you are ready for me. I will not leave this area. I promise you. Remember, you are strong, little hawk."

"Promise?" She looked up at her girlfriend, begging her to stay close.

"With my life."

Kate waited until everyone had left the room before turning back to her friend, "I am so mad at you right now even though it feels like the absolute wrong emotion to be feeling at the moment. You went there. You went there knowing what these people are capable of… what they did to us… and you went there willingly… without me. Now look at you," her tears were flowing freely now. "I know you can't hear me so if you are floating outside of yourself somewhere I hope you are listening. You've been in my life for almost a decade. How am I supposed to do this without you?" She got up and started pacing because for some reason she thought that would help. "You saved me. I've saved you. That's what we do. And now there's nothing…NOTHING I can do for you." She felt the anger coursing through her, "I don't get to. We have been planning for this for a year and you just went. Took the new girl and died. You are dead, Carol. And I'm going to be alone." She walked back over to her friend and grabbed her hand, "this hurts more than when I lost dad. And now I'm supposed to tell them to turn off the machines, plan a funeral and bury my best friend? This shouldn't have happened." She took a few breaths to try to collect herself, "I'm sorry we fought. I'm sorry you left angry. But mostly I am so sorry I couldn't save you this time." So, Kate did the only thing she could do at that moment, she held onto Carol's hand and sobbed.

"Are you going back inside or are you going to pace the linoleum away?" Sonya asked when she spotted Yelena outside of Carol's room.

"So fucking funny," she rolled her eyes. "I do not want to push her. She needs time to process her feelings or whatever."

"She asked you not to take long, right? That girl is into you and I think she needs support right now. I don't know much about her or your relationship but if my best friend was laying brain dead in a hospital bed, I would be desperate for some support."

"Da," she shook her head, "you are right. She needs me." She was about to go in when she saw her intern coming down the hall, "Dr. Lang, is there something you need?"

"Ms. Danvers was on my rounds so I was just checking in to see if there has been any improvement."

"A lack of improvement," Sonya handed Cassie the chart that had been resting on the wall.

Cassie read through the notes, "brain dead?"

Yelena noticed a strange inflection of her voice. Almost as if she was about to get choked up. She understood the severity of the case and how losing a patient is never easy but Cassie seemed almost regretful. "You okay, Lang?"

Cassie snapped the chart closed and shook her head, "uh huh. I need to go." She shoved the chart into Sonya's arms and took off down the hallway.

"Your interns are very strange."

Yelena watched Cassie retreating down the hall and she swore she saw her wiping away tears. There's no way her intern was involved in all of this, was there? "Strange," she shrugged, "good doctor though. Should we go check on her?"

"I'll go," Sonya shrugged, "you have a girlfriend to console."

"Right. Right," Yelena thanked her and knocked lightly on the door. There was no answer so she let herself in. Kate was hunched over her friend sobbing, "Kate? I did not want to scare you. Just wanted you to know I was here." She put water and Coke down on the side table, "I did not know what you would want."

"Thank you," she quickly wiped the tears away from her face. "I'm sorry you have to see me like this."

"No more apologies, Kate Bishop," Yelena sat down in the seat next to Kate and grabbed her hand that wasn't holding onto Carol's. "I should be apologizing. As surgeons, we failed and for that I am truly sorry."

Kate sat back, resting her head on Yelena's shoulder, "I don't know what to do."

"Losing someone you are close to is a very hard thing to ho through."

"You've lost someone?" She felt Yelena wrap her arm around her shoulders. "Of course you have. That was a stupid question. Military and all. How did you? When did it? I can't finish any of these questions."

"I suppose you want to know if it gets easier. Hmm?" She felt Kate nod, "I suppose it does. But not entirely. Everybody deals with grief in their own way. I can tell Carol was very, very close to you. It's even harder when they are close." Yelena knew the type of grief Kat was experiencing all too well. "Is there anything I can do for you right now?"

"Just being here means everything," Kate snuggled in further. "How long will she live after the machine stops?"

Yelena sighed, "she is not really living Kate. Her brain does not function anymore. Her heart can continue for a while after the machines stop but she will not feel any pain. I will be here the entire time if you want me to be. I already talked to Wanda and got approved for some time off."

"You haven't even been here that long."

"You are a priority," Yelena kissed the top of her head. "If you need help with any of the arrangements, I can help with that as well."

"I'm the only family Carol had. It won't be a big service. I don't even know how to plan a funeral," she started to cry again. "This is so unfair. She was a good person just trying to do the right thing."

"It's never fair," Yelena started to run her fingers through Kate's hair to help calm her. "Whenever you are ready… there is no rush."

Kate nodded, " a few more minutes then. If her mind is already at rest then her body should be too."

Five days later*

Carol's casket was on the machine that would help lower her to her final resting place. Since she didn't have any family, Kate chose to bury her by her own father. She wanted to be able to visit them together. The service was small and held at the burial site. Kate was sure she had already cried out every tear she had been allotted in life but a new wave of sadness came when the officiant was giving the generic eulogy they use for everyone without families. Wanda, Natasha, Sonya, Cassie, Peter and Yelena showed up to support Kate. The man was droning on and on about Carol being welcomed into the Kingdom of Heaven by all of her friends and family who had gone before her and Kate had heard enough, "can I say something?"

"Of course," the guy stepped out of the way.

She walked over to the casket with a rose in her hand. Everybody had been given a rose to be buried with Carol. Kate was squeezing hers so hard she could feel blood starting to pool in her palm. She ran her empty hand over the black box, "Carol did not deserve any of this. She had a shitty childhood with a family that didn't care about her. She was kidnapped, raped, beaten and wanted to die. She came into my life and I needed her to be okay. You know that feeling when you meet someone and instantly become best friends. I'm not sure she felt the same way at first but we connected. It's a fucking shame she's dead. The world is missing out on an amazing person. She died doing what she's been doing her entire adult life, protecting innocent people who can not protect themselves. I will not let her death be in vain." She placed the rose down on the box, "whatever it takes."

Nobody else in the crowd said anything but they all came forward to lay their roses on the casket. Cassie bent over and whispered an, "I'm sorry," that only Kate could hear. She reached over and squeezed Cassie's shoulder to let her know that they had each other. Yelena saw the interaction but didn't say anything, she just grabbed Kate's hand and led her a few steps away so the officiant could finish and they could lower Carol to her final resting place. The whole service took less than fifteen minutes and everybody was going back to Wanda's for lunch.

Kate waited until the casket was lowered completely before turning away, "that fucking sucked," she exhaled.

"I know," she wrapped her arm around Kate's waist. "Come on, Детка. Let us celebrate her life and your friendship."

"Will there be drinks?"

Yelena chuckled, "we have a lot of vodka at the house."

"I need many drinks," she started to say when she looked up and saw someone she wasn't expecting to see. A new wave of fury struck and instantly coursed through her body, "you have a lot of nerve showing up here."

Yelena's eyes followed as Kate marched over to Maria who was leaning up against a tree. "Oh no," she followed Kate.

Everybody else stopped walking and watched as the scene unfolded in front of them.

"You had absolutely no right to show up here today," Kate stopped right in front of the other woman.

Maria stood up straight, "it's a public location. You do not own the graveyard."

"And you don't give a fuck about Carol or her well being. You made that perfectly clear the night she came in for surgery."

"Kate," Yelena tried to reel her in, "this probably is not the best place to do this."

Nobody heard her. "Let me guess. She died because of her own stupidity. I told you both that it would end in bloodshed. Didn't I?"

"You pretended to care about us. What we were doing. You pretended. And when things got real. When they got hard… you left and never looked back. You never cared about either of us." Kate was shaking with anger, "you only care about yourself."

"You behave like such a child, Bishop. You are an adult now. You need to grow up and act like one. Not everybody holds onto the past. It's time to let some of that shit go. Look where it got Carol… in the fucking ground."

"Kate. Dr. Hill," Yelena tried again. "This isn't a good time. We are here to celebrate Carol. You can air your grievances out elsewhere."

"That is where you are wrong, Dr. Belova. I'm not here to celebrate Carol. I'm here to warn your girlfriend that if she keeps going at the rate she is then she will be buried in the ground right next to her friend."

A smack was the last thing heard echoing off the graves as Kate struck Maria hard across the face before turning and leaving with the people who showed up for her today. Yelena gave Maria one final look before joining her girlfriend. Kate grabbed onto her hand to help ground her. "It's going to be okay, Kate. Do not let her get to you."

"I think I need to finish telling you our story."