Update! OMG it has been a long time! I am sucking at updates but I really am trying. Hope you guys like this one.
As always, please review :)
Kate put the car in park in the farthest parking spot from the school, looking out the window at the teens milling into the building on the first day back after winter break. Everyone was bundled warmly, it was a particularly icy day, the sky grey and threatening more frigid weather that she didn't want to deal with.
Beside her, Peter let his head fall back against the headrest as he stared out the window as well. He was focused on the two people standing at the top of the steps, getting as much shelter from the cold wind as the building would provide.
Ned and MJ were waiting for them, looking around to try and see them coming up to the building while checking the phones…occasionally bouncing on the balls of their feet in response to the cold.
"Are you ready?" Kate asked gently.
He looked like he wanted to say no. He looked ready to run away as quickly as he could. However, he straightened his spine and nodded.
They got out of the Audi sedan, pulling their backpacks out of the backseat. As she walked around the hood of the car, Peter reached out for her hand which she took immediately.
"Oh my god, brrr!" Kate complained and immediately glued to Peter's side for warmth. The air was hurting her face.
Peter laughed and simply wrapped his arm around her waist.
They crossed the drop off lane with a group to avoid Flash this go around and moved up the steps to join their friends.
"There you guys are!" Ned said, eyes going slightly wide.
"Hey guys, how was the holiday?" Kate asked, sniffing slightly from the cold.
MJ shrugged.
"It was fine." Ned replied. He looked at Peter seriously. "Are you okay being here, dude?"
Kate looked at Peter. They had only seen Ned briefly earlier this week, getting a lot of the prying questions out of the way. Ned was being careful not to be his hyper-interrogative self, especially here.
Peter gave a very small smile. "Yeah, I'm good man. Thanks." He replied.
MJ was looking at Peter with her large brown eyes, looking like she wanted to say something but, in the end, she let the moment pass.
"Okay, let's go inside cause I am so cold." Kate said suddenly, trying to lighten the tone just a bit.
It worked enough. They all ducked inside to avoid an icy blast of wind that was sweeping up the campus. MJ had to go to her locker, which Kate couldn't resist pointing out was right next to Harry's. The quiet girl blushed ever so slightly before she hurried off.
"So, what are we telling people?" Ned asked quietly.
Kate looked at Peter, who had paused in putting some books in his locker. She had attempted to broach the subject a few times, because eventually people were going to take note of the fact that May wasn't around, and he was going to be spotted at some point out with Tony and/or Pepper. Questions were going to come up. However, every time the conversation started, Peter would just sort of shut down.
"Nothing, for right now." Peter replied quietly. "No one has to know yet."
Kate sighed internally. This was not going to turn out good, it never did.
Before they could talk anymore, the bell blared loudly above them warning that they needed to head to class.
…
Kate pulled her legs to her chest as she sat next to Peter on the floor in the auditorium as they met with the debate team. She rested arms on top of her knees and put her chin on her arms. She was tired, and bored, and wanted more than anything to be able to go back home, but they were here so she remained silent. She blinked at the pressure building behind her eyes.
Peter looked equally bored, but this was all an effort to feel normal, so he didn't say anything either. They were going to be plenty busy once school was out for the day.
"Kate."
Kate jumped in surprise as she was called on for the question that she clearly didn't hear. "Umm…"
"We aren't paying attention." Mr. Harrington stated.
"Sorry." Kate replied. "I just have a headache."
Peter frowned and put an arm around her, hugging her a little tighter.
Mr. Harrington was content to leave her alone for now. He turned the question on Flash, which the kid did not know the answer either, though he had been listening.
Kate rested her head against Peter's shoulder, closing her eyes and focusing on the gentle rhythm that he was making as his fingers brushed against her arm. It had been a month of keeping this secret from Peter, and it was eating away at her. It was getting harder and harder to pretend that nothing was wrong, and she dreaded the day he started to really take notice. He had already attempted to gently ask about her frequent headaches and her worsening nightmares, though they were never as bad when he stayed with her at night. However, the adults in their lives were commuted to making that an infrequent occurrence now.
The bell rang and everyone hurried to get their stuff. Peter took her hand and tugged gently, bringing her with him.
As the student body made for the door, they were surprised to see that a storm had picked up while they were inside, the snow coming down in a thick blanket. Checking her phone, she saw the text message she was expecting once she saw the snow. The adults were cancelling the teens' patrol and they wanted them to come back to the compound.
"Hey Ned." Kate looked over to where the boys were talking while they waited for her to finish texting. "Do you think your Lola would be okay if Peter and I waited out the snow at your place?"
"Yeah." Ned replied easily. "She wouldn't want you to drive in this."
…
"I told you to come straight back."
Kate sighed as she listened to Clint. "I know, but the snow is thick here, it'll take hours for us to get back to the compound." She replied in a quiet voice as she stood by the window looking out at the still falling ice fluff. "Ned's grandmother said we can stay the night."
"The storm is supposed to last through Wednesday." Clint replied. "They've already cancelled school for the next two days."
"Then if you want to come and get us by all means." Kate hissed quietly into the receiver. "But I don't want to drive in this, and Peter doesn't have his license until next week." She could see the look on Clint's face in her head and she couldn't help by smile. "The snow is supposed to ease tomorrow. We'll leave in the morning, it'll be fine."
Clint sighed. "Fine. Call me in the morning though before you leave." He instructed.
"I will." Kate replied.
Hanging up, she left Ned's room and walked back to the living room where Ned and Peter were each holding plates, eating whatever Ned's Lola had made for dinner. It smelled amazing.
"Everything okay?" Peter asked as Kate slid onto the sofa beside him.
"Yeah." Kate replied. She smiled with a thank you as a plate was handed to her.
Peter gave her a look, not quite believing her, but she simply turned her head to look out the window. Though she hated to be cold, Kate loved snow days. Curled up on the couch under thick blankets, watching movies while there was a fire roaring in the fireplace and the snow was coming down thick outside was always a favorite.
It didn't take long before it was forgotten as they started to watch a movie. Kate rested her head against Peter's shoulder as he laced their fingers together, eyes still fixed on the movie.
Once the movie was finished, they brought blankets out; Ned and Peter were gonna sleep on the floor while they gave Kate the sofa. Kate stared up at the ceiling, only a faint glow from the window illuminating the room. She had one hand dangling off the edge of the sofa, Peter holding onto it as he tried to fall asleep.
"Kate?" Ned whispered.
She could hear the hope in his voice and smiled. "Yes Ned?" She replied quietly. She felt Peter shift, listening to the incoming question.
"Can you tell us about one of the missions?" Ned asked. "Even a little one?"
Kate smiled. He never failed to ask. Moving her hand out of Peter's she rolled onto her side and let her other hand dangle off the edge to find Peter's fingers again as she tucked her other hand under her head. "About two years after the Attack on New York, there was a cartel group that…"
…
Kate blinked, squinting in the dark, wondering what woke her. She felt the buzz again and reached into her pocket. Pulling the offending item out, she looked at the too bright screen on her cell to see who was texting at this hour. The words in the message set her heart racing in the worst way. Trying to keep herself from shaking, she pulled her hand from where Peter still clutched it and rose off the sofa.
"Are you okay?" Peter asked softly, still sleepy.
"Yeah." Kate bent down and kissed his temple. "Go back to sleep Pete, I gotta make a call. I'll be right back."
Peter blinked up at her. "Something wrong?" He asked.
She paused briefly. "I hope not. I'll be right back, I promise." She said. She kissed him quickly. "Go back to sleep."
Pulling her boots on and then her jacket, she opened the window, stepping out onto the fire escape. She was quick to move up to the roof and pulled out her phone.
"Hey," She spoke as soon as the line was picked up. "What do you mean he's getting out of prison?"
"Seems some of the key witnesses are turning up dead." Matt's grim reply came back over the line. "The DA is running out of things to keep him in prison."
"If witnesses are turning up dead that clearly doesn't look good for him; looks like he's ordering it." Kate pulled at her curls in frustration. "Anyone can see that!"
"I don't disagree but there's no hard proof as far as the courts are concerned." Matt replied.
"How much time do we have?" Kate asked. "I'm sure I can find something."
Before Matt could answer, her phone beeped signaling she had another phone call. Kate checked the ID and sighed. "Nat's calling, I gotta go." She said through a clenched jaw.
"We have 24 hours." Matt said before the line went dead.
Kate let out a breath and answered the phone. "Nat?"
"FRIDAY said that your heart rate was unusually elevated, is everything okay?" Natasha asked, concern thinly coming through her tone.
"Fisk might be getting his 'get out of jail free' card soon." Kate said rubbing her forehead. "Witnesses are dropping like flies, and I'd be willing to be I know who's doing it."
There was a brief pause. "You don't know for sure." Natasha replied. "We don't even have proof he made it out of the RAFT."
"They never found a body Nat." Kate replied. "That should be proof enough for someone like Dax." Pulling at her curls again. "We need to tell him—I need to tell him Nat."
"Kate—"
"I get the reasons that you mentioned." Kate cut her off. "But the guy killed Barney…that killed May…is trying to get his boss released from prison. That's something that Peter has the right to know."
"What you both need to do is come back to the Compound." Natasha spoke evenly, calmly.
"Nat if I'm right the first one on the chopping block is—" Kate paused midsentence as she turned in her pacing and saw Peter standing at the edge of the roof. "Peter…fuck…" She hung up the phone immediately and fulling faced the teen staring at her with confusion and mistrust.
"What did you mean, the guy that killed May?" Peter asked, voice shaking slightly. "You found him?"
Kate had to swallow the twice to get her words out. "Peter, I—"
"You found him?" Peter asked again, slowly stepping forward.
"Not exactly." Kate felt her insides twisting.
"Not exactly." Peter parroted back. "No half truths Kate. Did you find him or not?"
Kate twisted her fingers, Peter's eyes following the movement, a tic he recognized. "He was waiting at the RAFT for us." She replied. "But we lost him."
"You know who he is though?" Peter asked. "And who he works for?"
Kate bit her trembling lip. She nodded.
Peter took a step back as if she had slapped him. "So, the entire time you've been back you've been lying to me?" He asked.
Kate felt her stomach twist again, tears brimming her eyes. "I—"
"Who else knew besides Nat?" Peter asked. Kate couldn't meet his eyes. "Everyone knew? Everyone but me?"
"Peter please, I can explain." She said quietly stepping forward.
Peter took another step back. "No, I've heard enough." He replied. "You lied to me. You knew Fisk was behind May's death and you lied to me about it."
The tears began to fall freely down her face now. "Peter I'm sorry." She stepped forward and placed her hands against his chest, trying to look up into his eyes. "I wanted to tell you, I fought with them to tell you."
"Enough!" Peter suddenly snapped, startling her. "I don't want to hear another story, anymore twisting of the truth, anything to sway me to your side." Kate's lower lip trembled as each accusation hit. "Just leave me alone."
He grabbed her hands, the intention simply to make her step back, but lost in anger the movement a little too hard, a little too fast. Kate couldn't get her feet under her fast enough and slipped on the icy rooftop.
She landed with a soft 'oof' on the snow-covered concrete roof. She blinked dazed for a second from the push and looked up at Peter, seeing his horrified expression as he stared at her on the ground.
"Kate, I—" Peter stepped back, this time horrified at himself.
Kate scrambled up to her feet quickly. "No, Peter it's okay." She said holding out her hands. "I'm alright."
Without a word, Peter turned and jumped off the edge of the roof.
"Peter!" Kate ran after him, stopping as she got to the edge not seeing him anywhere insight. What have I done?
Uh oh. I promise I have a reason for all of this.