Hello wonderful readers! It has been a while. I really needed a break after finishing up my last story in order to work on school and just take a mental break from writing. Here is chapter one for my continuation in the Hawklet series. This one is gonna focus more on Peter, for obvious reasons but we'll still see a lot of things from Kate's eyes. I'm gonna be leaving a lot of clues in the chapters so I'm excited to see if you guys catch on to them (you guys are smart I know you will!) but just fair warning this story is going to be a set up for the next one which I am really excited for! Anyways, here's chapter one; chapter two is almost done!

As always, please review :)

~ "May!" Peter's voice echoed despite the screams and chaos around them.

Kate quickly pulled her jacket off and pressed it to the wound. "Peter, grab my phone and call Steve." She said quickly.

She felt her phone pulled from her back pocket and heard Peter talking quickly. She focused on pressing down on the wound, trying to stem the flow of blood but her vision was a bit fuzzy, head feeling light. When she heard him stop speaking, she called out to Peter. "Place your hands here, put pressure." She said, voice quiet but he heard her. She leaned back as he took over pressure and she pulled her sweater off, pressing it to her own side.

She looked around, people were dead, wounded, crying, screaming; she could hear the sirens getting closer.

How did this happen? ~

Kate opened her eyes to Lucky licking her hand, something he often did when he needed to wake her up from a nightmare. She looked down at him as he laid his big golden head on her chest, soulful brown eyes staring into her blue-grey eyes. She reached up a hand and gently stroked his head. "Thanks boy." She said softly.

She looked over at the windows to her room at the compound and stared at bleak grey cloud covered sky outside. It just looked cold outside, but Kate didn't really feel any warmer inside. She placed a kiss on Lucky's muzzle before sitting up, pushing her blankets aside, the tug at her side the ever-present reminder of her stitches. She sat up on the edge of the bed for a long moment, trying to muster the will to get up.

As if the universe needed to urge her on, there was a soft knock at the door. Looking up as it opened at her invitation, she looked at Steve as he stepped into the room; his blue eyes were sad.

"How are you feeling today?" He asked gently.

"I'm fine." She replied though she didn't even really believe it.

Steve gave her that look that was so full of comfort and concern that she could almost cry. She mustered a faint smile and stood up, bare feet hitting the soft carpet.

"I'll be ready in a few minutes." She said as she walked to get the outfit hanging up on her closet door. "Is everyone else up?"

"They're up." Steve nodded. "Breakfast is almost ready."

She nodded as she reached up.

"Can you try to convince Peter to eat something this morning?" He asked.

Kate's hand froze for a second and then she nodded, feeling her heart hurt all over again. "I'll go wake him up once I'm done getting dressed." She replied.

Steve nodded and moved to the door before he paused. "Kate…" He started.

She looked back at him and smiled. "I know Steve, I promise I'll be okay." She said without having to hear what he was going to say. She had already heard it.

Steve nodded and closed the door behind him.

Kate stood in front of the mirror in her bathroom brushing her hair, just focusing on the steady gentle tugging sensation on her scalp. Her eyes lifted to her reflection and her blue-grey eyes stared back looking dull even to her. She looked exhausted and she felt it; there wasn't enough time in the day to sleep. Closing her eyes, she let her mind wander.

~ Kate stood on a roof top in Hell's Kitchen. She tugged her jacket tighter around herself, shoving her hands in her pockets as she waited in the quiet night. She felt more than heard the arrival.

"You're late." She commented lightly.

"I was working."

She turned to see the devil red suit, the man underneath standing perfectly still. "Did you find anything?" She asked.

The man walked forward slowly. "He's been following you guys for a while." He said carefully. "I'd say before your little trip to Siberia."

Kate's mind flashed back to the feeling of being watched on the rooftop during their training exercise. "Any idea on who hired him to try to take the hit at the Rockefeller?" She asked.

"My initial guess is currently in prison right now looking at fifty to life." The man replied.

"Fisk isn't limited in what he can do behind bars." She commented.

"No, but he would be a fool to risk something so high profile right now." Came the emotionless reply.

Kate rubbed her eyes. "You're right, thanks Mattie." She said quietly.

"I'll keep looking, we'll find this guy and the ones behind it." He replied.

"We?" She looked up.

"Frank is helping."

Kate smiled. "I'm grateful." She checked her watch after a second. "I have to go. I have to get back to the hospital."

"How badly were you hurt?" He asked.

"I'm not the one lying in a hospital bed." Kate replied.

…

The nurses knew her already and just nodded in greeting as she walked in. She nodded back and walked down the hall and to the familiar room. They had all been coming her for a week now.

Pausing in the doorway, she saw Peter, chair pulled up to the bed, head resting on his arms as he held May's hand in his. May was lying in the hospital bed, looking peacefully asleep despite the ventilator and the tubes keeping her alive. Walking over, Kate crouched down beside Peter's chair and gently brushed his hair off his forehead. "Pete, hey." She whispered softly.

He stirred after a second, blinking his eyes in an initial sleepy confusion before the light faded as he remembered where he was. He looked up at May, seeing no change in condition and his shoulder's slumped just a bit further.

"What time is it?" He asked, covering his sadness with a stretch.

Kate didn't push him. "It's almost the end of visiting hours." She replied. "We need to head back."

Peter nodded, but his eyes remained focused on May.

She waited patiently for him to speak but instead he looked at her with faint smile. He took her hand and pulled her to her feet, and they walked out together after saying goodbye to May.

They walked out to the car, their sneakers making faint echoes in the nearly empty parking garage. They silently got into the nondescript black car.

"The doctors don't think she's going to wake up again." He said suddenly. Kate froze and turned to face him. "They want to have a…care conference tomorrow. Mr. Stark and Pepper are going to come. The social worker will be there too."

Kate's stomach dropped and her heart clenched at the detached voice that he was using. "Peter, I—I'm so sorry…" She whispered. She scooted closer in the car and Peter let her pull him into a gentle embrace. She held him close and pressed gentle kisses to his temple and cheek as he buried against the join of her neck and shoulder. "What can I do? What do you need, tell me?" She whispered softly.

Peter's arms tightened around her. "Just don't leave, please." He whispered.

"Never." She replied as she felt his tears hit her neck. ~

Kate stared at her reflection in her full-length mirror for a second. She had braided her hair into two French braids that draped over her shoulders, and she wore a knee length long sleeved black dress with knee high grey socks and knee-high black boots. She grabbed her jacket and left, walking down the hall to Peter's room.

She knocked on the door and waited a second. Not hearing a response, she opened the door quietly and looking into the dark room. She saw Peter laying on the bed, staring up at the ceiling in silence. He was already dressed, minus his suit jacket which was draped over a chair with his black winter jacket.

"Peter, breakfast is ready." She said gently.

"I'm not hungry, thanks Kate." He said gently, still not looking up.

Swallowing, she set her jacket down and pulled her boots off before crawling up onto the bed. She lay down beside him, his arm instantly shifting to pull her close and she rested her head against his shoulder. "What do you need, tell me?" She whispered softly, repeating her question to him from the car over a week ago.

Peter pressed a kiss to her forehead as he rolled to his side and wrapped his other arm around her. "Can we just stay like this, forever?" He asked, voice small, lost.

"If I could make that happen I would." She replied softly as she tangled her legs with his, pressing herself as close as she could. "But she wouldn't want that."

His arms tightened around her, but Peter nodded after a moment.

"Can you try eating something this morning?" She asked softly. "For me?"

Peter looked nauseous at the mention of food, but he nodded. "Five more minutes?" He asked hopefully.

Kate nodded and leaned up to press a kiss to his lips in reassurance. He brought a hand up to cup her jaw, fingers wrapping around the back of her neck to kiss her slowly. He broke the kiss after a second, resting his forehead against hers, and like that they stayed for the remainder of the five minutes, wrapped together in this quiet little sanctuary.

…

The grey clouds overhead threatened a storm as a brisk wind swept over the people gathered at the cemetery. The small group of people gathered dressed in black listened to the priest speak over the casket that was laden with beautiful flowers that stood bright in defiance of the gloomy weather.

Peter was standing in front of the group between Tony and Pepper. Though he stood calmly, his senses were dialed to eleven again today and he was aware of everything. He listened to the priest while his senses sought out Kate.

She was standing between Steve and Bucky, her gloved hands folded in front of her, watching the ceremony. She was standing behind him, he could feel her eyes focus on him every few seconds.

He felt off kilter, his whole world had been torn apart again, and again, and again but she was something that grounded him. He wanted her in his arms, just wanted to reassure himself that she was still there, but he had to wait until the ceremony was over.

When the priest spoke of May as a loving aunt, Peter took in a sharp breath. May had essentially been his mother since he was five years old, she was so much more than just his aunt.

He felt Tony put a hand on his shoulder, holding him steady, and Pepper gently squeeze his arm. He was grateful to them, the minute that the police had questioned that night whether someone was there that Peter could go home with, Tony stepped up without hesitation and Pepper had instantly agreed to it without hesitation when Tony called her. Watching Pepper work to make all the arrangements and get all the paperwork together to make it legal had been impressive.

Tony, though he had a lot of trouble showing emotion sometimes, had been through this already so he was there to help make decisions, guide Peter through the steps for setting up the funeral but willing to take over when Peter asked, or just being there to offer gentle words like that morning when Peter panicked before entering the church.

He heard a soft sniff behind him, and recognized Kate was crying; his ears picked up a shift in fabric as Steve put an arm around Kate's shoulders.

He wasn't too blinded in his own grief to not see that she blamed herself for what happened. She worked to the point of exhaustion, even with stitches still in her side, trying to find the ones who were responsible; more than once had she returned to the compound late with bruises and twice with broken stitches. When she had finally broken down two days after May had passed, Peter had found her crying in her room and he had spent the rest of the night holding her. They had cried together but Peter had been quick and firm to tell her that it was not her fault.

As the ceremony ended, everyone came forward to pay respects for May and to offer their comfort and encouragement for Peter.

When Kate came over, Peter pulled her close, arms wrapping around her waist as she put her arms around his shoulders.

"We'll wait in the church for when you're ready." Tony told him.

Peter loosened his arms around Kate and nodded to Tony but as Kate moved to pull away from him to follow, his arms held her still. He felt her crystal eyes turn onto him. "Stay with me?" He asked softly meeting her gaze once the others were further away.

She searched his gaze for something, but she nodded without hesitation.

Keeping an arm around her waist, and with her arm around his, Peter walked over to the casket, and he placed a hand against the smooth surface. "I miss you…so much." He whispered. Kate rested her head on his shoulder, arm tightening around his waist for comfort. "But I promise that I'm going to be okay. I'm going to finish school, and go to college, and I'm going to make you proud."

After a long pause, he watched Kate's slender hand lay against the coffin alongside his, mirroring his hand; he turned his eyes to watch her as she spoke. "I've never met another person who could keep me on my toes the way that you did." Kate said gently. "You were so smart, and kind, and funny. You were so strong. I hope that one day I can be that strong too." He watched her mouth something, so silent even he couldn't hear it standing right next to her. She sniffed and looked up at him with overbright eyes.

"Peter, I'm so—"

"Please don't say you're sorry." Peter said gently. "This wasn't your fault." She looked away but he captured her chin in a careful grip, causing her to look at him. "This wasn't your fault. This was that guy, whoever he was, and whoever was behind him." He looked at the coffin after a second, focusing on the bouquet of flowers. "But we're going to find them." Kate kept her eyes on him despite him having let go of her chin. "We'll find them." Peter repeated quietly, staring at the flowers.

Kate's voice was low as she spoke. "And what happens when we find them?"

Peter didn't reply as he looked back at her. "Your lips are turning blue." He said frowning in concern. "Come on let's head back." He started to pull her towards the church, but she planted her feet and wouldn't budge, pushing against his side until he looked back at her as she slipped from his arms.

Her eyes held concern—and something he did not name. "Peter, what do you want to happen when we find them?"

Don't worry, this isn't going to go the way you think. I'll address this cliffhanger in the next chapter, it just seemed like a natural split between the two chapters.