Quick feet were on their way to medical, not stopping for anyone or anything. Katya didn't run into Steve or Tony; they must be on the bridge by now. The ship didn't crash, so apparently they managed to fix the engines. They could work together, who would have thought?
Her emotions were everywhere. Anger was most prominent. Anger towards Loki for all this shit and above all, Coulson's death. Sadness was second, for the loss of their friend and colleague. Last was a tiny amount of happiness at having Clint back, even if he wasn't completely himself yet.
Natasha didn't hear Katya coming, like usual. It was like she moved in complete silence, like the ghost they made her to be. So Natasha only saw her once she entered the room, hands shaking and eyes darting left to right. She was visibly upset to anyone paying close enough attention, meaning only Natasha and Clint noticed it.
A small sigh of relief came from Katya when she saw Clint on the bed. He was still unconscious, probably curtesy of one Agent Romanoff, but he was here and he was breathing.
Taking a few steps closer, Katya didn't look at Natasha as she spoke. ''Is he gonna be fine?''
Natasha studied her for a second before answering softly. ''Doctors say it may take a while, but the mind control will leave. It's unsure what the consequences will be, though.''
''I'm gonna kill Loki.'' Katya turned to leave, but Natasha grabbed her arm before she could take more than one step. She didn't know where Loki was anyway, but when her sadness turned into rage, she couldn't sit and wait around.
''It's no use, Kat,'' she argued gently. ''There is nothing we can do until we know where he went.'' Concerned eyes searched the blue ones for any clue to what she was feeling. It hurt Natasha to see her like this, so hurt. Katya lost a lot of people in her life but hadn't learned to deal with it any better.
She ripped her arm free, anger now prominent on her face. ''You don't understand Nat,'' she hissed. ''It's my fault Coulson got killed. I didn't see through Loki's tricks and now he's dead.''
Natasha knew Katya wasn't angry at her. She had to get the rage out of her system and she was just her victim for now. Could have been anyone, but that didn't mean she liked Katya yelling at her.
''He is the god of Mischief, Katya. Nobody could see through him. I think not even Thor understands his mind.'' She tried catching her gaze, hoping to calm her down, but Katya's eyes darted all over the room.
''Stop making excuses for me.'' Katya didn't yell, which was the worst part. Her voice was cold and hard, but she hissed rather than screamed. Raising her voice is not something she did a lot. ''Coulson was your friend, why are you not angry at me.''
She wanted Natasha to be angry at her because she thought she deserved it. But that was the last straw and pushed Natasha -who wasn't a fan of yelling either- over the edge. ''Because this wasn't your fault.'' Katya was taken aback by her shift in tactics. ''Yes I'm sad he's gone, but Loki is the one who killed him, not you.'' She didn't yell, because the door was open and Clint was still out. It was more a frustrated growl.
Katya scoffed and opened her mouth to say something more, until Clint suddenly jolted awake, interrupting the fight and ending it for now.
They had restrained him so he couldn't attack them, and he tugged at the leather bounds roughly. Both women looked at him, before Natasha gave Katya a look that said they weren't done having this conversation and she turned to him, sitting on the chair next to the bed.
Clint shook his head wildly, trying to get Loki out of his head. Katya stood back, watching him struggle with her arms crossed. It hurt to see her friend like this and she was afraid of what he would say to her when somebody told him about Coulson's death.
''Clint, you're gonna be alright,'' Natasha said, trying to get the man to focus on her voice as a guide to the real world.
The mind control hadn't completely worn off, because he scoffed at her. ''You know that? Is that what you know?'' He laughed sarcastically, getting Natasha to stand up from the chair and pour him some water. ''I got -- I gotta go in though. I gotta flush him out.''
''We don't have that long, it's gonna take time.''
''I don't understand.'' He repeated the same words Katya had yelled at her a minute ago. ''Have you ever had someone take your brain and play?'' Natasha stiffened, causing Katya to do the same. ''Pull you out and send something else in? Do you know what it's like to be unmade?''
Katya did her best to not let the bad memories come to the surface, so she focused on Natasha best as she could. Her anchor to the here and now.
Natasha turned her head to Clint the slightest. ''You know that I do.'' Her voice was soft, almost as if she had to force the words out.
Even in his confused state, Clint saw she was uncomfortable talking about this, so after a short silence, he broke eye contact with her and changed the subject. ''Why am I back? How did you get him out?''
Natasha relaxed at this question, happy the sensitive topic was gone. ''Cognitive recalibration.'' She moved to sit on his bed and Katya took an instinctive step forwards, not happy she sat so close to him right after waking up. ''I hit you really hard in the head,'' she explained, smiling smugly. Wasn't often she got to hit him with full force.
''Thanks.''
Natasha tried giving him an encouraging smirk, but it was only half convincing. Studying him for a second, she reached for his restrains and started freeing his arms. Apparently she trusted him enough. But Katya took another step forward, ready to fight Clint if he tried anything.
''Tasha, how many agents did-'' His voice was painful and came out in a whisper. Katya lowered her head, trying not to think of Coulson and studying the pattern on the floor.
''Don't,'' Natasha warned him. ''Don't do that to yourself, Clint. This is Loki. This is monsters and magic and nothing we were ever trained for.'' This conversation looked a lot like the one she just had with Katya, and she could sense that Natasha's words were not only directed towards the man.
Clint noticed this and looked over at Katya, seeing her staring at the floor, clearly upset about something. ''Loki, he got away?'' The question was directed to her, but Natasha answered.
She furrowed her eyebrows. ''Yeah. I don't suppose you know where?''
''I didn't need to know. I didn't ask.'' Natasha got up, having freed Clint, giving him the opportunity to swing his legs over one side of the bed so he faced Katya. ''He's gonna make his play soon though. Today.'' Natasha turned around from where she watched the hallway through the window, alarmed by his words.
''We gotta stop him.'' Katya spoke up for the first time, a bit wary of her mind-controlled friend. It could be real nasty, she knew that all too well.
Clint scoffed. ''Yeah? Who's we?''
She shook her head, glancing up at him. ''I don't know.'' And she didn't know. Didn't know if Stark and Rogers wanted to work with SHIELD anymore after its secrets came out. Didn't know where Thor and Banner were. Maybe Fury's team wasn't the best idea. ''Whoever's left.''
He took in her answer and posture. Something was wrong but he couldn't figure out what it was. ''Well, if I put an arrow in Loki's eye socket, I'd sleep better I suppose.'' The smallest smile tugged at her lips, the first positive emotion she had showed since Coulson's death.
Natasha walked back to Clint, sitting next to him on the bed. ''Now you sound like you,'' she nudged him, but her smile was fake, anyone could see through that.
''But you two don't.'' Clint whipped his head between Natasha and Katya, who had taken the chair next to the bed. ''You're a spy, not a soldier. Now you want to wade into a war. Why? What did Loki do to you?'' He asked the question to the woman next to him first, giving Katya the time to prepare her answer.
''He didn't, I just-'' Natasha cut herself off, staring down at her hands in her lap. Her short hair hid her face from him as she inwardly cursed herself for making it so obvious. This was very unlike her, something was on her mind.
''Natasha,'' Clint whispered her name, urging her to trust in him. Like Katya, he only spoke her full name in a serious conversation, letting her know he wanted an honest answer. Although Katya mostly used 'Natalia' instead, something Natasha secretly liked. Only Katya knew who Natalia had been and had the right to use that name.
Finally looking back up, she stared him straight in the eye when answering. ''I've been compromised. I got red in my ledger. I'd like to wipe it out.''
It hurt Katya to see her like this, so vulnerable and in pain. But she guessed she was the same, torturing herself for her past. If only Natasha knew how amazing her work was already. She had saved more lives in her time with SHIELD than the number she'd killed for the KGB.
She didn't see how Clint nodded and then turned to Katya, because she had dropped her gaze back to the floor. ''Katya?''
Her leg bounced up and down, something she only did when really nervous. It was impossible to get away from this conversation. Protesting wasn't of any use, so taking a deep breath, she forced the words out. ''Loki killed Coulson.''
Clint froze and stared at her as if she was making a joke. The older SHIELD Agent had always been there. It was as if he was unkillable and would live forever. This was a complete shock to him, who had known Coulson for as long as he could remember.
''Wha- how?'' he finally managed to stutter.
Katya stared at her fidgeting fingers. ''I didn't see it coming. One moment he stood right in front of us and the other he was behind Coulson and stabbed him with the Scepter.'' Tears were slowly filling her eyes, blurring her vision. But Katya wasn't going to cry here, even though she could in front of them.
''He's dead?'' Clint turned to Natasha, who watched Katya with sad eyes. When she nodded, he stood from the bed and paced back and forth in the small room. ''I can't believe it. And you were there?''
Katya nodded almost invisible, but Clint had seen it. ''How are you not dead?'' he wanted to know. She didn't know the answer to that herself. Loki could have copied himself twice, stabbed them at the same time. Maybe he didn't see her as a threat.
''Coulson blasted him with a Phase Two gun before he could.''
Clint nodded, murmuring words to himself. ''Always saving our lives, even when on the brink of death.'' His silent footsteps barely echoed in the small dark room. Pulling himself together, he finally noticed how sad the two women were. ''He wouldn't want us to sit here and wallow, so I'm going to clean up and we will go get some revenge.''
Natasha nodded, giving him a not-convincing smile, more focused on Katya on the chair in front of her than her friend. Clint sensed the tension and walked to the small bathroom, closing the door to give them some privacy. She waited until the tab ran before speaking up. ''I don't want to fight with you.''
Katya shook her head, not looking up at her. ''Neither do I, but I can't get the thought out of my head that he could've still been alive had I seen Loki's tricks coming.''
''Maybe.'' Katya looked up, surprised Natasha admitted to Katya's mistake. ''Maybe not.'' She jumped off the bed and crouched down in front of the chair, grabbing Katya's hands to stop them from fidgeting. ''But it's no use dwelling in the past. Clint's right, Coulson wouldn't want you beating yourself up over this.''
Deep blue eyes finally found the green ones, considering her words carefully. Natasha was right, Coulson wouldn't want her blaming herself for his death. He would want her to get Loki and finish the mission.
Slowly, her leg stopped bouncing and her body relaxed. Natasha smiled at the effect of her words and pushed some blonde hair behind Katya's ears that had escaped from the braid.
''Sorry for snapping at you.'' Katya had learned in their relationship that she always had to say what she thought immediately. Apologize right after a fight when she knew she was wrong. 'Never go to bed angry,' Clint had once told her. It was the best advice he had given her, because fights never lasted more than a few hours.
A gentle smile found its way onto Natasha's face. ''That's okay, I get it.'' She patted Katya's knees.
''You should yell at me more when I'm being ridiculous,'' Katya chuckled. She had missed Natasha the past month. It always felt to familiar directly after one of them came home, like no time had passed at all. She felt so anxious when she was gone, nervous Natasha wouldn't come back or would come back hurt. Only when she was right in front of her did she feel at peace.
Natasha nodded, a teasing glimmer in her eyes. ''Maybe that will get you to shut up.''
Katya narrowed her eyes before grabbing her collar and pulling her in for a kiss. Just a short, sweet, thankful kiss for understanding her and calming her down.
Someone cleared their throat from behind Katya. It caused her to let Natasha go, who stood quickly. Katya didn't even turn around, she already knew who it was. ''Captain.'' The smile was audible in her voice. She knew what his face must look like, especially after the reveal that she and Natasha were more than friends.
Natasha saw him blink a couple times -this was clearly the first time he had seen two women kiss in front of him- before regaining his composure. ''Time to go.''
''Go where?'' Katya asked confused, turning around in her chair.
''I'll tell you on the way. Can you fly one of those jets?''
Barton stepped out of the restroom, drying his hands. Everyone turned to look at him. He looked a lot better already. ''I can.''
Rogers looked to Natasha, wanting her to confirm he was on their side again. This must be very weird to him. He met his teammate while he was the enemy and got off on the wrong foot immediately. Katya hoped they would be able to get along after this.
When Natasha nodded, he turned to Clint again. ''You got a suit?''
''Yeah.''
''Then suit up.'' With those words, he walked away, leaving the three agents none the wiser.