#gonna search in ao3 maybe the author reposted it there :`)) | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

horseluvr00-ff · 4 years

Text

A Place to Call Home | Chapter 35

Masterlist Here

Rating: T+

Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe

Genre/Warnings: action/adventure/family | kidnapping, violence, strong language.

Story summary: It’s been a few months since the Battle of New York. Steve Rogers is acclimating to life when he crosses paths with teenager Katelyn Sanders, a SHIELD recruit and highly valued asset with a dark past. Follow Kate’s adventure from SHIELD asset to Avenger to wanted fugitive over the course of her youth and into adulthood with her Avenging family. Follows Infinity Saga and beyond.

Words: 12,444

Disclaimer: Majority of properties within this fanfic are owned by Marvel/Disney. My OC Katelyn Sanders, as well as a few other unaffiliated things within this fanfic are of my own creation.

Author Note: Relogs are welcome and appreciated :) Please no plagiarism or reposts on other platforms. Updates now occur every other Friday, however posts on Tumblr usually occur Saturdays.

Full story available on FFN and A03 here and here

Chapter 35 can be found here on FFN and here on AO3 in full.

Check out a portion of Chapter 35 below:

The ride back from the Delaware SHIELD base is quiet. It's around midafternoon, and rush hour is drawing closer. The various stops at intersections are almost unbearably silent and Kate focuses on her passenger window, looking for things to distract herself with.

When the car pulls into the Stark Tower garage, Kate's eyes shift from the door window to the front windshield, gaze snapping along at parked cars within the space before they head to the back of the garage near the elevator.

Steve parks the vehicle and proceeds to get out of the car, and Kate follows close behind. Walking into the elevator, Kate goes to one side and Steve to the other where the panel was with floor buttons.

"Captain Rogers," Jarvis greets.

"Jarvis," Steve responds. "Communal floor, please."

The doors close and the lift jolts before it begins to rise.

Kate keeps her eyes focused on the lower half of the doors, hands in her jacket pockets, keeping the material taunt against her back. The material of her shirt was stuck to her skin, soaked in blood. The bulletproof vest was helping to keep the injury discrete. Unfortunately the knife just missed the vest, not doing much to help other than hide her blood-stained shirt.

Steve had been pretty quiet on the car ride back to the Tower. She didn't want to appear closed off, but at the same time she needed to process everything for herself before she could reassure him.

The sharp edges of the folded files in her cargo pants pocket are prominent in her mind as the elevator begins to slow and her eyes snap to the break between the two lift doors. The chime of the elevator coming to its destination was becoming a familiar sound.

Kate waits for Steve to exit the lift first before she follows him into the large communal area. The room was empty.

As Steve heads into the kitchen, Kate loosely follows. She'd need to get some kind of dismissal from him. For her own peace of mind but also because it was something hardwired into her. She'd at least ask him if he needed anything from her before she retired to her room for a while.

"I'm gonna get a bottled water, Kate. Would you like one?"

The question causes Kate's head to snap up, her eyes meeting the Captain's momentarily before she gives a small nod.

"Sure," Walking up to the kitchen island, Kate keeps her hands in her pockets, jacket taunt across her back.

Steve walks to the opposite side, tossing the keys onto the counter before he opens the fridge and grabs two bottled waters. Steve hands it across the island, and Kate grasps it and mumbles a small "thank you" before setting it down in front of her, the hand returning to her pocket.

Steve opens his bottle and greedily drinks a good portion of the refrigerated beverage before suddenly stopping.

Kate's eyes shift to his pocket where his phone is vibrating. She could hear it clearly.

Steve caps the bottle and sets it down before snatching his phone from his pocket. Evaluating the screen for several seconds Steve closes his eyes momentarily before breathing out a small sigh.

He hadn't returned to the New York SHIELD base to conclude the mission. He needed to be debriefed as well as get started on a report. Clint and Natasha had taken the jet back to base after dropping the two of them off at the Delaware installation.

Dismissing the call, Steve shoves the phone back into his pocket and looks up to meet Kate's eyes, an understanding expression.

"I'll be fine for a few hours," Kate gives him a small smile, leaning forward against the counter, hands still in her pockets.

Reluctant and longing, Steve's expression doesn't change as he looks down for a moment before nodding quietly. He didn't feel comfortable leaving her here. That was obvious and maybe understandable. As of now- all Steve knew was that she fought a few guys er- killed a few guys - and fell down an elevator shaft. He didn't know the other details…

"You sure you're alright?"

Hearing the question, Kate feels the urge to smile and roll her eyes but she keeps her expression relaxed and warmer than she usually did.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Kate let's a small chuckle slip. "That mission was- nothing compared to some of the things I've experienced so… Don't worry." Kate nods, an eyebrow twitching up as she waits for Steve to accept her response.

He clenches his jaw momentarily before pulling together a tiny smile and a nod.

"Alright," He snatches the keys from the counter before walking around the obstacle.

Kate turns to face him as he comes to a stop in front of her.

"I'll be back before dinner, if you get hungry-"

"Leftovers in the fridge, and I know how to make oatmeal," Kate gives up and rolls her eyes, a smirk on her face.

Steve's concerned expressions breaks, lips tightening, a hidden smile slipping before his expression returns to one of more concern than anything.

He seems to hesitate the action momentarily, but brings his spare hand to her shoulder and grips it semi-tightly.

Kate clenches her jaw, eyes turning to meet his gaze, one hand clenched tightly in her pocket.

Ow.

"I'm- really proud of you." He finally says.

Kate's brow twitches, pain diminishing in favor of her brain searching for the meaning behind his words.

"You've- been through things I could scarcely imagine, and- I know SHIELD has been a blessing and a curse for you the past several years. I hope you know that I- um," He swallows, seemingly racking his brain for the right words. "You did what you had to today, and-"

"Thanks," Kate whispers, nodding gently.

His expression leaked with anxiety and uncertainty. He dreaded serious conversations with her. Kate found it funny at times, how Steve rigorously planned serious conversations with her and for some reason- saw those moments as incredibly daunting.

At her response, Steve's worry fades and he gives her a small smile before gripping her shoulder a bit tighter.

Kate pulls together a small smile in return.

Ouch. Damn it Steve, at least you mean well.

"Few hours tops." He repeats before beginning his walk towards the elevator.

Kate watches as he leaves, and as the sound of the elevator descending into the lower levels grows quieter and quieter, her eyes eventually turn out around the room.

It was only 1532. This day was going on forever.

While a voice in the back of her head hinted that she was exhausted, at the forefront of her mind was a sort of thrill. Leftover adrenaline was still running through her body; senses were on alert and she felt comfortably aware of her surroundings. She felt awake and oddly alive. She hadn't seen such action in a while. She shouldn't feel that way… She'd just killed three people. Bad people yes, but…. Kate could tell with someone like Steve, he'd never openly judge her. Not yet at least. It was a matter of survival, and this time, she had no other choice.

The silence of her surroundings brings with it a growing pain emitting from her shoulder and Kate briefly clenches her jaw before lightly rolling her injured shoulder. She had to clean it up best she could.

The walk up to her quarters is quiet, and as she enters her room and closes the door behind her, her eyes trace the space silently.

She had a room. Her own room. Not letting the thought get to her was easy, she constantly thought in temporary terms. Appreciate it while its here, but don't get attached to the comfort and pleasures. Living with this team, under Steve's legal guardianship, had a certain ring of finality to it, enough for her to remain cautiously optimistic, but that only took her so far. Anything could happen at any moment. If she lost her cool and did something to either this team, or just- did something in general. SHIELD may take her back in no matter what "papers" Steve had.

For some reason that wasn't as daunting as she originally saw it. With these new developments at the forefront of her mind, Kate was finding herself less… cautious of the illusive organization. If her parents had worked for them, then maybe there was a reason for the difficulty surrounding her training. Maybe there was something she didn't know.

Turning the light on in the bathroom, Kate quickly lets her eyes graze the space before she kneels down and begins rummaging through the cabinet under the sink. Pepper mentioned a small first aid box.

Finding the white plastic container, Kate snatches it and brings it up to the countertop. Eyes briefly meeting in the mirror, Kate quickly draws her gaze away before she begins carefully removing layers of clothing. First the jacket; a loose, rain and windproof material. Turning the fabric about, Kate sees the blood staining on the inside back of the jacket which thankfully couldn't leak through the waterproof coating.

Tossing the article over the glass shower wall, Kate returns to the sink and eyes the bulletproof vest in the mirror. No doubt SHIELD had vests both bullet and stab proof. Steve just grabbed your average vest for her. Either way, the knife hit just above the vest, so it probably wouldn't matter either way.

Slowly taking the material off, the release of pressure around her body made her feel almost vulnerable as the material fell away. Tossing it over the shower door, she eyes the shirt currently still on her body. She could see blood staining just over her shoulder, and no more than ever, the cool wet feeling of the shirt sticking to her back was prominent.

Sighing quietly, Kate grabs a hold of the edges of the shirt and begins slowly inching out of the material. Face contorting, she grumbles lightly before forcefully slinking out of the material, tossing it towards the shower door with annoyance. Some first aid scissors in the kit would've made things easier.

Leaving the sports bra and her black cargo pants on, Kate leans her side against the counter and turns away from the mirror, craning to look over her shoulder at the clean rupture in the skin of her shoulder a little more than an inch in length.

Blowing some loose strands of hair out of her eyes, Kate clenches her jaw and breathes out before grabbing an alcohol-free wipe from the small package. Reaching over her shoulder, Kate begins cleaning the area surrounding the injury before experimentally swiping over it.

Clenching her jaw tightly she repeats the process a few times. She hadn't had to clean and tend to injuries herself in years. Those days were different. To the point where she wasn't sure where to begin describing how different they really were.

While she wouldn't be able to clean the tried blood smeared on her back, she'd need a couple stitches, and would need someone to tend to it. Bruce would understand discretion. He was very considerate to her boundaries.

Turning her attention back to the kit, she begins shuffling through, only to find a lot of band aids but no gauze pads.

"Oh come on," Kate mutters, dumping the small kit over only to see only some small bandages and some Neosporin along with other minimal supplies. Gritting her teeth, Kate leans forward onto the counter.

This complicates things.

Collecting her old clothes, Kate begins putting them all back on. She'd just hop down to Bruce's lab. He has everything she'd need.

Heading out of her room, Kate makes her way to the elevator and enters the small space.

"Hello Kate,"

"Jarvis," Kate speaks up. "Doctor Banner's lab please?"

"Of course,"

The doors close and the elevator jolts before it begins traveling down.

Bruce would respect her wishes to keep this quiet… right? She'll just explain the bump on the head she got and that she just didn't want to worry Steve further. It would just complicate things even further.

Heading out of the elevator, Kate makes her way down the short hall before entering the open area in front of the lab/medical area. She'd spent a while in that room.

The wall of windows tinted, as well as the doors, Kate walks over and knocks lightly. The doors were usually open.

Wait- what am I doing.

Ears twitching lightly, Kate leans forward only to realize there was no vital output coming from the room. Bruce wasn't in the lab.

"Okay," Kate breathes, looking around momentarily.

Maybe Tony knew where he was.

Taking the stairs this time, Kate heads to Tony's workshop, and finds him working on what looked like an arm of one of his suits.

"Mr. Stark?" Kate calls over.

Tony scrambles about momentarily, seemingly startled at her words before he turns, back to what he was working on.

"Scared me kid," Tony mutters, meeting her eyes with an expression that matched his words. "What's going on? You need somethin?"

"I uh, was just wondering what Doctor Banner was," Kate responds, arms crossing, pulling the jacket taunt.

"Oh he's out on an errand- should be back in a couple hours." Tony uses his thumb to gesture out towards the wall of windows before his gaze locks on her clothing.

"You see some action on that mission? You don't look so hot," He chuckles.

"It's just dust," Kate shrugs, taking a few steps closer. "Building was what you might call structurally unsound."

"I see," Tony chuckles before turning back momentarily to his work, leaning against the adjacent counter seconds later. "So you're looking for Banner. What'd you need? Anything I can help with in his absence?"

Kate eyes him for a brief time before looking away momentarily, shaking her head in the seconds following.

"No… No, it's not important." She ultimately responds before giving a curt nod. "Thank you, sir."

"Hold on just a second young lady," Tony calls after her, causing her to slow her pace towards the door before she slowly turns.

Tony takes a few steps closer, leaning over one of the counters now between them.

"What's the rush?"

This is exactly where I don't want to be.

"No rush, sir." Kate answers, careful to keep her expression relaxed, if not slightly confused.

"Don't sir, me, miss. What'd you need?"

Kate silently eyes the man, contemplating her next move. Tony struck her as someone who could be discrete. Without giving it much thought, he was easy to talk to. Easier than Steve or even Bruce, actually.

"Need some first aid supplies," She mumbles, eyes locked on the Stark's. "Only have small band aids in my bathroom," She nods over her shoulder before holding up her hands, revealing the cuts and scrapes from the scuffle she'd been in.

"Well why didn't you just say so." Tony mutters before chuckling. "Jarvis unlock the lab for Miss Sanders here,"

"Will do, sir."

"Just ask Jarvis next time, he doesn't mind." Tony shrugs before turning back to the repulsor. "Need help with anything other than that?"

I need you to not be nosy.

"No… No, sir. Thank you." Kate nods and pulls together a small smile before turning to leave.

"Just-... make sure to let someone know if you need help with- something like that. Don't hide it,"

Throwing a small nod over her shoulder, Kate begins making her way back to the lab.

After entering the now unlocked space, Kate goes to the right drawers and begins collecting some supplies. After first arriving at the Tower when she was injured, she got used to seeing where Bruce would grab certain items and where others were stored.

After bringing all the necessary items back to her room, Kate returns to her own bathroom and sets everything onto the counter.

"Let's try this again," She breathes before beginning to strip off the top layers of clothing once more, leaving her in a sports bra.

Cleaning the surface area of the wound again with an alcohol-free wipe, Kate gnaws on her bottom lip quietly. The pain was sharp, and it stung. Nothing she wasn't used to. But that didn't make it any less annoying.

Snatching a gauze pad from the kit, Kate presses it against the wound before using her free hand to grab the gauze tape. Gripping the edge with her teeth she pulls the roll out before maneuvering to rip the tape. After a minute or two, she finally has the gauze pad taped correctly, and sighs before turning to face the mirror upfront.

There's another scar to add to the roster.

Experimentally rolling her shoulder, the tape pulls slightly on her skin, and she frowns before heading out into the bedroom to grab fresh clothes.

It wouldn't stay put for long, she'd need to just ask Bruce for assistance.

Grabbing a darker colored t-shirt, Kate dresses carefully before cleaning up in the bathroom. Putting everything away, she makes her way to the communal floor.

Empty. Perfect.

Heading to the fridge, Kate begins looking for a light meal. She was a bit nauseous. Now that she really acknowledged it.

That was something she hadn't experienced in- well not a while but- a few months. That is until a few hours ago. Turning into animals that can fight off hostiles can be helpful. Unfortunately that also means most of those animals use their teeth as their main weapon…. Fending off assailants in that manner can get- well… messy.

Grabbing some leftovers from the fridge, Kate brings the containers to the kitchen island and begins putting together a small meal.

It was such a foreign thing for her. Grabbing some leftovers from the fridge, putting together her own meal before sitting around for a bit. It didn't exactly bother her- the lack of freedoms prior. If anything, all this freedom she was given was nerve wracking.

Placing the plate of food in the microwave, Kate returns to the kitchen island and leans over the cool surface while the food begins heating. Eyes tracing the room, her gaze stumbles over a foreign object on the couch and after a couple seconds, recognizes the object.

Clint's laptop. The one he used for SHIELD business.

Eyebrows twitching, Kate lets her eyes fall to the counter, the folded files in her now fresh pair of cargo pants rub against her leg as she shifts. Gaze lifting, she eyes the device momentarily as the microwave beeps.

Maybe just a quick look.

The rest of chapter 35 can be found here on FFN and here on AO3. Take a peak to keep reading!

Stay healthy, stay safe, sending lots of love. <3

Masterlist Here

#avengers fanfiction #dad!steve rogers #Steve Rogers x Daughter!OC #tony stark #natasha romanoff #clint barton #bruce banner #maria hill #nick fury #captain america #iron man #black widow #hawkeye #hulk #agent hill #SHIELD #marvel oc #avengers oc

2 notes · View notes