WE HAVE NO IDENTITY HERE, NOT FOR US.

[wolfintheherd]

This is what Grant Ward remembers.

He remembers agent 33, Kara. SHIELD agent level nine. It's enough that he could put a gun to the head of an enterprising hacker and make him find out enough about her to hold over her head. To help her find strengths and weaknesses. She's not level nine anymore, she's expired and neither of them are good people. Budapest, Sudan, hell there were protege moments with people that John Garrett despised.

Here's what he doesn't remember. John Garrett's face.

The good, the bad, the ugly, the desperate. It fades. It all fades. He remembers the name, he knows there are confusing feelings associated with it, but he can't remember his face.

Face, faces there's agent 33 and that's her face that's important here. Popping three vicodin pills he resisted the urge to embrace satisfaction over how his body was performing. He had to compartmentalize it and not share it with the woman going under the knife today. Zemo's doctors were working on her.

They had been for several hours.

He leaned against the window, arms crossed over his chest just in time to watch her buck against the bed frame. The doctors worked rapidly, yelling at each other in German before he pressed a gloved hand against the glass just in time for a nurse to slide a curtain over it.

minutes passed before a nervous man appeared in the doorway, ringing his hands.

"She's stable sir, we're going to attack it again tomorrow. There was...a complication."

"What kind of a complication?"

"It's ... in short the agents used have fused to her skin. We can take the time to detach it but it will take several surgeries."

He'd expected something like that he supposed (had he?) This was payment for her skill and his, for his...burden and hers. For taking Zemo's men and training them to be something better. It was easier to think about that, to think tactics and military and..." Hell I could probably perform the surgery if I'd been watching closer.

"I'll see her."

It's easier to live in the now. That's what Grant Ward knows. Sitting beside his partner's bed, attention divided between the television and her bed, watching the monitors and her bandaged face.

Comments

[facemyenemy]

[she gave a nod, a hand coming to cover her other half of her face.]

I can't stay like this. Pretty cloths won't fix this. They've ruined me.

[wolfintheherd]

[For the first time in a long time he's a creature of pure emotion. He puts his hand over hers for a moment before dropping it and wrapping an arm under her shoulders]

...Ruined? Did you see the work there? It's not about how you look. Madame Masque's a killer and that was beautiful.

[His laugh was hollow, ringing.] Keep talking to me til we get there. How'd it feel?

[facemyenemy]

[she leaned into him, feeling heavy and starting to stumble step as they went. The adrenaline having washed off and pain kicking in. She was so tired feeling.]

It... felt good. [she mumbled, head down as they walked.] Felt like... it was needed. [a pause, then....] You thought it was beautiful?

[wolfintheherd]

You're my greatest student. It was the best kill I've ever seen.

[His steps don't waiver when he realizes that it really is. It's the best kill he's ever seen. It's the first memory he has.]

Madam Masque.

[He squeezed her shoulders.]

...I'll carry you.

[facemyenemy]

[There is a small smile at the corner of her messed up face. The gold of her other half doesn't show a smile at all. She needs to get it fixed. HAS to. BUt she smiled at his words.]

Anger... does.. .a lot. [she leaned into him, head tipping in, and groaned] I can walk... on my own. [and yet she was leaning into him more and more. She wont fight if he carried her.]

[wolfintheherd]

[It's when he feels her waiver on the stairs that he lifts her into his arms. He's been working out with all the training. Broader in the chest and more capable of carrying her up two flights.

Still he's breathing heavy when he's on the roof, checking his watch.]

Anger's good. Hold onto that and use it but rest for now. It's fun isn't it? Living in the moment like this?

[he paused before cradling her close, grinning behind his mask.] I'll take care of you. You're safe with me kid.

[facemyenemy]

[She doesn't protest, and leans into him. Almost apologizes for being weak, but she holds it back, silent a moment longer]

I... yeah, it felt good. It's wrong though, isn't it... but felt good. [she muttered softly, then leaned in and closed her eye as he said he'd take care of her. That she was safe.]

[wolfintheherd]

[Wrong. He didn't know. Nor did he care. For the first time in a long time he was unburdened. He had nothing weighing him down, no past regrets. Just here and now and the woman in front of him.

Buckling her into the seat beside him, he stares at her, features impassive before he took off.

She'll wake up later in a new york penthouse with an IV in and a view of the skyline. The best of everything surrounding her.]

[facemyenemy]

[She slept for most of that trip. Most of getting anywhere. She slept and stayed knocked out until she woke up again to that beautiful skyline]

[She shifted, staring at the skyline a moment. New York. Mmm okay.]

[Sitting up in the bed she realized there as a IV again. She frowned down at it, then tapped it, smiling a half smile.]

Grant? [she called out...]

[wolfintheherd]

[There's silence. The space is small but well furnished, the sky outside gray and foggy. The fridge is fully stocked. There's a computer in the corner - professionally, and Ward, asleep on the couch.

Sleeping.]

[facemyenemy]

[She doesnt get up at first, looking around, seeing the other sleeping. She wonders how long he's been asleep. How long SHE had been asleep.]

[Her hand felt over her face. Still tender, but either on good drugs or it was hell of a lot less painful.]

[Standing she had to stop, the IV holding her back. She pulled it out carefully, turning it off, and moving to the well stocked refrigerator. A bottle of water taken.]

[From there she slide down the front of the frige and sat on the floor, drinking water and silent for a bit. Let Ward sleep. He no doubt needed it.]

[wolfintheherd]

[After contacting a woman he knew, a night nurse who had tsked and clucked her way through knocking Madame Masque out, he'd confided his own condition to her.

She'd insisted he come in for test. He'd told her to screw off. Curling to the side he opened his eyes and stared at the skyline. Disoriented.

Thinking was difficult.

It was easier to slip into killing, to slip into murder. To kill...

He stirred, staring at the open door. Standing, he looked back over his shoulder at the fridge and stared at her, uncomprehending.

Before he drew his gun and pointed it at her.

He lowered it after a moment. Less then any moment.]

Masque?

[facemyenemy]

[she lifted her head from her hands and knees, looking up to watch the gun lower. She blinked at him, blank eyes, and stared a moment.]

[Then lifting the bottle to take another sip, she simply stared, then lowered the bottle again.]

I wanted water.

[Then softer, resting her head on the gold side of her mask, she sighed]

Safe house?

[wolfintheherd]

...Yes. In New York.

[That should be obvious. He stared at her before looking blank at her and nodding slowly.]

...You should go lie down again. I'll bring you water the next time you need it.

Unless your...

[God.]

feeling better?

[facemyenemy]

I'm fine here.

[she didn't want to move is all]

[And yes, it was obvious it was New York, she just wanted to make sure this was the safe house he intended. Seems things went off with out a hitch]

Where'd you learn to set up... an IV?

[wolfintheherd]

I called a friend. I can do it now without trying, but I had to have someone do it the first time. It'll be a useful skill to know.

[There was something uneasy about the way he stood. He checked his watch before pulling a notepad out of his pocket ]

...It's been a week since you woke up.

[facemyenemy]

[That made sense. But huh... he had friends? Interestin--she nearly choked on her water. Taking a moment to sooth that down and clear her throat she blinked, wide eyed a moment, staring at the other.]

A week? I've been out a full week>

[she groaned and lowered her head to her knees, wincing as she did. She still didn't want to get up yet.]

She mumbled to herself] Am i really that weak...

[wolfintheherd]

[He squints.]

...You'll get better. I'll have a doctor come and look at you.

[facemyenemy]

I'm fine. [she said in mild protest, killing the bottle of water and moving to push herself up the refrigerator door.]

[He saw the empty bottle down, and started to carefully (overly carefully) walk towards the couch the other was on.] Already better. See?

[still wobblie, but she's pig headed.]

[wolfintheherd]

[No...that doesn't look right. But he tilts his head and nods] Then you're ready for work. In a day or so.

[facemyenemy]

[She moved to plop down on the couch near him, head lulling over into the back of the couch and staring at him. Staring and--right, she needed to answer]

Give me a ... few days, yes.

[then after a moment, asked in a smaller voice] Tell me what happened? Back there. Did we leave anyone alive?

[wolfintheherd]

No.

[He frowns at her] Why would you ask that? They failed you.

...Not to mention me. [He takes a drink of water]

[facemyenemy]

[she was glaring a bit under that gold mask] Because I wanted to know... know we killed them all. Needed to know they paid for it.

[she stared off darkly, head tilted and tired looking, but too stubborn to get back into bed.] I don't... remember a lot of what happened either. I had to know.

[wolfintheherd]

I locked the doors and blew up the building with everyone inside. No one double crosses me. [He stares at her] ...Us.

[Looking at her furrowed his brow.] How does your face feel?

[facemyenemy]

Good. Wish I saw those fireworks.

[her hand came up to touch the gold side of her face]

Feels stiff. Doesn't move. It's really like a masque. But it doesn't hurt as bad now. Just a bit sore.

Do you... think it will stay like this? A scar and half a mask, as if I wasn't already ugly to begin with. [she snorted. They just needed to fix it, to make it all go to default.]