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

[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.]

[wolfintheherd]

[It takes a moment before he puts a hand on her shoulder and shifts himself to face her, tucking one leg under the other before he moves with surprisingly gentle hands to touch her face. Telegraphing his movements.]

...Does that hurt?

Tilt your head towards me.

[facemyenemy]

[She blinked, looking at him as he came closer. Orders. He was giving simple orders, not only just and order, but something she felt like doing anyhow. Lean into someone for a change. She shouldn't; must be strong, but she wanted to.]

[Tilting her head to the touch her eyes were slightly narrowed, soft, tired maybe, and watchful.]

No, that doesn't hurt.

[wolfintheherd]

[He has used these before. His fingers remember the motions but it's almost become embedded. He presses a button on the side of it, heedless of causing her pain.]

[facemyenemy]

[she looks at him, unsure still, but sits there, still, letting him do as he wanted.]

[When the button was pushed she flinched, her reaction to pain, trying to hold back from it. The little bits of 'flesh' that were Agent May still started to pull a bit, shift, like it was stuck. Her eyes closed tightly now, and it looked like it smarts, but she bit her teeth together and felt the mask grow, cover over.]

[He'd forced it to move to a full default. Her breathing had picked up the pace, short and staggered, fast. Her face felt covered over now, instead of how it was before. She felt, as she opened her eyes, that she was looking through a mask.]

[She said nothing at first, trying to catch her breath and calm down. Don't panic. Nothing to panic over.]

[wolfintheherd]

[He withdraws his hands and tries to find patience, or fear, or annoyance but she looks - well. It's terrifying.

And perfect.

Rising, he fetches a shaving mirror and passes it to her.]

....Your thoughts.

[facemyenemy]

[When it was done she slowed her breath, eyes closed, and starting to calm her mind. This has got to be better then wearing that witches face.]

[When he draws back, she looks through at him, both eyes almsot glaring but not. Sharp.]

[The mirror handed to her was held a moment longer then needed. Before raising it to her face. An intake of breath as she stared at it. So golden. Sculpted, beautiful. It's not her face, but it's not the scared monster face she had before.]

[Her thoughts?]

It's horrible. [a beat] And perfect.

Madame Masque... [she whispered to the reflection, like she was greeting it]

[wolfintheherd]

[They're both monsters. His scars just don't show. His darkness is buried and seeing her face he knows that.

He can't share it.

What he does do is raise a hand to her face.] Own this.

This is who you are now, not SHIELD. Not HYDRA. Own this, and the world will be ours.

[facemyenemy]

[her head was tilted down from where she was looking in the mirror still, but as he touched her face (and didn't really feel it) she looked, with just her eyes, up at him. The mask made her look dark in general, but her thoughts made her feel dark, powerful.]

[She then raised her chin, tilting just a bit into the hand that touched her face. A soft smiling sound and hum could be heard, even her eyes seemed to smile faintly]

I can own this. I may look like a monster but... I don't mind anymore.

[wolfintheherd]

That's my partner. That's the partner I know.

[He withdraws his hand slowly and puts it on her shoulder.] ...Identity is important, and now you have one. Not that woman's - [He turned away for a moment breathing heavily. Not that woman's indeed. That had been bothering him and to see her at least more complete and whole was...good?

Really he felt indifferent.]

We have a week here before we fly to Puerto Rico. [His gaze was blank, distant before he looked out the window.] Rest up.

There are still artifacts there. Apparently something happened.

[facemyenemy]

[she looked in the mirror again. She felt prettier this way asa well. BUt yes, she had a name. Her own self now. It felt better. More empowering. Strange how that worked.]

[She leaned back into the couch seat and rested the mirror in her lap, watching him.]

I should be much better in a week. Give me a bit and I'll get over this... this... being weak thing. [she sounded disgusted, no longer the robot tin sounding voice, but something a bit more regulated. Something stronger feeling as she spoke, less broken (though once in a while it would fitz bit. She would still need to have it fixed properly, maybe she could use it then).]

[wolfintheherd]

[that sounded wrong. It felt wrong, not being weak but he nodded.] Can you move your mouth? Talk well?

[facemyenemy]

[She feels weak. She feels like she needs to train more, to get stronger. Be. Strong. And right now she feels less then strong]

It's not like having a face. It feels... above my face. Like a mask. It looks weird, doesn't it? To talk without moving my lips.

[it feels weird too. Stifling.]

[wolfintheherd]

Get used to it. The path to strength comes from rest.

[His mouth fails on her name.] ...In Puerto Rico we'll pick up your training. Weapons this time.

...There are ways to heal you faster.

[The serums.]

[facemyenemy]

I've rested a week. [No she was passed out a week. Over her face. How weak. Hurmph.]

[But she gave an obedient nod, frowning behind the mask. She liked weapons at least. And was good with them. A sharp shooter and dead eye with guns.]

Faster? You mean like the serum you tested? [The one where you forget things sometimes?]

[wolfintheherd]

No. You're not going near that. [He's snappish, angry and there's still a blast of lightning across his vision.

What he does do is cross the room again to remove a plastic box and set it on the table. There are several vials.]

This is the same serum they used on the Winter Soldier.