[IC] Trying to save the world (Xion and Caits)

[MarshiestMallow]

"Doubtful. I stayed off the radar in publicity and anyway, I had a different alias. I would have been okay. But I knew. The thing is...I guess I just needed to forgive myself. Which I haven't yet" Kalinda said softly, almost a whisper. "And I probably never will, because I know how much I hurt you and the team. I'm not in any condition for anything, but....Jesus, I hated being normal. I hated every minute of it. I hated sitting at a desk and I hated living in that little house. And I hated..."

She swallowed, paused, continued "and I hated being away from you. I may hate Fury, but I never would have met you and I never would have fallen in love with you, and I thank god for that everyday, even if it hurt everyday. Because with out that I doubt I would be alive"

[Xion Demente]

Michael walked up to her, he grabbed her chin. Making her look at him, "I won't deny that you hurt me that day kali, but like I'm saying now I haven't dated and that's because I still have feeling for you I really do." A sigh escaped his lips, "you don't know how many people have there lives mostly in guilt with everything we've spent most of our lives with guilt but we need to let go."

He let go of her chin, another sigh escaping him. "I don't know when your going to be ready, but I can wait I promise you I'll wait." He looked down to coop, he smiled at the puppy that was against his leg. He petted his head.

[MarshiestMallow]

Cooper went into wriggles of delight at being petted, giving Kalinda a chance to calm herself. It would have been so easy to simply lean in and kiss him. She could hear her heart pounding, and it made her breathing shallow and fast. So she just focused on calming herself, and smiled slightly at Cooper. "He'll expect you to pat him for hours now" She said, with amusement, but it died away as she looked back to Michael.

"The trouble with guilt is that it doesn't like to let you go and I've never been good at it" She bit her lip, "What if I had never decided to come back, what if I'm never ready? What if I freak out again, and leave? What if, right now there's a bunch of agents or whatever from whoever is the leader of the spies, or even Fury himself wanting to keep this quite surrounding the house, to either kill us, or make sure we can tell anyone about the corruption in S.H.I.E.L.D? Which means I've endangered you and I should probably just..." She trailed off, and shook her head. "I'm a mess and I don't see that improving"

[Xion Demente]

Michael looked up at her, before fully standing again. "Kali it's a lot of what ifs and Jarvis would have told me that if this place was surrounded it's not. If the guy that betrayed you is the leader, of whatever I'm still going to kick anything that gets in my way to hurt him since he hurt you."

He sighed to that,his hands resting on her shoulders, a sigh escaped his lips. "Kali we'll get through this alright the important thing is you came back." He swallowed, his mind flashing to the bomb for a second his grip tightening before it loosened.

[MarshiestMallow]

Kalinda's hands curled into fists and she shook her head. No. If they found out who had done this to her, she would be the one to do the arse kicking. She would make sure of it. As he once more placed his hands on her shoulders, she looked to him. As his grip tightened, she laid a hand on his chest, gently, watching him still. "I'll always come back" she said softly, as his grip loosened.

She gave him a small smile. "I,,," the dull ache that had been steadily growing worse was distracting her. "It will all be okay. Eventually" she decided to start believing it, even if it was true. "If you have food, I can make something up" she said after a moment

[Xion Demente]

Michael nodded, "yah foods in the kitchen." He sighed once more, as he took a seat on the couch again. "I just I don't know if I'm ready yet to go back out there again and fight." He shook his head, looking at the floor. Coop came up to him his tail wagging, Michael smiled a bit to that petting his head. Before looking back up at kalinda, "I just.......I don't know if I'm ready or not to go back out there yet."

He sighed, "but I will to help out the team I guess I could be the hacker help you guys from here or something of the rather." He sighed, "no I won't sit around doing in I'll get archangel up and running again. See where I could help out."

[MarshiestMallow]

Kalinda watched Michael. "It's okay. You have more skills with the computer side of things, that it could be really beneficial. Working with cops, you learn just how much they'dove to circumvent the system and get what they need, rather then do it legally. Besides, we can't just March in without any idea of what we will face. So....it's okay"

She made her way to the kitchen. She placed her phone on a counter, pressing play to have music going. Kalinda always found cooking a chore, but that didn't mean she couldn't make it fun. With the music, she could dance as she cooked. If she was alone, she would have added singing. It was just her way of trying to be happy. She found ingredients, deciding to cook enough for the rest of the team. Pulling back her hair from her face, and washing her hands, she got to work.

She finally just let herself relax. For the first time in a long time, she felt like she belonged. The dull ache from her neck and head seemed to fade away, and she just felt...better. As she cooked some nest on the stove, she could fully realise why.

She was home. Home for her wasn't a place, a location. No. It would always be where ever Michael was. She added Vegatables, and when they were done, a sauce, dancing forgotten now as she contemplated things. She got out plates, serving two up, leaving the rest to stay warm on a low temperature on the stove, before going to take the food to Michael.

[Xion Demente]

Michael thought about what she said in his head, it was better for him to stay here keep an eye on them from the cameras, hack into any defense turning it against there attackera if anything went wrong. He nodded, he was more useful through hacking and everything. He looked up frim his hands when he saw the plate of food, he nodded his thanks.

Michael sighed, "plus I don't know if I'm ready to go back out there I've pushed away the hero side of me for four years promising that I wouldn't wear a suit. Though I'll see what I can do from the hacking of things, keep an eye on you guys through the cameras and shields bound to have some defenses that I can turn against them if anything goes wrong though I'll keep in touch with you guys through the communicaters."

[MarshiestMallow]

Kalinda nodded as he spoke, content to let him vent and speak what was on his mind. "See...I have to get back into it, or I think I'll go crazy" She said softly, swallowing and looking down at her plate of food. "For now though...." She looked up, and smiled slightly, "We have tonight"

She scooped Cooper up, holding him in one arm, stealing a bit o chicken from her plate, and giving it to him. He happily lapped it up, licking her fingers, and she smiled, starting to eat herself. "It's all going to be okay" She said softly

[Xion Demente]

Michael smiled to that, before frowning again. "I don't like the idea of you out there without me I'll get back into action archangel aka fade needs to come back in the very latest." He ate in silence after that, once through he set it on the coffee table. He looked to kalinda, before he heard a knock on the door.

He opened it, a smile crossing his face. "Nice to see you guys again," Connor and Zach nodded there agreement, Michael looked and saw Hannah's fingers linked with Connors, "Connor you sly dog." Connor lightly punched Michael in the shoulder he only laughed.

[MarshiestMallow]

Kalinda was about to say something, when the knock on the door occurred. She set down her plate, wondering if she could just sit there and not freak out. Nope. She rose, and before Michael opened the door, she darted into the kitchen. She took a deep breath, trying to compose herself.

She coud hear Cooper, excited at the number of new people, barking happily, and most likely jumping up and down excitably. She knew she should go and collect him. She turned the food off, to prevent it from burning, despite the low temperature.

Then she went back out again, scooping up Cooper. She plastered on a smile, and tried not to seem nervous. "Sorry. He's way to energetic" She said, holding Cooper despite the fact that he was trying to lick her face.

[Xion Demente]

Michael smiled to that, before frowning again. "I don't like the idea of you out there without me I'll get back into action archangel aka fade needs to come back in the very latest." He ate in silence after that, once through he set it on the coffee table. He looked to kalinda, before he heard a knock on the door.

He opened it, a smile crossing his face. "Nice to see you guys again," Connor and Zach nodded there agreement, Michael looked and saw Hannah's fingers linked with Connors, "Connor you sly dog." Connor lightly punched Michael in the shoulder he only laughed.

[MarshiestMallow]

(Um. I think that's the same lost as above)

[Xion Demente]

Awww damn

[MarshiestMallow]

(The site mess up?)

[Xion Demente]

Connor looked at the little puppy in Kalinda's arms, "that's no problem really the little guy is just happy about the people around he'll wear himself out before today's over." Michael nodded his agreement with that, he looked to the others, "come on in I don't care what rooms you crash in or anything not like I have anyone else coming around." He shook his head, the others nodded there thanks before heading up to the rooms.

Michael let out a breath, he didn't know he was holding. He didn't know how to react, but no way was he going to be holding a grudge against them. He had been alone for four years with sudden old friends back in his life and his old girlfriend he honestly thought he would collapse from it. He took a seat on the couch again, scared that he would with wverything that's going on.

[MarshiestMallow]

Kalinda found herself chuckling softly, "He never wears out" She said, "But its your fault if he jumps all over you" She said, setting Cooper now, "Have at it, coop" She said, as he once more began to bark happily, running around, jumping up and down, "Jeez, I'd hoped to train him as a K-9 dog, but that might be a stretch" She managed to smile, and said,after them "There's food. I made extra, if you're hungry"

She whistled, and Cooper stopped, looking back like a child begging to continue for five more minutes, looking back to where the others had gone, "Na-uh. Come here" He gave what could be seen as a doggy sigh, and came back to her. "You can play with them later" She said, reaching for a dog treat from her bag, sending the little puppy into ecstatics again, quickly gobbling up the treat. "Might be hope for you yet, little one" She said, giving him a quick pet.

She didn't know what to do now. She swallowed, and looked over to Michael.

[Xion Demente]

Michael smiled a sigh escaping his lips, he had been alone for years and now everybody was back in his life it was a lot to take in. "just like Haley that was a good dog always kept me out of trouble and kept anyone out that I didn't want in which reminds me." he let out a whistle, he heard a bark then something clambering down the stairs. a red-heeler jumped onto the couch, and started licking Michael's hand. He petted her behind the ears, "dad thought it was a good idea for someone to keep me company he came home with her one day he had found her on the street ever since she's been mine keeping me company for four years."

Haley barked, wagging her tail happily once she saw Cooper, she turned her head side ways and then looked to Michael he laughed slightly. "Hal this is your new partner in crime Coop." Hal let out a bark that sounded like a laugh, "just don't get into trouble." Michael shook his head once he saw her look. "though anyway I wasn't completely alone for four years though fury made frequent visits to try and get me to join shield never did and don't plan on doing it either.

[MarshiestMallow]

Cooper practically went bonkers when the red-healer came down the stairs, and no amount of orders could call him back, as he bounded happily, barking foolishly, he wriggled excitedly, and tested the waters, darting close to Haley to see what she would do, seeming to concentrate, to be ready to jump back. Kalinda watched him, since it seemed easier then looking at Michael. She merely nodded, not trusting her own voice, having been responsible for him being alone. She didn't trust her expression either, so she kept her face as carefully blank as she could, watching the two dogs.

Finally she looked to Michael, her expression troubled, tortured as her control slipped. And because they both needed to hear it, or at least she thought they did, she said softly. "I've never stopped loving you" she swallowed, and then lost her nerve and looked away. She struggled with her self, internally, for a minute, and then said softly, clearly looking for an escape, "I'll um, go pack away the left overs. No sense letting them go to waste" it was cowardly, she knew. But she just couldn't help it

[Xion Demente]

Michael watched Haley look at him, "go on I didn't tell you to stay now did I?" Hal gave him a lick on the cheek, before getting off the couch she was bigger than Coop. She sniffed him, then pushed him into his side. Michael laughed to that, till he heard the words he had been waiting to hear. A sigh escaped his lips, "you ever want to get back together once you've got everything else settled and everything I'll be here I can wait."

He looked at her, to see that troubled and tortured expression. He got up and went to her, caressing her cheek with his hand. "You don't have to hide from me and you don't just say something like that then try to hide it won't work this won't let you." He put his hand over his heart, "the first two years all I could think about was if you were ok fury never told me anything about you so I had to make myself believe you were alright."

His expression turned to one of sadness, "I've never either Kali it's just fury never told me anything about the others seemed like I was left out of the loop while everyone on the team knew my condition and everyone else's."