Patchwork

Vers lie awake on the top bunk of one of the four bunk beds that lined her barracks staring at the ceiling. Each of her teammates had already claimed all the bottom bunks, except for Grock who had a top bunk and she wasn't going to risk death by landslide in the middle of the night. Primus just glared at her when she glanced at the top bunk of his bed and Kar-en looked like she wanted to eat her (not in the fun way) or dissect her, or both, so the only safe option was to bunk with Galen-Kor.

Vers had found out not to long after awaking on Hala that she didn't need much sleep, maybe a full eight hours every few days or a few hours every night. Every time she fell asleep no matter how long she saw her. The woman who had been dreaming of every time she slept. She was starting to lose her mind over it. It wasn't like she could get that much sleep anyways with Grok causing an earthquake with every snore.

After what seemed to be hours of staring at the ceiling, Vers was starting to get restless. She slowly crept down the railing of the sturdy bunk bed, thankful that it didn't creak or shift too much. It was unlikely that the small amount of noise she was making would wake anyone up over Grok's snoring, but she didn't want to take the risk. She was glad that the regulation sleep clothes was just a special t-shirt and pants and that she didn't need to change. She grabbed her shoes and slowly made her way to the heavy door.

Vers pushed on it lightly and it opened part of the way without a sound and Vers squeezed through the opening, shutting the door behind her. She slipped her shoes on and carefully made her way down the barracks hall.

She had no idea where she was going, she was just wondering. Vers let her mind wander has her feet moved. She thought about her new team, they were an odd bunch.

Primus had felt strict and cold, but loyal to his team. Vers hoped in time that she might be included in that unwavering loyalty. The others seemed to look to him as the final say in all of their decisions.

Galen-Kor had been quiet and reserved. She spoke with confidence when she did. Only making small gesture of excitement or disappointment as she eagerly watched the fight.

Grock was rough on the outside but a big softie on the inside. He was the loudest of them as he cheered on the champion from the fight and almost smashed the table when Beta Ray Bill won. When the fight was over he sat next to Vers and started to tell her of his home planet.

Kar-En freaked Vers out a little bit. She had eyed the device on Vers neck throughout the fight, all while fiddling with what seemed to be a twelve sided puzzle with sliding parts and multiple colors.

Vers was so lost in thought that she almost ran into someone.

"Wow, sorry I wasn't," Vers's voice faded as she saw Galen-Kor standing right in front of her, "looking where I was going?" Vers finished her words dripping with confusion.

"But how?" Vers looked at Galen then behind herself at the empty hallway behind her. "Galen-Kor you were asleep when I left."

"This hallway has two ends and you left like half an hour ago, not as stealthily as you might think, and please call me Galen." Vers looked away as she nodded.

"Why are you up?" Galen continued.

"Can't sleep." Vers answered vaguely, she couldn't fully explain the reasoning behind why without revealing her powers.

"My first few days here I couldn't catch a wink of sleep, mainly because of Grok's snoring, but nerves as well." Vers chuckled lightly. Galen looked over Vers quickly.

"Follow me." She said as she was already headed past Vers.

"Uh, sure." Vers said as she quickly turned to follow her.

Vers almost had to run to catch up to the Kree. She followed her up three flights of stairs and out a door at the top of the stairwell. When she opened the door she found Galen standing in the middle of the roof staring up at the night sky.

"I used to come up here when I felt scared or tired. To remind me that the universe is bigger than just me, that there are families out there that need to be protected."

Vers made her way to stand next to the Kree woman. She too looked up at the night sky, watching hover vehicles fly past the barely visible stars.

"I lost my partner and daughter to the Skrulls, there was an attack on our colony. You can't even see the light of the star that our world revolved around from here. But I like to come up here and remember them and remember why I'm here and what I'm fighting for. We didn't even know what was happening when it all started. How can you fight an enemy that looks like you? I came here seeking vengeance, to become an avenger of those that I and others have lost."

Vers felt almost light headed at the word 'avenger'. It was the same feeling that she had when a memory almost broke through, but it was gone as quickly as it came.

"We all have stories like mine, some are more tame and some are even worse, but we all have them. We all have a reason to fight. I wonder what's yours?" Galen left Vers on the barracks rooftop to contemplate her story.

Vers didn't know why but Galen's story hit home for her. Before now she had just been doing what was thrust upon her, doing what she was told. But now her mind was set, this is where she was needed.

Galen stopped a level before her teams floor and stopped and listened. Once she was certain she didn't hear anyone approaching she pulled out a small communicator.

'Task successful, she suspects nothing. '

'Excellent work, await further instructions. '

'Yes Commander.'

---

"Carol!" Maria said while laughing at her best friend's antics. Carol was currently trying to get back to her Mustang after a night of casual drinking and not so casual pinball and karaoke. Which was now being guarded by one very pissed off goose.

"Carol, let's just take my car. You can stay the night with me and we can come back tomorrow and get your car." Maria tried being reasonable with her.

"No! This is about principle, if I let this overweight chicken get away with it now, he'll just tell all his friends and the next time there will be even more geese." Carol said while not breaking eye contact with the bird that was perched on top of her car's roof.

"If you shit on my car I'll be eating goose as a midnight snack!" Carol threatened the bird.

Maria was glad that Pancho's was almost closed and all their friends and people they had to like because they worked with them, had already left, leaving just Maria to witness the showdown. Carol already had a few scratches and bite marks from the angry goose.

"I'm pretty sure they're an endangered species." Maria called out as Carol tried to swat at the bird who was managing to evade all her attempts to grab it and managed to make a few nips at her hand and arm.

"If it isn't, it will be soon." The goose honked at her has Carol missed again.

"You hear that! He's laughing at me." Maria couldn't hold it together any longer and bust out laughing at the sight.

Carol crouched low, trying to get more power before lunging for the bird again. She managed to grab hold of one of its feathers. The goose honked and flapped its wings in panic and pain as the feather was plucked. Carol landed on her feet and looked triumphantly at the feather in her hand.

"Carol duck!" Maria shouted as she saw the goose start to run across the car roof, its wings flapping, heading straight for Carol.

"No, it's a goose." Carol said with a smart ass smirk and Maria gave her a pointed look.

Carol looked over and saw the goose charging right at her, she instinctively ducked narrowly missing being hit by the goose. She lost her balance as she ducked and wound up flat on her back watching the goose circle around and land back onto her car roof.

"You got beat by a bird, a bird." Maria laughed.

"Shut up." Carol said dusting off her leather jacket and glaring at the goose and then at Maria.

"Come on bird brain get in, we'll come back tomorrow and see if your buddy over there has found a new home." Maria said walking over to her Camero.

"Fine but I'm driving." Carol said while jogging to catch up.

"Like hell you are. You just got your ass handed to you by an overgrown chicken and I know how you drive little Miss. Short cut."

"You're not going to drop the goose thing any time soon are you?" Carol questioned as she opened the passager side door.

"No." Maria said casually as she started her muscle car. Carol groans loudly at her words, but Maria can hear the smile behind it.

Maria is starting to yawn as they reach her apartment complex. She opens her mouth to say something to Carol but stops when she see Carol passed out, her head resting against the window.

"That explains why she was so quiet." Maria whispered to herself. She took a moment to take Carol in.

She looked peaceful and relaxed while asleep, a stark contrast to her bustling energetic self that Maria was starting to know all too well. They had grown close fast after their meeting at Pancho's, becoming almost inseparable on base.

"God you're cute." Maria said softly when Carol adjusted slightly in her sleep.

"All right Danvers, time to get up." Maria said as she started to poke at Carol's side, she had found out not too long ago that she was incredibly ticklish there.

"Five more minutes." Carol grumbled half asleep.

"Come on Danvers, I'm not carrying your ass up two flights of stairs." Maria poked at Carol's side again, who absently swatted at her.

"You should try." Carol still looked like she was sleeping but Maria could see the hint of a smile on her face.

"You know I talked with one of my old buddies from training camp." Carol cracked an eye open at that.

"Yeah, we were talking and I mentioned you and he said he remembered you." Carol sat upright, fully awake and intrigued in where Maria was going with this story.

"He said that you were the first at everything, first out of bed, first in line at the chow hall, first in class."

"Not everything, stupid ropes." Carol grumbled.

"Well now your first in something else." Carol gave her a questioning look.

"First to get your ass kicked by a goose."

"That's a low blow Rambeau."

"Not as low as you are shortstop."

"First the goose and now short jokes and you're like two inches taller than me."

"I got more inches on you than that baby, they're just where it counts." Maria quoted one of the many guys that thought that line would work on them. Carol just rolled her eyes at her but couldn't stop the smile on her face.

"Come on," Carol said as she got out of the Camaro, "I've got to reclaim my car tomorrow morning."

Maria tried, she really did, to not check out her best friend as she got out of the car, but like all the guys at the bar who tried to hit on them, she failed.

"Yeah, and I got to drive your ass back to get it because you lost it too a goose!" Maria said while laughing as she got out of her car.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, laugh it up. The next time you do something stupid I'll be there to mock you too."

"So you admit it was stupid." Carol stuck her tongue out at Maria.

They kept taunting each other as they made their way up to Maria's apartment. Maria suspected she might get a note from her more stuck up neighbors about being more considerate to other people.

Maria unlocked her door and lead Carol into her small apartment. It was pretty large for what you could make on a pilots salary, even a woman's.

"Thanks for letting me crash on your couch by the way." Carol said as she continued to look around the apartment.

"Oh, god you do not want to sleep on that thing. I did that once accidentally while watching TV and had a crick in my back for a week. Just sleep in the bed next to me." Carol froze at her words and gave her a sideways glance.

"Uh, no the couch is fine." Carol insisted.

"I am not going to listen to you bitch about it for the next week, so suck it up and sleep in the bed." Carol opened her mouth to start to protest but Maria just glared at her and she shut it.

"Now that that's settled I'll go get you some clothes to sleep in, 'cus you smell like cheep beer and sweat."

"You say the sweetest things."

"You know it sugar." Maria said with a wink before heading off to get Carol some clothes.

Carol was cursing that goose mentally, if it had chosen any other car to claim she would be home asleep, not in her best friend/crush's house about to sleep in the same bed. Carol had had enough sleep overs in high school that this was not going to end up well.

Maria returned a few minuets later holding sleep pants and an old air force t-shirt in front of her with a first aid kit on top of it.

"You should take care of those scrapes before they become infected or you get bird flu." Maria said handing her the pile.

"Bathroom is down the hall the second door on the right, there is a spare toothbrush in one of the drawers under the sink. the bedroom is right across from it when you're finished."

"Great, uh thanks." Carol said as she took the clothes and first aid kit from her.

Carol awkwardly made her way down the short hallway to the door Maria had just mentioned. She quickly changed out of her Guns 'n Roses t-shirt and jeans and into the sleep clothes Maria had let her borrow. Carol tried not to think about how the shirt was one size too big for her and smelled like Maria, like engine grease and lavender, or how the sleep pants brushed the floor.

Carol quickly brushed her teeth before starting on her battle scars. She opened up the first aid kit and opened one of the alcohol wipes. She swore at the first contact with one of the scrapes on her forearm. There were only a few scrapes that actually bled and thankfully they were all shallow.

Carol winced at the worst cut she had gotten, not from pain but from where it was located. It was right on the scar she had gotten when her father drunkenly broke her arm. She scowled at the scar in the mirror, but it didn't last long because there was a knock at the bathroom door.

"Carol are you done yet? I got to pee." Maria called out.

Carol broke her gaze with the mirror and started to collect her things and pack up the first aid kit leaving it on the bathroom sink. She took a deep breath and put on her fake smile. She had perfected that smile in high school and boot camp, when she had to smile and take whatever crap was thrown at her. She was glad that she had never needed it when she was with Maria.

Carol opened the door and saw Maria leaning on the wall opposite the bathroom. She was already changed into flannel sleep shorts and a tank top. The fake smile shifted slowly in her face as she took Maria in, to one of awe and wonder.

'Even in that she still looks stunning.' Carol thought to herself. If it had been appropriate Carol would had started to bang her head against the wall.

"You okay?" Maria questioned as her brow furrowed and her eyes darted across Carol's face as a light blush spread across her face. Carol quickly replaced the fake smile and shoved down the feelings that had started to bubble up.

"A little banged up." Carol stated as casually as she could manage as she showed off the scrapes on her left arm, purposely hiding the scar on her right with her dirty clothes.

"But other than that, just peachy." Maria gave her a slightly skeptical look and glanced at her other arm for a moment before shaking the look off.

"Well if that's the case, the bedroom is right there," Maria pointed over her shoulder at an open door behind her, "and I need to pee, so get out the way shorty." Carol smirked and half heartedly rolled her eyes as she moved out of the bathroom door frame, brushing past Maria on her way out.

"Oh!" Maria exclaimed and Carol froze in the bedroom doorway and looked back at Maria.

"By the way I sleep on the left side of the bed." Maria finished with a wink before shutting the bathroom door. Carol sighed as she tried to force down the blush that threatened to blossom onto her cheeks.

Carol sighed again as she looked at the queen size mattress. It could fit two people, but not with enough space that they could sleep without bothering one another or for Carol to not wake up wrapped around the other woman. It had been an awkward sleepover in high school to find out that she is a massive cuddler in her sleep.

She debated for a moment if the couch was going to be worth it in the long run, she could live with a sore back for a few days, but the embarrassment and possible loss of friendship with Maria was something she couldn't bear. But she could never say no to Maria, so she tossed her clothes onto the floor and climbed into the right side of the bed. Carol lie as close to the edge of the bed as she dared to without falling off. She moved her right arm behind her head when she heard the toilet flush.

"Damn Danvers, I don't bite." Maria chastised when she saw how close Carol was to the edge.

"Well not that much." Carol thought she heard Maria say under her breath.

Maria settled on to her normal spot and there was still a good foot and a half between her and Carol.

"Okay, get you ass on the bed. I don't want to wake up to the sound of you falling off in the middle of the night."

"Yeah I wouldn't want to interrupt your much needed beauty sleep." Carol joked as she shuffled slightly closer.

"You're one to talk, you just need sleep in general so you can grow those extra couple of inches so you're feet don't swing in the chairs at meetings." Carol laughed loudly, she hadn't thought that Maria had noticed that. Maria turned onto her side, propping her head up with her hand to look at Carol.

"So you gonna show me the cut you're hiding?" Maria saw the twitch in her best friends eyes and knew she was right.

"I..." Carol started.

"What too proud to acknowledge that you got beat up by a goose?" Maria hoped the joke would relax Carol a bit. Carol sighed and removed her arm from behind her head, showing her arm to Maria.

"That's it? That's not too bad, I thought I was going to have to take you to get stitches. So why were you trying to hide it."

"Sensitive topic, I didn't want your pity, it reminds me of my dad, all of the above or take your pick."

"Well as it happens I have top secret security clearance. So, I know how to keep a secret."

'Me too, but at least this one won't ruin either of our lives and/or careers.' Carol thought to herself.

"It wasn't necessarily the scrape I wanted to hide, but the scar."

"Carol, I've seen that scar before and a lot of your other scars. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to but why and try and hide it now."

"It's not that I meant to hide it from you, it just brought up some old memories that I would rather forget. I am sorry that I did try and hide it from you. I just, didn't want your pity or how you see me to change because it's not a fun or pretty story."

"Carol, we all have ugly stories, it's what makes us who we are, it's what makes us human. Your story is yours to tell or not, but if you ever decide to share it, it will not change how I think of you or see you."

Carol didn't respond, she didn't know how to. Everytime she had trusted someone with the story of what happened, the look of pity they gave her turned her stomach. She didn't want to see that look on Maria's face, but Carol should have know that Maria wouldn't do that to her. Maria was different, special, entirely something else.

"Get some rest Danvers, you're going to need it if that goose hasn't already make your Mustang its nest." Maria joked as she turned off the lamp on her nightstand. Carol half heartedly swatted at her, but shuffled slightly closer to her as she let her mind slowly drift off to sleep.

Carol woke up a few hours later with a strange pressure on her body. She panicked slightly at the unfamiliar surroundings and sensation, but quickly calmed when she remembered where she was.

Her attention was returned to the unfamiliar pressure as it shifted slightly. Carol looked down at her body in the low light of the early morning to see Maria cuddling up to her. She felt an unfamiliar warmth blossom in her chest at the sight. Her eyes grew heavy again and she wrapped an arm around the sleeping Maria pulling her slightly closer and fell back asleep with a smile on her face.

---

Her first night on Earth since she started to unlock her memories, her first night since remembering who Maria truly was to her. Was not one of passion, no there would be time for that later, tonight was about finally being home.

Her first night of sleeping under the same roof as her family was a joyous occasion for them all, but there were things that Carol's mind would not let her escape even surrounded by those she loved.

Carol saw flashes of her memories as her slept. They were almost never whole memories, just fragments that her subconscious will piece together over time. Some nights were better than others. Some nights were filled with happy memories of her life which mainly included Maria and Monica, but more often than not they were worse. Tonight was one of those nights.

Carol dreamed of blaster fire and photon blasts, and of fire and ash. She could smell the charred flesh of Kree and Skrull alike. She could hear the screams of terror and battle cries mixing together as different memories flashed by.

She had hoped before falling asleep next to Maria that she wouldn't dream or to at least to have pleasant dreams, but like always you should never trust the universe to give you what you want.

Carol awoke after a violent and vicious memory, not of Skrulls or Kree or even humans. But of the aftermath of a warlord or conqueror or monster who had wiped out half of the population of a planet.

She was Vers in the memory, Yon-Rogg and her team walked by her side. She was Vers, but this memory was new to her. Carol remember every planet she visited during her time as Vers, but this was not one of them.

Vers and her team walked along a wide street in the heart of the city. On one half of the street was a mass of screaming and crying people who were being held back by soldiers. On the other were soldiers slowly making their way through a mass of dead bodies, firing baster shots into the fresh corpses. Vers had tears falling down her face as she looked on at the gruesome sight before her. She turned to Yon-Rogg to ask what happened here and why didn't we stop it, but she was cut off by a large purple skinned man in gilded armor approached them.

"Commander Rogg, what a pleasure it is to see you again." The purple man said loudly as he approached their team.

"I see you wasted no time with the information we sent you." Vers looked in horror at her friend and leader.

"I expect the Skrull infestation here has been eliminated along with the others." Yon-Rogg paid her no attention as he continued.

"Yes, and now this world can have the balance it needs to become better than it once was." She felt her skin crawl at the purple man's words. Then it clicked in her mind, what had truly happened here.

Vers pushed past Min-Erva and Att-Lass and grabbed Yon-Rogg by the collar of his suit, lifting him off the ground. "We helped cause this! We helped him slaughter billions!" Vers exclaimed as tears continued to stream down her face as she continued to walk forward while still lifting Yon-Rogg. Smashing him into the side of a still burning building cracking the wall behind him.

"I told the Supreme Intelligence that you weren't ready for this." Yon-Rogg choked out.

"You're still too weak for this." His voice was still weak but it dripped with venom.

Vers suddenly felt her strength start to leave her body and dull ache in her neck that got stronger and stronger. She faintly noted that her fists darkened, she hadn't even noticed that they were glowing in the first place. Vers released him and staggered back, her vision was starting to fade at the edges as she grasped at the device on her neck. The next thing she knew she was flat on her back staring up at Yon-Rogg and Min-Erva.

"You could have done that sooner." Yon-Rogg's voice was strained slightly as he spoke to Min-Erva.

"Now where would the fun in that be?" Min-Erva pouted sarcastically while waving a small remote. She crouched down to look Vers in the eye before speaking.

"We are going to have to take this memory from you." Min-Erva moved a strand of hair from Vers face. Vers flinched slightly at the contact. "Just like we took your original ones and so many others" Vers's faded into unconsciousness.

Carol sat up straight in the bed she shared with Maria, panting out of breath from the nightmare that was her memories. She could feel the energy start to flow through her body and a hand on her shoulder. She quickly got out of bed before she started to burn the sheets, as she had done several times before, or even worse Maria.

"Carol." Maria said softly but forcefully as she followed her out of the bed as well.

"Carol, honey, it was just a nightmare." Maria said as she reached out to put a hand on Carol's shoulder who had her back pressed against one of the walls of the bedroom, trying to control her breathing. Carol flinched away from her hand and she paused at her reaction and slowly withdrew it. She could feel the heat radiation off Carol.

She could see the silent tears evaporating off the face of the woman she still loved and it broke her heart to see her this way. Terrified and huddled in a corner like a scared animal. Maria sat down slowly and as carefully and as close as she could without burning herself.

"Do you remember Monica's first birthday?" Maria asked softly and Carol didn't respond.

"Well you got me this necklace." Maria tugged lightly on the necklace around her neck that said 'Monica' and smiled fondly at it.

"You said it was so I could keep her close to me even when I was soring high above the clouds. I knew in that moment that you were going to be in my heart forever, even if you weren't in my life forever, and that I wouldn't want it any other way." Maria could see Carols breathing slow as she talked. By the end of her story Carol was looking at her.

She couldn't feel the intense heat anymore and slowly reached her hand out again, Carol still gave a small flinch that made her hesitate for a moment before continuing. She placed her hand on Carol's still warm cheek, she could still feel the streaks of wetness that her tears had left.

"God I missed you." Carol managed to croak out.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Maria asked softly. Carol stayed silent for a long time while Maria stayed and waited. Carol took a deep breath before starting, her voice was soft and raw but grew stronger as she spoke.

"My memories sometimes return in the form of dreams. This one wasn't of my life before. It was from my time at Starforce, but it was new."

"I thought they only took your memories of Earth?"

"So did I." Carol said with a sad smile.

"We were on this planet and this guy named Thanos, big purple dude, had just wiped out half the population. We we standing on a street and one side there were soldiers holding people back and on the other they were going through the still smoldering corpses to make sure they were dead. I thought were there to stop it or find who ever committed this atrocity, but then he just waltzes right up and starts talking to Yon-Rogg" Maria scowls at the mention of Yon-Rogg.

"Turns out that the Supreme Intelligence worked with the guy to make sure all of the Skrulls on the planet were killed when he killed half of everyone. They knew it was going to happen, we helped it happen, and they took the memory from me when I said it was wrong." Vers let out a shaky breath as tears started to fall again.

"What else did they take from me? What other horrible acts have I seen?" Maria pulled her into a tight hug at the fear and terror in her words.

"That wasn't you, that was them. You had no part in it, you tried to stop it." Maria's words were slightly muffled by Carol's shoulder.

"I'm sorry I woke you." Carol said after a while, pulling away slightly but still clinging to Maria.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, besides I think I owe you for getting up and feeding Monica in the middle of the night." Carol's face fell slightly.

"I wish I remembered doing that. I wish I remembered more, well more of you and Monica and not alien genocides."

"And you will, you said this process takes time. So let it, don't rush it. I just got you back I don't want to lose you again over your impatience."

"You know what else I remembered?" Carol had a small smirk on her face but the haunted looked remained in her eyes.

"What?" Maria said hesitantly.

"The goose."

"The cat? Seriously! That's what you're bringing up now of all times.

"No not Goose, the goose, the car goose."

"Oh my god I forgot about that!" Maria said while laughing.

"Yeah that was the first time I got you to go home with me." Maria said cheekily and Carol lightly smacked her arm with a mildly offended look on her face.

"Yeah, that was a mistake 'cause you pretty much never left after that." Carol smacked her arm slightly harder this time.

"Wow, if this is the treatment I get maybe I should have taken that Asgardian up on her offer of a drinking contest." Maria returned the faked offended look but it was quickly replaced with one of confusion.

"Asgardian?" Maria questioned.

"As in Asgard? Like the Norse myths!" Carol gave her an excited nod.

"Yeah, I met her on this planet called Sakaar where they hold these awesome fighting tournaments that are broadcast throughout the universe." Carol had a look of wonder in her eye that Maria had seen many times before whenever Carol looked at the stars.

"And you didn't take her up on her offer?" Maria knew that she was treading on a subject that she might not enjoy hearing, but she needed to know.

"No." Carol said casually.

"Alchohol doesn't seem to affect me anymore. Which sucks because it means I'll always be the designated driver from now on. Which isn't too bad, but I really enjoyed getting drunk with you." Carol said wistfully.

"And you never took anyone up on their offers?"

"Oh yeah, lots of times!" Maria's face fell slightly at her words.

"Yeah, social drinking on Hala was very big. I'm surprised that there aren't more alcoholics, but that's probably due to their immune system and advanced medicine." Maria chuckled softly at Carol's misinterpretation.

"Carol, I wasn't talking about drinking." Maria said with a pointed look.

"Then what were you..." Carol's words trailed off as her brain put the peices together.

"Oh." She said softly as she blushed furiously and looked away from Maria.

"No."

"Really? No one?"

"There were offers, but they never felt right. I think my brain may have forgotten you, but my heart never did." Maria blinked away tears at her words.

"Come here you sap." She managed to say and pulled Carol in for a passionate kiss.

It felt like forever and seconds when they finally broke their kiss, resting their foreheads together.

"Come on, let go to bed." Maria said still slightly breathless. She felt Carol's eyebrows raise at the possible interpretation of her words.

"Not like that you dork, well not tonight at least. I have work in the morning and Monica has school. Just because you show back up into our lives dosen't mean that they will change around you."

"I'm just glad to be in them again." Carol said as she bumped their noses together and she felt Maria smile at her before leaning in for another kiss.

"Come on Duck Hunt, back to bed." Maria said with a grin as she stood, offering a hand to Carol. She accepted the hand with a roll of her eyes and stood.

And for the second time that night she fell asleep in the arms of the woman she loved.