So you were never a saint, and I've loved in shades of wrong
We learn to live with the pain, mosaic broken hearts.
But this love is brave and wild.
And I never saw you coming
And I'll never be the same.

A/N: This is the last chapter! I can't believe it's done.

On the other hand, it's not entirely done because I'm turning this into a series! The first chapter of the Stucky book is out. It's called Sweet Tea In The Summer (Cross My Heart, Won't Tell No Other) and it talks about Bucky and why he kissed Yelena and shit like that.

On one hand, Yelena was really excited for the play.

She hadn't gotten to talk to Kate since the Kingpin incident a few days ago. Kate, in fact, wasn't even at the theater yet, despite the fact that the play was supposed to be starting in an hour.

Loki had just walked in, though, so it was probably fine.

Speaking of Loki, they flopped dramatically into their chair and groaned.

"What's wrong?" Natasha asked amusedly.

"My sister," Loki said. "Has been hiding a cat in our room."

The announcement had varying reactions: Natasha snorted and turned the page of her book, Sylvie rolled her eyes, and Clint said incredulously, "A cat?"

"Yes, a cat," Loki said. "She's calling it Goose. Apparently, she and her girlfriend share custody over it."

"Val has a girlfriend?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, she and Carol are dating," Clint answered.

"Since when?"

"Yelena," Gamora hissed. "Where's Kate?"

"She'll be here," Yelena said.

Forty-five minutes until the play.

Thirty minutes.

Fifteen minutes.

Finally, with five minutes until the start of the play, Kate darted in and scurried backstage.

"Where were you?" Gamora demanded.

"My dog threw up," Kate said apologetically. "I'm really sorry."

Gamora groaned. "Alright. Whatever."

"Gamora, people are here. It's eight pm. The play's starting," Sylvie informed her.

"Great." Gamora threw Kate's costume at her. "Go put this on."

Gamora walked out onstage. Yelena vaguely heard her 'welcome to the play' speech, muffled by the heavy curtains. When she came back, Vision went onstage to begin his lines as Narrator.

"Two households, both alike in dignity

In fair Verona, where we lay our scene..."

Kate's first scene was before Yelena's. Hearing her cue, she stepped out onstage.

"Good morrow, coz!" Peter said.

"Is the day so young?"

"But new struck nine."

"Ay, me, sad hours seem so long..."

Yelena let her attention wander to her mostly unfinished History essay that she had to turn in by tomorrow. Maybe if she stayed up late tonight...

She heard a snatch of the next scene−Bruce as Capulet said, "She hath not yet seen the change of fourteen years," and Bucky as Paris replied,

"Younger than she are happy mothers made."

And that was a lot to think about, that girls younger than thirteen were supposed to be mothers. Honestly, how screwed up could a play get before a high school wouldn't let you put it on?

A few scenes later, Peggy Carter as Lady Capulet and Wanda as the Nurse walked out onstage. Yelena focused on the play again, waiting for her cue.

"Nurse, where's my daughter? Call her forth to me," Peggy commanded.

"Now, by my maidenhead at twelve years old," said Wanda, "I bade her come. What, lamb! What, ladybird!" She waited a moment, letting silence fill the theater, before sighing. "God forbid. Where is that girl? What, Juliet!"

Yelena hurried onstage. "How now, who calls?"

"Your mother," Wanda told her.

Yelena turned and smiled at Peggy. "Madam, I am here. What is your will?"

Peggy nodded. "This is the matter.—Nurse, give leave awhile. We must talk in secret." After a moment, she called, "Nurse, come back again. I have remembered me, thou's hear our counsel. Thou knowest my daughter's of a pretty age."

"Faith, I can tell her age unto an hour."

"She's not fourteen."

Wanda shook her head. "She's not fourteen. I pray thee, how long is it to Lammastide?"

"A fortnight and odd days."

"Even or odd, in all days of the year, come Lammas Eve she shall be fourteen. Susan and she—"

"Enough of this," Peggy said, cutting off the long speech from the original play. "I pray thee, hold thy peace."

Wanda and Peggy went back and forth for a long time, debating Juliet's marriage to Paris. Finally, Wanda said, "Go, girl, seek happy nights to happy days," and the curtains descended.

Yelena made her way backstage as the stage crew dragged scenery on. When everything was set up, Loki raised the curtains and several people walked onstage, including Peter and Kate. After a few minutes, Peggy, Natasha, Bruce, Yelena, and several other people hurried onstage.

Yelena heard Kate as Romeo whisper to Ned, playing a servant, "What lady's that who doth enrich the hand of yonder knight?"

"O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night as a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear beauty too rich for use, for Earth too dear. So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows as yonder lady o'er her fellows shows. The measure done , I'll watch her place of stand and, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand. Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight, for I ne'er saw true beauty till this night."

Yelena didn't dare look over at Kate.

Natasha as Tybalt glared at Kate. "That, by his voice, should be a Montague—" She pointed at Kamala, who was playing her page. "Fetch me my rapier, girl!" Kamala scurried away, presumably to fetch Natasha's rapier. "What, dares the slave come hither covered with an antic face to fleer and scorn at our solemnity?" Her mouth twitched slightly and Yelena knew her sister was trying not to laugh at the word fleer. "Now, by the stock and honor of my kin, to strike him dead I hold it not a sin."

"Why, what now, kinsman?" Bruce asked. "Wherefore storm you so?"

"Uncle, that is a Montague, our foe." Natasha pointed at Kate. "A villain that is hither come in spite to scorn at our solemnity this night."

"Young Romeo, is it?" Bruce asked.

"'Tis he, that villain Romeo."

"Content thee, gentle coz. Let him alone. He bears him like a portly gentleman, and, to say truth, Verona brags of him to be a virtuous and well−governed youth. I would not for the wealth of all this town here in my house do him disparagement.

Therefore be patient. Take no note of him. It is my will, the which if thou respect, show a fair presence and put off these frowns, an ill-beseeming semblance for a feast," Bruce scolded her.

Natasha rolled her eyes. "It fits when such a villain is a guest. I'll not endure him!"

Bruce shook his head firmly. "He shall be endured! What, goodman boy, I say he shall. Go to. Am I the master here or you?"

"Why, Uncle, 'tis a shame," Natasha complained.

"Go to, go to. You are a saucy boy. Is 't so indeed? This trick may chance to scathe you. I know what. You must contrary me. Marry, 'tis time— Well said, my hearts.—You are a princox, go. Be quiet, or—More light, more light! For shame, I'll make you quiet. What, cheerly, my hearts!"

"Patience perforce with willful choler meeting makes my flesh tremble in their different greeting. I will withdraw, but this intrusion shall, now seeming sweet, convert to the bitterest gall."

With that, she, Bruce, and Peggy left, leaving Kate and Yelena onstage alone.

Yelena turned to look after her departing family. Behind her, she felt Kate take her hand and whirled.

""If I profane with my unworthiest hand this holy shrine, the gentle sin is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims stand to smooth that rough touch with a gentle kiss."

Yelena swallowed. "Good pilgrim," she said. She was grateful for the mics; she couldn't seem to get her voice to rise above a whisper. "You do wrong your hand too much, which mannerly devotion shows in this; for saints have hands that pilgrim's hands do touch, and palm to palm is the holy palmer's kiss."

"Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?" Kate's eyes were icy blue, like sapphires.

"Ay, pilgrim, lips they must use in prayer."

"O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do. They pray: grant thou, lest faith turn to despair."

"Saints do not move, though grant for prayer's sake."

"Then move not while my prayer's effect I take."

Kate leaned down and pressed her lips to Yelena's.

It was just like the first time. Only this time, they weren't in a hallway that smelled like stale popcorn. And this time, Yelena wasn't going to run away.

Kate pulled back, eyes searching Yelena's face. "Thus from my lips, by thine, my sin is purged."