That One Time We Kissed // Bishova College AU

Tri Delta

"Kate!" Wanda called from the sorority house's kitchen. "Do you need more water? It's time for meds."

"Finally," Kate mumbled, sitting up from her position on the couch. "Some more water would be nice, Wanda, thank you."

A moment later, Wanda dutifully presented Kate with her pain medicine and a new glass of water, swiping the old glass and placing it in the sink.

"You don't have to do that," Kate said. "You've all done so much for me already."

"Yep," Wanda confirmed. "And we're gonna keep doing it until you get better. You're one of ours now, Bishop, and we take care of our own."

In the few days since her accident, Kate felt nothing short of cared for in the Tri Delta house where she effectively lived now, camped out on the couch. If Yelena was not home to dote on her, keeping track of medications and assuring she was comfortable, then it was Wanda, or Jemma, or Sharon, or any other sister occupying the house. It was not that Kate was incapable of caring for herself, but it quickly became clear that keeping up with so many things while already being in so much discomfort was a source of great anxiety for Kate, so the sisters took it upon themselves to help the poor girl.

Like clockwork, whenever one of them returned home from work or class, they would come check in on her, asking about how she felt today, or when surgery was. Jemma would help Kate keep up with her homework, Bobbi brought over her Xbox (though Yelena did not approve of this, Kate was concussed after all), Wanda would read aloud if Kate got bored enough or screens became too bright.

Though she wished her accident never happened, and she was definitely worse for wear with little sleep, a tiny appetite, and ailing leg, the sisters made life bearable. Yelena in particular brightened Kate's mundane days, and whenever the blonde returned home brought a smile to Kate's face.

"Bishop, hello? Are you in another Percocet lucid dream or something?" Wanda waved a hand in front of Kate, backpack slung over one shoulder.

"Sorry, what?"

"I said I'm going to class. You're gonna be good by yourself, right?"

"Yeah," Kate nodded. "Not like I can go anywhere."

Wanda smiled, planting a playful kiss atop Kate's head. "Be good! Someone should be home in a few hours to start dinner. You stay out of the kitchen."

"Will do."

"And if you want, we could probably finish Jane Eyre later!" She called, halfway out the door, and Kate nodded with a smile.

And then, silence. An empty house for the first time in several days. Kate almost did not know what to do with herself, though it wasn't like she could do much of anything. She tried to retrieve a hairbrush yesterday and could not even drag herself halfway up the stairs successfully, and crutches were more of a hazard than a help. Not much to do except sit and think, she supposed...

Kate's fists balled, and the more she tried to avoid the subject, the more she thought about it. Terrifyingly, her surgery was tomorrow, and then the real road to recovery started. She begged Yelena and her mother to reschedule, saying she wasn't ready, but Eleanor had none of it and even though it broke Yelena's heart to deny the woman, it was for the best.

The thought of surgery horrified her, tightened her chest. Doctors already terrified her, and the loss of bodily autonomy, the risks of anesthesia, not to mention the risks of the procedure itself sent a shiver down her spine. What if something went wrong?

Shaking her head, Kate leaned back on her couch, debating a nap. On one hand a bit of rest could dispel her headache and anxieties, but on the other hand her medications could induce wild nightmares, and she couldn't be bothered to deal with those right now. Not without Yelena.