White Widow & All New Hawkeye (YA series)

Babdook Anthony II

Eleanor looks at her daughter through the glass pannel, feeling her eyes water. She came, after all. To a max prison, but she came. 

Kate sighs and grabs the phone on her end to talk to her mother. Her voice sounds like it's about to break: "Hey, mom."

Eleanor sniffles, voice full of emotion: "Sweetie…I heard what happened to Clint, I'm so sorry."

Then the emotional moment that was about to throw Kate in a rage fit ends. 

"Do you know how hard it is to convince security you're an adult when you're short?" 

Kate shrugs as Cassie sits next to her: "Can't relate."

"Of course you can't relate." Tall people getting all cocky when they look like giraffes, man. 

Eleanor blinks a few times in confusion: "Who's this? Are you babysitting for pocket money?" 

Cassie raises an eyebrow:"Excuse you? I'm Cassie Lang." 

"She's my friend." Kate explains: "I'm not here to talk to you about what happened, I want to know more about what King-Pin said." 

"So now you have a case?" Eleanor shakes her head: "What is it with you Kate? You think you're perfect and invincible again? Do you want to play hero, act better than everyone for clout, or your personal ego?" 

"Yeesh. She sounds like an asshole."

Kate snorts at Cassie's comment: "She is."

"Oh, no, don't pretend I'm not wrong. I'm worried for you, Kate. What do you think you're doing? Without authority, endangering a child , almost getting killed along with Barton?" 

"Don't talk about Clint to me, you tried to have him killed."

"Rightfully so! Look where he brought you, running around chasing bad guys that are dangerous. With a child. "

"Um, I am actually very mature." Cassie says firmly, putting her finger up: "I can sound mature too, if I want. Can fake the best old British lady with lung cancer from cigarettes accent…" 

Kate looks at the girl in disbelief, but intrigued: "That was oddly specific."

"It's true! Wanna hear it?It's how I got past security."

Eleanor is humbled: "It's not necessary. " 

"Your loss." Cassie shrugs and backs out of the conversation. Not her place. 

Kate goes off, leaning closer to the glass pannel: "Why are you so against me doing what's right, mom? Because you're working with the bad guys, right? And it turned out so well for you." 

"Oh, stop it." Eleanor scoffs: "Stop pretending you're right for what you did. I didn't have a choice, Kate. Your father died and left me with all these debts he had to pay! He was not a good person because he was a decent father. I was sucked into the business, I did what I had to do to not go bankrupt, to keep you safe and well fed and off the streets. And maybe I shouldn't have! Maybe if you had an actually hard life you wouldn't be this entitled, and…ungrateful and so blind . Always thinking you're right. You are not . I am in prison because of you , for something that wasn't under my control! And I am the bad person, Kate?"

Nope. Absolutely not. Kate swallows thickly, trying to stop a tear from rolling down her cheek. Her grasp on the phone tightens when the only thing she gets from eye contact with her mother is pure anger.

Cassie flinches when the archer slams the phone back in its place, and rushes out the door. A guard complains about it, but he doesn't get physical. 

Wow.