The Traitors and The Faithful

Summary: Yon-Rogg and his team are sent to C-53 to deal with traitors of the empire. Mar-Vell... and his wife.

Prompt: "Just tell why you did it!" "Because I'm in love with you, okay!"

Tags: #Alternate Universe #Prompt #Vers was born a Kree #Married Couple #Pre-Established Relationship

"Stand down, Vers!"

"No."

Black smoke wafted between them, its foul odour clinging to the air. Her vessleThe Avenger lay in a crumpled heap, half buried in the dirt. The crackling fire was slowly devouring it, soon only a metal skeleton would remain.

Vers kept her eyes firmly on the man before her, refusing to risk a glance to see if the energy core was still attached to her ship. She had to keep his attention firmly on her and hers on him. It scared her to realise she wasn't sure what he would do. Despite what they were to one another, she could not guarantee that he wouldn't kill her in the name of the empire.

Yon-Rogg loved her, she knew that with every fibre of her being.

But he also loved his empire.

"Commander Yon-Rogg, we are not a threat to you or the empire. Our mission is one of peace. If you just let us explain-"

"You can save your traitorous excuses for the Supreme Intelligence, Mar-Vell," Yon-Rogg cut in.

Vers bristled at the way he spoke to her mentor. Behind her, she heard Mar-Vell groan. Before Yon-Rogg had arrived, she had seen the blood seeping through Mar-Vell's jacket on her left arm. There had also been blood on her forehead. She was injured and needed medical attention.

"I have warned you for years that you were falling down a dangerous path, that you were letting your emotions cloud your judgement. And now you've gone and dragged my wife into the mess!"

"She didn't drag me into anything, Yon. I choose to help her. It's the right thing to do. This war has gone on for long enough," Vers snapped.

"She's filled your head with lies, Vers!"

"The only thing filling anyone's head with lies is the Supreme Intelligence!"

Yon-Rogg inhaled sharply, the grip on his weapon tightening. The words she had spoken were blasphemous, a sinner renouncing their god. The words of a traitor. If he had any doubt of her dedication and willingness in her participation in aiding the Skrulls, she could see they were all gone. His golden eyes were bright with anger and betrayal.

"I won't be its slave anymore," Vers whispered. "I won't help it conquer the universe. All it wants is power and control."

Yon-Rogg's gaze flickered to Mar-Vell. It was then that she realized that his rage was not directed at her, it was all for Mar-Vell. He blamed her for this.

"Yon-Rogg," Vers said in warning.

She saw it, the brief nod of his head. An affirmation to a question whispered in his comm-link. A question asked by someone nearby. It had to be his team, other members of Starforce. Of course, he hadn't come without back up!

Stupid, stupid, stupid, Vers thought with a hiss, realising her mistake. He was distracting them.

Vers's eyes widened and she whipped around, but it was too late. A sniper shot Mar-Vell through the chest. Vers watched, shocked, as her mentor and friend collapsed to her knees, hands hovering around the bloody, gaping hole in her stomach. Just before she hit the ground, she mouthed one word. Run.

Another blaster came hurtling towards her. Vers rolled out of the way, scrambling across the dirt to take refuge behind the carcass of her broken ship.

"Minn-Erva, cease fire!"

So it was Minn-Erva hiding in the distance. She must have flanked them while they were distracted, waiting for her commander's orders. She was most likely somewhere with elevation, a small slope or a up a tree. Either way, with all the foliage and smoke, it was near impossible to decipher her location. The moment she left her cover, Minn-Erva would be able to shoot her down.

"Vers, throw me your weapon and come out. We're not going to hurt you!" Yon-Rogg shouted.

Vers watched him through a hole in the wreckage. He couldn't see her but she knew he was assessing the vessel, looking for the best way to sneak up on her. He had murmured something into his comm-link, probably calling for back up.

"Mar-Vell's corpse says otherwise!" Vers cried back.

Vers tried to assess the situation, doing everything she could to not dwell on Mar-Vell. Grieving would have to wait. There was too much at stake. She was injured, outnumbered, no back up and nowhere to run. It wouldn't be long before Yon-Rogg and his team managed to trap and contain her. After a closer inspection of the ship, they would find the energy core. The Skrull would be done for, along with anyone else who rejected the Kree's rule.

Vers took in a deep breath and pointed her weapon at the core.

Destroying it was the best option.

The blast would kill her, but there was no other choice. Millions of lives for one.

She moved to pull back her blaster's trigger-

A blaster shot burst through the smoke. Vers screamed as it hit her shoulder, sharp pain searing through her. She dropped her weapon and fell to the ground, her good arm clutching her burned shoulder. With trembling fingers, she reached for her weapon.

A black boot appeared beside her and kicked it out of reach.

Vers shrieked in frustration.

Yon-Rogg knelt beside her and reached out for her. Vers recoiled from his touch, wanting to be as far away from her husband as possible.

"You're making... a mistake," Vers whispered, her voice breathless.

"No, Vers," Yon-Rogg shook his head. "You did when you trusted Mar-Vell."

Vers was too weak to protest when Yon-Rogg carefully lifted her up into his arms. Her vision was going dark, the pain in her arm becoming unbearable. Her head lolled to the side, resting against Yon's breastplate. She could hear him speaking to someone. Bronn-Char? Minn-Erva?

Then everything went black.

Yon-Rogg watched as his blood travelled the length of the tubes, leaving his body and entering Vers. He and his wife lay on a raised platform, the areas that their bodies touched glowing blue on the black surface. They were in the medical bay onboard the Hellion, left alone once the procedure had started. It was a dark room, a single periwinkle spotlight bathed upon them.

Vers's injuries had been worse than first appearances had let on. She had been suffering from internal bleeding, and as a result, her shoulder wound was not healing as it should. She had needed a blood transfusion and afterwards would have to be placed in a healing pod for several days until she was fully recovered. It made him sick to his stomach seeing her like this. Her complexion a sickly colour, her breaths ragged and pained, sweat seeping from her skin as her body worked overtime to heal itself, bandages wrapped around her stomach and sections of her arms and legs.

It was all Mar-Vell's fault.

He had suspected for a while that Mar-Vell's loyalties were wavering. She pitied the Skrulls. He could see it in the way she tensed when talks of defeating them entered the conversation and how she sneered at Starforce operatives. When he had found out that Vers was leaving Starforce to aid Mar-Vel, he had been firmly against it. She was a bad influence. A Kree whose reputation was marring with whispers of her criticisms of their great empire. Vers had laughed his concerns off... and now look what had happened.

The traitor had gotten inside her head.

Vers had been a no one. An orphan abandoned on a junk planet outside of the Kree Empire. When she had made the move to Hala, she had fought like a blazing star to earn her place in Starforce. Unlike others, she had no prestigious or influential name to assist her and no family to fund her. Everything she knew about the world and fighting she had taught herself. The slope to climb had been high, yet she had never let herself be kept down after every setback or fall. She always got back up. It was through her determination, strength and passion that got her her place in Starforce and eventually a highly sought place on his team.

She had been his strongest warrior. A noble warrior hero who would rattle the very stars...

And then she gave it all up... for Mar-Vell.

Yon-Rogg titled his head, watching the harsh intakes of Vers breath. He had sworn to protect her, that he would never let anyone harm her. He had failed. Mar-Vell had manipulated her, led her astray. Now she was seriously wounded and suffering. If it had been any other Starforce unit that had been sent to retrieve her then she would have been killed on the spot. The realization of how close he had come to losing her churned his very soul.

Vers groaned, her eyes lids struggling to open. Unlike him, there were emerald forcefield links keeping her pinned down to the table by the ankles and wrists. She was no longer a former Starforce warrior and loyal servant to the Kree. She was a traitor. A prisoner. And therefore had to be dealt with accordingly. She was skilled enough that she could easily escape his ship if given the chance.

"Why am I shackled down?" Vers asked, voice groggy. "I thought this type of play was restricted to the bedroom."

"Vers," Yon-Rogg snapped. "This is serious."

He had always found her amusing, but he wouldn't let her use it as a shield this time.

"I am aware."

"I really don't think you are. You assisted Mar-Vell with aiding the Skrull, our sworn enemy who we have been at war with for centuries. You endangered all of Kree. That makes you a traitor and the punishment for treason is death."

"Then why am I still breathing?" Vers said quietly, lifting her chin and refusing to cower under the intensity of his glare. "You should have left me to die or delivered a kill shot on C-53."

His eyes darkened, hands clenching at the thought of her dead. He would never let that happen.

"I've pleaded your case before the Supreme Intelligence, that's why," Yon-Rogg replied sharply. "You will be granted a pardon."

It had not been an easy feat, but his family name and successful military service had won him some leeway. Other Commanders had also appealed to the SI on his behalf, out of respect for him and fear for Starforce's reputation. It would not sit well with the public to know that the wife of such a highly valued commander, a hero of the people, was a traitor.

"Why are you doing this?" Vers asked quietly, narrowing her eyes. "Why try and save me?"

"Because I love you," Yon-Rogg whispered, bewildered she would ask.

Vers shook her head, wrinkling her nose. "You've killed your own warriors before, for treason and desertion. I shouldn't be any different."

None of those things had been easy and he wasn't proud of them. But as a commander of Starforce, he had to make and carry out difficult decisions. For the good of his empire and his people. But when it came to Vers... he could not fathom carrying out such a deed out. They were husband and wife, mates for life, and old friends. He would sooner set worlds ablaze than have her die on his watch.

He had risked the Supreme Intelligence's wrath, had jeopardised his reputation, hurt his families honour and went against the laws he believed in to plead for her life. And he would do it all again if it kept her safe. It hurt him to know that she didn't think he would go to such lengths and more for her. There was no evil she could commit that would turn him from her. He would always be there for her, fighting to get her brought back to where she belonged. By his side. And the empires.

"Do you want to die?" Yon-Rogg asked, shaken by the thought.

"No, but I will. At least, a part of me will once the Supreme Intelligence is done with me. I'm guessing it wants to commune with me and do some spring cleaning in my head. Erase all traitorous thoughts and memories," Vers sneered, keeping her glare to the darkness.

"You need help to be brought back onto the right path. You've been corrupted."

"I was... until Mar-Vell set me free."

Yon-Rogg growled and closed his eyes, knowing there was no point in arguing. They fell into silence, too bitter and angry with the one another to say all that needed to be said. After a while, Bronn-Char came into the room to unhooked the tubes connecting them. Vers didn't say anything to him and he left, sparing his commander a worried look. Yon-Rogg sat up and made his way to the other side of the platform. He felt a stab of pain in his chest when Vers turned her head, refusing to even look at him.

"I'm doing this for you, Vers," Yon-Rogg whispered, his fingers lightly moving the hair from her face. "It's the only way to keep you safe."

He leaned down and placed a lingering kiss on her forehead.

Vers turned to look at him and he flinched under the intensity of her glare. Her dark eyes were burning with hurt and betrayal.

It was a look that would haunt him forever.

(A/N) I really would like to expand on this in the future. I've been itching to write a story where Carol was born a Kree and how she and Yon-Rogg meet and fall in love under those circumstances. I just don't have a major plot to work with. I think I'll make this a three-shot in the future. The second chapter would be how they meet and fell in love. Third chapter my version of a Kree wedding + smut scene (though the 3rd chapter would only be uploaded onto Ao3). It's on a back burner but I'll wait and see how the response for this chapter was first.

I think the prompt was supposed to be interpreted as a confession but I reeeeally wanted them married in this... so I've tweaked it a little. Hope you don't mind!

Let me know what you think! xx