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marysuevirus2014-02-14 11:23 pm
ladydeathfaerie) wrote in marysuevirus2014-02-14 11:23 pm
Entry tags:
- author: ladydeathfaerie,
- character: agent phil coulson,
- character: alexis quinn,
- character: astrid pedersen,
- character: clint barton,
- character: clint barton/hawkeye/ronin,
- character: elsa jones,
- character: miri grant,
- character: miriam grant,
- character: nick fury,
- character: phoebe sinclair,
- character: steve rogers,
- character: steve rogers/captain america,
- universe: marvel movie
The Mary Sue Virus: Lights, Camera, Avengers!
Title: The Mary Sue Virus: Lights, Camera, Avengers!
Chapter Thirty: Coming Together
Fandom: something like the Marvel Universe, leaning mostly toward the Movie!Avengers branch
Rating: 18 and up
Warnings: lots of sex and violence, language, anything else i can toss in. probably some drinking.
Disclaimer: the recognizable characters and places contained herein are the property of Marvel and whoever the hell else owns them.. i'm merely borrowing for the sake of entertainment. no money is being made from this venture. the Sues are the sole property of their originators,![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
dazzledfirestar, mistress_o_muse, ginevrasm, rylan_m, and ladydeathfaerie. the concept and title of The Mary Sue Virus are used with permission from Dazzledfirestar.
The Mary Sue Virus: Lights, Camera, Avengers! - The Index
~*~
Miri took a deep breath and smoothed the line of the skirt with one hand before taking hold of the conference room knob and turning it. Every face in the room turned toward her as she hurried inside. Sitwell seemed indifferent to her tardiness while Phil offered the hint of a smile and Director Fury managed to express a vast mix of emotions with just one look. The only person who gave her a look of irritation was Maria, but that was likely because Maria was always irritated these days. Miri pushed the door closed and moved briskly toward her seat. That seat happened to be next to Phil.
"I'm terribly sorry I'm late, everyone. I got caught helping Williams with a minor problem." Miri told them as she settled into her seat. She gave a polite nod toward Phil as she laid a pen and a pad of yellow paper on the table before her. "Agent Coulson."
"Agent Grant. Its good to see you again," Phil replied with the same amount of warmth in his voice that he used on detained prisoners. A quick glance showed her the head of his cane resting against the far arm of his chair. Good. She knew how much he hated the thing and she wouldn't put it past him to 'accidentally' forget it someplace. But until the doctors released him, he was stuck with it.
There was a loud, exasperated sigh that drew everyone's attention to the head of the table. Fury was staring at them both, his lips compressed into a thin line. "Cut the shit, you two. You aren't fooling anybody."
"Yes, sir," Phil replied mildly. Miri made a show of shuffling a few files to avoid having to look at anyone. No doubt Maria was rolling her eyes.
"Now that we've got that out of the way, and now that we're all here, maybe we can start this meeting," Fury suggested.
"Yes, sir," Sitwell agreed even though it wasn't necessary.
"Since you seem eager and ready to go, why don't you tell me how rebuilding the computer systems and our entire tech department is going?" Fury asked, eye focused intently on Sitwell.
All eyes turned to where Sitwell sat and they watched as he shuffled around a few papers in the stack before him. "As you know, Stark has helped refit the entire organization with all of the computer equipment we need. He's had people overseeing the installation. He's also updating everything, from the software to the tech. New firewalls, new operating systems, better programs. We're presently at a seventy five percent completion rate and, if we stay on track, we should be finished well before the build on our new headquarters is finished."
It was a quick update, but Miri was sure that's what Director Fury wanted. There was so much going on that there wasn't time to have a full meeting. S.H.I.E.L.D. was still in the middle of its rebuild and things were perpetually hectic. She'd heard that the director spent a lot of time behind closed doors, on the phone with people who wanted a piece of his hide for what had happened. Because it was absolutely his fault an evil organization tried to take control of both their flying fortress and their ground base. And it was absolutely the director's fault that, when that didn't work, shit had gotten blown up and destroyed.
"Keep an eye on him, Sitwell. I have no doubt he's building back doors into the system." Director Fury made the comment with a noticeable lack of hope in his voice. He obviously had no hope at all that he could keep Tony Stark from nosing around in his business if the man set his mind to such things. Miri was certain that Stark had more than one back door built into the system. She would do the same were the she one supplying the tech. They should all probably thank the powers that be that Stark hadn't become a supervillain.
Yet.
"Hill?" Fury prompted when no one else spoke up. She kept an even expression and opened a file she'd brought with her.
"The new base should be completed on time, barring any unforeseen problems. The contractors are working round the clock laying concrete and putting up walls." She paused long enough to bring out a few photos showing the progress of the contractors who had been hired to rebuild the S.H.I.E.L.D. ground base. All of the debris had been cleared away. What was left was a stark contrast of complete and incomplete. Walls that ended in shattered sheet rock and broken studs and torn wiring were being repaired. There were new walls in some places, the seam of reconstruction so flawless that Miri wouldn't have known it was rebuild if she hadn't seen the destruction with her own eyes. Fresh concrete had been poured. New studs, wiring, and pipes had been installed. Where there had once only been death and despair there was now new life and hope.
"I've been in constant contact with Stark and he assures me that work on the new helicarrier is ahead of schedule." Again, Maria paused to remove some photos from the folder. They had obviously been taken at Stark Industries and showed quite a few people gathered around the large, hulking form of a hull. Several of the people wore white coats and carried clip boards. There were sprays of red and white and gold sparks where a person was welding. One of the pictures had Stark in it and the man was balanced precariously on a narrow perch, one hand touching the unfinished hull while the other pointed to a set of blue prints in another man's hand. "If his people keep pace, we should have a new helicarrier well before the expected delivery date."
Fury nodded, then pinned Maria with a look. "Let me know if Stark gives you any trouble."
"Of course, sir," Maria nodded. Miri was firmly of the opinion that Maria didn't need any help with Stark if the man gave her trouble. In fact, she was pretty sure that no one would ever find the body if Stark gave Maria trouble.
"Agent Grant. Tell me about recruiting."
Miri nodded and retrieved a file from the stack before her. It was filled with dozens of applications and she began shuffling them out, sorting them into piles. One pile was noticeably larger than the other two. She laid one hand on the smallest pile first. "These are candidates who are borderline. They read well on paper barring a couple of minor statements. So I've got Dr. Trent meeting with them to determine if there is any reason to worry about those minor statements."
Trent was the head of their Psych department and Miri trusted her opinion. The woman hadn't steered her wrong yet.
She put her hand on the second pile. It was the thickest of the three. "This pile contains candidates that couldn't even make it past the first screening process. Various flags went up just going over their applications. They're good fits for the FBI and the CIA. There are a couple of black ops men who might have made it past the first screening if not for the blood thirsty responses they gave to certain questions. But none of them would fit into S.H.I.E.L.D. because they're either not mentally capable of dealing with the weird shit we see or they're much too fond of their weapons. A couple of them had named their weapons."
With a sigh, she put her hand on the last pile. "These are the only candidates that passed the first screening. There aren't nearly enough of them. And its possible they won't make it past their trial period. I've tried to put them into a high stress situation to see how they react. So far, it seems to be working."
Fury eyed her for a few moments before speaking. "What kind of high stress situation, Grant?"
"I..." she paused and drew a breath. Either he was going to hate it or he was going to love it. Miri let her gaze slide around the room and only just caught Jasper trying to swallow a grin. "I may or may not have asked Agents Quinn and Barton to help me in this area. The two of them have devised an obstacle course for the new trainees."
There was a moment of deep, intense silence in the room. A choking sound from the other side of the table was definitely Sitwell trying hard not to laugh out loud. Miri thought she heard Maria mutter a curse. A glance out of the corner of her eye showed her that Phil's face was carefully blank. But there was a hint of mischief in his eyes.
"And how is that working, Agent Grant?" Fury asked
"It's working very well, sir. Alex an Clint have actually been more effective than the training rooms so far. Most of the new recruits have made it through with minimal injuries. And they're very careful about keeping out of everyone's way. They've both come back with glowing reports."
The look he wore told her he wasn't sure he should buy this or not. He certainly didn't look impressed. "Keep me informed, Agent Grant. And you make sure those two know that I will hold them personally responsible if anything gets broken on their watch. And tell Quinn that she is not allowed to threaten new recruits with that damned wrench of hers." The last was said a bit forcefully. Miri bit back a smile and nodded her head.
"Of course, sir."
"Keep searching for more people," Fury directed. Miri nodded again and started shuffling the papers back into her folder. Fury turned to Phil. "Tell me that we're on budget."
"Actually, sir, we are on budget," Phil told the other man quietly. Miri heard the sigh in his voice and she knew he hated that he was presently little more than a glorified accountant. But he was still doing physical therapy. He'd have to live with a desk job for a while longer. "Stark has somehow managed to keep the cost of the new carrier and all of the new computer equipment under the estimate he gave us. The contractors are working at a steady pace and the cost of their supplies is hovering very close to the estimates they gave us. I signed off on the last of the death benefits just this past week and, barring any unforeseen circumstances, we should come out of all of this just under or right on budget."
"Is there risk of going over?"
"Not at present, sir. I've been going over costs daily, staying on top of all materials requests and meeting with Stark when the need arises. I'll be the first to know if there's any need to worry. And then I'll inform you immediately."
"Good. I like what I'm hearing." Fury leaned back in his chair and let his gaze slide around the table. "I know this has been a trying time for all of us and I want you to know I appreciate all of the work you've been doing. All of the extra time you've been putting into your jobs."
When Fury fell silent, Miri felt like someone should say something about the fact that they'd all lost friends. But it wasn't necessary. He knew that they had. She was pretty sure that he'd lost friends. So she nodded, along with everyone else, and began gathering up her paperwork. Fury was notorious for his short meetings. And this had been little more than an update type situation. She had little doubt that they were done.
"Does anyone have anything else for me?" he asked, letting his gaze take in each of them. When no one spoke, he motioned toward the door with one hand. "Very well, then. Back to work, all of you. Except Maria. I'd like to speak to you in private."
"Of course, sir," Maria replied, not bothering to rise from her chair. Sitwell was the first one out the door, leaving Miri and Phil to follow after him. She watched Phil put his materials together, then take hold of his cane and lever himself up onto his feet. Miri rose to stand beside him and, together, the two of them made their way out of the room together. Miri pulled the door closed behind her to give Maria and Fury privacy.
"Can I walk you back to your office?" Phil asked her softly. There was an odd undertone to his voice, leaving Miri feeling anxious and worried.
"Of course. I'd love that," she replied. He gave her a slight smile and motioned toward the hall with his cane. She started forward and Phil fell into step beside her. They walked in amiable silence, the soft thump of the cane the only noise between the two of them.
They met very few people on their way up the hall. It wasn't surprising seeing as everyone was busy with either rebuilding the agency or actually doing the every day daily stuff. Phil was a pleasant presence beside her and Miri enjoyed the warmth of his presence. She set her pace to match his, keeping it slow and steady. If Phil noticed she was babying him, he said nothing. Instead, he stared straight ahead. And, occasionally, his lips twitched.
They reached her small, cramped, temporary office in short order and Phil held the door for her. She smiled at him and stepped past him into the room. Phil came in after her, shutting the door behind him to give them some privacy. She felt a finger of tension creep up her back and worry started gnawing at the pit of her belly. Miri took a seat on the edge of her desk and looked at him. "Phil? Is something wrong? You're not... It feels like you have something to say to me."
Phil nodded, then cleared his throat. Nervously. Miri frowned at that. For a fleeting second, she wondered if he was going to break up with her. And then the thought was gone because Phil closed the distance between them and took her lips in a passionate, very not safe for work kiss. It was fast and hard and filled with hesitant promise. And then he was pulling away, leaving her breathless and even more confused than before. "We've been together for a long time, Miriam. And I just realized that we've never been on a proper date. So I would very much love to take you on a date, Miri. A real, out in public date."
It took her a moment to realize that he was serious. And he was waiting for an answer. And then it took a moment longer for her to find her voice. Because, honestly, this was a huge shock. "I... Yes?" she managed to get out.
Phil flashed a broad smile at her. "Great. Friday night. Seven sharp. Wear something amazing."
With that, Phil was gone and Miri was left to wonder if there had been an alien invasion when she wasn't looking because she was pretty damned sure that the man who had just left her office really wasn't Phil.
~*~*~*~*~
"There's a yard. We're going to have to get a lawn mower," Clint commented, looking out the big picture window in the living room. Alex stood beside him, her gaze taking in all of the houses in the neighborhood.
"I can't picture you with a lawn mower in hand," she replied quietly. The entire neighborhood was old and quiet. The houses were sort of small and very square, with brilliant green yards and various types of fences. Some of the houses had children's toys in the front yards. A dog or two could be heard barking from backyards. She could see windows that had curtains that were drawn back to let the bright sunlight in. She could see windows with lace panels in them. And she could see windows with curtains left over them so no one could see into the house. The houses were blue and green and yellow and white and brown and grey. They looked picturesque and perfect.
"Not quite a bow, is it?"
"No."
Clint turned to look at her. "Are you sure you want to do this? I know its a big responsibility. And a big step."
Alex drew a breath and nodded her head. "Yes. I'm sure. We spend enough time together. We might as well move in together."
"I don't want you to hate me because you weren't ready for this," he returned. Alex smiled up at him before leaning in and press a kiss to his cheek.
"I'll never be ready, Clint. But if I don't take the risk now, I know I never will. I want this." She made sure that there was certainty in her voice.
"I can't wait until we have furniture in here because I'm going to--"
Clint's words were cut off as the realtor stepped into the living room from the kitchen. She was tucking her cell phone back into her purse. "I'm so sorry about that. I tried to make it quick but you this is a busy time of year. Now. Shall we look at the house?"
"Yes. Let's look at it," Clint smiled at the woman.
"Very good. Let's start upstairs. If you'll follow me," she replied and motioned toward a set of stairs set against the outside wall. They let her go first. Clint put his hand on Alex's back and urged her forward gently. The stairs were wood with an intricately carved banister dark with stain. Clint was a steady presence behind her, his tread on the steps light.
The steps ended on a hallway that ran the length of the house. The realtor, Ms. Afton, stopped and allowed them to glance down the length of the corridor. "All of the bedrooms are up here. There are three, as you know. As well as a bathroom." She started forward and opened a door on her left, stepping back to allow them to step in. "There's a spacious closet over here and, as you can see, built in shelves on the far wall. This is perfect for a guest bedroom or a home office or even for as a child's bedroom. The floor is natural wood and the windows allow plenty of light."
Alex didn't bother acknowledging the comment about a child's bedroom. She still hadn't told her mother that she and Clint were moving in. That would come later. Once the deed was done. She wasn't even going to think about children. Ever. But she could definitely see it as a guest bedroom. The room was big enough for a bed, a dresser, and either a desk or a couch.
"There's another bedroom on the other side here. As well as the upstairs bathroom." The words saw Clint nudging her toward the door so that they could go look at the other room. It was similar to the first one, only a touch smaller. It looked out over the large, spacious backyard. There were several trees to offer shade ranged around the fenced in area and someone, maybe the last owners, had built a patio off the back of the house.
"The yard is big enough to host a party," Clint commented. Alex glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. Either he knew she'd look at him or he felt her eyes because he turned her way, one hand settling on the small of her back. "We could put a grill down there and I could barbecue. Imagine having friends over. Lanterns and music and torches."
She rolled her eyes. "We don't know enough people to throw a party. Because do you really want to throw a party and invite the people we work with? And my mother?" He opened his mouth to say something so she drove the point home. "Imagine spending more than two hours in the same house as my mother and my brothers. They still haven't given you the shovel talk yet. And I know all of them are thinking the same thing. Each one of them thinks they can kick your ass without breaking a sweat."
"Maybe I should show them the error of their ways," he commented lightly.
"I'll kick my own brothers' asses, thank you." Alex turned to look out the window at the patio below them. "Maybe I can learn how to grill."
"You haven't mastered boiling water yet. You have to learn how to boil water first. Then we'll see about grilling," Clint replied, a hint of laughter in his voice. Alex bit back the urge to elbow him in the gut and turned to find the realtor staring at them. Alex motioned for the woman to continue, staunchly ignoring Clint at her back as she followed Ms. Afton out into the hall.
The bathroom was much larger than the one in Alex's apartment. The floor was tiled in white. The walls were painted white, like every single one of the other rooms they'd looked at, and the tub, toilet, and sink were all white. There was a shower head in the tub and a floor to ceiling linen cabinet for all of their bathroom supplies. As bathrooms went, it was large and spacious. Alex eyed the tub, noting that it was just slightly larger than a normal tub. When she turned her attention to Clint, she could see he was thinking the same thing.
That big tub was a damned good selling point.
The master bedroom was at the end of the hall and it took up nearly half of the upper floor. Alex hadn't thought it was possible, had thought that the house was fairly small. It was turning out to be much larger than it appeared from the outside. Here, like in the rest of the rooms she'd seen, the floor was a mellow, glossy wood. There were windows on all three of the outside walls, each looking out on a different section of the lot. It would need curtains and paint before she could call it her bedroom, but she could already imagine where she was going to put the bed.
"This is the largest room in the house," Ms. Afton told them with warmth in her voice. She walked over to a set of double doors and pulled them open to reveal the closet. "The closet is deep and huge, large enough for both of you to store your clothes and still have room left over for extra storage. Go on. Take a look."
Clint nudged Alex forward. She stumbled back, made it look casual, so she could bring her heel down on his foot. He stifled the curse and followed after her as they walked into the very spacious closet. True to the realtor's words, there was a spot near the door that would allow for the placement of an armchair or a large jewelry chest. Alex looked at Clint with a question in her eyes. He nodded in agreement. It would be the perfect place for a gun safe.
From the master bedroom, they moved back down to the main floor and went through each room there. Aside from the living room, which came with large picture windows and plenty of floor space, there was the kitchen with gleaming, all new appliances and room for a small, two person table. There was an actual dining room with an entry from both the living room and the kitchen. It was there that they found a pair of French doors that opened out onto the patio they'd seen from the upstairs. There was a room that would be perfect as a den or home office, with floor to ceiling shelves along one wall. There was a half bath for guests to use. And there was another room that Alex though could house some exercise equipment. Or anything else, really.
As they went through each room, the realtor gave them the rundown on the flooring, the spaciousness, the view. She suggested once again, and not very tactfully, that the house would be a perfect place to bring up children. She talked about morning light and afternoon light and evening light. Then she led them down another set of stairs into the basement. It was finished, with an enclosed room for the washer and dryer. It was large enough to house a full sized ironing board and a couple of hampers. One wall had a pair of wash sinks mounted to it. There was a second full bathroom next to the laundry room. There was no tub, just a shower, but it looked shiny and bright. A single room with a door could be used as a storage room. And the rest of the basement looked as if it would make a wonderful man cave area. They could get a big screen television, hook up the X-Box, and beat the crap out of one another.
When they'd finished with the basement, Ms. Afton led the way back upstairs. She turned a bright smile on them when they emerged into the kitchen. "There is a full two car garage and the entire yard is fenced in. The front has that lovely picket fence and the backyard has a privacy fence. Its the perfect house for a young couple just starting out with plenty of room to grow. What do you think? Tell me you love it."
Alex loved it. She did. A lot. She glanced at Clint to find him eyeing that backyard speculatively again. The yard really was nice and big and it would be perfect for parties and barbecues."You can get one of those shiny grills with all the knobs on it. And while you sweat over an open flame, I'll sit in the house, admire you without your shirt, and drink beer."
"Your idea of flirting leaves something to be desired," he teased.
"Remember the night you got back from Rio?" she asked. She wasn't going to get dirty in front of a complete stranger, but there was no need to do so. The way Clint's eyes darkened as he stared at her told her that he remembered that night very well. All she did was offer him a smile.
"Much better, Lexi," he grinned, then looked out the window again. "We could have a house warming party. Invite our closest friends. And your mother. Break it to her then that we're living together."
Alex stared at him knowingly. "You just want an excuse to buy a grill and use it."
"You know me too well."
"I would want to paint things first. Put up curtains."
"Of course," Clint nodded. He put on his best smile. "Come on, Lexi. We can get the house and move all of our stuff in and then your mother can come over and visit and start dropping hints about marriage and babies. You'll do your typical fall silent and draw back into your food or drink and Mary Magdelaine will keep pushing because--"
"Shut up!" Alex snapped, only a small portion of heat to her words. Clint smiled and drew her close, dropping a kiss on her forehead.
"What do you say, babe? You like the house?"
"I love it," Alex replied.
"Does this mean you're going to put in an offer?" Ms. Afton asked.
Clint looked at Alex, gave her a gentle smile. She nodded. "Yes. We're going to put in an offer."
"Wonderful!" Ms. Afton exclaimed.
"When are you going to tell your mother? And how? And what are you going to do when she starts in on you about getting married? And grandchildren? What will you do then?" he asked, voice filled with teasing. Alex was about to tell him to go fuck himself when her phone rang from the depths of her pocket, prompting her to go digging for it. A glance at the screen told her it was Miri.
"What is it?" she asked, careful to keep any kind of emotion from her voice. She wanted this to be a surprise to everyone.
"I need to meet up with you and the rest of the girls at the diner. Right now. Its an emergency," Miri replied. She sounded a little spooked, which immediately put Alex on edge.
"What is it? Is something wrong?"
"I need your help," Miri insisted. "Diner. Now."
"What's going on, Miri?" Alex demanded, mind already spinning into a thousand and one possible scenarios.
"I need your help. Phil asked me out on a date. Now stop asking questions and get to the diner. I've already called everyone else and every second counts. So get a move on." Before Alex could say any more, Miri closed the connection. Alex was left staring at her phone in surprise.
"What is it, Lexi?" Clint asked, a hint of concern coloring his words. Alex turned her shocked gaze his way.
"Miri needs advice on her love life. Coulson finally asked her out. On a date. And she's freaking out about it." Alex tucked her phone away and blinked at Clint. "Man, that has to be a first."
"What does?"
"Our roles are reversed. I'm the one in the stable relationship and she's the one wondering where her life is going. How the hell did that happen?" The question made Clint throw back his head and laugh. And Alex was left wondering when she'd switched positions with Miri and become the adult.
~*~*~*~*~
Elsa was already settled on the bench by their usual table, Astrid next to her in the corner and Phoebe on her left, when the door bell jangled. The sound drew her attention to the door and she found that the rest of their party had arrived. Alex was glaring at Miri fiercely, one hand motioning with short, abrupt gestures toward the interior. Miri looked like she was afraid to put one foot inside the diner. It reminded Elsa of the times when she would pretend the floor was lava and she'd avoid it by walking on her mother's nice furniture.
This behavior went on for several moments until Alex finally muttered a curse, put a hand on Miri's back, and gave her a hard shove. The other woman had no choice but to stumble forward into the diner. "Okay. That's weird," Phoebe commented softly and promptly turned her attention to the drink before her. They'd all dealt with the two agents and their weird behavior long enough to know that the last thing they should do is stare when one of them was having an awkward moment.
"Miri sounded weird on the phone. So this day can only get better," Elsa smirked to herself and returned her attention to her menu despite the fact that she already knew what it was she planned on ordering. Miri had, in fact, sounded weird on the phone. Weirder than Elsa had ever heard her sound. It had been very intriguing. And really kind of frightening.
Even before Alex convinced Miri to take her place in the booth, the waitress was over with a glass of Coke for Alex and a cup of coffee for Miri. Alex smiled gratefully at the woman as she walked past and kind of gently nudged Miri into the booth. Elsa and Phoebe made a show of not paying attention to them. Astrid was, as usual, lost in one of her gadgets and didn't seem to notice that anyone else had joined them.
Miri's gaze slid halfway toward Astrid and lingered for a second or two, then returned to the menu before her and said nothing. Alex didn't even bother looking. Nice to see that they were still holding grudges. Though this seemed to be an improvement because the last time Alex and Miri had been in the same space as Astrid, Miri had turned around and walked out. Either the woman was extra flustered for some reason or she was willing to let it go. Elsa had a feeling she knew exactly which one it was.
No one spoke for several long moments, leaving Elsa to sigh and force the issue herself. "So. We're here. What's the emergency? What has you calling this impromptu meeting, Miri?"
"I..." the woman squeaked, then promptly lifted her coffee cup and scalded her tongue avoiding the issue.
Elsa and Phoebe glanced at one another, then turned their attention back to Miri. She was studiously not looking at them. If Elsa didn't know better, it looked like she was embarrassed. So Elsa shifted her gaze to the woman beside Miri. "Alex. Why are we here?"
Alex flicked her gaze toward Miri, then brought it back again. "Miri has a date."
Elsa waited for the rest. Nothing was immediately forthcoming. She frowned. "Let me see if I understand this? Miri is freaking out because she has a date?"
"That about sums it up," Alex nodded.
Elsa considered for a moment or two longer. Her gaze shifted toward Miri, who was still not looking at her. To be honest, she was as confused as Miri seemed to be. None of this made any sense. "But what about Agent Coulson?"
The question saw Miri's hands spasming. Ever so slightly. She tightened them down around her coffee cup to stop the involuntary action. Alex rolled her eyes the way she always did when she felt Elsa had said something kind of stupid. "Her date is with Agent Coulson, Elsa. That's why she's freaked out."
"Oh," Elsa said. And then blinked. Because hadn't they been going out for a long time? Elsa was pretty sure they had. So why was Miri freaked out about a date with Agent Coulson? Unless... They hadn't been dating and they'd just been... "Oh!" Elsa said again.
"Yes, Elsa. Oh."
"I don't want to sound like I'm being insensitive or anything, but what does this have anything to do with us? Why did Miri call us here if she's going on a date with Agent Coulson?"
Miri finally looked them in the eyes. "I've never been on a date before. I don't know what I'm supposed to do."
The table fell silent as Elsa and Phoebe took that in. It seemed odd that Miri had never had a real date before. "But surely you've dated other men?" Elsa asked quietly.
"Any date I've ever been on has been part of a mission. I was acting. I had a script to follow. Sort of. This is a real date. With a man I..." Miri cut herself off before finishing. Elsa watched as Alex leaned in and kind of pressed her arm to Miri's side. The woman didn't say anything, but whatever she meant to convey with her action, it seemed to help settle Miri's mind. "This is different. Its special. I mean, I want it to be special. And I don't know what to do without a script to follow. And I really, really, really don't want to disappoint him. So I need... help."
Phoebe looked as confused by all of this as Elsa was. She let her gaze linger on Miri for a bit before it shifted toward Alex. Then it shifted back. The confusion had by no means lessened. "You couldn't ask Alex for help."
"Tell Phoebe what happened the one and only time you and Clint went out, Alex." Miri nudged her friend with the point of her elbow.
"We went to my parents' house as fake boyfriend and girlfriend. My family loved him and Clint made my mother think he'd proposed to me. So I took off, he followed, we fought, got muddy, and then fucked." Alex said it so matter of factly, as if it was something that happened every day. And that's when she and Phoebe realized that neither one of the other two women knew just what the fuck they were supposed to do with something as normal and mundane as a date.
Elsa and Phoebe shared a look and some silent communication that one only saw happen in movies before Phoebe motioned toward them with her head and shrugged her shoulders. Elsa nodded and turned back to face Alex and Miri. "What kind of date is he taking you on?"
"I... I don't know. He didn't say. Just a real, out in public date." Panic was creeping further into Miri's voice with each word.
"You should wear something sexy, but not slutty," Astrid said absently. All eyes turned to her. Elsa could see there was some surprise, as if people had forgotten she was there. Chances were good that Miri and Alex had done just that. Elsa sighed and held back her disappointment. She'd hoped that they'd be able to start repairing the damage done to their friendship through Loki's trickery but it looked as if it was not to be. She made a mental note to start working on it soon.
"Astrid?" Phoebe leaned forward to look at the fifth member of their party.
"Well, I'm assuming that Agent Coulson plans on taking Miri some place nice. So she should wear something nice and sexy. It just really shouldn't be slutty. I mean, I know that they've been sleeping with each other for a while now, but if this is their first official date, she should wear something that doesn't scream fuck me now," Astrid didn't look up from her gadget, nor did she make it sound like she was being condescending. It was simply statement of fact.
A glance at Miri showed Elsa that the other woman was paying attention to Astrid. Despite her obvious dislike of the other woman, this was a situation that Miri had no first hand knowledge with and she was willing to take whatever advice Astrid was going to give her.
"And be yourself," Astrid continued. This time, she set down the gadget she held and raised her eyes to meet Miri's gaze. "Try not to talk shop with him. And don't let him talk shop with you. A date is neutral territory. So no mentions of work. Talk about your life outside of work."
"I... don't know if I'm interesting enough to carry a conversation that doesn't involve my work." Miri sounded like she genuinely believed that. Out of the corner of her eye, Elsa saw Alex frown and open her mouth to speak. Astrid actually beat her to it.
"Of course you're interesting outside of work," Astrid insisted. "Agent Coulson wouldn't have asked you on a date if he didn't think so. And you two wouldn't still be together if all he'd been after was sex. Based on the things Thor's told me about him, he doesn't strike me as that kind of guy. Don't sell yourself short."
"I know you're freaking out a little bit," Elsa said gently. "But there's no reason for it. You're a perfectly lovely person and Agent Coulson knows that. Astrid is right. Don't sell yourself short."
The waitress came and took their orders, bringing a lull into the conversation for the few minutes it took to get what they all wanted. When she left again, Miri's eyes shifted from one face to the next. Her nerves had yet to calm, which meant they had so much more to talk about. "Don't worry if he takes you someplace fancier than you're used to," Phoebe advised with a smile. "He isn't going to care that you're not used to it. And he isn't going to care if other people do care that you're not used to it. Just focus all of your attention on him. Take a few moments to look over the restaurant and let him know what you think, then focus everything on him. Do that and you won't even notice if other people are staring."
"Phil isn't Tony Stark. No one is going to notice us and I doubt we'll go anywhere that high class," Miri insisted.
"You're joking, right?" Alex asked after swallowing down a big gulp of her Coke. "Have you seen yourself when you're all dressed up? You're smoking hot, Miri. And Coulson always has filled out his suits a little too well for comfort. People will notice you because you will be a handsome couple."
"Alex?" Miri asked, a note of teasing in her voice. "Is there something you want to tell me?'
Elsa half expected one of Alex's rather harsh comments, but none was forthcoming. In fact, Alex just sat back in the seat and looked her friend up and down, arms crossed over her chest. "If I wasn't almost married to Clint and I didn't think that Coulson might kill me with a paper clip or a staple or something, I'd show you just how hot you can be."
The sincere remark left Miri speechless. Hell, it left everyone at the table a little speechless. They all gaped a second. And a second second. And then a third one for good measure. Alex didn't sprout a second head or tentacles. Her skin didn't turn green. And she gave them all a death glare that told them she was about two seconds from using her fork to kill them. Then she did pick it up and she pointed it at Phoebe. "I hear anything from Stark about a threesome or getting to watch me with another woman and I will disembowel you with a fork. Understand?"
Phoebe nodded. Alex laid her fork down and slipped into what Elsa thought was her relaxed position. It wasn't very relaxed at all. Nor was Miri's, either, for all the woman seemed to constantly seek out ways to keep her hands busy. It was obviously nerves. And this was the most nervous Elsa had ever seen the other woman. Which said something, because she knew Miri had seen some shit. "I think you'll be fine, Miri," Elsa told her. "Wear something that makes you feel pretty and feminine, like Astrid said. Don't talk shop, if you can absolutely avoid it. Maybe regale Agent Coulson with stories of Alex's family. I hear they're quite amusing."
"You're getting brave there, Elsa. Is Star Spangled sexy rubbing off on you?" Alex asked. It took Elsa a couple minutes to realize that there was innuendo all over that sentence. She calmly lifted one hand and flipped her middle finger at the other woman. Instead of getting angry, Alex tossed her head back and laughed out loud. "Man, I love being a bad influence on you."
The waitress appeared just then, carrying a tray laden with their lunch. With an efficiency learned over years of waiting tables, she slid meals off the tray and onto the table before each of them in the blink of an eye. After making sure no one needed anything else, she was gone and they were left alone with their food. Alex had two plates before her. One had a burger and fries on it. The other plate was loaded with onion rings, fried cheese, and chicken tenders. She dove in with reckless abandon.
"Jesus Chris, Alex. I swear you've got a tapeworm or something. I thought you were eating better," Miri commented.
"I can't help it if I'm always active," she shrugged, ignoring Miri's jibe.
Elsa got that one right away and choked on her buffalo wings. Alex smirked and made a show of sucking grease off her fingers.
"What would your mother say if she could see you now?" Miri asked quietly.
Alex looked pretty mellow. "She'd probably tell me to get my elbows off the table."
Miri laughed and some of the tension eased. Some of it, but not all of it. Elsa had a moment to feel... maybe a little sad, because it was obvious that their constant vigilance came from the jobs they did. She wondered, briefly, if they ever fully and truly relaxed. The sound of Miri's voice killed her thoughts. "Is she asking yet when you and Clint are getting married?"
That question saw Alex choking on her burger. Just a little bit. Miri's smile widened and she went back to her lunch. Elsa let her gaze wander over the faces at the table. It wasn't perfect. It wasn't anywhere near perfect. But the mending had started. Maybe. So it was only a matter of time before things went back to the way they had been. And she was alright with that.
~*~*~*~*~
Nick's phone chirped to let him know he had a call. He might have ignored it, but it was his personal cell phone. Not his company issued phone. Tugging it out of his coat pocket, he frowned when he saw who was calling. "We are on business hours, Coulson. You could have come to my office," he told his phone.
"I know, boss. But... I... kind of need help." Coulson's voice was softer than usual. And Nick was sure he heard a hint of hesitation in it. Something that he rarely heard from the other man.
"What kind of help, Phil? Is this normal help? Or is the kind of help you needed in Panama after the goat incident?" Nick didn't bring up Panama and the goat incident often, so he could hear Phil wince on the other end of the line.
"Nothing like that, Nick," the other man said. His voice made it a very insistent promise. It made Nick huff out a laugh.
"Then what kind of help do you need?"
Phil was silent for far too long. One second ticked away into the next and then the next, until a full minute had passed by. Each one saw Nick tense up a little more, saw him worrying just a little more. "Phil?" he asked in hopes it would prod the other man to speak.
"I... may have asked Miri out on a date and now I don't know what I'm supposed to do." The words came out in a rush. They were so anti-climactic that Nick could only stare off into space and try to figure out why Phil sounded like he'd had his testicle crushed under the heel of a boot.
"You asked Agent Grant out on a date and you don't know what you're supposed to do?"
"It was a spur of the moment thing, Nick! She was there and Stark's words were echoing in my head. I think I asked her out to spite him," Phil told him. None of it made a damn lick of sense. Nick sighed and reached up to rub at the spot just behind his eye where the headache was forming. Then he was reaching for the bottom drawer of his desk, where he kept a bottle for just such a fucking strange event.
He could handle aliens like they were wet socks. He could deal with the WSC even on his worst day and still come out the winner. Hell, he could even come out ahead when the meeting was with Tony Stark. He could not handle his oldest friend and his right hand man having a crisis because he'd asked an attractive woman out on a date. He'd rather take aliens over Phil's love life.
He made sure Phil heard the sound of the scotch pouring into the tumbler. Then he made sure Phil heard him swallow. "What does asking Agent Grant out on a date have to do with Tony Stark? Don't tell me that idiot goaded you into doing it. You know better than to listen to him."
Phil paused for a moment. Nick was on the verge of uttering a string of curses that would make his mother come back from the dead to wash his mouth out with soap. But Phil spoke and cut him off. "He said something and... I may have let it get to me."
"What did he say?" Nick sighed. And asked whatever higher power that might be listening to grant him strength.
"He suggested that I was Miriam's sugar daddy."
It was honestly laughable. And Nick would have laughed, had he not heard the hint of fear in Phil's voice. Stark, in traditional Stark style, had gone right for the kill and struck a nerve. And now Phil was having a quiet meltdown over something that should have been easier than taking down one of the bad guys with a Twinkie and some chewing gum. Very uncharitable thoughts in regard to Tony Stark sprang to mind and Nick bit back the urge to mutter them all.
"How long have you two been doing this thing where you think I don't know you're having sex in closets at official functions and renting hotel rooms so no one will see you together?" Nick asked him, voice nothing but seriousness.
"For a few years."
"Since that Christmas party a couple years back," Nick confirmed for him. If Phil was displeased to know that his sneaking around had been for naught, he didn't let it show. "Do you honestly think that Miriam Grant has stuck with you for all these years because she wants a sugar daddy?"
"I've honestly never thought about it," Phil admitted.
"Does she expect you to give her things? Does she want a big house and fancy clothes and expensive jewelry?"
"No," Phil confirmed.
"So what makes you think that she sees you as a sugar daddy?" Nick asked. He didn't bother to let Phil answer him. "If she was looking for a sugar daddy, do you think she'd have stuck with you all these years? Not a snowball's chance in Hell. So stop worrying about some stupid thing Stark said and worry about the woman you plan on wooing. You do plan on wooing her, don't you?"
"I don't have any solid plans yet, Nick." He could hear in Phil's voice just how much he hated to admit that he didn't have a plan.
"Take her some place nice. Treat her like she's the best thing that ever happened to you. Treat her like she's the most amazing woman in the world. And woo her, Phil," Nick practically ordered. "Dinner. Dancing. Romantic movies. Do some nice shit for her, Phil."
Phil chuckled on the other end of the line. That was all Nick needed to hear to know that Phil was taking everything he said to heart. Speaking of hearts, he had more to say. "And tell the woman you love her, Phil. Damn it, she's been in love with you for years now. Everyone can see you love her in return. Its long past time to tell her."
"Oddly, Tony Stark said something very similar," Phil replied.
"Well, he does claim to be a genius," Nick returned. He sighed and let his voice go just a little soft. And a little serious. "Tell her you love her, Phil. You got on a plane and flew to another country to make sure she was okay after she got caught in an explosion, for fuck's sake. I think you're allowed to tell her you love her after something like that. I mean, its got to be in the rules somewhere. 'Your girlfriend nearly gets blown up, you get to tell her you love her.' So just fucking do it already and put me out of my misery."
"How much is the pool?" Phil sounded only mildly curious.
"Enough to buy me a good steak dinner at the most expensive place in the city every night for a month," Nick told him, grin breaking across his face.
"And how did you bet?"
"How else? I bet that you'd suck up the courage to tell her. Hill bet five hundred that you'd never find the testicular fortitude. I can taste her money. So don't let me down, Phil." The admission pulled a laugh from Phil's throat.
"Thanks, Nick. I appreciate your assistance."
"You're welcome, Phil. Do me a favor and don't call me about your love life ever again. I don't need this shit. I've got enough on my plate with the World Security Council breathing down my neck all the time."
"Yes, boss," Phil replied with a touch of laughter in his voice. There was a pause. "Boss? How long have you known about Miri and I?"
Nick smiled at the question. He'd been expecting it. "Since the beginning."
"And you've never said anything about it?"
"It didn't get in the way of your jobs. So I let it go," Nick replied.
Phil drew a breath. "I can't believe you've known the whole time and you never said a word."
"I'm a spy, Phil. Its my job to see things other people don't. And its my job to keep secrets," Nick reminded him. "Now get back to work and leave me alone. I've got important spy shit to do."
"Yes, boss," Phil replied. The line clicked off and Nick was left alone with his thoughts. It was about damn time.
~*~*~*~*~
"Agent Grant? Can I have a word?" The voice stopped Miri dead in her tracks, a finger of something that might have been anger or dread trailing down her spine. Screwing a bland look onto her face, she turned to find Steve Rogers standing a few feet behind her. He was in civilian clothes, a pair of jeans and a t-shirt bearing the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo stretched across his muscled frame. He looked slightly uncertain, as if he didn't want to confront her any more than she wanted to talk to him.
"Of course, Captain Rogers," Miri replied politely. If he could attempt to be civil, she could at least attempt the same.
Rogers glanced around them, his gaze tracking several other agents before returning to her. "Would it be possible to speak in private?"
Miri held back her sigh and nodded, then motioned up the hall toward her office door. Rogers looked past her to the open door and fell into step with her. The two of them remained silent as they walked and he was careful not to invade her personal space too much when he followed her into her office. She closed the door and moved to take the chair behind the desk, absently gesturing to one of the two hard seats set before her desk. He took one, albeit a touch stiffly, and watched her with guarded eyes as she made herself comfortable.
"What would you like to discuss, Captain Rogers?" Miri asked. "We have privacy here, so you're free to say whatever you like." If her tone was a touch frosty, that was his problem. He didn't react in any particular manner, leaving her to believe he was going to ignore the ice in her words.
"I'd like to discuss the HYDRA nest we took out," he returned. This time, she did heave a sigh. She'd had a feeling, but she'd hoped that he would just leave it the fuck alone. Looked as if he wanted to pick at barely healed wounds.
"You made your opinions perfectly clear that day. I don't see how we have anything to really discuss."
He sighed, too. In frustration. Which had her wondering if she was mistaken in exactly what it was he wanted to discuss about that day. "Allow me to start by saying that I still don't agree with the way you handled the situation."
She fought the urge to snap that he could get the fuck out of her office if that was what he was going to say. But she tamped it down and forced a tight smile. "You've made that abundantly clear, Captain Rogers. I see no reason to rehash this."
"If you'd let me continue?" he asked lightly. Miri frowned and indicated that he should do just that. She had work to do, and it wasn't going to happen if she didn't actually get to it. "I don't agree with it. But I think I understand better now why you acted as you did."
Well, that was interesting. Miri's eyebrow went up in curious, cautious surprise. "Really? What makes you say that?"
"I've spoken to Elsa and Agent Barton about the events that happened that day. They pointed out a few things."
Cue the urge to roll her eyes. She didn't expect that Clint would have told him anything but what he needed to know. But she could only imagine the things Elsa might have come up with. She liked Elsa. But this was her private life and Miri was pretty damned sure that neither Elsa nor Steve were really qualified to speak with any certainty about Miri's private life. Honestly, Clint didn't really know much about Miri's private life. "What things might those be, Captain Rogers?"
The man opened his mouth to speak, then sighed and shook his head. "Look. I'm trying to make amends. And I know I'm not doing very well. But your desire to not even try is evident and it really isn't fair. Can you at least attempt to act like you care? There will come a day when we have to work together again and we'll need to be able to trust one another completely. We can't do that if this thing between us continues to fester and grow."
He had a point. She hated to admit it, but he did. That took some of the starch out of Miri's sails and she sagged back into her chair. "Very well. How can we fix this thing?" She was genuinely curious. She was going to have to trust him with her life if they were ever put together in the field again. They were going to have to put the events of that day as far behind them as possible.
"Slowly. One day at a time," he admitted. Some of the tension in his own shoulders slid away, leaving him kind of slumped in the hard chair he'd taken. "First of all, allow me to apologize for not following your orders. There are times when I'm really not good about doing what I'm told."
The apology took her by surprise. She hadn't really expected it. There were men who didn't like to take orders from women. Not all of them, but there were a few. And she always had to bust their asses to prove to them that she was damned capable of doing her job. She was used to their attitudes and the shit they gave her after the mission was over. She wasn't used to apologies.
"Accepted. But allow me to explain something to you. If I'm running a mission, I expect every man and woman who works that mission with me to follow my orders to the letter. Because if I give an order, I do so for a reason. I'm not being arbitrary or bitchy or any other word you want to use to describe me. I'm doing it because lives are on the line and I'm counting on you to do your job and not get me killed."
"Understood. But you need to understand that I don't like to just take a life if there's some way to avoid doing so. I'm always going to look for some way around killing."
A man of principle. She liked that. She really did. Too many recruits came to S.H.I.E.L.D. thinking that they'd be given a gun and carte blanche to do whatever the hell they wanted. Those recruits didn't last long. "Believe it or not, Captain Rogers, but I don't like to waste life, either. I try not to kill. Pulling the trigger is the last resort. Even so, I still need to be able to do it when the situation calls for it. No doubt you understand that."
"I do," he nodded. "Agent Barton explained to me just what Agent Coulson means to you. I was unaware, at the time of that mission, that he was so important to you. So I can understand why the mission went as it did."
Miri would have liked to have said that her relationship to Phil had had nothing to do with her actions on that mission. But they'd both know it for the lie it was. Everything she'd done that night had been because of her relationship with Phil. She drew a breath and blew it out in a long sigh. "You're right. My actions that night were dictated by my feelings for Agent Coulson. I would like to point out, however, that I am exceptionally adept at keeping my personal life separate from my job under more normal circumstances. That was a night of extreme duress and it was almost impossible for me to keep them from mixing with one another."
Rogers nodded his head. "I can see that now. I've watched you over the past few months and I've come to the conclusion that you are very good at keeping your private life to yourself. I have never seen an ounce of favoritism between yourself and Agent Coulson. If you think he's wrong, you'll tell him. If he thinks you're wrong, he'll tell you. If I hadn't been made aware of your relationship, I wouldn't have known there was anything between you based on my observations."
"Thank you. Maintaining a professional mien is important to me." She was honestly impressed that he'd noticed.
Rogers nodded his head at that. It felt to her like the end of their conversation and she waited patiently for him to rise from his chair and show himself out. But he didn't move. She watched as his gaze skimmed over the impersonal contents of her temporary office. They seemed to linger for some time on the green walls. She took a look at the wall and had, for just a moment or two, the uncharitable thought that they had to be as ancient as he was. The color looked like something they'd have used during the Forties. But she quickly pushed that thought aside, silently chastising herself for thinking something so terrible.
"It seems like it was just yesterday that I was in offices and labs and doctors' offices that were this color," he commented. The statement gave the appearance of coming out of nowhere. But Miri was pretty sure that he had a point to his words. One thing she'd learned about Steve Rogers was that he generally didn't waste words when they weren't needed. "When I woke up and found out that I'd missed seventy years, I'd really hoped that the world had changed with the passing of time. But this." He paused to gesture toward the walls with one hand. "This tells me that nothing has really changed."
"I don't think I understand what you mean, Captain Rogers," Miri replied, genuinely perplexed by his line of thought.
"Please. Call me Steve," he said instantly, and the smile he gave her was all boy next door. If it had been anyone else, she'd have called it a calculated move. But she'd learned that smiles were not plotted and planned for effect. Not when the smiler was Steve Rogers. She could see the boy next door in his honest, open expression. And she could see just a little bit why Elsa was head over heels in love with the big goon. "And I mean everything is pretty much exactly like it was when I went into the ice."
Okay. That still didn't explain his choice of words to her.
"When Doctor Erskine approached me, there was a very specific hierarchy. Men were top of the food chain. Big men. Strong men. Smart men who put their brains to use. Men like the skinny Steve Rogers who kept trying to join up were farther down on the totem pole. Women, all women, were under guys like the one I used to be. And if you thought it was hard for women in normal jobs and normal life, it was harder still for women who wanted to do something good for the world."
The look on his face turned wistful and a little sad, letting Miri know he was lost in the past. "I had hoped that you wouldn't have to claw and fight for every scrap of respect you deserved. I watched Peggy fight to be taken seriously, to find her place within a man's world and earn the respect of her masculine peers. She was just as capable as any man in uniform. More capable, in some cases. She never flinched away from danger. She never worried about her own safety. She just fought against our enemies. Too bad she couldn't fight against the people who were supposed to be her allies."
Peggy Carter. Everyone who worked for S.H.I.E.L.D. knew who Peggy Carter was and her importance to the organization. Miri had forgotten that she'd been in the Army before S.H.I.E.L.D. and that she'd known Steve Rogers before the serum and his metamorphosis into Captain America. If it was tough for Miri today, it had to have been fucking harder than hell for Peggy then. "Agent Carter is kind of my idol," she admitted.
Steve gave her a smile that was equal parts amusement and sorrow. "I think Peggy would like you, if she ever got the chance to meet you," he told her. Miri's heart pounded a little faster in her chest. Meeting Agent Carter had been a dream since she'd joined the organization. "In fact, I can see a lot of Peggy in you."
If her heart had been pounding before, it was practically racing with excitement. "I used to listen to everything Peggy had to say because I trusted her judgement. I didn't listen to you when you were trying to tell me something. I became the one thing I never wanted to be. For that, Agent Grant, I am truly sorry."
It was the most heartfelt and honest apology she'd ever gotten. It left her just a little flustered. "I promise, Agent Grant, that I will do better the next time." Before she could find the words, he was out the door and gone.
Miri sat motionless in her chair for a long time after he left, mind a tumble of thoughts and emotions. It took her a long time to realize that she'd be happy to have Captain America on her team again, if they ever found themselves on a mission together in the future.
That still didn't mean she wouldn't hesitate to shoot him if he got in her way, though.
~*~
Chapter Thirty: Coming Together
Fandom: something like the Marvel Universe, leaning mostly toward the Movie!Avengers branch
Rating: 18 and up
Warnings: lots of sex and violence, language, anything else i can toss in. probably some drinking.
Disclaimer: the recognizable characters and places contained herein are the property of Marvel and whoever the hell else owns them.. i'm merely borrowing for the sake of entertainment. no money is being made from this venture. the Sues are the sole property of their originators,
dazzledfirestar, mistress_o_muse, ginevrasm, rylan_m, and ladydeathfaerie. the concept and title of The Mary Sue Virus are used with permission from Dazzledfirestar.The Mary Sue Virus: Lights, Camera, Avengers! - The Index
~*~
Miri took a deep breath and smoothed the line of the skirt with one hand before taking hold of the conference room knob and turning it. Every face in the room turned toward her as she hurried inside. Sitwell seemed indifferent to her tardiness while Phil offered the hint of a smile and Director Fury managed to express a vast mix of emotions with just one look. The only person who gave her a look of irritation was Maria, but that was likely because Maria was always irritated these days. Miri pushed the door closed and moved briskly toward her seat. That seat happened to be next to Phil.
"I'm terribly sorry I'm late, everyone. I got caught helping Williams with a minor problem." Miri told them as she settled into her seat. She gave a polite nod toward Phil as she laid a pen and a pad of yellow paper on the table before her. "Agent Coulson."
"Agent Grant. Its good to see you again," Phil replied with the same amount of warmth in his voice that he used on detained prisoners. A quick glance showed her the head of his cane resting against the far arm of his chair. Good. She knew how much he hated the thing and she wouldn't put it past him to 'accidentally' forget it someplace. But until the doctors released him, he was stuck with it.
There was a loud, exasperated sigh that drew everyone's attention to the head of the table. Fury was staring at them both, his lips compressed into a thin line. "Cut the shit, you two. You aren't fooling anybody."
"Yes, sir," Phil replied mildly. Miri made a show of shuffling a few files to avoid having to look at anyone. No doubt Maria was rolling her eyes.
"Now that we've got that out of the way, and now that we're all here, maybe we can start this meeting," Fury suggested.
"Yes, sir," Sitwell agreed even though it wasn't necessary.
"Since you seem eager and ready to go, why don't you tell me how rebuilding the computer systems and our entire tech department is going?" Fury asked, eye focused intently on Sitwell.
All eyes turned to where Sitwell sat and they watched as he shuffled around a few papers in the stack before him. "As you know, Stark has helped refit the entire organization with all of the computer equipment we need. He's had people overseeing the installation. He's also updating everything, from the software to the tech. New firewalls, new operating systems, better programs. We're presently at a seventy five percent completion rate and, if we stay on track, we should be finished well before the build on our new headquarters is finished."
It was a quick update, but Miri was sure that's what Director Fury wanted. There was so much going on that there wasn't time to have a full meeting. S.H.I.E.L.D. was still in the middle of its rebuild and things were perpetually hectic. She'd heard that the director spent a lot of time behind closed doors, on the phone with people who wanted a piece of his hide for what had happened. Because it was absolutely his fault an evil organization tried to take control of both their flying fortress and their ground base. And it was absolutely the director's fault that, when that didn't work, shit had gotten blown up and destroyed.
"Keep an eye on him, Sitwell. I have no doubt he's building back doors into the system." Director Fury made the comment with a noticeable lack of hope in his voice. He obviously had no hope at all that he could keep Tony Stark from nosing around in his business if the man set his mind to such things. Miri was certain that Stark had more than one back door built into the system. She would do the same were the she one supplying the tech. They should all probably thank the powers that be that Stark hadn't become a supervillain.
Yet.
"Hill?" Fury prompted when no one else spoke up. She kept an even expression and opened a file she'd brought with her.
"The new base should be completed on time, barring any unforeseen problems. The contractors are working round the clock laying concrete and putting up walls." She paused long enough to bring out a few photos showing the progress of the contractors who had been hired to rebuild the S.H.I.E.L.D. ground base. All of the debris had been cleared away. What was left was a stark contrast of complete and incomplete. Walls that ended in shattered sheet rock and broken studs and torn wiring were being repaired. There were new walls in some places, the seam of reconstruction so flawless that Miri wouldn't have known it was rebuild if she hadn't seen the destruction with her own eyes. Fresh concrete had been poured. New studs, wiring, and pipes had been installed. Where there had once only been death and despair there was now new life and hope.
"I've been in constant contact with Stark and he assures me that work on the new helicarrier is ahead of schedule." Again, Maria paused to remove some photos from the folder. They had obviously been taken at Stark Industries and showed quite a few people gathered around the large, hulking form of a hull. Several of the people wore white coats and carried clip boards. There were sprays of red and white and gold sparks where a person was welding. One of the pictures had Stark in it and the man was balanced precariously on a narrow perch, one hand touching the unfinished hull while the other pointed to a set of blue prints in another man's hand. "If his people keep pace, we should have a new helicarrier well before the expected delivery date."
Fury nodded, then pinned Maria with a look. "Let me know if Stark gives you any trouble."
"Of course, sir," Maria nodded. Miri was firmly of the opinion that Maria didn't need any help with Stark if the man gave her trouble. In fact, she was pretty sure that no one would ever find the body if Stark gave Maria trouble.
"Agent Grant. Tell me about recruiting."
Miri nodded and retrieved a file from the stack before her. It was filled with dozens of applications and she began shuffling them out, sorting them into piles. One pile was noticeably larger than the other two. She laid one hand on the smallest pile first. "These are candidates who are borderline. They read well on paper barring a couple of minor statements. So I've got Dr. Trent meeting with them to determine if there is any reason to worry about those minor statements."
Trent was the head of their Psych department and Miri trusted her opinion. The woman hadn't steered her wrong yet.
She put her hand on the second pile. It was the thickest of the three. "This pile contains candidates that couldn't even make it past the first screening process. Various flags went up just going over their applications. They're good fits for the FBI and the CIA. There are a couple of black ops men who might have made it past the first screening if not for the blood thirsty responses they gave to certain questions. But none of them would fit into S.H.I.E.L.D. because they're either not mentally capable of dealing with the weird shit we see or they're much too fond of their weapons. A couple of them had named their weapons."
With a sigh, she put her hand on the last pile. "These are the only candidates that passed the first screening. There aren't nearly enough of them. And its possible they won't make it past their trial period. I've tried to put them into a high stress situation to see how they react. So far, it seems to be working."
Fury eyed her for a few moments before speaking. "What kind of high stress situation, Grant?"
"I..." she paused and drew a breath. Either he was going to hate it or he was going to love it. Miri let her gaze slide around the room and only just caught Jasper trying to swallow a grin. "I may or may not have asked Agents Quinn and Barton to help me in this area. The two of them have devised an obstacle course for the new trainees."
There was a moment of deep, intense silence in the room. A choking sound from the other side of the table was definitely Sitwell trying hard not to laugh out loud. Miri thought she heard Maria mutter a curse. A glance out of the corner of her eye showed her that Phil's face was carefully blank. But there was a hint of mischief in his eyes.
"And how is that working, Agent Grant?" Fury asked
"It's working very well, sir. Alex an Clint have actually been more effective than the training rooms so far. Most of the new recruits have made it through with minimal injuries. And they're very careful about keeping out of everyone's way. They've both come back with glowing reports."
The look he wore told her he wasn't sure he should buy this or not. He certainly didn't look impressed. "Keep me informed, Agent Grant. And you make sure those two know that I will hold them personally responsible if anything gets broken on their watch. And tell Quinn that she is not allowed to threaten new recruits with that damned wrench of hers." The last was said a bit forcefully. Miri bit back a smile and nodded her head.
"Of course, sir."
"Keep searching for more people," Fury directed. Miri nodded again and started shuffling the papers back into her folder. Fury turned to Phil. "Tell me that we're on budget."
"Actually, sir, we are on budget," Phil told the other man quietly. Miri heard the sigh in his voice and she knew he hated that he was presently little more than a glorified accountant. But he was still doing physical therapy. He'd have to live with a desk job for a while longer. "Stark has somehow managed to keep the cost of the new carrier and all of the new computer equipment under the estimate he gave us. The contractors are working at a steady pace and the cost of their supplies is hovering very close to the estimates they gave us. I signed off on the last of the death benefits just this past week and, barring any unforeseen circumstances, we should come out of all of this just under or right on budget."
"Is there risk of going over?"
"Not at present, sir. I've been going over costs daily, staying on top of all materials requests and meeting with Stark when the need arises. I'll be the first to know if there's any need to worry. And then I'll inform you immediately."
"Good. I like what I'm hearing." Fury leaned back in his chair and let his gaze slide around the table. "I know this has been a trying time for all of us and I want you to know I appreciate all of the work you've been doing. All of the extra time you've been putting into your jobs."
When Fury fell silent, Miri felt like someone should say something about the fact that they'd all lost friends. But it wasn't necessary. He knew that they had. She was pretty sure that he'd lost friends. So she nodded, along with everyone else, and began gathering up her paperwork. Fury was notorious for his short meetings. And this had been little more than an update type situation. She had little doubt that they were done.
"Does anyone have anything else for me?" he asked, letting his gaze take in each of them. When no one spoke, he motioned toward the door with one hand. "Very well, then. Back to work, all of you. Except Maria. I'd like to speak to you in private."
"Of course, sir," Maria replied, not bothering to rise from her chair. Sitwell was the first one out the door, leaving Miri and Phil to follow after him. She watched Phil put his materials together, then take hold of his cane and lever himself up onto his feet. Miri rose to stand beside him and, together, the two of them made their way out of the room together. Miri pulled the door closed behind her to give Maria and Fury privacy.
"Can I walk you back to your office?" Phil asked her softly. There was an odd undertone to his voice, leaving Miri feeling anxious and worried.
"Of course. I'd love that," she replied. He gave her a slight smile and motioned toward the hall with his cane. She started forward and Phil fell into step beside her. They walked in amiable silence, the soft thump of the cane the only noise between the two of them.
They met very few people on their way up the hall. It wasn't surprising seeing as everyone was busy with either rebuilding the agency or actually doing the every day daily stuff. Phil was a pleasant presence beside her and Miri enjoyed the warmth of his presence. She set her pace to match his, keeping it slow and steady. If Phil noticed she was babying him, he said nothing. Instead, he stared straight ahead. And, occasionally, his lips twitched.
They reached her small, cramped, temporary office in short order and Phil held the door for her. She smiled at him and stepped past him into the room. Phil came in after her, shutting the door behind him to give them some privacy. She felt a finger of tension creep up her back and worry started gnawing at the pit of her belly. Miri took a seat on the edge of her desk and looked at him. "Phil? Is something wrong? You're not... It feels like you have something to say to me."
Phil nodded, then cleared his throat. Nervously. Miri frowned at that. For a fleeting second, she wondered if he was going to break up with her. And then the thought was gone because Phil closed the distance between them and took her lips in a passionate, very not safe for work kiss. It was fast and hard and filled with hesitant promise. And then he was pulling away, leaving her breathless and even more confused than before. "We've been together for a long time, Miriam. And I just realized that we've never been on a proper date. So I would very much love to take you on a date, Miri. A real, out in public date."
It took her a moment to realize that he was serious. And he was waiting for an answer. And then it took a moment longer for her to find her voice. Because, honestly, this was a huge shock. "I... Yes?" she managed to get out.
Phil flashed a broad smile at her. "Great. Friday night. Seven sharp. Wear something amazing."
With that, Phil was gone and Miri was left to wonder if there had been an alien invasion when she wasn't looking because she was pretty damned sure that the man who had just left her office really wasn't Phil.
~*~*~*~*~
"There's a yard. We're going to have to get a lawn mower," Clint commented, looking out the big picture window in the living room. Alex stood beside him, her gaze taking in all of the houses in the neighborhood.
"I can't picture you with a lawn mower in hand," she replied quietly. The entire neighborhood was old and quiet. The houses were sort of small and very square, with brilliant green yards and various types of fences. Some of the houses had children's toys in the front yards. A dog or two could be heard barking from backyards. She could see windows that had curtains that were drawn back to let the bright sunlight in. She could see windows with lace panels in them. And she could see windows with curtains left over them so no one could see into the house. The houses were blue and green and yellow and white and brown and grey. They looked picturesque and perfect.
"Not quite a bow, is it?"
"No."
Clint turned to look at her. "Are you sure you want to do this? I know its a big responsibility. And a big step."
Alex drew a breath and nodded her head. "Yes. I'm sure. We spend enough time together. We might as well move in together."
"I don't want you to hate me because you weren't ready for this," he returned. Alex smiled up at him before leaning in and press a kiss to his cheek.
"I'll never be ready, Clint. But if I don't take the risk now, I know I never will. I want this." She made sure that there was certainty in her voice.
"I can't wait until we have furniture in here because I'm going to--"
Clint's words were cut off as the realtor stepped into the living room from the kitchen. She was tucking her cell phone back into her purse. "I'm so sorry about that. I tried to make it quick but you this is a busy time of year. Now. Shall we look at the house?"
"Yes. Let's look at it," Clint smiled at the woman.
"Very good. Let's start upstairs. If you'll follow me," she replied and motioned toward a set of stairs set against the outside wall. They let her go first. Clint put his hand on Alex's back and urged her forward gently. The stairs were wood with an intricately carved banister dark with stain. Clint was a steady presence behind her, his tread on the steps light.
The steps ended on a hallway that ran the length of the house. The realtor, Ms. Afton, stopped and allowed them to glance down the length of the corridor. "All of the bedrooms are up here. There are three, as you know. As well as a bathroom." She started forward and opened a door on her left, stepping back to allow them to step in. "There's a spacious closet over here and, as you can see, built in shelves on the far wall. This is perfect for a guest bedroom or a home office or even for as a child's bedroom. The floor is natural wood and the windows allow plenty of light."
Alex didn't bother acknowledging the comment about a child's bedroom. She still hadn't told her mother that she and Clint were moving in. That would come later. Once the deed was done. She wasn't even going to think about children. Ever. But she could definitely see it as a guest bedroom. The room was big enough for a bed, a dresser, and either a desk or a couch.
"There's another bedroom on the other side here. As well as the upstairs bathroom." The words saw Clint nudging her toward the door so that they could go look at the other room. It was similar to the first one, only a touch smaller. It looked out over the large, spacious backyard. There were several trees to offer shade ranged around the fenced in area and someone, maybe the last owners, had built a patio off the back of the house.
"The yard is big enough to host a party," Clint commented. Alex glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. Either he knew she'd look at him or he felt her eyes because he turned her way, one hand settling on the small of her back. "We could put a grill down there and I could barbecue. Imagine having friends over. Lanterns and music and torches."
She rolled her eyes. "We don't know enough people to throw a party. Because do you really want to throw a party and invite the people we work with? And my mother?" He opened his mouth to say something so she drove the point home. "Imagine spending more than two hours in the same house as my mother and my brothers. They still haven't given you the shovel talk yet. And I know all of them are thinking the same thing. Each one of them thinks they can kick your ass without breaking a sweat."
"Maybe I should show them the error of their ways," he commented lightly.
"I'll kick my own brothers' asses, thank you." Alex turned to look out the window at the patio below them. "Maybe I can learn how to grill."
"You haven't mastered boiling water yet. You have to learn how to boil water first. Then we'll see about grilling," Clint replied, a hint of laughter in his voice. Alex bit back the urge to elbow him in the gut and turned to find the realtor staring at them. Alex motioned for the woman to continue, staunchly ignoring Clint at her back as she followed Ms. Afton out into the hall.
The bathroom was much larger than the one in Alex's apartment. The floor was tiled in white. The walls were painted white, like every single one of the other rooms they'd looked at, and the tub, toilet, and sink were all white. There was a shower head in the tub and a floor to ceiling linen cabinet for all of their bathroom supplies. As bathrooms went, it was large and spacious. Alex eyed the tub, noting that it was just slightly larger than a normal tub. When she turned her attention to Clint, she could see he was thinking the same thing.
That big tub was a damned good selling point.
The master bedroom was at the end of the hall and it took up nearly half of the upper floor. Alex hadn't thought it was possible, had thought that the house was fairly small. It was turning out to be much larger than it appeared from the outside. Here, like in the rest of the rooms she'd seen, the floor was a mellow, glossy wood. There were windows on all three of the outside walls, each looking out on a different section of the lot. It would need curtains and paint before she could call it her bedroom, but she could already imagine where she was going to put the bed.
"This is the largest room in the house," Ms. Afton told them with warmth in her voice. She walked over to a set of double doors and pulled them open to reveal the closet. "The closet is deep and huge, large enough for both of you to store your clothes and still have room left over for extra storage. Go on. Take a look."
Clint nudged Alex forward. She stumbled back, made it look casual, so she could bring her heel down on his foot. He stifled the curse and followed after her as they walked into the very spacious closet. True to the realtor's words, there was a spot near the door that would allow for the placement of an armchair or a large jewelry chest. Alex looked at Clint with a question in her eyes. He nodded in agreement. It would be the perfect place for a gun safe.
From the master bedroom, they moved back down to the main floor and went through each room there. Aside from the living room, which came with large picture windows and plenty of floor space, there was the kitchen with gleaming, all new appliances and room for a small, two person table. There was an actual dining room with an entry from both the living room and the kitchen. It was there that they found a pair of French doors that opened out onto the patio they'd seen from the upstairs. There was a room that would be perfect as a den or home office, with floor to ceiling shelves along one wall. There was a half bath for guests to use. And there was another room that Alex though could house some exercise equipment. Or anything else, really.
As they went through each room, the realtor gave them the rundown on the flooring, the spaciousness, the view. She suggested once again, and not very tactfully, that the house would be a perfect place to bring up children. She talked about morning light and afternoon light and evening light. Then she led them down another set of stairs into the basement. It was finished, with an enclosed room for the washer and dryer. It was large enough to house a full sized ironing board and a couple of hampers. One wall had a pair of wash sinks mounted to it. There was a second full bathroom next to the laundry room. There was no tub, just a shower, but it looked shiny and bright. A single room with a door could be used as a storage room. And the rest of the basement looked as if it would make a wonderful man cave area. They could get a big screen television, hook up the X-Box, and beat the crap out of one another.
When they'd finished with the basement, Ms. Afton led the way back upstairs. She turned a bright smile on them when they emerged into the kitchen. "There is a full two car garage and the entire yard is fenced in. The front has that lovely picket fence and the backyard has a privacy fence. Its the perfect house for a young couple just starting out with plenty of room to grow. What do you think? Tell me you love it."
Alex loved it. She did. A lot. She glanced at Clint to find him eyeing that backyard speculatively again. The yard really was nice and big and it would be perfect for parties and barbecues."You can get one of those shiny grills with all the knobs on it. And while you sweat over an open flame, I'll sit in the house, admire you without your shirt, and drink beer."
"Your idea of flirting leaves something to be desired," he teased.
"Remember the night you got back from Rio?" she asked. She wasn't going to get dirty in front of a complete stranger, but there was no need to do so. The way Clint's eyes darkened as he stared at her told her that he remembered that night very well. All she did was offer him a smile.
"Much better, Lexi," he grinned, then looked out the window again. "We could have a house warming party. Invite our closest friends. And your mother. Break it to her then that we're living together."
Alex stared at him knowingly. "You just want an excuse to buy a grill and use it."
"You know me too well."
"I would want to paint things first. Put up curtains."
"Of course," Clint nodded. He put on his best smile. "Come on, Lexi. We can get the house and move all of our stuff in and then your mother can come over and visit and start dropping hints about marriage and babies. You'll do your typical fall silent and draw back into your food or drink and Mary Magdelaine will keep pushing because--"
"Shut up!" Alex snapped, only a small portion of heat to her words. Clint smiled and drew her close, dropping a kiss on her forehead.
"What do you say, babe? You like the house?"
"I love it," Alex replied.
"Does this mean you're going to put in an offer?" Ms. Afton asked.
Clint looked at Alex, gave her a gentle smile. She nodded. "Yes. We're going to put in an offer."
"Wonderful!" Ms. Afton exclaimed.
"When are you going to tell your mother? And how? And what are you going to do when she starts in on you about getting married? And grandchildren? What will you do then?" he asked, voice filled with teasing. Alex was about to tell him to go fuck himself when her phone rang from the depths of her pocket, prompting her to go digging for it. A glance at the screen told her it was Miri.
"What is it?" she asked, careful to keep any kind of emotion from her voice. She wanted this to be a surprise to everyone.
"I need to meet up with you and the rest of the girls at the diner. Right now. Its an emergency," Miri replied. She sounded a little spooked, which immediately put Alex on edge.
"What is it? Is something wrong?"
"I need your help," Miri insisted. "Diner. Now."
"What's going on, Miri?" Alex demanded, mind already spinning into a thousand and one possible scenarios.
"I need your help. Phil asked me out on a date. Now stop asking questions and get to the diner. I've already called everyone else and every second counts. So get a move on." Before Alex could say any more, Miri closed the connection. Alex was left staring at her phone in surprise.
"What is it, Lexi?" Clint asked, a hint of concern coloring his words. Alex turned her shocked gaze his way.
"Miri needs advice on her love life. Coulson finally asked her out. On a date. And she's freaking out about it." Alex tucked her phone away and blinked at Clint. "Man, that has to be a first."
"What does?"
"Our roles are reversed. I'm the one in the stable relationship and she's the one wondering where her life is going. How the hell did that happen?" The question made Clint throw back his head and laugh. And Alex was left wondering when she'd switched positions with Miri and become the adult.
~*~*~*~*~
Elsa was already settled on the bench by their usual table, Astrid next to her in the corner and Phoebe on her left, when the door bell jangled. The sound drew her attention to the door and she found that the rest of their party had arrived. Alex was glaring at Miri fiercely, one hand motioning with short, abrupt gestures toward the interior. Miri looked like she was afraid to put one foot inside the diner. It reminded Elsa of the times when she would pretend the floor was lava and she'd avoid it by walking on her mother's nice furniture.
This behavior went on for several moments until Alex finally muttered a curse, put a hand on Miri's back, and gave her a hard shove. The other woman had no choice but to stumble forward into the diner. "Okay. That's weird," Phoebe commented softly and promptly turned her attention to the drink before her. They'd all dealt with the two agents and their weird behavior long enough to know that the last thing they should do is stare when one of them was having an awkward moment.
"Miri sounded weird on the phone. So this day can only get better," Elsa smirked to herself and returned her attention to her menu despite the fact that she already knew what it was she planned on ordering. Miri had, in fact, sounded weird on the phone. Weirder than Elsa had ever heard her sound. It had been very intriguing. And really kind of frightening.
Even before Alex convinced Miri to take her place in the booth, the waitress was over with a glass of Coke for Alex and a cup of coffee for Miri. Alex smiled gratefully at the woman as she walked past and kind of gently nudged Miri into the booth. Elsa and Phoebe made a show of not paying attention to them. Astrid was, as usual, lost in one of her gadgets and didn't seem to notice that anyone else had joined them.
Miri's gaze slid halfway toward Astrid and lingered for a second or two, then returned to the menu before her and said nothing. Alex didn't even bother looking. Nice to see that they were still holding grudges. Though this seemed to be an improvement because the last time Alex and Miri had been in the same space as Astrid, Miri had turned around and walked out. Either the woman was extra flustered for some reason or she was willing to let it go. Elsa had a feeling she knew exactly which one it was.
No one spoke for several long moments, leaving Elsa to sigh and force the issue herself. "So. We're here. What's the emergency? What has you calling this impromptu meeting, Miri?"
"I..." the woman squeaked, then promptly lifted her coffee cup and scalded her tongue avoiding the issue.
Elsa and Phoebe glanced at one another, then turned their attention back to Miri. She was studiously not looking at them. If Elsa didn't know better, it looked like she was embarrassed. So Elsa shifted her gaze to the woman beside Miri. "Alex. Why are we here?"
Alex flicked her gaze toward Miri, then brought it back again. "Miri has a date."
Elsa waited for the rest. Nothing was immediately forthcoming. She frowned. "Let me see if I understand this? Miri is freaking out because she has a date?"
"That about sums it up," Alex nodded.
Elsa considered for a moment or two longer. Her gaze shifted toward Miri, who was still not looking at her. To be honest, she was as confused as Miri seemed to be. None of this made any sense. "But what about Agent Coulson?"
The question saw Miri's hands spasming. Ever so slightly. She tightened them down around her coffee cup to stop the involuntary action. Alex rolled her eyes the way she always did when she felt Elsa had said something kind of stupid. "Her date is with Agent Coulson, Elsa. That's why she's freaked out."
"Oh," Elsa said. And then blinked. Because hadn't they been going out for a long time? Elsa was pretty sure they had. So why was Miri freaked out about a date with Agent Coulson? Unless... They hadn't been dating and they'd just been... "Oh!" Elsa said again.
"Yes, Elsa. Oh."
"I don't want to sound like I'm being insensitive or anything, but what does this have anything to do with us? Why did Miri call us here if she's going on a date with Agent Coulson?"
Miri finally looked them in the eyes. "I've never been on a date before. I don't know what I'm supposed to do."
The table fell silent as Elsa and Phoebe took that in. It seemed odd that Miri had never had a real date before. "But surely you've dated other men?" Elsa asked quietly.
"Any date I've ever been on has been part of a mission. I was acting. I had a script to follow. Sort of. This is a real date. With a man I..." Miri cut herself off before finishing. Elsa watched as Alex leaned in and kind of pressed her arm to Miri's side. The woman didn't say anything, but whatever she meant to convey with her action, it seemed to help settle Miri's mind. "This is different. Its special. I mean, I want it to be special. And I don't know what to do without a script to follow. And I really, really, really don't want to disappoint him. So I need... help."
Phoebe looked as confused by all of this as Elsa was. She let her gaze linger on Miri for a bit before it shifted toward Alex. Then it shifted back. The confusion had by no means lessened. "You couldn't ask Alex for help."
"Tell Phoebe what happened the one and only time you and Clint went out, Alex." Miri nudged her friend with the point of her elbow.
"We went to my parents' house as fake boyfriend and girlfriend. My family loved him and Clint made my mother think he'd proposed to me. So I took off, he followed, we fought, got muddy, and then fucked." Alex said it so matter of factly, as if it was something that happened every day. And that's when she and Phoebe realized that neither one of the other two women knew just what the fuck they were supposed to do with something as normal and mundane as a date.
Elsa and Phoebe shared a look and some silent communication that one only saw happen in movies before Phoebe motioned toward them with her head and shrugged her shoulders. Elsa nodded and turned back to face Alex and Miri. "What kind of date is he taking you on?"
"I... I don't know. He didn't say. Just a real, out in public date." Panic was creeping further into Miri's voice with each word.
"You should wear something sexy, but not slutty," Astrid said absently. All eyes turned to her. Elsa could see there was some surprise, as if people had forgotten she was there. Chances were good that Miri and Alex had done just that. Elsa sighed and held back her disappointment. She'd hoped that they'd be able to start repairing the damage done to their friendship through Loki's trickery but it looked as if it was not to be. She made a mental note to start working on it soon.
"Astrid?" Phoebe leaned forward to look at the fifth member of their party.
"Well, I'm assuming that Agent Coulson plans on taking Miri some place nice. So she should wear something nice and sexy. It just really shouldn't be slutty. I mean, I know that they've been sleeping with each other for a while now, but if this is their first official date, she should wear something that doesn't scream fuck me now," Astrid didn't look up from her gadget, nor did she make it sound like she was being condescending. It was simply statement of fact.
A glance at Miri showed Elsa that the other woman was paying attention to Astrid. Despite her obvious dislike of the other woman, this was a situation that Miri had no first hand knowledge with and she was willing to take whatever advice Astrid was going to give her.
"And be yourself," Astrid continued. This time, she set down the gadget she held and raised her eyes to meet Miri's gaze. "Try not to talk shop with him. And don't let him talk shop with you. A date is neutral territory. So no mentions of work. Talk about your life outside of work."
"I... don't know if I'm interesting enough to carry a conversation that doesn't involve my work." Miri sounded like she genuinely believed that. Out of the corner of her eye, Elsa saw Alex frown and open her mouth to speak. Astrid actually beat her to it.
"Of course you're interesting outside of work," Astrid insisted. "Agent Coulson wouldn't have asked you on a date if he didn't think so. And you two wouldn't still be together if all he'd been after was sex. Based on the things Thor's told me about him, he doesn't strike me as that kind of guy. Don't sell yourself short."
"I know you're freaking out a little bit," Elsa said gently. "But there's no reason for it. You're a perfectly lovely person and Agent Coulson knows that. Astrid is right. Don't sell yourself short."
The waitress came and took their orders, bringing a lull into the conversation for the few minutes it took to get what they all wanted. When she left again, Miri's eyes shifted from one face to the next. Her nerves had yet to calm, which meant they had so much more to talk about. "Don't worry if he takes you someplace fancier than you're used to," Phoebe advised with a smile. "He isn't going to care that you're not used to it. And he isn't going to care if other people do care that you're not used to it. Just focus all of your attention on him. Take a few moments to look over the restaurant and let him know what you think, then focus everything on him. Do that and you won't even notice if other people are staring."
"Phil isn't Tony Stark. No one is going to notice us and I doubt we'll go anywhere that high class," Miri insisted.
"You're joking, right?" Alex asked after swallowing down a big gulp of her Coke. "Have you seen yourself when you're all dressed up? You're smoking hot, Miri. And Coulson always has filled out his suits a little too well for comfort. People will notice you because you will be a handsome couple."
"Alex?" Miri asked, a note of teasing in her voice. "Is there something you want to tell me?'
Elsa half expected one of Alex's rather harsh comments, but none was forthcoming. In fact, Alex just sat back in the seat and looked her friend up and down, arms crossed over her chest. "If I wasn't almost married to Clint and I didn't think that Coulson might kill me with a paper clip or a staple or something, I'd show you just how hot you can be."
The sincere remark left Miri speechless. Hell, it left everyone at the table a little speechless. They all gaped a second. And a second second. And then a third one for good measure. Alex didn't sprout a second head or tentacles. Her skin didn't turn green. And she gave them all a death glare that told them she was about two seconds from using her fork to kill them. Then she did pick it up and she pointed it at Phoebe. "I hear anything from Stark about a threesome or getting to watch me with another woman and I will disembowel you with a fork. Understand?"
Phoebe nodded. Alex laid her fork down and slipped into what Elsa thought was her relaxed position. It wasn't very relaxed at all. Nor was Miri's, either, for all the woman seemed to constantly seek out ways to keep her hands busy. It was obviously nerves. And this was the most nervous Elsa had ever seen the other woman. Which said something, because she knew Miri had seen some shit. "I think you'll be fine, Miri," Elsa told her. "Wear something that makes you feel pretty and feminine, like Astrid said. Don't talk shop, if you can absolutely avoid it. Maybe regale Agent Coulson with stories of Alex's family. I hear they're quite amusing."
"You're getting brave there, Elsa. Is Star Spangled sexy rubbing off on you?" Alex asked. It took Elsa a couple minutes to realize that there was innuendo all over that sentence. She calmly lifted one hand and flipped her middle finger at the other woman. Instead of getting angry, Alex tossed her head back and laughed out loud. "Man, I love being a bad influence on you."
The waitress appeared just then, carrying a tray laden with their lunch. With an efficiency learned over years of waiting tables, she slid meals off the tray and onto the table before each of them in the blink of an eye. After making sure no one needed anything else, she was gone and they were left alone with their food. Alex had two plates before her. One had a burger and fries on it. The other plate was loaded with onion rings, fried cheese, and chicken tenders. She dove in with reckless abandon.
"Jesus Chris, Alex. I swear you've got a tapeworm or something. I thought you were eating better," Miri commented.
"I can't help it if I'm always active," she shrugged, ignoring Miri's jibe.
Elsa got that one right away and choked on her buffalo wings. Alex smirked and made a show of sucking grease off her fingers.
"What would your mother say if she could see you now?" Miri asked quietly.
Alex looked pretty mellow. "She'd probably tell me to get my elbows off the table."
Miri laughed and some of the tension eased. Some of it, but not all of it. Elsa had a moment to feel... maybe a little sad, because it was obvious that their constant vigilance came from the jobs they did. She wondered, briefly, if they ever fully and truly relaxed. The sound of Miri's voice killed her thoughts. "Is she asking yet when you and Clint are getting married?"
That question saw Alex choking on her burger. Just a little bit. Miri's smile widened and she went back to her lunch. Elsa let her gaze wander over the faces at the table. It wasn't perfect. It wasn't anywhere near perfect. But the mending had started. Maybe. So it was only a matter of time before things went back to the way they had been. And she was alright with that.
~*~*~*~*~
Nick's phone chirped to let him know he had a call. He might have ignored it, but it was his personal cell phone. Not his company issued phone. Tugging it out of his coat pocket, he frowned when he saw who was calling. "We are on business hours, Coulson. You could have come to my office," he told his phone.
"I know, boss. But... I... kind of need help." Coulson's voice was softer than usual. And Nick was sure he heard a hint of hesitation in it. Something that he rarely heard from the other man.
"What kind of help, Phil? Is this normal help? Or is the kind of help you needed in Panama after the goat incident?" Nick didn't bring up Panama and the goat incident often, so he could hear Phil wince on the other end of the line.
"Nothing like that, Nick," the other man said. His voice made it a very insistent promise. It made Nick huff out a laugh.
"Then what kind of help do you need?"
Phil was silent for far too long. One second ticked away into the next and then the next, until a full minute had passed by. Each one saw Nick tense up a little more, saw him worrying just a little more. "Phil?" he asked in hopes it would prod the other man to speak.
"I... may have asked Miri out on a date and now I don't know what I'm supposed to do." The words came out in a rush. They were so anti-climactic that Nick could only stare off into space and try to figure out why Phil sounded like he'd had his testicle crushed under the heel of a boot.
"You asked Agent Grant out on a date and you don't know what you're supposed to do?"
"It was a spur of the moment thing, Nick! She was there and Stark's words were echoing in my head. I think I asked her out to spite him," Phil told him. None of it made a damn lick of sense. Nick sighed and reached up to rub at the spot just behind his eye where the headache was forming. Then he was reaching for the bottom drawer of his desk, where he kept a bottle for just such a fucking strange event.
He could handle aliens like they were wet socks. He could deal with the WSC even on his worst day and still come out the winner. Hell, he could even come out ahead when the meeting was with Tony Stark. He could not handle his oldest friend and his right hand man having a crisis because he'd asked an attractive woman out on a date. He'd rather take aliens over Phil's love life.
He made sure Phil heard the sound of the scotch pouring into the tumbler. Then he made sure Phil heard him swallow. "What does asking Agent Grant out on a date have to do with Tony Stark? Don't tell me that idiot goaded you into doing it. You know better than to listen to him."
Phil paused for a moment. Nick was on the verge of uttering a string of curses that would make his mother come back from the dead to wash his mouth out with soap. But Phil spoke and cut him off. "He said something and... I may have let it get to me."
"What did he say?" Nick sighed. And asked whatever higher power that might be listening to grant him strength.
"He suggested that I was Miriam's sugar daddy."
It was honestly laughable. And Nick would have laughed, had he not heard the hint of fear in Phil's voice. Stark, in traditional Stark style, had gone right for the kill and struck a nerve. And now Phil was having a quiet meltdown over something that should have been easier than taking down one of the bad guys with a Twinkie and some chewing gum. Very uncharitable thoughts in regard to Tony Stark sprang to mind and Nick bit back the urge to mutter them all.
"How long have you two been doing this thing where you think I don't know you're having sex in closets at official functions and renting hotel rooms so no one will see you together?" Nick asked him, voice nothing but seriousness.
"For a few years."
"Since that Christmas party a couple years back," Nick confirmed for him. If Phil was displeased to know that his sneaking around had been for naught, he didn't let it show. "Do you honestly think that Miriam Grant has stuck with you for all these years because she wants a sugar daddy?"
"I've honestly never thought about it," Phil admitted.
"Does she expect you to give her things? Does she want a big house and fancy clothes and expensive jewelry?"
"No," Phil confirmed.
"So what makes you think that she sees you as a sugar daddy?" Nick asked. He didn't bother to let Phil answer him. "If she was looking for a sugar daddy, do you think she'd have stuck with you all these years? Not a snowball's chance in Hell. So stop worrying about some stupid thing Stark said and worry about the woman you plan on wooing. You do plan on wooing her, don't you?"
"I don't have any solid plans yet, Nick." He could hear in Phil's voice just how much he hated to admit that he didn't have a plan.
"Take her some place nice. Treat her like she's the best thing that ever happened to you. Treat her like she's the most amazing woman in the world. And woo her, Phil," Nick practically ordered. "Dinner. Dancing. Romantic movies. Do some nice shit for her, Phil."
Phil chuckled on the other end of the line. That was all Nick needed to hear to know that Phil was taking everything he said to heart. Speaking of hearts, he had more to say. "And tell the woman you love her, Phil. Damn it, she's been in love with you for years now. Everyone can see you love her in return. Its long past time to tell her."
"Oddly, Tony Stark said something very similar," Phil replied.
"Well, he does claim to be a genius," Nick returned. He sighed and let his voice go just a little soft. And a little serious. "Tell her you love her, Phil. You got on a plane and flew to another country to make sure she was okay after she got caught in an explosion, for fuck's sake. I think you're allowed to tell her you love her after something like that. I mean, its got to be in the rules somewhere. 'Your girlfriend nearly gets blown up, you get to tell her you love her.' So just fucking do it already and put me out of my misery."
"How much is the pool?" Phil sounded only mildly curious.
"Enough to buy me a good steak dinner at the most expensive place in the city every night for a month," Nick told him, grin breaking across his face.
"And how did you bet?"
"How else? I bet that you'd suck up the courage to tell her. Hill bet five hundred that you'd never find the testicular fortitude. I can taste her money. So don't let me down, Phil." The admission pulled a laugh from Phil's throat.
"Thanks, Nick. I appreciate your assistance."
"You're welcome, Phil. Do me a favor and don't call me about your love life ever again. I don't need this shit. I've got enough on my plate with the World Security Council breathing down my neck all the time."
"Yes, boss," Phil replied with a touch of laughter in his voice. There was a pause. "Boss? How long have you known about Miri and I?"
Nick smiled at the question. He'd been expecting it. "Since the beginning."
"And you've never said anything about it?"
"It didn't get in the way of your jobs. So I let it go," Nick replied.
Phil drew a breath. "I can't believe you've known the whole time and you never said a word."
"I'm a spy, Phil. Its my job to see things other people don't. And its my job to keep secrets," Nick reminded him. "Now get back to work and leave me alone. I've got important spy shit to do."
"Yes, boss," Phil replied. The line clicked off and Nick was left alone with his thoughts. It was about damn time.
~*~*~*~*~
"Agent Grant? Can I have a word?" The voice stopped Miri dead in her tracks, a finger of something that might have been anger or dread trailing down her spine. Screwing a bland look onto her face, she turned to find Steve Rogers standing a few feet behind her. He was in civilian clothes, a pair of jeans and a t-shirt bearing the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo stretched across his muscled frame. He looked slightly uncertain, as if he didn't want to confront her any more than she wanted to talk to him.
"Of course, Captain Rogers," Miri replied politely. If he could attempt to be civil, she could at least attempt the same.
Rogers glanced around them, his gaze tracking several other agents before returning to her. "Would it be possible to speak in private?"
Miri held back her sigh and nodded, then motioned up the hall toward her office door. Rogers looked past her to the open door and fell into step with her. The two of them remained silent as they walked and he was careful not to invade her personal space too much when he followed her into her office. She closed the door and moved to take the chair behind the desk, absently gesturing to one of the two hard seats set before her desk. He took one, albeit a touch stiffly, and watched her with guarded eyes as she made herself comfortable.
"What would you like to discuss, Captain Rogers?" Miri asked. "We have privacy here, so you're free to say whatever you like." If her tone was a touch frosty, that was his problem. He didn't react in any particular manner, leaving her to believe he was going to ignore the ice in her words.
"I'd like to discuss the HYDRA nest we took out," he returned. This time, she did heave a sigh. She'd had a feeling, but she'd hoped that he would just leave it the fuck alone. Looked as if he wanted to pick at barely healed wounds.
"You made your opinions perfectly clear that day. I don't see how we have anything to really discuss."
He sighed, too. In frustration. Which had her wondering if she was mistaken in exactly what it was he wanted to discuss about that day. "Allow me to start by saying that I still don't agree with the way you handled the situation."
She fought the urge to snap that he could get the fuck out of her office if that was what he was going to say. But she tamped it down and forced a tight smile. "You've made that abundantly clear, Captain Rogers. I see no reason to rehash this."
"If you'd let me continue?" he asked lightly. Miri frowned and indicated that he should do just that. She had work to do, and it wasn't going to happen if she didn't actually get to it. "I don't agree with it. But I think I understand better now why you acted as you did."
Well, that was interesting. Miri's eyebrow went up in curious, cautious surprise. "Really? What makes you say that?"
"I've spoken to Elsa and Agent Barton about the events that happened that day. They pointed out a few things."
Cue the urge to roll her eyes. She didn't expect that Clint would have told him anything but what he needed to know. But she could only imagine the things Elsa might have come up with. She liked Elsa. But this was her private life and Miri was pretty damned sure that neither Elsa nor Steve were really qualified to speak with any certainty about Miri's private life. Honestly, Clint didn't really know much about Miri's private life. "What things might those be, Captain Rogers?"
The man opened his mouth to speak, then sighed and shook his head. "Look. I'm trying to make amends. And I know I'm not doing very well. But your desire to not even try is evident and it really isn't fair. Can you at least attempt to act like you care? There will come a day when we have to work together again and we'll need to be able to trust one another completely. We can't do that if this thing between us continues to fester and grow."
He had a point. She hated to admit it, but he did. That took some of the starch out of Miri's sails and she sagged back into her chair. "Very well. How can we fix this thing?" She was genuinely curious. She was going to have to trust him with her life if they were ever put together in the field again. They were going to have to put the events of that day as far behind them as possible.
"Slowly. One day at a time," he admitted. Some of the tension in his own shoulders slid away, leaving him kind of slumped in the hard chair he'd taken. "First of all, allow me to apologize for not following your orders. There are times when I'm really not good about doing what I'm told."
The apology took her by surprise. She hadn't really expected it. There were men who didn't like to take orders from women. Not all of them, but there were a few. And she always had to bust their asses to prove to them that she was damned capable of doing her job. She was used to their attitudes and the shit they gave her after the mission was over. She wasn't used to apologies.
"Accepted. But allow me to explain something to you. If I'm running a mission, I expect every man and woman who works that mission with me to follow my orders to the letter. Because if I give an order, I do so for a reason. I'm not being arbitrary or bitchy or any other word you want to use to describe me. I'm doing it because lives are on the line and I'm counting on you to do your job and not get me killed."
"Understood. But you need to understand that I don't like to just take a life if there's some way to avoid doing so. I'm always going to look for some way around killing."
A man of principle. She liked that. She really did. Too many recruits came to S.H.I.E.L.D. thinking that they'd be given a gun and carte blanche to do whatever the hell they wanted. Those recruits didn't last long. "Believe it or not, Captain Rogers, but I don't like to waste life, either. I try not to kill. Pulling the trigger is the last resort. Even so, I still need to be able to do it when the situation calls for it. No doubt you understand that."
"I do," he nodded. "Agent Barton explained to me just what Agent Coulson means to you. I was unaware, at the time of that mission, that he was so important to you. So I can understand why the mission went as it did."
Miri would have liked to have said that her relationship to Phil had had nothing to do with her actions on that mission. But they'd both know it for the lie it was. Everything she'd done that night had been because of her relationship with Phil. She drew a breath and blew it out in a long sigh. "You're right. My actions that night were dictated by my feelings for Agent Coulson. I would like to point out, however, that I am exceptionally adept at keeping my personal life separate from my job under more normal circumstances. That was a night of extreme duress and it was almost impossible for me to keep them from mixing with one another."
Rogers nodded his head. "I can see that now. I've watched you over the past few months and I've come to the conclusion that you are very good at keeping your private life to yourself. I have never seen an ounce of favoritism between yourself and Agent Coulson. If you think he's wrong, you'll tell him. If he thinks you're wrong, he'll tell you. If I hadn't been made aware of your relationship, I wouldn't have known there was anything between you based on my observations."
"Thank you. Maintaining a professional mien is important to me." She was honestly impressed that he'd noticed.
Rogers nodded his head at that. It felt to her like the end of their conversation and she waited patiently for him to rise from his chair and show himself out. But he didn't move. She watched as his gaze skimmed over the impersonal contents of her temporary office. They seemed to linger for some time on the green walls. She took a look at the wall and had, for just a moment or two, the uncharitable thought that they had to be as ancient as he was. The color looked like something they'd have used during the Forties. But she quickly pushed that thought aside, silently chastising herself for thinking something so terrible.
"It seems like it was just yesterday that I was in offices and labs and doctors' offices that were this color," he commented. The statement gave the appearance of coming out of nowhere. But Miri was pretty sure that he had a point to his words. One thing she'd learned about Steve Rogers was that he generally didn't waste words when they weren't needed. "When I woke up and found out that I'd missed seventy years, I'd really hoped that the world had changed with the passing of time. But this." He paused to gesture toward the walls with one hand. "This tells me that nothing has really changed."
"I don't think I understand what you mean, Captain Rogers," Miri replied, genuinely perplexed by his line of thought.
"Please. Call me Steve," he said instantly, and the smile he gave her was all boy next door. If it had been anyone else, she'd have called it a calculated move. But she'd learned that smiles were not plotted and planned for effect. Not when the smiler was Steve Rogers. She could see the boy next door in his honest, open expression. And she could see just a little bit why Elsa was head over heels in love with the big goon. "And I mean everything is pretty much exactly like it was when I went into the ice."
Okay. That still didn't explain his choice of words to her.
"When Doctor Erskine approached me, there was a very specific hierarchy. Men were top of the food chain. Big men. Strong men. Smart men who put their brains to use. Men like the skinny Steve Rogers who kept trying to join up were farther down on the totem pole. Women, all women, were under guys like the one I used to be. And if you thought it was hard for women in normal jobs and normal life, it was harder still for women who wanted to do something good for the world."
The look on his face turned wistful and a little sad, letting Miri know he was lost in the past. "I had hoped that you wouldn't have to claw and fight for every scrap of respect you deserved. I watched Peggy fight to be taken seriously, to find her place within a man's world and earn the respect of her masculine peers. She was just as capable as any man in uniform. More capable, in some cases. She never flinched away from danger. She never worried about her own safety. She just fought against our enemies. Too bad she couldn't fight against the people who were supposed to be her allies."
Peggy Carter. Everyone who worked for S.H.I.E.L.D. knew who Peggy Carter was and her importance to the organization. Miri had forgotten that she'd been in the Army before S.H.I.E.L.D. and that she'd known Steve Rogers before the serum and his metamorphosis into Captain America. If it was tough for Miri today, it had to have been fucking harder than hell for Peggy then. "Agent Carter is kind of my idol," she admitted.
Steve gave her a smile that was equal parts amusement and sorrow. "I think Peggy would like you, if she ever got the chance to meet you," he told her. Miri's heart pounded a little faster in her chest. Meeting Agent Carter had been a dream since she'd joined the organization. "In fact, I can see a lot of Peggy in you."
If her heart had been pounding before, it was practically racing with excitement. "I used to listen to everything Peggy had to say because I trusted her judgement. I didn't listen to you when you were trying to tell me something. I became the one thing I never wanted to be. For that, Agent Grant, I am truly sorry."
It was the most heartfelt and honest apology she'd ever gotten. It left her just a little flustered. "I promise, Agent Grant, that I will do better the next time." Before she could find the words, he was out the door and gone.
Miri sat motionless in her chair for a long time after he left, mind a tumble of thoughts and emotions. It took her a long time to realize that she'd be happy to have Captain America on her team again, if they ever found themselves on a mission together in the future.
That still didn't mean she wouldn't hesitate to shoot him if he got in her way, though.
~*~
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Poor Miri. LOL I love how she's basically completely out of her depth if a date doesn't involve killing someone or stealing something or gathering intel. lol I'm sure if the panic hadn't taken over, she'd have figured this stuff out on her own but it's always nice to have the girls as back up. Good to see no one's trying to kill anyone either. That's a good step.
Alex and Clint buying a house and planning BBQs! Yay! That's just joy wrapped in a big bow!
LOVE the conversation with Phil and Nick! All my bias aside, I love seeing the personal side of Nick and the fact that under all the director stuff, this is still a human being with friends and a life. I think him talking Phil down is perfect!
The bit with Steve is lovely too. No higher compliment is there than being compared to Agent Peggy Carter! But I can definitely see what he sees there. And I'm glad he finally saw some reason on the subject too.
Great work as always hun! Can't wait to see THE DATE! :D
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i think Alex was deadly serious. she'd sit in the house with a beer and watch him grill with his shirt off. that's her contribution to dinner.
i honestly can't picture the two of them not having the option of going to each other as just friends. for advice and help and just to shoot the shit. and i have no doubts that Phil can always count on Nick to back him in the end. ;)
figuring out what Steve was going to say was a lot harder than i expected. i kind of felt like it didn't come out so much as an apology as an explanation of his own actions and an offer of compromise. and a touch of understanding why it wasn't so cut and dry for him. i really wanted it to be an apology, though. still, there is no higher compliment because Peggy fucking kicks ass.
glad you enjoyed it, bb. neither can i. that should be loads of fun.
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And who can NOT love Phil and Miri seeking dating advice from the others?? :-) Both so adorable in their insecurity about the whole 'date' thing...just love it!
And Alex, sweetie, listen to Clint. Don't go from boiling water to grilling without taking the steps to learn cooking in between. That could prove FAR more dangerous than any mission Nick could possibly send you on. ;-)
*applauds wildly*
Man, what am I going to do when this story is over??? :-(
Love it bb!!!
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i think, if Miri and Phil had both taken a deep breath and just thought about it, they'd have managed on their own. fortunately, this was not the case and it resulted in their reaching out frantically to their friends for help and support. and a little bit of teasing, too.
i'm sure Alex threatening to grill is just that. a threat. though i'm sure if she did, she'd fail at it as spectacularly as she does at boiling water.
when this story is over? there'll no doubt be another one.
thanks for reading, hon. i'm really glad you enjoyed.
no subject
Miri and Phil and their panic is just adorable. And I'm really happy to see folks making amends. Alex and Clint house hunting together...that's awesome. And Clint really should keep her away from that grill. I'm having visions of explosions and fainting soccer moms...
Much more to comment on and love, but I'm not up to snuff tonight. Can't wait for the next chapter. Good work.
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don't forget, Alex likes to make explosions happen...
glad you enjoyed it, hon.