#that Sousa was with her this time and promised they would get home

[daisyssousa]

DOUSY APPRECIATION WEEK 2023 ♡ Day 4 - Most Emotional Moment Sousa telling Daisy he'll get her home

[momentofch-aos]

M's Marvel Thought of the Day

Daniel Sousa, now settled in the 21st century, looks up what happened to his friends from his own timeline.

Daisy had already gently broken the news about Peggy's death to him. They visited her grave site and talked about the adventures and missions the two had been on.

He read the case file on Howard and Maria Stark's death, the Winter Solider case and knowledge of who he was sending him for a loop. He'd met Sergeant Barnes once, that day when he thought he would die on the battle field. He had never been Howard's biggest fan but no one deserved that.

He read the obituaries of Ana and Edwin Jarvis, found they were buried in New York, side by side as they'd been in life. He left pink flowers - Ana's favourite colours of peonies - on their grave, and thanked them for their friendship and support.

There had been two people he'd been somewhat surprised to find out were still alive and unbelievably in the same old people's home in DC. He'd been unsure whether visiting would be a good idea but after some gentle investigating from Daisy and Mack, he found himself entering a rec room. There was various elderly people around, reading newspapers or napping in high backed armchairs. But no-one looked familiar. Daisy squeezed his hand before getting the attention of one of the nurses, who led them around the corner of the room.

As they make their approach when Daniel hears a far too familiar voice, making him stop in his tracks.

"Ha! Got you again Thompson, pay up!" Rose Roberts, with now grey hair but with the same thick glasses, smirked triumphantly across the top of the checkers board.

The older man across the table groaned. "We go through this every damn day Rose. Can we go back to Chess?" Daniel took in the older man he'd known a life time ago, hair still slicked back in the way it had always been. A cane leant against the wall behind him and he coughed after laughing at Rose's comeback.

"Chief Thompson? Agent Roberts?" The nurse asked drawing their attention. "You have some visitors."

Both former agents looked across to see Daniel standing with an indecipherable look on his face.

"Fucking hell..."

"What the hell..." Their voices overlapped suddenly.

"Hey Rose, hey Jack." Daniel said stepping forward. Rose struggled to her feet, using the table to leverage herself up.

"Chief? Is that really you?" Rose looked up at him, his arms coming up to help balance her.

"It's me. It's good to see you Rose." And he found himself engulfed in her arms, wrapping his back around her and holding her tight. "God it's good to see you Rose."

"How the hell are you here?" She said as she looked back up to him. "And who's the beautiful woman you brought with you?" She fixed him with that same mischievous look she used to shoot at him all the time after glancing to Daisy who stood off to the side. Always so invested in his love life, so he chuckled.

"I can explain everything I promise. Why don't we sit?" He helped her back to her chair, glancing across to Jack who had his hand's in fists on the other side of the table. "Hi Thompson."

"Who are you?" He demanded. "You're sure as hell not Daniel Sousa. He died in...55." He paused remembering the exact year. "We buried him. We... mourned him. You sure as hell aren't him."

"I can explain that I am Jack."

"I am 102, not stupid." Rose scoffed, making both men turn to her.

"Jack do be serious. What about Rogers? He came back to Peg did he not?"

"How can we be sure? It may be some traitor. Davey was telling me just the other day about those shape shifting aliens Fury was palling around with..." Jack started saying.

"How about this Jack? I'll prove it to you." The older man looked puzzled but let him continue. "Before you went to Russia with Carter, met the Howling Commandoes when we were investigating Stark. You tricked me in the locker room, into seeing Carter changing. You asked me to get your compass from..."

"Locker 42." Jack finished his sentence and looked Daniel up and down, his gaze resting on the prosthetic leg.

"I've still only got one leg but the future makes a better prosthetic than Stark by a mile." Daniel joked, and Jack stood at that, pulling Daniel into a hug that he was not expecting. "It's good to see you too Jack."

They sat back down, chairs pulled up for Daniel and Daisy, as they told the story of faking his death, and pulling him out of time. Of their adventures into space and the weird and wacky things he'd discovered in the 21st Century.

They told him stories from their own lives after his death, cases he'd missed out on, Howard's ridiculousness. Peggy's rise to power. The three old friends spoke fondly of her, recalling stories from throughout the time they spent with her.

Rose grilled him and Daisy on their story and relationship, telling Daisy all the embarrassing things that Daniel had been happy to leave behind in the 50's. The unlikely pair giggled and formed a friendship.

Rose told her stories of her first and second marriage, her daughter, son-in-law and grandson who would visit every weekend.

Jack had been married when Daniel died, to Peggy's lovely personal secretary Ruth who knew how to put him in his place. They'd only had a daughter the year or two before Daniel supposedly died. Jack talked about how they'd gone on to have three more daughters, now had 8 grandchildren, including a grandson who had joined SHIELD recently (Daniel promised to keep an eye out for him). Then, his Ruth had passed a few years ago and Daniel expressed his condolences.

At that moment, a young boy, probably 5-years-old barrelled into the room and to Jack's side. "Pops, Pops!"

"Hey there, Danny. How's my favourite guy?" With surprising strength for a man of his years, Jack swung the young man up till he was sat on his knee.

"I'm good! Momma's coming now." He pointed to where a pretty blonde was making her way across the room, shaking her head as she stooped to kiss Jack on the cheek and ruffle her son's head.

"Sorry Grandpa, the traffic was horrendous." She greeted Rose much the same way, passing her a package. "Fudge from that place on 4th for your Rose, Danny over there insisted." She turned to the guests who sat between them. "Hello, I'm Ruthy." She shook their hands.

"Ruthy, this is Daniel and Daisy. Daniel, Daisy, my granddaughter Ruthy and her son, Danny." Jack smirked at Sousa as his great-grandson played with the watch on his wrist.

"Danny? Huh." Was the only thing Daniel came up with as he watched an old friend acting like a goofy grandparent.

"Yeah, Grandpa had a friend called Daniel who saved his life a bunch of times when he was younger. Used to tell us stories all about Sousa and Carter and their adventures. We never believed him until we found out where he worked." Ruthy filled in nonchalantly, sitting on the opposite side of the table, digging through her bag to produce a water bottle for her son unaware of the look on Daniel's face. Jack smirked massively. "Here, Grandpa. I managed to grab that album from storage that you wanted." She handed across a large leather bound photo album to the older man, who flipped through a few pages.

"Here you go Daisy, you'll like this one." Jack smirked, that old charming smile creeping onto his face as he passed the now open book across to her, Daniel peering over her shoulder and scoffing.

"Woah." Ruth finally looked up, glancing at the photo and then back up to Daniel and back again. "Well. I cannot believe it took me that long. I knew you looked familiar. I thought it was just Quake that had me thinking that."

Daisy smirked. "You don't seem surprised?"

"Oh I've worked at Stark Industries for a long time, I'm so used to superheroes and weird tech not much surprises me anymore. You see Tony Stark walking round in Iron-Man pants one too many times and you get over stuff pretty quickly." She levelled Daniel with a look. "Time travel huh?"

"Yes. But I haven't seen these in literal years." He said his hand tapped a few photos. One from the first day of opening the first SHIELD base, Thompson and Howard Stark stood either side of Peggy and Daniel. Another of Peggy, Daniel and Rose throwing confetti at Jack's wedding. One of Daniel and Thompson with Peggy on her Wedding Day. An outtake of that one where Howard was attempting to jumping into frame and Jarvis dragging him out, while the three of them laughed lay below it.

He could still picture that party, he could hear the band playing, memories of Peggy dancing with Rogers, happy and content. He remembered how happy he was for her.

Daisy squeezed his knee beneath the table and brought him back to the present. He pressed a kiss to her temple and continued the conversation. They had coffee and cake and Rose shared her fudge. Daisy made lunch trolley roll across the room, making Jack's great-grandson shriek in delighted laughs and push it back into a position where she could do it again and again.

They left hours later and Daniel felt more settled than he had done in a long time. Daisy squeezed his hand as they drove away.

They'd return to visit every time they were in town, which was more often these days now SHIELD HQ was there, sometimes together, sometimes alone. They met all of both of their families, attended Ruth's 100th birthday. Brought presents for Daniel's namesake's birthday.

When Daisy and Daniel tied the knot, two reserved seats on the front row of the groom's side were filled my two of his oldest friends some of their families just a couple rows back. They 'snuck' them into new SHIELD HQ to see all the new tech and planes, the memorial wall that included people they'd known a lifetime ago.

Daniel loved the future, loved living his life alongside Daisy and her family. But knowing his friends were there, getting to spend time with them was an unexpected but valuable thing for him. It gave him a link to the past, someone to shoot the breeze with, with some similar experiences from the past. A taste of a previous life he was grateful for as he lived his new one.

[captainsophiestark]

Hospital

Jack Thompson x Reader

Masterlist - Join My Taglist!

Written for Agent Carter Bingo 2022! @agentcarterbingo​

Fandom: Marvel

Square Filled: Post Season 2

Summary: Daniel and Peggy have finally admitted feelings for each other, and Y/N didn't want them wasting a single second before finally going out on a long-awaited date. As one of the couple's best friends and a long-time SSR scientist, they sent Peggy and Daniel off and promised to shut down the office safely. However, when Y/N picks up an emergency call to the office about a certain blond New York SSR Chief, they have some serious decisions to make about someone they haven't always had the best relationship with.

Word Count: 3,906

Category: Little bit of angst, fluff

A/N: This is very barely after season two, and I changed the timelines a little bit so Jack gets shot the same night Peggy and Daniel have their first kiss instead of the morning after. Don't @ me lol

Putting work into an AI program without permission is illegal. You do not have my permission. Do not do it.

"Y/N, are you sure this is okay with you?" asked Peggy, giving me a concerned look. Daniel stood right next to her with the same look on his face as he held her hand tight.

"Yes, I'm sure. For the love of God, I'm perfectly capable of shutting the office down by myself. I've watched the two of you dance around each other since we were all in New York. Nothing would make me happier than seeing you wonderful, adorable idiots finally get the hell out of here to go on a date!"

"I'm not sure whether to be grateful or insulted," said Daniel, turning to Peggy. They smiled at each other, then looked back at me.

"We'll take grateful for tonight," she said. She and Daniel started heading for the door, looking absolutely giddy. "And remember, you can call us if you need help with anything!"

"And don't blow up my agency!" Daniel called over his shoulder as they made it to the stairs. "Just because you have the office to yourself doesn't mean you can use it for all your experiments!"

"Get the hell out of here before I make your office into my new lab because you were taking so damn long!" I called after him. He and Peggy both shot me smiles before they disappeared downstairs, and I smiled after them.

Finally. After watching those two pine after each other for more than a year and in two different cities, they'd finally admitted their feelings for each other tonight.

And by "admitted their feelings for each other", I meant I'd accidentally walked in on them making out in Daniel's office. They'd both been mortified, but I'd been absolutely giddy. They kept trying to apologize, but I didn't give them the chance before I sent them out the door and on their way to their first date after promising to shut down the office for them.

I went to the lab first, since my own workspace would be the easiest to shut down. Then I made my way to the bullpen and started scanning to make sure everything was in order. Everything seemed to be alright, even after the crazy dustup with Whitney Frost and Vernon Masters, so I didn't really need to do much more than shut off the lights.

I took care of everything piece by piece, and I was about to lock the door to Daniel's office when the phone on his desk started ringing. I sighed. I really just wanted to go home, and I wasn't a field agent anyway. I was a scientist - nobody calling the Chief would be looking for me.

Unless, of course, it was Peggy or Daniel calling because they forgot something. And if it wasn't them, I could always just take a message for Daniel to read in the morning.

I walked into the office and flicked the lights back on, then picked up the phone while I searched for a notepad in case I needed to write anything down.

"Hello?" I asked, only paying half attention.

"Yes, hello? Is this the office of Chief Daniel Sousa of the LA SSR?" asked a female voice I didn't recognize. I grimaced, trying to brace myself for whatever problem this turned out to be.

"Yes, it is. He's not in right now. Can I take a message?"

"Yes, this is Nurse Williams of the Los Angeles County General Hospital. We received a patient earlier today and were just able to identify him as Chief Jack Thompson of the New York SSR."

"Wait, what? Are you kidding?"

"No, I'm not. He came in with a gunshot wound just above his heart, and he's in bad shape. He's needs to go into surgery, but we don't have any of his relevant medical history, and there were no other emergency contacts for us to call."

"Uh, right... right, okay, let me grab his file. I'll... I'll be just a second, is that okay?"

"That's alright. I'll be right here. Just focus on taking deep breaths."

"Yes, of course, yes. I'll do that, and I'll be right back."

I set the phone down on the desk and sprinted out of the room. Thank God we were in LA and not New York. Daniel actually had a functioning file system, which meant I was able to pull Thompson's file in seconds. If it had been New York, it would've taken me at least an hour to sort through that mess.

I sprinted back into Daniel's office and put the phone back up to my ear as I frantically flipped through Thompson's file. I managed to find the medical section, and I let out a quick sigh to try and catch my breath before I started speaking.

"Alright, I've got it," I said. "I have no idea what's relevant, so I'm just going to read it all to you."

"That's perfect."

I started to read through everything, but the nurse had to stop me and tell me to start over from the top because I was going so fast. Finally, I made it through. I closed Thompson's file and set it down next to me, then waited with baited breath for the nurse to tell me what to do next.

"Alright, thank you very much. That was very helpful. We'll be sending Agent Thompson into surgery now, and it'll be a far safer process with the information you provided us."

"Okay, good, good. I'm glad." I felt out of breath, even though I had no reason to be. "So, uh... what happens now? What do I do now?"

"Well, it might be helpful if he had a friendly face around assuming he makes it out of surgery. Otherwise, there's really not much else you can do."

"Well... okay then, if you're sure..."

"I am. Thank you again for all your help. If we don't see you, we'll call with any updates."

"Great, great. Thank you."

I heard a click on the line, and I knew the nurse had hung up. Still, I couldn't seem to put down the receiver. I just sat there, staring holes at the wall and trying to process now that there was no action to distract me from things.

Jack Thompson had been shot. He was supposed to be on a plane back to New York, and instead, he was in the hospital.

What the hell had happened?

I felt myself starting to panic, so I forced myself to take deep breaths. I was an SSR agent, for God's sake. Maybe not a field agent, but I had a damn PhD. I could handle myself better than this.

Finally, I managed to lower the receiver long enough to dial another number. I hadn't planned on interrupting Peggy and Daniel on their long-awaited date, but this certainly warranted it.

Unfortunately for me, neither of them picked up at any number I tried. I hung up the phone after trying my last option, then paced the office trying to decide what to do.

The nurse said Thompson needed a friendly face. I certainly wasn't that. Thompson and I had been adversaries since the moment I joined the SSR, and that relationship had never changed.

But she'd also said he might not even make it through surgery. I couldn't just go home knowing that, could I? To leave him alone in a strange hospital, to die alone or wake up without a single familiar face?

I sighed heavily, my hands shaking as I picked up the notepad from earlier. Since I couldn't reach Peggy and Daniel, I'd just have to leave them a note and hope one of them found it in the morning.

I did my best to explain everything, then left the note in the middle of Daniel's desk. I shut down the office like I told them I would, then hopped in my car and headed straight for the hospital.

I pulled up just over twenty minutes later, then parked and headed inside. My legs were shaking and I was barely holding it together, but I tried to focus on just taking one step at a time. I couldn't break down in the middle of a hospital; I wouldn't.

I got to the nurse's counter and pasted a smile on my face as I waited for someone to come over to me. Eventually, someone did, a bright smile on her face.

"Hello there! How can I help you?"

"Hi... my name is Y/N Y/L/N, I'm an agent of the SSR here for Jack Thompson."

"Oh! Of course. He's still in surgery, but you can wait in his room if you'd like."

"Yeah. Yeah, that'd be great."

The nurse showed me to Thompson's room, and I tried to make myself comfortable in one of the chairs. I asked her for a time estimate on the surgery, but she said she couldn't tell me.

I fidgeted more and more as time went on. The clock told me it was going on midnight, and I was seriously fighting to keep it together. I took a deep breath and went to find some coffee, then settled back into my seat in Thompson's room.

I wondered what he'd say when he saw me here. I wondered if I'd still be sitting here when he woke up, or if Peggy or Daniel or somebody else would tag me out.

I wondered if he'd wake up at all.

Even though I'd never liked Jack, I never worried about him either. I just assumed he'd be fine, and sooner or later we'd be back to our old routine of annoying each other in the office. Even when I moved to LA with Daniel, Jack would call to consult on something or other that his science agents found, and we'd be bickering away like I'd never left. It was strange, but it'd always been kind of fun for me. It kept me on my toes if nothing else, and whenever I got frustrated with Samberly or anyone who wasn't Jack, I could take it all out on him.

And now he might die. No matter how many times my friends in the field brushed up against death, they always came out of it. They got into serious trouble, got a serious injury, but they never actually died. I'd always had faith I'd see them again, even if they weren't in the best shape. The SSR had lost agents over the years, but never anyone I'd really known.

Possibly before tonight.

I caught myself falling down into a spiral of negative thoughts, so I stood up and walked to the window to try and snap myself out of it. I watched the bustle of activity outside the hospital, and any time my mind drifted back to the fear growing bigger and bigger in my chest, I forced myself to focus on a different person or activity outside.

It worked less and less every time. I was just starting to lose focus on a man taking a smoke break when I heard the door behind me bang open. I whirled around to see a crowd of nurses and doctors come in, along with an unconscious Jack Thompson.

They carried him into the room and set him carefully on the bed. I swear, I'd never seen such a peaceful expression on his face.

"How is he?" I asked, taking a few steps forward. The assembled doctors and nurses gave me curious looks, so I quickly flashed my SSR badge, which seemed to satisfy them.

"Well, he's alive," said one doctor, who seemed to be in charge. "Although barely. We managed to patch up his bullet wound, more or less, but he still lost a lot of blood. Now it's going to be a waiting game to see if he comes out of this coma, and if he does we'll go from there."

I carefully nodded my head, trying not to show any of the emotions racing through my heart.

"We'll check in with him every hour or so, just to make sure he's doing alright," said the doctor. The medical personnel were leaving the room one by one, until it was just me, the doctor, and Jack. "Are you planning on staying here with him?"

"Yes," I said. I only hesitated for a half a second, and the doctor didn't even notice.

"Great. If he stirs, come get somebody."

"Okay."

He nodded, then left the room. It felt weird to be alone with Jack, especially like this. But no matter what, it was better than him being dead.

After a second, I dragged one of the chairs over to be next to Jack's bed. I sat down and stared at him, and the steady rise and fall of his chest. I felt relief wash over me in a tsunami.

He wasn't in the clear yet, but he wasn't dead yet either.

I sat there for hours, sipping my coffee and trying to find ways to pass the time. I flipped through a few magazines the hospital had, but none of them could distract me from the obnoxious blond agent still unconscious in front of me.

Even though I was exhausted, I managed to stay awake. If Jack stirred, I didn't want to miss it. The doctors and nurses came in every hour, but they never had anything new to report. The sky outside was turning a light purple with the first rays of daylight, and still, no change.

I flipped my sixth magazine shut and hucked it across the room with a sigh. I was going to go crazy in this room. It was an immutable fact.

Why hadn't I studied medicine at any point in my career? It could've come in so much handy, especially for my peace of mind...

"Y/N?"

I heard a weak voice mutter my name, and I whirled around to look at Jack. He stared at me through barely open eyes, looking incredibly confused and in pain, but awake.

"Where am I? What's going on?"

"Jack! Holy shit, you're awake!" I said, practically jumping out of my seat. "Please, please stay awake, okay? I'll be right back, I just have to get somebody real quick."

I backed away from Jack and towards the door, refusing to take my eyes off him until the last second. I shouted into the hallway for the doctor, and the entire medical team came rushing in after just a few seconds.

Thankfully, Jack managed to stay awake. They ran tests on him and checked in with how he was feeling, then propped him up with some pillows and water. The sun was just peeking up over the city skyline when they left, and Jack and I were by ourselves again.

He looked at me, far more awake now than he had been a moment ago. He was still in rough shape, since the bullet had almost pierced his heart, but barring any horrible new injuries, the doctors said he was going to live.

I really couldn't hide my relief if I tried.

"You know, I didn't expect you to be the face I woke up to in the hospital," he said, turning to look at me once the last doctor left.

"And I didn't expect you to be in the hospital at all!" I cried, moving back to the chair next to his bed. "What the hell happened, Jack?"

"Careful, Y/L/N. You actually sound concerned."

I sighed heavily through my nose, looking away to collect myself before glaring back at Jack.

"Believe it or not, Thompson, I actually am concerned. You're a constant thorn in my side and sometimes all I want to do is punch you in the face, but I'd never want you to die."

"And you not wanting me to die extends to you showing up at my bedside in the morning?"

I flinched and looked down, trying not to let Jack see the truth. Unfortunately for me, he was actually a good field agent, and I'd never learned how to lie.

"Hold on a minute... how long have you been here?" he asked. I looked back up at him, and for one of a handful of times, he actually looked sincere. That teasing tone and expression were nowhere to be found. I sighed. What the hell, right?

"I got the call when I was shutting down the SSR for Daniel and Peggy last night," I said. "Sometime around eleven. They needed your medical record history and said it might help if you had a friendly face to wake up to, but they didn't know when you were gonna wake up, so... I've been here the whole time."

"Did you sleep?" he demanded. I looked at him like he was crazy. No crack about me sitting by his bedside all night, no arrogant look or cheeky comment? Who was he?

"Seriously? That's all you have to say?"

"Oh my God, you didn't sleep."

"Stop it with your people reading interrogation skills! Ugh, I hate that so much!"

Jack shook his head, but he had a bright smile on his face as he looked at me. I scowled at him. I hadn't seen the doctors give him any weird painkillers, but maybe I'd missed something and that's why he was acting like this.

"You care about me," he said. It wasn't a question, he treated it like a statement of fact.

"If you're asking whether I care if you die, the answer is obviously yes-"

"No, I'm not asking. I'm noticing that you care about me. Enough to sit up all night worrying by my bedside, even when I wasn't in the room."

I pursed my lips and stared at him, trying not to let him read anything on my face. Of course, that alone was enough to tell him everything he needed to know.

"I can't believe it," he said, laughing a little as he looked away from me for the first time. He quickly stopped himself and grimaced in pain, then looked back at me. "I would've asked you on a date by now if I realized."

"You- what?" I spluttered, not quite able to believe what I was hearing. "What are you talking about?"

"Come on, you know what I'm talking about. All that back and forth taunting and teasing? It was a lot of beating around the bush because neither of us realized we had the same feelings for each other."

"Jack... what are you saying? Are you crazy? All we've ever done is bicker!"

"Listen, Y/L/N, I don't know about you, but I usually had a smile on my face as soon as I walked away from you after one of those arguments. And I almost died today, so even if you don't feel the same way as I do... I'm done with my part of our dance."

I stared at Jack in shock, but he just stared right back. I tried to sort through everything I was feeling—everything I'd been feeling since I picked up the phone in Daniel's office—and to my surprise, my concern for Jack kept coming back to the front of my mind.

I wanted to be logical, to take some time to really think things through, like I usually did. But Jack was right. He'd almost died, and if I'd watched Peggy and Daniel finally break their dance around each other last night, there was no reason Jack and I couldn't break ours either.

"Enjoy this moment, Thompson, because I'm probably never gonna say it again, but... you're right."

Jack grinned, but before he could make a smartass comment, I stood, leaned over his bed, and kissed him square on the mouth.

He was clearly shocked for a second, but he wasted no time before pulling me close and continuing the kiss. I braced my hands on either side of him, then pulled away quickly before we could get carried away.

Jack looked at me like I was crazy, and I looked at him the same way.

"Why'd you stop?" he asked.

"Because you're still recovering from a bullet wound, and I don't think anything that comes with making out is gonna be good for that."

Jack rolled his eyes and huffed, but he didn't protest. I sat back in my chair, a smile on my face as I stared at the man in front of me. When he finally looked back at me, his face quickly broke into a smile too.

"Alright, you're killing me just looking at me like that," he said. I scowled when he said "killing me", but he didn't react. "You've gotta start talking about something to distract me, or I'm gonna drag myself outta this bed and start kissing you, bullet wound be damned."

I laughed. Thankfully, I'd have no trouble keeping Jack distracted and safely in bed. Two of our mutual friends had given us some big news while he was out, after all.

"What's that smug look for?" he asked as I leaned back in my chair. "What do you know?"

"I caught Peggy and Daniel making out in Daniel's office last night," I said. Jack's mouth dropped open, and he tried to sit up before being forced back down by the pain of it.

"Are you kidding me?" he asked.

"No! I closed up the office for them and they went out on a date right after it happened!"

"Finally!" cried Jack, raising his hands in the air and flopping them back down on the bed. "I bet they both went beet red when you walked in on them, didn't they?"

"Oh, yeah. They were still blushing when they were headed out the door an hour later."

Jack shook his head. "I can't wait to give them hell for this."

"Me neither." Jack and I shared a smile, and I couldn't help laughing. "You know, I kinda feel bad for them. I mean, they're gonna check back into the office to find out you've been shot and rush to the hospital in a panic, only to discover that we've teamed up to turn our obnoxious energies towards them instead."

Jack grinned. "It's gonna be a blast, darling."

"That it is."

Jack and I laughed together as the sun finally came all the way up. At some point I was going to absolutely crash from lack of sleep, but for now, I was still doing okay.

It had been a crazy night, but by some miracle, things had worked out to be even better than alright.

[ohwriteiforgot]

when Daisy sees Daniel Sousa’s face in an ancient SHIELD file, she can’t help but think that he looks familiar

then she waves it off

the guy had been a big deal

she’d probably seen his picture on a wall or three, back when SHIELD had still been standing

she doesn’t expect bantering with him to feel... so satisfying

and whatever she tells herself, she can’t shake off the feeling that she know him

when she sees him getting choked to death by some Hydra bitch, something violent inside of Daisy snaps

something that tells her losing Sousa to Hydra is not an option

she doesn’t understand why she’s so fond of him, but when Mack tells them they’re saving him, a wave of relief washes over her

and she just can’t get over how freaking adorable he is whenever he sees (old) new tech

when Malick’s little shit gets his hands on them, she’s ready to do anything for Nathaniel to stay away from Sousa

even if she has to have her blood drained out again

even if she has to relive memory after torturous memory of her mother, of Ward and Hive, of Lincoln

she just know she has to protect him, as much at it hurts

and it does

it hurts so much that at one point it’s all she feels, all there is

until he lifts her up and lays her head on his thigh, tries to soothe the ache

she doesn’t remember a lot

just the pain and his voice, promising they would get home

when they’re finally back on the Zephyr, he keeps hovering

it’s somewhat cute

but Daisy is a grown woman

and she’s been through worse

besides, everyone else is worried enough, as if she’s about to fall apart at the seams, and she doesn’t need to deal with Sousa’s sad puppy eyes on top of that

he’s there when she wakes up, again, and again, and again

he’s there ready to follow her into any battle, any crazy idea

she wonders if there’s something wrong with him

he has no hesitation, no doubt, only blind trust in her

she can’t remember the last time anyone has looked at her like that

like she could do anything, and he would still be there to pick up the pieces and help her glue herself back together

he is absolutely ridiculous

she kisses him on a whim

the loop is going to reset, she is going to die again, and neither of them will remember it anyway (if they even managed to get out of this alive)

except she does remember

every time she closes her eyes, she remembers seeing him, dozens of him, and it makes sense

he’s from the wrong life, or maybe she is, or maybe none of it matters, because he’s supposed to be dead and her timeline is in shambles, so who cares

what matters is that against all odds, across decades, they have found each other

she has lost enough already

she can’t afford to lose more

she can’t afford to lose him

Or, a Sousy Soulmates AU, in which the only thing you remember from your past life is the face of your soulmate, except it’s more of a deja vu, for @agentsofchallenges’s AOS March Madness

[daisybeewrites]

Academy Blues — Prologue

word count: 1.8k

warnings: not any for this chapter

ship: Dousy, background Fitzsimmons and Philinda

okay y’all.. here it is. the first installment of my first LONG TERM SERIES!!!!!! ahhhh i’m so excited. literally i cant wait to continue this and see where it takes me. i have an idea and a few different planning sheets, but honestly i have no idea where exactly this will end up. i love each and single one of you <3 thank you for reading!! this is also posted on Ao3, and linked in the masterlist.

Daisy hated the sound of the bells at The Academy. Screeching, awful, way too loud, the bells were the bane of her existence. They all wore standard-issue watches from the lab that monitored vitals and gave them reminders, and also told the time, for god’s sake! Fitz had even modified hers so that she could play snake on the tiny watch face! There was no need for the bells to be so excruciatingly disruptive. Though, Daisy guessed, there were many things more tortuous than bells ringing every hour and fifteen minutes.

Daisy slowed to a jog, cutting her morning run short. The bright side to being a third-year was that you chose your schedule, for the most part, and that meant Daisy had a free first period for four out of five days of classes. She usually spent this free period getting an extra hour in at the gym, boxing or sparring with Mack or Bobbi, two fourth years that had reluctantly taken her under their wings, or sleeping in. She reserved sleeping in for especially rough nights where visions of ashes and earthquakes and lightning returned time and time again, no matter how many deep breaths she took or sheep she counted.

But this morning was not one of those mornings. She had been up before sunrise, a little before her usual alarm and silently headed out of her dorm for a run. It was humid this time of year on most Virginia mornings, but never so hot that it made Daisy feel as if she was being smothered. The cooler air chilled her sweaty skin, her chest rising and falling as she jogged up the three flights of steps to the second years’ dorms. Down one long hallway, and she arrived at her room.

Daisy had been given her own room at the start of last year, complete with poly-adaptic-proto-whatever panels, which she had painted a pastel shade of purple, to compliment the greens of her cacti and the dark purples and blacks of everything else in her room. Even May had agreed that the stark white was too ”psych wing” for a bedroom. Daisy was grateful for the space, but considering the panels and the private room were only necessary since...

She shuddered. Grabbing her shower caddy, Daisy set off to the bathroom at the opposite end of the hall, hoping no one else was spending a free first period at the dorms.

Her shoulder-length waves were wet from bouncing against her neck, and starting to become annoying now that the sweat had dried and was starting to itch. Picking the white tiled shower furthest away from the door, Daisy quickly turned the water on, checked the temperature, pulled her sports bra and shorts off and hopped into the shower. Shampoo, condition, soap body, rinse. Checking her watch, Daisy found that she had showered in record time, less than three minutes. After spending another five just enjoying the hot water, she hopped out and changed into her class clothes.

Dark purple leggings, Coulson’s grey vintage SHIELD tee and a pair of white running sneakers she had “borrowed” from Jemma completed her look. Passing the mirrors, Daisy tried not to glance at herself. If her hair was messy or her undereye bags a bit too dark, she didn’t want to know. Instead, she headed back to her room to pack her bag for the day.

SHIELD-issued laptop, extra hard drives and a charger, Advanced CS 3: Ethical Hacking: Theory and Application, Advanced CS 4: Secrets of The Coding Languages, Physics notebook, an essay that was three days late on some boring book about international laws, and her sparring gear were all thrown into the black bag. She gave a second glance at the Russian notebooks Bobbi had loaned to her, promising that she’d learn without taking the class. Oh well, she still had all of this term to start. Plus, would she ever really need more than the dirty words?

One look at the alarm clock that sat on her dark hardwood night table showed that she still had almost forty-five minutes before she had to be in the computer lab. Sitting down on her bed, Daisy ran a hand over the grey blanket May had given her.

Daisy’s relationship with May and Coulson had been something of a problem with other students when she first got here. Some had been okay with the obvious paternal love Coulson showed for Daisy, showing her around and checking up on her, scheduling lunch dates and reminding her of tests. May was more subtle, texting her links to tai chi videos when she noticed Daisy getting too stressed or letting Daisy do her own thing if she saw that she was overwhelmed. Of course, none of the other students knew her family history, what she had gone through just to realize that May and Coulson were more her parents than her biological father and mother could ever be. She would see them later today—May during field training and Coulson in between lectures in the canteen.

Daisy walked over to her window to open her blinds, staring out at the campus she had grown to love. The large brick buildings scattered around acres of the Virginia countryside; green fields meant for physical activities like sparring or obstacle courses, or simply basking in the weather to study or chat; the dorms—red brick and concrete melded together to upgrade and expand the charming style of previously-built homes.

Grabbing a protein bar, Daisy headed to the canteen to make a green smoothie (and maybe snatch a cup of joe before she had to listen to an hour-long lecture on the reason SHIELD must cooperate with the UN’s stupid rules at 7:30 in the morning). Smelling the pines and morning dew surrounding her, she smiled slightly. Maybe this term wouldn’t be so bad.

———————————————————————

Daniel Sousa was a man of honor. He was a man of great strength. Agent Daniel Sousa, previously Officer Daniel Sousa in the US Army, was a man who could fix his damn alarm clock on his own.

Just, not today. Or the day before.

So, Agent Daniel Sousa was now hurrying his way to class at The SHIELD Academy, books in hand and gym bag slung over his shoulders. Catching a glance at himself in the shiny glass doors of the bio-chem building, he groaned. He hadn’t even brushed his hair. And, looking down, he discovered he was wearing two different shoes.

This is the college experience everyone raves about, he thought bitterly. You see, Daniel Sousa had enlisted to the army straight out of high school, forgoing university. He climbed the ranks impressively quickly, earning his place as second-in-command and reconnaissance scout in the 28th Infantry Regiment. Unfortunately, after only four years in the army, Sousa was injured in the field, losing his leg and almost his life.

He came back to the US a war hero, and yet, he felt he wasn't finished. So, when a recruiter named Peggy Carter knocked on his door claiming to be from SHIELD (“Wow, you guys are still a thing?”), he leapt at the chance to continue fighti-...doing good. The Academy wasn’t exactly what he had bargained for, though. Trying to earn his B.A. and training to be an agent at the same time was grueling, but nothing he couldn’t deal with.

No, six different one hour and fifteen minute long classes plus mandatory physical therapy every day wasn’t going to break him. Learning how to be a communications agent and re-starting field training and catching up on general college education was no problem. Pressuring himself to be the best, to break the limits, to get past all his weaknesses was just another miniscule feather to add to the pile.

Unless his stupid alarm clock broke. Then yes, Agent Daniel Sousa would fail, buckle under the weight and be left on the floor to die.

Maybe he was being a bit dramatic.

One bunny-slippered right foot and a sneakered left leg carried him forward, propelled by a quickly chugged orange Celsius and his sheer will not to be late.

Daniel heard the late bell ring out, understanding that, on his first day of class, he would be counted late. It wasn’t like him, not at all. Especially when his first class was a refresher course on field tactics and covert strategy, something in which he was already aces.

He let out a sigh, slowing as he rounded the corner into the comms building. At the Academy, most buildings were grouped into categories: the cafeteria, gym and pool, and student resource building all to the south; the gun range, obstacle course, and specialized gym to the east; bio-chem labs, tech labs, and smaller rooms for lectures to the west; the computer labs and comms buildings right smack in the middle; and dorms to the north.

He swiped a key card with his driver’s license picture and student ID, unlocking the sliding doors that led to the computer labs. It was quicker to short cut through them than to walk around the building to the entrance closest to communications classrooms.

It wasn’t because he knew a certain broody brunette spent her mornings in the lab.

No, it wasn’t, because she wasn’t in her usual seat in the corner, typing away.

He slowly walked through the rows of computers, searching for a familiar black backpack. Nothing was there.

“Hey, Sousa,” an accented female voice called behind him. He whipped around to see who it was, feeling just a twinge of disappointment when Elena, or, as most people knew her, Yo-Yo, was leaning against the door frame. Yo-Yo, a fourth year operations trainee, who was very close with Daisy.

“Hey, Yo-Yo. Good morning,” he called, “I’m running a bit late.”

Elena checked her nails casually, “Way to state the obvious. You were running faster than I could trying to get here before the bell.”

Daniel rubbed the back of his neck and blushed. “Yeah…”

“Daisy’s running late today, too.”

Daniel looked around, pretending that hearing Daisy’s name didn’t make him want to smile. “Oh, of course. She’s usually here early.”

Elena nodded, chuckling a little at his response. She couldn’t tell if he was oblivious or just a bad liar. It was charming, really. “Right. See ya ‘round, Sousa!”

“See ya,” He replied. He thought he heard a quiet ‘Lovable nerds’ coming from the direction she left, but he couldn’t be sure.

And so, with a last look around the computer lab, Daniel set off to arrive late to May’s lecture.

———————————————————————

okay okay,,, what do y’all think?? like/reblog and let me know! it’s the best way to support writers and it only takes a second! stay tuned for more chapters!!

[que-mint-tea]

the team meeting Alya headcanons

For one of my all-time favourite humans and a m a z i n g friends @daisylincs I love youuu 💕💕💕

sorry this got a little long. and adorable. but long..

So Alya is the sweetest kiddo in the universe ...but of course, an enclosed spaceship basically being her home, she isn’t very used to meeting new people

Everyone on the team is sO eager to get to know her- especially Daisy who is still s h o o k her two nerdy bffs made an actual other human, but they understand she needs a little time to trust them & don’t pressure her

That night right before bed Alya looks really conerned for a while and then quietly asks..

“...mama, are all those people...good?”

Jemma tries her best not to start crying because of course her little angel remembered what her and Fitz taught her about being careful & never trusting strangers because they might be ‘bad people’

“Yes, sweetheart, they’re all very very good people. I promise your dad and I would never let any bad people come anywhere near you, monkey. Never.”

“..oh..okay.”

she falls asleep mumbling something about making some new friends tomorrow..

At first she just gives the team shy smiles while hiding behind Fitz’s legs to get used to everyone

Then she starts giving them little waves when she sees them around base and runs away giggling :)

Alya finds Daisy making waffles one morning and decides to stay and help her out

“I can’t let you make them all alone!! what if you get the recipe all wrong??”

Daisy is internally squealing the entire time and ofc won’t say no to Alya so they end up having ones soaking in chocolate syrup and a bajilion sprinkles on top Fitzsimmons are not impressed

Alya first chats to Mack when she can’t reach something on a the top shelf and he’s more than happy (and capable) to help out

“ um.. excuse me mister director mack, but are you really made of metal? my daddy says you’re a mini tank...”

Yoyo d i e s laughing & it becomes their inside joke to call mack ‘tank’ or ‘metal man’ whenever they see him

Alya finds May drinking tea and asks if she can have some too and they end up talking for hours

Alya makes May giggle

Coulson finds them and the three of them end up going over to see his vintage SHIELD junk collection from forever ago & he lets her keep something

Alya joins Sousa and Kora watching Mulan because Daisy’s ‘catching them up’ on the last few decades of modern culture

They end up bonding over Disney movies and have regular movie nights where they get ridiculously invested in the story

Alya and Daisy start keeping a tally of how many times Sousa’s cried :)

(I was initially gonna include davis and piper and flint but this got wayyy too long so lmk if i should do a pt. 2 ;)

[imjustthemechanic]

The Price of a Soul

Part 1/? - Agent Russel Part 2/? - The Letter Part 3/? - Miss Lake Part 4/? - The Stewardess Part 5/? - An Assassination Part 6/? - Fallout Part 7/? - Face to Face Part 8/? - Deals, Details, and Other Devils Part 9/? - Baggage Part 10/? - Private Funding Part 11/? - Just Passing Through Part 12/? - Party of Four Part 13/? - Resolute Part 14/? - The Wreck Part 15/? - Body Snatchers Part 16/? - Out of the Frying Pan Part 17/? - A Miracle Part 18/? - A Matter of Circumstance Part 19/? - Nome Part 20/? - The Future Part 21/? - A Hero’s Welcome Part 22/? - Up to Speed Part 23/? - Expect Further Delays Part 24/? - The Welcome Wagon Part 25/? - Fugitives Part 26/? - A Reluctant Accomplice

Agent Russel probably doesn’t deserve this.  Probably.

-

The next day, when Agent Russel showed up for his tuna melt, it was served to him by a woman in the same uniform any of the other waitresses wore. As she set the plate in front of him, another came to refill his coffee cup.

“Thanks, ladies,” he murmured, raising the cup to his lips.

“Don’t mention it,” said Peggy.

Agent Russel looked up with a start.  His brown eyes darted from Peggy to Kay and then back again, and his expression suggested he was seriously considering screaming.  Peggy sat down across from him at his booth, and Kay took the seat next to him, blocking his escape.

“Not a sound,” said Peggy.

Something under the table went click, sounding suspiciously like a gun being cocked. Kay, her hands invisible, gave Agent Russel a dazzling smile.

“So you two are working together,” Russel said.

“Don’t look so nervous, Ned,” said Kay.  “You’re flirting with two waitresses at once.  You should be a happy man.”

“What do you want?” he asked.

“Your help,” Peggy replied.

“Why would I want to help you?”

“Because we’re the ones who found Captain America,” said Peggy.  “Doesn’t that suggest we’re the good guys?”

“I don’t know who are the good guys in this,” Russel admitted. “Last time I saw you,” he pointed at Peggy, “you were going home in protest because Thompson was working with her,” his finger moved to Kay, “and she drugged and robbed me.”

“I apologized,” said Kay.

“Now suddenly you’re on the same side?”

“Kay persuaded me that we always have been,” Peggy said, though that still wasn’t totally true.  “Remember those numbers I mentioned she gave me?  Those were the key to the Captain’s location.  Kay is not a spy, she’s a defector.  She has information for us, and she thinks she knows how to get more out of Olga Barynova.”

Russel nodded slowly, although his expression remained skeptical.  “And where does she come into this? Because she says you let her out of prison and flew her to Los Angeles yourself.”

“Did she say why?” asked Peggy.

 “We haven’t been able to get that out of her,” Russel said.

Peggy laced her fingers together in front of her.  “I’m afraid it’s true that I let Miss Underwood out of her cell,” she said, “but I did so with every intention of returning her to it, and because I needed a service I felt only she could provide.  I’m sure you’ve heard of Whitney Frost?”

“Yes…” said Russel slowly.  “She’s that actress who went nuts and murdered her husband, right?”

“There’s a bit more to the story than that.”  Peggy leaned in a bit closer.  “Let me explain.  You can check what I say with Daniel Sousa and Edwin Jarvis, and they will tell you the same.”

Russel looked around, and then opened his briefcase to get a notebook. “All right.  Let’s hear it.”

Peggy tried to be as quick as she could in describing the situation, but it was not a simple one and it took a while.  They probably went on significantly beyond the break two waitresses would have gotten, but it was essential that Russel get details he could confirm if he liked.  In particular she described how they’d dressed Dottie for the mission, how Mr. Jarvis had observed that she was an excellent dancer, and what they’d been able to learn as a result.

“Unfortunately, Miss Underwood is better than you are from escaping the trunks of cars,” Peggy finished, “and we haven’t seen her since.”

“Uh-huh,” said Russel.  “If any of that is true… well, freeing her was still a stupid thing to do.”

“Yes, it was,” Peggy said, “and I regret it every time I hear she’s committed another robbery or ended another life.  However,” she gestured to her companion.  “Kay thinks she knows what Dottie’s trying to accomplish, and if she’s correct we can get good information from her.  We obviously can’t get in to talk to her because, as you already noted, we’re supposed to be in jail with her.  But you can.”

Russel frowned, thinking.  “What are you two up to?” he asked.  “What are you trying to do?”

“Make the future a little better than it’s stacking up to be,” said Kay.

“If we can find out where Dottie and her ilk came from, we can shut them down and make sure we don’t see any more like her,” Peggy said.  “And possibly free American prisoners of war, as well.”

“What would you need me to do?” Russel asked.

“For now just deliver a message and bring back her reply,” said Peggy.  “Kay has a page written up.  She’ll give you a translation if you want it.”

Kay took the paper out.  “If you do this for us, not only will you be potentially saving lives, but I will personally go see your wife and tell her you were supposed to be investigating me and that’s the only reason you had a drink with me, and try to convince her to take you back.  I can’t promise miracles,” she added, “but I’ll do my best and my best is pretty damned good.”  She offered him the page.

He made no move to take it.  Instead he just sat there, apparently lost in thought.

“Agent Russel,” Peggy said, “what was your first impression of me?”

“Of you?”  He looked her over.  “That you were very, very… devoted… to getting your job done.  But my first impression of her,” Russel looked at Kay, “was that she was harmless and flighty, so I’m not sure I trust those anymore. Can I have twenty-four hours to think it over?”

Peggy didn’t want to give it to him.  Twenty-four hours was time to think, but it was also time to tell Thompson and Masters they’d been here.  Could they afford that?  Twenty-four hours from now, Steve would have left New York on the beginning of the publicity tour Masters had put together.  If he still wanted to rescue his friend from captivity in Russia, were they going to have to chase him across the country in order to give him their information?

“Can I have your word you won’t go straight to the police?” she asked.

“I am the police,” Russel reminded her, “but yes.  I think there’s more going on here than you can see on the surface, but I don’t know which side of it you two are on… especially when you’re pointing a gun at me under the table.”

Kay smiled at him and brought her other hand up to show him a bolt mechanism from a disassembled doorknob, which she’d used to make the metallic click.

“Well,” Peggy said in an American accent.  “We’d better get back to our shift.  See you tomorrow, Mr. Russel.  Same time, same place.”

- 

They spent a second restless night in the Pine Barrens.  Kay busied herself with some knitting needles and yarn she’d bought in the town, producing some intricate-looking lacy thing Peggy couldn’t begin to identify.  Her thoughts were a mystery.

Peggy herself spent the time thinking about what they were going to do if this didn’t work.  It seemed to her that they’d have to find Steve, but she really didn’t want him to get involved in this mess.  Daniel was in it with her whether she liked it or not, as was Mr. Jarvis, but she would have liked to keep Steve safe.

That was a strange thought, wasn’t it?  Steve had always been able to take care of himself, even when he’d been only five foot four, yet Peggy’s urge was to protect him.  Was that one of those ‘motherly instincts’ men insisted all women had, or was it just that Peggy wanted to keep everybody she loved safe? She’d failed with Michael.  There was a part of her that still thought, no matter how irrational she knew it was, that if she’d only joined the spy corps earlier he would still be alive.  Was she trying to make up for that?

What would happen if she just disappeared?

She’d wondered that from time to time, like when Anna Jarvis had been shot… wouldn’t the people she loved be safer if Peggy weren’t around?  Without her, Daniel and Mr. Jarvis wouldn’t be in trouble right now.  She was the one who’d involved them in the situation with Dottie.  The problem with that thought was that the trouble had already come to them.  If she were to vanish, they would still end up in prison or worse on the strength of Dottie’s testimony, or perhaps have their fates dangled like carrots to encourage Peggy to return.  She couldn’t stand for that.  She’d gotten them in trouble, she had to get them out of it.

Which meant she’d better come up with a backup plan in case Russel wouldn’t help.

- 

They scoped out the Automat very carefully before returning the next day, making sure there were no suspicious fellows hanging around watching who came and went.  Peggy saw none, and Kay agreed with her.  They went inside and changed into Angie’s spare uniforms, Kay putting a few safety pins in hers so it would look like it fit.  When Agent Russel arrived, they took him his usual and sat down across from him.  This time, they did not bother with sound effects.

“I didn’t talk to the police,” he said.  “But I felt like I had to talk to somebody… so I talked to Captain America.”

Peggy’s heart started beating a little faster.  “How on Earth did you manage that?” she asked.  Steve and Masters had left New York early that morning. They’d heard it on their car radio.

“I told Jack I wanted to meet him in person because he’s always been a hero of mine, Jack talked to Masters, and Masters let me in,” Russel explained.

“Wow.  I’m momentarily glad I didn’t kill him yet,” said Kay.

“Please stop that,” Peggy told her.

“If you want something fun to do on your weekends,” Kay said to Russel, “take a look at what Vernon Masters was up to around… oh, 1943-ish.”

“Do you know something I don’t?” Peggy asked her.  A foolish question, really… Kay always knew something nobody else did, or at least, she acted that way.

“In this case, no,” Kay replied, “but I have strong suspicions.”

Peggy shook her head and brought things back to Russel.  “What did he say?  Steve, I mean.”

“Well, he told me to call him Steve,” Russel said, “which was a little like meeting one of your schoolteachers as an adult and having him tell you to call him by his name.  I told him what you were asking me to do, and… he said he doesn’t know about Miss Lake, himself, but he trusts Peggy Carter with his life and I should do what she asks.  He seemed pretty sure you know what you’re doing.”

Peggy had to chuckle at that.  “He has such faith in me,” she said.  Of course, she had faith in Steve, too… he’d always done the most recklessly foolish things imaginable, but he’d always managed to make them work in spite of everything.  “Thank you, Agent Russel.”

“I still don’t know what’s going on here,” Russel admitted, “but I don’t think Captain America would involve himself with traitors.  I read the file the FBI gave me about you, and I remember thinking there must have been some kind of mistake.  That was my instinct from the beginning.”  He glanced at Kay… the woman who’d given him cause to doubt his instincts.  “What’s this message?”

Kay unfolded it and handed it over – a page of pseudo-Cyrillic accomplished with an ordinary English typewriter and going over some of the letters two or three times.  “I think I know what she wants.  She’s amassing money and blackmail material.  She’s going after the mob now because she wants to force a diplomat with criminal connections to smuggle her back into the USSR.  If she tries to go there legitimately, or even secretly but without protection, she’ll be shot.  She needs to enter the country unnoticed, and then she’s going after the people who made her.”

“For what?  Revenge?” asked Russel.

“Exactly.”

“And you’re going to let her do it?” he guessed.

“On her own she can’t,” said Kay.  “She’ll never get that far, or she’ll be caught, and she’ll just disappear from history. But if I’m right, it gives us a bargaining chip.”

“I see.”  Russel tucked the message inside his jacket.  “I’ll deliver it this afternoon, and if she gives me a reply, I’ll pass it on tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Agent Russel,” Peggy repeated.

They left him to his lunch then, and returned to their stolen car to go back into hiding.  Kay still hadn’t broken her habit of checking for seat belts when she got in.

Halfway through New Jersey, she suddenly asked Peggy, “have you see Frankenstein?  That was made in the thirties, wasn’t it?  Or read the book?”

“I haven’t,” Peggy replied.  “I’m not one for the cinema, and the very idea of the book put me off.”  As a child she simply hadn’t liked horror stories, and as an adult she’d seen far too many of them in real life to enjoy them in fiction.

“I have,” said Kay.  “Several more versions, too, and most of them miss the point.  The creature couldn’t help being what he was.  The monster was the man who created him.”  She sighed.  “Everyone treated the creature as a monster, until he decided that was the only thing he could be.”

“Do you believe that of yourself?” Peggy asked.

“I think Barynova might,” Kay replied.

[millennialfangirl]

Kind and Generous (mid & post 7x10 oneshot)

Fandom: Agents of Shield

Pairing: Daisy x Daniel

Rating: Mature & NSFW

Word Count: 3,027

Author’s Note: Hello, all! This is my first foray into Dousy mature content (aka smut). I’m really excited about it, but also nervous, because it’s been several years since I’ve written smut, or much of anything. 

This title and fic are inspired by the song “Kind and Generous” by Natalie Merchant (hello 90′s), and the sheer pure goodness of one Agent Daniel Sousa. I hope yall enjoy! Comments are treasured!

~Kind and Generous~

Daniel takes the large duffle that’s a lot heavier than she made it seem. He smiles to himself at convincing her to let him take it off her shoulders, and heads down the hallway in the direction of the bunks. Once he reaches them, he places his bag in one, and then goes out to look for a bunk for Daisy. Realizing he doesn’t know which one she might want, he turns back in the direction of the lab room he had left the two women in. 

He doesn’t mean to eavesdrop, but just as he’s approaching the door, he hears his name. The next thing he hears takes his breath away, causing him to pause outside the door, and stay hidden.

“You kissed Agent Sousa?” Simmons exclaims in a loud whisper. 

“Hey, hey, keep your voice down. Nobody knows, not even him.”

Daniel ponders what could possibly be wrong with Daisy, because he damn sure would know if they had kissed. The desire and thought of doing it had been lingering in his mind since she saved his tail back on the train, assuring him that they were, in fact, the good guys. Why would she fabricate something like that and share it with Agent Simmons?

“How is that possible? What do you mean he doesn’t know?”

“Remember the whole time loop situation I was just in...yea.”

“What does this mean? Do you like him? Are you going to tell him?”

Even outside of the room, he can hear Daisy take a deep breath before sighing. He can’t believe that they had kissed, and he had the dumb luck of forgetting it. 

“Of course I like him. He’s a good man. Even if the SHIELD files didn’t prove that, he was by my side in every time loop, even sacrificed himself a couple of times just so I wouldn’t die and reset my memory. He’s solid...and it doesn’t hurt that he’s got that James Dean, Cary Grant Hollywood vibe going.”

“He is rather dreamy. That’s so exciting...why do I feel like there’s a but?”

“Because...you know my past. Look at how many people that get near me die. I barely know him, but somehow I don’t think I could lose him. And besides, we just ripped him from his home, everything he knew. For all I know, he’s in love with someone back in 1955.”

All he can hear is Simmons’ exasperated, “Daisy,” as he backs away from the door, back to the bunk he had put his things in. He takes the time to think over everything he heard while putting away the few things he has on his person. 

He’s lost in thought when he hears the thud of familiar combat boots approaching his door. Daisy knocks on the door frame softly, and he looks up to see her in the doorway looking calm and collected.

“So, where’d you put my stuff, then I’ll be out of your way so you can get some rest.” 

He gestures to the floor by the door where he had dazedly put her duffle. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know which bunk you wanted. I was going to come find you after I got settled.”

 “That’s alright,” she brushes off as she moves to grab the bag. 

He’s there in an instant, picking it up and hoisting it on his shoulder.

“Show me the way.”

She gives him a once over, clearly scrutinizing his actions before shrugging.

“I was thinking I’d just go right across the hall, actually.”

He follows her the few steps across the tile hall and into the room. Without being told, he deposits the large duffle on her bed. 

“That was easy enough,” he says, wiping his hands together as if he had just lifted fifty bales of hay. 

“Thanks.” 

“No problem...actually, do you mind if we talk for a minute.”

“Sure. You doing alright? Are you ready to abandon ship and try to go start a new life?”

Daniel finds it incredibly sad that her first assumption is that he wants to leave. He finds it sad that she doesn’t seem bothered by it, more like she was expecting it. He can see the careful mask she’s placed to hide her fears. 

“I’m doing great actually, and I think I’m right where I need to be.” 

Daisy startles, and her mask of kind indifference drops. 

“Oh...okay. Um, in that case, what did you need?”

He takes a couple of steps closer while carefully deciding what he should say. He doesn’t want to spook her. He doesn’t want to push her. He just wants her to know that he’s there, available, waiting for the right time. 

“I just want you to know that there’s no one special back in ‘55. No one to write home to. I kind of married the job, resigned myself to bachelorhood,” he says while crossing his arms. He clears his throat before continuing, because he can see that she’s at a loss for words.

“Of course, I had close friends, family. My pop was still around. So when I say there are people I wish I could have said goodbye to, that’s who I’m talking about.” 

He can see the faintest blush rise on her cheeks, and he loves the way it makes her skin glow. 

“And um, why did you think I should know that?”

“So that when I tell you that I think you’re amazing, and that I want to get to know you better, and that I want to take you to dinner and see a film, if that’s something people still do in the 21st century...that you’ll believe me.” 

She brings her fingers up to her mouth, maybe remembering the kiss they had shared, or maybe covering up the grin that’s breaking through. Most importantly, she’s not backing away or rejecting his plans. If anything, she’s inched closer to him. 

“That’s a good reason.” 

“I thought so,” he agrees.

He takes her free hand, holding it in his. He lifts it to his mouth, brushing his lips softly against the top of her knuckles.

“I’m going to show you that you deserve good things. I promise,” he mumbles against her skin, turning and kissing the delicate underside of her wrist too, the promise of so much more implied.

She looks at him in awe, and he’s proud to have rendered her speechless. He lets her hand fall from his as he slowly backs up and turns to the door. Just as he’s about to walk out, he turns back around at the last minute.

She’s still standing there, staring at the place he once stood. 

“And Agent Johnson,” he starts, waiting for her to look up and meet his eyes. “I’d really like to kiss you on the lips and remember it, if that’s something you might be amenable to one day.”

He knows he’s playing dirty, but he loves the way her whole face goes red, realization that he’d heard their conversation dawning on her face. 

“I think I can be amenable to that.” 

“Good. I’ll go get some of that rest now.”

He turns on his heel, and can’t help the light whistle he blows as he moves to his room, closing the door behind him. For the first time since he woke up on the Zephyr, he feels like he’s got something to look forward to. 

***

Over the next few weeks, he does just that. He reminds her of what it is like to have a partner, to have someone to lean on. He picks her up after every fall, and he stands by her side in every fight.  And it isn’t like the almost simple, repeated tasks of the time loop. It’s the heavy, habitual pattern of everyday life, and the constant fear of the unknown. He is steady through it all.

They fall into like...into friendship...and then an instant anticipation of more. Secret glances and whispered conversations between missions. They can feel the hum of something big just underneath the surface. Daisy knew that as soon as the fighting stopped and the team could take a break, they would collide with each other like two trains on the same track. They were never supposed to cross paths, but someone, God, the universe...maybe time itself, switched their paths. Somehow, he’s everything she didn’t know she needed, and more. 

Their time of respite comes. They’re in a new future, one that’s unknown to them both, and their team, but the Lighthouse is still there. For better or worse, it’s their home for now. The team disperses, each of them seeking out long hot showers, comfort food, and the welcoming arms of someone they love. Daniel finds her combing through her wet hair, water droplets clinging to her skin. 

“We did it.”

“You did it,” he replies immediately.

But as kind and generous as that is to say, she knows she wouldn’t be here without him.

“No, we did it.” 

He silently acquiesces with a nod. 

She stands up, tugging the thin robe she had put on after her shower more tightly around her. She pivots to place her brush on the outdated, built-in 70’s dresser. 

She can feel the air shift, and she’s only a little surprised to find him right in front of her when she turns back around. 

“Hey.”

“Hi.”

“You feeling okay? You hurt much?” he asks, always concerned, his eyes raking over her body.

“No. Just a little tired," she assures him.

“Good,” he replies, like she placed the last puzzle piece or connected the last dot. 

She is surprised when he grasps her waist and pulls her flush against him. Without hesitation, their mouths meet, and it’s so much better than her memory of the time loop. He’s giving so much to the kiss, exposing himself down to the bones.

“I made you a promise.”

He lifts her wrist up and starts a slow ascent up her arm, sliding the sleeve of her robe up as his mouth picks up where he left off weeks ago.

“I’d like to follow through on that now, if it’s okay with you.” 

She can barely nod as he gently pulls the knot loose that’s holding her robe closed. He doesn’t pull it off, he doesn’t look, he just places a warm hand on her bare stomach, and then moves his lips to her cheek. 

Her eyes sting under his careful touch. She’s never been touched like this. 

Where there was once an impassioned frenzy, now there’s a languid tenderness. Exploration, experimentation. Admiration. Daisy can feel it all coming off of him in waves, all tactile devotion. 

She needs this. She needs to feel loved, not for her power, or her fighting, but for her soft edges and fragile heart. 

Suddenly his arms are wrapped around her tight, one hand protectively on her back, the other buried in her hair, cradling her head. She can’t help but sag against him, feeling the last vestiges of fight or flight leave her system, a heavy weight unburdening itself from her shoulders. Somehow, this hug is more intimate than anything she’s experienced. They stand there for a minute, soaking up the silence and peace.

And then she’s in the moment, and she can feel him pressed against her everywhere, strong and solid and safe. Static crackles over her skin as he dips his head to her neck. Everything but his touch disappears, and her robe drops to the floor.  

He picks her up like he did in the barn, and they settle on the bed with her in his lap. His lips are back on hers, and his fingers are brushing down the side of her face, then her neck. She whimpers when they finally graze her breast, a gentle swirl over her nipple. He becomes reacquainted with her neck then, sucking and nipping while his fingers trace the sides of breast. He cups her whole, his hand encompassing her entirely. That long forgotten warmth draws down to her abdomen, and her inner walls clinch in anticipation. 

“So beautiful,” she can hear him murmur into her neck while his hand continues to massage her rhythmically. 

Weeks of want and anticipation since that first forgotten kiss has her desperate. The sudden shock of his affection wears off, leaving room for her to pull his face back up so she can kiss him properly. His responding moan delights her when she slips her tongue in his mouth. His gentle control waivers, and she’s rewarded with a slightly painful pinch to her hardened nipple. Her hips buck and her legs spread, begging for attention. 

He’s still cradling her head as he leans back from the kiss to look into her face. It’s not her lack of clothing making her feel vulnerable, rather the intense stare he maintains as his hand finds its way to her parted legs. A strangled gasp leaves her at the first touch of his fingertips to her entrance. She can see his eyes dance around her face, watching every reaction to his exploration. 

A digit gathers moisture, and circles her entrance. She can’t help but let her eyes slip closed as that finger disappears within her. He goes shallow at first as he maps her out. 

“Daniel…” she hears herself whimper, and she’s not sure she’s ever heard herself sound like that before.

Her hand grips his forearm, nails digging in as she looks up at him in wonder and need. 

“Whatever you need,” he quietly promises.

And she feels that burning sensation behind her eyes again. Her hand slides down to his.

“Don’t stop,” she instructs while gently pushing him deeper. 

A tear escapes down her cheekbone as he starts to circle her deep inside. 

Her right arm wraps around his waist while her left hand continues to cling to his, feeling him push in and out of her in steady, sure strokes. She holds him tightly and can’t help but arch up against his ministrations, which makes it easier for his head to tip down and latch onto a nipple. A light wave travels through her, and she knows she’s already getting close. 

He must know it too, because his middle finger becomes more sure of itself as he curls it up. He pulls away from her breast, and kisses the tear away. He watches her as she starts to come undone, his thumb circling her clit, lighting her up in a whole new way. 

She bites her lip, and her legs tense up waiting, and waiting for that drop. Her stomach quivers, along with a few things around the room. His finger works her over faster and harder.

“C’mon, come for me. Let go.”

Her stomach shakes and she gasps out a broken cry. Her walls flutter and collapse around him.

“That’s it...that’s it. Just like that,’ he encourages her.

She rides out her release in blissful fulfillment. 

She should feel shy and embarrassed as she comes down from her high, but there’s no room for that when she meets his kind eyes and flushed cheeks. He’s smiling, wide and happy, and Daisy’s never been the girl to feel giddy and romantic, but she does. 

He slowly withdraws from her, and she can feel her dampness on his hand as it trails back up her body. He lays her down finally, and kisses her softly, almost timid. 

He props up on an elbow and looks down at her. 

“Was that…” he tries to get out, clearing his throat.

“Was that good? Did you enjoy it?”

She can’t help the toothy, silly grin that splits her face, or the tired, satisfied stretch she lets out as she nods in affirmation.

“It was perfect.”

“I’m glad.”

He leans down and nuzzles her nose, peppering soft kisses across her face. 

But then he’s getting up, pulling back the starchy sheets and blanket. Before she realizes it, he’s tucking her in, his hand brushing her hair out of her face. 

“Hey...where are you going? I want to take care of you,” she whines while pulling on his arm.

He sits on the edge of the mattress and tangles their fingers together. He kisses them lightly while gazing down at her. 

“There’ll be plenty of time for that later. In fact, I’d like to take you out on a date, remember?”

“But--” 

“You should be resting.”

She’s not pleased with the turn of events, but even she can admit how heavy her eyelids are getting. She doesn’t want him to leave though. She’s selfishly wanted him back by her side, sleeping next to her, just like he did with the healing pod.

“Okay, but will you stay?” she asks. And maybe she bites her lip and gives him her best puppy dog eyes.

She knows he’s caved, the minute he sighs and let’s his head drop down in a rueful grin. 

“I knew you were going to be trouble, with a capital ‘T’.”

She laughs and excitedly slides over, pulling back the sheets for him. She feels a rush of pride when she sees him falter, staring at her still naked form. He blinks out of his daze and immediately pulls the basic t-shirt he’s wearing over his head.

It’s her turn gulp when he hands it to her.

“I’ll stay, but you gotta put that on,” he demands as he turns around.

“You are such a square,” she teases, but does as he says. 

He turns back as she settles back into the bed.

“I’m going to go grab some water. Want some?”

So, so kind and generous. 

“Yes, please.”

“You got it. I’ll be right back.” 

She watches him go and relaxes. Fatigue settles into her bones. She must have drifted off, because she startles awake when she feels someone settle behind her on the mattress, the room dark and quiet.

“It’s just me,” he reassures her, and tugs her close against him. 

She smiles into the darkness when he kisses her cheek. 

“I’m going to thank you properly, Agent Sousa...for everything.” 

“I look forward to it, Agent Johnson.”

******************

Ta Da! 

Would anyone like a follow up with a first date?

(pssst...there’s probably going to be a smutty first date follow up)

[daisyssousa]

DOUSY APPRECIATION WEEK ★彡 ‘ they’re trapped together, they save each other, and sousa carries her home. ‘

day one - favorite moment quote - ‘ alfa ’

poetic waxing below -

I don’t love that someone had to hurt her for this moment to come about. Or him. Daisy really didn’t need more violence against her, or any ever for that matter, and the amount of violence she’s endured will never not make me upset. They’ve both seen enough violence for multiple lifetimes. But I also think that that’s why this moment partially resonated so much with me; because finally, FINALLY, someone was there for her, stood up for her, and her alone.

There’s so much intimacy in this scene. First of all, it’s that they saved each other- she procured the weapon, and he got them out. Already they’re an amazing team.

Then there’s the way she really wanted to know his story and how he lost his leg, was interested in him, didn’t shy away from him. And what’s even more, he told her. Making it even more special is the fact that whenever anyone else has asked him about it, he’s brushed them off. We have never seen him tell anyone this story on screen, the closest we get is him saying it happened in Bastogne (which makes it even more poignant that it comes out in such a moment). And not only that, he shared this really sacred, intimate piece of himself because he wanted to keep her alive. He didn’t have to, he could’ve talked to her about literally anything, but he wanted to tell her his story.

There’s also all the small, intimate touches that happen; the way he rests her against him, the way she curls into him like he’s her safe place. The way he runs his hands comfortingly through her hair and over her shoulders and checks on her injuries and worries over her. The way he can’t believe she just hid a piece of glass in her palm while she was being tortured, like it was no big deal, and he’s in complete awe of how strong she is. The way he promises he WILL get her home, and we know that Daisy, above all else, has only ever wanted a home (and family).

And to top it off, he carries her out, on his injured leg, with no walking aids but his old time prosthetic, injuring his leg god knows how much more because who knows how long or far he carried her before they found the Zehpyr again, with no way to know where they were (probably a long way since they were in the city and then suddenly a barn).

There’s one more thing that makes this scene more enduring to me; this scene is the moment he chooses to stay with her, for her. When right before they were attacked, he was saying that the 70′s was his last stop and he’d be leaving because everything was getting worse the further in time they went. And her attempt to get him to stay- to (slightly) frantically reassure him it’s just a temporary setback, he doesn’t have to leave. And she really doesn’t want him to. 

Honestly, I would have giffed every single moment of theirs together because I love all of them, but this one manages to make me faceroll my keyboard in feelings every single time (this and the entirety of the timeloops lol)

[thirtysomethingloser92]

Chapter 2

Summary: After being removed from his own time, Agent Daniel Sousa finds himself in 2020 lost, alone and vulnerable. You, an Avenger, find yourself face to face with Director Coulson and Agent May begging you to help another man out of time. This time however, instead of a super soldier, you meet an average man haunted by war and a time he once knew.   Pairings: Daniel Sousa x Reader.

Your eyes stared at the files on the coffee table, the SHIELD logo staring at you, almost mockingly, daring you to open them up and read them. To peer into the personal lives of the people from a past time. To peer into the personal file of the man sleeping soundlessly down the hall. Hands covering the large mug you held between your palms kept your hands somewhat distracted from twitching over the wanting to open them.

You hadn't done it with Steve, but that was because Steve was easy to read. He wasn't a spy like Daniel was. He couldn't hide behind his mask, his eyes and his demeanor gave him away far too easily.

However with Daniel, he seemed to be taking this all in his stride. Eager to learn new things, eager to reintroduce himself back into society. It had been 3 weeks and his demeanor hadn't even faltered under your watchful gaze. At night time, when he was sure you couldn't hear or see him; That was a completely different story.

You reached down and picked up your phone, placing your cup next to it, fully preparing to call the one person on this planet who would know what Daniel was dealing with, what emotions he was feeling; whether Steve Rogers answered his phone to you, that would be decided. It was the unbalanced walk and the steady sound of a walking stick against your wooden hallway that made you pause what you were doing. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw a the familiar dark haired man standing in the doorway, somewhat frozen to the spot as his eyes glanced around before finally landing on you. A reassuring smile graced your face as you turned in your seat to fully face the former SHIELD agent who was clad in a white singlet and loose pajama pants, "Good morning. Sleep well?" You asked politely, placing your phone down on the coffee table and standing up to meet Daniel halfway into the living room.

"Yeah it was fine," He smiled hesitantly for a moment before pointing to the plush couch, "Do you mind if I-?"

You turned to look at the couch, "Oh no. Please make yourself at home. Anything you need help yourself too. This is pretty much your place as well now,"

"Thanks,".

You hovered slightly behind him as he fell into the couch, his walking stick sitting neatly next to him. You watched as his eyes lingered on the manila folders sitting on the oak coffee table before making their way up to the television. "How do you turn the television on again?" He asked, somewhat hesitantly.

A proper smile graced your face as you made your way to the table and picked up the remote to your TV, "This, is a remote control," You pointed to the large television sitting in the corner, "You find the sensor on the TV, which is located just on the bottom, point the remote, and press the red button," You pressed the red button and the screen lit up to show the familiar news channel you were watching the day before

You watched as an array of emotions crossed Daniel's eyes, his face never once giving away an inch; "How?"

"Please don't ask me that. All I know is I press a button on this and it does things to that,". A small smile crossed Daniel's face as he shook his head slightly and moved his head to look around at your other appliances you had in your home, "Two thousand and twenty. A long way from home," He murmured, his eyes finally landing back on yours.

You placed a hand on his arm and gave a tight smile before reaching over and grabbing the files that were sitting on the table and sitting them on your lap, "Phil came over yesterday when you were asleep. He dropped these off for you," You held them out to him, "Inside is files on your friends, your family, people you worked with; and what became of them over the years,"

His hands hovered over the files for a moment before looking up at you, "Peggy Carter?"

"She's in here too,"

"Thank you" He said sincerely as his hands grasped the folder.

You gave a short nod as you stood up, grabbing the empty coffee mug, to make your way over to the kitchenette. Behind you, you could hear the rustling of papers that you assumed Daniel was reading over. Two cups, three sugars between the both of them and two teaspoons of coffee and you waited patiently for your kettle to finish boiling. Last night was an unusually sleepless night for you, waking up every few hours to check on your new roommate, if he had woke up and if so, how he was coping. You noticed the blank look on his face, the same look Steve once wore. The one that didn't want to show you that he wasn't okay, but you knew that deep down, he was struggling. He was going to continue to struggle until he allowed himself to grieve and accept what he had lost.

"Was she happy?" You heard from behind you. You lifted your kettle off the stove and quickly turned to Daniel who's brown eyes looked deeply saddened. You could see the heartbreak flash across his face and it took you barely a second to figure out who he was talking about.

"In the end? It says here that she had a husband, a few kids," He swallowed the lump in his throat, "Was she happy in the end?"

A small smile crossed your face as you nodded. There's no mention of her husband's name in any files, nor her children; but any time she would speak of them you could hear the pride in her voice; the pure joy she had. "She was happy, I promise" You watched as he returned to the files and closed them, swallowing once again and placing them down on the coffee table.

"I regret not being able to say goodbye. If I just had one more day, an hour. I'd tell her that I lo-" His words were cut off by your front door swinging open and the familiar, bouncy haired brunette walked into the room.

You placed a hand on your hip and shook your head "Audrey we've talked about this. You can't just walk in without knocking,"

The younger woman's eyes widened as she saw Daniel sitting on the couch in his pyjamas. The other man looked increasingly uncomfortable as the silence grew. "Oh my-" She quickly cut herself off and threw her hands over her mouth, "Oh I'm so sorry. I didn't realise that you had company," She stumbled out, a large smile growing over her face.

A small sigh escaped your lips, "Audrey, this is my new roommate Daniel. He's from New Jersey, just bunking in until he gets settled in,"

Daniel gave a small smile as he held out his hand for the younger woman to shake, which she did almost immediately; "It's so so good, great, so great; to meet you Daniel,"

The pair of you raised an eyebrow at Audrey's star struck demeanor; "It's wonderful to meet you too Audrey," He replied. You noticed that he was beginning to feel somewhat uncomfortable by how long Audrey was shaking his hand so you cleared your throat to draw her attention to you.

"So what's up anyway? I don't expect you to barge in like this until at least Eleven," You picked up yours and Daniel's coffees and made your way into the living room, setting them carefully down on the table, nodding at Daniel's smile of thanks.

"Oh I forgot what month it was," You heard her mumble under her breath before a smile crossed her face, "You know what, don't stress. I'll ask Mrs. Maisel down the hall if she would be able to help me out. You just uh, settle in and get comfortable.," She backed towards the door, "It's was fantastic meeting you Daniel,"

"You too,"

"Bye Audrey," You smiled as you gave her a small wave that she greatly returned before exiting the apartment

"She's a bit odd isn't she?" You turned from the the mug in your hand to look at Daniel who was now staring at the door Audrey left through, "She's harmless. Moved in a few months after me. She's sweet enough," You moved over to Daniel who was watching you with curious eyes, "If she was a bad guy she would have a attacked me ages ago. So far she comes over and vents to me. It's nice, makes things less lonely," "There's something about her..." "Come on, instead of scrutinizing my neighbors, how about we learn the wonder that is Google Chrome," "Google?"

"You're gonna love it," You grinned as you picked up your phone and pulled open a streaming app.

<>

The strong breeze fell over your face as you pulled your jacket around your body tighter, the sun beamed down on your face as the familiar smell of hot cart food and coffee drifted through the air and into your nostrils. You side eyed Daniel who was easily keeping your pace through Central Park, his eyes taking all the views around him. The people, the cars; more importantly you knew that the fresh air might do him a bit better.

"So in Two Thousand and Twelve we found Captain Steve Rogers in the Arctic Circle, still in the plane he crashed, frozen," You continued from your previous conversation about major events of the past years he had missed, "Took him back to SHIELD and surprise surprise, he's alive," You watched Daniel's eyebrows raise into his hairline, "Theory has it it was his super soldier serum that preserved him for all those years. A week or so later I get a phone call talking about something called the Avengers Initiative. Now, I'm not a superhero, in fact, people kinda suck," A small laugh came from Daniel's mouth, "But Agent Coulson called in a favor from me to help Steve assimilate to the 21st century,"

Daniel nodded, "How did he cope with it?"

"He's currently on the run from One hundred and Ten countries,"

A confused look crossed over his face as he paused and turned to face you, his mouth slightly open, fully prepared to ask questions; however before he could you held up your hand to silence him, "It's such a long story. Short version, we screwed up, now the UN wants to put regulations on people with abnormal abilities,"

"Like Daisy?"

You rose an eyebrow, "No idea who that is. But if she has special abilities then yeah, like Daisy. Like me," You both continued to walk, "The problem with that is it stops the Avengers from going where they needed to be. The government decides where we need to be,"

"And that's a bad thing?"

A dry smile crossed your face, "If you ever met General Ross then you would understand why it's bad," You shook your head, "Anyway, they called them the Sokovian Accords. Some of The Avenger's agreed with them, others didn't. Those who did were put under restrictions, those who didn't had a warrant for their arrest set out for them,"

"I assume you agreed with them?"

"Why would you say that?"

"Well you're here. You're not looking over your shoulder,"

You nodded and held up your left arm, a strong silver band wrapped around it, "I didn't agree with it. But my friend made a good point, by signing it at least we can then negotiate it. We wouldn't have a chance if we went on the run,"

"What does your bracelet do?"

"Stop me from being able to use my abilities," You smiled.

"What are they?"

You pointed to the familiar green and white coffee shop in the distance, "Starbucks, possibly the best and worse coffee place you'll ever set foot in. Founded in 1971, the frappacino's are to die for,"

You missed the concerned look on Daniel's face as you started to walk towards the crosswalk. There was a reason why you didn't like telling people about your powers, the exact same reason why you were ashamed of them when you first met Agent Coulson. They were dangerous, even if you were able to somewhat control them, there were times when you couldn't, and you never knew what was real and what wasn't. It was both terrifying and exhilarating at the same time.

You'd like to be able to keep them to yourself for just a little bit longer.

Tags iamwarrenspeacejcc04220pancakefancakebuckywhitewolfbarnesjutima55thegirlwithoutaname87@cleoccnalabarnes1031ovemesomepietrojoyfullyswimmingfaceastudyoftimeywimeystuffnikey-no-likey maraudersandco stanningissohardtruly-dionysus @space-helen @mackycat11 @stuckysdaughter @incorrectqus​  stanningissohard themistsofmyavalon

[agentamethystelf]

Sixth times the charm

Peggysous week day 2: five times (and an optional +1)

Summary/ notes: Five times they didn't get that drink (and one time they did)

Next stop on the peggysous train: Pining Station!

Also posted here on AO3

1.

The first time was an offhanded gesture, more out of friendly chivalry than anything else.

Peggy was more than a little happy at being directly invited for after hours drinks and Daniel was right there, looking like someone had dragged him backwards through a hedge. He declined politely, but there was something in his smile that she couldn't put her finger on.

(She realised what it was when he confronted her in that back alley.)

2.

The second time, Daniel was the one to ask.

He approached her bare, without his crutch. It felt more authentic somehow. She knew her value, and nobody else's opinion really mattered. Still, he cared and, sure, he had idolised her but he promised himself that he'd work on that.

"Uh, hey, I was gonna grab a drink."

"Right at this moment? It's nine o'clock in the morning."

"No, no, after I clock out. Wanna join me?"

It was soft enough to be taken as a friendly invite yet real enough that it could become more. Daniel didn't expect anything of the sort but he definitely wasn't opposed to the idea.

"Maybe another time, alright? I've got to meet a friend."

Another time would have to do.

(It wouldn't come for quite a while.)

3.

The third time almost doesn't count (undercover work being what it is) but since they nearly drank together and didn't, it does.

They were sat together at some new politicians charity gala, keeping a low profile as security. They mingled in the beginning, dressed to the nines and introducing themselves as Mr and Mrs Park, before retreating to a seat with a good vantage point of the venue.

Peggy sat with one hand around a wine glass, the other keeping a tight grip on her purse. "I assume we can't actually drink these?" she whispered, just loud enough to be picked up by Chief Thompson through her headpiece.

"Marge, the last thing we need is either of you drunk and slipping up. So no." Jack's voice crackled over the radio, feeding directly into her ear.

Daniel glanced over at Peggy just as she rolled her eyes at Jack's comment, going back to scanning the floor a moment later "Can we negotiate for a sip or two?"

"One singular sip, agents."

Peggy pushed her glass away all the same. "I'd need something stronger than wine to get through this anyway."

(They were there together but not together, not like their personas. It was nice to pretend, even just for one night.)

4.

By the fourth time their feelings for each other were nearing the point of no return but, for spies, they had some god awful timing.

"It seems the west coast is stealing away all of my friends," Peggy joked as soon as the rest of the office was done congratulating the new chief. "I'm expecting a call from Angie next, letting me know she's set her sights on the bright lights of Hollywood."

"Ah damn, I forgot Stark was moving to California too. Sure it's not too late to reject the promotion?"

Peggy laughed, laying a hand on her hip. "I'm sure Howard will grow on you. Eventually."

"I wouldn't go marking that date just yet Peg," Daniel retorted, leaning into his chair.

Peggy wasn't sure when he'd progressed to just calling her Peg. She liked it when he did.

That sent a little pang of something through her. Longing? Disappointment? Somewhere in between, maybe. Peggy would miss having him around as a friend in the office. She would miss having him around entirely.

"How about you and I grab a drink to celebrate?" Peggy asked. "Are you doing anything after your shift?"

Daniel looked down at his hands. "I can't tonight Peg. I promised my sisters I'd have dinner with them and if there's one thing I know, it's that you don't break a promise with the Sousa women."

There was that pang again. Of course, she wasn't jealous that Daniel already had plans with his sisters; it made perfect sense that they would want to spend time together as a family before he went away. Now, all she had to do was come up with a responsible answer without inviting herself over for dinner.

"Well, I hope you have a nice night. Will you tell them I said hello?"

"Yeah, I will."

Peggy nodded and suddenly the reality of it all was too much to bear and she needed to go. She grabbed a file she was done with and went to leave, but then...

"Peggy, wait."

"Yes?"

She turned and Daniel was stood at the end of his desk, just watching her.

"I- nevermind. It's nothing. I'll see you later."

(She walked away, and the next week he was gone.)

5.

Sixth months apart and Peggy asked again.

"That was quite a night. God, I could do with a drink," she said, as casually as she could. "How about you?"

Daniel paused for a moment, and Peggy realised this was a terrible idea. "I can't tonight. Maybe another time?"

"Yes, of course." She took a moment to just watch his reaction, from the way his gaze kept jumping from her and then back to the floor to the awkward nods as she reeled her invite back in. "I've forgotten my jacket, go on without me."

"Oh, night."

"Night."

She felt her face fall marginally.

A moment later her heart stopped.

"Daniel! Over here!"

Peggy heard him laugh sweetly. "What are you going here?"

She got to the window and pinched the blinds apart just in time to watch him wrap his arm around a woman across the street and kiss her soundly. Peggy watched them walk away, arm in arm, and she silently cursed herself for being so stupid. Of course he had found someone, he was a good man and any girl would be lucky to have him.

Daniel had sounded happy, so she would be happy for him.

(She met Violet the next day and she was absolutely deserving of his love.)

+1.

Finally, they had a quiet moment alone.

They were sat together in the gardens of Howard's villa, both with a glass of Dr Wilkes' criminally good wine in hand. He had left a bottle as his parting gift to the SSR folks.

At some point Peggy's hand had wandered to Daniel's and he hadn't needed any more prompting to intertwine their fingers, holding on like it was the last thing he would ever get to do. Peggy could feel the warmth coming from his body next to her but inside she yearned for more.

Slowly, she let go of Daniel's hand. Peggy wrapped an arm around his waist and used it to pull herself closer. She sank into him and let herself really relax for the first time in weeks. Daniel's arm snuck around her waist and then pulled her in further. With her right side now flush with his left, she felt almost scarily at home.

So many things had gone wrong and so many things were yet to be fixed, but having each other to lean on would be enough to get them through.

[unrationalthinking]

To The Past Part 1

For this story take places after endgame, wandavision, loki, and the falcon and the winter soldier except because i love the characters tony was able to receive medical attention after he snapped surviving it rogers did return the stones except the soul stone is a soul for a soul so when he returned he had Natasha with him spiderman far from home still happened sort of.

Everyone has obviously made up from civil war Bucky has given Tony his space he needs though he is trying to seek his forgiveness Tony still finds it hard but has come around on the fact he can't blame Bucky for what happened When an old enemy reappears Hydra. Realizing that they if they could change the past they could finally stop them once and for all so the head back to the 1940’s directly after shield was created and after captain crashed the plane to save the world steve also never shaved because he looks much better with the beard bucky did cut his hair steve enjoys his on the run gear more so he still wears his darker colored uniform sam never became the captain and redwing survived

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As the team geared up in there uniforms the head back in time the blue prints laid out for camp Lehigh after shield took it over deciding where to enter the building via the time loop they decided they need all the help they could get in this time so they decided that peggy and howard would be first on the list they found a room the was on a lower more secure level near Howards office that would be easiest to get into for the mission. Those going on the mission were Steve, Bucky, Sam, Tony, Thor, Rocket, Groot, Natasha, Clint, Bruce, Wanada, Rhodey, and Shuri. As they geared up the team didn't speak much; they all had a common enemy and a lot of pent up feelings in the past, mostly tony steve and bucky. They all made their way to the center area for time travel hank pym and his family standing work on the computers around Scott and Hope would both be joining them in the past. Hank was proud of Tony he didn't care for Howard but Tony seemed like a good kid alot like Howard but so different at the same time. After hugs where given the all went throw the machine to the 1940’s landing in the abandoned room the choose it had worked they quietly made their way to the door peeking out they didn't see anyone the clock read 11pm but there he Was in his office Howard Stark working with a open bottle of whiskey, Tony and Steve shared a look the tension rising as the watched him work for a few minutes until there was some yelling down the hall and Peggy made her way down the hall with two men, one Tony remembered very well as Edwin Jarvis but the other he had assumed to be Daniel Sousa he had never met him but the limp and the stories he heard he assumed they all sat quietly as the made there way to Howard's office peggy ranting more like yelling at them “I don’t care if he thinks his work is to busy for this he needs to be told something has to be done besides creating a new project or finding steve's body!” as she made her way into Howards office the duct a bit not being seen she had a tear running down her cheek “HOWARD STARK” he looked up fear in his eyes as she rarely said his name like that she crossed her arms as Steve and Tony shared a knowing look about her tone everyone else had to hid there laughs though Daniel seemed to notice a strange noise they duct to stop him from seeing them and he brushed it off a bit peggy continued at howard though “Where were you today?” he Answered in a stutter “i.. I Was here working, why?” She rolled her eyes and said “ And where were you supposed to be today?” Howard took a moment and realized the date being the third year that Steve had died. He made a promise to Peggy to spend the day with her “ah… Peg im so sorry i forgot im such an idiot i should have been there.” she sniffles crying “But you weren't there three years Howard Three years since he died and you couldn't even be there for anyone you hide here working on what?” Howard lowered his head, a tear rolling down his face “I was working on a time machine to go back and stop him from crashing the plane Peg.” Rhodey let a laugh slip thinking about how much Tony was Like His dad only to realize Daniel heard it. Tony and Steve shared a grin realizing he messed up and they could hold it over him. Daniel had pulled his gun sushing everyone but Howard didn't get the hint and asked “Daniel what are you doing?” Daniel responded in a whisper “there is someone in that room right there.” as he pointed. “No there is not. I would have known I'd been here all day.” Howard responded.The avengers realizing Daniel would not let it go decided to pretend they didn't know what was happening when the door opened they were all staring in random directions while some where even whistling. Peggy Jarvis Daniel And Howard opened the door with full surprise as 15 people stood there acting like they didn't see them but Daniel raised his gun Saying “you guys are trespassing on private property hands up!” but the first to respond was Steve taking the time to joke he had recently become quite the jokester spending too much time around Tony, he looked down from

looking at the ceiling and walked to the front of the group “Hey guys so uhm, come here often?” Peggy pulled her gun on Steve “whoever you are, this is a real sick joke showing up as Captain Rodgers on his 3 year mark of his death.” It was Tony who stepped in this time “ alright let's put the guns down and let us explain who and why we are here and captain nice joke I see I'm rubbing off on you.” They all stared in shock for a minute until they decided they were out numbers and dropped their weapons “Start Explaining” Peggy said with her hands on her hips. Thor piped in with “I see why you loved her, Rogers the sas fits you perfectly.” making steve Blush and look at the ground Tony made a vomit action and started to speak “We are the Avengers we are from the future and we came back to deal with Hydra once and for all because they grow to large in the future and almost destroy the world multiple times and end up tainting Shield forcing us to remove Shield.” With that they started not believing it so Toni pulled out his holographic phone and played videos from some of their encounters and they realized they were telling the truth. Peggy looks at Steve once more “are you… are you really here?” staring in shock “yeah sorry i missed our dance, but you found yourself a better partner then me.” As he sends a knowing look at Sousa, making them both blush and Sousa become intimidated, Steve continues “Don’t worry I'm happy for you guys.”

At that Peggy ran to Steve hugging him as an old friend was crying. “We have to get to work, we need to attack Hydra now we know where they are located already, we just need the manpower.” Tony said Breaking the silence and with that Howard spoke “Can we atleast get your names? If we are working together.” Tony nods and introduces everyone pointing as he speaks about people “I am Tony Stark also known as Iron Man your son, Captain Rogers known as Captain America, Thor King of Asgard a different plant God of Thunder, Shuri princess of Wakanda more intelligent than me and you combined, Bruce Banner known as The Hulk or Professor hulk now, Rhody known as war machine also my best friend, Hope Van Dyne known as the Wasp Hank Pym's daughter, Scott long known as Ant-man dating hope pym doesn't like that, Sam Wilson The Falcon Caps Best Friend #2, Rockett he a raccoon that was a test subject in a different galaxy, Groot hes a tree, Wanda also know as scarlett Witch dont fuck with her she hates hydra more then anyone, Natasha Romanoff Known as the Black Widow russian spy likes betting up the super soldiers.” With that there was a pause to take everything in and for Tony to catch a breath as Clint from the venting shaft jumps down and says “I'm Clint Barton American Spy also known as Hawkeye though you will need to speak up sometimes I have a hard time hearing.” as there was another pause as Howard asked “you said sam is the captain's 2nd best friend? I assume I'm the First right?” chuckling a bit Tony responds “no Bucky Barnes is his 1 bestfriend.” Howard pales a bit “ Bucky died though.” at that bucky landed behind but in between Tony and Steve making the 4 people jump not expecting it as he stood a blank stare he always wore on his faces not smiling showed. Tony spoke “And Bucky Barnes also known as caps bestfriend, the now ex winter soldier know known as the white wolf of Wakanda dont fuck with him he could kill all of us in this room currently.” with that bucky smirking at Tony and Howard just looking at him paler than before anyone could respond Howard asked “The winter soldier is you? How did you survive?” bucky froze and then responded “when the 107 was taken i was tested on it helped me survive the fall Hydra found me removed my arm and gave me the super soldier serum.” there was a pause as Shuri walked up to comfort Bucky “after i had healed the scrambled my brain making me forget everything i was and trained to be a cold killer i have the memories but i wasn't in control i remember all the faces of those i killed the innocents and and the murderers i regret it but i had no control over it.” a single tear rolled down his and Tony's check as Tony hugged him finally gave his full forgiveness.

[enchantedlokii]

Know Your Value

Rating: PG-13

Warnings: language

Characters: Edwin Jarvis, Ana Jarvis, Peggy Carter, Howard Stark, Maria Stark, Tony Stark, Daniel Sousa, Steve Rogers

Mentioned: Whitney Frost, Jason Wilkes, Rose Roberts, Aloysius Samberly, Joseph Rogers, Michael Carter, Bruce Banner, Loki Odinson, Natasha Romanoff, Nick Fury, Pepper Potts, Jack Thompson

When Edwin Jarvis first learned that his wife would never be able to have children, he had been devastated. He couldn’t understand what he had done to deserve this. What Ana had done to deserve this. She was never supposed to be injured at the hands of Whitney Frost. She was never supposed to be injured at all.

He only realized it was his own fault as he followed Peggy through the desert. The woman’s words hit him like a truck. He had almost lost the woman he loved because of his actions. Then, he thought it would make it better if he got revenge. Even if he died in the process. For years, he thought he would never forgive himself, but that forgiveness came when he learned that Howard’s wife, Maria, was pregnant.

As much as Edwin loved his friend, he knew that Howard wasn’t the fatherly type. He was rambunctious, inappropriate, and a bit crude at times. And he was a busy man. Especially now, with Stark Industries having reached its peak. He knew that this poor child would never have the father figure that he deserved. So he promised himself that he would do whatever he could to help this child once he was born.

Edwin and Ana didn’t meet Tony until the day that Howard and Maria brought him home, but they immediately fell in love with him. Ana had took him carefully and held him close to her chest, rocking him back and forth and humming a Hungarian lullaby. If it were possible, Edwin believed he fell in love with her all over again in that moment.

As he had expected, Edwin and Ana helped a lot with raising the boy. They could see early on that he didn’t have a good relationship with his father. While he and his mother were closer, Maria Stark was a busy woman and often had to leave him in their care. They never minded, of course, but it seemed to take a toll on Tony. Especially as he got older and was able to understand exactly what his life was.

But there was something special about the boy. They all knew he was smart. To be the son of Howard Stark, one would have to be a genius, but this was more than that. This child was on a whole other level.

“What are you working on?” Edwin asked as he walked into the common area. Tony, ten years old at this point, was sitting on the carpet with parts spread out around him. He didn’t look up as Edwin spoke, but did acknowledge his presence with a nod.

“Hey, Jarvis,” he started, focusing on his project. “I’m trying to. . . Get this. . . Woah!”

The boy pulled his head back as a bolt went flying through the air, landing a few inches away. He grinned and looked up at Edwin. “I found this old radio set in the garage and was trying to fix it, but it’s pretty rusty. I’m not sure I can get it to work.”

“Right, I—” Edwin was interrupted by the sound of a doorbell. Confused, he looked up. “I wonder who that might be.”

Edwin started towards the door, hearing footsteps behind him as Tony followed. He was surprised when he opened the door and saw a familiar face. “Hello, Mr. Jarvis. Sorry to arrive unannounced.”

“Why, Mrs. Carter,” Edwin replied, stepping to the side. “Come in, come in. It’s been quite a while, hasn’t it?”

“Indeed,” Peggy replied, dropping her bags at her feet. “I would have called, but I feared you might be busy. Daniel and I need a place to stay for a couple of weeks. You don’t suppose Howard would mind us crashing here?”

“Oh, not at all,” Edwin told her. “He will be glad to see you.”

Peggy smiled before her gaze lowered to look at Tony, who was watching her with a confused expression. “You must be Anthony,” she started, crouching down and holding out a hand to shake his. “You’ve grown since I saw you last.”

Tony hesitantly took the woman’s hand and gave it a small shake. “Don’t call me Anthony,” he told her.

“My apologies,” Peggy said quickly. “What would you like me to call you then?”

“Tony,” he said simply, taking his hand away. Edwin was a bit surprised by the stiff movements the boy was making. It was as if he didn’t want to see Peggy. He supposed that he would not remember the woman, it having been several years since they relocated to Malibu, but it was unlike him to be so detached.

“Well hello, Tony,” Peggy replied. “My name is Margaret, but you can call me Peggy. I’m a friend of your father’s.”

“I know,” he said harshly before turning to Edwin. “I’m going to work on my radio now.”

Before Edwin could stop him, Tony was already returning to his spot on the carpet. The man was going to apologize before he saw Daniel struggling to carry a bag in. “Oh, let me get that for you, Mr. Sousa.” He took the bag from the crutched man and nestled it in the corner to move later. “Come, we have a lot to catch up on.”

Peggy was perplexed by the way Howard’s child reacted to seeing her. The boy seemed to want nothing to do with her, trying to avoid her in any way he could. It confused her, honestly, and worried her a bit.

“Are you sure about this, Peggy?” Ana asked. “I can stay with him. I don’t mind.”

“It’s not a problem, Ana,” Peggy assured her, holding her friend close in a hug. “You and Mr. Jarvis deserve a break.”

“Oh, thanks, Peg,” Ana said, smiling a bit before pulling away.

The moment Edwin and Ana left, Peggy turned to look around the building. It had been years since she had been here, but it still felt like home to her. She was beyond grateful when Howard and Maria agreed that it was completely fine for her and Daniel to stay as long as they needed.

It felt like old times again. Especially when Howard had proposed that they invite Jason and Rose and Aloysius over for dinner one evening in the near future. It just felt right.

But a lot had changed over the years. Her and Daniel were married now. They had two children together; a twenty-four year old daughter and a twenty-one year old son. Rose and Aloysius were married, but they didn’t have any kids. They did have a cat, however. Jason never got married, but he was one of the top scientists at Stark Industries now.

Then there was Howard. Peggy never imagined Howard settling down. The whole time she knew him, he had bounced from woman to woman. There were only a select few he saw as more than a toy. But he had changed when he met Maria. They ended up married a few years later, and then they had Tony.

“Right. Where is that rascal?” Peggy asked herself, starting her search. She found the boy in the garage, searching through a box. “Hello.”

“Hi,” he said dryly, not looking up.

“I was wondering if you might like to watch a film with me,” she started, trying to not let the boy’s tone phase her.

“I’m busy,” Tony said, continuing to search through his box.

Peggy contemplated for a moment, trying to figure out how to hand him. She started forward and crouched down, reaching to hold the flap of the box. “Maybe I could help.”

Tony glared up at her with a mixture of emotions in his eyes. “Can’t you get the hint and leave me alone?!” he snapped, pulling the box away from her. “I don’t want your help.”

Part of Peggy thought it might be wise to leave Tony be. She could always try to talk to him later, but she knew that it would be harder to get him to open up when there were others around. She had interrogated enough people in her life to know that. So, she instead put a hand on the boy’s shoulder. He flinched noticeably, but didn’t swing at her like she expected him to. “Is there a reason that you are acting this way?”

“Acting what way?” he muttered, refusing to look at her. “I just want you to leave me alone.”

“How come?” she asked. “I only want to help. I would like to get to know you, and I know this is not how you normally act. I asked Mr. Jarvis and he said that you’re usually an extreme good kid.”

Tony was quiet, looking down into the book. He looked like he wanted to say something, but no words came. Carefully, Peggy continued.

“You won’t hurt my feelings if you tell me what’s wrong, Tony,” she told him. “I can see you don’t like me, and that’s okay. But I would like to know why so I might be able to fix that.”

Finally, Tony looked up at her. “My father cares about you more than he cares about me,” the boy told her, his voice wavering slightly. “He talks about you all the time. You and Captain America. Every. Single. Day.”

Peggy felt her heart break for the child. She could easily see how upset he was by the fact. That’s something a child his age should never have to worry about; his parents loving someone else more than they loved them. It wasn’t fair. “I had no idea,” she told him. “I greatly apologize.”

Tony held her gaze for a moment before he sighed, his shoulders drooping. “I guess it’s not really your fault,” he admitted. He opened his mouth to speak again but quickly shut it, looking back down at the box.

“I suppose you want me to leave you alone now,” Peggy started after a few beats of silence. “I apologize for upsetting you.”

Peggy stood and started to turn away. She knew that she would need to talk to Daniel about finding someplace else to stay. She didn’t want to make this child miserable, and she didn’t see any way that she could turn things around. He had a good reason for disliking her, and frankly, she wanted to punch Howard for it. Because he had made his own child feel like there was someone more important than him.

“Mrs. Carter?”

Peggy stopped and looked over her shoulder. Tony had stopped looking through the box and was standing up. He looked hesitant, but finally met her gaze. “Yes, Tony?”

Tony shuffled his feet as he replied. “A movie. . . A movie sounds nice,” he told her. “If. . . If you still want to watch one.”

Peggy smiled and nodded. “That sounds splendid,” she replied, feeling her heart melt at the way his eyes brightened. A smile formed on his lips and he hurried after her. Maybe she could turn this around.

“Ow, hey!”

Howard held his cheek, rubbing it gently. He had been punched by Peggy Carter before, more than once, but this time he had no idea what he had done to deserve it. “What was that for?”

“Do you care to explain why your child believes you care more about me than you care about him?” Peggy asked. Howard could see fire in her eyes as she spoke. She was furious with him.

“Peg, I swear I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Howard huffed. “The kid is probably just looking for attention. You should just ignore him when he acts like that.”

“Ignore him?” Peggy questioned, following him as he moved to put his suitcase on the table. “Is that what you believe parenting is? Ignoring your child when he’s upset?”

“You know that’s not what I meant,” Howard said sharply, turning to face her once again. “I don’t ignore Tony. I’m busy. You understand that, right?”

“You’re supposed to make time for your children, Howard!” Peggy snapped, throwing her arms out. “They’re impressionable. Especially one as smart as yours. He’s going to remember this when he’s older and it’s not going to be good.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Howard asked. He was a bit offended by her criticism. It was unusually harsh for Peggy. “That I’m a bad parent?”

“If you can’t see that you’re hurting your son, then yes! Yes, it means that you’re a bad parent!” Peggy hissed at him. “Do you not realize how lucky you are to be able to be there for your son?”

“Peggy, you’re talking out of your head. Have you been drinking?” Howard asked lightly, trying to lighten her mood.

Peggy took his shirt in her fist. “Do you forget that Steve’s father died before he was born?” she asked. “Do you forget that my nephew grew up without his father because my brother died when he was f*cking five years old?”

“Peggy—”

“Do you forget that Ana cannot have her own children?” She pressed. “That her and Edwin would give so much to have a child, yet you act like yours doesn’t even exist!”

“Come on, Peg,” Howard started. “The kid doesn’t need me.”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” she said, letting go of him. “To be a genius, you’re a bloody idiot. F*ck you, Howard!”

Howard watched as Peggy turned to leave. Before she slammed the door behind her, her gaze burned into him. “Steve would be so disappointed if he found that you idolize him. That you use the fact that you knew him to make your child feel inferior.”

Without another word, she was gone; leaving Howard to run his hands through his graying hair and try to comprehend what just happened.

“You’re leaving already?”

Peggy frowned as she heard the small voice behind her. When she turned, she found that Tony was standing there, giving her a sad look. She sighed and crouched down in front of him. “Is it because of me?” he asked. “I-I’m sorry, Mrs. Carter. I changed my mind.”

“Hey,” she said softly, putting a hand on his cheek. “This is not your fault, Tony.”

The boy was quiet, looking down at the ground. Peggy turned to Daniel and the man understood, limping away into the other room to give them some space. She took a breath and turned back to the child, giving him a small smile.

“You are so incredibly smart,” she told him. “I can see that just from being here a couple of weeks. You have a wonderful mind.”

Tony gave her a small smile but didn’t say anything. “I know that things aren’t perfect here,” she continued. “But I want you to promise me something. Can you do that for me?”

The boy nodded quickly without hesitation. “Y-yeah.”

“Good,” she replied. “I want you to promise me that you will do your best to do what’s right, no matter what the cost. With a brain as big as yours, you could change the world some day. I have no doubt that you will, but I want you to promise me that you won’t let that opportunity pass by when it comes to you.”

“Okay,” he breathed. “Okay, I promise.”

“Thank you,” she replied, pulling the boy close and kissing him on top of the head. “One more thing; know your value, Tony. Know what you’re worth and don’t let anyone try to convince you otherwise. No matter who they are or what they’ve done. No one knows you better than yourself.”

“Big man in a suit of armor. Take that away and what are you?”

Tony wasn’t sure about Steve Rogers even before those words. He had spent his whole life hating this man. The man that his father had always cared about more than him. And then to hear him say that. To hear that he after all Tony had done, this man refused to call him a hero.

Yet here he was, standing in the elevator next to this same man. The man who was holding an opened watch, looking at the picture of the woman they were going to see. Why he had agreed to this, he had no idea. Why he had been the one, when Steve asked him if he knew Peggy; “her and your dad were really close;” he had been the one to say “sure, I still do.” He had actually laughed at the man’s reaction to finding out that she was still alive.

Now that they were here, in the same building as Peggy Carter, he felt like he was betraying her. That he was going against the promise that he had made to her decades ago. That he wouldn’t let anyone talk to him the way Steve had talked to him on the helicarrier.

It was only because of what Bruce had told him after the Battle of New York that he didn’t back out or even humiliate Steve in front of Peggy, telling her what the man had said to him. Because they were all being controlled that day. The stone in Loki’s Staff, the Mind Stone, had been influencing them. All of them. That’s why he and Steve were butting heads. That’s why Natasha tried to convince Fury to lock Bruce up. That’s why Bruce had picked up the staff without realizing it.

“I’m worried she won’t be happy to see me.” Steve’s voice pulled Tony from his thoughts.

“Right. About that,” Tony started. “She might not actually remember you. Not at first, at least. Never fails, she calls me Howard every time I step through that door. I have to remind her who I am. Never remind her he’s dead, but I think she figures it out.”

“She has Alzheimer’s?” Steve asked, a sad look crossing his face.

“Afraid so, Cap,” he replied, sticking his hands in his pockets before making his way out of the elevator. “But she’s a strong woman. It doesn’t bother her.” He paused outside Peggy’s door. “Let me go in first. Try to explain it to her so she doesn’t completely freak out, okay?”

“Okay,” Steve agreed, standing against the wall so he wouldn’t be seen when Tony opened the door.

Tony took a shaky breath and knocked before pushing the door open. He gave a small smile as Peggy turned to look at him. “Hey, Aunt Peg,” he started gently.

The woman’s eyes lit up. “Oh, Howard,” she started. “It’s good to see you.”

Tony tried to hide his annoyance as he moved closer. “No,” he reminded her softly. “It’s Tony. Remember?”

“Oh, yes,” she said with a small smile. “I apologize. You look so much like him.” She shifted in her bed and Tony moved to help her sit up. “You were on the news.”

“Yeah?” he asked, acting surprised. He glanced towards the door, wondering if she had seen Steve too or if had been an interview clip. Either way, she might not fully remember.

“Yes,” she said, lifting a hand up and placing it on his chest where a faint blue light was visible through his shirt. “It was you.”

Tony smiled and put his hand on hers, gently lowering it to her bed. “I brought someone with me that wants to see you,” he told her, speaking a little louder to make sure Steve heard him outside the door. “Is that alright, Aunt Peg?”

Peggy’s eyes flashed with confusion, but she nodded in reply. He closed his eyes and stepped back. “Capsicle?”

Steve stepped in, his hands clasped in front of him as he smiled at Peggy. He looked uncertain at first as Peggy searched his face, trying to recognize him. “Hey, Peggy,” he said quietly. “How’s my best girl?”

Tony could see the moment that Peggy recognizes Steve, and that’s when he decided to step out, leaning back against the wall and trying to collect himself. Part of him said that he should leave. That Steve would be done with him now that he had gotten what he wanted. He would be disappointed if he waited behind. But he stayed anyway, trying his best to not eavesdrop on the conversation that was happening inside. His phone dinged with a message from Pepper asking how everything was going, and at the same moment he went to respond, Steve stepped out of the room, slowly closing the door behind him.

The man stood there for a moment with his forehead pressed against the door. His eyes were closed, Tony noticed, and he was frowning. “I don’t like seeing her like this,” he breathed.

“Yeah, me either,” Tony admitted, standing up straight and pocketing his phone for now. Hesitant, he brought a hand up and patted Steve’s shoulder. “But she’s happy.”

Steve nodded. “Who is he?” He asked after a moment. At first Tony was confused, but then he realized the other man must have saw the pictures in her room.

“His name was Agent Daniel Sousa,” he told him. “A P.O.W. One you saved. He was injured in the war and went on to work for the SSR. She always said he was the first one to treat her as an equal. I met him a few times. Good guy, really.”

Steve nodded slowly, straightening up before facing Tony. “Thank you,” he started. “For bringing me here.”

“Yeah, don’t mention it,” Tony replied, putting his hands in his pockets again. “I should get back to the tower. Ms. Potts has some evening plans, I believe.”

“Right, right,” Steve nodded again. “I should. . . Um, Ms. Romanoff and I were going to train later.” He put a hand over his forehead. “I completely forgot.”

“Yeah, good luck with that,” he snorted, remembering his own experience sparring with the woman. “I guess I will see you the next time Fury gets in over his head.”

Tony turned and started towards the elevator before he heard Steve sigh. “Wait, Tony,” he started, causing him to look back. “What I said. . .”

“Is forgiven,” he finished for him, shrugging like it wasn’t a big deal. Like it hadn’t caused his thoughts to spiral every night since. “You’re not too bad, Old Man. You have a lot to learn, but you’re not too bad.”

He saw Steve roll his eyes, but he held a smile. He turned and continued towards the elevator. “Natasha’s single, by the way,” he called over his shoulder as he pushed the button.

“And there it is,” he heard Steve mutter. He smirked as the elevator dinged in front of him.

“I don’t need a congressional honor, I don’t need Agent Thompson’s approval, or the President’s. I know my value. Anyone else’s opinion doesn’t really matter.”

[adangerousbond]

Home is where the plane is

Honestly no idea what this even is, nearly 5K of Daisy and Daniel just cause?

Wrote this out in an afternoon and haven't really gone over it, so may have some errors.

Enjoy!

Read below or at ff.net or AO3

A sharp knock on her bunk door drew Daisy out of her ravine, from the constant time looping to the way in which they had been able to break it had drained her physically, but even more so mentally. Once the others had been debriefed, more by Coulson than herself, she had slunk out for some peace, Enoch's words still screaming at the back of her mind.

"Yeah," Daisy answered evenly, unsurprised when the door opened, and Sousa entered.

"Just wanted to check in on you," he explained, taking in her quiet demeanour as she sat on the edge of her bed, legs drawn in close to her chest.

"Of-course you did," she shook her head, catching sight at his furrowed brow to her words, "it's just very time-loopy of you, well I guess, very you of you."

"I'm sorry about Enoch," he brushed past her odd comment, sitting alongside her in quiet comradely.

"He said this is the teams last mission together," she spoke after a few minutes, stretching her legs out as she turned her head slightly towards him, a sadness to her expression as she continued, "that we'll survive but the team won't."

"What do you think he meant by that?" he watched her closer as he questioned her statement, pushing aside the desire to pull her close and hold her tightly, he knew that it was not his place, not yet anyway.

"I, I don't know, maybe something happens, maybe SHIELD is different and doesn't let us stay a team, or maybe we change something and we don't even know each other when we get back to our time," the scenarios that had been running through her mind spilled out, her concern at the options evident as she fidgeted.

"This team is closer than most families, I'm sure whatever happens, you'll still have each-others backs," he told her optimistically, neither really had any idea what type of future they would go back to, especially not someone who had ever been there.

"They're the only family I've ever had, this plane, it's the only home I've had, I don't know how to give that up," her words breaking the little self-control he had, as he reached a hand across to hers, her fidgeting stopping instantly.

"They'll still be your family even if the team doesn't do anymore missions together," he tried to reassure her, stroking her hand with his thumb as he filed away the little bits of information she had let slip out amongst her statements.

Staring straight ahead, she could feel his eyes on her, watching, making sure that she was okay, as always. Maybe it was watching her friends die over and over, or watching her friend die for real, but it gave her a need to live in the moment more than she usually would, to take a risk she wouldn't normally – sure she had acted more freely in the time loop, but she knew that would reset and he wouldn't remember. There had been a type of power in that, that she could see how he would react, how she would feel, when she questioned him, all while knowing and receiving the same response, a power that allowed her to be more open with him than normal.

Turning to him, she saw the question in his silence as she leant toward him, her hands reaching his collar as she chastely kissed him, drawing back almost instantly to give him a chance to take her move in, after all he didn't have memories of their loop conversations like she did. The surprise in his eyes turning to hunger just as quick as the time before, as he pulled her closer to him, hands already on her waist before she had realised he had even moved them, initiating a second, deeper kiss, one that wasn't bound by the same time restraints as in the loop.

"Probably fair to tell you that that happened in the time loop," she told him as they paused for moment, "only once, that I remember anyway."

"Anything else that happen that I should know about?" he chuckled, his wrist resting on her should as he played with the hair he had messed with his hand.

"You died, but we all pretty much did a number of times," she threw out nonchalantly, the memory still fresh in her mind, along with the memory of him once again sleeping at her side in the reset; alive and well.

Using the hand still on his collar, she practically dragged him back onto her bed, his hands slipping under her black top, leaving a trail of fire on her skin at the contact, the new position allowing them to sink deeper into the kiss. He pulled away slightly, to her annoyance, until she felt his lips on her neck, the shift in focus giving her a chance to work on undoing the buttons on the blue shirt she had spent a little to long in the loops appreciating.

They both jumped at the sound of May's voice coming through the ship's speakers, requesting everyone's attendance to a team meeting, Daniel straightening up so quickly that Daisy couldn't help but smile. -----------------------------------------------------------

"We didn't interrupt anything did we?" May asked with her usual even tone, as they entered the lab, the glint in her eye gaining her a glare in return from woman in question.

"What's going on? Daisy asked, brushing past the question as she looked around for the next issue at hand as she stopped alongside the labs bright table, "what time are we in now?"

"We look to be just a couple months from when we last jumped," Simmons spoke up, a tablet in hand ready to show her workings should anyone want further information on her statement.

"Which means that we…" Yo-Yo trailed off, glancing to May for help in explaining the situation.

"Which means what?" Daisy questioned, glancing between the two women that seemed to be at the forefront of her summoning's, "what are you all not saying?"

"I promised Jiaying that we would help with Nathaniel and Kora," May informed her, the older agent spoke in no major hurry to elaborate.

"Obviously, we would, clearly he has teamed up with Sybil," Daisy pushed in an annoyed tone, wishing that they would be more direct with her, but also apprehensive of where the topic was going, a slight glance to Sousa who was standing quietly next to her told her that he was unsure as well.

"It's just that to do that, she'll have to come onto the Zephyr," everyone's attention turning on Daisy the moment May got to the point, watching, waiting for what her reaction would be.

"Can't you just meet up with her on the ground? Or on the quin jet?" Daisy questioned, the unease at the idea bristling under her skin.

"We've already given them the co-ordinates," Mack spoke evenly, his tone and crossed arms leaving no room for further discussions on the topic.

"So, this isn't you guys asking me, this is you telling me," Daisy stated, her tone level and cold, gaining her a hint of surprise or concern, or something else that she couldn't quite pinpoint from the man still standing a fraction to close to her side.

"If there was any other way, but we just can't risk it, I don't have to tell you want happens if she dies," Coulson explained with a bit more tact.

"I won't be born," the young agent sighed, knowing it wasn't a fight she was going to win.

"That's not a risk I am willing to take," Coulson stated warmly, his head half-cocked with a small smile as he attempted to bring her on board with the plan.

"Bringing her on here could risk that still," Daisy countered, raising her eyebrow as she stared him down.

"The chances are better this way though," Simmons spoke up as she continued playing with the screen in front of her, "they've just arrived."

"We'll go get them," May stated, nodding for Yo-Yo to follow, figuring some familiar faces would help the situation.

"You guys really couldn't give me more warning?" Daisy asked, crossing her arms as she leant forward to talk in a quieter tone.

"They were worried you would talk them out of it," Deke told her before he realised what he was saying, his eyes going wide when he backtracked in his mind.

"Deke," Simmons exclaimed, glaring her grandson down before putting on her fake, supposedly calming smile and turned back to her friend, "we didn't have the time too."

"You only had, what, two minutes to tell me, was five too much to ask for?" Daisy hissed back, her words lacking any real anger as she had already accepted what was happening, not that she got much of a choice, as she uncrossed her arms to lean on the lap table instead.

"Play nice," her best friend shot back with a laugh, glancing up towards the door to watch their incoming arrivals, clocking the way that Sousa placed a gentle hand on the Daisy's arm in comfort.

"And this is the team," Yo-Yo explained, catching the unease in the air as they joined back with the group and hoping their companions would not.

"Hi, Jemma Simmons," Simmons jumped to greet the guests, her politeness pushing aside any of the room's bad energy, "and this is Deke."

"That's Mack, Phil Coulson, Daniel Sousa, and –" May continued the introductions, hesitating for a moment, realising there could be an issue with giving out the final member of the teams name to the past version of her mother.

"And I'm Skye Sousa," Daisy smiled politely, using the first thing that came to mind, the team's eyes flying to her and the man she had just roped into a marriage with her; his closeness to her and his hand on her arm playing into it enough that her statement wouldn't be questioned from the apparent strangers.

"Thank-you all for this, we were starting to worry we might not hear from you again," Jiaying told them, unfazed by the team's demeanours as she got to business instead, "but from the look on all your faces, you have had your own worries to deal with."

"You could say that," Simmons responded, nodding at her words, "but we did honestly come as quick as we could."

"Where exactly did you come from?" Gordon pressed further, unhappy with the lack of information being shared.

"It's a long story," Mack stated firmly, putting an end to the questioning.

"I've seen a lot in my time, but nothing like this plane," Jiaying moved on, understanding the tone of the room as she looked around it, her eyes settling on the younger woman across from her, "Skye, you have powers as well?"

"Yeah," Daisy drew her answer out hesitantly, making no move to demonstrate.

"Your friend was very tight lipped about where she got her's from, but you, there's something about them, you got through a diviner and a Cree temple didn't you?" Jiaying getting to the outcome quicker than the team liked, especially the one in question.

"Not by choice, but yes," Daisy responded honestly, trying to keep the bite from her tone as she instead tried to focus on the reassuring lines that Daniel's thumb was drawing on her arm.

"That has not been done in a very long time, it must have been very difficult to locate, how did you manage it?" Jiaying exclaimed, genuine interest and amazement blocking her concern for the tone to the responses she was gaining.

"It's complicated," Daisy stated coldly, bringing a silence over the room, and ending the questioning.

"Right, so we have been trying to locate either Kora or Nathaniel but not having much luck, any ideas where she might have gone to lay low?" Simmons switched the subject quickly, giving her friend a gentle smile.

"No, but I also never knew she would turn to the dark side so easily, I have spent her whole life trying to protect her," Jiaying responded, accepting the change with a polite ease.

"Maybe she needed to be taught to control her power not to fear it," Daisy stated evenly, knowing first-hand what it could do to you when the thing you feared was yourself.

"I tried, but everyone else was getting more and more afraid of her, which made her worse," her mother reasoned, the care and concern in her voice just working to anger Daisy further.

"Did you ever think about taking her away from Afterlife?" May cut in before a response could be voiced, a firm stare given towards the younger agent.

"Many times, but as I'm sure you all would know, people are either afraid of us or want to use us as weapons," Jiaying spoke sadly, she might not yet have been fully against everyone not powered, but for the team that knew her future they could sense the anger and hatred under there even now.

"Well we were designed to be weapons," Daisy stated casually, catching the eye of the man next to her, knowing he was paying close attention to the whole conversation and remembering he knew very little about any of the inhuman stuff.

"Some powers are more dangerous than others, but it is a gift, not a curse," the un-aging woman's sentence coming out as if she had said it a million times.

"That doesn't change the fact we were literally meant to be used for weapons, even your powers, they might seem harmless enough, but you can drain the life out of people," Daisy informed her matter-of-factly, she had after all felt those powers first hand but she knew it best to leave that particular part out.

"How do you know that?" her mother's tone went dark for a moment, the knowledge of what she could do troubling her, before she regrouped herself and continued, "regardless, that's not the belief that we choose at Afterlife."

"It's not a belief, it's just a fact," Daisy shrugged, turning to her team for support.

"She's right, the Cree who created the mutation in the first place told us," Coulson backed her up.

"You've met the ones that started this all?" Jiaying questioned, her interest peaked at the new information.

"Along with the monster meant to lead us to battle," Simmons shuddered at the memories, her tone enough to drop any further questions from their guests.

"Even if that is what we were first meant for, it's up to us to decide what it means now," Jiaying fell back to her almost cult sounding words.

"And that's not always the right choice," Daisy fired back.

"Alright, how about we all get some rest, I think we all need it," Simmons put a stop to the conversation at hand, deciding it best before something was said that might trip them all up, "May, if you could be so kind as to show our guests to their rooms."

Watching them leave, Daisy moved towards a closed laptop nearby, waving off Sousa as she did, she needed a moment to herself, to process and the best way she knew how was to hack. She could feel her best friend watching her closely, a warmth to her mothering that she couldn't help but wonder if she would feel once the mission was done and Enoch's truth came to light.

"That means everyone," Simmons scolded her with a soft smile.

"I'm just going to run through some of the cities networks, see if I can get into any," Daisy explained, returning her smile, "and then I promise to leave." -------------------------------------

Opening her bunks door, Daisy stilled for a moment at the sight of Daniel lying on her bed, flicking through some files he must have come across somewhere. His eyes catching hers as she entered, and she held back a head shake at the fact he was once again, always there.

"Mack told me to stay here, you know, to keep up your lie about us being married," he explained his presence, watching her carefully, not fully sure where they stood with each other right now.

"Right, sorry about that, I didn't think she should know my real name, and I didn't know what else to say," Daisy rambled her excuse off, smirking at him as she lowered herself down next to him, "though, really you started it by telling Gideon you were my fiancé like a decade ago."

"That would be a very long engagement," Daniel agreed with her reasoning, eyes narrowing as he asked the question that had been bugging him the most, "why Skye?"

"I went by that for a long time, I didn't know my real name and the orphanage gave me a terrible one, so I made my own," she told him after a moment, quieter than she had been and pulling her legs to her chest as she spoke.

"It's a nice name," his words kind as he focused on the positive, knowing she had gone through too much the last few days to want to delve into the rest of her statement.

Humming in response, she stared at the files he had been reading, her mind to busy to be able to focus on them, but after a few moments of silence, she turned away. Taking the hint, he went back to his reading, far from wanting to push her into anything and just thankful she seemed willing to let him stay, willing to let him be there for her and part of him wondered just what they had discussed in the time loops; at the very least, what had made her kiss him, not that he was complaining.

"The last time I saw her, my father killed her because she was trying to kill me," Daisy broke her own silence, the words coming out before she had decided if she was ready to share them, "she wanted to kill a lot of people and thought I would help her."

"That's horrible," he placed the files on the bedside table and reached for her hand, her fingers wrapping around his slowly as if she wasn't quite convinced that she should reach out to him.

"She had a lot of terrible stuff done to her, and I've always tried to convince myself that that excuse was enough, enough to explain how she was when I met her and what she did to me, I mean she apparently searched for me my whole life and yet was willing to kill me," she found that once she started talking, she was struggling to stop, he was just too easy to talk too, "but I have had terrible, terrible things done to me, and yes, I've done bad things, but I've always ended up doing the right thing, or at least I hope so, and I mean it just makes me think her excuses don't quite cut it, you know."

"And now to learn she had another daughter, that I've got a half-sister, one that she actually raised, and that one jumped to the wrong side so quick, and it makes me wonder, am I just fighting a loosing battle? Am I just one bad thing away from switching sides too? Deke's future knows me as the Destroyer of Worlds, so maybe it's not that big of a jump," she kept talking, "I've done some real bad things Daniel, you have no idea, maybe I'm not that much different than her. But seeing her like this, seeing her as a good, nice mother, it just makes it so much harder, maybe I was the one that come into her life and ruined it, that is my specialty, so how can I claim to be one of the good guys?"

"You are a good person, Daisy," he stated soundly, he had wanted to interject so many times through her rambling, but he could sense that she wasn't looking for a response, she just needed to talk.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to just unload on you," she sighed, refusing to meet his eye, but relishing in the warmth from his hand holding her tight.

"Daisy, I'm pretty sure you're the strongest person I've ever met, leaning on someone else doesn't make you weak," he told her honestly, squeezing her hand as if to back his statement.

Blinking away the tears that had started to form, she turned to him, her eyes trained on his as she tried to determine if she could believe him or not. Leaning forward, she closed the gap between them, kissing him firmly, a part of her hating how needy she could feel she was, but she needed this, she needed him, more than she could admit to even herself.

He rolled her onto her back, his lips never leaving hers as she set about undoing his shirt, his hand wrapped around the back of her head, tangled amongst her hair as his other slipped under her top and to the side of her waist, her hands dropping down to help him lift the plain black top up and over her head. She used the extra space the move created between them to push his now undone shirt off his shoulders, humming in annoyance when he used the space to pull away further.

"Are you sure you want this? You don't seem like you're in the best head space," he questioned, slightly out of breath, but ever the gentleman.

"Not sure if you've noticed, but I'm never really in a good headspace," she smirked back at him, nodding at his question nonetheless, pulling him back down to her level.

----------------------------------

"How long have you been up?" Yo-Yo asked, entering the gym with May following close behind, the two having planned a sparring session the night before that Daisy recalled had, while doing her hacking, overheard them fight over the start time of, won of course by May.

"I was checking on my hack and saw Jiaying heading to the kitchen, so here I am, hiding on a treadmill," Daisy huffed out a laugh, slowing the machine down to a walking speed.

"You seem in a better mood today," Yo-Yo grinned at her, whether implying something or just glad that her friend was happier, Daisy couldn't quite pinpoint.

"It was the first time in what seems like a very long time that I've woken up – " Daisy started, only to be interrupted before she could complete her response.

"We don't need to know what you woke up to," May smirked at her, her words catching an odd look from Yo-Yo as she tried to unpack them.

"That I've woken up not in the time loop," Daisy glared back, not playing into the older woman's trap, she could admit to herself that waking up next to Daniel had definitely also added to her good mood, but she was not about to admit that to her current companions.

"What is May talking about?" Yo-Yo asked, switching her focus between the two as she came to her own conclusion, "has she been doing her creepy empathic thing with you and Sousa?"

"Wait, what?!" Daisy near yelled, suddenly worried about what exactly her friend meant.

"Oh, come on, everyone can see the way he follows you around, and that you don't seem to mind," Yo-Yo explained her reasoning, smirking at her friend as she chose to ignore the bigger question for her statement regarding May.

"What did she mean May?" Daisy stopped the treadmill completely, feeling the dread come over her that she could only imagine was how teenagers felt when they were caught by their parents.

"It's okay, it doesn't reach through to your room," May let her off the hook quickly, shaking her head at the thought.

"Why not?" Yo-Yo asked, confused at the turn of events, but more interested in the answer.

"My room is lined with stuff to stop me from causing issues on the plane if I lose control of my powers again, so I'm guessing that stops your empathic stalking?" Daisy grinned, relief flooding over her as she started the machine back up to a light jog speed.

"Yes, thank god," May shared in her relief, she would have been feeling it had she been able to feel and it was refreshing for the emotion she felt to be fitting to what she was thinking.

"How do I get that? I told Mack and he's now traumatised," Yo-Yo exclaimed, making a mental note to bring it up with Simmons later as she quickly realised that although the other two knew of the lining, they weren't the type to have questioned what it was.

"Good, that would be too weird," Daisy smirked, making no move to dispel any beliefs that they had formed regarding her and Sousa, something not lost on the other two, "you're like my mum."

"Plus, I've seen you have nightmares, I don't want to feel those," May deadpanned, turning back to square up with Yo-Yo.

"Real supportive May," Daisy grinned back, expecting nothing less, but thankful now that those nightmares had gotten her at least some privacy.

"May, supportive? Feel's like we are interrupting something," Coulson joked from the doorway, flanked by Deke and Sousa.

"Yo-Yo was wanting to do some redecorating," Daisy stated quickly, making sure to get in first before any comments were made as she smiled in greeting to the men, her eyes resting on Daniel's for a moment longer than the rest, his trailing over her as she ran, gaining him a smirk in response.

"Oh, well if you want me to pick you up anything, actually here to see if anyone had anything they wanted added to my list as I'm heading out for a supply run," Deke informed them, missing the shared glare amongst the women.

"Jiaying's making breakfast," Coulson told them, his eyes narrowed on one in particular.

"I saw, hence the early morning workout," Daisy nodded, making no effort to hide the fact she was hiding in a gym.

"There are a few things you could get me actually, Deke," Yo-Yo stated as she stopped the sparring with May to write a list.

"Make sure to put some things for Daisy too," May told her, a grin on her face that put the woman in question on edge as she once more slowed her treadmill down to a walk.

"Oh, no, it's fine, she already told me," Deke brushed it off quickly, the underlying conversation of the room completely lost on him.

"Did she now?" Yo-Yo looked up from her writing with a smirk, sharing a look with the other two women.

"Yeah, I've got the sniffer devices and the list of the locations to plant them, it's like basic level hacking, super easy," Deke rattled off the information as if she had drilled it into him.

"Oh, right," Yo-Yo responded as she returned to her list, biting back a chuckle.

"See, I knew you three would be up to no good, what's going on here?" Coulson questioned them all, clearly not buying their poor attempt at hiding the previous topic.

"If you must know," May started, glancing between the two women either side of her as she could feel one's worry and the other's amusement at the turn of events.

"I don't think he does," Daisy stated quickly, her eyes narrowing on the older agent.

"My new empathic abilities, well, they have some side effects, and turns out I can also feel other people's, you know, alone time together," May explained with a grin, watching as everyone around her went dead still and slightly pale at her words.

"What now?" Deke asked, shuffling uncomfortably at the new information and wishing he had not been in the conversation at all as he looked between the unmoving Coulson, who was opening and closing his mouth as if he was actually lost for how to respond, and the small woman across from them, amused by the control she had over the room.

"They really don't want to know this May," Daisy stated sternly, giving a slight shake of her head to the now frozen Daniel, clearly very unsure of how he should proceed.

"So, I picked up on Yo-Yo and Mack's reunion and that's why Mack won't make eye contact with me anymore," May told the group, deciding to leave out the part about Daisy and Sousa, as she thought he might actually be good for her.

"We did not need to know that," Deke stated, turning, and leaving the moment that he got the list from Yo-Yo.

Simmons voice coming through the intercom interrupted anyone from commenting further, the break in the rooms focus gave Daisy a chance to mouth thank-you to May, before grinning at Daniel as he took a visible breath. Stepping off the treadmill, she made a move to follow the small group out of the room, falling into line next to Daniel with a quiet 'I'll explain later', she watched the team merge into one big group, one big family and couldn't seem to shake the tinge of sadness over Enoch's warning.

[captainjimothycarter]

My personal headcanon about Peggy becoming Director of SHIELD is because she was not only the best person for the job but because she was pregnant at the time, and that was how to take her out of the field and put her on desk duty 😂

Peggy would 100% know what’s up. Is she annoyed? Hell yeah. But is she smug about getting the co-director position? Yep. Does she know her husband and Phillips conspired behind her back to do this with Howard and even Jarvis’ input? Yep. Is Steve gonna pay the second she’s on maternity leave? Hell yeah.

--

She knows they’re talking about her. Even if its just Steve and Phillips in the office or even Steve and Howard. There are too many people together in one room that all know her not to talk about her. Not that Peggy is being vain here, but she sees the look in Steve’s eyes when she walks in. Steve is of many things, including her amazing husband, father of her child, Captain America, but he is not a spy. He cannot lie for anything.

Phillips on the other hand? She’s seen him lie through his front teeth. So it’s best she got her intel at the source. Steve.

This first came about when Peggy had announced she was pregnant. She and Steven had known for months beforehand but kept it to themselves to enjoy the quiet life before the bombarding questions started. They’d first told Ana and Jarvis, asking them to be the godparents. Howard pouted but eventually said he supposedly understood. Then came Shield. Peggy can swear she’s never seen Phillips beam like that other than when they’d finally married.

That’s a whole another story.

The worrying started on day one with Steve. Steve cannot lie to save his life but he can try to cool his emotions so he’s not overly worried and babying her. The hysterics started three months after, right when they’d found out the sexes.

Twins.

Dear God, they were having twins.

Before that Steve had been whispering to Phillips, new Director of both districts of Shield in New Jersey and DC. She’d rarely seen him as of late, their schedules polar opposites but Steve seemed to always be with him. He claimed it was some Shield business he was handling but Peggy saw right through that.

The foot was laid down when she’d gotten hurt in the field. It wasn’t even a dangerous mission. Get in, get some information on the recently stolen drives, get out. Easy peasy. She could’ve done this in her sleep. Except her pregnancy made her slow. Sick. She wounded up with a black eye, busted lip, and a two-inch gash on her ribs.

She’s seen turn absolutely feral before in times of danger when a child’s life was in danger. She’s seen him barrel through rows of Nazi’s to get their men out from the other side. Defend a German child from the ends of guns because he was just a boy, just trying to survive, who knew no different. Shoot a man point-blank in the face for breaking into their home and trying to kill him. But this? This Steve Rogers was different. He’d seen her hurt before and barely held it together and even as a married couple he knew to keep his affection downplayed in public but this was not that time. This Steve Rogers was an absolute mad man when it came to defending his wife and unborn children.

She’d never seen him look that way before and quite frankly, she’d never like to see that look on his face again. It didn’t terrify her. She would never be afraid of Steve, but she was wary. He was always sensitive and on edge after those moments. Trying to make himself smaller, as if he was a foot and a half less, and a whole hundred something pounds smaller. She felt for him, she truly did.

Perhaps that was the drawing line, as she was getting the wound stitched up by a medic, Steve’s eyes never leaving hers and refusing medical care despite how he wounded up with a knife in his side too. Two weeks after that incident, when the wound was healed and stitches taken out, Phillips barged into her office without knocking, as he was prone to do. With him was Steve who’d gone out to get lunch.

“I’ll call you back,” Peggy murmured into the phone and sat it back in its cradle, turning in her chair to face Phillips. She’s grown in the past weeks, stomach three times its size to accommodate for the twins. Everyone was on edge, wanting to know how the serum would affect their growth , and right now, Peggy could tell you just from their kicking alone they were grounded until they were twenty-two.

“Was that Doctor…?” Phillips clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth, trying to find the right answer. Out of the hundreds of doctors between them, names did get mixed up. “The one wanting to know about the progress on the antidote.”

“Doctor Helen? No, no. That was Michael. He’d called to say he’ll be coming over.” Not that it was any of his business what her brother and she did but the answer seemed to satisfy Phillips. Daresay, he almost looked relax. “What’s the matter? Did we find a hit on that 084?”

Peggy started to raise out of her seat, but Steve shook his head and settled her back down. He set her vinegar salad and ginger tea in front of her. Phillips rolled his eyes and took his seat in front of the desk. “No, sit down and eat before you pass out again. If I have to deal with a frantic Rogers again…” The threat went on finished, Steve shooting Phillips a faux hurt look.

“I’m not that franatic,” he grumbled around his sandwich. “Says the man that fainted at the 084 last year.”

“Not all of us have secret government serum running through their veins and I did not faint. The frequency of Stark’s damn machine about knocked everyone out with that damn vibrating.” Phillips sounded bitter, rolling his eyes when Steve smirked around his bite of food.

Peggy for one rolled her eyes at the both of them. “Boys. Is there a point to this visit? I’m very busy and need to leave at four today to meet Thompson at the airport.” There it was. Steve’s slight shift of the container in his lap. Phillips was looking right at her.

“No, we need to discuss something. I’ve talked it over with your husband beforehand, only to see if you’d even consider the offer before I made it.” Meaning, he’s been talking to Steve behind her back and didn’t want to catch her on a bad day. “Being Director of Shield over both New Jersey and DC has taken a drain on what I can physically do and cannot do. I can’t be everywhere at once and there are too many damn phone calls and emails to reply to. I want you to Co-Direct with me. You’ll take the branch in New Jersey. I’m sure Rogers would kill me if I tried to uproot him from Brooklyn.”

“Sure, blame it on me. I told you, I don’t mind moving and neither does Peggy. We’ve talked about it beforehand.”

They both looked at Peggy who’d been silent this entire time, the plastic fork twirling between her fingertips. When she was nervous, her fingers started to rub over the edge of her belly. A flinch happening thanks to a strong kick to her hand. Damn child. Make that grounded until they were twenty-three.

They were silent for a long beat, Steve could see the gears turning over in his wife’s head. Considering the pros, the cons, the situations. Phillips had broken the silence and started to list the benefits and what her job would acquire. No longer in the field, behind the desk, working with the other agents. Doing the job she did now but with a pay upgrade, benefits, and full control. Not that Phillips ever bothered to stop her beforehand.

“Be honest,” Peggy mused, finally sitting back with a smirk on her lips. “Was this offered to me because you two and I guess Howard too want me out of the field?”

Steve can never lie. She reads right through him and his ears turning a shade of red told her all she needed to know.

“I accept, on the condition that you two…all of you stop talking behind my back about me. I’m pregnant, not stupid,” she countered, with a hard look at Steve.

What can she say? She knew he did it out of love for her, worry for their safety, their future. She couldn’t blame him.

Phillips just looked too damned please as he shook her hand and they promised to go over key details after she’s rested. Peggy was already dialing Sousa’s number, having him go to Thompson to the airport to pick up Pinky.

“So,” Peggy mused around her forkful of food. “Have you thought of any names?”

[theshipsfirstmate]

Agents of SHIELD Fic: Fold Your Hands Into Mine (1/2)

a missing scene from the finale, a quick dousy moment after Daniel tries to stay behind -- from both POVs.

Title from “Faith” by Bon Iver.

(Part 1 / Part 2 / AO3)

Part 1 (Daisy POV) - Time and Again, It’s Time to Be Brave (wc: 1108)

Deke and Fitz start barking orders and the team jumps into action. Everyone except for her. And, by extension of the hands she’s still holding, him.

The room is spinning — it feels like there isn’t enough air in her lungs. It takes her another stilted second to remember that she’s the one who has to make that happen.

She's spent years feeling the vibrational frequency of every living thing around her, but right now there’s nothing, save for the strangest stillness. It’s like she’s frozen in place, like someone’s suddenly pressed pause right before the movie’s most climactic scene.

“Daisy?” Sousa's voice catches at the edge of her consciousness like a striking match, and she turns to him as the flame flickers to life.

“What the hell was that?” It’s a half-whisper, aiming for indignation, but the emotion in her throat chokes the words out somewhere closer to anguish. She can barely meet his eyes, that spot where they crinkle at the corners threatening to weaken her already tenuous resolve.

“What was-” 

“You… volunteering yourself to stay behind? Like it’s nothing?”

“It’s not nothing,” he says with a stern nod and a hooded look that hits her like a shock when she does meet it directly. “It’s what you do for your team.” 

This is that Army talk he was on about before Deke chimed in. This is how she was going to watch history repeat itself in real time. She’d recognized the bitter taste of dread in the back of her throat.

“It’s what’s right,” he adds, and she wants to tell him a million ways he’s wrong, but each one is more selfish than the last.

It’s the first time she hasn’t found anything endearing in his immutable sense of nobility. Or maybe she still does, maybe she would, if it didn’t make her chest feel like it was about to cave in.

The S.H.I.E.L.D. team bustles around their otherwise intimate moment, and Daisy can’t find it in herself to feel embarrassed when she huffs out a shallow breath and asks outright, with a little more vigor this time. “So what, that was a kiss goodbye, before?” 

“Wasn’t it?” His response comes out shaped like a parrying shot, but when she meets his eyes she sees the same honest, torturous worry that’s coursing recklessly through her own veins. “You were the one going, headlong into enemy territory without any backup. You’re about to do it again. Maybe it’s all-“

“It’s not the same,” she interrupts, petulant selfishness finally boiling over even as part of her protests internally that he’s got a point. She drops his hands with perhaps too much force, and scrubs her palms over her face in frustration.

No one’s laid out that part of the plan yet, at least not out loud, but even Sousa understands that she’s barreling towards a winner-take-all showdown with Malick. That’s how this ends, and it’s going to take everything she’s got — plus a little luck she’s never had — to make it back to her team. To her family. And to him.

“I’m already here on borrowed time,” Sousa says again. “And lord knows, I don’t have the powers to be any use to you this time around.”

“That’s not true…” She says the words before she can fully think them through, breath catch on a gasp.

Daisy wonders if he’s realizing it in real time, just like she is -- if that’s what’s got a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth, despite the serious mood of the moment. She wonders if he knows that this is about more than just a mission. She wonders if he understands that this is the way people like them get to talk about what they mean to each other.

He is good for her, she’s more certain of that than she’s ever been about anything her heart’s ever tried to tell her. They could be good for each other, she thinks, if this timeline leads to a future where they get to try. “But I have to take on Malick. It has to be me.”

Sousa nods at the ground, solemn, and for a second she's desperate to know what he’s thinking. Then she remembers that he’s the kind of man who will tell her.

“I know,” he answers softly. “But I don’t have to like it. I’d carry you out of this one too, if I could.”

That’s where it all started, didn’t it? The memories rush back as her stomach flips over on itself. It wasn’t the playful flirting over technology or the way her heart had stutter-stepped when he called her his fiancée with a hand at the small of her back. It wasn’t the way she’d seen her own reflection in his eyes when he talked about the stakes he had in the fight against HYDRA and how far he was willing to go it alone.

It was his voice in her ear telling her they were going to make it home, the way she’d trusted that he could turn a jagged shard of glass into a way out of that nightmare. It was waking up a hundred times and always finding him there at her feet.

It was the way he’d kissed her then — hesitant until he was certain — and the way he’d kissed her today, like every part of him was determined to make it count. It had been a goodbye, she realizes, but it was also an opening, a beginning, the first chapter of a story where, if all goes to plan, they could finally find themselves on the same page.

Someone behind them shouts an urgent reminder, and Daisy’s eyes start to go cloudy again. Hope is a dangerous thing, but it’s the only part of this she can take with her right now. 

“I’ll come back,” she says as she reaches for his hands again, clearing her throat to offer a promise they both know isn’t hers to give. “And you’d better, too. I’m not ready to say goodbye.”

Sousa’s eyes go soft — like he understands the other thing she’s not ready to say yet — and then he’s tugging her towards him, wrapping an arm around her waist and kissing her deep. 

This one is pure passion and urgency, the heat of a fire they’re desperate to keep kindling. It’s a promise, and she feels him grin against her lips when she chases him back for a second kiss before pulling away, breathless. 

It’s time to go, and he drops his forehead to hers and echoes her farewell from earlier — a loaded vow in just seven words.

“I’ll see you when you get back.”

___

(Part 2 here!)