Work Text:
Takes place during Finders Keepers
“Your brother isn’t entirely batting for your team.”
Don raised an eyebrow. “Is this about him and Marshall Penfield in first year? cos Fury told me about that in recruitment.”
He counted a victory as a facial twitch passed across the red head’s face.
“The NSA are looking for the same thing you are.”
Don deliberately kept his face expressionless, as he asked. “And what’s SHIELD’s interest in this?”
To his relief, She didn’t attempt to insult his intelligence by denying SHIELD had an interest. “Pissing off NSA.” She shrugged. “Or Helping a friend. You chose which one you prefer.”
/**/*/*/*/*/*/
“You know that Dr Foster seemed pretty cool. Maybe we should ask her if she’s got any more ideas.”
Don struggled not to laugh at Colby’s deliberately casual tone.
“Yeah, just be careful. Rumour is she’s got a boyfriend who would really object to you sniffing around his girl.”
Colby’s face creased for a moment.
“Marine?”
Don grinned, at the thought of the blond god in the Marines. “More like a combat weatherman.”
/**//**/*/*//**//*
Takes place during Cover Me
“Sitwell mentioned that you were worried about your agent.” Coulson slide a package cross towards Don. “I spoke to Ms Potts and well, she insisted.”
As Don undid the wrapping, he observed, “You obviously made quite an impression. Experimental material, hardens when a small electric current is run through it, micro circuits to give audio and visual, it’s quite impressive.”
Don raised an eyebrow, lifting the contents of the package up. “As a Bra?”
Phil Shrugged. “It’s Stark.”
Don groaned. “Do I want to know how he got Liz’s measurements?”
Phil shrugged again. “It’s Stark.”
/**//*/**/*/*/*/*/
Takes place after Two Daughters
“Hostage situation out in the New Mexico desert. We were working with SHIELD. I had a clear shot, but one of your agents,” Ian Edgerton shrugged, sipping at his beer. “He had a better one. Took down three bad guys with one bullet.”
Clint Barton nodded, playing slightly with the label of the beer bottle.
“so I want to know what that guy is doing hiding in an FBI office in LA?”
“And you assume I know?” Ian raised an eyebrow. Clint grinned.
“Alright, I don’t know the details O.K? That shit’s classified above both our pay grades.”
“But?”
Ian prompted impatient.
“Eppe’s last assignment was clean up after Project X.”
Edgerton swore.
“Yeah.” Barton agreed. “Even Coulson said they crossed some lines there.” He shook. “last I heard of Eppes before he quit, he was tracking some air force guy across the border.” Clint’s face was very serious. “Eppes came back. His target didn’t.”
Silence reigned for a moment.
“And Eppes resigned.”
Clint shrugged. “His mom had got cancer, least that was what rumours said, but…” He trailed off.
Tunnel vision, on a case too long, had to give up man hunting.
“Thanks Barton.” Ian took a sip of his own beer. “You heard about number 3 and number five?”
/**//*/*/**//**//*/*
“Of course, it’s just a graduate level internship, so the pay is appalling.” Dr Leonard Samson leaned back his chair, regarding Megan Reeves over the tops of his finger tips. “But from your application, it’s what you’re interested in and based on your past experience, it seems the nature progression…”
He trailed off. “Obliviously, I want you to read through the brief before you agree to anything, it’s possible I’ve completely misread the situation_”
“No.” Megan interrupted. “No, it sounds fantastic, it’s just…” Samson leaned in. “With your work, your reputation, I’d have thought you had applicants lining up around the block.”
Samson smiled. “I need someone with experience in law enforcement, someone who can look after themselves.” He paused for a moment and added. “Plus, you came highly recommended by a friend of mine. Don Eppes”
“Oh you worked with Don in Alberque?”
“In a way.” Samson smiled. “He was very helpful, very supportive about a patient I was working with. Now the theory behind the research is looking at PTSD in women outside of the traditional battered wife syndrome…”
/*/*//**//*/**//*/**//*
Takes place shortly after Protest
“It’s a catch 22 situation,” Coulson observes, sipping at his beer. “Would she evitable have graduated to violence, or did the FBI push her in that direction?”
Don glared at the suited man. “Don’t you dare try and claim SHIELD hasn’t pulled similar shit.”
“Of Course not.” Coulson’s blank face flickered slightly. “SHIELD wouldn’t have left the evidence around to be found.” He paused. “You want this to be what bothers you about this case, but truthfully it’s not.”
“I’m not one of your agents anymore.”
Coulson considered this. “Doctor Samson might disagree.”
Don laughed. “Unless Chris’s coping methods have improved, Doc’s got his hands full.”
“They haven’t.” Coulson sighed. “It’s your father isn’t it? What he sees when he looks at you?”
If it had being anyone but Coulson, Don would have told them to back off, possibly even took a swing at him, but it was Phil Coulson. And he understood about fathers.
“You’re one of the good guys Don.” Phil said softly, squeezing the other man’s shoulder with what for him was affection. “And if you ever stop being.” He shrugged. “I’d take you down.”