Welcome to Level 7
Disclaimer:
As always, I own absolutely nothing. Well, Shaelynn Coulson's mine. That's it.
Rating:
M (For language)
Genre:
Family/Drama
Pairing(s):
Shauggie (Shaelynn Coulson/Auggie Anderson)
IronTazer
Lyrics Used:
Lindsay Lohan "Confessions of A Broken Heart (Daughter to Father)"
Lauren Alaina "The Climb" (originally performed/recorded by Miley Cyrus) [I just like Lauren's version better.]
Author's Note:
I honestly have absolutely no idea where this story came from. It's just something that occurred to me and wouldn't leave me alone, so, I ran with it. I seriously hope y'all like it. This first chapter is something of a prequel if you will. This is setting the scene for the main story. I know it seems like a slow starter but, I promise to try to make the main story better.
Daughter to Father
Why'd you have to go? | Why'd you have to go? | Why'd you have to go?
Daughter to father | Daughter to father | I am broken | But, I am hopin'
Daughter to father | Daughter to father | I am cryin' | A part of me's dyin' | But, these are | These are | The confessions of a broken heart
12 months ago
It was late. Shaelynn had been relaxing in her apartment with a cold beer after a long, hard, day at the DPD. Rough though it may have been, the end result had been victorious. Henry Wilcox had been taken down once and for all and she had managed to protect the reputations of the man that she loved as well as the two people who had been something of mentors to her ever since she first came to the CIA. However, the victory was mitigated by the knowledge of what was taking place in New York-just two hundred and twenty five miles away. She was worried. She knew that her father was involved in combating the alien attacks on New York and she hadn't heard from him in hours. And what she had heard the last time she had heard from him scared her. 'I just want you to know-above all else-no matter what happens, that I love you, sweetheart.' Those were the last words she had heard from her father.
The phone rang, then, shaking Shaelynn from her thoughts. For a moment, she would have sworn she felt her heart actually stop. Finally working up the courage to pick up her cell phone, she looked at the name on the caller ID. Nick Fury. Then, Shaleynn knew her heart stopped. Sliding the little green button across the screen, Shaelynn felt her hand trembling as she raised the phone to her ear. "Director?" She asked, hating the minute tremble in her voice. "What's going on?"
"Shae, I'm afraid I've got some bad news..." Fury began, his usually stoic voice softened with sincerity and regret. It was a voice that chilled the notoriously unshakeable Shaelynn Coulson to the very core. "It's about your dad." In that instant, her entire world just...stopped. Time froze for a moment before Shaelynn finally found her voice.
"Oh God..." She muttered, shakily, her voice thick with emotion. "Please...Please just...Tell me he's okay, Nick..." Usually, when it came to business, Nick and Shaelynn were Director Fury and Agent Coulson. But, there was nothing business-like about this call. This was personal. Shaelynn had grown up in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s world and with Director Fury playing a large role in her life. They often thought of each other as family just the same as Phil and Shaelynn Coulson.
"Believe me, Shae..." Fury began as Shaelynn noticed the usually stoic man's voice thick with emotions of his own, as well. "Nothing would make me happier than to tell you that."
Hearing those words brought a heart-wrenching sob from deep within Shaelynn's chest. Covering her mouth with her free hand, Shaelynn fought to maintain her composure. "No..." Shaelynn muttered, her voice and thick and wet with tears Fury was grateful that he couldn't see. "No, he can't-he just...He can't..." Shaelynn's mind refused to accept what Fury was telling her. There's no way dad could be just...gone...She thought to herself. "What happened?" She asked, not wanting to hear the details of her father's death, but, knowing that she needed to know what had happened to him if she was ever going to find closure.
"He was stabbed." Fury began, very matter-of-factly. The truth was, this wasn't easy for either of them. The seasoned director just wanted to get it over with. "He tried to take Loki on alone-no back up. The god of mischief fooled your father with a decoy while he stabbed him from behind." Fury paused a moment to allow the devastating blow to sink in. "From what I saw, it looks like Loki's spear went in through your father's back and came out of the center of his chest." Sighing heavily, Fury added "He was dead within minutes." Shaelynn couldn't be sure if the idea that her father's death was quick was comforting or not.
"I can't even begin to tell you how truly sorry I am, Shaelynn." Fury replied. "But, you should know that the man responsible for this will be held accountable." He added, hoping to bring whatever form of comfort to the young spy that he could. "That man has single-handedly pissed off a demi-god, a super soldier, a living legend, a giant green rage monster, and two master assassins. Your father's death will be avenged."
Finally calming herself, Shaelynn steeled her voice and dried her eyes as she replied "It had better be."
After hanging up the phone, Shaelynn dialed another familiar number. "Hey, good-lookin'. I'll let you insert your own blind joke, here." Auggie Anderson greeted playfully as he picked up the phone.
"Auggie, listen, I-" Immediately, the young spy knew something had to be wrong with his girlfriend.
"What's going on?" He asked, his voice immediately growing more concerned.
"I, umm..." Shaelynn had to pause to clear her throat before she continued. "I just got a call...From Fury..."
"What'd he say?" Auggie wondered, curiously. He had never heard Shaelynn this shaken. Quite honestly, it shook him.
"It was about my dad..." The watery tone in Shaelynn's voice broke Auggie's heart. Something was seriously wrong and he needed to know what. But, he could also tell that Shae needed time to work up to announcing what Fury had told her. "Auggie, he's dead!" She cried, finally unable to take it any longer.
Auggie couldn't believe what he was hearing. He knew that Shaelynn's father was a spy, just like Shaelynn. But, he still just couldn't believe that he was gone. "What?!" Auggie blurted out. "What happened?!"
"You've heard about the attacks going on in New York at this minute, right?" Shaelynn began, knowing that Auggie had-in fact-heard about the attacks.
"Yeah. And, your dad was working with a team of super-heroes to stop them." Auggie replied.
"Yes." Shaelynn began. "But, he made a fatal mistake. He tried to take Loki on, alone. No back-up." Drawing a shuddering breath, Shaelynn continued on. "Loki had my father fooled." Auggie couldn't believe what he was hearing. He couldn't fathom the idea of someone fooling Phil Coulson. "He fooled him with a decoy while he stabbed my father in the back, Auggie!" Knowing how close Shaelynn was with her father, Auggie felt his heart break as he listened to his girlfriend's story. "Fury said Loki's spear went in through my father's back and came out of the center of his chest..." Pausing, briefly, to gather her courage, Shaelynn finished. "He was dead within minutes."
For the first time he could ever remember, Auggie was truly speechless. He couldn't wrap his mind around the idea that Phil Coulson was dead. "Shae, I-" Auggie felt his voice cut out as he tried to convey his sympathies to the woman he loved. "I can't tell you enough how sorry I am..."
"God!" Shaelynn declared, shakily. "You know how much I hate sympathy, Auggie! You of all people should know that!"
Knowing how Shaelynn felt, Auggie knew that condolences weren't what she wanted or needed, right now. "You're right, Shae." Sighing heavily, he added "I just-I don't know what to say. I just can't wrap my head around what's happened..."
"You can't wrap your head around it?!" Shaelynn replied, incredulously. "I always thought my dad was...bullet-proof. I always looked up to him as being indestructible. To have him just...gone, like this..."
"I know, Shae..." Auggie knew exactly how Shaelynn felt. Every little girl looks up to their dad as being a super-hero and untouchable. To have that illusion shattered, had to have been devastating for Shaelynn. Figuring that dwelling on it would only upset her more, Auggie decided that a change of scenery was in order. "Beer at Allen's?"
Heaving a sigh of relief, Shaelynn replied "I'll drive."
A few hours later found Auggie and Shaelynn at their usual table at Allen's Tavern. Beers in hand, Auggie had successfully taken Shaelynn's mind off of her father's death. He had even gotten a laugh or two out of her. He was just happy to distract her even if just for an evening. However, that victory was cut short when Shaelynn's phone rang again. Seeing Fury's name on the caller ID brought up all the pain of their previous conversations and ripped off what few scabs had began trying to form over the wounds.
Sighing, resignedly, Shaelynn answered. "Coulson." She greeted, curtly, her voice all business.
"Shaelynn, can you speak freely?" Fury asked cryptically.
"You can." She replied just as cryptically.
"I need you to come in." Fury stated, getting straight to the point.
"You do know I don't work for you, correct?" She asked, slightly agitated.
"Not yet." And, the cryptic responses are back. "But, you and I have some things we need to discuss."
"You have my attention, Director." Shaelynn responded, her voice steeled, cold and critical. "Discuss."
"Not here." Fury replied, silently hoping to sway the young spy. "I need to speak with you face to face. There are some things you need to see for yourself."
"With all due respect, Director, this evening has already shown me far more than I have ever wanted to see in my life!" Shaelynn snapped.
"Please, Shae." Fury's voice had softened, considerably. "If you won't do it for me, do it for your father."
"You son of a bitch!" Shaelynn snarled, venomously. "I cannot believe you would throw that in my face!"
"Your father made it very clear that-in the event of his death-there was something imperative for you to see and for me to discuss with you." Fury explained, pleading with the young spy to see reason.
After a brief silence Shaelynn made her decision. "I'll be there in three hours." She stated finally. "You had best be ready and it had best be damn good!" She snarled menacingly.
Hanging up the phone, Shaelynn stood from the table, gathering her purse and her car keys before she felt Auggie's hand gripping her arm. "Whoa, hey, wait a minute!" He interjected. "Where do you think you're going?"
"New York." Shaelynn replied very matter-of-factly.
"New York?" Auggie repeated, confused. "What are you talking about?! Shaelynn, New York has been decimated by the alien attacks. There's virtually nothing left!"
"I'm going to New York, Auggie, and that's final." Shaelynn replied, steely. "Now, you can either support me on this or you can fight it, that's your choice. But, either way, I'm going!"
Knowing that Shaelynn couldn't be swayed once her mind was made up, Auggie replied "Shae, you know I will support anything you deem to be important. And, if this is important to you, then, it's important to me and you will always have my support."
"Good." Shaelynn replied triumphantly as she turned to take her leave.
"Which means I'm going with you." Auggie called after her.
After thinking about Auggie's proposition for two beats, Shaelynn turned and resumed her previous position by Auggie's side. "Look, Auggie, I appreciate the support-really, I do. But, I really feel like this is something I need to do alone."
"Shae-" Auggie began to argue with her before Shaelynn cut him off.
"No, Auggie." She interjected. "I'm doing this by. myself. And, that's final!" Shaelynn added, finally, making a swift exit before Auggie could argue another word.
Three hours later found Shaelynn Coulson in New York, pulling up to S.H.I.E.L.D HQ. Storming into Director Fury's office, Shaelynn declared "All right, Fury, I just drove three hours from DC to New York and it damn well better have been worth it!"
Without a word, the chair that Shaelynn had presumed Fury to be sitting in swiveled around to reveal its true occupant. "Welcome to Level Seven, Agent Coulson." Phil Coulson spoke, a proud smile spreading across his face. Seeing her father's face come into full view was too much for Shaelynn to take at that moment as she backed into the wall behind her and collapsed into a crouching position as her knees drew close to her chest while her face fell into her hands.
"This can't be real..." Shaelynn muttered, the tears returning to her eyes as the watery tone returned to her voice. "This can't be happening..."
Seeing his daughter's meltdown threw Phil Coulson for a loop. He had been under the misguided impression that she knew what was going on all along. But, seeing his daughter's heartbreak broke the heart of the seasoned veteran agent. "Shae? Shae, what's going on? What's wrong?" He asked concerned.
"This isn't happening!" Shaelynn repeated, covering her eyes and closing her eyes as the tears continued to flow down her face. "This isn't real! You're just imagining things!" Finally her eyes snapped open as Shaelynn felt her father's hands on either side of her face as she heard his voice speaking again.
"Shae, talk to me." He implored. Watching as Shaelynn's eyes finally connected with his, Phil begged again. "What are you talking about? What isn't real? What isn't happening?"
After staring into her father's eyes for a few more moments, Shaelynn felt an inexplicable and indescribable rage swelling inside of her before she almost violently shook her father off of her as she shot to her feet. In that moment, Phil Coulson saw true, unadulterated rage in his daughter's eyes for the very first time in her life. He had never seen Shaelynn so angry in his life-he had never seen anyone so angry, and that included Bruce Banner's transformation into the Hulk. "You're DEAD!" Shaelynn finally roared. "You're dead! You died! You took Loki on alone and DIED as a result!"
The pain in his daughter's voice threatened to shatter Phil's heart from within his chest. Rounding on the man behind him, Phil felt Shaelynn's anger boiling his own blood as he spoke. "You son of a bitch!" He snarled, angrily. "You said you read her in!"
"I did read her in." Fury replied calmly, remaining composed in the face of his operative's anger.
"Bullshit!" Phil snarled in an uncharacteristically vicious display of rage as he stalked up to the taller man until he was mere inches from the mans' face. "You told me she knew everything! You told me that she was in on this whole god-damned thing from the very beginning! I trusted you with the single most precious thing in my life and how did you reward that trust?! By letting my own daughter believe me to be dead!"
"I had to make it convincing." Fury explained simply. "It would have only worked if Shaelynn believed it, too."
"Wait a minute..." Shaelynn began incredulously. "This was all a ploy?! You faked your own death?!"
"Listen to me, Shaelynn..." Phil began, voice softening as he plead for his daughter's forgiveness. "Yes, it was faked. But, I had no idea that you were fooled into believing it as well." Turning back to Fury, the furious tone returned to his voice though he was still addressing Shaelynn. "You were supposed to have been in on it the whole time!"
Stalking across the room, Shaelynn grabbed her father's shoulder, almost violently forcing him to look at her as she spoke. "Yeah, well, I wasn't!" She hissed, venomously. "Eight hours ago, I get a call from Fury telling me about how Loki killed you! Do you have any idea what that did to me?! Do you have any idea how that made me feel?!" She asked, her voice shaking as still more tears streamed down her face.
"It was never supposed to be that way." Phil insisted, praying to whatever deity may have been listening for his daughter's forgiveness. "I never would have agreed to something like that if I had known that Fury wasn't going to read you in from the word 'go'. I need you to believe me!"
Shaelynn remained silent for a moment as she processed everything that had happened over the last several hours. Deep down, she knew there was some truth to what her father was telling her. She knew he would never intentionally lie to her. She just was struggling to wrap her mind around all of this. "I do." She replied, finally, watching as relief visibly washed over her father. "I do believe you, dad."
Feeling her father's relief wash over her as well, Shaelynn finally gave in and collapsed into her father's arms, finally feeling true comfort as her father's arms wrapped around her, his hand rubbing soothing circles into her back while she buried her face in his shoulder. Recognizing the father-daughter duo needed this, Fury simply remained silent as Phil and Shaelynn hugged through their issues.
Finally pulling away from her father, Shaelynn wiped her eyes as she focused her attention on Fury. "I take it this is what it was so 'imperative' for me to see?" She asked, sarcastically as a relieved smile spread across her face.
"Well, it was one of them." Fury began cryptically. "There was one other thing that we wanted to discuss with you." He added.
"And, just what might that be?" Shaelynn asked, curiously, as she put her guard back up in the event she didn't like what Fury would have to say.
After glancing at Phil for a brief moment, a devious smirk played across the usually stoic director's face as he asked "Shall I tell her or would you care to do the honors?" He asked his operative, playfully.
"Oh, for the love of God, someone just tell her, already! Please!" Shaelynn cried, exasperated.
Refocusing his attention on Shaelynn Fury began "We'd like to offer you a job, Miss Coulson."
"But, not just any job." Phil added, just as playfully. "My job."
"I'm sorry..." Shaelynn replied, a disbelieving smile playing across her face as she added "Your job? How is that possible?" She wondered, aloud.
"Your father is moving onto another project." Fury explained, his business tone returning to his voice. "I want him to lead a new team of operatives in the fight to clean up any new threats that may arise as a result of Loki's attacks. And, given that the Avengers already believe their handler to be dead, they'll be more apt to accept a new handler." He explained as if it were all clear as day.
"And, you want me to be that new handler." Shaelynn, replied, filling in the blanks in Fury's statement.
"It makes the most sense." Phil replied, smiling proudly at his daughter. "Shae, your reputation at Langley speaks for itself. You're a damn good spy, Shae. Hell, you've done things I've never even dreamed of doing. You uncovered a cellular jamming station in Cuba. You took down Henry. Wilcox. You survived numerous attempts on your life. You not only took down the woman who tried to kill you-not once, but, twice-but, you also exposed her for the liar that she was and cleared your own name in the process. You can do this, Shaelynn." He reiterated, gripping both of his daughter's shoulders in either hand. "You can handle this."
Intellectually, Shaelynn knew everything her father was telling her was true. After digesting it all and taking in everything that had happened since Fury's first phone-call, Shaelynn began to believe her father's words, herself. Looking into her father's eyes, Shaelynn smiled proudly as she replied. "You're right, dad. I can do this." Looking from her father to Fury and back to her father, she added. "And, I will."
There's always gonna be another mountain | I'm always gonna wanna make it move | Always gonna be an uphill battle | Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose | Ain't about how fast I get there | Ain't about what's waitin' on the other side | It's the climb
The next day, Shaelynn had returned to her apartment to find none other than August Anderson standing outside her door, presumably waiting for her. "Hey, stranger." She greeted, a smile spreading across her face as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, grateful to see him.
Practically hearing her smiling, Auggie could tell something drastic had happened to change her previous disposition. "Hey, you!" He replied, smiling. He was glad to have her back and to hear her in such high spirits. But, as she guided him into her apartment, he still couldn't help wondering just what the hell was going on. This was not the attitude of the Shaelynn he knew and loved-not when her father had been killed just yesterday.
After sitting down next to her on her couch, Auggie finally couldn't stand it anymore and had to voice the question on his mind. "Look, Shae...Not that it's not great to hear you in such a great mood but...I have to ask...What's goin' on?" He wondered aloud, hoping he hadn't crossed a line in asking that.
"I get it." She admitted. "I understand why you're so confused. But, I've just been offered a pretty exciting opportunity-or at least it would be under any other circumstances-and, I know that my dad would be-not only happy for me-but, he'd be pretty damn proud of me, too." She explained. "Listen, Auggie, we need to talk." Suddenly, Shaelynn's voice had taken on a more serious tone.
"So, let's talk." Auggie suggested, concerned by the sudden turn in Shaelynn's voice.
"Look, this...opportunity...While exciting..." Shaelynn began, hesitantly, fearful of Auggie's potential responses. "It will require me to move to New York." She finished, sheepishly.
Realizing the implication, Auggie sighed lightly as he hung his head while pondering what to say or do next. Their relationship had already been strained by Shaelynn's latest mission with his-suddenly alive, again, after seven years-ex wife, as well as the general troubles and tribulations that came with working for the CIA. "Shaelynn..." He began before Shae interjected.
"Look, I know that things have been a little rocky, lately..." Shaelynn admitted. "What with Helen and Henry and all the other stress that comes with the territory of being spies...But, this is a huge opportunity for me. I can't just ignore it. Fury wants me to replace my dad as handler for the Avengers. I mean, do you realize how huge that is?!" Shaelynn asked, her voice rising in pitch with excitement as she continued on. "I mean, granted, our work protects the entire United States which is huge in and of itself." She admitted. "But, the Avengers protect the entire human race! This job would have global implications!"
"I know, I get that, Shaelynn." Auggie relented. "But, what would it mean for us?!" He asked desperately. "How would we maintain a relationship with you living three hours away?!"
"Look, I'm not saying that things will be easy for us." Shaelynn admitted, knowing that Auggie had a point. "Hey...Why don't you move to New York with me?!" She offered. "I mean, think about it. With everything that's happened, lately, we could both use the fresh start. It would be like starting over with a clean slate. We could put Helen and Henry and everything else behind and just start over fresh."
As compelling as Shaelynn's argument was, Auggie couldn't help having his doubts. "Shae, you know how hard I have to fight to keep my job at Langley! They're always looking for reasons to get rid of the blind guy! Do you have any idea how hard it would be for me to find work in New York?!"
"So, I could talk to Fury!" Shaelynn countered. "He's always needing new operatives for this that and the other. I could put in a good word for you-he trusts me!"
"Shae, the director of a huge spy agency would have to be a damn fool to hire a blind operative based solely on the word of one operative. Especially when that operative is sleeping with the operative she's trying to get hired." Auggie countered, knowing that Shaelynn trying to get him a job would never fly. This 'Director Fury' would never gamble on hiring a blind spy based solely on her word.
"You don't know Fury the way I do!" Shaelynn argued. "He knows me-hell, he practically helped raise me, for Christ's sake!" She snapped, desperately. "He knows that I'm perfectly capable of making a fair, impartial judgment of any potential operative's performance regardless of my relationship to them." Shaelynn reasoned.
"Look, you know that my job at Langley is everything to me!" Auggie countered. "My entire life is here!" After thinking about it for a moment, he offered "Why don't you just stay here? Nobody said you have to take this offer! I mean, just because you're offered a job doesn't mean you have to accept it."
"Auggie, look..." Shaelynn began, unsure of just how to phrase her response. "Me going to work for S.H.I.E.L.D., one day was always a dream of mine and my dad's. My dad always use to talk about how great it would be if we could work together. Granted, while that can never happen, having this opportunity to work for S.H.I.E.L.D means the world to me. It's one small piece of my dad that I can always hold on to. Look, I'm not asking you like this...Hell, I'm not even asking you to understand it." With that, Shaelynn paused to take Auggie's hands in hers as she looked straight into his unseeing eyes. "All I'm asking is for to support it."
Sighing, Auggie shook his head as he replied "I'm sorry, Shaleynn." He began, defeatedly. "I love you and you know I would do anything for you-"
"Then, why is it that when I ask you to do this one thing for you, your support is nowhere to be found?!" Shaelynn demanded, incredulously.
"Because, I don't think you fully understand what it is you're asking of me." Auggie countered, irritated, ripping his hands from Shaelynn's grasp. "You're asking me to uproot my entire life and relocate to another city over two hundred miles away! Under normal circumstances, I would follow you to the ends of the Earth. But, you and I both know these are hardly normal circumstances."
"And, you and I also know that if I don't take this job...If I stay here with you in DC, I'll end up regretting it for the rest of my life!" Shaelynn fired back, turning some of Auggie's own words against him. "And we both know that that regret would gradually turn into resentment. Resentment toward you and our relationship for keeping me here and keeping me from pursuing something that clearly means so much to me!" Shaking her head vehemently, Shaelynn finished "I won't do it, Auggie. I love you too much to jeopardize our relationship like that.
In that moment Auggie knew that Shaelynn was right. He knew that it would be horribly selfish of him to ask her to pass up an opportunity like this. But, he just couldn't uproot his life and resettle in a completely different city. "You're right." Auggie admitted, quietly. "I can't ask you to pass this up for me." Just as Shaelynn breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that Auggie might finally be coming around, her world flipped upside down when he spoke again. "But, I just can't uproot myself and move to New York with you."
Rising to her feet, Shaelynn stared at Auggie for a moment before asking "So...You're saying I have to choose between you...and S.H.I.E.L.D.?" She asked, incredulously.
"I'm saying that there is no choice to be made." Auggie explained. "You have to go to New York and I have to stay here." Auggie admitted, already feeling his heart shatter in his chest.
Realizing the implications of what Auggie was saying, Shaelynn felt her chest clench painfully as she timidly asked "So...What?...This is the end?" She couldn't believe that Auggie would react this way. She really thought that the two of them could figure out a way to make this work.
Sighing heavily, Auggie replied "Looks that way..." Without another word, Auggie stepped forward, toward what sounded like the source of Shaelynn's voice and reached out before sliding his hands up her sides until he cradled her face in his hands as he brought her face closer to his-pressing his lips to hers for the last time.
After kissing Auggie a moment longer, Shaelynn knew that prolonging this goodbye would only make it that much harder. Gently pushing Auggie away, Shaelynn muttered, brokenly "I think you should leave."
Understanding where Shaelynn was coming from, Auggie silently unfolded his cane and made his way out of the apartment.
"Shaelynn!" Director of Clandestine Services, Joan Campbell greeted, surprised to see Shaelynn in her office. "I heard about your father." In that moment, Shaelynn wanted nothing more than to read her boss and friend in and tell her that father was actually alive-just to prevent the onslaught of sympathy and condolences. But, she had to remind herself that Joan didn't even work for S.H.I.E.L.D., let alone have the proper security clearance to know the truth. "I'm so sorry for your loss." Joan added, crossing the room and offering her comfort in the form of a friendly hug.
"Thank you, Joan." Shaelynn replied after breaking away from the hug as she sat down on the couch by the window. "But, I actually came here to talk to you about the resignation e-mail I sent you an hour ago."
"I saw that." Joan relented. "Care to elaborate?" She asked, curiously.
"Well, like I said in the e-mail..." Shaelynn began. "In light of my father's death, Director Fury has asked me to take over my dad's old job as handler for the Avengers. And, my joining S.H.I.E.L.D was always something that my dad dreamed about ever since I told him I wanted to be a spy just like him." She recalled, a fond smile on her face.
Understanding where Shae was coming from, Joan knew there was nothing anyone could say or do to change her mind. "Well, you know we'll certainly miss you, around here."
"I know and I really will miss this place, too." Shae admitted, recalling her discussion with Auggie on the matter. "But, I just feel like this is something I need to do. For myself and for my dad."
"So, I have to ask..." Shaelynn braced herself for the question she knew Joan would ask once this subject came up. "Will Auggie be going with you?"
Sighing lightly, Shaelynn steeled herself as she responded "Sadly, no." With a steadying breath, Shaelynn added "Auggie and I discussed this at length...And, well...I had to make a choice. Auggie couldn't leave DC and...And, I couldn't stay just for him..." Nodding, Joan understood. She just hated seeing two of her best operatives and two of her closest friends take such a devastating blow.
"Well, I'm sure you've made the right decision for you." Joan replied, supportively.
"I think I have." Shaelynn replied, confidently. "I just wish Auggie would see it that way."