DISCLAIMER: No copyright infringement intended. All publicly owned characters and/or plot do not belong to me. I'm just playing with them. Willow Jamison is mine.
Chapter 7
Willow had been so eager to climb on the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III. It was literally Director Coulson's mobile command station and it certainly did not disappoint. It was almost as if the air inside demanded a certain respect-like you were just plain lucky to be breathing it all in. She ran her fingers lightly across the surface of the holotable.
"Hands off the holotable, missy!" Her hands flew to the air in mock surrender as she was met with the smiling face of Agent Fitz. "I'm just jokin' with ya…sort of…it takes a certain degree of training to even be able to turn the bloody thing on. We don't even let Coulson near it." He winked and she blew out a breath, lowering her hands.
"And here I thought I'd be kicked off the plane before I had even settled into my bunk." She smirked. "But umm…the button to turn it on is on the left hand side of the table next to the thumbprint scanner, of course it's nearly invisible to the naked eye."
Fitz's eyebrows raised in curiosity and surprise.
"What? They have books in spy school." She grinned. "And I happened to have had a wholeeee lot of free time."
"Well, well…..it seems we have another brainiac on board." He called to Jemma as she entered the room.
"I don't know if I'd go that far." Willow laughed. "I certainly don't have a PhD background, but I do know my way around a library. My father always used to say it's not about knowing the answer, but knowing how to find it." Her heart clenched at the memory of her Dad, but she didn't let it show.
"Your father sounds like an intelligent man." Jemma nodded, smiling.
"Yes, he was." She replied, the awkwardness suddenly rising to uncomfortable levels. "So, I know I can't be of much use out in the field or in combat training until I'm healed, but if there is anything you need from me don't hesitate to ask. I'm pretty good with a laptop and I do have a smidge of interest in engineering. I like tinkering with things and figuring out how they work. Also, my mother was a medical doctor so I'm not afraid of wounds or petri dishes for that matter. I'm at your complete and utter disposal."
"That is quite literally the best news I've heard in ages!" Jemma's smile was the brightest she'd ever seen. "You don't know how refreshing it is to have an agent on the team that isn't deterred by science and biology!"
"Careful there Jem…" Fitz warned. "Your grin is literally making my cheeks hurt."
"Oh rubbish. I saw the look on your face at her mentioning tinkering-as if that doesn't give you an absolute thrill!" The biochemist retorted.
Willow watched the two bicker back and forth playfully for a moment until Agent Hunter caught her attention.
"If you'd like a break from the dynamic duo over here, I can take you on a tour of the rest of the plane." He chuckled knowingly. Fitz and Simmons seemed unfazed by his comment, not even taking a breath to stop arguing in the only thing that could be described as science-y terms.
"Lead the way." She laughed, following him out the door.
"They're always like that. You'll get used to it." He winked. "What we've got here is the gym. I'm sure you'll be in here a lot once your wrist is healed up. We also spar in here."
"Is it open 24 hours a day?"
"Are you planning on training 'round the clock?" He teased.
"You never know." She laughed, shrugging her shoulders.
"I can see it now-you're going to put all the rest of us agents to shame."
"You're damn right I am." She winked.
"That's if she survives Ward's training." Bobbi piped up, making her way to the treadmill. What was it with the females? They were always Willow's toughest crowd.
"Don't listen to her. She's still bummed that she can't challenge that tool Chamberlin to a baton match." Hunter quipped.
"Training doesn't intimidate me. It's a learning experience." Willow smiled sweetly, but there was a certain edge to it. "And I wouldn't be so worried about Wesley's baton score. He had the instructor paid off by his rich daddy. He never beat me once."
"Ohhhh snap. You hear that Bobs? Your challenge awaits you."
"Or we could still just go with my idea, and use the batons on you…." Bobbi winked at Willow, easing the tension between them for which she was grateful.
"You're just gonna side with her like that, aye?" Hunter joked.
"Well ya know, chicks before dicks…." Willow shrugged and Hunter grabbed at his chest in mock hurt.
"I changed my mind. I like her." Bobbi smirked putting on her earbuds. "And if you need any help with Ward, just let me know."
"Wait…..Bobs. Bobbi. What the bloody hell does that even mean? Have you got a secret thing for Wardy-Poo now, or what? I know he's all tall, dark and handsome but …."
"Sorry dude, I don't think she's even listening."
"Yeah well, she never listened to me when we were married either."
"Wait…." Willow pointed back and forth between them with raised eyebrows. "You two were married?"
"It's a reallllllly long story. One that requires a realllllllly big bottle of rum." Hunter said slinging his arm around her shoulder as they made their way out of the gym to the kitchen. It took about another hour to make their way around the BUS, but she felt like she had a pretty good handle on the layout. The takeoff was surprisingly smooth, and she credited that to the piloting skills of Agent May. She had heard so many amazing things about her, but she'd also heard that you should definitely stay out of her way. Her limited time with Agent May had definitely been intimidating to say the least.
She spent a couple of hours putting away her things in her quarters, trying to calm her nerves. She had so much left to prove, but she was determined. Glancing down at her broken wrist she scowled. Normally, she'd take out her emotions on the punching bag, but that was going to be out of the question for quite some time thanks to Wesley, the grade A asshole. She wished she had been there to see what went down between him and Agent Ward. To say she'd been surprised when he'd jumped in and forced Wesley to let her go, was the understatement of the century—and his expression had been downright terrifying, yet she didn't feel afraid. Something about his dark chocolate eyes and the way her hand had felt in his when they shook, it was all too familiar. Maybe she was just crazy, or exhausted from the events of the last two days. Either way, she dozed off wondering what it was going to be like training under Agent Grant Ward.
