Chapter Ten: Growing up

"Is this a joke Agent Morse," Fury stated, reading the list of names.

"No Sir," Bobbi replied.

"This a collection of misfits."

"Sir. It's a collection of SHIELD's best. I agree they're quite individual, but as a team, I think we could be great."r

"Agent Mor…"

"Sir, with all due respect. What have you got to lose?" Fury looked annoyed about being interrupted but eventually agreed.

"Be it on your head agent. Gather the team and I'll inform Samuels." "Sir, I would prefer if I told him myself," Bobbi stated.

"Fine," he replied, dismissing her.

George felt Clint keep looking at him concerned every-time another car approached theirs. George couldn't help it, he tensed whenever something came their way.

"Not much further," Clint said. George didn't answer, he just tried to distract himself. It didn't work. "Kid, have a little faith. I'm not going to crash."

"I'm fine…, I just… don't like cars."

"I know kid. I'm going to teach you to drive one day, then you'll see it isn't that bad."

"No thanks. I'm fine with my bike."

"Suit yourself," Clint replied, before pulling up and parking the car. Coulson and Nat were already inside.

"One dance Nat," Clint begged. "Just one."

"I hate you, you know that?" she replied, putting her drink down and taking his hand as he led her to the dancefloor. George grinned at the spectacle as he downed another shot; the assassins could dance. Coulson was sat opposite, smiling as he drank his coke.

"If he steps on her foot, he'll regret it for a year," George observed, Coulson didn't miss the slight slur to his words.

"No more shots I think," Coulson said, moving the bottle towards him. George shrugged his shoulders, leaning back against the seat, closing his eyes. "Don't pass out."

"I'm just tired," George replied.

"You and me both kid," Coulson replied as he noticed Bobbi walk in. She sat next to George and kissed him on the cheek, making him open his eyes.

"Happy birthday."

"I didn't know you were coming," George said, happy to see her.

"Coulson invited me," she replied and George looked towards him.

"Not every-day you turn 21," Coulson replied. "I'll go get another round," he continued, letting them have some privacy.

"So, do you feel like an adult?" Bobbi asked.

"I'm not sure. I haven't been a child for a long time," George replied. Bobbi frowned at that comment. She rested her head against his shoulder, looking out towards the dance-floor.

"Is that…?"

"Barton and Romanoff. Yes, yes it is." Bobbi burst out laughing, the two of them had taken over. Clint was spinning Nat around the room and the band seemed to be playing just for them. "What did Fury say?" George asked. It had been a week since he gave her his list.

"He didn't understand the choices, but he gave me the go ahead."

"And has he picked your team leader yet?" George asked. Bobbi sat up and turned to face him.

"Yes."

"And?"

"He picked you." George shuffled in his seat and ran a hand other his eyes.

"I must be more drunk than I thought... He picked who?"

"You heard me. Fury wants you to run my team." George sat quiet for a moment before he glared at her.

"You knew, didn't you?" George said, hurt in his voice.

"Yes."

"That's why you asked me to choose the members."

"Sam, I wanted to make sure I could offer you the best. I wanted the team to be the best. I want you to run it." "And where was my say in this?" George said, standing.

"No one's forcing you, I thought this was what you wanted; to be a field agent," Bobbi replied.

"No one decides what I want," George finished angrily, before he made his way outside. Clint saw and stopped dancing, hurrying after the kid as Nat went back to the table.

"What happened?" she demanded, seeing Bobbi looking worried.

"You told him, I guess," Coulson said, returning.

"Yes, I did. I thought he would be happy," she replied. Coulson sighed, sitting down.

"He's worried about having people's life in his hands again. He doesn't trust himself after Riley."

"I didn't realise."

"It was 50/50, I don't think the alcohol helped." "I need to see him," Bobbi said, standing.

"Bobbi, I don't think that's…" Nat began but Bobbi had already walked out. Nat sighed. "Drive me home Coulson?" Phil nodded, there was nothing more they could do.

"Kid!" Clint called, chasing after George. "Sam!" George stumbled through the street, into the alleyway, tripping over. He didn't bother getting up, he just leant against the wall. "Sam," Clint said, finally catching up. Clint slid down the wall and sat beside him. "What the hell kid?"

"Did you know?"

"Know what?"

"I'm to be Bobbi's boss in a field team." Clint sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"You want to tell me what the real problem is, because that doesn't sound too bad."

"She didn't give me any warning."

"And what difference does that make. You either say yes or no."

"You don't understand," George said, standing and leaning against the wall.

"No," Clint stated, standing too. "You're just not explaining."

"I'm no-one's puppet!" George yelled. "She can't just decide things for me!" Clint was finally getting somewhere. "It's my life!"

"This isn't about Bobbi. This is about your past and you need to stop thinking like that."

"How can you say that?"

"Because I've been there," Clint said, grabbing his shoulder. "I've been down that path. I've killed on orders. I've murdered on command. I've… I got through it. Coulson, and Nat and…Laur…SHIELD got me through it… For god's sake kid, this is your chance to set your own terms, who cares if Bobbi sorted it out without your knowledge? You still get the final say." Clint then looked up to see Bobbi stood at the end of the corner, she had heard it all. Clint released George and walked off, he was going home.

"I'm sorry," Bobbi began. "I didn't realise." George shook his head; it wasn't her fault. He needed to grow up. "I'm in."

"What?"

"I'll do it," George said again. "But no more secrets." "No more secrets," Bobbi agreed.

"You ready?" Bobbi asked, as they stood inside the Quinjet. George nodded.

"Let's go meet our team," he replied. Bobbi and George then walked out of the plane and into The Hub's hangar. There were two people waiting for them by the entrance. George recognised them both and was grimacing at the thought of speaking to one of them.

"Agent Morse, it's good to see you again," Agent Hand said.

"You too Ma'am," Bobbi replied.

"Agent Samuels, we finally meet," Hand said, shaking George's hand. "I think you know Agent Sitwell." "We've met," George replied, glaring at the agent. "Except this time, I'm not chained to a table." Hand smirked a little; it seemed she didn't love Sitwell either.

"I'm glad that circumstances have changed," Jasper replied. George let a pretend smile grace his face. They did not shake hands.

"Your team has arrived; they're waiting for you," Hand said as she led them into the main hall. George looked up to see he was in a huge, circular shaped building.

"Impressive," he mumbled to Bobbi, causing her to smile.

"Agent Morse, your team is in the left wing, floor 5. This will be your base throughout your stay."

"Thank-you, Agent Hand," Bobbi replied, before they walked off to the elevators.

"I know all the names of the bases, well up to level 5 at least, and all the intel about them, but are they all... so…"

"Big? Modern? Fancy?" Bobbi asked.

"All of the above."

"Yes, they are."

"Cool… So, what did she mean by our base?"

"Field teams get their own area. Bunks, tech rooms, office and common room."

"Who gets the office?" he joked.

"You're the boss," Bobbi replied. "Come on," she continued, as they exited the lift and walked through to the common room. They opened the door and four people stood. "Meet the team."

"Bobbi," one man greeted, shaking her hand.

"Jake," she replied. "How's the arm?"

"Never better," he replied grinning. "Agent Wilton," he continued shaking George's hand. "Your sniper."

"Thanks for coming," George responded.

"Pleasure sir," Jake said, before he took a few steps back. The others didn't look as welcoming. George sighed before beginning his semi-prepared ramble.

"Ok, lets clear a few things up," George said, before he took a seat, facing the others. "I am the youngest person in this room and I am also supposed to be in charge. I understand that isn't going to sit well with all of you. Despite my age, I would expect none of you to trust me anyway; none of you know me. Trust is earned and I hope to gain it. Most of you know Agent Morse," he continued as Bobbi sat beside him. "She will be in charge of the tactical team… and I know each of your histories. So, right now you can ask me questions about mine, don't expect me to do this again though." The room was silent for a minute before two of the agents took a seat and the muscular man leaned against the wall. Jake remained standing to the side.

"Why are you here?" the big guy asked.

"Agent Mackenzie, right?" George began.

"Mack."

"Mack, I'm here because Agent Morse asked me to be. I also want to be in the field," George replied, he knew that didn't come out very well.

"I asked Fury for the best," Bobbi said. "Agent Samuels' name was put forward straight away."

"How are you the best with no field experience?" Mack asked sternly.

"Oh, he has field experience. Just not directly for SHIELD," Bobbi stated and George gave her a look.

"I was a mercenary before I was recruited to SHIELD two years ago." George explained.

"For who?" a young woman asked, she was 24.

"Agent Jane Casper?" George asked, making the woman nod. "When I was nine years old my uncle took me in and brought me up within Hamlet. If you haven't heard of it, it was an international arms dealership, specialising in African militant groups and founded in the UK. I became their pilot…, or delivery boy. I acted out all the transactions. That was until two years ago when Coulson took me down." That raised a few heads, even Bobbi hadn't heard the bit about his uncle and being nine years old.

"And the last two years?" Jake asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Initially, I was a level 3 analyst, then I was promoted to level 5." He could see Jane was about to ask him why, but Bobbi beat him to it.

"Sam was responsible for the discovery of the moles, Blakeman, Morton and the rest. Hence the promotion. For the few months, he has worked directly under Coulson, Hill and Fury, researching and assisting in missions involving myself, Hawkeye and Black Widow. He was also put in charge of sifting through the Academy for bad seeds, by Fury himself. He had planned the mission which took Hamlet down, he was also the architect behind getting himself captured by SHIELD; all to give us the information to take down his own organisation."

"That wasn't one of my best ideas," George mumbled to himself, ignoring the praise; he hated it.

"So? Any more questions?" Bobbi asked, satisfied by the shocked expressions.

"No," the final person said, standing from their seat. "I'm willing to try this out. James Porter," he continued and George stood and shook his hand.

"Agent Porter."

"I brought you a beer," Bobbi said, walking into George's new office.

"Thanks."

"I think it went well."

"Really?"

"Well, no one left," Bobbi teased. "What you looking at?"

"Our first mission," George replied, displaying it on the big screen.

"Well that looks fun…" Bobbi stated, reading one word. 'Russia'.

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