Note: In Greek mythology Moros was the personification of impending doom as well as the spirit of depression, hence the chapter name.

Updated 8/11/14

The Other Agent Foster

Chapter 11- Thoughts of Doom and Gloom.

Angelica sat down on the bed in her hotel room with a sigh. It had been a long flight and even though she was used to flying for work the last 11 or so hours had felt unbearable. She supposed that it was because she wasn't travelling for work. That and she had been given a lot to think about on the flight. Usually, even when she was flying on a commercial flight like she had done that day, she was on her way to or on her way back from a job and she spent the time either going over the intel that she had or writing up a report on the completed mission. Theta used her flight time efficiently and effectively but Angelica didn't know what to do with herself.

The only thing that she had to distract herself from the passage of time on the long flight was what she had learned the day before. Angelica didn't want to think about what Nana had said to her, but she couldn't help herself. Especially after speaking to Patrick Monroe when Katie had picked Joe up and taken him home. She had learned then that Tuck had asked him to see about getting his apartment back. The two men lived in the same building, or at least they had done before Tuck had moved back in with his wife and son. He hadn't sold the apartment yet so it was currently empty which was good because apparently Tuck needed somewhere to stay after Katie had chucked him out.

The problem was that Angelica didn't know what to think about all this information. When she had first heard about what had happened she had been pleased, especially after her conversation with Nana and the realisations that had come with it. But she was being selfish to think that way especially after all the times that she had tried to walk away.

Angelica stood for a moment to compose herself after letting hersef into Tuck's apartment. It wasn't the first time that she had broken into his place since he had finished his training and moved in. It had become a game for them whenever they knew that Frankie would be busy they would find a way to see each other. But this time was different. This time she had to end it. They were getting too close, too reliant on each other. And soon, by the time that she turned 18 she would be transferred to Washington. They had always known that it wouldn't last, that they wanted different things, but tonight she actually intended to walk away.

Tuck was sitting watching the TV when she snuck up behind him but somehow he knew that she was there.

"Hello Angel, you're early."

She smiled softly as she moved around the sofato straddle his lap. Only then did she grow serious.

"Yeah, there's something we need to talk about Tuck. Something serious"

He nodded putting his serious face on but his hands were still rubbing over her thighs.

"OK good, go on."

Taking a deep breath Angelica forced the words out of her mouth.

"I found out today that the Agency have a position in mind for when Agent Moros deems my training complete. They are sending me to Washington. They have a cover all set up for me at the American Embassy when I turn 18. It got me thinking. We both knew when we started this, whatever it is, that it wouldn't last forever. I'm holding you back Tuck. I know that you haven't been seeing anyone since we started fooling around because you aren't like that. But we want different things. For me it can never be more than just this. But you've always wanted to have a family. So I think you should do that. Go out, meet a girl, settle down, have a family. In the meantime we have to stop doing this. What I mean is after this, after tonight, that's it. I'm not going to do this anymore."

He nodded along as she spoke watching her face and concentrating on her words. Then when she stopped he stayed silent for a moment processing everything that she had said.

"You really have put a lot of thought into this haven't you?"

He asked and at her nod he sighed.

"If it's what you want Angel, then alright. After tonight we won't do this anymore."

She had kept her resolve for six years. Even when she had seen Tuck with someone else she had ignored her own jealousy maintaining that it was better for him, that she was happy for him. When she had discovered that she was pregnant her resolve had been strengthened. She was reminded of exactly why she couldn't have the family that he so desperately wanted. It wasn't just because doing what she did and being who she was would make her a terrible mother. It was because she couldn't bare to see her own child go through what she had. She couldn't let her own son grow up to take the agencies aptitude tests, she couldn't have them watching him every moment to see if he measured up. That wasn't the life that she wanted for her son. Of course none of that mattered now. Joe knew about the Agency and although they were aware that he was Tuck's son, only one had known his true parentage, her instructor and fellow 'Cleaner' Agent Moros.

Angelica sat on the hard couch beside Agent Moros' desk with a cooling cup of tea between her hands. She didn't know what to do now that she knew she was pregnant. So she had come to see the only person who would understand at least some of what worried her. Besides until he deemed her training complete and her transfer to Washington went through he was still her boss and he needed to know.

"I pressume Agent Harrison is the father. I was under the impression that you two had parted ways."

He said and she nodded. She wasn't surprised that he knew about Tuck, he always knew.

"We did. I can't commit to the sort of relationship that he wants. He wants a wife and... And kids."

They weren't Theta and Moros right now, they were Angelica and Edward so she didn't feel unprofessional telling him all of this. That scared her a little that the lines were blurred between work and home, but she needed his advice.

"Well I think I might have an idea, but you'll need to speak to him. And we'll need your grandmother's help. This is what I think..."

He had understood why she wanted to keep her pregnancy a secret. With his and Nana's help she had given Joe a chance at a normal life while still giving Tuck his chance to be happy. But she hadn't really gotten to thank her mentor properly. The closest she had come was when she had tracked down and killed the men responsible for his death.

Theta sat in the shadows weighing her options as the men filed into the warehouse. If this were any other job she would just shoot them all and be done with it. It was the most efficient way to get rid the job done. But this wasn't any other job, these men had been responsible for the death of Agent Moros, her friend and tutor Edward Morren. Usually Theta was all business and wouldn't let emotion get in the way, but this was different. She became Theta when she worked to keep her work and her personal life seperate, but this was work on a personal level. Angelica had friends and family, or rather she had family and one friend that she sometimes slept with who also happened to be the father of her son. But Theta only had one friend and these men had killed him.

Her decision made Theta took her tranquiliser gun, some rope and fruit knife out of her bag. Then she got to work. By the time that she was finished there was quite a mess. She had no idea how much time had passed because she never wore her watch or any other pieces of jewellery while she worked, but the sky was getting lighter by the time that she set fire to the warehouse to cover her tracks. As she walked away she wondered if there would be someone to avenge her death when the time came. There were other 'cleaners' but she didn't have much contact with them and she wouldn't want Frankie or Tuck going after whoever would be good enough to take her down.

That was another reason that Angelica had stayed away as best she could. Agents like her and Moros didn't usually get to retirement and if they did they didn't handle it very well. Living with the duel personality for so long often meant that they couldn't live one life without the other. The job was their purpose in life, they needed it to fight whatever demons had brought them into the position in the first place. Without it they were lost. Maybe that wouldn't be the case for Angelica, she had Nana and Franklin and the rest of her family which was unusual in her profession. Most 'cleaners' didn't have anyone at home to miss them when they were gone, but she couldn't guarantee that she would be the exception so she tried to stay away. That was why she had ended things with Tuck when she found out about her impending move to Washington. That was why she had forced herself to be happy when he married Katie and settled down.

But then Tuck had called her when his divorce had been finalised and even though she knew she shouldn't have, she flew over to see him and her resolve slipped. She told herself that there wasn't any harm, that he wasn't ready to go out and date yet. But she was being selfish and hurting them both again, so when things started to get a little too close to an actual relationship she pulled away again. The only difference was that this time when he needed her for comfort yet again after losing Lauren to FDR, she walked away.

Angelica hadn't been surprised when Tuck text her. It was a habit now for him to contact her when he was upset and he knew that she would still be in town. So she agreed to meet him at his apartment and she listened while he told her all about what had happened with Frankie and Heinrich and Lauren. Of course she knew most of it, but she let him talk. She listened as he talked about how much he liked Lauren, how disappointed he had been that she had chosen Franklin and how difficult it had been being at odds with his best friend. She listened to it all and she tried not to think about how much it hurt to hear him talk about this other woman. It hurt as much as it always had to hear him talk about Katie. But just like before she had no right to feel hurt or jealous because there couldn't be anything between them, she had walked away from him twice now so that they wouldn't get hurt and she couldn't let things slip again. They were friends, that was it, that was all they ever could be.

So when they found themselves leant against each other on the sofa and Angelica was reminded of how similar this was to the day that Tuck's divorce was finalised, she forced herself to sit up. He had been looking at her exactly the same way he had that day, but she couldn't let herself make that same mistake again. He looked disappointed that she had moved away, but not surprised.

"I'm sorry Angel. It's always been so much easier with you. Everything just comes naturally with you, even when it shouldn't. We're so comfortable with each other that I forget that we shouldn't get involved. Why is that?"

Angelica sighed as she forced herself to stand. She had to get out of there or she would slip again and she couldn't let that happen.

"We've known each other for a long time Tuck and we don't have any secrets from each other. That's all it is. I should go. I'm going back to Washington soon and I have a report to write for Collins."

She grabbed her jacket and started towards the door trying her best to ignore Tuck as he stood to follow her.

"Don't go Angel, please."

He grabbed her arm just as she reached the door but she refused to look at him.

"I have to Tuck. We can't do this again. I can't do this again."

With that she shrugged him off and she was out the door.

That was why she had no right to be happy that Katie had ended things with Tuck yet again. At first things had been awkward between them after that last time. Frankie's engagement party had been her first time back in LA since then and it had been just as painful as Angelica had expected it to be, but they had gotten past it to protect their secret and to protect Joe.

Now though Angelica didn't know what to do. Finally she knew what she wanted to do, what she wanted for herself. But she didn't know whether or not she could have it without destroying everything that she had worked so hard to protect.

Angelica wasn't surprised to see Agent Moros waiting for her at the airport when she went to check in for her flight. He always knew when she was in LA and would make a point of coming to see her. It was his way of making sure that she was alright.

"Good morning Edward. I would ask you why you are here, but we both know that that is a pointless question."

He smiled crookedly, the scar across his lip forcing his mouth into a shape that unnerved most people but she found it comforting. She smiled back.

"Good morning Angelica. I could ask you the same thing, but as Agent Harrison's divorce came through yesterday I won't bother."

The smile slipped from Angelica's face and she studied his face looking for disapproval. She didn't see any, but with him that didn't mean anything. She didn't ask him how he knew, of course he knew. Agent Moros was assigned to the LA field office. He kept tabs on every Agent who worked there. Besides he kept a close eye on both Frankie and Tuck as a special favour to his former student.

"It was a momentary lapse in judgement..."

She started to explain, but he interupted her.

"I'm not here to criticise you Angelica. I wanted to make sure that you were alright. It may seem like it at times, but it is not a weakness to care for somebody. It can make this job easier if you have something to protect. You have already done something that the rest of us never managed, you kept your life away from the job. You have your brother and your family, you even see that boy of yours when you can. Is it so bad that you still have feelings for his father? With what we do it is important to find happiness where we can. Sometimes you need to take something for yourself otherwise we really are nothing but robots."

As he spoke Angelica closed her eyes against the words as if she could block them out. In a way she wanted him to be disappointed in her. She wanted him to tell her off for her lack of discipline, her lack of control, so that she would be able to get some distance again. It was so much easier to be Theta. Theta was strong and determined, she never wavered. She was quick and ruthless, she never doubted and she never feared. But Angelica, Angelica was weak. Edward didn't scold her, and he wasn't disappointed. He just laid a comforting hand on her shoulder and by the time she opened her eyes again he was gone.

After taking a moment to find her composure once again, Angelica continued on as if nothing had happened. But the advice that her Mentor had given her fixed itself firmly within her mind, especially because that was the last time she ever saw him. Within 6 months Agent Moros was dead and the LA field office was without a 'cleaner'. Agent Theta tracked down those responsible and she made them suffer. As a result she was called in whenever they needed someone, but personally she felt she was a poor substitute.