Disclaimer: I don't know Marvel, Agents of SHIELD, or anything else like that. Just Jamie and her Brits (though not Hunter).

Chapter 31
Distance

Jamie parked and shut the vehicle off. Instead of getting out like a normal person though, Jamie just sat there for a good while before the thought of exiting ever crossed her mind. She just sat there in total silence, paying no mind to the people walking about the hanger, curiously glancing over at the foreign vehicle that obviously was never there.

The long drive gave her way far more time to think about everything that had happened the last couple of days. This time she was give, definitely wasn't welcomed. No matter how loud she blasted her music, no matter how long she talked to Graham, Dove, and Rhys on the phone about staying at the HQ with the rest of them, Jamie's head kept going back to her fight with Steve.

There were so many mixed emotions running through her that she didn't exactly know how she was feeling about everything. Originally she thought she was doing the right thing. Bucky needed to know that he had free will. That he didn't have to be a fired gun, and he could do whatever the hell he wanted with his life (other than be an assassin or a murdering Hydra member, of course). Jamie wanted to prove to him that they were here for him for whatever it was he chose (besides killing). He needed to know they were on his side and that it was his choice to go to them if he so desired.

But then, after Steve blew up, Jamie questioned her motives, and this was because of just how upset he was, his drastic action in kicking her out, and the overbearing silence of the cabin of the car.

Steve had some points. Bucky was lost, and in order to make a proper, well educated decision, he needed to know his past. And knowing his past meant meeting Steve and talking. Plus, there was the whole fact that he could, possibly, still be working with Hydra. It was their duty to find him and take him down then (though Jamie highly doubted that was Steve's point). She knew, or hoped rather, that if Bucky was back with Steve, he would be happier. The chances of that happening were greater than the alternative (her original action).

And then, of course, due to even more silence, Jamie got angry. After questioning her decision, Jamie went right back around to believing in her actions. Who was Steve to yell at her for what she did? Even if she had wanted to go after Bucky to take him in, she was in absolutely no condition to do so! Jamie had been crushed under a building, or a wall at least, but trapped nonetheless. How did he expect her to go after the man that had the same abilities as he did, plus a metal arm, while barely being able to breathe, let alone stand?

How dare he yell at her like that! Bucky was his friend, yes, but so was she! Did that not mean anything to him? Jamie had helped him through shit, she had been there for him, and she asked for nothing in return. What did she get in return? Getting kicked off the team and the loss of her home!

And for that, Jamie was pissed.

The woman couldn't stand the silence any longer. The driver's side door opened abruptly, nearly walking a worker that had just been passing by. Using the door to support herself, Jamie stepped out of the truck, pulling her bag from the passenger's side seat with her so she wouldn't be required to walk around to the other side.

"Aye, Blue!"

Jamie turned her head, her blue eyes landing on the tall figure of Cameron Rhys jogging up to meet her. She nodded painfully, her brain feeling as if it bashed into the front of her skull, then sliding back to the back of her head over and over again with each nod to him. She decided that wasn't quite the best thing to do at the moment.

"Hey, Rhys," Jamie greeted, a very small, almost nonexistent smile gracing her lips. Upon his arms wrapping around her small, fragile frame, she gently placed her hands on his back without giving him that reciprocating squeeze. She just didn't have the energy to do so. "That's for coming to meet me. Did you talk to Phil?"

"Director Coulson said it'd be fine, but he was getting ready to head out on a trip," Rhys answered, taking her bag for her like the gentleman that he was. He left his arm around her shoulders, leading her in the direction of the entrance to the main area of the base, and not just the glorified garage. "He's still in, I believe, if you'd like to go speak with him."

"That would be nice, thank you," Jamie said, following as he took her to what she assumed was his office.

"Just as a warning, he doesn't really speak to anybody these days," Rhys informed her. "He just always happens to be out. When he is back, Agent May and Agent Koenig are the only ones that he really meets face to face with. Most of his assignments are given through them."

"He's probably stressed and overworked," Jamie justified. "The guy is running what's left of SHIELD, and is trying to rebuild it. That's no easy task."

"I don't doubt that it is," Rhys agreed. "It's just that some of the new recruits that have never met him are starting to spread rumors and whatnot. You know how that is."

Jamie scoffed. "Of course I do. There was one Navy Captain I knew that didn't really talk to his men too, and somehow there was a rumor going around that he found one of his subordinates drunk on the job, and he made them start all of his reports with "I, Private Joe Snuffy, the drunken sailor…" Just like that song people sing at the Renaissance Fair."

Rhys laughed. "I've never heard anything like that, just the ones where they say he eats raw hamburgers and weird stuff like that."

Jamie laughed right back. "Yeah, that too."

The two entered into the familiar common room area that Jamie had been in once before with the rest of Phil's original team shortly after the fall of SHIELD. There was a staircase leading up to a private office, no doubt Phil's. And just as the two retired military personnel entered the area, Coulson exited his office with his briefcase in hand.

"Phil!" Jamie greeted, unwisely nodding once more.

"Solace," he greeted back. Once on the ground, he walked over to her and gave her a brief hug. "Sorry I can't stay and chat, but I have to get to a meeting to see if these allies are really legit."

"Of course," Jamie said. "I understand. Thank you, though, for letting me stay here."

"Yeah, we're gonna have a talk about that when I get back," he said, giving her that Protective-Captain-America-Fanboy look.

"Don't get me started Phil," Jamie warned him.

"Sore subject?" Phil asked, primarily looking to Rhys for the answer.

"Sore subject, Sir," Rhys answered.

"Okay, well, stay as long as you need. When Agent May gets back with the others she'll find you a free room to bunk in," he said. "Don't cause any trouble." With that, he headed to the hallway, leaving Jamie and Rhys alone.

"Would you like anything to eat or drink, Jamie?" Rhys asked.

"No, thank you, Cam," Jamie said, laying down on one of the couches. "I'm not really in the mood for anything, to be honest."

"You're welcome to rest in here, or my room is free if you'd like a little more privacy," he offered. "Unfortunately, I need to go finish my reports with the men."

"Oh, no, please don't let me keep you from your work," Jamie insisted.

"It was a welcome distraction," he offered, giving her a smile. "I'll see you later. Perhaps dinner with the men and myself?"

"Sounds like a plan," Jamie agree.

And with that, Jamie was left on her own. She pulled her hood over her head and her eyes to block out the light, as well as anybody that may walk in for a cup of coffee for their long houred days. Eventually she managed to fall into a very light sleep. Each time someone entered the room though, the woman would awake, silently cursing the person before repeating the cycle.

This cycle was only broken when one unobserved idiot sat right down on Jamie's stomach. He immediately jumped up and swore in a British accent while Jamie groaned and held her obscenely sore stomach.

"What the bloody hell!" he had said.

"Nice going, Hunter," a deep voiced male laughed.

"What the hell-? You're not supposed to sleep here! Who do you think you are?" the man, now known as Hunter exclaimed.

"You could be a little nicer," another male voice said, this one a little more familiar than the others, whom Jamie had never heard before.

Upon hearing the familiar voice, Jamie cracked open her blue eyes and peered out to look at the new group coming to hang out in the room. Over on the other couch sat two other males, both dark in skin, both with little to no hair on top of their heads. They wore smirks, laughing in amusement at the situation the pale, slightly scruffy British man standing in front of Jamie found himself in.

The second her eyes landed on the smaller of the two males sitting down, his arms crossed over his chest. Jamie sat up, hood still covering her face for the most part, and smirks. "It's been awhile, Tripp. Good to see you," she greeted, moving her feet and body ever so slowly so she was sitting upright, with her feet placed gently on the floor.

He narrowed his eyes for a brief moment, determining who she was by the sound of her voice. Once he had, he smiled brightly, his eyes lighting up even more than they already were. "Jamie!" he exclaimed. "Good to see you again. Didn't expect to see you here."

Hunter plopped down on the now vacant spot on the couch, arm on the back of the couch, draped over the center area. There was one cushion distance between Jamie and Hunter. "Who two know each other?" Hunter asked.

"We've met," Tripp said. "Though everybody knows who Jamie is. She's the one that pulled FitzSimmons out of the Ocean when…" It was obvious that the subject of Fitz was sore for everybody, though more so those who knew him before the whole lack of oxygen thing.

Hunter pulled the small group out of the awkward silence though, something she figured he did often, even more so than causing awkward situations. "Wait, I thought you guys said Solace pulled them out of the water."

"Did you think Solace was my real name?" Jamie asked, pulling the hood off of her head, revealing her fairly bruised face to the three men. Her hair, since pulled back, didn't get messed up from the hood, thankfully, though this definitely wasn't the appearance one would think an Avenger would be in and/or look like upon meeting.

"Whoa," the unknown man muttered, his eyes bulging out. "Ma'am, it's an honor to meet you."

"Honor?" Jamie scoffed. "Please, just call me Jamie."

"This is Mack," Tripp introduced for her, the man sitting next to him, "and Hunter. Mack is a mechanic for SHIELD, and Hunter-"

"I'm a mercenary, Love," he introduced, holding out his hand for her to shake. She placed her hand in his for a shake, but instead of letting go like a normal person, he held on as he continued to speak. "Do you really glow?"

"Why?" Jamie asked, eyebrow raised.

"You show me yours, I'll show you mine," Hunter flirted, a suggestive smirk gracing his lips.

Before Jamie could come back with a snarky remark, Skye walked into the room, her eyes instantly landed on the group, entertained by the Avenger. She smiled, walking over to Jamie and hugging her from behind the couch, arms wrapped around her shoulders. Jamie only barely managed to hold back the wince from the uncomfortable pressure on her bruised shoulders.

"I wouldn't bother, Casanova," Skye said. "She's already taken by a certain patriot."

"Seriously? The tabloids actually got something right for once?" Hunter asked.

"No, they don't, and no, we're not," Jamie grumbled. Now annoyed that she had the whole fight in the forefront of her mind again, got up and stalked to the coffee machine to grab herself something to drink, and attempt to distract herself.

"Trouble in paradise, is there?" Hunter asked. Skype raised her hand and smacked him on the back of his head. "Ow, what was that for! I'm just stating what everybody else was thinking."

"What happened? I thought everything was going well?" Trip asked.

"Last time I knew, you two were as lovey dovey as you could get without actually admitting you liked one another," Skye added.

"He got angry over something and kicked me off the team because I didn't agree with how he wants to deal with the situation," Jamie answered without giving too much information about Bucky away.

"Sounds like my ex-wife," Hunter muttered.

"Wait, he kicked you out of the Avengers?" Skye gaped.

"Not necessarily," Jamie answered. "Just the mission. But it'd be best for everybody to be away from one another to calm down."

"Different opinions and strategies is a good thing," Mack said. "Makes sure that we see situations in ways we might not have otherwise, which could end badly otherwise."

"Sounds like an ass, if you ask me," Hunter said.

"Yeah, well, this is a personally invested situation," Jamie said. "I don't blame him for acting the way he did. Pissed, yes, but I don't blame him."

"You're pissed off and homeless, but you're still defending him?" Hunter asked. "Somebody's whipped."

"Loyal," Skye corrected. "I'm sure you two will make up in no time. You two are perfect together. Like OTP worthy!"

"What the hell is OTP?" Hunter asked, looking over to see if the other two male's knew what they were talking about.

"So you do know about the fiction!" Jamie exclaimed, pointing at Skye. "Have you ready any of it? Some of it is really detailed and explicit…"

Skye smirked. "Maybe….Maybe I contribute. Not since I met you, but still…"

Jamie laughed. "Wait until I tell Taylor."

"What is that supposed to me?" Hunter asked.

"Like written porn," Trip answered.

He seemed to think about that for a moment for he scrunched up his face. "Eh, too much effort in reading," he said. "I'd rather watch."

"Really didn't need to know that," Jamie muttered. "Really, really didn't need to know that." She couldn't help but cringe at the mental image.

Everybody in the room seemed to find that rather amusing and laughed. All o the laugher seemed to lighten Jamie a bit. Being there would do her good. It would distract her, and hopefully allow for the two of them, Steve and Jamie, to realize how stupid the two of them were being and apologize.

Distance makes the heart grow fonder, right?

Agents of SHIELD, Here comes SOLACE! Probably won't do the whole season, or even a bunch of episodes. I really just want Jamie to get to know the people better. Throw in a little more Phil/Jamie geeking, etc. Can never have enough of that lol. Anyway, hope you guys like where she ended up.

Also, for those of you that didn't know, I have another Marvel story that is on Fanfiction, which has a lot more pre-written chapter and I happen to update that a bit more regularly. If you like this story, you'll like that story, so please go and check that story out. It'll eventually be a Buck/Oc fic.

Thanks go to the following for their reviews on the previous chapter:

Goldenfightergirl- No, but don't worry, Johnny isn't forgotten!

Guest- He is! But so is Jamie. Steve told her she was off the team, not that she had to leave the Tower. Both of them are just hurt and angry, so they said and did things they didn't mean. That's why they're both at fault here.

WriterGirl1198- Lol Maybe I'll have to check this story out if its that good. Please don't be sad. Things will get better and more jokey soon!...kinda…

19irene96- Yeah, there's gonna be a lot of phonecalls coming Jamie's way soon enough. There's gonna be a whole lot of annoyance on a lot of people's parts for both sides.

Little Bucky- I'm so glad you like all the drama! There's definately never a shortage of that.

Jedi Jelsa777- I'm sure you'll at least like, not necessarily love, Dr. Strange. It is Marvel, after all. I'm so glad you wish she was actually in the movies though, that just makes my life! Not my day, my life!

AriellaSerenity- Yeah, that's pretty much how everybody's feeling right now. But, on the bright side, once this whole arc is over, things will be a lot nicer for the two of them. ;)

The girl with no life- I hadn't planned on having Steve POV, but now I, as you see, now there is! There won't be Guardians with Jamie in it, but there'll be more nightmares with the stones. Since Jamie has had the stone's energy in her, I figure it's never going to completely leave, so she's kinda connected to them all, so that's why she gets the nightmares.

FelixFelicis02- Yeah, it does get back to normal very quickly, and that's probably because once they make up, which they will, I'm not going to deny that, there's a small time skip between the end of this story, into the next part for AoU, which will be in a new story, btw.

CJ/OddBall- Sooner than you may think! Honestly, people are probably like, "WHEN?!" And when you see it happen, you'll be like, "IT"S ABOUT TIME!" but really, when you look at my specs an how everything is planned out from here on out, it's not all that much longer. There's some stuff I have to do in this arc, then there's the reunion, then Age of Ultrom, but it's not that all that much longer until they're together. Because the movies don't take that long chapter wise, like about 7 chapters at most. But I digress.

Gamerchic- It is interesting, because a truly angry Steve, where he can't completely think straight is so out of his normal character that it's interesting and fun to play with, though you can only truly use it once or twice.

Fangirling007- Oh, I'm so glad you liked the development!