Moments
Disclaimer: some lines are original to the series and not my own
A/N: Warning - there be angst ahead
Fiction Can Be Rewritten
2.8
"Jack, this is of the utmost importance. What is the last thing that you remember?"
"I was…"
He remembered too much and too little.
He remembered Sam calling him while he was in London to let him know he had been temporarily put on leave after being attacked by so-called 'burglars' that "stank of Aqua Velva", of him being replaced by Masters as the L.A. chief, and of Master's first order of business – suspending Sousa for insubordination.
He remembered having drinks with Nick Driscoll and seeing the words 'civilian massacre' connected with 'Agent M. Carter'.
He remembered feeling betrayed. He had trusted Peggy Carter with his darkest secret, and she had acted like an Angel of Mercy, absolving him of guilt for at least keeping it a shameful dirty secret. And it was no wonder that she could do that, for she was guilty of far worse crimes. Captain America's girl, she who should have been above reproach, she who was the last good thing in this dark world of backstabbing ladder climbers had innocent blood on her hands.
He remembered confronting Peggy and being infuriated at her flat out denial and accusation that he had been bamboozled by Masters. He was so sick of the he lied-she lied game. He wanted the truth.
He remembered catching a glimpse of his Marge, when Peggy called after him: "Jack, you don't need to cut corners to get ahead. You're better than that." Oh, how he missed that Marge.
He remembered Masters rebuking him: "Jack, what's happened and what's true are two different things. Now, this is an official document. That means it's true, regardless of what happened."
He remembered being sent out of the office, like a child, so Masters could speak with… a woman. But what woman?
For the life of him, he could not recall, but he did remember at the time thinking that perhaps he had already been undercover too long to doubt Peggy's integrity like that.
He remembered…
"I was on the phone."
~A~
Whatever Vernon had zapped him with was causing him to have the worst headache. It pounded more than a tequila bender hangover. And considering his epically abysmal reactions, both in college and on leave passes in boot camp, that was saying something.
But what hurt worse was finding out that Peggy didn't trust him.
"Let's hurry up. Or do you need me to load your weapons, too?" he smirked at them, almost happily. He was back with the team. Never before would he have thought to be thrilled at partnering up with Sousa.
The smirk rapidly slid off his face when the two of them cornered him with guarded expressions and shut the door.
"Why don't you stay here in case we're wrong and Vernon returns?" Sousa suggested logically, but like one trying to justify benching the unwanted rookie.
Jack glanced disbelievingly between the two. "You have got to be kiddin' me. Don't you trust me, Danny boy? I'm hurt."
"You don't have the best track record," Sousa argued.
"Your backup is a lab tech and a butler. If I were you, I'd take all the help I could get."
He looked to Carter for support, or at least a voice of reason. She knew him. She couldn't believe that he would still side with Vernon. She was smart too. She had to have known, or at least have suspected, that he had been working a different angle.
"Two hours ago, you were using a redacted file to frame me," she pointed out indignantly.
So much for that. Apparently, she didn't know him, nor was she as smart as they thought she was.
"And twenty minutes ago, I was having my brain zapped. If I were helping them, I'd be on my way there. But I'm here with you." He would have left it at that, but he was more than a little peeved at their lack of faith in him, so he added self-righteously, "And for the record, I couldn't have continued to be Jorgensen's mole if I refused to play along with the frame job."
Daniel stared at him flabbergasted, "You and the chief ...?"
But Peggy looked as if he had just punched her in her wounded side, as she gasped, "Why didn't you tell me?"
Not really having the time to give her the full explanation (while she might be able to keep up the charade publicly, privately she would ask him for information and/or help in her madcap schemes and he had not been able to guarantee Samuel that he would be able to resist her charms), he gave her the much abbreviated version.
"I, unlike you, follow orders, even when I don't like them." Not being able to stand the look of hurt in her eyes he added brusquely, "Let's go."
He thought they were right behind him, but when he reached the elevator to find out that they were having yet another private little chat, he stealthily shuffled back to use his freshly honed eavesdropping skills.
Unlike the proverb, he didn't overhear anything about him. But he still felt as if he had been kicked in the chest by a Carter-sized boot.
"…We need to be dispassionate about this."
"Meaning what?"
Yes, Danny boy. What ever could you mean?
"I know you and Wilkes are close."
'Close'? As in…? Wait. Isn't Wilkes' atoms one with the universe now?
"Are you... suggesting that my personal feelings might interfere with the mission?"
"I'm just saying... We might have to make some hard choices, okay?"
So diplomatic, Agent Sousa. No wonder she thought she could bust a Russian spy out of lock-up and steal uranium rods from who knows where without any consequences.
"Well, that's wonderful advice, Agent Sousa, and I hope you yourself abide by it."
"What does that mean?"
"You are the reason why Whitney Frost is in possession of enough uranium to destroy the city."
How messed up is it that he wanted to know more about Peggy's 'feelings' than about how they got their hands on uranium rods in the first place?
"Excuse... He was gonna shoot you."
Oh, this scientist is so dead (again) when this was all over.
"Yes, he was."
"And I was supposed to just let it happen?"
"'Dispassionate'," Agent. Your word."
These two were almost as far from 'dispassionate' as they could get. In fact, if they were any more passionate or closer together, they would be kissing. That was totally his and Peggy's shtick. Not cool.
"So if the situation was reversed, that's what you would've done? Let him shoot me?"
Not wanting to hear or witness anymore, he cleared his throat and callously declared, "If it makes a difference... I'd have let him blow you both away. Let's go!"
