AN: Thank You Ozhawk for the extensive beta and fantastic suggestions!

Chapter 3

Jemma sat down in the chair Coulson waved her to. She wasn't happy with the fact that Steve had insisted she stay in the conference room with him. Today had not gone off at all as she'd expected. She'd made a speech about a man that she'd never expected to meet who turned out to be her soulmate. As if that wasn't enough to shake her to her roots, just when she was started to feel, well comfortable for lack of a better term, with him, he'd pulled the superior officer card. Add to that the fact that he was Captain America, an Avenger, and intimidating all on his own and she'd gone from excited and happy to nervous and out of place with a touch of frustration tossed into the mix.

She couldn't see it getting better anytime soon. Steve had been waiting when May came to pick the two scientists up. He'd followed them back to the bus in his own vehicle. When Steve got out of the black SUV he'd been driving, he'd reached into the backseat and taken out his shield.

Seeing Steve Rogers flip that iconic symbol of all the things he stood for onto the leather harness he now wore so that the metal disc rested against his back sent chills down her spine. She was Captain America's soulmate. Captain Steven Grant Rogers is my soulmate, she thought, her heart speeding up. The thrill of following him into the Bus had been dampened by the fact that he clearly expected trouble. He didn't seem inclined to allow her out of his sight.

Steve's protective side was endearing, but that barely made up for the fact that she was in a meeting she had no place in. Agent Coulson and Captain America arguing was not something she needed to witness but when you added Director Nick Fury on the huge screen at the top of the table, she wanted to slide into the floor.

"I made my decision, Rogers," Fury was living up to his name. "At the moment, we will not be telling the Avengers that Coulson is alive."

"Nick, Clint blames himself. The entire team does, but Clint more than anyone else." Steve had been arguing with the Director for the last 10 minutes. Coulson was staying fairly quiet now that they had convinced Steve he really was Agent Coulson. That had been fairly close. Jemma could have sworn even May looked a bit nervous when Steve was unconvinced and close to dragging Coulson out of the Bus. It took Fury appearing on screen, her confirming medical evidence and Coulson telling Steve information about their last meeting that only he would know before the Avenger had conceded that Coulson was who he claimed to be.

All the time, they'd been presenting him with facts and trying to convince him that Coulson wasn't Loki or some imposter. Steve was careful to keep himself between her and the others. Even when she was explaining that Steve was her soulmate and it had been a complete accident that Coulson's identity had been revealed, he'd never allowed her very far from him. Now he seemed content with allowing her to be seated. He didn't seem to think she was in immediate danger so there was that, but the conversation was not going his way.

"How can I lead a team if that team can't trust me?" Steve asked.

"You're the greatest soldier the world has ever seen, I'm sure you will find a way." Fury snapped back. Good heavens, Steve was pushing the director hard. "This is not open for any more discussion. Have I made myself clear, Captain?" Fury's voice invited obedience and nothing less.

"Yes you have, Director." Steve's voice was steady, but she could hear the disappointment in it. Jemma felt for him. She wouldn't want to see any of her friends hurt like he was describing Clint Barton. The man had saved the world in New York with the rest of the Avengers, but you didn't argue with Director Fury. "You leave me no choice but to resign my commission, Nick." Steve's words interrupted Jemma's thoughts and made her gasp. She quickly covered her mouth, not wanting anyone's attention on her.

"Don't you think you're being hasty, Captain?" Fury rushed. "I'm not saying we won't tell them eventually, but right now this needs to stay here between all of us."

"You've given me all your reasons and I haven't heard one from you that makes any sense. You can trust the Avengers. Even as unpredictable as Tony can be, you know you can trust him with this. This kind of compartmentalizing doesn't protect anyone. It only encourages too many secrets and fractures teams. If we're not all careful it could fracture S.H.I.E.L.D."

"I think you're exaggerating just a bit Rogers, don't you?" Fury leaned back in his chair and was quiet for a few seconds before leaning forward and resting his arms on the polished surface of his desk. "If you quit S.H.I.E.L.D, Captain, how do you expect to see your soulmate?" Fury's voice did not change, but it sent chills through Jemma. He was going to use her as a bargaining chip with Captain America to keep him in line!

Jemma couldn't have that. She wasn't anyone's bargaining chip.

...

Steve couldn't believe what had just come out of Fury's mouth. He hadn't been surprised that the spymaster of all spies wanted to keep secrets as long as they could possibly be kept, no matter how many they hurt, but to threaten his soulmate was beyond the pale. He'd been hoping that it wouldn't come to that, but he couldn't say he was completely shocked. The suspicion Jemma might be used against him had been one of the reasons he'd insisted on keeping her close.

"That was uncalled for, Sir," Jemma's voice shocked everyone in the room into turning to pay attention to her. She'd been completely quiet other than one small gasp when he'd quit S.H.I.E.L.D. He expected that she wouldn't want to put herself in the middle of her bosses so he hadn't been surprised. He was surprised now.

"What Captain Rogers does or does not do with S.H.E.I.L.D will have no bearing on what happens between him and me. I won't be used against my soulmate so I will thank you to rephrase that statement unless you are asking for my resignation as well." Steve felt a swelling of pride for the young woman bravely standing, confronting Nick Fury. A feat not many men dared. Despite the barely visible shaking that coursed through her slight frame, she was fighting for them, for him, and he couldn't have felt more humbled by her in that moment.

"Let's all just slow down," Phil Coulson finally broke in, finally breaking his silence. "No one is threatening anyone here. Captain Rogers, Jemma, wait in my office please. I think Director Fury and I can come up with a compromise that will suit everyone." Steve wasn't so sure, but he was willing to give Coulson a chance. The agent hadn't said very much on either side of the argument and Steve had liked him when he'd met him on the helicarrier – plus Clint and Natasha both practically raved about the man. Anyone who had that much respect stored up from Hawkeye and the Black Widow had to be something special. Maybe Phil didn't like the secrets he was keeping either. It was worth giving them him a chance and seeing what compromise was brought to the table.

With a nod, Steve followed Jemma through a side door into Coulson's office. He watched her push the door shut before he pulled her to him and dropped his lips to hers. Sliding his arms around her slender back and holding her flush with his body, he used the moan she let out to sweep his tongue across hers. He kept the kiss brief, barely tasting her before he was releasing her.

"What was that for?" she inquired a bit breathlessly, resting her hands on his forearms. He liked when she touched him. He liked everything about her that she'd shown him so far and he found he very much wanted more.

"Thank you," he told her. "I can't say I can remember the last person, outside of the Avengers that tried to stand up for me." He smiled as she blushed. She blushed more than he did.

"You don't need to thank me. It was you that was the brave one. You faced down Director Fury without batting an eye. That man is intimidating!" Steve smiled at her and leaned in, intending to kiss her on the nose. He didn't want to get any more carried away while they were in Coulson's office and kissing her tended to do that to him. Jemma had other plans however. She tilted her face up and stood up on her toes to make sure his mouth met hers. The little murmur of appreciation she made was like lightning right to his core. His hands slid down to hold her, molding her soft frame against his hard planes.

Her hands sliding around his neck stoked the fire just a bit higher. He loved the way she melted against him, all softness and slender curves. Steve couldn't help but run a hand down to her waist and around to the soft swell of her ass. Jemma wiggled back into his hand, encouraging him to slide lower, but his enhanced hearing could pick up the conversation on the other side of the door. It was winding down. He didn't want Coulson to walk in on him and Jemma. God, what are you doing, Steven, he chided himself. He was back to groping his soulmate in a fairly public place.

With more effort than he had exerted to fight aliens falling out of the sky, Steve forced himself to pull Jemma away from him. At her whimper of displeasure, he dropped his head against hers. "They're almost done talking," he told her quietly.

"Oh," Jemma's breathy little sigh did nothing to calm his heart rate or how uncomfortably tight his trousers felt. She swallowed and raised eyes blown wide with desire to him. "We'd best save this for later then," she agreed, taking a deep breath. She took another and stepped back just as the door to the conference room opened. Phil's eyebrows climbed and Steve felt his face grow warm.

"We'll tell the Avengers that I'm alive," Phil conceded. "But there are conditions."

"I'm listening."

"I will be going with you to tell them myself, but Stark Tower is not a secure location. It is too public and watched too closely. We'll meet at a small airfield in New Jersey." Phil's conditions were reasonable at this point. Steve was pleasantly surprised. He hadn't wanted to resign or to fight Fury, but that's the way he'd thought things would go. He couldn't help the glance down at the small woman beside him. He was curious how much her standing up for him had helped. He couldn't believe how lucky he was.

"I'll contact the team and have them meet us at the airfield. Mind if I catch a ride with you?" It would be faster and he'd have a few hours with Jemma before they reached their destination.

"Wheels up in 30," Phil said as he walked to the door. Instead of walking through it, he opened it and stood back. "This is my office," he pointed out. Steve startled and glanced over a bit sheepishly.

"Of course it is," Jemma blurted like it was the most natural thing in the world. "I'll just show Captain Rogers to an empty cabin." Steve watched her turn bright red as she must have realized how that sounded.

"Yes Agent Simmons that is an excellent idea." Phil agreed. "And in about 15 minutes I'm going to check my screen and I'm sure that I will see your face down in the lab." Damn, Steve hadn't intended to take advantage of Jemma, but a little uninterrupted alone time to at least try to have a conversation would have been nice. Then again, conversation between them kept ending up with their bodies plastered together so maybe the 15 minute time limit was a good idea.

"Yes, sir, 15 minutes it is. I will be certain to wave at the camera." Jemma rolled her eyes at Phil, communicating silently with her expression what she was thinking. Stop acting like my father. I'm twenty-seven, not fifteen. Phil's expression turned vaguely sheepish but he didn't say anything.

Steve couldn't help the chuckle at that as they made their way out of the door. Following her down the hall, watching the way her hips swayed as she walked, Steve's body tightened. He rolled his eyes at himself. He was Captain America and he hadn't been able to figure a way out to be alone with his soulmate for more than 10 or 15 minutes at a time. He was supposed to be a master of strategy. He needed to apply himself! He was going to get alone time with his girl if it killed him.