Chapter 1

It was the summer of 1989. Jackie was on break from her sophomore year of college at William & Mary where she was majoring in Art...or possibly it had been Film history at the time...but she was considering switching over to Scandinavian Languages. She and her friends were spending the summer season waitressing at Virginia Beach in the hopes of saving up enough money to spend a semester abroad. There were eight girls sharing a three bedroom cottage a block away from the beach. When you factored in their friends, boyfriends, one-night-stands, brothers and stragglers off the beach (because honestly, who would notice), there was barely enough room to sit down, much less sleep. Jackie had started picking up the midnight shift at Denny's. That way, when she got home, enough people were passed out (or at least, hung over) that she could get some sleep.

Of course, she loved to party too- she just didn't like to spend her own money doing it. Luckily, her friends Veronica and Steph had hit upon the perfect scheme.

Virginia Beach was teeming with tourists, but it was only twenty miles from Norfolk, one of the largest naval bases in the world. On Friday and Saturday nights the bars were packed with sailors and marines- and none of them were ever averse to buying a pretty girl a drink!

The music swayed her as Jackie maneuvered herself like an expert through the crowd. Bugatti's was one of her favorite clubs to go to. The music was great, the drinks were well made and the guys would line up. She wasn't too proud to charm a free drink out of a guy or two. After all what woman was? On that particular Friday night, she had just walked off of the dance floor and was making her way back to her friends when she ran right into a certain man that would change her life. Jackie's glass collided with the chest of the stranger, sloshing its contents all over his shirt and knocking his own drink out of his grasp and onto the floor!

"Oh God! I'm so sorry!" Jackie tried blotting her drink off of the man's shirt with a cocktail napkin.

"No really its ok. I understand." The man said, waving away her hands, trying to get her to stop fussing over him

Jackie glanced up.

"But, it's my fault!" Judging from his look and bearing he was a military man- Navy, if she wasn't mistaken.

"No really, its fine. It's just really crowded." He seemed flustered. It was an endearing contrast from most men in the bar. Jackie quirked a peculiar smile.

"It looks like I owe you a drink, Mr. Navy Guy." She tried to hide her smile as she saw him blush.

"No that isn't nec-"

Jackie tugged on the man's shirt, trying to lead him toward the bar, completely ignoring the stranger's protest.

"It's entirely necessary," she insisted.

He sounded like he was about to argue some more but the man perched on the stool next to him- one of his buddies, not doubt- punched his arm and shoved him closer to Jackie.

"Are you crazy? Go with her!"

Jackie smirked as she led him away from his table to the corner of the bar where her friends were standing. They turned and gave him a once over, she ignored them and called the bartender.

"Eddie!" Jackie yelled out trying to get the bartenders attention. After a few more yells and catcalls the bartender came around to her.

"Jackie I heard you the first time. Have you no decency?" Eddie teased her in good nature.

Jackie scoffed. "Nah, I lost that after the third shot!" She laughed and then turned to her new friend. "I accidentally spilled my drink all this fine sailor, be a dear and get me a new one…and something for him as well so he knows how sorry I am."

She turned expectantly to the man.

He sounded reluctant, but eventually asked for a Jack and Coke.

Jackie smiled shamelessly at the man she was mentally referring to as "Mr. Navy Guy."

Eddie took one look at the poor guy and laughed outright.

"Phil she's not going to bite." Eddie said, before rushing away to mix the drink.

"Much," Jackie mentally amended with glee.

Her attraction to the man was strange. Anyone who knew her would say (correctly) that Jackie never ever went after military men. They were too rigid, rude and uptight for her tastes. This one intrigued her though. At least he looked like he had some manners!

Jackie decided to find out a little more about the stranger. "So your name is Phil? Do you have a last name or am I going to have to call you 'Mr. Navy Guy' for the rest of the night?"

The man laughed.

"Phil Coulson," he said, his rigid posture softening at last.

Jackie smiled and held out her hand.

"Jacqueline Hanley. You can call me Jackie though. Everyone does."

Phil looked like he was having a hard time trying to say something. He didn't act like he wasn't used to having girls come up to him and make the first move. In all honesty Jackie rarely acted so bold. Usually she didn't have to- the guys just fell into her lap. This time though, it seemed she fell into his.

"What makes you think I'm in the Navy?" Phil asked at last.

Jackie smiled. it was a legitimate question- after all, he wasn't wearing a uniform.

"Well considering this is Norfolk and just about half the population has its fingers in the military, I assumed it was what you did. Plus… you have this look that just says, 'Hey I'm a military guy!'"

Jackie's hands gestured wildly. It was one of her quirks. Whenever she talked she used her hands as part of the story.

Phil looked like he was trying not to laugh at her peculiar ways.

"So, why did you guess Navy? There are plenty of Marines around here too- and a couple of soldiers and airmen. Why not another branch? Playing the odds?"

Jackie put her hand up in front of her in the shape of a picture frame and squinted playfully as if she was examining his face for clues.

"Hmm…nope, you just don't have that booyah asshole look." She grinned and put her hands down leaning against the bar. "Sorry- but all the Marines I know are jerks…" She really hoped that she had guessed correctly. "And you're right about the odds- I don't think there are enough Air Force and Army around to make that a wise bet… So then all that leaves is the Navy." She tilted her head and watched him closely. "Am I wrong?"

Eddie returned with their drinks. Jackie took a sip of hers while she waited for Phil to answer.
He watched as she unconsciously licked the moisture from her lips.

"No, your absolutely right." Phil was holding his Jack and Coke. He tried to set it on the bar without looking down. Unfortunately he completely missed the counter.

The sound of shattering glass momentarily rose over the roar of the bar. Jackie looked down and her mouth dropped open in surprise at what he did. She looked back up to the shocked and horrified expression on the Navy man. It was only made matters worse when her Veronica and Steph noticed the faux pas and started to howl with laughter.

Jackie turned to glare at them, hoping to shut them up before they embarrassed her new friend any further, but when she turned back, Phil had already grabbed a ten dollar bill out of his pocket and laid it on the bar. He jerked his chin in Jackie's direction.

"It was nice talking with you. I have to go. Bye."

Before she could stop him, Phil had disappeared into crowd.

Jackie's expression registered her surprise and then her annoyance. "Dammit, you two!" She turned and glared at her friends. "Steph, Ronnie, I don't do that to you when your potential conquests make asses out of themselves!"

"Whoa! You were actually making a play for him?" Steph asked in disbelief.

"That's a first! I thought you said 'no military guys' for you." Ronnie chimed in as she sipped her drink.

"Well, that one was cute! He had potential! And there is no way that I'm going to let him get away either!" Jackie argued. She scanned the bar, trying to figure out where Phil had gotten to, but she turned up empty.

"Well don't let it be said that you weren't determined!" Steph said turning her back to Jackie so that she could concentrate on finagling a new drink out of the man who had just bellied up to the bar beside her.

Jackie pounced on Eddie as soon as he came over.

"Eddie! Who was that guy?"

The bartender arched his brow.

"Your Navy guy? He's a regular. He usually comes in on the off days though…Why?"

Jackie turned away from him, already plotting her next move.

"Oh, no reason at all... thanks!"

A/N- Yikes! The first time I posted it, I didn't realize that the un-edited version got put up. This one has a few minor tweaks. Also, no offense intended toward Marines and those who love them. We adore the Marines- Jackie was only teasing (after all- Phil could have been one for all she knew).

Thanks so much for your reviews!