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It's been two full weeks since their fight and something just isn't right. He can feel it in his gut. So a phone call was made to SHIELD…not to Peggy's office, but to her assistant, Heather. A request was made to meet outside of the office so that they could speak. If Heather mentioned any spot in particular, he'd go and meet her there. She was far more cognizant of what was going on now than he was, that's for certain.
When the pizza place in Brooklyn was mentioned, he agreed and made his way there. It's a trek, but as far as he's concerned, information is worth it. Besides, he needed to be in the city anyhow while Mickey was at school so it all worked out. A table has been chosen and he's only barely perusing the menu as he waits.
*
Heather actually drove here. The streets of the city are vacant where they aren't frozen or burning. The heavy, modified SHIELD sedan is the best way to get anywhere. She parks, hops out looking not nearly as put-together as usual, and blows into the store on a blast of icy winter wind that's mingled with the smell of distant fires. When she sees Sousa, she brighens a little.
"Hi, there." She shrugs out of her coat before sitting down. "You've been missed. How are you?"
*
Sousa turns at the jingle of the door and gives a wave to Heather so that she'd see where the table is…not that it's terribly crowded. He even stands as she approaches, "Hi, and are you just saying that to be kind? I'm…fine." He's not really here for the small-talk. "Thanks for agreeing to meet with me. I'm -really- concerned about Peggy. Something's very, very wrong and I need your help in figuring out what it is." He's just going to jump right in and get started. Before he forgets, however, "Did you want something to eat? On me."
*
"Please, yes. I just get whatever they've got going — usually the basic pepperoni pizza. Can't improve on perfection." Heather settles down in her seat with a sigh. "And I agree with you that something's wrong with Peggy. I'm worried about her — and you and Mickey. Is she doing okay? This has to be so upsetting for her."
*
"If you agree, then why isn't anyone doing anything?" He's trying to keep his voice down and his manner calm but this is the woman he loves and the mother of his child(ren). There's some intense emotion bubbling about. "Peggy and I have had fights before…as bad or worse than this, but it's been two weeks. Two. Weeks. I get that maybe she's furious at me, but she hasn't once asked about Mickey. Even when Agent May came, she never passed on a message to Mickey. -That's- how I know." Maybe it's not what was asked, but he needed to get that out. "Mickey's fine. She misses her mother but has been told that she's away with work." Their daughter has grown used to that as an actual reason. "It's nearly Christmas." As if that should mean something too.
*
"Who should do something, and how?" Heather seems more resigned than anything. "Some of us are working on finding out what might be wrong, tracking her moods and things like that, but it's slow — at first we thought maybe it was just the baby but something else has changed. She's just not herself at all. But it's not as though there's anyone higher up to go to in SHIELD." Heather gives the waitress a tight smile when the woman delivers their order. "Clint's gone. People are leaving."
*
"We have people with special abilities in SHIELD now. Have them help. Has she been to the doctor? She should be going every couple of weeks at this point," due to her age and her condition. "Is she eating? What is she eating?" Sousa looks up and thanks the waitress when the order is delivered, but he isn't ready to stop. "There was moodiness with Mickey but not like this. If she's living with May, have May see if there's something strange about her…is she possessed? I know that there are people who can read minds…can't they help? I even know some if we need to get them involved."
*
"I'd have more for you but she nearly fired me a couple weeks ago, so she's not happy with me." Heather pauses, thinking. "The mistake I made was…potentially a legitimate mistake, but not entirely. She was pushing someone in a way I didn't think was right and I was trying to give them some space. I am surprised she only yelled at me in front of the office — among other things — instead of firing me. She doesn't want me too close, I think, which makes me more suspicious. I'll see if anyone can get a telepath on side for this. There has to be someone. I think we can all agree by now that, whoever we're dealing with, it's not Peggy."
*
"I have names." He feels around in his blazer pocket, looking for a pad of paper or a pen, "Can you write this down? Get in touch with them. See if they can come into the office or…something…and see if they can read her mind and figure something out." Daniel shakes his head, "She would never fire you. Me, sure…but I was going to leave anyhow, but she thinks…thought…that you were a godsend. And one mistake isn't grounds for termination." He should know -that- as he was writing the actual handbook. "And if it's not Peggy, where is the real one?"
*
"That is the part that frightens me most. If this isn't actually Peggy, physically, where is she?" Heather has a notepad and pen on hand and she offers them up, then waits Daniel write out the information for her. "I'll get on this. And, just so you know, you are missed. Daisy, among other people, was upset that you were gone. You're part of SHIELD history, Daniel. Losing you matters to people. SHIELD isn't going to recover if we don't work this out soon."
*
"Where was she before this happened?" She doesn't always tell him where she has to go for certain missions, "When they discovered that alien technology, was she there? That is the first place you need to look." Sousa takes the pens and writes down two names, 'Charles Xavier' and 'Jean Grey'. "I don't know where to find Xavier, but Ms. Grey works at a bar," and he writes down the name of it as well. "Pretty redhead. Can't miss her." It's then handed over for Heather, "Daisy's back? Huh. She was a nice kid…" he then looks back up at Heather. "SHIELD's outgrown me…Peggy-imposter or not. You know that. I know that. It was just a matter of time so I took things into my own hands. I'm not going to come back, I'm afraid."
*
"Daisy? It's hard to get a straight answer out of that girl," Heather notes dryly. "I'll take a look at the bar, first," she adds. "It might be easier to get someone who's got an informal position somewhere to come around — and it would arouse less suspicion if Peggy doesn't know her at all." She tucks the information away.
"I know it was time for you to move on, Daniel, but it does leave a mark, of a sort. I hope you find a place that appreciates your skills." She gives him a warm smile. "It was nice to have you around but even I could tell that you weren't being used the way you could be. Maybe we can get this solved for Christmas so life can go on, right?"
*
Does she know Xavier? That's news to him. Sousa looks at Heather for a moment before he nods, "Tell Daisy if she needs anything to give a call. I'm still here, just not at that office." There's a wry sort of smile then before he takes a bite from the pizza that was brought. "I've had an offer…and not from the FBI. I don't know if you want to bother telling Peggy…or whatever this is, but you can." Only the single bite is taken before he sets the slice down and looks back to Heather.
"I want my wife back. This…isn't even about SHIELD for me anymore. I just want her back."
*
"We're at a point where I don't think we can wait anymore." Heather exhales slowly. "Maybe the chaos will help, with everything that's going on. I'll let you know what we find. As soon as this Asgard thing is cleared up, I'll have Liv back on side. Thanks for reaching out, though." She shakes her head. "You know, a thing like this, you think it's just you. And then it's not and it kind of expands but it's still… is it really that bad? But you saying this? I think it's that bad. So thanks."
*
"If this isn't Peggy…or she's being affected somehow, that could color what SHIELD is doing. Heather…there is a big picture, which I tried to explain at that meeting," the one where he was pretty much shut down and that was the final straw. "Something happened before then. Care needs to be taken that whomever or whatever has her isn't trying to control things and shift them in a certain direction. Even the Director of SHIELD is fallible." There's another sigh as Sousa looks to his wife's assistant, "I still want to help. I may not be there, but I -need- to help. I won't be starting a new position until after the holidays, I'm guessing, so I'm here. I can get a sitter for Mickey. We need to get our Peggy back."
*
"As soon as I have anything, you'll be the first to know." Heather tries for a reassuring smile but doesn't quite manage it. "You need your family back together. The world needs SHIELD to function." She finishes off her pizza, which she's been eating in small, precise bites, almost mechanically. "And SHIELD needs me back to work. At least the chaos gives me an excuse for being out of the office right now."
*
Sousa nods, "I appreciate you coming to meet with me, Heather…more than you realize." It's both a relief and more anxiety knowing that he's not the only one seeing this difference — this wrongness in his wife. "Can we send someone to where those crystals were found and see if they can investigate? Can you send Daisy and someone? Maybe she'll find something? I know it's close to the holidays, but…" he then shakes his head. "Go. I trust you to handle the SHIELD side. You know how to reach me so call me and let me know what I can do." He needs to do -something- with this.
*
"You and I are a lot alike, I think. Support players. I know it's hard to wait. We both want the same thing — your family together and SHIELD functioning." Heather wipes her fingers on a paper napkin, then reaches for her coat. "I hate to eat and run but I should get back. I don't want anyone getting suspicious and I've been out for a while now. I'll follow up on the crystals as well, I think we have something underway about that, but I'll make sure. Holiday are for civilians anyway." She laughs at that, and at a memory, shaking her head. "We'll work through Christmas if we have do. It's what we do."
*
Sousa might eat some more of the pizza, it might end up 'to go'. He's not sure yet. "I'm just concerned that the longer we wait, the more harm is done to Peggy and the baby. But go. Thanks again for coming down here. I am at your disposal and will go make contact with others if you can't get away. I know I can find Ms. Grey. I don't know about Mr. Xavier…my contacts to him weren't the most…reliable."
*
"Unreliable is going around." Heather makes a face at that. "We'll get this sorted, get Peggy and the baby home to you and Mickey." She shrugs into her coat, picks up her bag. "Good luck, Daniel."
Now, all she has to do is find Liv and compare notes. And reveal whatever's going on with Peggy. And pick up the pieces. Really, this calls for a chat with Coulson. Heather whips out her agenda and makes a note. She's going to organize this mess into submission so Mickey can have a merry Christmas.
*