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Agent Mockingbird, Agent 19, Bobbi Morse, walked, yes walked, into Shield Headquarters under her own power and without crutches. Yes the Director had told her to go home and not come back, but that was when she'd been a liability and hobbling around. A grin flashed over her lips as she tossed her hair back. Once more Bobbi was in her Shield uniform, and pants. Oh dear god, pants were a miracle.
She owed Wanda a thank you card.
Even as she tossed up an apple in her hand and caught it, taking a bite. Man she was hungry. A glance was spared toward her desk and she paused to pluck up some papers that had been left behind, flipping through them idly.
*
It's late into the evening, not that a lot of them are people who really keep to the nine to five thing, but just the bare skeleton crew is on. Well, skeleton crew and Peggy. The light in her office glows behind the frosted glass window, proving that she's still here deep into the evening. Pregnant or not, she doesn't really have anyone to go home to, so the woman has been staying late most nights and, rumored, sleeping on the couch in her office on the evenings May doesn't drag her back to her apartment. This seems to be one of the staying here nights, as May is nowhere to be seen.
*
A frown crosses the agent's lips at the sight of the light. Then she pauses, setting the reports left on her desk alone as she made her way to the Director's office. She knocked, on the door, pausing only long enough to get an answer before entering.
"Director, before you launch into how I should be resting.. I did. And as you can see, I'm all better now." She wiggled the foot that up until a few hours ago, had been in a plaster cast.
*
The older woman looks up from the little sitting area. She's not even behind her desk at this point, she's on the leather couch, her feet up, heels off. It's a very non-Peggy sort of look, in general, but she's exhausted. A book is in her hands, not even files. She's not working at this point, she's just trying to relax. A leftover container of noodles rests on the coffee table, her dinner. She blinks up to Bobbi with an arched brow, clearing her throat skeptically, "…That… is awfully fast for an injured leg. How did you work that magic?" She looks both worried and a touch grumbling.
*
Bobbi grinned as she came in and shut the door behind her. "Would you believe me if I said it was a Christmas Miracle?" She arched a brow, and continued to nibble on her apple.
"But I have a feeling that won't work for a long term answer.. So, the short of it.. is that yeah, magic. Did you know Agent Maximoff had that ability, by the way?" Bobbi stretched her arms over her head, and pushed her sleeves back.
"Not even a scar left."
*
A slight tilt of her head, and Peggy puts her book down, fully shifting her legs off the couch so she can sit straighter and look a little more professional. She still seems skeptical about it, motioning the woman over to her side so she can see. Without actually being offered, Peggy reaches out and tries to take Bobbi's hand so she can pull the arm closer and look it over for any scars. She makes a small sound in the back of her throat.
"…And the leg? Let me see the leg. And… I knew Agent Maximoff had… a variety of powers. I did not know that was among them. It seems to good to be true. What is the cost?" Peggy asks, always skeptical about it all. She drops her eyes then towards the woman's leg.
*
Bobbi lets Peggy grab her arm and once the Director had looked it over, she moves to lift up her leg and peel back her pant leg to reveal the same unmarred skin beneath. "Well, she said I can't have a beer, and that I need to eat fruits and veggies and all that healthy stuff. I /have/ been rather ravenous. I ate like three apples on the way over." She muttered.
"And then several bags of chips.. Not exactly healthy, but it's what I could grab at the gas station."
*
"…Even if you weren't just healed, you SHOULD probably eating fruits and vegetables anyway. But it sounds like she… incredibly sped up your metabolism. You're eating like a super soldier. Unless you used to down several bags of chips in the car and you just work it off in the gym?" Peggy states with a hint of amusement across her tired eyes and a half smile on her features. She looks a little more relieved now that Bobbi is walking around on her own, but there is still a wariness behind her eyes that it was too easy and too good to be true. "…What state is Agent Maximoff in after such a show of power?"
*
That earned a raise of blonde eyebrows. "Yeah, not typically what I down on a drive around town. Especially not /three/ bags. Hell, glad I'm not always like this. I think I'd go nuts." She took another bite of her apple, lowering her pant leg once more.
"I asked if she was okay, said she needed to eat and have a rest. She looked exhausted, spent. It must've been quite a big deal for her. But she wanted to help. I didn't turn her away. Shit, I didn't even believe it at first."
*
A small huff of acceptance escapes Peggy's lips as she sees the lack of scar and perfect flesh on Bobbi's healed, toned leg. She shakes her head slightly, "It…does seem a bit of a miracle, but yes, I imagine it was draining. I will check on her in the morning. It is not going to be a new health insurance plan for other agents, understood? Don't mention this to ANYONE else. Some of the young ones…" Peggy sighs, half rolling her eyes, "They'd stop being careful, thinking Wanda can kiss it all better." Yes, sometimes she's still a mom. Even if she hasn't seen her daughter in weeks.
"…So, did you just come here to show off your hale and hearty frame?"
*
A shrug, and Bobbi drags a chair over to sit on it and proper her chin up. "I came to tell you that I'm reporting for active duty again." She grinned.
"I swear I don't plan on sharing, but it's good to know that Agent Maximoff can do this. It's very impressive. I had thought maybe Fitz would have cooked up something that would, I dunno make my healing go a bit faster.. as in weeks.. not hell, seconds.." She muttered.
*
"It is…very good to know. In case of emergency. But it's not something i'd ever want abused and some of these young hot shots… well… They are just raring for an excuse to be idiots." Peggy's mood has been often sour as of late, but this time of the night it's worse. Only Bobbi's offer of good news has made this, at all, a comfortable conversation.
"…Active duty. I don't suppose I can talk you out of the Bucky Barnes case? Maybe let someone who he didn't already completely muck up take a stab at it?" She asks Bobbi, but she's not giving orders any more. The woman is in one piece and that's enough to leave Peggy half content about the matter.
*
Bobbi sighed, "I'm one of your best agents, and the /only/ one to have found him as of late. So ma'am.. I'll not go after him alone, but I won't step away from the case. Not when he's set on killing you." She murmured determinedly. A golden brow shooting upwards as she spoke.
"Besides, at least now I've fought him he won't expect me to come running back." She grinned, a flash of teeth following.
"I'll be careful, I promise."
*
"He hasn't succeeded yet. I don't know that he's really all that set on killing me, frankly. Maybe it's some…Show of power." Peggy states with a half jerked out laugh, something more bitter about it than anything. Maybe she's more tired than she thought, or has just run out of care for the whole situation. She leans over, scooping up the mug of now cold tea that she made far earlier.
"…But fine. Stay on it. Who do you want to partner with for it all? If you're going actively hunting, you certainly aren't going out alone."
*
Another shrug followed, and Bobbi folded her arms in thought. "It's possible. But I have a feeling the Russians would very much like to see Shield without its Director. It would be a striking blow." She murmured.
"Who knows, maybe the Ambassador is a trap to lure us out." She frowned at the thought, and chewed at her thumbnail.
"As far as a partner? I won't argue it, but I'm not sure who's not on assignment and available.."
*
"…Do we know anything about this Pepper woman, other than she has awful taste in men? Could she have Russian connections also? Maybe it is a ruse, who knows. The tip off is awful convenient." Peggy murmurs thoughtfully, nursing at the cold tea as she half watches Bobbi, half keeps tired eyes just staring into the room. Looking stern and distant, like tucking into bed on her office couch was perfectly normal.
"…Probably should speak with Coulson. He's half taken this on as his assignment, especially with the woman. If you want to go hunting for all of it, pull him. He'll be good at your back."
*
A nod, and Bobbi crossed her legs, propping her chin up with a hand. "I'll ask Coulson, but I have nothing on this woman. I haven't even met her yet. Only what the reports said. Though I take Coulson's assessment that it's honest. However, it could be above what our source says. Easily, this could be a tactic to get us out in the open regardless if we had the tip or not.."
A frown and Bobbi tapped her chin. "Anything else Director?" A glance was spared around the room. "Have you eaten something? Cause I'm starving, and I could bring back something.."
*
The rather pregnant woman motions to the half empty tray of cold noodles on the coffee table, from where it was abandoned when she decided she had no taste for anything a while ago, "I did. Didn't… just wasn't in the mood for eating. I'll finish it later if I need. You should go eat another five bags of chips, or something, before you start gnawing on your desk." Peggy states with a deeper smirk, though she does actually look a bit more concerned about Bobbi and that now-crazed appetite.
She then pauses and leans forward, scooping up the cold noodles and offering them in Bobbi's direction. Bobbi must be loved, she's getting a pregnant woman's food. "Here…finish these. I'm tired of them, in truth."
*
That earned a laugh from Bobbi and the blonde glanced toward the door where her desk sat beyond. "Alright, alright. I'll go get more food." A glanced was spared toward the cold noodles and her eyebrows shot upwards.
"Are you sure? I can get you something else, some hot soup, some cream puffs.. anything, name it." She still made a grab for the noodle and started to promptly shovel them into her mouth as if she really were starving.
*
As Bobbi takes that container and begins to shovel it back, there is a new glint of worry in Peggy's eyes. Was she eating enough? Too much? How would Bobbi know when to stop? How long would these effects last? Peggy studies her in concern for a few heartbeats, "…Did…Wanda say how long these after effects would… last? You gonna be okay with 8 squares a day?" Peggy only half teases.
Then her mind catches up to the fact that Bobbi did actually ask her a few other questions. She waves it off with a sigh and sinks her aching back a bit deeper into the couch, "No, no…I'm sure. No taste for it today."
*
A pause and Bobbi lowered the box of noodles briefly. "Er.. shit, well I dunno. I didn't ask her. She looked tired and hell. I was just excited that it actually /worked/." She exhaled a breath before she eyed the Director.
"You need to eat and get some proper rest.." She started and then stopped, "I mean hell, I am not the one to lecture you on that. I most definitely don't follow that advice and definitely haven't had a kid.. But shit."
"Director, if you're not at the top of your game, you know what the assholes are gonna start muttering.." She dragged a hand through her hair.
*
"I sure as hell am at the top of my game. I can put in more hours here than I ever did before. It's…better Daniel's gone. The prison is finished, just it's final touches being put in place. We got that up in record time. We are covering multiple threats. I can stay on top of everything like this. So… I'm fine. And if someone starts fucking muttering they can walk their ass out of this place." Peggy half growls those words, her shortened temper even more clear now. It's late enough into the night that controlling emotions isn't her forte at this moment.
*
Bobbi shoved more noodles into her mouth, "I know that, everyone here knows that. But you know the feds down the block sure a hell will find anything as an excuse." She muttered.
"Also, you should treat yourself. I'll pick up some more cream puffs for you tomorrow." She poked the fork in Peggy's direction. "Maybe some cake.. mmm." She sighed, leaning back in her chair.
"With almonds."
*
Another arch of her brow as Bobbi sighs about that cake. Peggy cannot help but smirk a bit deeper, "…Bobbi, you're talking about almond cake the way most women talk about Elvis Presley. Or… whoever is the hot young movie star these days. I can't keep up with them." Peggy's only half teasing there, but Bobbi's sigh has managed to amuse her a bit.
"As for the Feds, they get to rowdy, we'll send Barton after them and be done with it. Everything is fine and you aren't my mother or boss, so damn well drop it, alright?"
*
A nod and Bobbi dropped the subject, a hand rising as she shoveled down the rest of the noodles until the box was empty.
"Hey, cake with almond shavings on top with whipped frosting and raspberries is fucking great. Better than all those men too, it won't argue." She winked and set the fork aside.
"And alright, I promise, I'll lay off. I just know that you and I have the same work ethics. Get the job done, the rest be damned."
*
"Well, then go get yourself a date for the evening and consume him as you please. Seriously. Go find yourself a nice cake to settle down with. Just write for the holidays." Peggy teases her, completely deadpanned, but it's definitely meant to be a joke. A slight, tired smile cracks through.
Then she's sinking a bit more to the side, into the couch, where she'll make her bed tonight. "I like working. Keeps my mind off other things. But… I will rest tonight. When my bedroom is empty save me and mine."
*
Bobbi rose with a small chuckle, getting the joke as soon as Peggy said it. "I'll send you a wedding invitation. It'll be so sweet." She winked and tugged her sleeves down, pushing golden curls back over her shoulder.
"And mmm, like I said. We have similar work ethics." She sighed, stretching her arms over her head. "I'll be in the training room I think after I get some snacks. Really want to just.. I dunno, I feel like I could run a few miles." She grinned and shrugged.
*
As Bobbi makes the 'so sweet' pun, Peggy outright groans and reaches to the coffee table, pulling off a pen that she can throw in the woman's direction, "Awful! Absolutely awful. Get out. THat's it. I'm banning all puns in SHIELD. That was horrible. I'm wounded. Go, before you actually kill me with your awful jokes." But she's half laughing, exhausted, cranky, but Bobbi has made things slightly better.
*
A grin, shameless and bright pulled at her lips as she pretended to duck but the pen smacked into her. "Mercy! Mercy Madam Director," She laughed and flashed another grin before making her way to the door.
"Have a good night," She murmured, smiling still as she left.