6906/An Important Legacy

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An Important Legacy
Date of Scene: 12 July 2021
Location: Director's Office - Playground
Synopsis: Sharon Carter gets called to the principle's (Chief's) office for debrief of what Commander May and Peggy missed. And another little shock. A well deserved promotion.
Cast of Characters: Peggy Carter, Melinda May, Sharon Carter




Peggy Carter has posed:
The scuttlebutt around the Playground has been a lot over the last three days. Their agents are finally out -- the Chief end STRIKE Commander included. The whole bunch of them were taken straight to medical from the Sphere and put under some severe observation, but even while there are lingering issues from the long term stasis, no one seems in medical trouble. So, certain stubborn agents have worked their way out of constant monitoring and bed rest. Peggy is one of those, only second to May who was getting a shower before medical even approved. She's now caught up on most of the reports she's missed and, a part of that catch up, is hearing about Sharon's work while they were gone.

The summon to Peggy's office might not be a real surprise, but it was put to Sharon with a fair bit of urgency. 'Agent Carter, please report to Chief Carter's office as soon as possible. Thank you.' The tone one step down from an emergeny. Peggy's sitting inside, behind her familiar desk, as put together as possible despite those red circuitry lines still faintly all across her face and arms. She's in a freshly pressed suit and shirt, her hair it's usual soft waves. She's done everything she can to look very much herself. It's just her eyes which are a touch different. Older. Haunted. Tired in a way that is not physical. But she' *fine* otherwise.

Melinda May has posed:
Yes, both May and Peggy look like they've had tribal tattoos removed, between the light rash from all the micro injection sites and the work of those circuits themselves beneath their skin. May is in black -- as always. She's tossed a jacket over her tank top, but otherwise her outfit is pretty typical of her. Business as usual, as one might expect.

Except it's not... quite.

She's standing off to one side when Sharon gets summoned, not so far from that side board with its kettle and tea fixings. Because when you can't drink alcohol on duty, you can always drink tea. And, right now, May will take what she can get.

She's no less haunted than the Chief. She's just better at putting on a stoic mask. Her eyes don't reveal much to anyone who doesn't know her well. That said, she's put on her best 'relaxed' demeanor, given the circumstances. Which suggests it's not nearly an 'emergency' that will require scowls and intricate battle plans.

Yet.

Sharon Carter has posed:
With everyone back from the Sphere; and Sharon doing what she does, she finally touches down in the Playground but without the necessary visits and.. well.. hug. There was a little trepidation there, from when Sharon did her little confessional and never returned to the Sphere after the battle, keeping herself busy by attempting to keep everything afloat, assisting Sam and Bucky with their missives along with her own behaviours..

Problematic.

In fact, when she was summoned to Chief Carter's office, she was almost hoping that there would be some sort of reunion. But the announcement was a bit official, unlike a knock at the door or a text on the phone. So her own attire, while not business like, retained the half uniform from waist down and a regular t-shirt upwards.

A quick knock upon the Chief's door announces her, and with a twist and push, Sharon enters. The ones who could read the room could possibly sense that little bit of dread; like being called to the principals office because they've found out that SHE was the one who left the open milk carton on top of the lights. The smell of it all!

Spying them both, a little smile curls but then falls. Business. Back straight. Arms behind the back. Approach carefully and try not to flinch.

"You two wanted to see me?"

Peggy Carter has posed:
Business mostly, but Sharon's a good spy. She can see the faint change in Peggy's eyes as the older woman sets eyes on her grand daughter. Peggy wants to run to her, to pull her into that hug, to not let go for a long, long moment. But there was work to do. Still, it takes Peggy a few heartbeats to swallow a tight breath down and push back the wave of emotions that comes upon just *seeing* Sharon. Relief that she's in one piece. Love. The joy of family. The concerning memories of that break down night in the Framework. May's getting a good taste of all that from the seemingly stoic Director who does need a few moments to pack it back away. But she manages.

"Sharon. It... hell, it's good to see you in one piece. Especially after that stunt you pulled in the Framework. I... I understand, now, but we really needed you here on the outside, holding things together. So, care to give Commander May and I a brief update on what we missed?" Peggy asks formally, motioning to the chair across her desk. "Would you like some tea?"

Melinda May has posed:
May knew these emotions were coming. She remembers that day in the Framework, too. It was... a bad day, actually. One of many. It helps, however, that she's managed to retrieve the small throwing dagger that was stuck into her boot when she was pulled into that damnable simulation. It is tucked into her shirt, currently, tucked beneath a bra strap against her skin. And, frankly, it makes distancing herself from the swirl of emotions just a little easier.

"I read the after action report on the attack on the Sphere," she notes. "Sounds like you had your hands full." She doesn't comment on the 'stunt' in the FW. That's Peggy's conversation to lead.

Here and now, anyway.

Sharon Carter has posed:
It was hard to see them both as they were. Even when Sharon pulled the hotdog rage at May, an embarrassing scene, it was still hard. Sharon finally let out a breath, her stance relaxing as she approaches the desk, already helping herself to some tea. "Admittedly, I missed you guys." There, she said it. "And I'm sorry about that." She really meant it, in fact, it pained her to remember.

"I was hoping that something of shock value would wake you two up. See that it wasn't real, but.." She shakes her head, leaving it there. It hit too close to home. When the seat was offered, she took it gladly.

One leg crosses over the other as she lifts the mug to her lips, taking a quick sip of tea before she leans forward to place it upon the desk. "Yes." Sharon finally answers May. "It was so many moving parts, it was best to let the others work and do -them- instead of issuing commands. The woman, the one with the blade, she's really extraordinary. I would like to learn from her a bit."

Business-like!

"Getting everyone to not constantly think about the sphere was a bit daunting. I did accompany Falcon and Mr. Barnes on a few missions here and there that would be considered 084's. We've managed to recover a.. squid person? From one of those missions but.. the last one, however, is a little bit problematic. The fugitive Taskmaster has resurfaced." Sharon leans back, then lolls her head to stare at the ceiling. She wasn't saying a -lot-, and it shows.

Peggy Carter has posed:
When the apology comes for the incident, at the admission at missing them, a faint smile crosses Peggy's lips. She gives the smallest nod of agreement. Apology accepted. No more issues or lectures about it. It was in the past. She carefully leans forward, making Sharon a cup of mint tea just the way she likes it. Or maybe it's the way she liked it in the other world. There are still too many memories crossed over, but Peggy is trying. She sets that soothing, minty drink before the younger woman before settling back in her chair, "May, tea?" She asks gently, moving to make a green tea for her friend as well. She thinks she has this one right.

Then the other reports are coming. Peggy did ask for them. A faint frown paints at her lips as she considers the danger of this 'Taskmaster'. Her head tilts a bit more to the side. "...There's a lot you aren't telling us. Come on, spill. Nothing leaves this room unless I say it does."

Melinda May has posed:
"I don't think anything could have shocked us out of it," May tells Sharon evenly, though her tone is undermined by the way she rubs at the base of her skull, where the main cluster of control wires entered. "I was aware of everyone's emotions the whole time I was under, including yours, and even that wasn't enough to wake me." She doesn't say it, but the whole reason she was willing to jump through that portal in the end was because she'd decided dying was preferable to life in that nightmare.

That may be a secret she takes to her grave. (Hopefully several decades hence.)

She picks up a cup of green tea for herself. It's more soothing than the black teas are for her. Then she retreats to another chair to await the rest of Sharon's story. Because, yes. Both she and Peggy have been at this game too long not to know when the younger agent is holding back on them.

Sharon Carter has posed:
Sharon doesn't reach for the tea; the past few days she's been hitting the heavy stuff. Ice cold, on the rocks, some of the fizzy caffienated drinks that were bad for the teeth and the rest for the liver. Perhaps, after it cools a bit more she'd take. "I know." Sharon admits.

"I didn't know that.." She confesses to May, now sitting forward within her chair. "..There was speculation that maybe something else was going on when it come to you, Commander, by the way your brainwaves reacted to certain situations. But I assumed that it was due to stress." She scratches at her eyebrow, then purses her lips.

"Quick of it, a few years ago Taskmaster and I had a thing. Saw him at the fight club that we busted up and put two in his belly. I know he's alive, but.. I'm -pretty- sure revenge is eventually going to follow." It -was- the short and skinny of it.

"I think I bloomed late.." It was meant to be a joke, but it wasn't. She holds both hands up now, then shakes her head. "You two don't have to worry about that. Straight and narrow." She gives a half-assed salute, then reaches out for the tea made for her.

Peggy Carter has posed:
"Had... a *thing*? As in a bedroom thing?" Peggy asks with a slight tilt of her head an an amused smirk dancing across her matte red lips. There's no lecturing for the woman, Peggy's certainly made her own choices, but she's just trying to get the full measure of the situation. "And having another for the list of people that want us dead is not the worst thing in the world. How much does this Taskmaster know your weaknesses? How likely are we risking other agents because of your association with him?" Peggy scoops up her own tea, taking a half, disinterested sip of the stuff as she stretches out in her chair. If she's overly worried about this association, she's not showing it.

Then dark eyes flicker up and over to May, opening the door for the woman to ask any other questions. Either about Taskmaster, or the past few months. They share the floor equally here, even if Peggy is the one sitting.

Melinda May has posed:
Oh, May will ask questions when she has them. She read the report, however. And Peggy's got the questions about this Taskmaster situation in hand. She shifts in the seat she's chosen for herself, blowing softly across the surface of her tea to cool it enough to sip.

In any case, does anyone ever really bat an eye when May goes silent for extended periods of time?

She meets Peggy's eyes briefly, her look conveying the simple truth -- she'll speak when she's got something to say.

Sharon Carter has posed:
-AWKWARD-. Sharon visibly goes pale at the answer, now taking a sip of her tea which turns into an extra added gulp. Clearing her throat, she leans forward to replace it upon the desk, then offers up a tight smile, one that said.. oop. Mentioning -that- was a mistake.

"It's been years. I don't think he knows anything anymore. Either way, it seemed as if he had a grudge against SHIELD regardless, but since we're pretty much in the wind, we're safe. I think everyone is safe, for now, unless he happens to see me out and those with me are collateral damage."

She nods at this, certain. "I cover my tracks well."

Now, looking to the both of them, she waits.. waiting for something else to reveal itself. "Other than that, mission successes from what I've seen and been apart of. Coffee's gotten better too." And that was due to -way- too many sleepless nights of the agents who took up the sphere. Their dedication to the hot brew has increased tenfold.

Peggy Carter has posed:
Both brows climb as Peggy sees Sharon's pallor at the answer. Well, that confirms her suspicious. Peggy's smirking in quiet amusement, that emotion probably rather pleasant, trickling in May's direction. She is honestly charmed to think about her grand daughter's exploits and absolutely internally laughing at Sharon's embarrassment about it all. Peggy was this close to reminding her to use protection.

But, the older woman clears her throat, sitting up a bit straighter and putting her tea aside to grab at a small box on her desk. She then hands it over towards May, tilting her head in permission for the other woman to bring it forward. "Commander. She is your Agent. Handle the follow up." While Peggy was here to watch, she wasn't going to take this duty away from May.

Melinda May has posed:
No doubt many of the agents who worked so tirelessly at the Sphere will reap the benefits of commendations and even bonus pay as a result. Not to mention the detriments of a few cases of rot gut from too much coffee and/or Red Bull. Oh, and the crash that comes afterward.

Like, has anyone heard from Sarah Collingwood or Mark McLaren since?

Still, as May reaches for the box on the desk, she knows this is something that should have occurred well before they went into that damnable Sphere. She draws herself to her feet and looks at Sharon. "Stand up," she instructs her. Really? No one should have something like this given to them while they're sitting.

When Sharon does rise, May gives her a smile -- it's small, yes, because that's what May can muster these days, but it is sincere and satisfied, nonetheless. "Agent Sharon Carter, you have demonstrated a dedication to duty that, while not always conventional, has always been above and beyond. You exemplify the level of skill and instinct SHIELD demands of its best and brightest. I once asked you if you would be willing to act as my lieutenant as I rebuilt STRIKE in these trying days. You accepted then and proved yourself during this recent time of crisis. Thus, I consider this long overdue."

She opens the box to reveal a new L7 lanyard and a badge to match -- though they all know that badge can't leave this base. Not until they've brought this agency back out into the light. "It's my privilege and honour to promote you to L7 with all the rights and responsibilities associated therewith."

She extends the box and her hand to the younger woman, her smile having turned wry in the process of what, for her, is a very long speech. "Congratulations. You may curse me for this later, but since you survived your first solo command, I think you'll survive anything else that gets thrown at you, too." A beat. She adds, "Also, I know where there's a bottle of Haig, if you two care to ditch the tea and celebrate with something stronger, later."

Sharon Carter has posed:
Nope. Avoid all eye contact. Perhaps that is something they could talk about -off- the books.

Life regrets.

But as Peggy pulls out the box, Sharon looks from her to May, then back to her grandmother again, curious. It wasn't until she was told to stand, she does so, color now draining slowly back into her face, both hands tucked at her sides and curled into fists. Punishment and reward all carries the same stance, but the tremble of the lip does not. It was definitely because of that smile.

Add on to the speech, Sharon remained quiet, eyes upon May, attention kept. She tried her best not to smile, nor to allow what could be considered tears of joy to come spilling forth. She was a spy; it is rumored that she learned the poker face from Meryl Streep. Finally she moves, her hands reaching out to clasp the box which is soon brought to her middle, clutched tightly and protectively.

"Thank you both." She says, finally letting out that breath of air, containing herself to not do the most childish, girlish thing she could muster. But boy, that smile is -huge-. "Thank you, really.. thank you.." And yes, she'll be cursing later.. so much later..

"Just the one bottle though?" She asks. "I'll make a run for some more. After you two get more sleep." It'll be a buffet if Sharon gets to planning it.

Peggy Carter has posed:
As May steps forward, Peggy stands as well. Back straight, shoulders square. It's a stance of respect and honor. But, even if Sharon is fighting her smile, Peggy doesn't bother fighting her's. Despite all the exhaustion of the day, the nearly choking grief for that life unlived, everything they've been going through, in this moment there is beaming, quiet pride from Peggy. She couldn't be more proud of the young woman, or her service.

Once May presets that lanyard and the official box, Peggy steps forward around the desk. She gives a little laugh, "A bottle of Haig sounds like a far better idea than this tea, yes. I suppose you should celebrate getting a properly competent second in command, while I mourn losing either of you to being at my side at a moment's notice." Peggy is mostly teasing about that. She knows they will all still be working close. After all, HYDRA is their mutual, number one enemy.

Then she's coming around her desk and, unless Sharon pulls away, Peggy clutches her into that hug the woman wanted so much at the top of this meeting. Tight and loving, Peggy's got every bit of strength behind it as she holds Sharon in close. "I couldn't be more proud and this could not be more deserved. You are the sort of agent everyone should aspire to be. ... Casual flings with supervillains or not." Peggy tosses that in at the end with a grin.

Melinda May has posed:
When Peggy steps around to hug Sharon, May steps back. The smile is still on her face, and her breathing is a little more relaxed than it was, thanks to the pleasure she sense from both of them. It eases her heart in a way she can't really explain, for all that only a third of what she's feeling is her own. Still, she take the loosening in her chest and the muscles across the back of her neck and shoulder. Even if it won't last longer than that bottle of Haig.

"Do *not* ask me to sleep any more," she tells Sharon with a snirk. "I've been sleeping for weeks. If you don't want that Haig, fine, but don't deny it to the rest of us." There's a faint gleam in her eye as she says that. She knows damned well none of them are going to say no to the whiskey. The kid just might have to make her liquor run a little quicker if she expects to have any of the bottle left by the time she gets back...

Sharon Carter has posed:
"You know we'll be there.." Sharon says, already preparing for the hug that she knows is to come. And she accepts it fully, even accidentally rocking back and forth, the tightness of the hug equally matched. Until the mention of the casual fling, which Sharon playfully shrinks and begins to crack up with laughter. It was -odd-, but a fulfilling thing.. right?

Once the hug is broken, Sharon nods eagerly at May. "Ok ok.. but..!" It pained her, to set the box back upon the desk, but eventually, she'd get to wear the lanyard and tags soon. "Don't start without me, alright? I know we have cooks in the kitchen but their aprons are -never- dirty. I'll bring back a tray of burgers that'll make a cow blush!" And.. granted, even though Sharon was leaving, there was the promise that she'd be back.

Just in time for that good ol' whiskey.