8800/A Tangled Web of an Update

A Tangled Web of an Update
Date of Scene:	23 November 2021
Location:	Chief Carter's Office: Triskelion
Synopsis:	Jessica comes to ask Peggy about a somewhat delicately personal situation, and Peggy reminds her that SHIELD has been built upon fraternization.
Cast of Characters:	Jessica Drew, Peggy Carter

---

Jessica Drew has posed:
The secretary who serves as buffer and bodyguard buzzes Drew into the Commander's inner sanctum. The agent dressed in her office best, a pencil skirt under a tailored black jacket with a jade silk blouse that makes her green eyes greener, knocks before opening the door.

"Thank you for seeing me on such short notice, Commander. We all know how busy you are."

Peggy Carter has posed:
A little 'tsh' of breath comes from Peggy as she sees Jessica and hears those words, standing up from where she was settled behind her desk. She's in a gray plaid winter wool suit cut in the 1940s style, though her jacket is unbuttoned at the moment and, from her height, she probably has her shoes off behind her desk. She's drinking a pot of tea that, from the spicy, biting smell of it, is probably some ginger concotion.

"Not near so busy as I was six months ago. I half don't know what to do with myself these days, everything going... almost normal. For once. So, it's no issue. This is why I'm here. Now sit. Talk to me. Do you want tea? Some biscuits?"

Jessica Drew has posed:
Peggy has that uncanny ability to put nervous subordinates at ease. Jess's shoulders relax subtilely, "That would be perfect, thank you. Ginger is it?" Some super powers have their upside and their downside, Jess could rival some of the world's greatest sommeliers with her super sense of smell. Being able to put into words what she smells takes training. Her first wine course had been a revelation to her.

"That is good to hear, ma'am. It got...uh.... hairy there for a while, didn't it?"

Peggy Carter has posed:
"Ah, yes, but if you're not a fan I can make several other sorts." Peggy motions back to the little cart to the left side of her desk. It's completely dedicated to tea, with several loose leaf kinds and a mix of bags, an electric kettle with programmable tempertures, and a whole array of mugs on the little shelf beneath. Some things about the Director are forever painfully British.

Once she's got whatever sort of tea going that Jessica prefers, Peggy settles back into her desk chair and folds her hands, studying the woman with gently concerned, dark brown eyes. "Yes. Things were... almost the worst they've ever been. But we got out. As we always do. How are *you* holding up now?"

Jessica Drew has posed:
"I would love Assam with milk, ma'am." They share that commonality being tea drinkers and British by birth though Jessica feels more American in some regards these days or more a citizen of the world to be accurate.

"It got strange for me, too, ma'am. When there was that last push by HYDRA, releasing terragen in the Metro, a few of us got gassed. But, that," she crosses her hands on her lap to rub the inside of the opposite wrist. "But, I'm fine now," she assures her with a smile and a positive nod of her head.

"The docs passed me and...well, I can throw webs now. Stranger than fiction, I know."

Visibly swallowing, then clearing her throat, the agent changes the subject. "I thought I should discuss some developments with the Shi'ar I'm handling ma'am."

Peggy Carter has posed:
The expression on Peggy's features softens just a bit more as she listenst about the woman being 'fine'. Peg doesn't seem like she entirely is convinced of that, "Even if you are... more powerful, changed somehow, it's alright to not be entirely fine after that. Hell, Jessica, I don't know that *I'm* even entirely fine. It's going to take time. But I'm glad the doctors cleared you, at least."

Then the woman is moving on towards the other matter. Peggy pours her out that mug of Assam and slides over the little milk pitcher from the tea cart, but otherwise she doesn't interrupt. Her head tilts curiously. "...what of the Shi'ar...?"

Jessica Drew has posed:
"He is still very much on board with protecting the Earth from his compatriots, ma'am," she says in a rush not to be misunderstood.

"He likes being on Earth, likes serving with SHIELD when he can. It's ...I," this normally forthright, confident agent sputters a moment, unable to find her words. "It's just ah...ma'am. We have. I thought. We thought that if we got more serious with one another and he moved in with me that SHIELD should be apprised," she looks the commander straight in the eyes to her credit as her fair English skin flushes scarlet.

Peggy Carter has posed:
A slow arch of Peggy's brow comes as she listens to Jessica's stammering. However, before the woman even comes out with it, a slow smile is starting to spread suspiciously across Peggy's lips. She's a good profiler. She's heard this sort of stammering before. When Jessica finally lays it out on the table, a warm, reassuring laugh escapes Peggy's lips as she leans back in her chair. "You mean romantically, yes? You've moved in together because you're involved in a romantic relationship? You *know* how SHIELD feels about fraternization, Jessica?" The last question there isn't said with a cold, disappointed tone, but more so a curiously amused one.

Jessica Drew has posed:
"Well, we /haven't/ moved in with each other but...I mean, we haven't even talked about it yet. We got concerned just /what/ SHIELD would do with it," she responds with a faint hint of misery in her voice. She sees the commanders amusement. Jess is not blind but considering her relatively low status as an agent and Erickson's status as a dyed in the wool alien, they both became concerned. "We thought it would be best let SHIELD know, ma'am considering everything." She hasn't touched her tea and clutches her hand in her lap.

Peggy Carter has posed:
"Jessica. Look at me." Peggy leans forward a bit more, her smile softer, understanding. "We are not the military. I do appreciate the notice, but if you don't know your SHIELD history, one of the first regional Chiefs was also my husband, Daniel Sousa. A man who, through strange circumstances, is now an agent among us again today. We have couples and singles quarters in the Triskelion for a reason. Hell, I just let one of our agents recruit his own husband. Now...I still expect you to maintain what objectivity you can in the field. But if you truly trust him, if you want to do this, it won't be SHIELD stopping you."

Jessica Drew has posed:
The agent takes a relieved breath. "It's...we did talk about it. It's because of his status that we got concerned. Everyone knows who you are married to, Ma'am. It's blue sky, a fact of life. Right. I wasn't going to say a thing and then thought, better to let it be known so it doesn't become a security issue."

Another deep breath, "I trust him with my life. He knows that SHIELD's mission is my mission and the two can't be separate."

Peggy Carter has posed:
A little laugh, on the edge of embarrassed herself, escapes Peggy's lips as Jessica says they all know she's married. "Yes, well... I suppose you are right about that. It certainly was in the history books." Unconsciously, Peggy's left thumb toys with her wedding ring on her left hand. She's still getting used to wearing it again, though having it as a fidget once more is a lovely, grounding feeling.

"But, I appreciate you letting me know. This is going to go in official record, so we can monitor the... Situation. But I wouldn't have had you working together in the first place if I thought he was that much of a security risk. If anything, it sounds like this relationship will help us insure he's *more* so on our side, and to remain that way. However, if you wish, we could send both of you to Sims. Take you through couples counseling to make certain you aren't being used?"

Jessica Drew has posed:
"To who? Oh, you mean the new agent who is a psychiatrist? Oh, I don't think either of us is being manipulated. That sounds...no. The Shi'ar would more likely kill him and me for it. He did say that he would submit to telepathic examination if anyone felt it was necessary." Jessica knows how deeply distrust can run in an organization like SHIELD.

Peggy Carter has posed:
A gentle shake of her head is given in turn. "No, no. I don't think it's necessary. Only for your peace of mind. SHIELD gives a certain measure of trust to its agents, and I count you both among that trust. Go. Enjoy yourselves. Find what happiness you can, because the world will often do all it can to take such things away from us." Peggy reaches a hand across the desk, momentarily squeezing the back of Jessica's palm. Proud and reassuring. She has full confidence that the woman is making the right decision.

Then she settles back, letting the conversation fall to lighter small talk while Jessica finishes her tea, before dismissing the woman so she can catch up on her own paperwork. But it's all put her in a better mood, seeing one of her agents happy as such makes her happy in turn.