Partners

Simmon’s apartment was nice, empty, but nice. Bobbi couldn’t help her judgment as she peered into the fridge. How did this woman live? Bobbi moved to sit in the living room chair, apartment clean of listening devices. Good. She glanced at the clock. The shorter woman should be back soon. 

Her mind brought her back to the day before. She doubts she’ll ever feel sure footed again around the Hydra agent. There's no way 88 could know that Bobbi is SHIELD and that she and Simmons are both undercover. However, Bobbi can’t shake the feeling that the other woman can see right through her, as if she can read her every thought. 

The door opened, pulling her away from her thoughts. After a moment, Simmons pushed into the main room, gun in hand. Well, Bobbi had given her less credit than she deserved. 

“Agent Simmons.” Bobbi turned on the light next to her, staying seated. 

The other woman trained the gun on her. Bobbi raised her hands innocently. 

“What do you want?” Simmons demanded, impressively authoritative. 

“I’m just here to talk. I’m from SHIELD.”

The other woman scoffed. “Yeah right, I saw you yesterday. Do you think I’m stupid?” 

“It’s true. I’m undercover too. I was told to keep an eye on you.” 

Simmons hesitated. “Prove it.”

Bobbi sighed, “I was told that if I ever decided to reveal my cover to you, to tell you that Fitz is doing much better. He keeps trying to use the hypoxia as an excuse to get a ‘helper monkey?’ for the lab. And he mentions your sandwiches at least once a week.” 

The other woman deflated, gun long forgotten. “He talks about me?”

Bobbi hesitated, “No, but everyone knows who he’s talking about.”

Simmons nodded, defeated. 

Bobbi’s heart broke for the girl. “Coulson gave me a run down about you when I got this mission. I understand why you left… it's hard to watch yourself lose someone.”

Simmons, gaze far away, responded, “Yes it is.” A long pause. “Why are you here?”

Bobbi nodded, accepting the change in subject. “We need to talk, yesterday made it pretty clear that you have no idea how to work undercover.”

The other woman sputtered, “That’s not fair, I –”

“I’m not saying you’re not a good agent, you obviously are. But, lying is different than fully infiltrating another organization. You have to do more than just not get caught.”

Simmons sighed, moving to sit on the couch. “Alright, what am I doing wrong?” 

Bobbi lent forward, elbows resting on her knees. “You have to make friends. I know that these people work for an evil organization, but right now they are your coworkers. You're not going to get anywhere by standing in the corner and hoping you’ll overhear something important.” 

The other woman dropped her head into her hands. “I know… it’s  just… I’m – I’m so tired. I didn’t think…” 

Bobbi’s heart broke further. This woman obviously felt so alone. Bobbi understood that, and she didn’t want Simmons to understand it too. “Alright fuck it. We’re having a girls night.” 

***

Three hours, two medium pizzas, and two bottles of wine later, the two women found themselves lying face up on the carpet in Simmons' living room, laughing.

“Prostitutes? Plural?”

Simmons covered her face, shoulders shaking in mirth, “I know I was hopeless, but it’s shockingly better than my first attempt at lying. Then I ended up shooting Agent Sitwell in the chest. But he turned out to be Hydra so I don’t regret that one.” 

Bobbi smirked, “I take back what I said before, you’re making excellent progress in undercover work.” 

Simmons grinned, “I know! Thank you! Not that I did this to get better at lying, I just…” she trailed off. 

Bobbi reached out to touch her shoulder, “I know… Fitz. From what I hear you’re very close.”

The younger woman nodded, “The closest, it was so easy. To know he was there, and now... I think about that day all the time, the day it all got so complicated. I can’t stop really, thinking about that feeling – the fear, the way it broke us. I try not to but…”

“It consumes you.”

Simmons turned to meet Bobbi’s eyes. “Yes. Have you experienced something like that, Agent Morse?” 

“Yeah I have.” At the question in the other woman’s eyes Bobbi sighed. Moving to unbutton the top part of her shirt. She pulled it to the side, revealing the jagged scar. 

“About four years ago, I was on a mission at an experimental base in Cuba. There were rumors of there being an 084 being used by some millionaire. I was sent with a team to extract it. At first it went really well… at first. But, when I was just about to grab the 084 and get out of there, well…” She motioned to her shoulder. “Something must have hit me, I don’t know what, and I was thrown backwards. I ended up slamming back into this broken metal rod at the end of the room – I think they used it to hang their coats?” She laughed shortly. “Anyway, It went straight through me. When I managed to look up, I saw them. A figure in all black, and a mask covering their entire face. They looked like a shadow. I don’t think I’ve ever been more terrified in my entire life. Before I could even think about trying to move, I felt this… force, holding me in place. I thought I was dead. The figure came right up to me and pulled me off the rod and…” She trailed off. 

Simmons, curious, questioned, “And what?”

Bobbi took a breath, “and I didn’t realize until later that the way they grabbed me was gentle? It just hurt so bad and I was the most afraid I had ever been. And then they showed this… gel? Into my wound and it burned like nothing I’ve ever felt before.” Bobbi’s eyes began to unfocus as she thought back to the memory, “And then they grabbed the 084 and left, except…  just before they were gone, they turned back around to face me again. I could barely focus on them.” She shivered at the memory. “But, I heard their voice… disguised through some kind of voice modulator.” 

“What did they say?”

“They said ‘I'm sorry’ and then ran out the door.” She shook her head “When I was finally able to move again I left as fast as I could.”

“They said sorry?” 

Bobbi nodded, sighing, “And now I can’t stop thinking about it. I never saw them again. When I got back to base, the doctor told me that whatever they put in my wound stopped the bleeding. I would have died otherwise. They saved my life.” Bobbi let herself fall back onto the floor, wondering who the masked figure could have been, and where they were now. 

“Huh, I wonder who they could be.”

***

“Ok wait. What about that agent? You know the one that scared everyone in my department. What’s her deal?” Simmons asked, tipsy. 

‘Ugh, I don’t know. I’ve been assigned as her partner. Why? I have no idea, but she’s extremely confusing. At SHIELD, I pride myself on being able to work out every little detail of a person. It makes me an effective interrogator. There's never been a puzzle I couldn’t solve. But this one? I don’t know…” Bobbi paused, thinking about her new work companion. “I need to know more.”

“An enigma.”

Bobbi nodded, “wrapped in a conundrum.” She sighed, “Every Hydra agent I’ve met while undercover has been the same. Sure some of them can be charming or funny, but they all have this ruthlessness about them. This thirst for pain or power that is impossible to hide. But Agent 88… she just doesn’t have that. She is terrifying and dangerous and striking, but the look in her eyes isn’t a reflection of anyone else’s there. I just need to figure out what it is.” She turned to look at the other woman. Simmons had her head tilted in confusion, brows furrowed. “What?”

“Striking?” 

Bobbi frowned, looking down at her wine glass, confused with herself. “I think that’s enough of that. I should get going anyway. I’ve been here too long.”

“Agent Morse, I wasn't –“

“It’s fine.” Bobbi interrupted with a reassuring smile, sensing the anxiety from the other woman.. “I just realized how late it was.” She moved to get ready to leave. “Hey. I just want you to remember that I got your back in there ok? We’re a team.”

Simmons smiled shyly, her shoulders noticeably less tense than they were earlier in the night. “I know. Thank you.”

“Anytime.”