Normal
Steve followed Bailey up to the Director's floor, making sure that she turned up. They walked up in silence. Bailey picked at the tiny scabs that had formed on her palms from where her nails pierced the skin when she helped Bucky dream. They stepped into the reception; it was empty apart from the young woman behind the desk from before.
"Please go straight through Dr Johnson," she said as soon as she caught sight of them. “You can take a seat Captain.”
Steve would have followed Bailey through and gave her some back up, but it was clear the receptionist had been given instructions for Bailey to go in alone. He gave her a reassuring rub on the arm, she smiled timidly before turning around and heading towards the door. Bailey always had feelings of dread accompanying her when she had meetings with Michaels, even catching the scent of the room made her anxious. Whilst Bailey was capable of arguing and professionally sparring with him, she never necessarily enjoyed it. She simply learnt how to do it over the years.
She opened the door and before both feet were over the threshold, Michaels let loose.
"I thought you wanted your secret a secret?" He said, his voice had an element of displaced smugness.
"Huh?" Was all she could manage in confusion.
Director Michaels was sat behind his desk, tie done up tight, his blazer unbuttoned. He turned one of his screens around to face her; it was the CCTV from the back room of sub-psych. Bailey saw herself storm into the room and pin Charlie against the wall. This time, she saw the panic in Dr Armstrong and Dr Jennings. No doubt Michaels got the heads up and watched it all unfold live as it was happening.
He was condescending, "Those were your terms Bailey, they always have been." He leaned back in his chair casually as he man-splaned to her. "You set them out at the beginning of all this. When you started working for me, you told me your terms were for you to be seen and treated as if you were normal. Does that look normal to you?" He paused the footage on Bailey and Charlie's eyes glowing white. "You have thrown normal out of the window completely with that performance."
Bailey was astounded with what Michaels chose to discuss first, "We have bigger issues than me at hand here Director, Dr Thomas has violated-"
Michaels cut her off, "No, the big issue here is you." He pointed his pen at her. "How can you be seen and treated as normal if you expose yourself? You used your powers on another member of staff, a member of your own team, in front of a whole floor full of people. How do you explain that?"
She was momentarily speechless, her mouth opened and closed as she thought of a response. Why was he not as outraged as she was? "I had no choice. You obviously know what he did, why are you talking about me and not acknowledging that?"
"There is always a choice Bailey." He said slowly. "I thought you would have learnt this by now. I am acknowledging the secret Super who just outed herself to the company. I have given you chance after chance to reveal yourself and make you official, but you've turned it down every time." His voice went deep, "Are you trying to make me look a fool? Because you've nearly succeeded today."
Bailey's emotions detonated inside of her and broke the surface, "Stop making this about me! This is about Bucky! Dr Thomas completely crossed the line and risked everything; he risked Bucky, all the work we have done, and he risked Bucky's entire future. It is unforgivable and I want him gone."
Michaels turned his screen back around and sighed, "He's off your team."
Bailey clenched her jaw, "No, I want him gone gone." This needed to be absolute for her.
He shook his head as he moved around some paperwork nonchalantly, "No can do."
Blood rushed to her face, "What do you mean?! Why?!" Bailey re-pierced her palms in vexation.
Michaels looked at her as if she were stupid, "Do you not think a lawsuit would be handed to my receptionist the second I fired him? You assaulted him Bailey, with a crowd of witnesses, as well as intercepting his thoughts. I'm pretty sure there are no laws on that kind of thing just yet, but I'm sure as hell they would not take it lightly." He loosened his tie and unbuttoned his collar, "I don't believe Dr Thomas would take too kindly to being fired after what you've put him through."
Bailey scoffed loudly and rolled her eyes, "What I have put him through? You've got to be fucking kidding me."
"Far from it Bailey." Michaels was starting to lose his patience with her, he started to get personal. "What is going on with you? You're all over the place." He shook his head in disappointment, "You are fleeting between using and then refusing to use your powers in work when it suits you. What is your objective here? Some kind of warped personal gain? You use them with Rogers, Romanoff, but not Maximoff, or Barnes..."
"Fuck!" She shouted in frustration and rose from her seat. She paced up and down the office, speaking with her arms, "You cannot be serious Michael? My personal gain! Give up the act." She pointed one of her sharp nails towards him, "We both know you have wanted me for my powers from the day we met. Paying off the debt, the house, getting the insurance, putting me through school, college. We both know why you did that. You have been manipulating me for years."
Michaels stayed incredibly still behind his desk, he spoke through gritted teeth, "Watch yourself Dr Johnson."
"Oh no more Bailey? It's Dr Johnson now, is it?" She said, almost laughing from how infuriated she was, "Well, Director Michaels, how many times do I have to tell you? Wanda, Bucky. It's the emotional fucking trauma. I can't touch them, unless you want your precious fucking weapon to fucking explode."
He never took his eyes off her as she walked up and down his office. "I think you better calm down and watch what you say next." Michaels warned.
"Why? I know you won't fire me; you need me. You've told me I'm on my last warning but it's bullshit." Bailey put both hands down on his desk and leaned forward, "You know if you fire me, that's it for you. You no longer have your edge and you'll be vulnerable. If you set me free, you'll never fucking see me again."
He stood up so fast, and slammed his hands down onto the desk, "Enough!" Michaels bellowed.
Bailey jumped back, fear ran up her spine, she sunk back into her chair. It had been a long time since she had heard Michaels raise his voice like that. His neck was fatter, she could see the main vein pumping blood around in overdrive through his skin. His face was red and a droplet of sweat ran down his temple.
He recomposed himself by taking a deep breath, he spoke matter-of-factly, "Dr Thomas will be sanctioned. All access to the Head of Psych domain will be revoked. He will be moved to sub-psych under the supervision of Dr Reid with limited access whilst a probation takes place."
Bailey sat with her arms folded across her chest, "12 months’ probation."
"6." He responded.
"10." She bartered.
"Fine. 10." Michaels caved. "His pay grade will also be demoted to his starting salary."
"Good." she said like a moody teenager.
He shook his head at seemingly nothing, "You better keep it under wraps from here on out Bailey, or you will be left with no choice but to sign up."
"That's not something you have to worry about," She said she pushed herself back from under the desk and out of her chair. "And there always is a choice."
"Touché." He said as she left the office.
___
Bailey apologised to Alan and Joseph and gave them the quick overview of her powers.
"How about you read my wife's mind for me? I think she thinks I should be able to do that sometimes." Dr Armstrong joked. "It's like I'm supposed to know her new pregnancy craving is cinnamon rolls before she even knows it's cinnamon rolls."
The two did not seem afraid, but they seemed to understand to some extent. As doctors, Bailey could see them wrestling with the 'how' of her powers, something she did too, but they also seemed to accept the unknown since they work in the midst of Gods and witches, and work in a city that was not a stranger to alien attacks. Dr Armstrong and Dr Jennings too were disgusted and outraged by the actions of Dr Thomas and agreed with his punishment and felt betrayed by their co-worker.
Patsy came out of the complex. All this time she had been in there working with Bucky, calming him down, explaining what was happening, and trying to convince him that this was not an arranged thing.
"He said he's ready to see you." Patsy said and smiled encouragingly.
Bailey pulled on her gloves and held her breath as she re-entered the apartment. Bucky was picking up the pieces of pot in the living room. She went over to help.
"I got it," he said dismissing her.
She moved out of the way and stood awkwardly by the bookcase feeling like a spare part. Bailey held her own hands, not knowing what else to do as Bucky tied up the mess.
"I'm here to apologise," She began as she watched him.
"Patsy said it wasn't you." He stated.
Bailey noted his use of Patsy's name rather than her official title of Dr Lewis, it must mean he is rather comfortable with her. Why wouldn't he be, she was brilliant at her job, she thought.
Bailey knew she needed to be particularly with her words and questions, "And you believe her?"
He brushed up a few tiny pieces into his metal hand, "I didn't at first, but I thought of last night." Bucky looked up, "I didn't dream, that did I?"
"No, you didn't dream that." Bailey failed to stop a small smile from spreading across her face.
Bucky picked up the last piece, keeping his eyes on the floor. "Good. I didn't think someone could be like that, and then do something like that the next day. Although, it did feel too good to be true."
He carried all the broken pieces to the bin in the kitchen and then returned to Bailey in the living room, they both remained standing. Bailey felt flustered at their situation and with everything Bucky was saying. She thought she would be back to the beginning with him, and they would be at square one in the game of trust, but Bucky had welcomed her back with open arms. Even to the point where Bailey thought he could have been flirting with her. Even if he wasn’t, it appeared that the trust was still there.
"I'm sorry," he broke the silence between them, "I'm sorry for what I said and for how I spoke to you, I should never have told you to fuck off and I do trust you."
"Honestly, it is fine, and completely understandable. I can't even begin to imagine how that must have felt for you." Bailey naturally took a step forward, "I'm sorry for making you doubt that you could trust me. I should have had better reign over my staff, I should have known that something- I should have known that he-" she couldn't find the words to explain.
Bucky cut her off, "You weren't to know."
"I'm still sorry."
His face slowly twisted to anger and hatred. His hands turned to fists and his jaw clenched, "I want him off my case."
"He's off it, you don't have to worry about him ever again." Bailey said quickly, trying to soothe him, "I wanted him sacked, but Director Michaels seems to think we'd have a lawsuit on our hands if he were to fire him."
Bucky look irritated, "Why?"
Bailey twisted a lock of hair around her fingers, "Um, I may have, er, smacked the back of his head off a wall... strangled him and er, used my powers to get him to tell me the truth."
Bucky raised his eyebrows as if he were impressed, "Wow. So, what was the truth? Why did he do it?"
A knot twisted in Bailey's stomach, "Curiosity," she lied, "He wanted to see if the words would still work."
He looked unconvinced with her answer, but didn't question it any further, "I think I would have liked to have seen you choke him and see you so angry."
Bailey laughed, "You wouldn't have, it got ugly."
Bucky looked her in the eyes, his voice was rough, "I highly doubt that."