The Fixer

We're gonna lose her!

Six weeks later January 2016

Better. That's what Jo would call the next few weeks after the party. Steve still had his moments where he couldn't keep his mouth shut, but it was much better than it had been. So well in fact that Joanna began to go on missions with him and since she was no longer his immediate supervisor they weren't as arduous. He still annoyed the shit out of her most times, but it was enough that she could deal with it and not want to strangle him anymore.

But then there would be a shift and more often than not his snarky comments or actions continued to push her away. So she would step back from being alone with him or really around him at all. Any tentative steps that had been taken towards friendship were all but gone. She knew his feelings were at play so she had given him a little leeway. Joanna wasn't heartless. Believe it or not she had lingering feelings for the handsome Captain, but she had this rule for a reason and Steve Rogers' behavior was exactly why.

She didn't know if it was because he hadn't dated much or if his feelings were stronger than he said they were, but it wasn't her fault. Joanna had been clear with Steve once she found out they were going to be working together. Thinking that he would want to keep a professional work setting she had been shocked to see him acting like any other man. Which to be fair at the end of the day he was just a man who happened to be famous for a specific reason. Jo had allowed his image to set her reaction to him and she'd been wrong.

It should have made sense based on the night they met. When they'd been getting to know each other he'd avoided talking about work. Instead Steve focused on telling her about his hobbies and a brief explanation of growing up in Brooklyn. Joanna now saw the man behind the shield and didn't know if she could handle him. He could be kind and caring, but he was also jealous and petty. One minute he'd be so sweet and then the next he'd talk down to her in front of the others as if she was a new recruit.

All Jo knew was that if this kept up she would need to transfer out. She would be the one to leave. She wouldn't make him leave the team that had become his only family since he woke up from the ice. So Jo had tentatively reached out to Nick to discuss some other permanent postings. He hadn't been pleased, but told her he would get back to her with a list of assignments suited to her status as a level 10 agent. Of course she hadn't said anything to the team. Joanna didn't want to cause a panic or have to explain the reason for her leaving and have them resent Steve.

Unfortunately things all finally came to a head six weeks after their night together. Steve and Joanna had been paired up to work a quick mission that almost had deadly consequences if it wasn't for her quick reflexes and new abilities. She never would have even gone on the mission if it wasn't for the fact that she was the only other Avenger close by when the call came in. At the end of the day she was glad she'd been the one to have Steve's back, but his reaction to what happened tipped the scales and there was no coming back from it.

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January 19, 2016 The Compound

Having just gotten back from her and Steve's rough mission an hour ago Joanna had showered and changed into a pair of comfortable shorts and a t-shirt before she did anything else. Headed to the team's common area to the kitchen to see if dinner was ready she stretched out her sore body. It wasn't ready yet so she went to get herself a glass of tea. Just as she grabbed down a glass Steve came in and started to yell at her. "You were reckless and could have gotten yourself killed! Instead of doing what you were told you had to play the hero."

Shocked, she just stood there staring at his handsome face scrunched in anger. "What, no snappy comebacks today?" Steve quipped when Joanna didn't reply.