Siren

Decisions, decisions

The next few weeks passed in a blur of happiness that Juno hadn't felt like she'd ever felt before. So much so that it had her seeing what retirement could really be and she didn't hate it. Having been a SHIELD agent since before she was even old enough to vote, Juno was tired. Tired of risking everything and everyone every time she went on a job, but at the same time she didn't feel like she could leave her found family in a lurch. Her powers were such that no one else could do what she did and if she just left then who would they get to replace her?

But that kind of thinking wasn't in the right now of her life, more like the distant future. For now a new routine had settled into place for her and Henri mainly on where they split their time. The agreed upon deal was made to split up the week in an attempt to fairness at each other's apartments. During most week nights they stayed at his place so he could work from home on days when he absolutely refused to go into the office and then at her place on the weekends to get him fully away from both offices. If she had her way Henri would take some time off himself so that he could have a break. Which is why she finally agreed to that weekend away he'd talked about and convinced him she did because their weekend away turned into nearly two weeks where they hopped around from island to island in Thailand and then because he missed home they left paradise to go to London.

When they got there she made the decision that they would stay in Henri's apartment while Juno went through her old place. When she had left a year ago she'd left everything behind except a couple of suitcases and heartache. Fury hadn't bothered to do anything with the place because, and she quotes, "It was bought in your name. That makes it your problem, Donahue."

His reply to her argument that it had only been purchased because of her being on a job for SHIELD so it stood to reason that it was their property not hers: "Damnit Donahue, why do you have to make things so damned difficult for me. I told you it's yours. Sell it or keep it I don't care, but as far as accounting is concerned it was never ours."

Shocked at his tone she threw in the towel, "Fine, jeez. I'll figure it out."

A soft huff of a sigh floated through the phone letting her know he was sorry for snapping at her which is why she had already forgiven him. "Look, kid, you've earned every minute of this sabbatical and everything else you got from the London mission if it makes you happy. If you need me to say it then I will, take as long as you need and go live your life." After that particularly impassioned speech he casually mentioned just before he hung up that the bank account that had been set up for her cover was still available in her name. "Look at it as an early retirement settlement."

He called hundreds of millions of dollars a retirement settlement? Who did you know that got anything other than maybe a gold watch and a bon voyage party when they retired? Juno had spent the next couple of days on the phone with HR and accounting to return it until Fury called her to tell her it was official and to knock it off. "You're making me look bad here and aren't you supposed to be on vacation? Go enjoy yourself."

She didn't know what was going on, but she didn't like that he seemed to be pushing her away from SHIELD and the team. It almost felt like he was trying to get rid of her. Maybe all of this time away had shown them that they could get along without her just fine or better than fine. She tried to joke, but her heart wasn't in it. "Nick, I get what you're trying to do, but this is a little too much misappropriation of government funds for my liking. I'm not trying to have Uncle Sam breathing down my neck for his money back if you catch my drift."

"He won't be."

Suspicious, Juno pulled her phone away as if she could look through it and see him sitting there. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that money is actually yours. It was seized from your aunt who died, remember?"

She did remember the cover that he'd told her because that had been an integral part of the mission she had been on. "What I remember you said was the amount had been matched so that to the world and Henri it was from her."