You Called, I Answered (Salvatore Shield)

1.31 | Flare

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"You've got to be fucking kidding me!" Josie's voice echoed through the lobby of the Salvatore Shield complex as she stormed through the room, her heels clicking harshly against the floors.

She barely registered the startled and confused looks from the other Shield agents and federal agents in the area. Her eyes, blazing with rage, were locked on a single target.

"What the hell did she ever do to you?!" Josie demanded, her voice raising with each word as she closed the distance between herself and Penelope.

And if looks could kill, the raven haired witch would undoubtedly be six feet under right now.

Penelope was standing with a calm expression that bordered on smug. She only shrugged her shoulders, crossing her arms against her chest. "I was doing you a favor, JoJo. Everyone can see how desperate you are for her attention. She's not good for you, and she clearly attracts danger everywhere she goes."

Josie's eyes narrowed, her anger flaring impossibly hotter. She clenched her fists at her sides, and the air around her crackles slightly with her magic threatening to flare. "Do you realize the danger you put her in?!"

Josie barely takes an intimidating step closer to the raven-haired witch before someone quickly steps between them, quite literally holding Josie back.

"Enough," she was surprisingly calm, her voice firm as she held out a hand, keeping them apart.

"I don't need your help," Josie snapped at Hope, crossing her arms frustratedly against her chest.

Hope lets out a dry chuckle, her eyes flickering to Penelope, then back to Josie. She ushered her head at the raven-haired witch, "I'm pretty sure she was the one who needed the help, love." Hope's voice softened slightly, as did her gaze, though there was still an edge to it. "What's going on?"

"She's the one who tipped off the feds," Josie's voice shook with her barely contained fury.

Hope's eyebrows furrowed at the information, her expression hardening before her gaze turned to Penelope, "You're the reason Josie was in danger today?" Her voice was suddenly lower, and there was no mistaking the underlying threat in her tone.

Penelope's demeanor faltered for a split moment, but she quickly recovered, her chin lifting defiantly. "How was I supposed to know Josie would take your Shield car to town?"

Hope's eyes suddenly flash with anger, a dangerous change in her composure as she takes a step closer to the witch. And Penelope instantly takes a step backward, her own demeanor quickly changing, "Don't be angry."

Hope's gaze narrows, her patience thinning very quickly. "Angry doesn't even begin to cover how I feel about you right now."

Penelope's lips tightened, but she didn't back down yet. "I was trying to protect her, Hope. From you. You said it yourself, you're a ticking time bomb. Josie's just too blind to see it."

Her words bite, and Hope's eyes flash with something completely different down.

Josie suddenly speaks up softly, "Hope–"

"Get out," Hope never took her golden eyes off the ravenette.

Penelope scoffed, crossing her arms against her chest, "Excuse me?"

Hope's expression remained stone cold, her gaze unwavering as she took another step forward, her tone low. "I don't need anything from you. And I sure as hell am not going to let you do anything else to hurt her. So get out."

Penelope's gaze narrowed at the Tribrid. "You don't want to do this." Her tone was almost warning, threatening.

Hope scoffed humorously, almost sounding wicked as she stepped closer yet again. Penelope tried to step backward, but her back hit the wall.

Hope shook her head. "No," the intensity in her glowing eyes nearly made the raven-haired witch shiver, "What I want to do is rip you apart, limb from limb, and make sure you never get the chance to even think of putting Josie in danger again."

Penelope swallows thickly, but her pride wins the war over her fear. She bites back, "You don't belong on this team. Or anywhere near Josie."

"That may be true," Hope started, closing the distance between herself and Penelope. She leaned closer, her breath ghosting over Penelope's ear as she whispered lowly, "But while you've been failing to get over her, she's been getting under me."

Penelope's eyes widened in shock, her anger flaring instantly. Without thinking, she raised her hand, swinging it at the Tribrid.

But Hope was quicker.

In a blur of movement, Hope's hand caught Penelope's wrist in a tight grip. Before Penelope could react, Hope's other hand wrapped around her neck, and with a swift, powerful push, she had Penelope pinned against the wall. The force of it sent a harsh thud through the room.

Penelope let out a gasp, struggling against Hope's hold. But the Tribrid's grip was strong, and her golden eyes were burning with anger.

"Hope!" Alaric suddenly shouted across the room.

"Should we stop this?" MG finally mutters from beside Josie, to which Lizzie only shrugs.

Josie didn't budge for a moment, until MG shot her a knowing look.

Josie let out a huff of air, rolling her eyes and deflating before she relented.

Josie stepped forward, her voice calm but firm. "Hope," she said to get the Tribrid's attention, before she gently caressed her bicep. She could feel the tension in her muscles as she uttered, "let her go."

Hope's eyes flickered to Josie. Her jaw tightened briefly before she slowly released her grip on the witch.

Penelope stumbled as she was freed, rubbing her neck and glaring at the Tribrid.

Josie turned to Penelope, "You heard Hope. You're not welcome here anymore," Josie said coldly, her gaze hardened. "Leave."

Penelope's eyes darted between Josie and Hope, her pride definitely wounded with what Hope told her in mind.

With one last glare at Hope, Penelope turned on her heel.

Josie siphoned a pinch of magic from Hope, muttering, "Incendia."

Penelope hissed as the Shield folder in her hand erupted in flames, eyes wide as she turned back to the brunette, who only crossed her arms against her chest.

With that, Penelope stormed out of the lobby, the tension in the room finally beginning to dissipate.

As the door closed behind the ravenette, Hope let out a slow breath, her shoulders relaxing slightly.

Until Josie turned to her, raising an eyebrow expectantly, "What did you say to her?"

Hope hesitated for a moment. Her eyes finally returned to their normal blue shade as met Josie's gaze. "The truth."

Josie searched Hope's expression, and she was about to ask for her to elaborate when Hope's eyes darkened slightly. The Tribrid broke eye contact first before murmuring, her voice dropping lower suddenly, "If she bothers you again–"

"She won't," Josie shook her head. "You made sure of that."

Hope suddenly relaxed a bit more, her expression softening as she nodded at the brunette.

"Come on," Josie ushered her head toward the other agents, "We have work to do."

As the two began to make their way out of the lobby, with the other Salvatore Shield agents following suit, Natasha tracked their movements with her sharp eyes. She glanced to her side, where Coulson had just watched the scene before them unfold. "You still sure this is a good idea?" she asked, her voice low and laced with skepticism.

Coulson never took his eyes off the pair of supernaturals as she replied with no doubt in his mind, "More than ever."

~~~~~