Through the Cosmos

Three

It had been three weeks since Steve and Veronica started their regular morning routine; Steve would head over to Veronica's apartment building and stretch on the stairs as he waited for her to decent from the fourth floor of her building. They would embark on their route. When they hit the halfway mark, in the front of the Washington monument, Veronica would watch as Steve released the slow pace he kept to be next to her and lap around the reflective pool yelling, "On your left." in his best impression of her. He would lap her five or six times by the time she finished her two. When they would get back in front of her building they would awkwardly converse as if they were two high schoolers who couldn't tell that the other was trying to flirt. (Oh course, Cher would sip her coffee from the window of their apartment and giggle). 

The part of the routine that the other didn't know is that one would search the crowds of the S.H.I.E.L.D. lobby trying to spot the other and the ladder who sneak around already having spotted the searcher and avoiding his super soldier senses. 

"Steve Rogers has finally been 'approved' for more permanent housing in D.C. He will be relocating to the building left of yours, one floor below, with sights from the windows. Oh, and Agent Carter, your request to have your long term partner move-in has been approved; same building one floor directly above Rogers." Director Fury informed the pair. 

"Why now?" Veronica questioned Fury. 

"A vacant apartment was approved in that building. We were aiming for the same building, but other agents have been on the waitlist for that building specifically longer and we did not want to appear to be playing favorites with an Avenger. As well, the board believed it may be too much of a coincidence since the two of you have been getting to know one another." Fury answered. 

"And what about Agent Carter's request? Did she not put that in three months before my relocation?" Veronica pushed the question she knew Cher would be too anxious to direct at Fury. 

"His background check took a little longer due to his multiple relocations while working with the Doctors Without Borders program." Fury addressed, with a tone of "watch how you speak to me in front of others Ron" in his voice. 

"Thank you Director Fury, Lincoln will be overjoyed to hear he has the approval of S.H.I.E.L.D." Cher interjected, trying to ease what tension she believed to exist as Veronica and Fury stared at one another. 

"Remember the protocols Agent Carter about what information partners and spouses are at liberty to know." Fury reminded Cher, "as if she didn't read that manual a thousand times"  Veronica thought. 

"Agent Carter you are dismissed. Please see to it that Dr. Cho reaches out to me before the end of the day." Fury nodded towards the door for Cher to leave. 

"Agent Cosmos, has Steve Rogers identified you as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent?" Fury asked her, too bluntly even for Fury. 

"Not that I am award of, sir. Why do you ask?" Veronica answered. Thinking back, Veronica knew she never really talked about work. Whenever he would mention anything about her job specifically, she would always answer with "I'm a combat trainer" and anything further was about being a "contractor for agencies and every now and then a unit with a branch of the military would request for" which wasn't a lie, just an omission of the whole S.H.I.E.L.D. agent part. 

"Well, a certain star-spangled hero has been seen lurking around the lobby in what looks like to be searching for someone. Any idea what that could be about, Cosmos?" Fury kept pushing. 

"As far as I know, he believes I am an independent combat trainer who was working with agencies. No specifics." Veronica answered, "If it would help, I could accept the Air Force's Rescue task force's request. They've been asking for a few weeks, but with the monitoring assignment, I've been pushing it back." She offered as a hopeful resolution.