agent rogers returns • j.thompson

getaway car.

and a circus ain't a love story
and now we're both sorry

C A L I F O R N I A
—
J A C K

It was getting late at the SSR. I walked up to find Daniel searching through the filing cabinet.

I reached forward and grabbed the file he appeared to be hiding.

"Agnes Cully, Braxton, Oklahoma... sounds interesting. Almost sorry I... pulled Carter away from all the fun," I looked back up to him and handed back the file.

"I'm sure you two have plenty of excitement waiting for you back in New York!" He responded.

"Yeah... she's still a pistol," I sighed. "You two seem to have patched up whatever it was that sent you packing out west."

"The only thing that brought me out west was a promotion, Jack."

"You sure it wasn't a broken heart?"

"I don't know where you get your ideas. Why don't you ask Charlotte why she moved out here," he deadpanned. "And as a matter of fact, I'm getting engaged."

"You're kidding me. Really?!"

There was no way. Daniel Sousa, who was still clearly not over Marge, could not truly be engaged.

"Yeah," he mumbled.

"Why don't you wrap this up, and I'll buy you a drink," I offered. I guessed I kind of missed my friend. "You can tell me all about her."

"Sorry, Jack. A chief's work is never done. You know how it is."

"Come on. Oklahoma can wait! You can show me that frolic room bar I keep hearing about."

"Next time," he responded awkwardly.

I sighed and looked down briefly, but I tried to hide my disappointment. "You're on. Next time it will be."

I grabbed my hat and started walking past him.

"Take care of yourself, Sousa."

"Safe flight!"

"Nice shirt!" I called as soon as I walked out the door.

With Daniel, Charlotte, and Peggy all in Los Angeles, I couldn't help but feel lonely in New York.

—

I suppose I should've expected that Peggy wouldn't actually show up for the flight back to New York.

I never would've guessed, though, that Charlotte would be the one to meet me in her place.

"What are you doing here?" I asked as she stepped over me to get to the window seat.

"Damage control, apparently," she grumbled. "I'm coming with you in Peggy's place to keep an eye on you or something. I think Daniel's just trying to get back at you for sending him Peg, though."

"He didn't expect me to do that?"

"He's naïve, but I saw it coming. You're quite predictable."

I hummed in response, not exactly pleased that she was coming back to New York.

I'd never admit it, but I did missed her a lot, and her coming back wasn't going to help me move on from everything we had.

N E W  Y O R K
—
C H A R L O T T E

"So who's Vernon?" I asked Jack after I woke up from an hour or so of sleeping.

"No one."

"Yeah, right."

His arm was touching mine, making me long for physical affection. I hated that he was bringing all these feelings back.

"He's high up in the FBI," he sighed.

I looked over to him, surprised that he actually answered.

"Why is someone high up in the FBI visiting you? Oh — Of course! How typical! You only ever care about yourself, Jack," I rolled my eyes.

"I'm sorry I want to have job security in a field like this. I can't help that you aren't willing to do what is necessary to get ahead."

"I do what's necessary to protect the people I love."

"Like Stark?

"It's like I never even left New York! You know that Howard is one of my closest friends, and I only care for him as a friend."

He stayed quiet for a prolonged moment. The silence was uncomfortable.

"I don't understand how you can still be so jealous of Howard," I spoke up again.

"I'm not jealous," he huffed.

"Tell me, honestly, is it because of my relationship with him, or the power can hold?"

"Now what is that supposed to mean?"

"Come on, Jack. You've always put your career ambition before every other aspect of your life. Why would this be any different?"

I finally looked to his face again, which contorted into an unreadable expression.

He was quiet for a while, and so I shut my eyes for a bit.

I must've fallen asleep again, because soon Jack was shaking me awake and we were on the ground.

We both stayed pretty quiet as we retrieved our luggage.

Once we got in the cab, he finally spoke again.

"Where are you staying?"

"Hotel, I suppose. Whatever the SSR will pay for."

"Your pal Stark doesn't have a place for you to stay?"

"He's quite busy, so I never asked. I'll just stay in the office tonight, and I can find a hotel for the rest of my stay."

He sighed, seeming very distraught.

"Stay with me tonight," he mumbled.

"Are you insane?"

"It's just one night. I'm trying to be nice and offer you a place to stay!"

I sighed and rolled my eyes.

"No funny business, or I'll rearrange your face."

"Understood," he nodded. We arrived at his apartment and we dragged our luggage up the stairs.

"Should we go get some dinner?" He offered.

"That sounds like funny business."

"God, Charlotte. I'm just hungry! Stop being so difficult."

"Sorry," I mumbled. "Let's go."

I grabbed my coat and went toward the door. Being in his apartment gave me déjà vu, and I didn't like it.

"Wait," he stopped and grabbed my arm. "I have to tell you something. My friend in the FBI, Vernon, he took me to the Arena Club before I had to leave. I saw the newspaper... you guys were right."

"You went to the Arena Club?" His grip on my arm relaxed and he nodded.

"We're going to figure this out," he promised.