SHIELD Agent Eleanor Flint

Chapter 10

"I want to stop by my apartment and drop off my stuff, then we can grab a DVD to watch," I said.

Henry lowered his hand as a cab pulled up to the curb next to us. "Now that I think of it, we could just stay at your apartment."

"Sounds good to me," I replied.

---

After an awkward and silent elevator trip up to my floor, Henry and I stepped out into the hall. Upon turning the corner and seeing who was leaving their room I spun back around and pushed Henry back into the elevator. Henry's hands went to my waist and I bumped my face into his chest. He smelled like spearmint.

"Woah, hey there," Henry chuckled. "See another ghost?"

"Nope, just a nosy neighbor," I replied.

"Oh," Henry said.

I stepped back from Henry, though his hands did not leave my waist and I leaned back to peak out the elevator door. Randy was making his weekly laundry run and I quickly pushed the close button. The elevator door closed with a ding and I looked back up a Henry, who was stifling a laugh.

"Isn't he going to take the elevator as well?" He asked.

"No, he takes the stairs," I replied.

We stood in silence for two minutes before I hit the open button and left Henry's hold on my waist. I peeked around the elevator door and Henry laughed again. I gave him an irritated glance before walking down the hall to my apartment. Henry followed behind as I pulled out my keys and unlocked my door.

Henry had been in my apartment once before. It was much cleaner then because I had panicked and made it seem like no one lived there. Henry called it an "IKEA display", whatever that means. This time my apartment was neat, but not spotless. I set my keys in their usual spot on the kitchen counter and turned to walk into the kitchen.

"Make yourself comfortable," I said to Henry.

"I was just about to," he replied as he collapsed onto my couch.

I smiled to myself and opened the fridge, grabbed two bottles of beer, shut the fridge and grabbed a bottle opener. I joined Henry on the couch and handed him a beer. I readjusted myself after I opened my bottle and sat criss-cross with my back to the arm rest facing Henry. We clinked our bottles together and took a sip.  There was a bit of silence before Henry spoke.

"Other than a ghost, who do you think is behind all the spooky monitor shit?"

I snickered and started at the bottle in my hand. "Hmm... Someone who hates SHIELD I guess."

"You're looking at the big picture," Henry said, pointing to me with his bottle.

"I know, that's what I do," I replied. "Also someone who is smart enough to get past our security systems and know about projects, some of them I didn't even know. Like what's TECH?"

Henry laughed through his nose, which turned into a chuckle, then a full laugh. The corners of his eyes wrinkled and his teeth were revealed as he threw his head back. I furrowed my brows and lowered my bottle onto my thigh.

"What? Should I know?" I asked, laughing with him.

"Sweetheart, you're the first test subject of that!" Henry looked at me and I frowned. "Temporary Enhanced Cryogenic Holding."

"Oh..." I glanced to the side and Henry laughed again.

"You're too cute." He shook his head and took a sip of his beer.

I felt my cheeks flush for a moment and I glanced at the TV. I saw my reflection in the black screen and my mind made an illusion of the SHIELD emblem breaking apart. I blinked and looked away from the TV. This redirected my attention to Henry who was still gazing at me with his soft, brown eyes.