Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

AGENTS OF SHIELD: “That Other Other OTHER Thing”

“I love you, Mack, STILL…if words aren’t enough, then THESE-she raises her mechanical arms-should
be proof enough …after EVERYTHING: the Framework, Space…losing Flint (now tears form and spill down
her lovely cheeks), you sent me away, she snaps her fingers, harshly-just like that-and that is something I am still
struggling with.”

“MY FAULT…completely, entirely mine. I…judged you, questioned your motives…I questioned why you engaged
with Ruby, didn’t support you enough when you struggled with that decision to kill her. I didn’t HEAR YOU when you
tried to explain to me about ‘alternate’ YoYo… I didn’t trust you, Mi Vida, and I’m sorry…so sorry. I made the wrong
decision when I broke us......up that…night....I put this new job, these new responsibilities first, and I shouldn't have."

YoYo can tell that he is sincere and means every word that he is saying. So many emotions go through her mind, so many
to sort out, or to put into words...

A fresh round of tears from Elena: “That night…almost killed me,” YoYo whispers, swiping at her free-flowing tears
with the sleeve of her sweater. "I wasn't getting in the way of that...our survival, both humans and inhumans, has too much
at stake for me do that."

Mack is battling to retain control of his OWN emotions, and not doing a very good job. His first attempt to speak fails;
he’s too choked up. He swallows hard, and tries again: “Mi Amor…I’ve regretted that decision every day since then…tanto tristeza,
especially when you…moved on with Keller…I didn’t expect you to...stay alone given the circumstances, but…SEEING IT…
seeing how happy you were with him…that brought it home. I really and truly fucked up, and I don’t know how
to fix it…if it CAN be fixed…”

Elena raises her beautiful, tear-stained face, her dark eyes boring intently into Mack’s. "Kel-lor was a good guy...I was fond of him
...but not LIKE THIS. Not the way that WE LOVE EACH OTHER... you have to let me IN, Mr. Director. I believe it can be fixed;
I believe in US...Just TALK to me! Say what you want from me NOW, TODAY! I follow your orders, I go on your missions...and
here we are, we talk around it, tip-toe around each other ...we've been through TOO MUCH for that bull-shit ...“Say IT…SAY you
want me, that you NEED me …That you can’t go on unless I’m with you …JUST SAY IT!”

Mack doesn’t look away, or hesitate this time…this time, he is firm in his resolve: to never spend another day without Elena Rodriguez,
his YOYO, in his life, his bed...helping with mission strategy, advising him…

"Ok, I'll SAY IT: I NEED YOU with me, Elena…now and always. I see clearly now; I see that I can’t survive without you. I want you
…I need you with me-I can’t go on unless you’re with me."

“See? Easy as that…it's the Elena and Mack show again…para siepre…I’ve missed you Turtleman.” She grins wickedly, eyeing his
crotch. “VERY MUCH.”

Mack scowls playfully. “Are you suggesting that the Director break protocol and fraternize with a subordinate? Shame on you, Agent
Rodriguez. Shame!”

“I don’t know what that means, but if it means you need to FUCK ME, RIGHT NOW, then yes…I’m suggesting that.”

“Then…ALRIGHT!” In two long steps, Mack lifts her into his arms as if she’s a child. The ensuing kiss is full of HUNGER…WANT
…the NEED to make up for lost time…which they DO, as Mack carries her to his (NOW THEIR), bed...

Chapter Text

They lay together, side by side but still touching-the sexy curvaceous Latina and her tall Black
Lover (who is so muscular he seems hewed from stone), their breathing slowly returning to normal.

YoYo Rodriguez notices the satisfied smile on Alphonso (Mack) Mackenzie's face, and nudges him gently
with an elbow. "Good?, she asks, her dark eyes sparkling. "Excelente," he responds, with a contented sigh.

[Ooooh, I get so high-When I'm around you baby
I can touch the sky-You make my temperature rise
You're making me high-Baby, baby, baby, baby]

'I love this song; it describes perfectly how you make me feel-Me vuelves Loca; prométeme que me amarás para
siempre"

"Te prometo que lo haré." They kiss, and as the meeting of their lips gains ardor, Mack's half-tumid member stiffens
into full erection; once it pokes against Elena's lower belly, her 'temperature rises, he's making her HIGH!':

{Foxy Brown Rap:

I want to feel your heart and soul inside of me-Let's make a deal, you roll, I lick
And we can go flying into ecstasy-Oh darling you and me
Light my fire-Blow my flame-Take me, take me, take me away
And all I really want is

[Toni Braxton:

Moonlight, with you there inside me; All night, doin' it again and again
You know I want you so bad;Baby, baby, baby, baby]

Mack's lips travel south to her breasts, the suddenness of the act elicits a hiss from YoYo, which turns into a soft, steady
moaning-he kisses and massages both of them, savoring their, fullness, their softness. One of Yo Yo's hands snakes up
behind Mack's bald pate, urging him deeper into her cleavage, urging him, in soft pants and sighs, to continue his very
pleasurable oral worship...her other hand has a firm grasp on his full-blown 'stiffy', and her expert manipulation of it
has her virile lover echoing her in volume and intensity...

{Foxy Brown: Blow my flame-Take me, take me, take me away
And all I really want is-Moonlight, with you there inside me
All night, doin' it again and again...[T.B.: You know I want you so bad...Baby, baby, baby, baby]

Chapter Text

Someone falls to pieces, Sleeping all alone
Someone kills the pain Spinning in the silence
To finally drift away Someone gets excited...

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Jack Gibson waits until his roomate, slash hook-up finishes dressing and enters the kitchen,
on the prowl for coffee.

As she pours herself a cup, he says, “We gotta stop this. For real, this time.”

"Riiiight...then she sees his expression: he doesn't appear to be joking.: “C’mon, Jack…"

“NO…it’s not working for me.”

Again, Andy tries humor: “It’s WORKING, just fine.”

“You called me Robert last night.”

"Whaaaaat?!...are you sure? You probably misheard me..." He's not buying it, and so, she adds a bit lamely:
“Oh…shit…sorry…I can be better about that…”

“You LOVE HIM, Andy. That’s easy to see. But the point was to FORGET our pain…imaging me as HIM
while I'M on top of you…not really forgetting.”

"Look...I'm sorry...I'll do better. That's DISRESPECTFUL, and I apologize."

He just stares at her, not speaking. once ten minutes or so have passed, with him not talking (and the narrowing of
his eyes; the look on his face dissolving into hurt), she says “I said I’d be better.”

"HOW? You love another man, and THIS...it's just a temporary fix, and not really even a GOOD fix." She starts to protest,
but admadant, Jack stands firm. “NO. If we keep this up, I’m just gonna end up BACK In love with you again, and I’m not
doin that…once was enough.”

"The way that I remember it, you suggested we do this...do you not recall 'maybe we could help each other?', or words
to that effect-at the bar? This was YOUR IDEA, Jack."

He says, "I know...that's right...and now...I didn't think it through, clearly. I can't take you leaving me again, which you will,
sooner or later. We both know it." Then after a few minutes of silence: You ARE in love with Sullivan?"

Andy looks away, fidgets, clears her throat, holds his gaze for a few seconds, looks away again. Biting her lip,
she decides to respect Jack enough to tell him the truth. "Yes. Yes, I'm in love with Sullivan....so now what?"

“Work your shit out with the BC. And we can’t live together…we just CAN’T. I got over you...MOSTLY..once before,
and I can't do that to myself again. I'm going to the houseboat, until we figure out our next step. I understand that
it's no one's fault, and we're cool, you and I. FRIENDS, no benefits. And get clean with Sullivan. I'm saying that as an FNB."

"If it helps...I wish that I could be that for you-be in love with you, the way that you want. But you're right, and I have
left a lot of wreckage, the way that I've been living. Thanks for the advice. You deserve EVERYTHING, Jack. And I
promise that you'll get it...ALL OF IT. You WILL."

"Thanks. We'd better get going."

Someone finds salvation in everyone Another only pain
Someone tries to hide himself Down inside himself he prays
Someone swears his true love Until the end of time
Another runs away Separate or united Healthy or insane

Chapter Text

When Battalion Chief Sullivan arrives at his S19 office on Thursday, his boss is waiting
for him: bearing coffee and treats. "Chief McDreamy", he hails his friend of nearly two decades.

"Battalion Chief McLuscious!" The two embrace, clapping one another on the back. After they sit,
Lucas turns serious. "The Mayor is not happy about the Vasquez injury. His wife Eva, is sending out feelers
to law firms, and you can imagine the fall-out if God forbid, he should not make it. Not only the public perception,
though you well understand the politics and optics once we reach this level. Inside the department, there's talk that
Gibson was or is still fucking the man's wife. I need to know it ALL, Sul."

Chewing and swallowing, Robert says, "Here's what I know. Vasquez punched Gibson out, after confronting the
Lieutenant about the veracity of the wife-fucking rumor. Miller and YOUR wife arrived while Gibson was still down.
Neither would/could verify exactly what went down, but Gibson has a black eye, in a place not consistent with a trip and fall.
Apparently, Captain Bishop didn't feel that this obvious animosity between the men would warrant NOT pairing them together
on a call. They were arguing when the explosion occurred, per witness statements. PD Officers Lanham and Rios are sending
their reports to me, 'cc-ing' you, by this afternoon. And before you say it, I'm aware that that Bishop's judgement reflects
on MINE, and my appointing her Captain reflects on YOUR hiring and promoting ME. Once we're finished here, I'm
having Bishop in."

To that, Ripley replies: "Fine. That will partially pacify 'downtown', an oral reprimand...but we need something else.
I suggest that you tack an "interim" onto Bishop's promotion. Use me if you need to, Bobby, make me the bad guy. Her
early performance has been rocky, at best, and unless it improves to 'elite quality', and SOON...I don't see that you can
avoid demoting her."

"Per the CHIEF Chief", Robert adds.

"Per the CHIEF Chief. Now, on another note...how ya doing, Sul? Be straight with me."

'We're not together. Her Dad's cancer diagnosis, not being promoted, grief over Ryan Tanner...just too
much too soon, it seems. Pruitt came to me and asked me personally not to promote her, to let her heal and get
to the right place to take on the responsibility of the Captain position, a job she feels was 'promised' to her-I'm
not sure when or how that promise was extracted...she believes that I put my BC promotion ahead of hers, that I
broke off us being together so that that could happen. I hear that she's seeking comfort elsewhere."

"Look, Brother...I have never been all in on Herrera, even before the two of you, so what I'm about to
say has nothing to do with my personal feelings about her. She's selfish, self-centered, self-absorbed, entitled,
and a terrible decision maker with a spotty romantic history, including a previous go-round with Gibson"-he
holds up a hand to stop Robert from interrupting-"and yes, some of that could be said about Vic...all except the
selfish, self-centered, and self-absorbed...but, Man, I've never seen you like this, not since Claire..."

"I think that you should let this Gibson crap blow over, which it will. Herrera's impulsive, but she really really
is in love with you, according to Vic. How or why she came to believe that you're the source of all of these tragedies,
I can't fathom. But that's not important: TELL HER THAT PRUITT ASKED YOU NOT TO PROMOTE HER, that rather
than have her implode and ruin any further chance for advancement, you went the only way that you could. She is intelligent
enough to understand it all, after she's processed it all."

"It's that simple, hmmm?"

"It is. When my valve surgery went tits up, and I almost didn't make it back, I had a lot of time to reflect.
On whether to let my shitty history with marriage cause me lose the best thing ever to come into my life, or duck the
risk and play it safe: and ALONE. Don't do it Man..." He sings a brief stanza of the Boz Scaggs classic:
🎵 'Love, look what you've done to me...Never thought I'd fall again so easily...Oh, love, you wouldn't lie to me ...
.would you-Leading me to feel this way....'.🎵

Once Robert finishes applauding his vocal skills, Ripley continues. "Remember your own advice: 'go for it, Riptide!'
...just change out the Riptide for Sully, of course..."

"Alright, I'll think about. I will, I'll consider it."

Standing, Ripley says "I'll get out of the way, so you can meet with Bishop. And Bobby,,,please Man...Claire would
not want this for you."

"I hear you."

***************************

15 minutes later, after he's summoned Maya Bishop to his office:

"Captain...I'm curious as to your reasoning behind letting two men who have recently had a fist fight to
partner on a call? What am I missing?"

Maya says "In my defense, Chief, Lieutenant Gibson and Firefighter Vasquez indicated to me that whatever
differences they had were resolved..."

"POOR JUDGEMENT, Captain!", Sullivan interrupts. You misjudged the animosity between the two, despite whatever
they told you. I depended on YOU to properly gauge the best way to utilize your team, and I see that I also misjudged.
Vasquez is seriously injured, and may never return to duty, IF he survives. His wife wants to sue the city. Mayor Rhimes
needs a head to put on the end of a pike, and that head is YOURS. As of now, your title is INTERIM CAPTAIN, per
Chief Ripley, and I agree with his reasoning.

"I SEE", Bishop grates. "I'm to be sacrificed because Shonda Rhimes is running for re-election...is that it Sir?"

"If that's how you see it, so be it. Mayor Rhimes had nothing to do with pairing two members of the same fire station
after a very recent physical altercation. Neither the Mayor's office, HQ, or myself was involved in that very poor decision
If not on that call-out,the tension and bad feeling between them surely would have erupted at a future call. And YES, I will
address Gibson's lack of judgement in the breaking of the code."

"Which code is that, Sir? The bedding Herrera code ?," Maya remarks, snarkily...(in advisably, as well,
based on the BC's response).

"Interim Captain Bishop : get control of this station: sooner rather than later. As I understand it, per the Chief's
discretion, any demotion doesn't have to stop at LIEUTENANT...criminal charges may also be filed, if serious injury
or death results from such an incredible lack of judgement. So by all means, alienate those above you who might be
shields against such ramifications. Get Out."

Chapter Text

"Asss-HOLE!", Maya Bishop mutters loudly, to what she thinks is an empty hallway; she also rolls her eyes for
emphasis...OH SHIT!...just a dozen steps past the Battalion Chief's doorway, she encounters a tall, well-built man-
blond and gray, about 50 years old-striding toward her; he bears a striking resemblance to tennis great Bjorn Borg; his
name tag reads M. JOUBERT-ASST.CHIEF ; this sends her heart leaping into her throat, at the same
time that her stomach cramps painfully. SULLIVAN'S GOD FUCKING FATHER! Certain that he witnessed her disrespectful
gesture, she shows him a sickly smile, and says “Afternoon, Assistant Chief.”

He nods, continues on his way. “Captain”

***************************

Mat taps on his God-Son's open door as he crosses the threshold, saying "NEPOTISM: when it's your
family it's OK; when it's someone else's, it's FUCKED UP!"

"There he is!" Sullivan meets his Godfather with wide open arms, and a hearty clap on the back.
Joubert, noticing Sully's limp, asks about it, of course. Feigning no big deal, the BC shuts the door and
takes a seat, waving the older man to sit as well. Robert isn't surprised when his Ja Peeta gets right to it:
"EX AC Dixon is making noises that the young firefighter he propositioned entrapped him, and while
he's still 'out', Mayor Rhimes hired him, and so there's a strong insistence that the public announcement be
that his Spouse has 'taken ill'. That announcement is on Monday. According to Riptide this, the '19', is the
best house in the city, and the MESSIEST...everybody fucking everybody, codes ignored...you know me,
Bobby: family or no," he states, with typical bluntness.

Sullivan nods that he does indeed know. "Rip also mentioned that the Captain I met in the hallway is
shitting all over herself; the first few weeks she's been in her position she's over-fatigued her team, dragged
them to a team-building that added STRESS to the team's foundation, rather than BUILD ON IT...and now
we have a possible lawsuit against the city, and one of ours all fucked up, on HER watch...talk to me."

"The Dixon-Joubert transition I'll leave to you; the young firefighter, KAT NOONAN says that she WAS #METOO'D by PEDO CHIN:
I know her to be a stand-up firefighter and person. She says he did it, he did it," Sullivan says, with a straight face. "I'll make her available
for follow-up interview, of course, whenever you make a time and date known. I agree that this is the #1 house in Seattle, and while the history
of DICK-SLINGING is somewhat higher than in some houses we've been in, none of that bleeds into the job. That I can
vouch for. We do need to look into a rumor that one of our Lieutantant's is a buddy-fucker; if that proves to be true, well...it's not a policy-issue,
but I don't see how we can ignore it. Captain Maya Bishop is definitely out of her depth. She'd lost the team well before the forced voluntary
team builder: the others believe that Lieutantant Andrea Herrera, next in line for Captain, should have had the promotion. The problem THERE is
that the previous Captain-her Dad Pruitt, as you know-also promoted her to her current rank. Herrera is a great LT, not as impulsive, or as prone
to break regulation or policy because of emotion, less insubordinate...these last few months have not been her friend: a child-hood friend/former
hook-up died, and has about five months to live-cancer. She, and some of the Team have the idea that she'd been 'promised' or guaranteed the next
open Captain slot, the one occupied by Bishop...that has an INTERIM tag on it, by the way. I did not determine that she was in the right place, mentally,
to take on the responsibility; also Pruitt made a personal request that I not promote her. He also threatened to derail my promotion by reporting that his
Daughter and I..."

" STOP . Mat Joubert holds up a big palm. 'What I have no knowledge of, prior to the implementation of the Chief's re-write of the
'frat' policy, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT. I'll get with you on that outside of here. Rip says that you're struggling."

"Little bit."

"Lean on ME, on Rip. Don't let it eat you up. UITEIK." (Reach out)

"Ja Peetpa."x(Yes, Godfather)

"I'm going to HQ, then to view a home with Lana. Let's meet at 07am tomorrow, HQ: you, Rip, and I."