WALKING DISASTERS | Jack Thompson

59.

WHEN THEY GOT BACK TO THE SSR, Sera helped Jack and Daniel apprehend all of Masters' men and take them to the holding cells. She was with Jack in the interrogation room with Vega, who needed barely any prompting before he was rattling off all the names they needed.

As they left the room, Sera saw Daniel leading yet another agent to holding. "Vega's singing like a bird, giving up every one of Vernon's buddies."

"How hard did you hit him, Jack?" Daniel asked.

"I didn't lay a hand on him," Jack replied. "I guess my reputation precedes me."

"That's not a good reputation to have," Sera said.

"Unless I'm interrogating criminals," Jack replied.

Sera rolled her eyes. "Alright, I'm heading down to the lab."

Jack nodded. "Alright."

When Sera walked into the lab, she saw Howard and Jarvis standing by one of the desks. When Jarvis noticed her, he straightened up slightly, but Sera held a finger to her lips and crept up on her brother. When she was close enough, she jabbed him in the sides and yelled, "HOWARD!"

He let out a very feminine squeak as he turned and clapped a hand over his heart. "Jesus, Fi, what the hell was that for?"

"It was the perfect opportunity," she said, extending her arms. "Now, give me a proper hug."

Howard rolled his eyes. "Since when were you soft?"

"Since I haven't seen you in a while," Sera replied, hugging her brother. "And since you knocked Whitney Frost down like the last pin in bowling and saved our lives."

"Yeah, well, don't mention it," Howard grinned.

"So, how's Wilkes?" Sera asked.

"He's fine," Howard replied. "Or, he will be after he gets some food in him."

"That's good," Sera nodded. "No Zero Matter?"

"No Zero Matter," Howard confirmed. "So, what about you? Heard you got impaled on a rebar."

"Oh, yeah, it was cool," Sera replied. "It went right through my leg and everything."

"Gross."

"Fortunately we didn't get any blood on any of your furniture," Sera told him.

"Good, because otherwise I'd have to kill you."

Sera laughed. "It's good to have you back, Howard."

"It's good to be back," he replied. "So, how are things with you and your male friend."

"You mean Jack?" Sera asked, hopping up onto the desk as Howard leaned against it next to her. "I don't know, to be honest. He's making it really hard to trust him at the moment."

"Because of everything that's going on or because of your relationship?" Howard asked.

Sera held up a finger. "You don't get to ask questions like you're going to give me relationship advice, Mr I-Pay-Off-My-Dates-With-Jewellery."

Howard grinned. "Love 'em and leave 'em, sis. Solves all your problems."

"Unlike you, Howard, I don't feel like whoring myself out," Sera said. "My reputation would be stomped through the mud."

"Oh, yeah, it's different for women," Howard said. "Fortunately for me, I don't have that problem."

Sera rolled her eyes. "Yay, lucky you."

"But seriously, do you love this guy?" Howard asked.

Sera nodded. "Yeah, I really do, Howard. I've just... I've not loved someone like this since..."

"Barnes?" Howard finished. "Sera, you're allowed to move on with your life. Just because you loved Barnes doesn't mean you can't love someone else."

"But I feel guilty-"

"Guilty? For what?" Howard asked. "For not wallowing in your grief for the rest of your life? Jesus Christ, Fi, do you really think Barnes would want you to do this to yourself?"

"No," she replied quietly. "But Jack's so different to Bucky. It's like I'm learning how to love in a new language."

"That's not a bad thing," Howard said, patting Sera's knee. "It means you're growing up."

"Maybe you should try it," Sera suggested. "Maybe you should settle down with someone, maybe have a kid or two. Who knows, they might pop out and be geniuses like you and me."

"I don't think I'm quite cut out to have kids," Howard said, shaking his head. "And I can't see myself getting married."

Sera smiled. "Never say never, Howard."

"What about you?" he asked. "Is marriage in your cards? A baby? Gotta carry on the Stark name."

"You know that's not how it works for me, right?" Sera asked. "I'll take my husband's last name, so the baby won't be a Stark."

"Oh, then I guess it falls to me," Howard said. "Wow, that's a lot of pressure, but hey! You didn't answer my question."

Sera rolled her eyes. "Alright, fine. I don't know. Maybe one day I'll get married, but right now... I'm happy as I am."

Howard smiled. "That's good. Don't force anything that's not meant to happen, sis."

A knock on the lab door preceded Jack walking in. When he saw Sera and Howard, he cleared his throat. "Uh, Sera, can I have a word?"

Sera looked at Howard, who nodded. "Alright, I'll see you at home," he spun and shot finger guns at Sera. "Or not, depending on how this conversation goes."

Sera picked up a pair of safety goggles and launched them at her brother. "Get out of here."

Laughing, Howard left the room and Jack watched him go before turning to Sera. "So, your brother's back."

"I had absolutely no idea," she gasped. "Thompson, you truly are amazing at the seeing the obvious."

Jack chuckled. "Alright, no need for that."

"There was every need," Sera replied.

Jack stopped when he was standing so close to her that her knees were brushing against his jacket. "I came to say I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?" Sera asked. "For what, exactly?"

"Everything that's happened since I sent you and Peggy here," he replied. "For not believing you about Vernon, to trying to blackmail you with a file that I'm not even sure is legitimate, to lying to you about the bomb. Just... I'm sorry about everything."

Sera smiled. "It's okay. I'm sorry too."

"For what?" Jack asked. "You don't have anything to-"

"I'm sorry for lying to you about why I was at that fundraiser," Sera replied. "I'm sorry that I was just the distraction to keep you occupied while Dottie got the sample from Whitney, and most of all I'm sorry for not telling you enough that you should listen to me more often because as it has been proven so many times recently, I am always right."

Jack sighed. "That's not where I thought that was going, but I accept your apology."

Sera raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? Then I accept yours."

Jack stepped closer to Sera and hugged her, feeling her arms wrap around his back and hug him tight, pressing her face into his jacket. He kissed the top of her head and whispered, "I love you."

To his delight, she whispered the words right back.