Agent Morgan would arrive that day to find her office filled with ball pit balls. It seemed a fitting prank as she had done the same to his cubical for April Fool's Day back in 2013. A callback to simpler times. Her office was much larger than his little cubical had been but it didn't mean there wasn't at least a foot of balls to wade through. He'd even taped the bottom of her doorway so as she opened the door none would escape into the rest of the department. Just a little oasis of fun for her until she decided to clean it all up.

Happy Mercversary, Pen.

@lxstdiirection @agentphilcollins​ @agecfmiracles​ @specialagentace​ @agentshepard​ @eye-spied​

“Alright, look alive, people.” 

It was how Sterling usually started the IA meetings and not much had changed since he took over as head of department. Well, a lot had changed. More than the team even knew. Sterling took a moment to look down at the file in his hand and scratch his forehead with his thumbnail before continuing. He’d been stretched pretty thin since November of last year. He blamed himself for a lot of what had gone wrong with the Abstractionss case but he was doing his best to keep morale up in the department. 

“Quick update on Agent Germaine Shepherd’s condition. We think we are nearing an end to that particular chapter and hoping he will be back at work soon. Everyone be sure to give him a warm welcome upon his return. If anyone would like to chip in on the welcome back gift, that would be appreciated. Antique teapots aren’t cheap.”

“Physicals and psych evaluations are coming up and I expect every single one of you to be in attendance, on time, and completed without a fuss. Everyone here should know the importance of mental health and fortitude and if this job is weighing on you in an unhealthy way we need to know so we can take action to keep everyone healthy and safe. The same goes for me as well and I am a big supporter of these evaluations. I wish they happened more often, to be honest. If I hear one of you has skipped either evaluation you will be suspended without pay and you will not be allowed to work again until that evaluation is completed. There will be no leniency on this matter.” 

"I'd like to apologize in advance for the construction that will be happening around the office end of next month. They will be updating our security measures to include..." Sterling furrowed his brow at the file in his hand, flipping to the next page then flipping back. "Ghosts and supernatural entities. Salt in the doors. Lead lining. Silver doorknobs. The whole shebang." He tucked the file under his arm and continued a bit more confidently. "The S.T.A.K.E. department is moving their HQ from New Jersey and this base will now serve as host. Agent Morgan has requested certain departments get authorization for the changes to further protect our facilities from unseen and unknown threats. Naturally we are one of the first to get approval as most Intel is passed through here at some point. That and I did the paperwork for it two weeks ago for early approval. There’s also room in the budget for each of you to receive one piece of inconspicuous silver jewelry, either a watch, a ring, or a bracelet, to test for shifters and other beings weakened or harmed by silver. If you already have one and would prefer not to add more, that’s fine. As someone who was once framed for assault by a shifter, I highly recommend." Sterling held up his hand to show his silver wedding ring. 

“Last announcement, I will be taking off the entire month of December this year and possibly the next two following months for personal leave. Normally Agent Honey would be my natural replacement but since the leave of absence is... extensive we will be looking into the best possible long term replacement. Whether that will be Agent Honey or if Administration feels the need to step in and suggest a higher level agent take the reins, perhaps someone from another department or base, is yet to be decided. Either way, I assure you, you will be in good hands. I will also be taking next Tuesday off for a doctor's appointment. Agent Honey will be covering for me then. You can also reach me by cell phone for emergencies but I assure you she can handle anything you will need. She is more than capable.”

Sterling had asked Pen over when Chen was out at work rebuilding the home using the old hydra warehouse. He visited often on his days off as sort of therapy, seeing the place where he was tortured slowly gutted and turned into something beautiful and pure, but today he wanted the place to himself. Today he wanted to tell Pen what he had been dealing with. 

“Thanks for coming but... I gotta come clean. I didn’t invite you over to teach me to bake scones. Though, in reality it is a nice bonus. I... have something to tell you.” 

With everything that Sterling had been dealing with lately it honestly could have been anything. He’d been wrestling with Abstractionss, reeling over Josh’s betrayal, Germaine was out of commission, exposure therapy was hitting harder lately, and all of no doubt was taking a visible toll on Sterling he was sure Pen had noticed. 

"August 20th, 2012." He said without a moment's hesitation, even throwing in the day. The date was burned so deep into his mind he actually rubbed his forehead as if recalling the memory lit the fires anew.

"I believe it was Agents Coulson, Morgan, Ellis, and Winchester... I think that's all. The actual memory of it is a little fuzzy but I've read the report so many times I should be sure by now.

Send in 📜 and I’ll use this incorrect quotes generator using your muse and my muse. (Please specify how many muses//which muses for multimuse blogs!!)

Instead of rejoining the scene of abuse between his sisters and stepfather, he found himself in a brightly lit hallway. Sterling squinted his eyes, the transition between the dark room and the blinding light burning his retinas for a moment. He was back in SHIELD. The original NY base. Yelling and gunfire echoing in the distance told him exactly what day he had stumbled upon.

"How long? HOW LONG?"

Void Sterling was standing with his gun pointed down at an injured man. His younger self stood defiantly on the man's injured leg, pressing his dress shoe harder down onto the gunshot wound to punctuate his question.

"W-Wha-AHH!" The injured man cried.

"How long have you been HYDRA, Stevens?"

"I suggest you answer the man." Agent Penelope Morgan said, pulling her blade out of another man's sternum and pointing her gun at the man as well.

"S-Seven ye-AHH!" The man cried out again as Void Sterling pressed his foot harder into his leg and gritted his teeth.

Real Sterling stood watching the scene, knowing it was a formative moment for him. This day was the reason he stopped using guns and switched to ICERs instead. It's why he insisted his entire team do the same. This entire scene left a bad taste in his mouth. The man wasn't quick to anger but that day had shattered him in ways he'd never recover.

The day SHIELD fell.

“Agent Sterling. We can’t stay here much longer,” Penelope sighed, shaking her head, “We have to move.”

Sterling watched as Void Sterling's gun hand trembled. He watched the gears turning. The hesitation. The internal struggle as he tried to decide if he could kill this man. He remembered this moment. His first kill. A friend. Or so he thought. He hadn't wanted to look weak in front of Pen and he didn't know what else to do with this traitor but to put him down. There was no time. He was just a level four. He wasn't a field agent. He wasn't trained to do this. Sterling realized he never really talked about this day much. No one ever seemed to want to. It was the darkest day in SHIELD history and those that survived had done terrible things in order to make it out alive.

He was different now but this moment flooded him with regret.

Sterling turned as the gun went off and the blood of Agent Robert Stevens sprayed, surprising him in the fact that he felt it hit his face. So, he could manipulate this landscape. He could feel it. As the scene restarted Sterling watched his void self curiously. When he was about to pull the trigger Sterling whispered gently to him, trying to place a hand on his arm to lower the gun.

"You don't have to do this."

Void Sterling suddenly turned his head to look at his older self, startling Sterling into recoiling away.

@lxstdiirection​

On Agent Morgan’s desk was a mug. Inside that mug was a red cellophane bag filled with cookies. You know. Because it was Monday, after all. Propped against the mug was a little note. 

‘Don’t tell anyone who gave you the mug. It will give away our news. You’ve been such an amazing friend and I couldn’t be happier to still have you in my life after all this time. Thank you for always being there. - E

P.S. We should celebrate if you’re free tonight. My treat.’

In the break room closest to her office was a cake.