Chapter Text
Prologue:
Phil’s bent over a familiar file, edges worn and jacket tattered. A single lamp lights the space as he pores over a year's worth of notes and tips and dead ends. Jasper pauses to watch for a moment, then he knocks on the frame of Phil’s open office door; the sound echoes in the quiet corridor of SHIELD headquarters on a Friday night.
“Going to Hugh’s, you coming?”
When Phil looks up and blinks him into focus, Jasper gives a half smile. “I told Maria I’d get you to come – don’t wanna make me look bad on her birthday, do you?”
He can see the refusal on Phil’s face, watches his mouth tensing to say the words, so he beats him to it. “It’s been a year, Phil. I’m not saying you should give up, I’m just saying your friends miss you and it’s a Friday night. Come, have a drink with us. You won’t lose any ground by rejoining the world for an hour.”
The tenseness extends from Phil’s face to his shoulders and back, anger growing in his eyes and Jasper prepares for the verbal backlash. But it doesn’t come – whatever Phil had been about to say leaves him in a gust of breath and he collapses back in his chair. Jasper’s chest hurts to see his friend like this, looking older than his years, suit as impeccable as ever but today’s growth studding his chin and deep shadows under his eyes.
Glancing up at Jasper seems to strengthen him again and Phil gives a rueful grin as he jokes, “There better not be Karaoke this year.”
“Nick promised. Which means we have about an hour before the singing starts. One drink, give Maria that gift I know is sitting in your top drawer, and you’ll still be home in time for the late-night reruns of Dog Cops.” Phil’s smile as he reaches into said drawer to withdraw a carefully wrapped box is a bit more genuine.
“As if we don’t have the box set anyway…” When Phil stands his left hand moves to close the file and Jasper isn’t sure which makes his throat tighten more - the light that catches on the ring encircling Phil’s finger, or the photo of a blond-haired man looking up from that file, M.I.A. in bold red letters across the top. Thankfully Phil doesn’t seem to notice as he goes on, “Besides, I thought Maria was a fan?”
Jasper swallows the lump in his throat, just barely managing to clear the grief from his face before Phil looks up at the uncharacteristic pause. “Apparently she’s moved on to Supernanny. Thanks for that, by the way.”
“Embrace the chaos, you’ll enjoy it more.”
“Duly noted.” He steps back out into the hall as Phil gathers his things, tucking the file into his briefcase and locking his computer and desk. “You going to be out for the weekend?” The chances are low given that Phil has taken to spending hours every weekend he should be at home in the office instead, looking for clues and trying to track down anyone who may have more information. They start down the deserted hallway.
“I’ll put in a few hours tomorrow,” is the carefully worded response and Jasper reads between the lines: Phil will be here early in the morning having gotten little to no quality sleep, inhaling coffee from the shop a block away and staying until past dark. But at least for now they are exiting the building into the warm midsummer air. Phil is relaxed next to him and they make small talk as they walk, avoiding any mention of topics that may relate to the missing archer. It probably shouldn’t feel so much like a victory.