She didn't kiss him but neither did Sarah leave from his side unaffected. Her eyes watched with a sadness close to the one she had held at disclosing her ties to Hydra. The parting was properly done, if he were honest. She couldn't believe that he would pick right up where they had left off. Antoine didn't know what to think, careful not to get his hopes up this time. That alone might have unsettled her.
The optimism she used to be annoyed with was missing. Light in his eyes, his smile--nowhere to be found. Trip gave her a nod in acknowledgement when Sarah told him the location of where she was staying. He needed to bench his feelings and not put his team in jeopardy. The simple mission became complicated and took longer than originally planned given the interruption. He needed time off unexpectedly. The only way to do that (in his mind) was complete the assignment solo.
Coulson eyed him with concern yet granted Triplett the time off, not without first asking if there was something the younger man needed help with. There was no thought of him turning Hydra. Quite the opposite. Even May uttered something about Trip getting himself killed. Skye pleaded not to let him go without support to which Antoine firmly objected. "No. You guys have been doing more than you should in that regard. Enough. I've got this. I need to do this on my own...."
He placated his friend by taking equipment with him to call out for help if things went beyond his control--swearing he would ask for help if it came down to that. Skye had to promise not to follow him in any form. Antoine couldn't be sure she'd stick to the bargain with no word from him so he negotiated keeping in touch via texts, allowing her to see his location by GPS instead of in person or with cameras.
Simmons mended him from the cuts he suffered having handled the three person assignment solo. She was quiet, accustomed to not winning arguments with him lately. He explained taking a leave of absence which brought tears to her eyes that wouldn't fall. Not until a hug goodbye. At his assurance of returning, Jemma forced a big smile while brushing the wetness off her cheeks. "You better. We have a series to catch up on! I'm quite certain Fitz has no desire to marathon Doctor Who with me," she tried to jest until getting pulled into another hug.
Nothing was said after the second embrace. Trip made his way to Fitz and Mack, leaving it to everyone to fill in Morse and Hunter who were off base somewhere. Skye saw him off with a tight hug regardless of the bruises, scrapes and cuts from his earlier scuffle. Antoine didn't care much about the pain. His friend deserved a proper farewell. In truth, he had no idea what was in store. If Sarah had appeared as a move by Hydra, it could very well be the last his team saw him.
It was close to three a.m. before he finally made it to the hotel room. He arrived with a full backpack, a number of weapons, ammunition and tech on his person. His heart hoped to find Sarah alone in the room. Finding her asleep on the bed with only a bunch of paperwork was the first he felt a true feeling of warmth in a very long time. She must have been exhausted not to hear him enter. There was probably a gun under a pillow, he understood that. Quietly, he got out of his backpack after moving over the bar lock on the back of the door.
Trip had to assume she hadn't locked the door, expecting his arrival. He didn't use the door lock and chance waking her. He considered it a good sign to find her the way he had. Sarah would've hated to find him watching her sleep. Or at least, the old Sarah would have. She always gave him grief when she caught him doing that in the past. The memory prompted him to smirk. Water welled in his eyes that he quickly brushed away. He silently unloaded everything bulky from his person and set it on a carpeted area not far from the couch he stretched out on.
They'd both sleep and talk come the new day. Unless she chose to wake him. He was physically and mentally exhausted that if Sarah left it to him, Antoine might not wake up well into the day. She had already seen the dark circles around his eyes earlier. Now there was tape on a cut over his right brow as well as some on his hands and a slightly swollen bottom lip along with bruises that weren't there before. He rested on the sofa in t-shirt and utility pants, only removing his boots and jacket --his jacket which he used for a blanket over Sarah before taking the spot on the couch.
no subject
The optimism she used to be annoyed with was missing. Light in his eyes, his smile--nowhere to be found. Trip gave her a nod in acknowledgement when Sarah told him the location of where she was staying. He needed to bench his feelings and not put his team in jeopardy. The simple mission became complicated and took longer than originally planned given the interruption. He needed time off unexpectedly. The only way to do that (in his mind) was complete the assignment solo.
Coulson eyed him with concern yet granted Triplett the time off, not without first asking if there was something the younger man needed help with. There was no thought of him turning Hydra. Quite the opposite. Even May uttered something about Trip getting himself killed. Skye pleaded not to let him go without support to which Antoine firmly objected. "No. You guys have been doing more than you should in that regard. Enough. I've got this. I need to do this on my own...."
He placated his friend by taking equipment with him to call out for help if things went beyond his control--swearing he would ask for help if it came down to that. Skye had to promise not to follow him in any form. Antoine couldn't be sure she'd stick to the bargain with no word from him so he negotiated keeping in touch via texts, allowing her to see his location by GPS instead of in person or with cameras.
Simmons mended him from the cuts he suffered having handled the three person assignment solo. She was quiet, accustomed to not winning arguments with him lately. He explained taking a leave of absence which brought tears to her eyes that wouldn't fall. Not until a hug goodbye. At his assurance of returning, Jemma forced a big smile while brushing the wetness off her cheeks. "You better. We have a series to catch up on! I'm quite certain Fitz has no desire to marathon Doctor Who with me," she tried to jest until getting pulled into another hug.
Nothing was said after the second embrace. Trip made his way to Fitz and Mack, leaving it to everyone to fill in Morse and Hunter who were off base somewhere. Skye saw him off with a tight hug regardless of the bruises, scrapes and cuts from his earlier scuffle. Antoine didn't care much about the pain. His friend deserved a proper farewell. In truth, he had no idea what was in store. If Sarah had appeared as a move by Hydra, it could very well be the last his team saw him.
It was close to three a.m. before he finally made it to the hotel room. He arrived with a full backpack, a number of weapons, ammunition and tech on his person. His heart hoped to find Sarah alone in the room. Finding her asleep on the bed with only a bunch of paperwork was the first he felt a true feeling of warmth in a very long time. She must have been exhausted not to hear him enter. There was probably a gun under a pillow, he understood that. Quietly, he got out of his backpack after moving over the bar lock on the back of the door.
Trip had to assume she hadn't locked the door, expecting his arrival. He didn't use the door lock and chance waking her. He considered it a good sign to find her the way he had. Sarah would've hated to find him watching her sleep. Or at least, the old Sarah would have. She always gave him grief when she caught him doing that in the past. The memory prompted him to smirk. Water welled in his eyes that he quickly brushed away. He silently unloaded everything bulky from his person and set it on a carpeted area not far from the couch he stretched out on.
They'd both sleep and talk come the new day. Unless she chose to wake him. He was physically and mentally exhausted that if Sarah left it to him, Antoine might not wake up well into the day. She had already seen the dark circles around his eyes earlier. Now there was tape on a cut over his right brow as well as some on his hands and a slightly swollen bottom lip along with bruises that weren't there before. He rested on the sofa in t-shirt and utility pants, only removing his boots and jacket --his jacket which he used for a blanket over Sarah before taking the spot on the couch.