Show Me That You're Human

Chapter 1: Beauty's on the Surface

"Champagne, Madamoiselle?"

Agent Aurora Dugan tipped expensive sunglasses down her nose to look up at the waiter. Familiar eyes belonging to one of her partners, Agent Jasper Sitwell, looked back at her and she smiled sweetly.

"Merci." She replied, taking the flute of champagne he was offering.

"Can I get you anything else?" He asked, his voice taking on a bored and slightly exasperated tone. Three weeks spent waiting on patrons of the Hotel de Paris as well as his partner was enough to wear any agent thin.

"Non, c'est tout." She waved her hand in dismissal, lifting the glass to her lips in case she laughed. This was probably one of the better undercover missions she'd ever been on. Living in a lap of luxury as a French socialite sure beat being a maid in a government official's quarters, which had been the other mission that had been on the table for her. "That will be all."

"Jas looks like he's about to blow his lid at you, love." Agent Arthur Falsworth chuckled from where he stood beside her, his tall frame casting a shadow half across her body.

Rory turned her head toward where he stood. "Jasper is undercover and drew the short straw so Jasper needs to stop sulking." She replied, smiling. She smirked as Jasper walked past her again, glaring daggers in her direction..

"Easy for you to say, 'Mademoiselle Dartois'." Jasper grunted into the small microphone and earpiece embedded in his ear. "Why couldn't I have been the bartender? Or a second bodyguard?"

"Because like Rory said, you drew the short straw and I'm the body guard, Rosalie isn't impressive enough for her to need two." Arthur pressed his finger to his ear to reply. "Although I'd gladly change. It's bloody hot in this suit."

Rory smiled and shook her head, listening as Arthur swore into their secure line. Her eyes scanned the lavishly expensive pool area of the hotel for their target. This lifestyle was definitely an eye-opener for a girl from Boston. While she hadn't grown up lacking, she hadn't exactly grown up with everything either and she had been taught that you had to work hard for what you got.

These people however, didn't work for anything and by the looks of some of them, they probably never had. Still, it was fun to pretend to be part of their world for a small time.

"There's your man, Rose. 12 O'clock by the bar." Arthur murmured down to her and she trained her eyes on where he said.

Sure enough her eyes fell on a man in his late thirties who was dressed in an expensive kaftan suit and sunglasses. His body was casual but angled toward her.

"He's watching me." She murmured back, a smirk gracing her lips. Three weeks and they were finally getting somewhere.

"I should hope so. You look so good you're practically illegal."

Rory chuckled and shook her head, standing. "Oh hush you. I'm going to the bar." Winking at Arthur she stretched her hands above her giving both Arthur and their target an eyeful of long legs and tanned skin.

"I'm surprised we haven't wrapped this up earlier with the way he's looking at you." Jasper sighed. Rory started to walk toward the pool, leaving Arthur to watch over her.

"Well we know he's naturally suspicious. He's probably run all sorts of background checks on her, but he's definitely had his eye on her since we got here." Arthur replied, finger to his ear again. "Can you blame him? Look at that arse." Aurora could hear the smirk and resisted turning around to flip him the bird.

She couldn't reply but decided to give all three of them a good show by stepping to the edge of the pool, arching up on her toes and then diving into the cool blue water.

She emerged in the shallows and walked up the incline toward the bar, water dripping off of her to splash at her feet. She wanted to laugh at the dramatics of it all.

"I feel like that was a visual 'fuck you', Arthur." Jasper snorted down the line.

Rory smirked and stalked to the bar.

"Marcus." She smiled happily, pressing a kiss to both of his cheeks as he straightened to greet her. "Lovely to see you again." Her French was flawless and she switched seamlessly from English.

"Rosa, you look beautiful. Is the water nice?" He replied with a chuckled. She nodded and wiped her face on the towel Jasper hurried over to her.

"Oh yes. Lovely." She nodded. "You should join me." She slipped back to English so Arthur and Jasper could listen along easier as neither of them were particularly good with French. The spoke enough of it to get by but rapid conversations sometimes were lost on them.

"Perhaps later." Marcus nodded. "Would you like a drink?" He gestured to the bartender waiting patiently in front of them.

"Oiu. Please. Martini with a dash of orange. Merci." She nodded and placed her order. She turned back to Marcus, flashing a pearly white smile.

He was an investment banker from Germany who SHIELD suspected of funding multiple terrorist cells, including Hydra. Rory's job was to gain his trust and gather as much informations about him as she possibly could to send back to SHIELD. The mission was ongoing and long and even she wasn't sure how long they wanted her here.

She's spent the last three weeks integrating herself with this life by socialising within his circles and getting to know him. She was beginning to think Arthur might have been better 'equipped' for the job as he'd kept his distance right up until a few days earlier when he invited her to dinner with his friends.

"Did you enjoy dinner with us the other day, Rosa?" He asked as the drinks were slid toward them. She nodded and picked up her glass.

"I did. Your friends are lovely." She sipped her martini, keeping her eyes out for Jasper and Arthur, both of who were watching her from a respective distance.

"They had so many nice things to say about you, I just had to find them out for myself. Charlotte tells me your father is also a banker?"

"Mhm, yes." She smiled. "Papa works with some investment firm in Paris." She waved her hand and rolled her eyes. "It's all business to me. I don't understand the half of it."

Marcus laughed lightly and he nodded. "There's quite a bit to understand but I'm sure you're smart enough to pick it up." He turned his back on the bar and Rory could clearly see the long scar that ran down his cheek. His file stated that he'd received the scar in a car accident but there was no evidence to really back up that claim. The man was very good at keeping his background and his story under wraps. That was part of the reason why SHIELD was so interested in him.

"I'm sure you'd make it more interesting than Papa ever could anyway." She laughed, high pitched and girlish and she added a small twirl of her hair around her finger for added flirt.

"You're too good at this, love." Arthur chuckled. Her lip twitched and she cleared her throat.

"Well how about I give it my best shot," Marcus replied, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. There was a smile on his face, a cunning one that she expected he considered flirtatious. "Over dinner. Tonight. With you."

Rory sipped her drink as she thought about it. "Where should we go?" She asked, bringing her lip between her teeth.

"I am quite partial to one of the restaurants here. Do you eat seafood?"

"What girl from the South of France doesn't?" She tittered, reaching out to stroke his arm. He gently clasped her wrist with his fingers and tugged her closer to him, turning his body so he faced her. "That sounds lovely so I'll see you tonight?"

"Excellent. I look forward to it." He dipped his head close and pressed his lips to hers. She responded softly before she pressed his chest to push him away. She shook her head, a slow smile spreading across her lips.

"Ah now. You need to buy me dinner first." She laughed and gently pulled out of his embrace.

"What the lady wants." He bowed his head lightly. "I will meet you in the foyer at seven."

"Seven sounds great." She drained the rest of her drink and flicked her finger for Arthur to join her.

"Who would that be?" Marcus asked, his eyebrows raising high and pulling the scar taught.

She rolled her eyes dramatically and glanced at Marcus. "Christian. My bodyguard. Papa was worried about me being on my own here for so long. He believes he has some enemies." She laughed and pressed her hand to his bicep, squeezing lightly. "No need to be worried, he has a lovely boyfriend named Jasper back in London. This is strictly work."

"You are so going to pay for that one. If Arthur could talk right now…" Jasper struggled not to laugh as Arthur made his way toward her.

"Oh I'm not worried, my dear." Marcus smiled and placed his hand over hers. He brought it up to his lips and pressed a kiss to the soft skin. "I will see you at seven." He promised. Rory nodded, smiling happily.

"I will see you then." She glanced up at Arthur, who wore a stone-faced expression and beckoned to him. "Come on, Christian."

She turned on her heel and walked from the pool, into the resort.

"Gay, love? Really? With Jasper?" Arthur hissed under his breath as they walked to her suite. "I have better taste than that!"

The girl in the mirror was immaculate. Honey blonde hair trailed down her tanned shoulders, a bright yellow dress hugged her slight curves and her makeup highlighted her light brown eyes, making them look amber in any light. She was so beautiful that Rory almost didn't recognise herself.

"Damn Arthur, how do you manage to dress me better than I dress myself?" She sighed, turning to face her friend. He was holding out her gun and shrugged a shoulder. She took the gun and pulled the dress up her leg to slot it into the holster on her inner thigh. She straightened, rolling her eyes at Arthur as his eyes lingered on her legs.

"Because I have taste and I know what a man likes on a woman." The Brit picked up her earpiece and held it out for her. "and any man would be stupid to deny you."

She grinned at him and took the small device, pressing it deep into her ear. "Well I'm hoping he doesn't but I'm not putting money on it tonight. I know we're close but if he trusts me a little more then I might be able to stick around in the future and learn some real dirty secrets." She turned back to her reflection and double-checked none of her weapons or devices could be seen.

"You don't have to do this, you know." Arthur stepped up behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders. She leant into him and sighed.

"It's my job, Artie. I will do whatever it takes to get that information." She set her jaw and looked him square in his bright blue eyes.

"I don't want you to get hurt." Arthur sighed. Rory brought one of her hands up and squeezed his knuckle gently.

"That's why you're in my ear, remember." She pressed her cheek against their hands and smiled. "You're with me wherever I go."

"Yes, and I unfortunately hear everything." He pulled a face, letting his other hand drop down to her hip. "Everything." He spun her around so she was facing him and she placed her hands on his chest.

Rory's cheeks blushed but she squared her shoulders. "It's mostly faked anyway." He let out a sigh and she shook her head, murmuring. "I can see why Natasha works alone." She pulled away from him but he caught her around the hips and brought her back.

"Promise me if you're uncomfortable, you'll send me a signal so I can get you out?" His bright baby blues bore into her amber eyes with such intensity that Rory couldn't reply. Arthur cared about her, she knew this, they'd been friends longer than they'd been agents due to their grandfathers serving in World War Two together on a specialist team called The Howling Commandos; but this was more than the normal worry.

"Artie, I've done missions like this before." She reached up and cupped her hand to his cheek. "It's just a mark and it's just a bed, besides, the plan is to drug him before taking off my clothes so we'll be fine, ok?"

"Promise me." He squeezed her hips a little tighter and she nodded.

"I promise if I'm in any kind of trouble I will get myself out, or," She added as his eyes narrowed. "I will ask for your help, ok?"

He leant forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Ok. Remember our code?"

"Lovely weather we're having." She replied easily. Arthur smiled and nodded.

"That's my girl. Now we should go, before I lock the door and have my way with you myself." He stepped away from her and adjusted the black turtleneck and jeans combo he'd opted for as her bodyguard. "How do I look?"

"Smooth." She replied, picking imaginary lint off of his sweater. She raised her finger to her ear and pressed lightly. "Jas, are you in position?"

"Oh you remember me now, huh?" Jasper replied with a slight huff. "I'm working in the area that Evanier's table is booked in."

"Excellent." Rory picked up her clutch. "We're on our way now. ETA 7 minutes." She placed her hand on the door. "And Jasper, how could we ever forget you?"

Rory sucked in a deep breath as The elevator doors pinged open and she stepped out, scanning the room automatically looking for Marcus.

"Rosalie! You look ravishing." His voice came from her left and she smiled, turning to find him already walking toward her.

"You're quite handsome yourself, Marcus." She replied, leaning in so he could kiss her cheeks.

"It's Armani. Made just for me" He ran his hands over the lapels of his suit. "Come anyway, I have a surprise for you." He glanced at Arthur. "Your bodyguard isn't having the night off?"

Rory glanced at Arthur as well and found him stone faced. "Papa would probably kill him." She replied. "He promised to keep to himself all night and I usually forget he's even there." She took Marcus' hand and linked their fingers.

Marcus gave Arthur one more look over and nodded. "Very well. Come, I have a table for us." He brought her hand up to his mouth again and kissed it.

He led her to a small table for two overlooking the ocean and he held the chair out for her as she sat. Arthur sat alone, three tables away and scanned the room.

"Two bodyguards at a table behind you." Arthur murmured and Rory picked up her soupspoon on the pretence she was checking her makeup. Sure enough she spotted the two, big men in black suits and sunglasses and she noted each carried concealed. "They look on edge and keep watching you…"

"You look lovely, my dear." Marcus reached for her hand and she lowered the spoon, giving him a bright smile. Jasper in his waiters uniform walked by their table and poured sparkling water into their glasses.

"May I get you something to drink?" He asked, avoiding Rory's eye.

"A nice red, please." Rory replied, with a nod.

"Another red drinker?" Marcus beamed. "Women as young as yourself don't usually drink it."

"I was taught early that red is preferred over white. Can I get a glass of the Château Le Bon Pasteur? Merci." She closed her wine menu. "and I'm not that young." She said with a small smile.

"I will have the same." Marcus nodded, beaming at her. Rory struggled not to roll her eyes. She knew, of course, his preferred wine was red and he liked that particular winery. It had been part of her research before introducing herself. "You are young enough." He responded and Rory struggled to keep her face neutral. "So tell me, what do you know of your fathers work?"

"Not a lot, I'm afraid." She shook her head. "I just know he is the head of the Corporate and Investment banking sect at Société Générale in Paris." She tucked a strand of hair over her ear and smiled at him.

"That is a fine bank. I am sure I've probably met your father."

"You possibly may have, yes." She nodded. "I just know that in his work he purchases shares and resells them?" Rory made herself laugh, hoping he was buying her brainlessness.

"It's slightly more complex than that." He chuckled with her before he leant forward and launched into a detailed explanation. He even used the salt and pepper shakers on the table to demonstrate some of the more complicated things.

Rory didn't know how she stayed awake through it all. He wasn't giving anything away that she didn't already know and investment banking was boring as hell.

"But what do you do, specifically?" She asked, leaning forward to capture his hand on the edge of the table. "Do you have any famous clients?" She grinned, her eyes sparkling as she waited for the secrets.

He laughed and squeezed her hand, linking their fingers.

"Ah confidentiality, my dear. I can't tell you that." He shook his head.

"Bad luck there, Rore." Jasper chuckled into the earpiece.

"I had to try." She said, answering both of them. Marcus chuckled again. Jasper came over then and took their dinner orders and it gave Rory the chance to figure out her next move.

When he left, Marcus smiled at her. "Enough about my business." He leant forward and brought her hand up to his lips. "Tell me about yourself."

"About me?" She asked, a little surprised. Men like Marcus usually liked to talk about themselves until they were blue in the face. She was quite happy to indulge, it was her job after all. Being asked to talk about her character was not something she encountered very often.

"I grew up in Paris, was the only child, travelled some with my parents." She sighed and picked up her wine glass. "Nothing interesting or tragic at all about my life, I'm afraid… unless you count my parents travelling the world without me?" She gave a tight smile and rolled her eyes.

"I think you're interesting." Marcus replied, kicking his foot forward to entangle with her ankle. She pointed her foot and ran it up the inside of his leg. His grin widened. "Beautiful too."

"Flattery will get you everywhere, monsieur." She winked at him over the top of her wine glass. She placed it back on the table and he leaned forward suddenly to link their fingers.

"Getting off track, love." Arthur murmured down the line. Rory cleared her throat.

"Why don't you tell me about yourself? I want to hear if all the wonderful things your friends said about you are true." She withdrew her hand and sat back in her seat, playing with the bracelet around her wrist.

"Like you said, I am not very interesting." He avoided her request. "I'm originally from Germany, a small town on the outskirts of Dresden. Grew up with my father and mother and younger brother." He smiled as he spoke. "My father was a banker in the city and I wanted to be one because of him."

"Like father, like son."

"So my mother always said. She died when I was 15."

Rory reached out and took his hand again. "I'm so sorry."

"She got pneumonia and couldn't shake it." He shrugged a shoulder, squeezing her hand. He ran his thumb over her knuckles and stared down into his wine. Jasper interrupted by bringing their meals over. "But we survived. Papa was good to us, we both managed to go to college. My brother now lives in Hungary with his wife and two sons."

Rory smiled and tucked into her food, trying to remember to eat daintily. In reality she was starving and just wanted to wolf the food down whole. "How did you get the scar?" She asked after a few minutes, nodding to the scar on his face.

Marcus brought his hand up and traced his finger down it as if realising it was there for the first time. He seemed lost in thought for a moment before he answered.

"Car accident. A man lost control of his car and careened into mine when I was 20. My windshield caved in and sliced me up." His lip raised in a half smile. "I'd get rid of it but I feel it's a part of me."

"I think it looks handsome. Gives you a very distinguished look."

"Oh vomit." Arthur groaned but Marcus seemed pleased that she'd said so.

The dinner went on and Rory's patience with him was running almost on empty. The man was like a vault, never letting anything too incriminating go. They talked about childhoods, they talked about friends and they talked about travel but every time she tried to steer the conversation back toward banking he steered it right away again.

"Is it too presumptuous of me to think we're getting out of here together tonight?" He asked her, both her hands now clasped in his.

Rory fixed her face in a positively bashful look and bit her lip. "I think you might be playing your cards right." She smiled. She tugged her fingers free of one hand and picked up her wine glass.

Marcus leaned forward, tugging on the hand still trapped in his own. "May I?" He asked. She leant forward and nodded slowly. He pressed his lips to hers.

"Good going. Now get him to the room, get that information and get out of there." Jasper cheered down the line. Rory placed her other hand on his and pulled him closer, deepening the kiss.

She pulled away after a few seconds. "I think now would be a good time to…" She looked around for Arthur on the pretence of dismissing him but found him only half watching them. Instead of glaring like Rory assumed he would be, he was talking animatedly into his cell phone, his face pulled into a deep scowl.

"Yes, I believe so." He looked up and glanced at Arthur. "Are you going to tell your guard to stand down?"

"Yes, I am…. I'll send him to his room. Give him the night off. One moment while I find out what's going on first."

She stood and went to Arthur, more curious about what was happening on the line than what Marcus had to offer. He ended the call as she approached.

"What's happening?" She asked immediately.

"Avengers initiative has been activated. They've gone after an Asguardian in Stuttgart who has stolen something very important by the sound of it." Arthur responded, trying to keep his face smooth.

"We're so god damn close, Arthur, we can just up and leave!" She argued. "What the hell are they thinking pulling us from – "

"Rory, Barton's been compromised. They're calling all agents back to base immediately. There's been an imminent attack warning issued. It's bad, love." Arthur's hand twitched as if he wanted to take her hand, which under normal circumstances he would have. However right now he couldn't.

Her heart was in her throat. Clint was a good man and an even better friend. He'd been her supervising officer when she'd first gotten into the field and had acted as her handler for the first three years of her training. To think he'd been compromised was like a kick in the gut and for a second she couldn't respond. She worked hard to keep her emotions under control.

"I'll never be able to come back, my cover will be blown wide open…" She said softly, placing her hand to her lips. "He is so close to trusting me..."

"Something's going on with Marcus' guys." Jasper's voice said in their ears. Arthur's eyes flicked to the two bodyguards who had approached him.

"It's a direct order, love. Find a way out. They need us." Arthur's eyes found hers again and he sounded apologetic, calmer than she felt inside. She rearranged her face in a smile before turning back to where Marcus was waiting. He was talking to his bodyguards, deep in conversation in very rapid German as she approached.

"Stuttgart? We have no one in Stuttgart." His German was much better than his French and he obviously thought Rory didn't speak it as he did nothing to cover his words.

"We're not convinced it's HYDRA sir. Word is he's a god."

"A god?" Marcus' brow pinched in confusion. "Yes fine, we must go at once." He nodded. A bodyguard nodded toward Rory and Marcus turned quickly. He gave her a pained expression before taking her into his arms. "Rosalie I'm terribly sorry but business has come up and I've been called away."

This was perfect for her but Rory pouted as Rosalie should have in this situation. "Called away?" She whined, looking up at him. She reached forward to take hold of his lapels and pull herself into him.

"I'm sorry, beautiful." He dropped a kiss onto her lips. "I wouldn't be leaving you if it wasn't urgent." He insisted before he let her go. "Will you let me make it up to you when I come back?"

"If I'm still in Monte Carlo." She nodded with a smile. "I'm supposed to be meeting friends in the Bahamas soon so I may not be contactable for a while. Girls retreat away, Megan's just been dumped and we decided to contact with the outside world so she can properly get over it." She prattled for a second, watching as one of his bodyguards tapped his shoulder.

"I'll call you." He nodded, distracted by whatever was going on. He kissed her again before he let the bodyguards lead him away.

Rory waited a minute before she turned to Arthur, finding him behind her. His arm threaded around her waist and her hurried her toward the elevators.

"Jasper's upstairs already, packing up our stuff. Coulson is sending an evac quinjet to the roof as we speak." He murmured the details in her ear as the elevator doors slid shut. She pulled off the necklace and earrings and deposited them in her clutch.

"What about my suit?" She asked, stepping out of her heels so she could move easier.

"Change on the plane." Arthur shrugged as the doors slid open. He turned to the stairs and they continued the last little bit on foot.

"Jasper?"

"Leaving the room now. Everything's up on the roof waiting for us."

"How long ago did you get the call Jas?" Rory's eyebrows rose.

"Just after I served your food. Didn't want to throw you off your game." He replied. Arthur pushed the door to the roof open and they both stepped out. She could see Jasper off to the side and they hurried over to him while the small quinjet landed.

They climbed aboard and strapped themselves into their seat.

"Tell me everything you know." Rory demanded as the plane took off.

"Captain America and Ironman detained an Asgardian named 'Loki' a little over an hour ago in Stuttgart but they were intercepted by Thor. There was an ensuing fight but they compromised and have Loki on the helicarrier. They'll be back in New York before we are." Jasper explained, his eyes on a tablet in front of him. "It's going to be big apparently. They've called everyone back."

"It's going to be huge if they've launched the Avengers Initiative." Arthur commented.

"Captain America is really being used?" Rory asked, blinking in shock. He hadn't been awake long; surely he wasn't ready for something like this.

"It seems so. I guess murderous villains stop for no man." Jasper tapped the screen. "We have an arrival time in New York of 3pm, you should get some sleep." He smiled at her and she nodded in agreement. She unstrapped herself from her seat so she could zip herself into her suit.

She was excited. She would finally get a glimpse of Captain America, the one man who had been a constant in her life since she was a small child, yet he didn't even know she existed.

Her grandparents had spoken often about him, making sure his legend and his legacy was passed along. He was her hero, the main reason why she SHIELD, but she'd been unable to meet him before now because Fury had ordered her to not have anything to do with him and sent her on a mission. She'd been mad but orders were orders.

"Artie, could you get the zip on this stupid dress?" She sighed, turning her back on her friend.

"Could I help you out of it as well, darling?" He asked, tugging the zipper down her back. She held the satin dress against her as she stepped away from him.

"Nice try but I can handle it." She smiled, reaching for her SHIELD suit. She kept her back to him as she dropped the dress and slid into the more comfortable option.

She zipped up the front. "Much better." She smiled. She turned to find Arthur smirking at her and she rolled her eyes. "Stop thinking about it."

"I'm not."

"You are, it's written all over your face." She sat in a seat across from him and got comfortable, tipping her head back and closing her eyes. She heard Arthur snort and she smiled before falling into a light sleep in preparation for what they were heading into.

Authors' Note:

Cross posted on Archive of our Own under BlackHawkinBudapest.
I own nothing except my OC's.
Beta'd by hipsterjarv because she is an angel.