Chapter 21: S.H.I.E.L.D Comes to You

Jessica Jones woke up slowly, feeling the familiar weight of exhaustion and dehydration. She reached for the water glass on the bedside table and drank it all in one gulp. Touching the empty space next to her, she sighed slightly.

But then she remembered—Ethan Hayes was still in high school and had classes to attend. And today was Monday.

I can't believe this is happening… again.

Jessica thought to herself, lying back in bed. She had stopped resisting the situation altogether. She knew that Ethan had been the one to help her finally deal with the trauma of the Purple Man, something that had haunted her for so long. But beyond that, she was the only one who knew Ethan's true identity.

The Ice Demon.

It was clear to her now—Ethan was the one who had destroyed the Hell's Kitchen Triad and caused massive damage to the city's criminal underworld. But Jessica wasn't exactly a beacon of extreme justice. She wasn't concerned about exposing him or playing the hero. What she wanted most was to regain control of her messy life.

Now, everything seemed to be moving in a positive direction.

One step at a time, she thought.

And with Ethan, there was no pressure. Their relationship wasn't bound by traditional expectations. They weren't quite lovers, but their friendship had a different kind of intimacy. It was easy, without expectations or commitments.

Still, Jessica found herself hoping it could last. At least until something changed—like the idea of kids. She couldn't help but think of that, though it made her blush as she looked over at the roll of money on the bedside table.

"Seriously?" Jessica muttered, feeling embarrassed. She wondered if she was being paid for… services?

But then she spotted the three notes next to it. She realized she had misunderstood. It was just money to cover the bed expenses, nothing more. Jessica blushed deeply and laughed, her thoughts betraying her.

But after all that, she still decided to keep some of the money for herself. The rent was due again soon, and she needed the cash. As she left the apartment, walking a bit awkwardly, she couldn't help but think about how strong Ethan was.

Really strong… Jessica smirked to herself, shaking her head as she made her way out.

At school, Ethan approached Gwen during a break.

"Gwen, do you want to come with me to the manor on Long Island this weekend?" Ethan asked casually.

Gwen Stacy looked at him suspiciously. "Is your apartment unoccupied? You planning on renting it out?"

Ethan smiled slightly. "Have you considered that our apartments are so close, if you ever came over, your father might knock on my door in the middle of the night with a shotgun?"

Gwen blushed. "Who's your little girlfriend? You talk like a dog that can't spit out ivory!" she snapped, quickly turning and walking away.

But she couldn't help but glance back at Ethan.

"I'm going home. Just be careful on Long Island, alright?" she called out.

This guy better stay safe. He's too far away for me to protect him in time if something happens, Gwen thought to herself. I am Spider-Woman, after all. Wait… I should really work on my suit tonight.

Gwen smiled inwardly. If Ethan can keep secrets from me, I'll keep mine from him too.

She began scheming, thinking back to Ethan's claims about being a writer. She was going to figure out which best-selling book he wrote, and there couldn't be many hidden authors who'd made millions in royalties over the last two years.

As Ethan drove back to Long Island, Jessica sent him a text saying she needed a few days off. It seemed like she was still recovering from last night's madness. Ethan himself was feeling a bit fatigued—his legs were still sore.

"I should really unlock something to strengthen my body," he mused.

However, as he approached the manor, he noticed something off. A black Ford SUV had been parked at the entrance for a while. A man in a suit with glasses and a receding hairline leaned against the door of the car.

S.H.I.E.L.D., Ethan thought immediately.

He had underestimated how quickly they would figure out his involvement in the chaos at Hell's Kitchen. S.H.I.E.L.D. had probably connected the dots as soon as Mrs. Gao had been taken down. Ethan's cover story wouldn't hold up against a thorough investigation.

As Ethan approached, the suited man straightened up. "Mr. Ethan Hayes, I'm a big fan of your book. Could you sign it for me?"

Ethan looked down. It was Phil Coulson holding out a copy of Fifty Shades of Grey.

Ethan chuckled softly and took the book. "Phil Coulson, right?"

After signing it, Ethan glanced around, then looked into the nearby trees. "And you brought Clint Barton with you, didn't you?"

Ethan's sharp eyes caught the faint outline of Hawkeye in the tree, watching him. Even though it was dusk, Ethan's eyesight, enhanced by his abilities, made it clear.

Coulson was impressed but didn't show it. Based on the information they had on Ethan, he shouldn't have known about S.H.I.E.L.D., let alone recognized them on sight.

"It seems you know us better than we thought," Coulson said, his face serious. "So I assume you know why we're here?"

Ethan shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm not interested in S.H.I.E.L.D., Coulson. But if you interfere in my life, I won't hesitate to push back."

He handed the book back to Coulson and walked toward the entrance of his manor. As he reached the door, he paused.

"And don't try to use any of your tricks to control me," Ethan added. "I don't respond well to pressure."

Coulson turned to him. "Aren't you even going to hear our offer?"

Ethan smiled coldly. "What I need, S.H.I.E.L.D. can't give me. Besides, I'm not looking to play hero or savior."

He opened the door and disappeared into the manor, leaving Coulson standing there, deep in thought.

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