When it Happens (Don't Mind Me)

[Isabella price]

“Jon,” Bella called, still staring at her father. She was to shocked to saying anything else. Her father was sleeping with another version of her mother. It was messed up on so many levels not just personally.

[Clint Cross]

Jon came in and looked at them. "Yes?"

"Bella... I know it's messed up and I didn't necessarily 'want' to do it... but we both felt something and it happened." Clint replied.

"What did he do now?" Jon raised an eyebrow. "Please tell me that agent isn't my cousin."

"What? No..." Clint shook his head. "It's a Selene. It's not cheating on your mother and I probably talked about her more than anything we spoke about the other night. Thought she'd be annoyed."

[Isabella price]

“Please tell me you veted her first? Brought in a telepath or something.” Bella said as she glanced at Jon.

[Clint Cross]

"She worked with Tali and... I think I know how Selene's mind works. If there is one thing I'm an expert on, beyond archery, is Selene. She's not 'our' Selene, different life, different experiences... I mean, she and her version of Lucius... worked together and killed their Khan." Clint winced. "Course, not that much different really than how she was after Bloodstone wiped her mind back years and we pretty much had to start from scratch. Do I entirely trust the woman yet... not entirely, but even your mother went in and out of full on trust and access. At least she wasn't as manipulated by Jackson."

[Isabella price]

“You understand how messed up this is on a personal level. Do you understand how messed up this is on a professional level?” Bella inquired. “You said she worked with Tali. Have you actually talked to Tali? Because if I was the enemy and I had a Selene I’d throw her at the Director of Naval Intel and let her work her way under his skin.”

[Clint Cross]

"And how many times had our Selene been controlled and manipulated and I broke through all that." Clint replied. "But if it makes you feel better... I'll talk to Tali. Just to clear it up. But... it seems like no matter the reality, Selene is screwed around and let's face it... we gave her a much happier life. Even if it wasn't always easy or we had more than our share of traumas."

[Isabella price]

“From an administrative standpoint yes, it would.” Bella said and softened her tone. “But Dad…she’s not Mom. If you are going to do this make sure you’re doing it for the right reason and not because you’re trying to sleep with a ghost. You should also talk to James about it because they were close. A lot closer then she and I ever were. He's wearing her Widow's Bites.”

[Clint Cross]

"I know." Clint nodded his head. "And look, as far as I'm concerned, we're just... dating. For all we know we just won't work like your mother and I did and we'll just be field partners or she'll just be another agent that I'm friends with." he sighed and looked at Bella. "I know James was close to her, but you came back to this timeline because you lost her in your's and she was a massive threat. Don't think that wasn't in the back of my mind, especially when she would go off the reservation and killed people. For now, I'm trying to be her friend... and I suppose lover but this is still so damn new." he glanced at the other room where James was. "I'll introduce them, James is a good kid, hell she'll probably bond with him more than she would with me and I won't be able to keep them apart. He seems to work well with dangerous women."

"As long as you have your wits about you with this. Course I cannot blame you... if I lost Bella and an alternate that looked, acted, spoke like her... I would probably feel the same way." Jon winced. "After a mourning period of course... we all heal at our own rates. I do recall you and Selene having extensive plans in place if anything happened to either of you, which we've already seen in action. And like I told Jack I would be entirely comfortable raising Kaitlyn and James as our own. I have this feeling that if I do not get re-elected that Isabella will be the career woman and I'll be the house husband running things from wherever we're going to live. Which reminds me... please tell me that you didn't take her back to the house. You do need at least one place you have an upper hand."

"Thinking like a spy eh Jon?" Clint said with a smile

"Hard not to when your inlaws are." Jon replied and put his hand on Bella's shoulder. "Although if our Selene somehow returns to life... we're both going to side with her and tell her we told you so. Selene scares the shit out of me."

[Isabella price]

“Somehow I don’t think Mom got a pass.” Bella said sadly and pointed at Clint. “I’m not telling Grand Dad. That’s on you and James stop eavesdropping! Mouth breather!”

[Clint Cross]

James blushed and smirked. "Well it's the only way I don't have to smell dad's cologne." he rubbed his neck. "So... there's another Selene? And you didn't invite her here?"

"If i'm getting the 3rd degree here kid, how do you think that would go?" Clint said "We'd be washing blood out of the carpet."

"I'd like to meet her sometime... just not... y'know when you two are on a date. " James replied as he leaned on the counter. "So I suppose that she's like how she was when you got her back after Jackson messed with her head, but without Jack's 'memory back up'. So we're all new to her... kinda cool really. Maybe she's what we need, mom always felt a little... wary getting into the field again with Kaitlyn around. Black Widow may need to be who need more than Selene."

"And that's why you're my boy." Clint smiled at him. "I'll tell you what, give us... a few days to kinda figure things out and then we'll meet somewhere, neutral. Maybe Leo's. And I'll talk to Noonian. He should know, if nothing else simply because there's another assassin augment around. And... she and Lucius did kinda kill him."