Pips surveyed the empty flat. There was an eerie silence that she had rarely heard, what with her mother's playing and her own music. Now the flat just seemed dead. Well, it was wasn't it?

It was the day after Sophie's funeral and Phil had brought Pips to gather some of her things. Neither of them fancied going through everything of Sophie's but Phil was going to throw out the food and Pips was going to pack up anything she might need. After all, Pips was going to live halfway across the world and it would take quite a while to get back. Pips had told her uncle that she was ready and, despite them both knowing it was a lie, he had gone along with it. Pips was beginning to regret that decision.

The flat was her mother's safe haven, none more so than the study Sophie had used for composing, Pips didn't dare enter. Instead she just picked up the key that was hidden between the exposed floorboards and slipped it into her bag, she didn't want anyone else going in there and messing with Sophie's work, not yet. 10 seconds later she swung the door open and observed the room. Her mother's instruments were lined up against the wall and the desk by the window was covered in sheets and sheets of paper. Pips moved to the wall, packing up the instruments and attempting to organise the half composed music around the study. She tried not to cry, she failed. Every item in the room was something that Sophie had most recently touched, used and loved. If there was anything that Pips would need to bring with her it would be these pieces.

An hour later the two remaining Coulsons were walking out of the flat. Phil had a carry on full of Pips' things and a SHIELD trunk containing items that could be left in the cargo bay. Phil sent a quick text and within a minute a black car appeared. The driver hopped out and placed the bags into the boot and helped both Coulsons into the car. The drive to the airport was silent except for the sound of the traffic and only once they pulled up outside Heathrow did Phil speak.

"Is there anything else you need? We don't have to leave yet if you don't want to. We can stay longer." Pips shook her head at her uncle.

"I want to get away, please Uncle Phil, let's just go." Phil sighed but removed the bags from the car and thanked the driver who drove away without a word. They journey through the packed airport was much faster than Pips had ever experienced but then again Phil worked for the government and had special allowances. Pips didn't even have to walk through security, just to let them look inside her bag. They were in business, a luxury compared to the economy class travel that she had enjoyed with her mother. All was well as the plane started to taxi and took off into the murky English sky. Pips had never been scared of flying; it was almost second nature to her by the age of 5. She could navigate around Heathrow airport with her eyes closed and knew all the secrets to travelling light. That made it all the more confusing when she started freaking out as the plane started levelling off.

Her palms were clammy and shaking slightly so she hid them in her hoodie pocket. She tried to slow down her breathing before Phil noticed. It wasn't that she was scared of a plane crash or any form of danger but it felt all wrong. Phil was looking at her strangely, she couldn't figure out what was happening.

"Phil, help."

Phil was no stranger to panic attacks or break down; he had been a handler and team leader for more years than he cared to count. He could see Pips starting to breathe faster and her trembling hands. He waited until she asked him, not wanting to step in where he wasn't wanted.

"Pips, look at me. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere. This is not a car, there are no trucks." He kept talking softly and took her hands in his. He stayed quiet and still as Pips started crying silently. "I know you don't want to be here but we are so I need you to stay with me." He said waving off an approaching air hostess. "Pips, tell me what year Captain America was born." Phil asked trying to keep her attention on him and not whatever horrendous thoughts were currently coursing through her mind.

"19...1920" Pips stuttered. Phil smiled as Pips tried to slow her breathing down.

"Well done, you're doing well. Now what day was Captain America born?" Pips squeezed her eyes tightly a she tried to find the answers hidden behind the imposing images of wrecked metal and screeching tires.

"4th of J, July" Pips answered. The questions continued back and forth until Pips stopped shaking quite as much and her breathing slowed. Phil raised the armrest and allowed his niece to fall against his jacket, not at all bothered that the tears were still rolling down her face or that he would probably have a twinge in his left shoulder when he got up.

The air hostess from earlier re appeared and offered to get Phil a drink, clearly wanting to know what was happening. Phil knew that it was better to have the plane crew on his side if he wanted to get through the next 7 hours so he told her that her mother had just died in a car accident and that she was very tired. It seemed to satisfy the woman who returned a few minutes later with a cup of something that almost tasted like coffee.

Pips awoke an hour before they were due to land at JFK and managed miraculously not to freak out again. She supposed it wasn't the plane so much as the noise and the slight claustrophobia of it all. Phil made her drink a bottle of water and to talk to him about what she had been doing in school so that she hardly even noticed as the plane touched down on the runway. After thanking the hostess, who had helped Phil to get a sweater from his back to support Pips head (or his shoulder), the pair disembarked.

Pips had been to New York before several times but it had always been with her mother right next to her, protecting her from harm or from big issues like knowing when to take on or off layers and whether to sleep or eat and when. The young girl slipped her small hand into her uncle's and realised that maybe she had bitten off more than she could chew. Maybe she would have been better in London after all.

Phil left no time for self doubt as he calmly but quickly proceeded to find their bags and head off into the great unknown of New York. It was just about 6pm and if she wasn't already Phil knew that Pips would be hungry so he called the pizza restaurant a few blocks away and placed his order from the taxi. Once they arrived at the rarely used apartment that Phil's main alias had owned for the past 4 years both Coulsons dropped their guards and relaxed a little. Pips eased off the coat she was wearing over her casted arm and sat down on the sofa looking small and fragile. Phil just had time to find some mugs that he had bought when he first arrived as the food arrived and after a dinner of pizza and suspiciously old coke both fell asleep.

When the sun finally rose hours later Pips woke up. She was staring up at a different ceiling, it was plain and white and not hers. She had a delicate navy blue night sky painted above her bed with accurate star charts, one of the only times that Sophie had ever dabbled in a different art. Looking around she could see a wardrobe and dresser that had probably never been used. The king sized bed had new, scratchy blankets and the carpet covering the floor was a clean beige. Pips decided that it was Phil's room and that he had moved her there because there was a certain Bucky-bear tucked under her arm, the one her uncle had bought for her when she was born.

Her suspicions were proved right as she walked out into the living room gently rubbing her aching arm. Her uncle was sat atop the sofa, laptop open, working away. The blanket across the sofa made it clear that he had slept out there. Pips quickly apologised for inconveniencing him.

"Hey, I am meant to look after you wherever I can, and there is a spare room but I couldn't find a sheet to make the bed." Pips calmed down slightly as Phil stood up awkwardly.

"I reckoned we might go shopping today. We need food and I haven't had a chance yet to decorate here. Are you interested?" Pips nodded, picking at the hem of her shirt. The two separated and went to get ready before setting off into the madness.