May successfully blocked Skye's kick, which was a little wide. "Pull it in a little," she advised the younger woman. "Your body is completely under your control. Use it. Don't react – make your opponent react."

Skye kicked out again, and this time the movement was tighter and much more controlled.

May blocked it and turned a little, forcing Skye off balance. However, Skye recovered beautifully and kicked again, this time without signaling her intentions. May blocked it, but she got much closer to making contact.

"Good," May said, surprised. "You have a natural ability for this, Skye."

Skye laughed. "No one is more surprised than me." She let loose a series of punches, a few of which were off target.

May blocked her easily. "We need to work on your upper body strength, but you have good agility and balance, and your reflexes are excellent. You can be a field agent, Skye, if that's what you want. You just need to get out of your own head first."

They continued sparring for another ten minutes, until a movement off to the side caught May's attention. She frowned when she saw Quartermain leaning against the door, watching them. She could pinpoint the exact moment when Skye saw him because the woman completely lost focus and failed to execute a simple defensive move she'd mastered the week before.

May pulled up and held out a hand to Skye, who was now lying on the mat. "That's enough for today."

They walked over to the benches, where May tossed Skye a bottle of water and reminded her to stay hydrated.

Skye nodded and busied herself with her gym bag. It was apparent she was trying to ignore Quartermain's presence, but when he entered the room and approached them, her fingers stilled.

"There's a meeting upstairs in conference room B at eleven," Quartermain told Skye. "Hand asked that you be there."

"Okay." Skye's tone was clipped. She lifted her bag and looped it over her shoulder.

"You're improving," Quartermain added abruptly.

Skye ignored that. "Thanks May. I'll see you at dinner tonight."

May nodded and watched as she left the room as fast as she could without actually running. Then she turned her attention to Quartermain. "Come for a rematch?"

She'd like nothing more than an excuse to lay Quartermain out. Every time she saw that look on Skye's face – the one that spoke to years of abandonment issues – she felt the urge to punch him. She'd given in to that urge once during a training session five years ago, right after they discovered Quartermain was Skye's father. She'd let loose and given him a real fight, and he left the mat with a black eye and a cracked collarbone.

Quartermain laughed, though the sound held no real amusement. "I'll pass. I still remember the last time well enough."

May zipped up her bag and turned to face him. "She deserves better."

Something flashed in his eyes, but he didn't respond as May walked past him and left the room.

Skye concentrated on deep breathing as she walked towards the showers. She knew she had to stop reacting to Quartermain, but it was getting more and more difficult. Ever since the night he'd come to her apartment, she felt an anger bordering on rage every time she saw him. While she had never been an advocate for physical violence – only one of the reasons she was hesitant about being a field agent – she suspected hitting Quartermain would be satisfying on a very basic, primal level.

She was passing one of the smaller training rooms when she saw Grant sparring with Natasha. She paused to watch them. They were perfectly matched; each move was executed with flawless technique, and neither of them really had the upper hand for more than a moment.

Suddenly, Grant rushed Natasha. For a second it looked like the move would be successful, but then Natasha fell backwards and used Grant's momentum to send him flying over her head. Grant rolled quickly to avoid her countermove.

"Damn – I thought I had you for a minute," Grant said with a grin as he got up.

"That was a fucking rookie move and you know it," Natasha said, laughing. She made a beckoning motion with her hand and then they were at it again.

Skye couldn't help smiling at how much fun they were having. But her stomach sank a little as she continued watching them, and her smile faded. Natasha was Grant's equal in a way that Skye didn't feel she could compete with. She even had the perfect code name – the Black Widow, beautiful and deadly to her enemies.

Grant had also been spending more time with Ali recently. Skye knew that specialists were the lone wolves of SHIELD, preferring to spend most of their time alone or with each other. She couldn't think of even one who had a balanced family life. She knew May had been married at one point, but it had fallen apart long ago. The same was true of Bobbi.

It was even a joke among trainees and field agents. If you wanted to be terminally single then you became a specialist. Skye could remember a time when she'd been amused by that, but she no longer found it funny when it might be the obstacle that prevented her from being with Grant.

And if Grant didn't want to be completely alone, he was surrounded by strong women like Ali, Natasha, and Bobbi – perfect female specimens who could probably speak a hundred languages and knew a hundred ways to kill someone in five seconds or less. Bobbi even had a doctorate in biology, proving she was as smart as she was beautiful, and Natasha held the record for the highest marks in espionage.

As for Ali, it was clear that she and Grant shared a romantic history. What was less clear was whether or not they had rekindled that flame. Skye hadn't even told Grant about breaking things off with Patrick. Jemma and Fitz knew, as did Coulson, and Skye knew that Natasha had guessed what was up that night at A.J.'s, though she'd never commented on it directly. She supposed Grant could have heard about it but if he knew, he wasn't saying anything.

Skye started to move away from the doorway but a wave from Grant stopped her. She should have known he saw her since he noticed everything.

Grabbing a towel and a bottle of water, he joined her. "How was training with May? I looked in on my way to meet Natasha, and it looks like you're picking it up pretty fast."

"May said the same thing," she replied, smiling at Natasha when she walked over.

"Are you still thinking about training for field status?" Natasha asked her.

Skye shrugged. "I guess. I don't know." She tilted her head towards the showers. "I should go get cleaned up."

She walked out only to be followed by Grant.

Touching her elbow, he asked, "What's wrong? You don't seem like yourself."

Skye swallowed hard, fighting the urge to spill everything as she met his concerned gaze. "I've just got a lot on my mind, I guess. It's no big deal."

His dark eyes searched her face for a moment. "I'm about to hit the showers too. Why don't we go get coffee? It's still early."

They hadn't done that in almost two weeks, and Skye had missed it. "Yeah, okay."

After her shower, she met Grant outside the training area and they walked down the path that led away from the Triskelion. They took the train down one stop and got off near the park. It was a downtown area full of trendy restaurants and coffee shops, and Skye breathed deeply as the scents of coffee and baked goods drifted out of the buildings they passed.

Her favorite café was a small espresso bar called Filter that served locally roasted coffee and had a nice selection of tea and pastries. The exposed brick interior gave off a cozy ambiance popular among both students and area professionals and usually ensured a wait time even on weekday mornings. Today was no different, and Skye scanned the crowded room looking for an empty table as she and Grant entered.

Spotting one, she left Grant to place their order and crossed the room to the table. She pulled out a chair and sat, unwinding her scarf and removing her jacket. She watched Grant in the line, his tall frame easy to pick out of the crowd. He was wearing his usual black suit, and it amused her that anyone looking at him would probably think he was a lawyer or businessman. That he could blend so well into his environment made him good at his job.

"Skye?"

Startled, she turned to see one of her twin cousins standing behind her. Based on the hairstyle, she guessed. "Henna?"

"Yeah." Henna gestured to one of the empty chairs. "Do you mind if I sit for a minute?"

Skye shook her head, and Henna pulled out the chair opposite Skye and sat down. They were both quiet for a minute.

"I saw you come in with your boyfriend," Henna finally said. "I don't want to intrude, but I wanted to at least say hello."

"Oh," Skye bit her lip, reaching up to twist a lock of her hair nervously. "Grant's a friend and a co-worker, but it's not like that."

Henna's brows rose in surprise. "Sorry, I just assumed." She nodded to a nearby table where two women and a man were studying. "I'm here with some of the people from my study group. We usually meet in the evenings, but a few of us grab coffee together a couple of mornings every week."

Skye nodded. "I started training about a month ago. I start at six, so I sometimes come down here for coffee before work."

"Mom said you're a computer analyst. Are you thinking about doing field work?"

"Maybe," she replied. "I've been in the field once before and it didn't go as planned. If I want to keep my options open, I thought I should put in the work."

"Uncle Clay used to joke that if a mission isn't going sideways, you must be doing it wrong," Henna said with a smile. "The nature of the business I guess."

Skye tried not to tense up at the mention of Quartermain, but she could tell by the way Henna's smile faded that she was unsuccessful.

"Sorry," Henna said quietly. "I guess this is really weird – for me yes, but more so for you."

"Your mother gave me your number. I just haven't had a lot of free time lately," Skye explained. "Maybe we could have coffee one day, or lunch or something."

Henna's expression brightened. "I'd love that. And Mom will be back in a few days. She was delayed because she was helping the Austin P.D. wrap up a cyber case."

"I know," Skye told her. "We've texted a few times since she left." It seemed that Alanna was being careful not to push too hard, but she also wasn't backing away from forging a relationship with her newly-discovered niece. As much as Skye was trying to maintain her pragmatic view of things, she felt the little well of hope grow each time she and Alanna spoke.

"Thanksgiving is coming up," Henna said. "She said she invited you to spend the holiday with us."

Skye nodded, her eyes shifting to Grant as he approached the table. "I'm thinking about it."

Henna looked up at Grant as he set a tray of coffee and breakfast pastry on the table. "Hi."

Grant nodded at her as he sat in the chair beside Skye. "Henna, right?"

Henna looked surprised. "You're good. Most people get me and Jenny confused until they've been around us a few times." One of the women at the other table called out to her and she stood up. "I should get back to my study group, but I really hope we can meet again soon, Skye. And I hope you decide to spend Thanksgiving with us."

"I'll call you," Skye promised, smiling as Henna left to rejoin her group.

Grant watched Skye carefully as they ate. She still seemed off, and it bothered him. He knew the situation with Quartermain was difficult, and he hadn't been surprised by how awkward things were between Skye and Henna when he arrived at the table. Despite the understandable tension, Henna was attempting to overcome it and Skye appeared to be trying to meet her halfway.

Skye hadn't mentioned being in contact with her aunt, nor had she mentioned being invited for Thanksgiving. He supposed he could add those things to the long list of items Skye hadn't mentioned recently, like her breakup with Patrick.

He'd suspected that was what happened the night he saw them at A.J.'s since the tension between them had been palpable even from across the room. He'd considered checking on her after Patrick left, but Natasha beat him to it. Considering that he'd been trying to distance himself emotionally, he figured it was for the best.

And Skye was distancing herself as well. He used to be able to tell what she was thinking, but lately she was much less open. It was clear that she had a lot on her mind, and she seemed reticent to share her thoughts.

"They invited you for Thanksgiving?" he asked.

Skye sipped her coffee. "Alanna rented a house here in the city for the holidays, and she's invited me to spend some time with them there."

Grant was glad that Skye's aunt was attempting to get to know her. "How do you feel about that?"

"I don't know. Weird, I guess," she admitted. "I don't know if I can stomach a holiday dinner with daddy dearest, to be honest. But I don't want to kick him out of his own family for the holidays, so I'm not sure what I'm going to do."

"They're your family too, Skye," he pointed out.

"Yeah, but I feel like a gatecrasher – like some wrecking ball hitting the Quartermain family. Henna and Alanna are trying to bridge the gap, but I don't think Jenny is interested in seeing me. When Alanna gave me a list of numbers for her and Henna, Jenny's was glaringly absent."

"There could be a number of reasons for that," he pointed out reasonably. "My take on the twins is that Jenny falls back and lets Henna take the lead. Maybe she's unsure and doesn't want to seem like she's taking sides against her uncle – they seem like a close-knit family."

"You only met them once. How can you know that?" she asked, forking up a bite of her pastry.

"You'd be surprised by what you can learn in one meeting, even a brief one." Grant was confident that he'd pegged the twins correctly. "Trust me – Henna's the more outgoing of the two. That may be all it is, and I wouldn't be surprised if Jenny tagged along if you meet Henna later."

Skye shrugged. "Maybe."

"Is something else bothering you?" he asked her. Her issues with Quartermain were part of it, especially since he'd noticed Quartermain hanging around more, but he knew that wasn't the only thing worrying her.

Her gaze slid away from his and she played with the sleeve on her coffee cup. "No."

Grant was tempted to reach across the table, take her hand, and call her out on that obvious lie. Maybe it was her breakup with Patrick or her worries about the Obelisk still plaguing her, but he could see that she didn't want to talk about it. He decided to drop it for the moment.

"Hand has requested my presence at in conference room B at eleven," Skye said, pushing her plate away and wiping her fingers on a napkin. "Do you have any idea what that's about?"

Grant nodded. "It's probably about your clearance level. I think they've made a decision."

"And?" she prompted, dropping the napkin and leaning forward.

He smiled at her excitement. "I think you can expect at least a level 4, but Coulson and I both recommended level 5. Hill usually makes the final decision. She likes you and she's impressed by the work you've been doing on flash missions. I know she interviewed some of the other specialists about that field mission you were part of – your ability to work cooperatively in the field and follow orders is important because the higher your clearance level, the more likely it is that field missions will come up."

"Okay, but I don't know anyone who's ever been bumped up more than two levels," she commented. "It took Greg five years to reach level 5, and that's after going to the academy. I haven't even been with the agency for three years."

"No offense to Greg, but you're better than he is," Grant said. "You're fast and efficient. You don't waste anyone's time, and you don't get flustered when things go wrong. Clearance level aside, I'd rather work with you. I know Trip and Natasha agree with me because we've discussed your performance. That will count for a lot with Hill."

Skye's obvious pleasure in his praise said a lot about how seriously she took her job. She was inexperienced, but he knew they could do good work together.

"Thank you," she replied softly. "I will try really hard not to let you guys down."

They got a refill on their coffees and picked up an order for Coulson before heading back to the Triskelion. Skye rode the elevator up to Operations and they parted ways at Coulson's office.

Grant spent the morning following up on mission files. There were three situations he was monitoring, and as more intel came in, he would decide when the mission should move forward. At a quarter to eleven, he made his way to the conference room for the meeting.

Skye was already there and to Grant's surprise, so was Quartermain. The older man was sitting in a chair across the table from Skye, and she was playing with her tablet in an attempt to ignore him. The tense silence was thick enough to cut with a knife, and Skye looked relieved to see him.

Grant nodded at Quartermain as he took the chair beside Skye. "Are you okay?" he asked softly.

She nodded, and he squeezed her shoulder in a reassuring manner. A few minutes later Natasha came in, followed by Trip and Coulson. Hand and Hill were the last to join them.

As Grant suspected, they'd included Skye in the meeting because Hill had settled upon a level 5 clearance, which made Skye eligible for missions that Hand had previously vetoed.

Skye maintained her professional demeanor, but he could see how excited she was to be the first analyst to receive a three level bump. It said a lot about the agency's confidence in her abilities, and he was proud of her.

Grant reported on the status of the three flash missions he was monitoring, and Natasha contributed some intel she had received from a source. Skye took diligent notes and was tasked with research on Ramon Castillo, the South American drug lord whose lab Grant had raided a couple of weeks earlier.

He wasn't surprised to find that Greg had come up with nothing on Castillo's connections, which was the reason they were now giving the assignment over to Skye. When the meeting concluded, Skye followed him to his office.

"Congratulations," he told her, smiling when she pumped her fist as soon as the door was closed.

"And it comes with a raise," she said, grinning as she sat down in one of the chairs opposite his desk. "This city isn't cheap, you know. I can only afford the place I'm in because SHIELD owns that brownstone and A.C. pulled some strings after I came to work here."

"You deserve it," he told her, "but we do need to discuss potential field missions. Coulson and I talked about it and we both think it's best to limit field work as much as possible for the moment."

"Oh." Her excitement dimmed a little.

"Skye, we just want to make sure you're safe. Right now, if you do go in the field, I plan to be with you," he said. "And May said she'd talk to you about certain field readiness goals. I know you haven't decided if you want to be a field agent, and if you don't? That's fine, too. I just don't want you dropped into the middle of situations where you could get hurt."

She sighed. "Okay, I get it. I just wasn't expecting the mother hen treatment from you since A.C. has that covered most of the time."

His lips twitched and he tried not to smile as he sat in the chair beside her. "Call it whatever you want but I'm the one who brought you into flash missions and suggested a higher clearance level, so I'm going to do what I feel is necessary to mitigate the risk. I don't want anything to happen to you."

Skye reached for his hand, squeezing it gently. "You can be incredibly sweet sometimes. People keep saying you're one of the scariest agents in Operations, but personally? I don't see it."

Because she brought out a side of him he'd buried so long ago that he'd all but forgotten it. Whether Skye realized it or not, she held a great deal of power over him, and he was still struggling with where to draw the lines with her. He'd tried to back off, to disconnect emotionally, but he'd been unable to let her walk away that morning when it was clear she was upset.

He could draw all the lines he wanted and try to maintain an emotional distance, but he was beginning to suspect it was a futile exercise. He was still tempted to drop everything the moment he thought she needed him, and though it would be smarter not to be in the field with her, he wasn't ready to entrust her safety to someone else. Other agents were certainly capable of protecting her in the field – Trip or Natasha, to name two. He just didn't trust them to protect her the same way that he would.

It was half past seven and Skye was the only analyst remaining in her section. She'd been working hard to clear her current projects in preparation for the missions she'd now be working with Grant and his team. Greg had already dropped off a folder on Ramon Castillo with a grudging offer of congratulations on her new security level.

She was having dinner that night with May and Coulson to celebrate. Since they'd set it up the day before, she knew Coulson must have already known she'd been approved. She was pulling on her coat when Quartermain walked around the corner.

Skye slowly pulled her hair out of the back of her jacket and finished buttoning it without saying anything.

"Congratulations," he told her.

"Thanks," she replied shortly. Spotting the hard drive he was holding, she asked, "The Castillo case?"

He nodded and passed it over to her. "Two other analysts have tried getting in but they're having trouble unlocking all the files. Hand asked that you take a look at it."

Nodding, she opened the small safe beneath her desk and locked it inside. "I'll start first thing in the morning." She grabbed her scarf and bag, praying he would take the hint and leave.

He didn't.

"I'm meeting Henna and Jenny for dinner," he said. "Henna mentioned that she saw you earlier at the coffee shop. If you want to come with us…"

"I'm meeting May and Coulson," she interrupted him impatiently. She could feel that white hot anger rising up within her. Was he kidding her with this? Did he really expect her to just accept his dinner invitation, just like that, after he'd spent the last twenty-five years ignoring her existence?

Quartermain shrugged off her rejection. "I think you and Henna would probably get along well."

Skye clenched her fist around the strap of her bag and lost her battle to be civil. "Don't pretend you know me because you don't. You don't know anything about me. That's the way you wanted it, right, Dad?"

She felt a surge of satisfaction when he flinched a little at her last sentence.

His expression yielded little as he said, "You shouldn't miss out on knowing Alanna, Henna and Jenny because of me."

Skye remained next to her desk as he walked away, and she realized moments later that she was shaking. She sat down in her chair and tried to get herself under control because she didn't want Coulson or May asking questions.

She was honestly beginning to wonder what Quartermain's damage was. He'd wanted nothing to do with her for the last five years and suddenly, he was popping up everywhere – in meetings, in the training area, and at briefings for flash missions which, according to Coulson, he'd never been interested in before. And as hard as she tried, she couldn't pretend to be unaffected by it.

A/N: I've been under the weather so I didn't give this part a final edit like I usually do. However, I promised someone I would post it this week, so here you are. Please let me know if you see anything that needs to be fixed (grammar, etc.)

Up Next: Skye and Grant continue trying to find a balance in their relationship, and Skye digs into the Castillo case, with surprising results. Alanna returns to D.C. and Skye spends more time with her, Henna and Jenny leading up to a very awkward family Thanksgiving where the tension between Skye and Quartermain comes to a head. Skye, Jemma and Natasha have a girls night, and Skye seeks advice from May about how specialists balance their personal and professional lives.