Title: The Sky Opened Up
Author: snarkysweetness
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Skye, May, Coulson, & Dr. Andrew Garner (May's ex); past May/Garner, heavily implied May/Coulson b/c Skye ships her mom and dad lbr here
Summary: With nowhere else to turn to help Skye learn to control her powers May and Coulson call in the last person they want to see again.
Warnings: Dumb family fluff with angst.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Author's Notes: So when they announced May's ex had been cast and that his role I decided he had to be being brought in to help Skye because duh, she's the main character and it's logical and then this happened. Thanks to Dani for looking this over and Lillian and Elizabeth I hope this hurts you.
Skye ducked into an alcove to wipe her eyes, hoping no one had followed. Sometimes she wanted to run; run far away from the people she considered family, just for some time to herself. But where would she go? Run to her 'father'? Ward? Anywhere she went she'd have to keep running, to stay off their radar and to get away from Reader.
It sucked but she was trapped here and maybe that was why it was beginning to drive her nuts.
Lance and Bobbi had tainted her favorite hiding spot, the bus was fully operational and it was the first place anyone looked for her so that was out, and Clint was home which meant she couldn't hide in his little nest either. She needed to run and hide just for a little bit but it was impossible to do when you literally lived in a secret underground base.
She'd tried to run, once, when this all started. She was dangerous now, they were better off, but May and Coulson (mom and dad she thought bitterly) wouldn't let that happen. Her 'father' had been wrong, they hadn't turned their backs. When she'd needed them most they'd been by her side; helping her with their limited resources, the way she'd always needed someone to be there for her.
Skye loved them more than anything in this world. They were her real parents. She would always ache for the mother she'd lost but the people who stood by you, who loved you flaws and all, who respected your decisions, they were your real family and Cal Zabo wasn't that person.
Maybe he could have been in another life but he wasn't and May and Coulson were.
At least…she had thought they were but now she wasn't sure.
They'd brought in a doctor, some ex-S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who 'specialized' in 'gifteds' to 'help' her. He was a shrink, a neuro doctor, someone brought on to get into her head. She knew what this was, they were afraid of her. She couldn't control her powers and they were finally accepting that. They knew she was broken and they wanted to fix her.
And if they couldn't…
Maybe Cal was right. They couldn't understand this, maybe they were finally turning against her.
"Andrew-wait!"
Skye slunk further into the shadows, not wanting to be seen. The desperate ring to May's voice piqued her curiosity, but not enough for her to face her. She wasn't ready, not after she'd stormed out after their little 'talk'.
"Melinda, I'm really not in the-"
"You owe me."
Dr. Garner-Andrew-stopped in his tracks and turned back to May, distraught. "I owe you nothing-"
May shot him a glare and he sighed. Skye wasn't sure what the hell their deal was but it was like they were having a silent conversation. She'd seen May and Coulson have lots of those.
"I tried-I…you didn't need me, Mel. You had Phil, you always had Phil. That was our problem, remember?"
Skye's mouth opened in surprise. Oh, so he was…oh.
May crossed her arms, tilted her head, and stared at him pointedly.
"I…fine, Mel. I won't force her into anything, but I'll try to talk to her again."
"You'll do more than that."
He closed his eyes with a chuckle and shook his head. "Tell me," he said, meeting her gaze. "How long?"
"What?" She asked flatly.
"How long did it take for you and Phil to go off and make your happy little family? Was the ink even dry on our divorce papers before he knocked you up? When I wanted kids it was always 'no, the job comes first' but the moment you run off with hi-"
"What in the hell are you talking about?" Melinda asked, as if he were the dumbest person alive.
Andrew stepped closer, visibly upset. "I'm not an idiot, Melinda. The girl-" he shook his head. "You know, I always knew Phil was it for you. I knew it before we got married and I went through with it anyway. I was never enough for you. And I really thought…I didn't think you were capable of loving anyone as much as you love him until you brought me here.
I was wrong about you; you love the girl more than you love him. Anyone with eyes can see it."
She blinked and then shook her head when realization hit. "Andrew, Skye isn't-"
"It's okay, Melinda. I'm glad you're happy and I know it's not any of my business, I just…" he sighed. "I'm sorry your daughter is going through this but I can't force her to get help, you know that, right?"
"Skye isn't my daughter, Andrew. Phil and I…we never…" she sighed. "She's our..." Though May was a woman of few words Skye had never seen her at a loss for them. "I'm here S.O. It's my job to look out for her."
Andrew clearly didn't believe her. "Melinda, come on. I know you. You love that kid. It's okay, I'm not going to tell anyone if you're worried about her safet-"
"I mean it-it doesn't matter, will you just help her? Not for me, for her. She's a good kid-no, she's not a kid anymore. She's a smart, kind, a capable agent who suffered something terrible. She didn't deserve this. We both know what happens when you're forced to change. She blames herself for not having any control but how can she? None of us understands this. You're the only person I trust who knows anything about these things. You've worked with people like her, helped them. She needs to understand that she isn't a monster.
The girl she was is gone but she needs to see…"
Skye knew that May of all people understood how it felt to see yourself as a monster.
"If she can understand her powers, learn to control them, I know she can do good things with them. But I can't be the one to help her with this. I've tried but there's only so much I can do.
Please," she pleaded, her voice quiet, her eyes searching his as she stepped closer.
Skye had never heard May speak so many words at once in her life and it wasn't until she tasted salt on her lips that she realized she'd begun to cry. Skye wiped at her eyes angrily, realizing she'd been shutting her out without meaning to.
May and Coulson weren't afraid of her; they were afraid for her. They loved her. This was real; they weren't going to turn their back on her. She really had found her place.
"Andrew," Coulson said, materializing out of nowhere.
"Phil."
They gave one another a nod and Skye wondered how close the three of them had been. Andrew worked with people on the index, had the three of them been the Welcome Wagon? Before Bahrain?
"Was she in the nest?"
"No. She's not on the bus or in the SUV either; or even Lola."
"Did you check-"
"Trip's room is empty. So is the vault. Don't worry, she'll turn up, she just needs some time alone."
Andrew crossed his arms, raised a brow, and met May's eyes again. "You sure she's not yours?"
May rolled her eyes and Coulson didn't bother to feign confusion. He simply smirked and crossed his arms, mimicking Andrew's stance. "Look, Andrew, I know you've been away from S.H.I.E.L.D. for a long time and the three of us working together didn't work well in the past but we could use you. Not just for Skye; there are others like her, confused about coming into powers, being hunted by Hydra. You're a good man and the kind of person I need to rebuild S.H.I.E.L.D. I know we don't pay as well as the private sector but-"
"I'll help the girl," he cut-in. "I owe Melinda that much. I won't turn my back this time."
Skye wasn't an idiot, she knew what that meant and she knew she couldn't hide forever.
Taking a deep breath, she mustered up every bit of 'Mayness' she possessed and strode out of the alcove, ignoring Andrew's surprise and Coulson's proud 'dad' smirk. She met May's gaze and gave her a nod.
"Fine, I'll work with him. But only because I don't think the base can handle another quake." It was a piss poor attempt at a joke but she also meant it.
Every time her nightmares about seeing one of her best friends die before her eyes mingled with the nightmares about her father and dreams about Ward she would wake to the entire base shaking. She wasn't at a Fitzsimmons level of genius but even she knew that meant her powers probably had something to do with earthquakes, like the one that had destroyed the city and killed Trip.
She'd caused it and she refused to let anyone else die because of her.
May simply nodded but Skye could detect a hint of a smile threatening to break through.
"Dr. Garner do you mind giving us a moment?"
He looked between the three of them with a knowing smirk and nodded. "Sure thing, Agent. I'll be in the…was that your excuse for a kitchen, Phil?"
"There's a very nice George Foreman grill," Coulson replied smugly. "Someone even brought an espresso machine from home."
"Right."
The moment the trio were alone Skye threw both arms around May who froze in surprise before slowly returning the hug.
"Thank you," Skye whispered, her voice betraying the tears on her face.
May held Skye closer, one hand in her hair, cupping her head against her chest as she buried her face in Skye's hair. "What for?"
"Not giving up on me," Skye replied in a muffled whisper, not bothering to let go.
Skye felt Coulson's hand on her back before he pressed his lips to the top of her head. "That will never happen, Skye."
She could feel the two of them watching each other over her head and smiled. She wasn't sure why these two idiots couldn't just admit they were in love with each other but if they were going to be her pseudo-parents she was going to fix that. Once she learned how to control this whole causing earthquakes thing, of course. She knew how to prioritize.
Skye prepared to let go of May but Coulson joined in on the hug and May held her tighter and there was no place she would rather be than between the two people who had given her a chance to be something, to do something with her life; who loved her unconditionally.
She never wanted to let them go.
"I love you too," Skye said, remembering the doctor's words. He'd been so sure Skye was theirs because it was clear to anyone who saw them together that they were a family. Skye hadn't been able to see that for a long time, but she knew it was true, deep down, and well…she wanted to try it out.
May surprised her by being the one to speak. "You'd better; I'm putting up with my ex-husband for you."
Skye smiled as Coulson cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable at the mention of May's prior marriage. "I think what Melinda means is we love you too, Skye."
"Don't speak for me, Phillip; I meant what I said."
Unable to fight back a laugh, Skye released them and covered her mouth, failing to realize it was the first time she'd laughed since Trip's death. "I'm going to talk to the hot doctor now," she teased, giving May a wink. She knew she had game but damn. Skye was sure there was an inappropriate 'daddy' joke to make but now was not the time.
"Just promise me the two of you will bang already? The sexual tension driving us all crazy; hell, let's call it a condition of my participation in this whole head-shrink business, shall we?"
Skye didn't pause for a reaction; she simply turned and walked away with a grin on her face. She felt vibrations stirring in her hand and wondered if it wasn't just the negative emotions that brought on her new powers. She'd find out soon enough.
"Don't let his charm fool you!" He called. "He's a…he's not that attractive," he grumbled grumpily.
"Phil."
"Sexual tension…I don't know what that girl is…I mean sure we…wait…did she just…did she order us to have sex?" He asked, appalled. "I'm the one who gives orders around here-"
Skye could hear the vein in May's forehead throbbing as she disappeared from earshot and shook her head in amusement. Her partner-in-making May and Coulson get-together was gone but it didn't mean she didn't fully intend on completing their mission, no matter how long it took.