A/N: Hello there. A fun filled story about Simmons' return for you.
She felt as though she was sinking, as though with every step her body was morphing itself into the ground. The grazes on her arms, face, and body were nothing compared to the scorching pain in her side. Her hair was messy, odd on its own but not unheard of, the large stain forming on her shirt was another matter entirely. Jemma Simmons was a neat and tidy being. She liked order, she liked following the rules. It made her feel nice. So why is it that she was stumbling about in a dark, underground tunnel, unkempt and with a look of pure guilt glued to her face?
She stopped a moment to right herself against the harsh bricks and checked to make sure she hadn't been followed. Her suspicious actions went unnoticed, as she was entirely alone. Not even an alley cat was nearby. She turned down another few tunnels barely able to keep her legs from falling out under her. Jemma didn't think she could move any more, but she was so close. She couldn't stop now. She might not have a choice.
Tripp let out an exasperated sigh, "You had to mention the ex-wife. I had been enjoying the peace."
"Hey, you chose to come in here, don't complain that you don't like the topic of conversation, mate," replied Hunter.
Agent May rolled her eyes as she walked past the bickering team members on her patrol duty. Most of the team did this in pairs, but she wasn't most of the team. Between Coulson's condition getting worse, Skye asking to many questions, Fitz not being able to speak coherently, and SHEILD agents being picked off one, by one, May was having a hard time finding calm. She was barely sleeping, even for her, and sitting down for longer than a few seconds was near impossible, so the rhythmic stroll through the underground network that was SHEILD was a pleasant and much needed break. She was of course alert and on the watch for any intruders that might sneak through their security precautions, but that didn't prepare her anymore for the sight she came upon as she turned the corner. A small figure was crumpled against the wall, silent and unmoving. She pulled out her gun, a feeling of dread rushing over her, and approached the figure.
Nobody knew what had happened only that the emergency bay was off limits and the building was on high alert. There were people rushing everywhere, all under orders, all following them with haste. Fitz watched them all from a corner somewhere. He couldn't help but compare them all to ants. The scene resembled a hive having recently had a drop of water drip down, sending the ants scurrying here and there with no real idea of what to do or where to go. They were all ants really. The whole world was.
The heart monitor flat lined. The medical team was fluttering about like angry months. Agent May stood watching. Panic was filling the emergency bay and there was nothing more she could do. She had told Skye that Jemma could handle it. She made Skye believe it, made herself believe it. Now the biochemist lay on a metal slab before her, heart un-beating, no breath in her lungs and her blood stained shirt cut away to show her lifeless body. Melinda May could no longer watch. She shouldn't have been out there. She didn't even pass the field assessment. Now she was dead.
Coulson paced around his office trying to pry his eyes off the security feed. Things didn't look good for Agent Simmons. He barked a few more orders down the phone preparing for the potential of their base having been compromised and continued pacing. The company was a mess. What was Fury thinking? The knock at the door had him cut the feed, just in time. Skye waltzed in, concerned etched upon her face.
"Sir, what's going on?" she demanded rather than asked. "The alarm has gone off, there are agents going wild down there, and May is missing."
"Agent May, isn't missing," he replied.
"Then where is she?"
"Dealing with a situation," Coulson pinched the bridge of his nose and blinked a few times.
"Remind me, what is that situation again?" She noted the remote in his hand and the blank TV screen.
"There has been a security breach. I need the perimeter feeds for the pasts few hours checked for any suspicious activity. I also need you to check for a potential leak of headquarters location. If anyone knows where we are I need to know now," He turned back towards his desk and Skye took it as a sign she had been dismissed. He was keeping something from her. It was obvious.
