A/N: Still ignoring all of that "Real S.H.I.E.L.D."/Afterlife stuff.
Also, some of this might make a little more sense if you read the last one or two fics in the series.
They're sending her away again.
Logically, Skye knows that Coulson and May are just trying to protect her from her father and what's left of Hydra the best way they know how, and they've reassured her that this is not like Fury's secret cabin. Instead of being hidden away all by herself in some laser-locked cabin in the woods she will be keeping May's mom company in some house in the middle of Nowhere, Pennsylvania. She knows they're doing this because they're more worried and scared than they let on.
Still, it stings.
She thought everything was going back to normal, or at least what passes for normal for them. She has been on a handful of missions since finally managing to learn how to control her powers and everyone has started to treat her like they did before. Simmons doesn't look at her with trepidation in her eyes anymore and the others have stopped tip-toeing around her like she's a ticking time bomb. Even better yet, Coulson has been spending more time with her and May has been the most open she has seen her be in two years. Skye thought things were getting better, that the Playground and S.H.I.E.L.D. were really going to be the forever home she had dreamed about when she was a little girl. A large part of her knows this is true, she can see it in the way Coulson is looking at her now, like all he wants to do is tell May to turn the Quinjet around and take them back to the base; but a small and persistent part of her wonders if it all really is just too good to be true.
"We'll be landing in about 10 minutes," May tells them from the cockpit and Coulson tightens his grip on the small red vase of pink magnolia blossoms he brought with him. "Bringing her flowers isn't going to change anything, Phil."
"It's polite to bring a gift to dinner, Melinda." He looks almost offended. "Although, maybe Skye should give them to her, make a good first impression and get on her good side right away."
Skye frowns. "You don't think she'll like me?"
"Don't listen to him, Skye. My mom already likes you."
Already? "You've told your mom about me?"
"Of course I have."
Skye hears exasperated affection in May's voice, but she also hears what sounds like a bit of little pride in there and it quiets some of her doubts.
Lian May is waiting for them when they land on what seems to be her front lawn. The house really is in the middle of nowhere, settled in the middle of a large clearing somewhere in the forests of Pennsylvania. Skye looks at the two-story craftsman with its olive green walls, pretty front porch, and garage and wonders if it's tiny elderly owner gets her groceries delivered by helicopter. Or maybe by drone.
May greets her mother with a brief hug and a kiss on the cheek.
"Hi Mom."
"Hello Qiaolian." Lian's smile is warm and oddly distant. "And you must be Skye. Hello Skye."
"Hello Mrs. May, it's nice to finally meet you." Skye replies, internally cringing at how young she sounds right now.
"Likewise." Lian's smile grows a degree cooler when she nods her head in Coulson's direction. "Phillip."
He smiles back, genial and friendly and slightly nervous in a way that almost amuses Skye. "Hi Lian, you're looking well. I brought flowers."
Lian hums, whether if it's in approval or not is unclear.
"Well, let's get inside. Phillip, help Skye get settled in the guest room. I'm sure you remember where everything is. Qiaolian, you help set the table for dinner." She gestures to a simple wooden bench by the front door where a pair of plain black cotton slippers sit. "Don't forget to take off your shoes."
Dinner is awkward.
That's not to say the food isn't good. As a matter of fact, it's delicious and if circumstances were different Skye have devoured it all in minutes; but circumstances aren't different. There is a tiny but very heavy lead ball sitting in the pit of her stomach, so she nibbles on her white cut chicken and stirs her rice bowl while Coulson and May just about inhale their food and feebly try to encourage her to do the same.
No, dinner is awkward because Coulson is quiet and May is doing all the talking which, really, is understandable since whenever Coulson says anything Mrs. May just gives a somewhat disapproving hum. Still, they both give Skye reassuring smiles and try to get her eat.
"So Mom, do you have anything planned for Skye this week?" May asks in the light tone she has adopted since landing on her mother's front yard.
"Yes, she will be helping me with the garden and around the house. I will also make sure she continues with her training, of course."
Coulson gives Lian a pleasant smile. "That sounds great, Lian. We knew you'd find a way to keep her busy." He turns to Skye, his eyes apologetic. "Maybe you'll have time to skim through that Corvette manual I put in your bag and we can start fixing her up when we get back."
Skye nods rather enthusiastically but her smile is tapered by the turn of Lian's lips.
"You still have that death trap, Phillip?"
"Lola isn't a death trap, Mom," May says, refilling her mother's tea in an effort to not roll her eyes at Lian's old complaints and Skye begins to see what Coulson means when he talks about how alike they both are.
"I never should have let you watch that silly cartoon." She eyes Skye's plate. "And give the girl another piece of jīròu. I thought you said she had your appetite."
Coulson clears his throat. "Actually, Skye is going to help me upgrade Lola's safety features. I've been working on the plans in my spare time."
Lian simply hums and sips her tea.
Almost an hour later the dishes have been washed, dried, and put away and they're standing on the front porch watching Coulson and May slip their shoes back on.
"I get it. It's only for a few days. It's not like last time," Skye parrots back to them. "Besides, you're leaving me with your mom so I know for a fact you're going to come back eventually."
Looking at them, she manages to keep it together and be the mature S.H.I.E.L.D. agent she wants to be, the one she wants Lian to believe she is; that is, until she catches the brief flash of pain in their eyes and she caves. She almost doesn't care that Lian May is watching. She rushes into Coulson's chest, wraps her arms around him, buries her face into his shirt collar and holds her breath for the brief second it takes him to respond to her embrace and pull her closer. She feels May stroke her hair and Skye turns to look at her.
"We'll be as careful as we can be," she tells her, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear as Coulson drops a kiss on her head. Skye finds that May's words and Coulson's affection are exactly what she needs to pull herself together again. She can still feel his lips and her hand on her head long after the Quinjet is out of sight.
The next morning Skye manages to wake up at her usual hour and meets Lian on the front porch for Tai Chi and then a breakfast of oatmeal and tea. For a moment Skye thinks that this stay might not be so bad because Lian May's quiet presence certainly beats the loneliness of Fury's cabin; but then the older woman finally speaks.
"This morning you will run drills out here on the front lawn. Then, after lunch, you will wash my car. After that you will study from your flight manual until dinner, after which, you may have some free time."
After her fiftieth seal clap Skye almost starts to wish she had been left in Fury's cabin again. Almost, because she finds a familiarity in Lian that is oddly comforting. She is colder than May was when they first met. She doesn't tease Skye, or roll her eyes at lame jokes, she doesn't smell like lavender and leather; but Skye can hear her S.O. in her voice and see her in the slope of an arm and it makes her miss May in a way she never expected. She ends up not-so-subtlety studying Lian during dinner, trying to catch every glimpse of May-ness she can find in the other woman and she feels Lian studying her too.
On her second day Lian tells her that she will be helping her weed out her garden which ends up being harder work than expected. By ten o'clock her back is sore, her arms are aching, and Lian's silence is kind of starting to get to her.
"I don't know if May mentioned this to you, but my mom, my birth mom, she was Chinese." Skye says as she carefully avoids pulling on a peony. "And, well, since I never really got to meet her I thought that maybe I could learn about China and Chinese culture. Anyways, I was just hoping that maybe you could help me."
"What would you like to know?"
"Everything."
Lian hums. "The best way to learn about a country and its culture is to learn the language," she tells her, not bothering to look away from her flowers. "I recommend you start with Mandarin since it is the official language. It is not as difficult to learn as people say it is. Even Phillip learned it, although his accent is terrible."
"Do you maybe have some books I could look at?"
"Beginners should start with children's books and unfortunately for you I gave away most of Qiaolian's old books," she answers with a shrug before adjusting her hat. "I think that is enough gardening for today. I will put these tools away while you go and get some cleaning supplies. I need you to wash all the windows while I take care of some business in my office. Afterwards we will have lunch and I will quiz you from your flight manual."
Skye blinks and wordlessly nods as a wave of disappointment crashes into her chest. She manages to shake most of it off after a moment or two and hopes Lian hasn't noticed. Still, the sting stays with her throughout the day and past their painfully silent dinner.
Skye's third morning with Lian is a rainy one. They manage to go through most of their Tai Chi on the front porch before a bright flash of lightning and an alarmingly loud thunderclap sends them both scrambling back into the house. Skye is a little surprised when Lian sends her to her room for what she calls "extra free time" until the storm passes but she doesn't question it, feeling more than happy to sit on the bed, wrap herself up in a blanket, and read through the Corvette manual Coulson left her. It's still raining when Lian knocks on her door an hour later and starts rambling about the inadequacies of the National Weather Service. She is speaking rather ill of Al Roker when something catches her eye and gives her pause.
"You have Bo," she says, looking at the old stuffed panda bear nestled lovingly against Skye's stomach in veiled surprise.
Skye sees the downturn of her lips and clutches her bear tighter. "May gave her to me. She says she's mine now."
For a brief moment Skye worries that maybe Lian will take Bo from her and chastise her for acting like a child, for cuddling with a stuffed animal and not holding herself like the trained superspy she is supposed to be; but then she sees something shift and slide into place behind the older woman's eyes, watches them grow warmer and softer as her slight frown eases into a barely noticeable smile.
"Put your books away, Skye. Today I will teach you how to make dumplings."
Two hours later Skye's hands are full of sticky flour and uncooked pork and the kitchen is warm and messy and the air just smells so good.
"My mother taught me how to make these when I was a little girl. I tried to teach Qiaolian but that girl is a disaster in the kitchen," Lian explains, her tone softer than it has been since the Quinjet landed on her front yard. "You are doing much better than she did."
Pride surges through Skye's chest. "Yeah, I watched her try to make scrambled eggs once. We had to buy a new skillet and new spatula."
Lian laughs and it sounds like May's.
"Coulson is a much better cook," Skye continues. "He makes the best French toast and soups and the greatest mac and cheese ever. Actually, everything he makes is great."
Lian hums. "He almost went to culinary school instead of joining S.H.I.E.L.D. It's good to know his talent hasn't been totally wasted."
Skye pauses in pinching her dumpling closed and spares a glance in Lian's direction. "May I ask, why do you hate Coulson?"
"Don't be ridiculous, I don't hate Phillip. I love Phillip. He is a good man with a good heart and he and Qiaolian care for each other very much."
"But you don't like him."
Lian sighs deeply and seems to consider her words as she begins to construct her last dumpling. "Phillip was always devoted to S.H.I.E.L.D and Qiaolian to him. Andrew used to say that it was like being married to the both of them and I once feared that her adoration would drive her to follow him to the grave. It almost did. But now…," she carefully places her finished dumpling on the tray and gives Skye a full and bright smile, the first the girl has seen in days, "now I think their priorities have changed."
Skye smiles back, just as bright and just as full, and feels the dread in her stomach begin to ease away.
They spend most of the next day cleaning the house and Skye learns more about May than she ever thought she would. In dusting May's numerous trophies she learns that her S.O. is a gifted classically trained pianist and a half-decent artist, and in sweeping the upstairs hallway Lian calls her "gallery" she learns that she spent a good portion of her childhood traveling between Hong Kong, D.C., and New York City. May also seems to have spent some time hanging around Julia Child and former Director Carter who, Skye discovers over lunch, is also May's godmother.
"Qiaolian absolutely idolized her Aunt Peggy. It's entirely her fault Qiaolian went into S.H.I.E.L.D. and not the C.I.A.," Lian explains before the incessant buzzing of her phone causes to finally look at the device and frown.
"What is it, Mrs. May?"
Lian doesn't answer but worriedly hums as she turns on the small T.V. resting in a corner of the kitchen.
"…hundreds of thousands have been left homeless as this small Sokovian city was literally dropped from the sky. The number of casualties is as yet unknown but preliminary reports estimate it to be at only a few hundred thanks to the work of The Avengers who were able to, not only evacuate the city, but also defeat the robotic men…"
"That's a S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier," Skye gasps, her gaze transfixed on the screen. "Except, I don't remember any of the blueprints showing evacuation pods."
"That's because, ridiculously enough, none of the helicarriers were ever equipped with them. These are new editions, and most surely Phillip's doing."
Lian can't help but smile at the way Skye's chest puffs up in pride over her beloved D.C.'s work, but she does manage to stifle a laugh when Skye practically squeals in delight upon hearing that she will be going back home in the morning.
"Oh thank God!" Skye goans and Lian raises an eyebrow. "Not that I haven't enjoyed my time here with you, it's just that I've been worried about the team and kind of homesick for the base," she hurriedly backtracks. "I'd totally love to come back and visit if you'd have me. I mean, it's been like going away to visit Grandma's. Well, at least, this is what I'd imagine it would be like since I've never had a grandma."
A flash of something like sadness briefly crosses Lian's face and the emotion shifts into a warm smile, soft eyes, and the feeling of a loving hand on her cheek. "Well, now you do."
It's just after one in the morning when May and Coulson sluggishly trudge up Lian's front porch still wearing their tactical gear, bruised, sore, tired as hell, and a solid six hours earlier than they were supposed to arrive. Nevertheless, Lian says nothing when she greets them and simply starts to make tea when the pair begin make their way up the stairs to check on their girl.
"I'm surprised she didn't wake up when we landed," May says with a weary sigh as they drop into their seats at the kitchen table where warm cups of tea were waiting for them.
"She couldn't stop watching the news so I may have put a little extra something into her evening tea to help her sleep." They eye their cups and Lian rolls her eyes. "Yours are just chamomile. Drink up."
Coulson takes a tentative sip from his mug and tries to let the warm tea ease the fatigue he knows will soon begin to truly set in. It only lasts for a moment. "How has she been?"
"I managed to keep her busy, just as I promised. Skye is a strong, intelligent, and resilient young woman." The corners of her mouth briefly lift just a fraction. "And she is very proud of you both. Although, I think she may still be a little upset that you went and took out Hydra without her."
May shakes her head, her eyes flickering with embers of outrage and fear. "We saw their labs, Mom. We saw what they wanted to do to her. There was no way we could risk her falling into their hands if things went south."
"But they didn't. The mission was a success and Hydra is not an imminent threat, correct?" They nod their heads. "Good. I don't want anything to happen to my granddaughter now that I've only just met her."
Coulson chokes on his tea. "Granddaughter?"
"You treat her like she's yours –"
"She is ours," May tells her.
"Then I am her grandmother."
The sun is well above the horizon when a bleary-eyed Skye wanders into the kitchen the next morning and finds May sitting at the table and Coulson standing by the stove with a bowl of pancake batter and a bright green apron. It takes her still sleepy brain a moment to process the sight, but the second it all clicks into place she all but hurls herself into his arms, breaths him in deep, and soaks in the warmth of his hands on her back. She almost doesn't notice when May leans in to give her a half-hug and is only half-surprised when she does.
Two hours later, after they're all hugged out and stuffed with second helpings of pancakes and bacon, Lian forces Coulson and her daughter onto her couch, sandwiches Skye in between them, whips out a rather expensive looking camera, and tells them to smile wide.
"Mom, do you even have room for another picture in your gallery?"
"I'll make room because God only knows when I'll see you come around again." Flash! "I will email you copies later this evening."
When Skye gets her copy she prints it out on the special glossy photo paper Fitz-Simmons keep in the lab and puts it in a bright red frame she finds hidden away in the archive. She sits on her bed with Bo on her lap and stares at the picture in her hands, studies their bright smiles, how Coulson and May both lean their heads towards her, and the way the three of them seem to fit so easily and so well together, like she was made to fit into that spot on that couch with them. She stares at it for what seems like hours and tries to wrap her head around the image. When she finally does, when the meaning of its existence starts to sink in and she begins to understand, she lets out a quiet, happy, breathless laugh because she is looking at something she had long ago stopped believing she would ever have – her own family portrait.
A/N: Again, this is entirely unbeta'd so please keep that in mind if you review.
Title is taken from Fleetwood Mac's "Safe Harbor".