A/N:

This chapter has actually been posted since yesterday and I meant to put an AN up with it to give a bit of background but (and I'm almost too embarrassed to admit this) I've only just worked out how to put them in *shame face* Turns out you just write in bold, who knew?

So, I had these ideas about funny/sweet scenes between a kid!Skye and members of the Avengers/Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. team but I felt like they needed context. I somehow ended up with this complete AU in my head that became essential to understanding these moments. This, however, led me to the uncomfortable situation of needing to actually write out this AU background before getting to the fun stuff.

This fic will be written more in the style of one-scene snapshots in chronological order within the same AU and won't be particularly plot driven. Does that make any sense?

It's taking me longer to write up the backstory because it's more detail-oriented, but I have started writing up the future scenes (which flow much quicker thankfully!). I don't know whether to post them now as future takes or just wait until they fit in with this chronology, I guess we'll see.

This is the first time I've written, literally anything, so I ask you to be patient while I work out style and voice. I'll freely admit that it might take some time. In the mean time I greatly appreciate constructive criticism. If you could hold off on the flames though that would be greatly appreciated =]

Without further ado…

Disclaimer: I own nothing of the majesty that is the Marvel Cinematic Universe or any of its awesome affiliations. Just saying.

June 4, 2004

Hunan Province, China

She looked down at the baby sleeping peacefully amongst the ruin and couldn't fathom that such utter destruction was caused by something so small. Agent Melinda May took a second to regroup, the purpose of this mission seemingly now redundant in the face of the complete annihilation of the entire village, S.H.I.E.L.D. team included. She turned to her partner Phil Coulson who also seemed to be struggling to reconcile the blood and gore with such an innocent visage.

"What should we do with her?" she questioned hesitantly.

Phil deliberated a moment before replying, "We can't risk someone else finding her body and dissecting her. I guess we take her back with us"

As he turned to give instructions to the rest of their team to retrieve the bodies of the dead S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, he noticed a twitch of movement out of the corner of his eye.

"Did you see that? I could have sworn she moved."

Melinda held her breath as he slowly leaned down to pry the tiny baby from the dead agent's arms. As he stood up it seemed as if the world stilled, fate hinging on this moment, threads of destiny falling away and twisting together. Then, as if the cosmos had coalesced into a decision, deciding on a path, her little face scrunched into an expression of confusion, tiny bow lips twisting into a pout, eyelashes quivering with indecision. She opened her eyes, a fathomless brown twinkling with some undiscovered knowledge, and the universe sighed. Melinda May had never believed in fate or destiny, too rooted in pragmatism to subscribe to such wishy-washy nonsense, but to this day she swears that the moment she looked into that little baby's eyes she knew the world would never be the same again.