The Missing Piece
"Hey, Skye. Ya got a minute?" Mack asked, throwing down a wrench and greasy rag.
"For you, Mack? Always." Skye replied, shutting the lid of her laptop and smiling.
Instead of smiling back, Mack scanned the area, checking for others members of the team. Skye's smile dropped.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing! I just want to- you know-"
"Mack."
"Look, this is one conversation that might be just a little awkward if overheard. It's about…Turbo."
"Hm?"
"Fitz."
"Oh." Skye processed that for a moment, then nodded, inviting him to continue.
"Well, I just...everyone says that he was the best of the best. And I know he wasn't always like…this. Like the way he is now." Mack's forehead creased as he frowned. "So…what can you tell me? Just out of curiosity."
"About what he was like before?" Skye smiles sadly. "He was- Fitz. He sort of lived in his own world. But he also loved to be with people, hated to be alone. Fitz and Simmons were so close, they were practically one person, reading each other's minds and finishing each other's sentences. He could be hilarious, playing pranks ALL the time. He could get nervous under pressure, used to think every problem could be solved with a monkey-"
"Wait, what?"
"A monkey. Kind of an inside joke. He used to talk about his mom a lot and…he's…got a lot of feelings, even if he isn't always the chattiest guy. Be careful with him, Mack. He bruises easy, sometimes." Skye smiles, lightly punching Mack on the shoulder. "Or you'll have me to answer to. And May. And Jemma."
Skye continues: "Which reminds me…about Jemma. I love her, she's great. She's smart and intuitive, one of the nicest people on the team. But you heard about what- Ward did to them? In the ocean?"
"I heard." Mack says, sounding distant and twisting an old rag in his hands.
"Well, when Jemma left…it really messed Fitz up for a long time. Like a piece of his puzzle was missing, you know?"
Mack nods.
"But maybe you're the missing piece to his puzzle." she says kindly. "All I can say is that he definitely seems different with you around. I think you're good for him."
Mack nods again, finally beginning to smile just the tiniest bit.
"Thanks, Skye. About all this stuff with your…almost-ex? You know I've always got your back." he says, smiling up at her.
"I know. Thanks." Skye says, smiling. "Now, I've got to finish this hack before Coulson wonders what happened to me."
"Alright. I might head down to the lab for a little bit, see if they need me down there. Do some um- inventory or…"
"Sure. You go do that." Skye says, smirking slightly.
"Shut up." Mack says, shaking his head.
"I didn't say anything-"
"You didn't have to!" he says, tossing the rag at her.
"Gross!" Skye yelps, reaching for her laptop. "Listen, if one tiny speck of dirt touches this laptop, then you're gonna pay!"
"Guess you better get going then." Mack says, holding up his hands, covered in oil and grease.
"Oh god," Skye mutters, hustling up the staircase while clutching her laptop.
"Thanks Skye!" Mack calls after her.
The slam of the door is his response but he smiles.
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