It had began with Ian Quinn and it had ended with Ian Quinn. Life decided to be funny that way.
This was all too familiar.
The feeling of dread.
The feeling of extreme fear.
The feeling of stomach churning deja-vu.
Jemma Simmons was trying not to let her mind wander in fear of what she could find as she burst into the door of another one of Ian Quinn's mansions.
Skye had done it again.
Skye had let her stubborn mind lead her straight to the enemy, alone again.
Once again, the team was now looking for her in hope that this time would not be like the last.
Jemma ran through the door of every room, calling out Skye's name. Room after room was found empty.
After each empty room, the painful pain in her heart would increase. No, please not again, she prayed.
After countless door were opened, she opened the door. A trail of blood caught her attention. She found a body lying on the floor.
"Quinn," she gasped. Quinn's body lied lifeless , blood poured out of the hole in his chest.
Jemma let her eyes scan the trail of blood around the room.
It was when she saw the second body on the floor did she lose it.
"No, no, no. Not again, Skye. Not again. Please, not again," she cried as she fell to the floor, next to the body. "Coulson! We need an ambulance now," she screamed.
"I-I'm sorry," Skye whimpered. She was lying on the floor, blood flowing out the gun wound, right below her heart. "He. I had to stop him. He was going to hurt the team," She spoke as she choked on her own blood, the corners of her eyes already blurring.
Jemma pressed her hands hard against the wound. She had to stop the blood from pouring out of Skye. There was not a hyperbaric chamber. There wasn't any miracle that could save Skye, not this time.
'Jem-Jemma," she heard Skye faintly whisper. "Please, just… Am I done yet?" she asked as tears began to fall down her face.
The question caused Jemma to choke on her own tears as sobs violently wracked through her body. "Darling, please don't say that. We could fix this. The team is getting help. Help is on the way. Just please, please hold on," she cried.
"Jemma," Skye whimpered. "Please." That was all Jemma needed to hear before she took her hands off of Skye's chest.
Jemma began stroking Skye's hair away from her face, needing to look at her face while it still held life.
She held Skye's cold right hand in her left and rubbed circles into her palm with her thumb. "Sweetie, you're so brave," she told the younger agent, chocking back a sob as she caressed her face with her right thumb.
Jemma went on to trace her face with her right index finger.
Her cheeks.
The curve of her lips.
The outline of her nose.
Her eyes.
Her eyebrows.
She brought her lips down to kiss her every feature.
Her left cheek.
Her left eye lid, her right.
The bridge of her nose.
Her right cheek.
Her forehead.
Her hair.
All the while, Skye stared in awe.
Then finally, Jemma kissed her lips.
Lips blue, yet still tasted like cherry.
Lips cold, yet still felt alive.
Jemma touched their foreheads together as her tears fell onto Skye's face. She brought her head back up and smiled at the woman who had become her everything.
"I'm sorry," Skye said as she shakily held up her hand, attempted to wipe away her lover's tears.
Jemma smiled then began caressing Skye's hair. "You did good, love. You're going to be okay. It's okay. You're all done, sweetie," she paused, trying to compose herself to say the most important phrase. "I love you, Skye," she cried, knowing that that was the end.
She watched as Skye took one last breath to say, "I love you, Jem."
"I love you, Skye," she repeated once again as Skye's eyes closed for the last time.
Jemma gently let go of Skye's right hand and pressed one last kiss to her forehead.
Only then did she throw herself over Skye's body as she wailed from the pain. The emotional, physical and mental pain.
That was how her team and the paramedics found her, draped over the body of the one person whom she loved more than life itself.
The funeral was simple, intimate. Only the people who knew Skye were invited. The team, Director Fury, agent Maria Hill, agent Victoria Hand and other agents who wanted to pay their respects.
It was time for Jemma to present her speech. The speech which she had written to honour the brave woman whom she had been proud to call, her fiancee.
Jemma shakily stood up and went to stand behind the podium.
"Life, as we know, is many things.
It is complicated, hard.
Life could be full off laughter, but also full of tears.
Life could be filled with happiness, yet also fears.
Life could also be cut short. Abruptly, without a second thought.
Skye.
Skye was a daughter, agent Coulson's and agent May's daughter.
Skye was a sister, Ward and Fitz's little sister.
Skye was a lover, my beloved.
Skye was a warrior. She was a fighter.
Skye was a survivor. She was clever.
Skye was courageous. She was stubborn.
There was no chance of anyone being able to stop her from doing something once she set her mind to it.
Skye was beautiful.
She had deep brown eyes that you could lose yourself in.
Eyes that would brighten whenever she got passionate about something.
Her smile was one that could light up any room that she walked into.
Her laugh was contagious, you would never be able to stop yourself from laughing with her.
Skye joined our team for the sole purpose of finding her family.
Skye left our team with much more accomplished.
She had helped people.
She had saved lives.
She had brought down threats.
She had fought for what was right.
In the process of doing that, she had found her family, our team.
The one thing that Skye had ever wanted was a family. People who loved her, cared for her, listened to her, supported her and comforted her.
Skye had died willingly after she brought down the enemy, the person who repeatedly tried to hurt our team.
Skye had died willingly because she knew that she had gotten all that she had ever wanted, a family.
She found a father in agent Coulson, a mother in agent May.
She found a silly brother in Fitz, a protective older brother in Ward.
She also found true love, and I did the same.
Skye's story may have ended but her legacy would never be forgotten.
Agent Skye Simmons, you would forever be in our hearts.
Until we reunite again my beloved, I will love you, always."