Becoming Something Broken
by Muffinly
"You lied to us?" Simmons was the first to ask. The question, of course, was directed at both of them, but she looked at Fitz because she couldn't bring herself to look at Skye.
Fitz was quick to defend the girl that was standing beside him, eyes cast down at the floor, "Not her. I lied. I t-told her to play along. It's my f-f-... I did it."
"No, Fitz-" Skye said.
Coulson's face was hard, "It doesn't matter. We'll get through this."
"He's right." May said, "This doesn't change anything."
They were gathered in the lounge. The entire team. There'd just been an earthquake. After the initial shock, Skye confessed to her being a gifted. Fitz had initially tried covering up the confession, but Skye told him that it was time.
"But, sir-" Simmons began.
Coulson glared at her, some threat in his eyes, "Agent Simmons, that's enough."
"You should've told us," Mack said as he walked off.
Bobbi smiled at Skye a kind of smile that said 'it's gonna be fine' before leaving as well, followed by Hunter.
"I want you in my office in fifteen." Coulson ordered.
"Me?" Skye asked.
Coulson didn't shake his head or anything, he just clarified, "Agent Simmons."
He let the surprise linger and left.
May touched Skye's shoulder and repeated, "This doesn't change anything." And she followed the director out of the room.
Suddenly Fitz felt the urge to leave as well, "I, uh, I think I heard a...a lamp. Break." He looked at Skye, "I'll be, uh, in the lab if you…" He trailed off and exited.
Simmons finally looked at Skye.
"It's okay. What you said back after, y'know. About gifte- people who can do stuff? I understand. You were grieving. I know you didn't mean it."
Now the biochemist couldn't take her eyes off of Skye.
"Yeah," Simmons said, tearing up.
Skye ran up to the scientist and threw her arms around her friend, squeezing her tightly, "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you. I was scared."
"So was I." It must've been the overwhelming emotion that made Simmons' response sound drone-like. After a moment of simply hugging, Simmons said, "You're still Skye."
As they parted, Skye nodded.
"I need to go talk to Director Coulson." Simmons awkwardly interjected.
"Yeah," said Skye, "I wonder what that's all about."
Simmons smiled a little as she left the room, leaving Skye alone.
Simmons knocked on the door and didn't have to wait a second before a loud "Come in," resounded from the room. She stepped inside.
"Agent Simmons," he greeted.
"Sir," She was nervous.
He gestured to a chair, "Have a seat."
Simmons looked at the chair, and then back at Coulson, "Sir, is it okay if I stand?"
Coulson eyed her curiously, "Okay."
There was a pause as he watched her carefully. She was fidgeting nervously.
"Agent Simmons, have you been feeling alright?"
Simmons was surprised by the question, "Sir?"
He just waited for an answer.
"I… Yes, sir. I'm fine."
He nodded slowly, and then said, "Are you okay about Skye?"
"Of course, sir." She swallowed a lump in her throat, "She's still Skye. She's my friend. We'll learn to control her gifts and they could even prove useful."
Coulson nodded again and smiled, "There's the smart, rational Simmons I know. Dismissed."
The lab doors opened and someone stepped in.
"Simmons," Fitz greeted as he turned around, halting his tinkering with whatever gadget had been in front of him.
"Not quite." Skye corrected him, sitting on a random stool and fiddling with something on a table.
"Oh," said Fitz, "I thought you were-"
"Yeah. No. Coulson wanted to talk to her."
"Oh, right. What do you think he w… what do you, uh… why?"
Skye shrugged, "Dunno." She paused, "Do you think they're mad?"
"Who?"
"Everyone." Skye sighed, "I dunno. At least nobody's advocating my death." She laughed darkly, "I guess this is the best we can expect, right?"
"G-give them time to ad… to get used to it."
"Yeah. Simmons took it well. Better than I expected."
Fitz smiled.
The rest of the day flew by strangely much like a normal day. The team mostly avoided Skye, but she just went about her business like normal. She went to bed feeling more comfortable and relieved than she had in a long time.
Simmons went to bed feeling the opposite.
The next morning, Fitz, Simmons and Skye ate breakfast together. Simmons told Fitz that she understands why he lied, and that she forgives him. Skye watched and smiled, glad that the two might have been reforming that bond they once had. The three told stories and laughed about everything from a retelling of that time Simmons shot her superior officer to the amount of syrup Skye drowned her pancakes in.
"I'm just going to go to the bathroom," Fitz announced as he stood up.
"Thanks for the broadcast, Fitz. Let us know how it goes." Skye said with a smirk.
Fitz rolled his eyes as he left.
"Oh, Skye," Simmons said, "you should stop by the lab later. You're due for a vaccine. I completely forgot in all of this...revelation."
"Oh, sure." Skye said, "I wouldn't wanna catch the flu. Sneeze and make a tsunami, y'know?"
Simmons smiled, "Yeah."
Fitz returned a few moments later.
"So," Skye giggled, "defecation report?"
"It went great." Fitz joked to the girls' amusement.
Director Coulson was with May in his office.
"I'm not worried about her." Coulson said.
"Skye's strong." May agreed.
"She's been through a lot. She can make it through this."
"Uh-huh. So what are you worried about?"
Coulson sighed, "The others. How they're taking it. We don't need the team making this even harder for Skye."
May nodded, "And we don't need Skye's confession making excepting everything that's happened harder for the team."
Coulson sighed.
"What did you need Simmons for?" May asked.
"She's been on the edge of something ever since Trip died. I had to make sure this didn't push her off."
May nodded.
"Wouldn't it be nice if we could just go back to the way things were?" Coulson asked.
"You're so cliche. I'm going to throw up."
"Wouldn't, though?"
"You know we can't."
Skye entered the lab in a good mood.
"Good afternoon, Skye." Simmons smiled brightly, putting down whatever science she was sciencing with and moving over to her friend.
"So, are you giving me a shot or are we going for shots? 'Cause I could go for something to drink right now." Skye said lightly as she sat down.
Simmons pointed to the opposite side of the room, "I boiled some water." She locked the door, "I can make you some tea if you want."
"How about hot chocolate?" Skye asked.
"After." Said Simmons, preparing a syringe.
Fitz walked into the lounge.
"Where's Skye?" He asked Bobbi and Mack, who were talking on the couch.
"She said that she was due for a vaccine or something. She's probably with Simmons in the lab." Bobbi said.
Fitz panicked, "What?"
"What's wrong?" May's voice asked behind him. Fitz turned around to see the pilot and Coulson approaching.
"I've been… I've been tr- t… I've been following Skye's medical… medical records closely. She's not… Skye's not due for a vaccination."
May's face hardened, "Do you think Simmons would do something to Skye?"
Coulson didn't let Fitz respond, "The lab. Go!"
Simmons disinfected a spot on Skye's left arm and hovered a needle over it.
"It won't hurt." Simmons said.
Skye looked at her strangely, "Jem, I've gotten a shot before. It's cool.. Let's just get this over with."
"I've just hurt you so much. I'll feel bad hurting you again."
Skye rolled her eyes, "Melodrama much? Come on, Simmons."
Simmons' hand was shaking, and she looked uncomfortable.
Skye got all concerned, "Simmons, are you okay?"
Suddenly, a loud boom resounded in the lab. Simmons gasped and the needle fell to the floor. Over Simmons' shoulder, Skye saw Coulson and Fitz banging on the door, trying to get in.
"Skye! Get away from her!" Coulson yelled.
Skye looked at Simmons, panicked, and quickly scrambled to the back of the room, leaving a shaky Simmons to try and gather herself. Skye looped around to the door and pressed a button to unlock it. Coulson went to Skye and made sure she was alright. May grabbed Simmons and tried to restrain her.
May took Simmons' wrists and pinned them behind her back as the biochemist screamed and tried to get away.
"No!" Simmons yelled at the top of her lungs, "No! You don't understand!"
"Agent Simmons!" May called.
"Let go of me! You don't understand!" She broke out of May's grasp and in her panic grabbed a scalpel from a table.
"Simmons!" May said again.
Simmons sliced open May's palm as the scalpel escaped her trembling hands and clattered to the floor.
"Agent Simmons! Snap out of it!" May slapped Simmons in the face, leaving the blood from her hand on the scientist's tear-stained cheek.
Fitz was standing in the doorway, watching, horrified. Bobbi and Mack came running in and he stepped aside for them. Mack went straight to Simmons and May. Grabbing both of Simmons' wrists in one hand, he shoved her against a wall by the shoulder with the other.
"No! Stop!" Simmons kicked and screamed, "I need to do this! You don't understand! I need to do it! Let go of me!"
May held her against the wall from the other side, "We'll sedate you, Agent Simmons."
"No! Please. You don't understand!"
"No. We don't." Said Coulson, "Which is why Mack and May will take you to holding until you can explain yourself."
Simmons stopped fighting and looked up at her friends who seemed to barely recognize her. And she looked at Skye, who she barely recognized. Strength diminished, she tried fruitlessly to resist as and Mack and May led her out of the lab, soft pleas and incoherent outbursts escaping her mouth as they did so.
Fitz and Bobbi and Skye watched.
"HYDRA." Bobbi muttered.
Skye looked up at her, "What?"
Bobbi gritted her teeth, "HYDRA did this to her, I bet. They brainwashed her."
Fitz shook his head, "No. This is just Simmons."
Skye looked at the floor, "It's what she's become."
