A/N: Hello… I'm back… again. And I don't really know how to continue this story. You know I've been writing "sequels" for each episode, and of course, this follows the events of the season finale. I don't know if I should continue this stories, because when season 2 comes I want to keep filling the gaps between episodes.

Let me know if you want to keep reading this, because if I keep going this will become some sort of AU hahaha.

THE NEW BEGINING

"Congratulations, D.C." She smiled at him that same afternoon. "May told me"

"I would be director of nothing without a great team to start it"

"A group of people to change the world"

"I'm taking you'll stay. We're a little short on our budget, so we'll have to discuss your salary"

She didn't respond. She ran towards him and gave him a hug. Skye closed her eyes. The last couple of days had been hell, including the fact that she was kind of heartbroken… a little… nothing she couldn't handle.

"Skye?" He whispered? "Are you ok?"

"Yeah… yeah" Her voice sounded broken. She wiped away a few tears "It's just… too much crap pilling up"

He tried to smile "You know I'm here"

"I can handle…it" She sighed "Let's just ignore I was that naive. I'll never, ever have to see that stupid handsome face so, I'll be just fine"

"I don't think it's still that handsome… you know, after May…"

Skye chuckled and Coulson smiled.

"That's better"

"It is… thanks, really"

"Don't thank me yet" Coulson smirked and then looked for something in his safe. He took it and then offered it to Skye. Her badge. -her grin grew even wider. "Welcome back, Agent Skye"

She took it and just stared at it like it was a little treasure. "So… Am I still level 1?"

"Yes you are"

Skye sighed."You know i could always just hack into anything above my cler-"

"Just behave" He interrupted her. "We're in the US government good graces by saving their generals. We don't want any trouble"

"So… is this a good moment to tell you that I hacked into the NSA satellites?" She gave him an innocent smile.

Coulson sighed in frustration.

After a couple of days. They had their brand new base working and the NSA thing covered. They felt a little calm. With the help of the US military, Colonel Talbot stopped chasing them… Not like he was able to find the playground anyway, but still.

Skye wasn't even sure were they were. She had never gone outside. She knew that Coulson was in constant communication with Maria Hill. And she heard Tony Stark's name dropping a few times… which gave her the chills.

She was pretty busy though. She had access to every single Shield document, profile, or data. And thanks to Agent Romanoff's brilliant play against Alexander Pierce, she had a lot of useful things on hydra too. Adding her Trojan virus and all they got from Cybertech's base she could go through the profiles of all the agents, at least the ones that were still alive, and loyal to SHIELD. They were getting their bases back, but operating from the shadows. That was her style. they were fighting back.

There was only one thing missing… actually two… or maybe just one, better just one.

"How is he?" Skye asked when she was in Ftiz's room. He was plugged to a hundred cables, monitors, and all kinds of medical equipment. Jemma was by his side, as always, as every single day. The whole damn time.

She had circles under her eyes, she wasn't taking much care of her hair, or her aspect.

"Like he was yesterday. But he's alive" Her voice sounded like she was about to start crying, but she never actually saw her doing it. Skye put her hand and squeezed Jemma's shoulder. She leaned into the contact, she was so tired.

"He'll wake up"Every single second Fitz was still unconscious hurt more and more. It was a constant reminder of what Ward had done, the way he had hurt her family.

"Maybe he won't" Jemma sobbed "Skye, I'm not stupid. I know what happens when your body suffers a violent change of pressure, when your brain gets no oxygen. And I keep denying it but I know every single consequence, every single variable"

"Jemma" Skye said softly, but the scientific continued talking, breaking into tears.

"He could lost his memory, his genius, he could not wake up at all. He could just change, Skye… be different. He didn't want that… he didn't want things to change"

"Hey!… Simmons"

"He told me… he" She couldn't continue and Skye just dropped on her knees and hugged her friend.

"What?" The hacker whispered.

"That I was more than just a friend" Jemma could barely talk "He did this for me"

Skye felt her own eyes watering and tightened her embrace. "So, he has even more reasons to wake up. He'll come back"

"Skye…" Simmons muttered "I never asked you…"

"About what?"

"Just… how do you feel? I know that… if this was difficult to all of us it was even w-"

"It was even nothing" She interrupted her friend "He betrayed all of us in the same way. He did this to Fitz. The only thing he did was believe in that bastard"

With every word she sounded angrier. Simmons squeezed her hand "I don't even know if I could ever forgive him. But it's not the same situation"

"Thankfully, we won't have to see his face, ever again"

In that moment, Tripp opened the door, looking quite concerned.

"There you are" He said to Skye "We have a problem"

The girls looked at each other but the specialist was just staring at Jemma. He went back to Skye.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?"

Skye nodded, and Simmons wanted to ask, but she didn't.

The hacker followed their newest team member through the hallway.

"So… are you going to talk… or is this one of those awkward movie pauses when you don't speak until we're somewhere else"

Tripp almost chuckled "You won't like it. And I didn't want Jemma to hear it" He sighed "They're moving Ward… here"

"What? why? who ordered that!" Her tone grew louder with every word.

"Agent Coulson"

She pressed her lips closed and just walked away from him.

"Skye!" Tripp followed her. "Wait!"

She didn't listen to any of his pleads. She walked straight to Coulson's office and slammed the door open.

He was talking to May, and they both gave Skye a disapproving look. But they didn't look surprised

"What… the... hell!" She yelled

"I told you" Melinda said to Coulson. He didn't look very pleased.

"We'll have to set some rules in here. You can't storm in like that in a superior's office, less your director"

Skye frowned, she wanted to punch him "So… is that how we work now?"

"Agent Tripplet" May said and followed him to the door. They both left without further word.

"You know… the first thing I expect from an agent, is to be able to separate emotions from work"

"Well, sorry to disappoint you. But this is not just about me. Simmons is going through hell, can you imagine how she's going to feel when she finds out that murderer is here? This is personal to all of us. I don't even understand why do you want him here. This is not a prison!"

Coulson rubbed his eyes, he looked tired and frustrated "He refuses to talk"

"So what? we have a ton of intel on Hydra. We don't need him"

"There's more than… just that, Skye I… need to talk to him about Garrett"

"Why?"

"I just need to, Ok?!" He yelled "I'm your director, and I'm giving you an order. You don't question it, you follow it!"

Skye took a step back, she was kind of shocked. She have never seen him like that. He had never yelled at her like that… he looked desperate. And she didn't even know about those orders he was talking about.

"Wait" She said "What orders am I supposed to follow?"

He sighed "I'm sorry, Skye, I didn't mean to-"

"What orders?" She insisted

"He said that he'll just talk to you"

"No"

"Skye"

"Tell me why!. This has nothing to do with all that clearance crap. I know that there's something you're not telling me, and it's not about Shield or Hydra"

There was silence for a few seconds, until he looked at her again "There's something you need to see"

He was sitting in the interrogation room. He didn't know where he was. He didn't even know if Skye was there, but he just wanted to see her one more time before spending the rest of his life in jail. He felt lost.

He had been thinking about what Coulson had said for the last couple of weeks. He was nothing without Garrett, He had no mission, or purpose in life, because the only thing he wanted was the only thing he couldn't have.

And it was the same thing that happened to appear in the room in that exact moment.

"Skye" He whispered. His throat hurt like hell. But at least he could talk now.

"Cut the crap. What do you want?" She stood still, close to the door.

He looked like shit, beaten up, and wearing the same clothes he was wearing the last time. Only dirtier, ripped. They had done things to make him talk, she thought. And even if she wanted to deny it. It hurt to see him like that.

"I wanted to see you"

"What happened to your voice?" She asked.

"May. She was certainly better than a bomb" He cleared it's throat and made a face.

"Coulson needs to know about the symbols"

Grant frowned.

"You know what symbols"

"I don't know anything more than you know"

Skye sighed soundly "What do you know then?"

"Nothing… I mean, he was just talking about evolution, and…" He stopped and something changed in his expression. Skye noticed. He was remembering something, and that something was not good. "the key of evolution" he finished.

"What?"

He looked up to her. "We need to find Raina"

"Woah… we need to do nothing. You'll rot in a cell. We, Shield, the good guys, we… find Raina. She knows about this right?"

"She knows about you… you"

She frowned "Shut up"

"Why does Coulson want to know about the symbols?"

"I'm making the questions here"

"Tell me why!" He tried to yell but his throat hurt even more. He let out a strangled groan, she almost asked him if he was feeling ok.

"I think it's enough for today" She felt a knot in her throat.

"It's all about you" He muttered "We have to keep you safe"

"Shut up"

"Skye, please"

"I don't want to hear it, ok? I don't want to hear how you want to keep me safe when you were ready to shoot me a few weeks ago. When that monster ordered you to take me and you said yes. I don't want to hear any of that crap anymore. So put your shit together and remember what Raina knows about the symbols. Just that"

She left the room before letting him see her crying. It was worst when she had to face May.

"I know I screwed it. I'm not an interrogator ok?. And I'm sorry… I just can't act like all that shit didn't happen"

"You did ok" The senior agent replied calmly.

"You were watching…"

" Was he saying that those symbols have something to do with you?

"I don't know" Skye sighed "Maybe because I took the drug too. Do you think that is going to happen to me too?" She said referring to the symbols Coulson had showed her before.

"I can't tell. Coulson didn't show any signs for years, but apparently it had an immediate effect with Garrett. We need to know more"

"So that means… I have to-"

"He's not responding to other methods"

"Like brutal beatings?"

"Don't let it affect you. We have priorities, Skye. We need to help Coulson and we need to know what does this have to do with you"

It wasn't after another three days, when Coulson had another episode that she had to see him again.

"You're acting weird" Simmons said. Still in her spot, next to Fitz.

"You're looking pale. Have you eaten something?"

"I had some tea"

"That's not food"

"And this is not an honest conversation"

"It's just Coulson… he's been busy and, maybe he's getting sick or something"

"Do you want me to check on him?"

"No, no… it's ok. Actually I'll just go and see if he's ok"

Skye avoided all of Jemma's questions and got out of the room as fast as she could.

"He's not acting normal" May said with the most concerned expression Skye had ever seen on her.

"Where's he?"

"In his room. But I don't think you should go in there"

"Why?"

"Because he's talking nonsense… he's talking about you. You have to talk to Ward again"

"But he doesn't know…"

"At least he knows something. We need to figure this out before someone outside us finds out, Skye.

"Hello there" Said Tripp when he entered to Fitz's room.

"Are you going to talk to me?"

"I'm talking to you, sweetheart" He smiled but Simmons didn't even look at him.

"About what's happening here. I'm not stupid. I've not seen Coulson in days… or May. And Skye is as close as it gets to a massive freak out. Why?"

"Jemma…"

"Tell me" She looked at him.

"Maybe you should go outside. I mean, if they are not telling you is because they're afraid it will hurt you"

"Are you?"

"Of course I am, girl. You don't even eat. I get you're worried about him, but go to the lab, work on something, maybe yo can find a way to help him"

"I can't leave him"

"Why?"

"Because… I can't. I have to be here"

"Why is this sounding like you feel guilty about this? Jemma, it was not your fault. It was all Ward's fault. He was the one who did this"

"I know… but there's.. it's not just that"

—-

"Hey" Ward said when Skye appeared in his room/cell/closet… he still didn't know where he was. He didn't ask. But they put him in a tiny room with an almost too tiny bed. The walls were made of metal and there were no windows. He wasn't entirely sure that it was not a refrigerator.

She didn't smile. It hurt every time. All he could see in her eyes was anger, despair, pain.

"Let's talk"

"Whatever you need"

Skye sighed. She stood close to the door, like the last time. He was sitting in his bed.

"Ok… Raina. What does she know?… about me"

"She heard a story… about a baby in China. She heard that a village was destroyed for that baby"

"I know that"

"What?" He frowned.

"What Coulson told me… when we went to the academy. Remember?" Grant nodded and Skye continued "He told me that there was a massacre in that village. Somehow, a shield agent managed to save me and then another team found me and took me with them" She swallowed "Those Agents started to disappear, to die… until Agent Avery got me off the radar. She put me in the foster system"

"That's the name…"

"Yes, the name I was looking for in the wall of valor. That's what I didn't tell you about my past when you asked" She showed a sad smile "I thought I needed to protect you from that"

"Skye…"

"So stupid…" She said glaring at him. "Well, now you know. How is this all this crap about me?"

"Because there's a part of that story that you don't know. Garrett… the symbols… he went crazy, he started saying that he could see and understand the universe, see through everything. He started talking about evolution and writing all that stuff. He said that he was going to translate the words of the evolution and…"

"He wrote that" She concluded "is it a language?" She frowned

"I guess"

"What else?"

"He talked to Raina. She said that you were the key to evolution. And he kept saying that you were special… Skye, I don't know what that means. But Raina knows more about what happened in China"

Skye swallowed, she was about to ask when someone opened the door abruptly.

"What is he doing here!" Jemma screamed. Grant stood up and Skye froze in her place. "You are a monster!" She continued and walked towards him. She hit him hard, in the chest, in his arms.

Grant let her.

"Simmons, wait!" Skye finally reacted and tried to grab her friend. The scientist managed to push him on the bed and continued her attack until Skye finally pulled her away. "Calm down!"

"You let me go! What are you doing with him!"

"Come on" Skye tried to get her out of the from with Tripp's help. Before leaving, she caught a glimpse of Ward, lying on his bed. He didn't even react, or defend himself. HE just let Jemma hurt him, and there was an emptiness to his eyes that just broke Skye's heart.

They closed the door.

"Why!" Jemma yelled again.

"Calm down and listen to me ok!" Skye grabbed Jemma's arms "There's something wrong with coulson. Something that happened to Garrett too, and we don't know if that will happen to me too. We need what he knows"

"He's a monster" Jemma sobbed. She was crying since she entered to the room.

"I know. But he's cooperating. We need to understand what's happening Jemma, we need you. You need to see Coulson, you're the genius"

The scientist didn't respond.

"Jemma…" Skye continued but the words didn't come out. She just hugged her tight "Thanks" she said sarcasticaly to Tripp.

"Sorry, she's fast"

That night Jemma joined the team for dinner, but she wasn't the only one.

"Director Coulson" Said Koening with a grin on his face "It's a pleasure to have you join us"

Everybody just stared at him.

"What? Something on my suit?"

"Well… yeah… a you?" Skye said. "Are you feeling ok?"

"Better than ever" He smiled at her "I'm starving"

Melinda looked at Skye, then at Coulson again

"What?" He asked again "We have work to do. I need a report on our operational teams. Hydra bases are popping up all around the world and someone has to clean that mess. How's our bus?"

"Almost ready" May said doubtfully

"Awesome" He said and sat with the team "What are we having for dinner?"

He decided no to tell her about the monsters. He decided to protect her from them, even if he had to protect her from himself.

Skye was good, pure. She didn't deserve someone like him to corrupt her.

She started visiting him more frequently, even bringing him food. Standing closer to him. But she wouldn't smile. That hurtful look in her eyes would disappear.

He didn't even understand why she kept visiting him. Neither did she.

"I think we should send you back to jail" She said one day, avoiding his eyes. "We're getting out of here when the bus is ready and we can't babysit you anymore. I think we're done here"

"What are you going to do?"

"Are you seriously asking me that?"

"Right…"

"The government will continue to get intel out of you, whatever means necessary, you know that?"

Grant nodded "That part was really fun" He sighed

"You don't care…"

"I don't"

"You let Simmons hit you. Why?" Skye took a step forward "The other day, you didn't even defend yourself"

"I deserved it"

"Just like you deserved what they're doing to get you to spill the beans?"

"Even if I don't have more beans, yes"

"You're going to spend the rest of your life like that" Her voice sounded broken.

"Yes"

"For fuck's sake, Ward! say something other than yes!" She finally let out.

"I have nothing else to say, or to do. I think you're safe with the team. With Garret gone, those symbols wont be a threat for you. It's over."

Skye closed her eyes "What about Raina?"

"She took off with Quinn. He won't be difficult to find"

"So… that's it"

"Yes"

She breathed out, frustrated. She didn't even know what she wanted him to say "So, we're done here. Once the government takes you… we'll never see you again"

He nodded.

"He's coming with us" Skye said, pulling yet another facial expression from May.

"What is wrong with you!"

"Nothing. He knows more… I just know. He knows about Raina, about the symbols. I already told you.."

"Skye, we can deal with this. If something happens with Coulson...I'll protect you"

"I'm not afraid of D.C. He would never hurt me, or any of us. I just don't want him to hurt himself, I can't loose him too"

May sighed "Simmons says that he seems ok"

"He seemed ok for years. You said it yourself. We need to find Quinn, and we need to find Raina. This could go worse and you know it"

"What are you suggesting then?"

"Well, we can't just go hunting Hydra down. We need to solve this first… just that. We find Raina and we make her talk"

"And why do we need Ward to do that? If Raina told him everything he knows we'll do just fine with her"

"Phil, he would say that he trusts my judgement… I just know it"

"I trust you too" Skye almost smiled at her comment, but the senior agent continued "I'm just afraid you're letting other feelings in the mix"

"The plane is ready to take off, ladies" Said Tripp with a big smile.

"You're coming with us"

"What? I taught you were just going to investigate a Hydra abandoned base, Simmons-"

"Simmons is going to be ok. She's with Agent Koening, and there's another team coming. I need you here"

"Why?"

May sighed and looked at Skye "Because we're taking a guest to this party"

A/N: A little bit too long? well. Let me know if you want this to continue. This is the final part of all my post-espisodes series but it could become an AU on its own after this one.