Skye had been in her quarters for the past few days, only coming out to eat, shower, and use the bathroom; everyone was getting really concerned, but she wouldn't let anyone near her. She wouldn't let anyone talk to her and if they did she didn't reply; they all wanted to help, but Coulson had given them direct orders to give her space. So in the middle of the night when Skye thought that everyone was asleep she went to the training room to get in some training hoping that it would help her refocus herself; what she didn't expect was to find Jemma Simmons, in a tank top and yoga pants, working on a punching bag; she had never seen her so focused on something that wasn't science or for a mission, of course her training would help in the field, but she didn't go out into the field very often.
Skye stood there for a few moments watching she was amazed at Jemma's stamina, she continuously punched that bag; Skye wondered what she was frustrated with, because it was like she was picturing the bag to be a specific person who she needed to get her anger toward out. Skye smiled as she remembered the moment that Ward was being lead out of the SHIELD base, Jemma had stepped forward when Ward had called out to her, and she threatened him with a death; Skye had never seen Jemma so angry, of course she saw her angry when they had been reunited after everything with Ward and Garrett, but she could see in her eyes just how much Jemma was angry and hated Ward.
Jemma didn't know she was being watched and at the moment she didn't care if she was; she was focused on the bag and getting her anger and frustration. She was frustrated with Skye for pulling back away from them, they were family and she was pulling away from them, not letting them help her; she was angry at Whitehall, Bakshi, and Skye's father for everything they were doing. Of course Bakshi was unconscious in the infirmary, but that didn't stop her from being angry with him; she was tired, tired of being weak, of not being able to help Skye.
All Jemma could think about was how badly she wanted to fix everything, from Fitz's brain injury to Skye's problems with her father; she wanted to be the one people could count on, the person who could help them. But right now she felt like she was letting them down, she had just been able to resuscitate Bakshi and now she couldn't even help Skye; they had always been able to help each other, but right now she wasn't helping anyone.
Jemma was so focused on punching the bag that she didn't sense that someone was watching her until she heard someone clear their throat; she immediately turned in a fight stance, prepared for whoever it was. When she saw Skye standing there she sighed a big sigh, then turned to grab her water bottle off the table; Skye could see something was bothering Jemma and moved to sit next to her where Jemma had settled herself on top of the table with her water bottle in her hand.
"How long have you been working out?" Skye asked casually.
"I started when I was with Hydra. Thought it would be a good idea to keep in shape and be able to protect myself." Jemma answered.
"And why are you doing it now? You don't have to protect yourself here."
Jemma didn't reply to Skye, she got off the table, put the water bottle down, and started to wrap her hands again; Skye was surprised by Jemma, she didn't understand why Jemma thought she needed to keep training. Jemma was the doctor, a scientist, why would she feel the need to protect herself here; Skye didn't understand why Jemma didn't answer the question and jumped down from the table top.
"Jemma, what's going on?" Skye knew that something was wrong.
"It's nothing." Jemma said as she finished wrapping her hands and started to punch the bag again.
"Jemma you and I both know that lying isn't your strong suit, yes you've gotten better, but I can still tell that something is bothering you."
Skye held the bag as Jemma was punching; she knew that something was bothering her and she wanted to help. Skye had never seen Jemma hold in what was bothering her; they normally talked about everything, but then again she was holding back what she didn't want to talk about too.
"It's nothing to worry about. I'm fine. What about you? You've been hiding in your room." Jemma said with a little anger in her voice.
"That's not fair Simmons." Skye said defensively as she took a step back from the punching bag.
"Nothing's fair Skye, in this life nothings fair."
Jemma stopped punching the bag and turned her back to Skye leaning forward and put her hands on the table for a moment, then stood straight up. Skye who was concerned by Jemma's behavior, moved from behind the bag closer to Jemma. Skye could tell that Jemma was holding something in and that it needed to come out before she lost it; she thought it would happen to her first from when Coulson told her about her family, but as she stood there looking at Jemma's back she knew she wasn't going to be the first. Skye moved closer to Jemma and could hear muffled crying; she immediately moved closer and put her arms around Jemma with her head on her shoulder.
"Hey it's okay. Everything will be okay." Skye said worriedly.
"Nothing will be okay Skye. It just keeps getting worse." Jemma said as she tried to hold in her tears.
"Oh Jemma, what's really bothering you, because I know it's not nothing; it's something and I'll tell if you do."
"I can't." Jemma said as she tried to move away from Skye.
"Jemma, please don't pull away…I know that I pulled away, but don't do what I did. I've been so angry at my father for everything that he's done and now he's threatening you guys. I can't lose you guys. That's why I've been pulling away, I thought if I distance myself from you guys he'd stop that he wouldn't hurt you." Skye said explaining why she had been pulling away from them, she kept her arms around Jemma holding her close.
"I…I don't know where to start." Jemma said as she turned in Skye's arms to face her.
"Come on. Let's go talk in my room."
Skye then led Jemma back to the personal quarters, where they stopped by Jemma's room for her to shower and change before they decided to talk in Jemma's room since it was easier to stay there instead of going to Skye's room.
"Start at the beginning." Skye said really starting to worry about Jemma; she hadn't spoken a word since they left the training area and she was being very quiet which wasn't like her.
"It started after the chitauri virus…I felt so useless like I couldn't do anything myself. I mean I needed Fitz to help me with finding an antiserum for God sakes; Ward touched the asgardian staff and went all angry and I couldn't help him. Then you got shot and I'll I could do is watch you get worse until Coulson and the others found the GH-325; after that when Fitz and I were stuck at the bottom of the ocean and I couldn't do anything to save him. After we got rescued, Fitz wasn't the same and I thought that me leaving would help him; he was better when I wasn't around. And I tried infiltrating Hydra and getting information to help you guys; I couldn't even protect myself when they found out about me, I had to rely on Bobbie to get me out. And even now I can't protect you guys still, I just feel like I'm not carrying my own here." Jemma said, once she got started she just seemed to have to keep going. "I just feel like I can't help you, any of you."
"Jemma you are so important to the team, not just because you're the biochemist, but because you're more than that. You are so much more. I don't know how you think you're useless cause you're not. How do you think we'd be able to do autopsy's or figure out how the obelisk works? Who do you think would stitch us up or fix us when were broken. Jemma you are that person. You help us so much. You're too hard on yourself. I know that I've been pulling away and I thought it would be better for everyone. My father he's dangerous and he's threatening you guys, I won't sit by and let him come after you guys." Skye said wanting Jemma to know just how much she meant to her and the team. "You do so much for us and we wouldn't be able to do what we do without you. You have to believe me. I would never lie to you. We love you…I love you. You mean everything to me that's why I put so much distance between us."
"I love you too Skye. And you don't have to hide from us. We care about you too. I care about you. I don't care if I'm in more danger by being around you, you mean too much to me to have you so far away. You mean a lot to the team too and they want to help, they want to be there for you. So please don't push us away, don't push me away."
Jemma pulled Skye in to a hug wanting her to feel just how much love she had with them, how much they'd do anything for her. She wanted her to realize she wasn't alone and she would never have to be that ever again. Skye held Jemma just as close, she had really missed being around her and she swore to herself she wasn't going to pull away ever again.