Force Majeure

by crazydiscounicorn

noun. A superior or irresistible force that cannot be anticipated or controlled. An act of God. When a pair of foreign scientists are added to Skye's stormchasing team last minute, she believes their chase season is already in ruins. However, first impressions are not always what they seem. Written for AOS Big Bang Round 2.

The video created for this fic by sarcasticghoul and tabzy18 can be found on the AOS Big Bang livejournal! It is super awesome and badass so check it out!

Disclaimer: I own nothing

April 10th

8:34am

Shouting a quick goodbye over her shoulder to her roommate, Skye scampered down the steps of her front porch, allowing the screen door to slam shut behind her. Flinging open the door to her beat up, red pickup truck, she climbed in and jammed the key into the ignition, immediately throwing it into gear and peeling out of the driveway. Keeping an eye on the road, she blindly dug through her bag for her phone, cursing when it slipped from her grasp and fell into the black hole between the seat and the console. After awkwardly fishing out the device and nearly fumbling it again, Skye finally was able to select the intended contact and press the phone to her ear.

It only rang once.

"Where the hell are you?"

"Well, good morning to you too."

"Skye, you were supposed to meet us thirty minutes ago."

"I'm sorry. I'm running a little late today."

"I can see that. You picked a hell of a day, too. Our guests," he choked out the word as if it left a foul taste in his mouth, "are on their way and I don't want to look like a jackass."

"I'm almost there, I swear. Also, why did you have to pick a Denny's as our meeting place? That's like, the shittiest restaurant ever."

Skye smirked at the frustrated sigh. She always did enjoy pushing Ward's buttons. "Skye, they're foreigners. It's not like I could ask them to try to find something that's off the beaten path. That and there's not much to choose from. We could have gone to Cracker Barrel instead."

"Ugh. Gag, no."

"I thought so."

"I'm just turned onto Main. I'll see you in a sec."

Skye remembered quite vividly the day the giant ass wrench had been thrown into her plans for the chase season. Her team, while successful, was one of the younger and more inexperienced in the fleet of groups funded by NSSL. They were the last to receive new equipment and last to take their share of the trickle down of money. Nevertheless, they often beat out veteran team on spottings and useful videos and photos.

Still, they were often subject to being given assignments the other teams refused. Most times it was testing experimental equipment; however this season was a bit different.

Skye's phone rang two weeks before the season was due to begin.

"Skye Brody here."

"Hello, Miss Brody."

"Hi..."

"My name is Nick Fury. I'm the current director of operations at NSSL."

Skye knew who Nick Fury was. She'd be an idiot not to. He had been the director of NSSL for six months now and was known for being hard-nosed and not taking the time to mess with office politics. That being said, he was the best thing that had ever happened to the organization. His no nonsense approach to business meant less time spent in pointless meetings and more time researching weather patterns and improving weather systems. Nick Fury was truly a man of the people. His aim was not for notoriety or power, but for the safety of the general populace. Phil Coulson, who was in charge of the chase teams out of the Norman station, seemed to like him and Skye usually trusted his judgment. Coulson always seemed to find a way to throw a little extra funding their way.

"Oh! Um, hi, Director Fury, sir. Do what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Please, don't give me any of that formal crap. Your team is planning on participating in the tornado chase season this year, correct?"

"Yes, sir."

The man of the other end of the line hummed in approval and Skye could hear the sound of papers being shuffled.

"I would say that I have a proposition for you, but it's really more of an order. Two scientists from one of our sister Laboratories have been working on a new weather probe. It's nearly completed and they'd like to test it in the field. Their invention could change our understanding of storms for the better."

Skye almost sighed in relief. This, she could deal with.

"So, you want us to deploy your probes and send the scientists the data we recover?"

Nick Fury chuckled. Skye didn't like the sound of that.

"I'm afraid it's a little more complicated than that. You see, the probes are far more complicated than any the U.S. labs have been able to produce. In order to calibrate the instruments to produce a model for widespread use in the field, the scientists will have to be on site."

"Oh no."

"Oh, yes."

Skye sighed in exasperation. Couldn't she have just one season to herself with only her team to worry about?

"Have these scientists ever even seen a tornado?"

"Doubtful. As far as I know, they spend most of their time in the lab or behind a computer. They're both brilliant, of course."

"But they have no experience in the field?"

"None whatsoever," Nick confirmed.

"So I'm going to be spending three months babysitting two excitable British geniuses?" Skye asked.

"Essentially. All you have to do is make sure to get their prototype in a tornado and keep them from getting killed."

Skye scoffed.

"No offense, sir, but I'm not running one of those tornado tour outfits."

"None taken, however I think the funds that come with this gig may change your mind."

The woman paused, her lips pursed as she considered her options.

"How much are we talking?"

She could almost see the man's smirk through the phone when he answered.

"Enough to replace your chase vehicles."

"How'd you know-"

"And to get that new radar software you've been looking at. I have eyes everywhere, Skye."

While she was impressed (and slightly creeped out) by Fury's intuition, Skye was slightly skeptical of his offer. However, she knew if there was even a miniscule chance that he was being genuine, Ward and May would slaughter her if she didn't jump at this chance. Her truck was certainly looking worse for wear and the Ford Explorer they used as their navigation vehicle was deteriorating by the season. Skye heaved a sigh.

"Tell the scientists they better have their asses in the states before the first of April."

The rest of the team weren't exactly thrilled with the new additions, but they agreed that this was an opportunity they couldn't afford to pass up.

Barreling through the glass front doors of the restaurant, Skye was immediately slapped in the face with the stench of stale grease and broken dreams. She wrinkled her nose in disgust and pushed past the patrons crowding in the waiting area and moved towards the back of the dining room where she could see Ward waving her over.

The rest of the chase team was already there and a smile threatened to split her face in half upon seeing her friends sitting around the badly scratched table.

"Nice to see you've been working on your punctuality."

She gave her best 'go fuck yourself' smirk to May and settled next to Tripp, accepting the fist bump he offered her and nodding at Seth in greeting who was, thankfully, getting better with eye contact. When he first joined the team, she felt like she was kicking a chihuahua any time she tried to hold a simple conversation with the young man.

"So, where are the geeks?" Skye asked as she motioned for the waitress to bring her a cup of coffee.

"Dr. Fury is bringing them. They should be here any minute."

As if on cue, the front door opened, letting in a gust of warm humid air. The imposing figure of Nick Fury strode into the diner, followed closely by two much less intimidating individuals.

Leopold Fitz was exactly what Skye expected, right down to his diminutive stature and sweater vest. Jemma Simmons, however, was a different story. Although she was clad in a decidedly nerdy blazer (really, did these people know how warm the South got in the spring?), she was much more attractive than the stereotypical scientist Skye had been picturing. Not that Skye cared about her level of attractiveness, like, at all.

Pleasantries were made and Dr. Fury left shortly following his arrival. It was clear the newcomers were feeling a bit out of place, which they were. Ward and May were both staring at the scientists blankly and Tripp and Seth both looked like they had no idea what to say. Skye took mercy on the duo and pushed two menus their way and gestured for them to sit down. After a breakfast that was ten shades of awkward, the group paid and made their way out to the parking lot.

Skye barely managed to hide a grimace when she was informed that Jemma would be riding in the truck with her as per Coulson's orders. She was so used to having the cab to herself to think during the long drives preceding the excitement of the chase.

Jemma eyed the PVC structures donned with objects that looked like tiny windmills on the roofs of both the red truck and the powder blue Explorer warily.

"What are those things?" She flinched at May's disgruntled sigh and looked to Skye for an answer.

"It's basically a mobile weather station. They measure wind speeds, air pressure, stuff like that and send the data to my laptop."

"And you get close enough to the tornadoes to get that kind of information!?" Jemma looked completely horrified.

Skye and the rest of her team grinned evilly at their new teammates who were now shifting uneasily. "You'll see."

"Where will I be?" Fitz, who had remained silent up until this point, raised his hand hesitantly and cleared his throat as he set down an equipment case that was almost as big as him and brushed some dust off his khakis.

"In the DOW," May answered with a general gesture towards the parking lot.

"I'm sorry, what?"

May regarded the young Scot with an annoyed glare and Tripp enthusiastically jumped in.

"Doppler on wheels? No? How about the flatbed with the big ass alien spaceship thing on the back?"

The pale boy looked at him with frightened eyes. Skye tried to keep from rolling her eyes at the scientists, she really did, but it was obvious they were both hugely unprepared for the endeavor they were facing. Sure, they were probably smarter than Skye and her motley crew of four put together (except maybe Seth, but he didn't talk much), however stormchasing was one profession that required more street smarts than anything. No amount of years in the lab would ever prepare a person for their first time tracking a tornado while remaining at a safe distance. The nervous demeanors of the two scientists did not bode well for Skye's season. She just hoped they'd at least make an effort not to get in her way.

"Just get your shit in the trucks, Fitz, and let's blow this motha' fucka'!"

When Fitz and Jemma just blinked at Skye, May sighed.

"Normally I try not to agree with Skye, but we've got to be in the Oklahoma City area before two so get your asses in gear."

11:45 am
Skye swallowed and glanced to her right at the brunette sitting in the passenger seat before putting her full attention back on the road.

Jemma and Skye hadn't spoken for at least thirty minutes. The chaser had been completely thrown for a loop that morning with the new additions for the chase season. She hated the way Jemma looked at her. It was so hesitant, like she was afraid to even speak, and it sort of reminded her of a puppy that had just been beaten for peeing on the rug.

She scowled at her own reflection in the rearview mirror. She'd like to think she was being mature about this situation, but so many changes really brought out the bitch in her. She risked another glance at the woman in the passenger seat and immediately felt the keen sting of guilt settling in the pit of her stomach. Jemma was determinedly staring straight forward, her gaze refusing to leave the road ahead and a frown set firmly upon her features. It was at that moment that Skye realized she wasn't the only one who had been unknowingly thrown into the plot for a bad comedy. She resolved to make lemonade out of the storm season. She sighed and loosened her grip on the steering wheel.

"I'm willing to try to make this work if you are."

Jemma, for the first time during the car ride, turned away from the window to look at the driver of the vehicle. Her hazel eyes were wide and filled with disbelief.

"Really?"

Skye grinned at the wonder filled tone of her voice. Why was it so hard for people to believe that she was actually a good person?

"Really."

Jemma practically deflated in relief at the confirmation and smiled giddily at the other woman.

"Skye, thank you."

Skye smiled, genuinely this time, and focused her full attention back on the highway, already feeling excited by the recent appearance of fluffy white clouds in the distance and the strong winds that were threatening to blow the truck off the road.

"It's gonna be a busy day."

The brunette looked slightly alarmed by the driver's abrupt shift in mood.

"Busy? What do you mean?"

A grin spread across Skye's tanned features. She had almost forgotten she was amongst amateurs. She was so used to driving alone at the head of her team with only the CB to keep her company. Explaining the phenomena of severe weather to those with little knowledge on the subject was something she had grown fond of.

"I mean that it's very likely that we will have some active storms to go after this afternoon."

"How can you tell that?"

Skye pursed her lips, trying to formulate how to explain what she wanted to say to the scientist.

"You remember this morning when we left the restaurant and the air was so heavy it felt like you could chew it?"

Jemma nodded.

"That's caused by humidity, moisture in the air. You add that to the cool, strong winds the cold front is bringing in and," she gestured to the cotton ball clouds, "an unstable atmosphere and you've got the potential for a major weather event on your hands."

Skye grinned at the girl in the passenger's seat in conclusion and switched on the radio, allowing soft classic rock to fill the cab.

"You really love this, don't you? You seem quite excited by it."

Skye nodded emphatically.

"I do."

"How did you get into this field? You don't seem like the scientific type. No offense."

Skye chuckled quietly.

"None taken. I mean I wasn't until my senior year of high school. I took a natural sciences class as a blow off so I wouldn't have to take the class where they force you to take the fake baby home. And, I don't know, it was really cool. It was so interesting, learning the way the atmosphere works, and I found myself wanting to learn more and more about the weather. I started watching the Discovery Chanel more, my mom thought there was something wrong with me, and you know that show Stormchasers? I caught the last ten minutes of it one day. The guys on it were standing in a field less than a mile away from a twister. There was lightning and hail and they were getting blasted with dirt, but the moment was so awesome that they didn't care. They were doing what they loved.

I decided then that was what I was meant to do. I applied for OU the next day and when I graduated Coulson offered me a place on one of his veteran chase teams. The next year, he let me put together my own. The rest is history."

Jemma smiled wistfully out the windshield.

"I wish my story were more like that."

"It isn't?"

Chuckling softly, Jemma shook her head.

"I don't know why I'm complaining. I attended university where my mum and dad went. I just finished my doctorate. It's what they've always wanted for me."

Skye didn't miss the bitterness that permeated her words.

"What did you want? Before you went to college?"

Jemma's cheeks colored slightly.

"Promise me you won't laugh?"

"I'll try my best."

The other woman rubs her palms on her pants nervously.

"I wanted to be a dancer. On stage. Musicals and that sort of thing."

Skye snorts, because out of all the things she expected Jemma to say, that was the furthest one from her mind.

"You said you wouldn't laugh!" Jemma's face was now a lovely shade of crimson and she turned her back to Skye as much as her seatbelt would allow.

"I'm sorry." The only response was a disbelieving huff. "Really, I am! It's just you don't really seem like the dancing type."

"I'll have you know I took jazz dance lessons all the way up until university."

The scientist had her arms crossed over her chest and her eyebrows furrowed in a mock glare.

"I'll believe it when I see a picture of you in a tutu."

1:55pm
The time was nearing two o'clock when the small convoy rolled into Oklahoma City. Skye followed the familiar route through the city to her team's favorite haunt. Jemma fixed her with a confused gaze as other woman pulled the truck into the parking lot of a small diner.

"We need to check on the weather and eat. This place has wifi and cheap food." Before the scientist could open her mouth she added, "Don't worry, they serve hot tea too. I know how you Brits are."

Jemma gaped at the smirking brunette who just winked at her before killing the engine and sliding out of the vehicle. She walked around the truck to retrieve her laptop from the backseat.

Fitz emerged from the massive cab of the truck pulling the Doppler dish stretching his arms over his head and yawning loudly. May rolled her eyes at him and headed into the diner without waiting for the others.

"What's up with this place anyway? Everything's all red and flat and dead. I feel as if I've been in that metal box for ages."

Skye chuckled.

"That's Oklahoma for you. And storm chasing is 85% driving." Fitz groaned. "The other 15% is 10% watching the sky and 4% actually chasing."

Jemma frowned as she joined the duo.

"You're missing one percent. What's that?"

Skye grinned evilly at her two companions.

"Running for our lives."

"Hell yeah! I'm ready for some sandwiches!"

Tearing her gaze away from Jemma's hilariously terrified expression, Skye turned to face Tripp as he climbed out of the Explorer.

"I know! I missed this place."

"For sure! I was going through withdrawls." His eyes landed on Jemma who was still blinking owlishly at Skye. "What's up with the doctor? She looks like she just saw a ghost."

2:20pm
Dark eyes intently scanned the screen of the Macbook on the table, studying weather reports and predictions to formulate her plan of action. Storms were just beginning to fire along the dry line to the west of their position. They were just little yellow and green blips scooting across the map on the radar now, but as they moved eastward Skye was hoping they'd build and intensify. The barometric pressure had been taking a steady nosedive since noon and the shifting winds suggested the atmosphere was beginning to become more unstable. She looked up from her computer to find her team watching her expectantly.

"So, Skye, what's the game plan?" Tripp asked around a mouthful of sandwich.

Skye ignored the man's table manners and turned the laptop around so her team could see the screen.

"A line of thunderstorms is forming along the front and moving in this direction. We're where we need to be for now. We'll watch the development of the line and once it gets closer and we have some warnings, we'll pick our storm."

May and Tripp were grinning widely. It was strange, May grinning. They were so hungry for a chase they were almost trembling. Even the normally calm Ward was squirming in his seat.

Skye, herself, felt like crawling out of her skin. It had been so long, almost a year, since she had been out on the open road with her team. Her best friends. Her job in Norman was great, sure, but predicting blizzards and tracking hurricanes was a dull undertaking when she wanted nothing more than to take to the highway and search the plains for the most dangerous and unpredictable storms of all.

If anyone had told her high school self that she would be making her living studying and photographing tornadic storms she would have laughed in their face. The truth was, however, that she was happier than she had ever been. Here in Oklahoma she was far away from St. Agnes, from her ex-friends and ex-lovers, and far, far away from her mistakes that threatened to swallow her whole had she stayed.

Hacking secure systems and trying to be cool and aloof no longer mattered. The constant bullying she had received still plagued her at times. The only things she had done right in high school were graduating and applying for college in Oklahoma.

She'd tried dating briefly in college. The four years were filled with countless meaningless flings and little more. The country girls of Oklahoma just weren't her type and once she began her career, she'd rarely had time to browse the market. The thought was pushed to the back of her mind as a sudden beep from her computer ripped her from the trenches of her mind.

Brown eyes immediately darted to the lit up screen and corners of pink lips quirked upwards.

"Skye?"

Skye looked over the screen at her anxious team.

"Pack up."

"Hell yes! Let's blow this popsicle stand!"

There was an indignant huff.

"Sorry, Kathy, it's a very nice popsicle stand!"

Skye waved at the middle-aged woman behind the counter smiling at the group fondly.

"Bye, Kathy! See you on our next Tripp through town."

The woman just shook her head and chuckled, handing Tripp a sack of cupcakes and returning the hug that Skye offered her.

In less than ten minutes the convoy was back on the road, heading west towards the thunderheads on the horizon. Skye reached for her radio.

"Now this storm is not yet severe warned, but it's intensifying rapidly and it is likely that it will be warned by the time we get there. We'll get ourselves closer and get to a good vantage point and stop so the DOW can scan."

"Rodger that." May's voice crackled over the radio.

"Tripp, are you ready to get us to where we need to be if we need to get off the interstate?"

"I sure am!"

Skye smiled at her friend's eager voice. She turned her attention to the brunette in the passenger's seat. The woman had a smile on her face, but had the door handle in a deathgrip.

"What about you? Are you ready?"

Jemma turned to face her, brown eyes wide.

"Yes?" Skye raised an eyebrow at her, eliciting a sigh. "I don't know. I've never done anything like this before. It sounded so exciting when Mr. Coulson explained it to me, but these things kill people."

The chaser nodded. "They do," she agreed.

"And that doesn't bother you?"

"Everything has the potential to kill people. Floods kill twice as many people each year and the sun three times as many. My job is to predict when and where the severe weather will happen and let people know when there is a tornado coming their way. The rest is up to them."

Jemma was silent for a moment, seemingly taking in the stormchaser's words.

"What I don't understand is how you ended up with your team. You're a… very eclectic group."

Skye chuckled.

"I was wondering when you'd get curious." At Jemma's pointed look she continued. "May and Ward work as a meteorologists for a weather station in Norman. Ward and I went to college together. Seth joined us just last year. He's still in school. Oh, and Tripp's got his bachelor's in geography. He's great with maps and directions. It helps when we're chasing in remote areas."

"What do you do with a degree in geography?"

"He does the traffic reports at the station May works at when she's not chasing with us."

"That makes sense." Jemma was silent for a moment before adding, "You have all done so well for yourselves. Stormchasing seems like it can be a rough business to be in."

Feeling suddenly bashful, Skye ducked her head, still keeping her eyes on the road ahead, as a hot blush crept up her face. She was thankfully saved from responding by her phone chirping from its resting place in the cup holder. Carefully glancing at the screen, she let a smile take over her features. She reached for the radio.

"Our storm's gone severe!"

As her team's enthusiastic responses came through, she studied the storm they were now nearing. The horizon before them was colored a menacing shade of slate and the clouds hung low. Every now and then, slivers of lightning were seen streaking across the sky before them. Above them, the clouds were still quite high; however they were thick enough to block the sun, bathing the countryside in an ominous shade.

She pointed up at the sky through the windshield.

"You see those cloud formations up there? The ones that look like little pockets hanging underneath the cloud?"

Jemma nodded.

"What are those?"

"They're called mammatus clouds. You find them mostly on strong storms. They're caused by windshear."

"So, they're a good sign?"

Skye grinned happily at the scientist.

"They're a very good sign."

3:45pm
Skye pulled the red truck over on the side of the interstate in a rest area.

"What are we doing? Why are we stopping?"

The brunette looked out of the window at the much darker sky worriedly and jumped when a crackle of thunder could be heard over the radio.

"We're getting out," Skye answered simply, smirking at the look of panic that flitted across the other girl's face.

"Alright! Finally some action!" Ward's voice cheered through the radio.

Skye rolled her eyes but slid from her seat. She inhaled deeply, breathing in the thick humidity and the scent of rain. The wind whipped around the group as they emerged from the vehicles. The blonde chuckled to herself when she noticed a scowling Fitz fighting with his tie as the wind continuously flipped it into his face on its way into the strengthening storm.

"Inflow's strong!" Ward shouted, stepping over the guard rail to get closer.

"Seth! Do a scan here and let us know what we're dealing with!"

The boy in question nodded in response to the team leader and scrambled into the DOW. Soon the dish was erect and rotating on the back of the flatbed, the mechanical noises almost completely drowned out by the strong, warm winds.

"Shit, Skye. This storm is looking good."

Skye nodded at the man by her side. Jemma joined the two, watching the storm in awe. The chaser glanced her way, her chest becoming inexplicably tight as she took in the expression on the shorter woman's face. Her attention was diverted back to the weather, however, by a rumble of thunder.

The storm was beginning to become more and more organized. Though rain could be seen falling in the distance, creating a line of gray curtains over the plains, the base of the storm was free of any precipitation. The team leader pointed to a barrel shaped formation.

"It's already starting to rotate."

Tripp pumped his fist with a whoop, but Jemma only furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"What's that mean? How can you tell?"

Ward shook his head in disbelief and with a muttered, "No time for this shit," she turned and headed in the direction of the DOW.

"Ignore him. I had to explain all of this to him too when he transferred." She gestured to the base of the storm. "You see that huge cloud column? The one that's lower than most of the storm around it? That's the tower. And the banding that forming around it? You see the rings? Those are striations. It means the storm is starting to rotate. Most tornados come from rotating storms."

Jemma nodded, though she still appeared somewhat confused. Ward joined them once again and the small brunette eyed him warily.

"Skye? May and Seth are getting readings now. Storm's wrapping up fast. We better get a move on."

He spun on his heel without acknowledging Jemma and headed for the Explorer where Tripp had the maps spread out across the dash, looking for alternate routes.

"Is he always this welcoming to newcomers?"

Skye chuckled. "Pretty much. Let's go check on May."

The duo approached the vehicle where the now erect radar dish was rotating on its mount.

"Watcha got, Mel?"

May pointed to a screen in her lap that showed green and red pixels.

"Just wide rotation right now, but it's starting to get more intense. If I were to guess where the best place to be would be, I'd say here." She pointed to a spot on the radar. "And don't call me that."

"Great. Thanks." Skye clapped her hands to get the attention of her team. "Alright, guys, we need to move north to get a better vantage point on this thing. Tripp, I'm gonna need you to get us in a place where we have plenty of paved roads to choose from. I don't want to hit a dead end or get bogged down in mud. May, you and Seth stay here and keep scanning. You'll be safe here. Keep in touch." Seeing nods from everyone, she smiled widely. "Let's get moving."

Fitz emerged from the back of the cab of the DOW, several packages clutched in his arms.

"Wait! I have something for you all!"

"Didn't you hear the woman!? We need to get the hell out of here and on the other side of the cell!" Ward growled at the boy, however he stood his ground and lifted his nose even higher into the air.

"While I apologize for the brief interruption, I do have something for you that I think you'll be pleased with." He began handing out the packages to each member of the chase team and Jemma. "These are digital cameras, courtesy of NSSL. They want documentation of the project for publicity." He fidgeted with the box in his hands. "Also, Coulson thought it would make you happier about having to tote us around."

Skye turned the box over in her hands, looking impressed.

"Mama like. Now let's get the fuck out of here before this thing gets away from us."

And with that the group dispersed, the chase team and video crew all sprinting to their respective vehicles. The pickup and SUV peeled out of the rest area, leaving the DOW and its crew behind. Skye glanced at the brunette in the passenger seat who was ripping open the packaging encasing her new camera.

"This is excellent. Now I can properly document my very first storm chase!"

Skye shook her head at the woman's antics before turning her attention back to the storm.

"Shit!"

Jemma looked startled. "Wha-"

But Skye was already reaching for her CB.

"We've got a wall cloud. I'm calling NSSL. Tripp, where are we?"

"Grady County, it's moving toward the Chickasha area."

"Rodger. I'll report back as soon as I'm off the phone. Tripp, get us off of the interstate and into an area where we can chase."

"Yes ma'am!"

She glanced at Jemma who had stopped in her quest to unwrap her camera and was regarding the blonde with a curious gaze. Skye smiled when she caught her eye.

"I have to call the severe storm lab in Norman and suggest they tornado warn this storm. It's part of our job. You see that cloud under the tower, that's the cloud I showed you earlier, you see that cloud that's hanging kind of low?" At Jemma's nod she continued, making sure to keep an eye on the road. "That's the wall cloud. If a tornado is going to come from this storm, that's where it will drop from. It's a sign that the storm is maturing."

Jemma looked at the cloud in awe before ripping at the box again.

"I must document this!"

Skye raised an eyebrow at the woman before reaching for her cell phone and dialing the familiar number.

"National Severe Storm Laboratory Norman. This is Victoria."

"Hey Vic. It's Skye Brody."

"Skye! How's it out there?"

"Looking pretty stormy right now. I am advising putting a tornado warning on the cell in the southwest edge of Grady County. I've got high windshear, low level rotation, and a wall cloud just developed and this thing is just getting started."

"Yeah, we've been watching that cell. Chasers closer to the core were reporting baseball sized hail."

"Oh shit."

"Yup, glad you're not in that, aren't you? I'll get that warning out."

"Thanks, Vic."

"No problem. Let us know if you get a twister. Be safe out there."

Putting down her phone, Skye picked up the radio.

"The warning just went out. Seth, what's it looking like?"

"The rotation is getting more intense. If it's going to drop one, it's going to be in the next thirty minutes. You need to get into position."

"Rodger. Thanks Seth. Tripp, where are we going?"

"Take the next exit and turn right."

"Got it."

Skye jumped when she noticed the camera pointed at her face, Jemma smiling happily behind the screen. She shook her head and returned her attention to the road, taking the ramp leading away from the interstate and following Tripp's directions.

"Careful, you don't want to break that thing."

"Shut up, Skye. You're gorgeous. I just like to observe you working."

Skye couldn't explain why, but her cheeks burned red at the compliment. Her embarrassment was short lived, however.

"Shit, shit!"

Jemma started at the sudden expletives.

"What!?"

Ignoring her companion, Skye ripped the CB mic from its holder.

"We've got a funnel! Storm's moving northeast fast. I'm gonna get us to a good vantage point and pull over."

"We see it too!" Tripp's disembodied voice answered.

"Get where you want to be fast, Skye. Storm's losing steam fast. If it drops, it's not staying down long."

"Rodger that, May."

Skye gunned the engine, passing a slow moving semi, and raced down the back road until she reached a vantage point where she felt safe enough to stop.

"Come on!" Skye beckoned as she leapt from the cab of her truck and stumbled on the gravel on the side of the road.

Her hand hesitating on the door handle, Jemma took several calming breaths. Before she could open the door, however, it was flung open and she was pulled from her seat by an over excited stormchaser.

"Hurry! I don't want you to miss this!"

The warm winds howled angrily around the two women as Skye dragged Jemma by their joined hands closer to the empty pasture she had pulled over near. Frequent flashes of lightning lit the darkened sky, illuminating the jagged, angry looking clouds rotating close to the ground like a nightmarish carousel. Jemma flinched when a crash of thunder cut through the howl of the wind and very nearly rattled her teeth from her skull.

Skye laughed at the terrified expression on her face and squeezed the soft hand she still held in her own.

"Look!" she shouted, struggling to be heard over the cacophony of the storm. "It's coming down!"

A slender funnel danced over the empty field, stretching until finally a small cloud of dust formed below its base.

"Jemma! Jemma! It's on the ground!" Skye couldn't even begin to feel embarrassed by her decidedly un-badass shrieking. The first tornado of the season after ten months of agonizing waiting called for some excitement. She (sadly) pulled her hand from the shorter woman's grasp and pulled her phone from the back pocket of her jean shorts, jabbing at it until she had opened the camera app and began filming.

"It's a tornado," she heard the woman beside her mumble dazedly.

Skye knew from experience the first successful chase was an almost magical experience. Though this particular vortex was quite weak, it was beautiful as it spun gracefully across the dusty field. The thin funnel, colored red by the earth, rose in gentle curves into the storm that bore it.

"Are we safe here?"

Looking away from the twister briefly, Skye noticed Jemma had shuffled closer to her.

"It's moving away from us. We could stand here all day. Not that we should. It will start raining soon. And hailing, probably."

"We should have deployed a probe."

"Nah, this thing is almost done and I don't think the storm is to spawn a second any time soon." As if on cue the tornado began to rope out, its funnel thinning until it was almost invisible. A second later it was gone. "Don't worry, we'll have plenty of other chances. Forecasts predict this season is going to be insane."

"Is that right?"

Skye put her phone away and giggled at the half nervous, half excited expression on Jemma's face.

"Yeah, but don't you worry your pretty little head. I'll keep you safe."

A dark flush began to creep up the scientist's cheeks, but before Skye could tease her about it the Explorer came skidding to a stop on the road behind them.

"Woo hoo!"

Ward jumped from the driver's side with his fists raised in a rare show of an emotion other than 'meh'.

"Did you see that twister?!"

Tripp ran towards their location and scooped Jemma up in a bear hug, spinning her around as she squealed happily. Ignoring the burning in the pit of her stomach that felt a little too much like jealousy for her comfort, she plastered a fake smile on her face and went to greet Ward.

10:30pm

"So every day of chase season is like this for you?"

The chase team plus Fitz and Simmons were sitting on the tailgates of Skye's truck and the Explorer watching the occasional lightning momentarily brighten the otherwise dark skies every few seconds as a dying storm moved away from their position. Skye was sitting shoulder to shoulder with Jemma and the warmth emanating from the other woman's body seemed to seep through her skin and lull her into a rare state of complete relaxation.

"Um, no, actually today was an above average day. We don't see tornadoes every day. We sometimes go several days without even seeing a storm."

"Those weeks suck."

Ward piped up from his location in the back of the Explorer. He and May were looking rather cozy whilst Tripp was more interested in his phone than anything else. Though he did keep looking in Jemma's direction with an odd expression on his face that seemed to indicate that he'd rather be sitting were Skye was currently. Attempting to squash the uncomfortable squirming that particular thought put in her gut, Skye turned her attention back to the woman sitting next to her.

"Yeah, those weeks suck ass." She grinned when Jemma made a face at the crass expression. "But it's sometimes nice to have a break if it's been a busy season."

"What do you do when you have days off?"

"It depends. If it looks like we'll have a front somewhere within a few days, we'll get into position for that and spend the time off driving. If not, we hang out somewhere central and find something to do."

"She means we go to Oklahoma and gamble." May deadpanned.

"Pretty much. Though now that we have you two foreigners with us, we may need to give you a tour of Tornado Alley."

"She means a tour of the bars of Tornado Alley."

"Hey, we gotta do something to keep us entertained when we're not analyzing data."

Ward stood from the back of the Explorer, giving May's knee an affectionate squeeze when he thought no one was looking. Stretching, he lifted his arms over his head and yawned.

"Speaking of analyzing data, I should get to bed so I can start on that in the morning."

He wandered off in the direction of the rooms, May sneaking away behind him, not bothering to say goodbye.

"Um, Skye?" Jemma's timid voice came, drawing the chaser's attention. "What are the sleeping arrangements, exactly?"

"Well, we have three rooms. We usually just sleep in whatever room we're in when we get tired."

Tripp, having migrated from his previous perch, chuckled and shook his head.

"May and Ward usually share a room and the rest of us figure out where to sleep."

"Seth brought his PS3 and I wanted to play a few rounds with the guys if you two are okay with bunking together," Fitz spoke up excitedly. Skye rolled her eyes. Of course the boys wanted to play video games.

"I think we'll be fine," she stated bumping, shoulders with the shorter woman and smirking at the blush that was visible even in the dim lighting.

11:47pm

That night, the two women fell asleep in their separate beds while the Weather Channel played softly in the background. When Skye awoke early the next morning, she found Jemma sprawled across her own bed snoring in a hilariously ladylike manner. Apparently the British were polite even in their sleep. Skye made certain to tease the other woman mercilessly over breakfast.

April 12th

4:23pm

"So, you got someone waiting on you back home?"

Skye had made the valiant effort to ensure the cab of her truck never suffered an awkward silence. That's what she kept telling herself, anyway. She wasn't enjoying all the meaningless conversation. And she definitely didn't wake up every morning looking forward to having more meaningless conversation with Jemma. Nope, not at all.

"Unfortunately, no. I haven't really had much time for dating."

Skye liked to think that she had no idea why that admission made her happier than it should have. The duo had been spending the long hours driving getting to know one another. Every day seemed like a game of twenty questions and while that would normally bug the hell out of Skye, the conversations she shared with Jemma had become something she looked forward to.

"It's okay. I am also perpetually single. Oh well. I am pretty sure no one in their right mind would want to even entertain the idea of a committed relationship to me. I spend two months of every year on the road, my insurance policy is ungodly, and I have Ward and May as best friends."

Melodic giggles filled the cab. Jemma gave her a beaming smile and shook her head.

"I'm faithfully betrothed to my work and I've been told more than once that I'm insufferable. I just tell them that they're obviously jealous of the scope of my genius and that my future Nobel Peace Prize would keep me company."

Skye snorted.

"I didn't know someone with a freaking PhD at your age would have a sense of humor."

Jemma's cheeks flushed slightly at the backhanded compliment.

"There's a lot you don't know about me."

April 17th

10:22am

"Oh shit!"

Skye slammed the motel room closed and leaned against it, the warm temperature outside having nothing to do with the heat burning her cheeks. She closed her eyes, but all she could see on the backs of her eyelids was smooth, pale skin and feminine curves. And no clothes. Her brain short circuited again when she recalled the rounded, perky breasts with their pink nipples she has beheld a split second before she had clapped her palm over her eyes.

The door behind her opened, rousing her from her reverie, and she stumbled blindly into the room, her hand still firmly over her eyes.

"Sorry! I'm sorry! I just wanted to get my Macbook to show Seth the thingy- and then you were- and I'm sorry."

"Skye, you can open your eyes. I'm dressed now."

"I don't think I can look you in the eye anymore."

"You're going on like I've got the Tardis between my legs or something. I have the same parts you do, Skye. I don't know why you're making such a fuss about this."

Skye snorted, her palm still blocking her vision. "Um, correction. Yours looks a hell of a lot better than mine."

"Well, thank you, I think." Skye could hear the other woman's feet on the carpet as she came closer. "Now, please, stop this silliness."

Struggling against the unseen force that was attempting to pry her hand away from her face, Skye relented at last and was met by hazel eyes sparkling with mirth. Hazel eyes that were very close to her own. Jemma was very much in her personal space and for some reason that made Skye extremely nervous… which was probably due to the fact that she had just seen the scientist naked.

"Skye, are you okay?"

Realizing she had not spoken and had been staring like a creep for the past several minutes. So she blurted out the first thing on her mind. It was a stupid idea.

"I'm gay." She closed her eyes against the instant embarrassment as the heat flooded into her cheeks. "I don't even know why I just said that."

Her eyes flew open when the sound of Jemma's laughter reached her ears. She was not expecting that reaction.

"I figured that."

"What?"

"I mean, your reaction earlier sort of gave it away."

"Oh."

Skye's feet were suddenly way more interesting than anything else in the room.

"Skye, it's okay, really. I'm not going to judge you." Skye nodded, only looking up when her Macbook was thrust in her face. "Now come along. Let's go show Seth the thingy on your computer."

3:47pm
Just when Skye had developed a crush on Jemma, she had no clue. It was almost as if she went from the sweet and attractive Brit one day to the only thing on Skye's mind the next, though she was pretty sure the shift had happened the moment she saw the other woman's tits. Needless to say, trying to focus on the chase with Jemma in the passenger seat was a colossal undertaking.

April 19th

4:47pm

"What in god's name is that racket?"

"It's the tornado siren."

"Oh. We should probably leave the petrol station, then?"

"Unless you want to wait for the tornado to find us."

Skye shook her head fondly as she watched the woman scurry to the convoy of vehicles and begin handing out snacks to the team.

April 23rd

2:31pm

"Smile for the camera!"

"Kinda driving through a hailstorm here, Jemma."

"You're no fun."

Skye winced as a particularly large hailstone bounced off the hood. That was going to leave a mark.

"How about you film this storm so I have a visual for my insurance company? God, I hate core punches."

The truck rocked as a gust of wind attempted to blow the vehicle off the road. Gripping the handle on the door tightly, Jemma let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

"I'm not too terribly fond of them myself."

The rain was coming down in torrents around them. Skye was struggling just to see the center stripe on the road. Jemma turned off her camera and replaced it in her bag when it became clear that she wasn't going to get any other useful footage.

"How can you even see anything in this?"

"I can't," Skye answered simply.

"What!? And you're just going to hope you don't run into anything? Like a tornado, maybe?"

"Eh. It'd most likely be a tree. Or a barn."

"Well, that doesn't make me feel any better."

Reaching over the console where her laptop was open and displaying the radar, Skye laid her hand on Jemma's, ignoring the tingles resulting from the skin on skin contact.

"Relax. I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

The smile that flitted across the scientist's face was nothing short of angelic.

May 1st

11:26pm

"Kiss me."

"What?" Skye blinked at Jemma, not quite believing what her ears seemed to be hearing.

"I said, kiss me, Skye."

They were lying in the bed of Skye's truck, a blanket pilfered from a hotel room covering the abused plastic bed liner. Skye set aside the half empty bottle of beer she had been nursing and rolled on her side to face the other woman.

"How many of those have you had?"

Jemma glanced at her own almost full bottle and back at Skye in confusion.

"You know this is only my second." Sitting up, she began gathering her things. "Perhaps I misread the signals. I'll just get out of your hair and we can forget this ever happened, yeah?"

Before her mind registered what she was doing, Skye grabbed the scientist by her face and smashed their lips together. Although their teeth clacked together painfully, Jemma immediately whimpered into Skye's mouth.

Kissing Jemma was unlike anything Skye had ever experienced, and she had kissed many people in her life. Most of them when she was intoxicated, but that was beside the point. Turning her head to deepen the kiss, Skye allowed her hands to stray from cupping Jemma's face to clutch at the shorter woman's blouse, pulling her closer. Jemma moaned allowing Skye's tongue to slip between her lips. Reveling in the taste of the other woman, plus a hint of beer, the chaser explored the interior of Jemma's mouth.

11:47

Jemma's breath was hot against Skye's ear as the chaser's hand worked inside the other woman's unbuttoned shorts. Every surprised gasp and quiet moan sent shivers down Skye's back. Nails dug through her thin t-shirt and dug painfully into her shoulders.

"Can I-?" For some reason, Skye's words had all but left her. Normally she had no problem asking a question like that, but with Jemma laying underneath her and making the noises she was making… Thankfully Jemma seemed to understand and she was saved from having to come up with a tactful way to ask the other woman if she could finger her.

At Jemma's emphatic nod, Skye moved her lazy circles downward until she was pressing into the source of the wet heat.

"Fuck."

It was barely audible, but it was enough to spur Skye into increasing the speed of her thrusts until Jemma's head snapped back and her legs tightened around the chaser's torso. The sight of Jemma's back arching up off the bed of the truck and the veins in her neck straining was enough to push Skye into her own, albeit smaller, orgasm. She grunted lowly and shuddered, all while continuing to slowly pump her fingers, helping the scientist ride out her climax. After a long moment, Jemma finally began to breathe again and relaxed back against the blanket.

"Bloody hell."

Skye rolled off the shorter woman and lay next to her.

"You can say that again."

The women remained silent for a few moments before Jemma sighed heavily and turned on her side to look at Skye.

"Just to clear things up, this is just a casual fling between friends, right?"

While Skye was more than aware that nothing more than sex would be possible between the two of them, the question still stung. Jemma had become a good friend in the past several days and she didn't want to mess that up. That being said, there was the fact that she was incredibly attracted to the scientist. She was also pretty certain that the feelings were mutual. However, she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. She would take what she could get from the beautiful scientist.

May 2nd

9:18am

Skye must have looked like the cat that ate the canary the next morning because Ward almost immediately dragged her off to the hallway upon the team meeting in the lobby for continental breakfast.

"Skye, please tell me you didn't."

"What are you talking about?"

Ward raised his eyebrow before looking over her shoulder back into the lobby. Skye followed his gaze and met Jemma's eyes. The scientist gave a shy wave that Skye returned before facing her partner who was glaring at her pointedly.

"I'm talking about that."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"I don't know what you want me to say."

"I want you to say that you didn't sleep with her."

Skye pursed her lips in contemplation.

"Well… I didn't not sleep with her."

An exasperated sigh escaped Ward's lips and he ran a hand through his hair.

"Really, Skye? I thought you were over this."

"Over what exactly, Grant?"

"Don't Grant me."

"I'll do what I want if you're going to fucking judge me without telling me why."

"How about you tell me why you have to screw every girl you come into contact with."

Skye recoiled as if she had been slapped.

"Shit, Ward. This isn't college. I actually like her. How dare you insinuate otherwise."

Unwelcome tears burned her eyes as she stared at her shoes.

"Look, I shouldn't have attacked you like that. I just don't want this to jeopardize the assignment."

Rolling her eyes, Skye scoffed.

"It's always business with you, isn't it? Don't worry about the season. We're helping each other out with an itch that needs scratching."

Ward laid a heavy hand on her shoulder which she just barely resisted shrugging off.

"Nothing I can say will persuade you otherwise. Just remember that someone always gets hurt in this sort of arrangement."

This time she did shrug the hand off. "You mean like your arrangement with May?"

Anger flashed through the dark brown eyes staring into her own.

"Skye, you know it's not the same."

"Isn't it?" When Ward refused to back down, the woman sighed. "Don't worry. I'm not planning on breaking any hearts."

"That's the thing. It's not Simmons I'm worried about."

And as Ward stalked back into the lobby, Skye couldn't help but replay his words in her mind.

May 9th

5:21pm

It was almost the end of the first month of the season by the time the team encountered a tornado that did any real damage to manmade structures. They spent most of a Tuesday afternoon tracking a particularly nasty storm that boasted baseball sized hail at its core. By early evening, the cell had wrapped up and dropped a vicious looking wedge that ripped up trees and downed power lines along its path. By the time it reached the outskirts of a rural community, the thing was at least an E-F3 monster.

"All those poor people," Jemma gasped from the passenger seat as the duo watched the vortex enter the town.

"This is the part of chasing that isn't so awesome. They had warning. All we can do is hope they heeded it."

"Yes, well Fitz's probe took a head on hit. The data we will collect will only help us develop better warning systems." Her lower lip trembled as a powerflash lit up the skies darkened by debris. "I just want to get back to my lab and analyze our findings. I hate feeling so helpless."

"And that's why we need people like you on our side. Compassion is hard to come by. Hell, even I'm numb to the destruction I see every season to some degree. We get so used to seeing death and destruction that it becomes almost common place during chase season. I should feel grateful. I mean, I still have a home. I still have a car, a job. These people are losing everything."

Jemma reached over the console to squeeze Skye's shoulder.

"Maybe so, but you're the one who calls in the warnings. There are people out there who owe you their lives."

Skye sighed before shifting the truck into gear and reaching for the radio.

"Alright guys, let's carefully head into town. There are going to be a lot of people who need our help."

With a subdued 'Yes ma'am' from Tripp as her only answer, Skye led her team into the aftermath of the storm.

May 10th

7:42pm

With the previous day's events in mind, Skye was almost thankful for a spotless horizon on Wednesday. She was sitting at the hotel bar next to May, both women nursing a beer in near silence. Jemma was busy calibrating the probes with Fitz and Seth and Skye didn't really care where Ward and Tripp had wandered off to. When Skye huffed a sigh for a fifth time, the other woman slammed down her nearly empty bottle and spun on her bar stool. Skye's head jerked up at the sudden movement.

"What the hell?"

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong or are you going to keep sighing into your drink?"

Going back to staring into her beer Skye swallowed, debating whether or not to confide in her teammate. While she and May had never been the sharing sort of friends, the older woman was almost like a sister to Skye. Which was weird to think, considering her relationship with Ward. May was also strangely perceptive. Skye wouldn't be surprised if the driver of the DOW was already aware of the current state of Skye's love life.

"Grant Ward is an asshole." The words slipped out before she could stop them and Skye immediately clapped a hand over her mouth, wishing she could take them back. "May, I'm sorry. That wasn't fair of me to say."

"No it wasn't." Skye winced. "But I'm inclined to agree with you."

Skye blinked at the other woman before taking a long swig of her beer.

"Really. I thought you and he were-"

"We are," May cut her off with a glare. "But that doesn't mean I think he should be interfering with you and Jemma."

"Me and Jem-" Skye muttered before her eyes went wide. "Wait, you know about that?! Ward told you, didn't he?"

Scoffing, May pushed her empty bottle forward and gestured to the bartender for another.

"No one had to tell me. Hotel walls are thin."

Skye's eyes went wide and she choked on her mouthful of beer. "Y-you heard us!?"

She managed to sputter out the question in between coughing fits. The bartender regarded her as if she were a mental patient before resuming polishing his wine glasses at the other end of the bar. A rare smile graced May's normally stoic features and she shook her head.

"Sorry, I just wanted to see your face." Skye lifted her burning face from her hands and stared at May incredulously. "No, I didn't hear anything. You two are just really obvious any time you're in the same room."

Skye groaned. "Like that's any better. I think I'd rather the former be true."

"You really care about her, don't you?"

"More than I should."

"You should never feel ashamed by what you feel for someone."

"Thanks, May."

"Don't mention it. Really. Don't."

The two women once again lapsed into silence over their beers.

May 15th

12:32am

"Why didn't you tell me you were gay?"

"What?"

Jemma rolled over in her bed to face Skye.

"You know, that day I walked in on you and outed myself? Why didn't you tell me then? And don't try to tell me you're not. You've obviously had sex with a woman before. No offense."

Running a hand through her hair that was still wet from the shower they definitely hadn't shared (they totally had), Jemma sighed.

"I was so set against getting involved with anyone here. I still am. I just thought if you didn't know, nothing would ever happen between us."

Skye slumped down from her position siting up against the headboard of her bed until she was laying on her back and staring up at the water stained ceiling.

"But it did."

"Yes, well, that may have been a lapse of judgment on my part, but we both know it was bound to happen at some point."

Skye turned so she was on her side, propped up on her arm.

"You think?"

"Yeah, I mean, two attractive lesbians trapped in a small vehicle together for weeks on end. It was inevitable."

Smirking, Skye swung her legs over the side of the bed and sat on the edge of the mattress.

"And what about now? It it still inevitable?"

Arching an eyebrow, Jemma's face contorted into an incredulous expression.

"Really, Skye? It's been an hour."

"And you point is?"

"You're incorrigible."

"And you're still clothed, why?"

A defeated sigh sounded from the other bed.

"Fine, but we'd better not miss breakfast again."

Skye slid from her bed and crossed the short distance to Jemma's, crawling under the covers with the other woman.

"Yes, your highness."

The indignant response was cut off by persistent lips and wandering hands.

May 18th

4:59pm

"Let's get out!"

Skye could barely hear her own voice over the roar of the rain and golf ball sized hail beating against the roof of the truck. Jemma's eyebrows were nearly in her hairline.

"Are you crazy!?" A particularly large hailstone bounced off the windshield. "We'll be killed!"

Skye reached into the backseat and produced a pair of bicycle helmets, plopping one down on the bewildered scientist's head. Pulling the rain guard over her camera, she donned her own helmet and jumped from the vehicle, ignoring Jemma's cries proclaiming her insanity.

The Explorer pulled up behind them and Tripp and Ward both exited, dressed in matching red helmets and rain slicks.

"We should drop the probes here," Ward shouted over the wind and hail. "It's barely moving but Fitz and Seth thinks it will come through here."

Skye nodded and went to help him open the back hatch when a shriek caused her to turn around. Jealously burned hotly in the pit of her stomach as she watched a giggling and squealing Jemma be pulled from her truck by an infuriatingly charming Tripp.

"Goddamn him," she muttered under her breath.

"You gotta stake your claim if you want to keep her," Ward lectured after following her stormy gaze.

"Excuse me?" she hissed as her soaked fingers fumbled with the hooks keeping the probe in place. "There's nothing to claim, she's a person, Ward."

Ward grunted as he helped her lift the instrument from its former resting place. "Then what's to keep Antione, the lady killer, from sweeping her out from under you?"

"She's a lesbian. Pretty sure that's not going to happen. And don't call him Antione. It's creepy as hell."

"Just saying. No one knows she's off the market. That's your fault, not Tripp's."

They laid the probe on the ground and Ward went through the motions of activating the instruments as Skye watched on, the rain seeping through her layers of clothing.

"We're not-" Her tongue and mind struggled to connect. "She's not off the market, okay? We're just having fun."

Ward gave her a pointed look that lost some of its impact due to the ridiculous helmet on his head. "You don't look like you're having much fun right now."

He rose from his squat and the duo headed back towards the vehicles where Tripp now had his arm around Jemma's shoulders and was pointing out things through the sheets of rain. Skye swallowed hard. Jemma's soaked hair clung to her face under her helmet and her cheeks were rosy. She was beautiful. And then Tripp turned his big stupid head to say something to the scientist and even from her proximity, Skye could see that his lips were brushing her ear as he spoke. Skye had to clench her fists to stop herself from marching over there and shoving her two friends apart.

"No, I'm not."

"Then talk to her. She'll never know how you feel if you don't tell her. And I don't mean during sex," he added when she opened her mouth to argue.

"I thought you were against all of" she gestured vaguely "this."

"I still don't think it's the best idea, but I want you to be happy. Can we put this conversation on hold until we're not in the path of a tornado?"

"Sure. Thanks, Ward."

He slung an overly large arm around her drenched frame and pulled her close to drop a kiss onto the hard plastic shell adorning her head.

5:09pm

"Skye?"

They had been back in the cars for several minutes and neither had said a word. Skye could feel every time Jemma had nervously glanced in her direction. The only sound in the cab was the radio as Fitz gave the team updates on the elusive tornado's path and approximate strength.

"What?"

She really hadn't meant to snap and the scientist's wince had her instantly feeling guilty.

"Have I done something, anything, to upset you?"

"No," Skye lied. "I'm sorry, I'm just not feeling too hot."

The latter, at least, was partially true. Seeing Tripp touching the girl she was, for all intents and purposes, essentially dating (at least in Skye's mind) had put a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. Skye should have been the one speaking charming things into Jemma ears, it should have been her arm around the other woman's waist. Although the rational part of her mind screamed at her that Jemma was gay and Tripp had no chance with her whatsoever, she knew from observation that Tripp could charm the pants off anything with boobs.

"You're not feeling well? Should we head back to the hotel?"

"And miss the rest of the chase? I don't think so."

The radio crackled and Seth's normally subdued voice came through laced with panic.

"DOW to Skye and Explorer report your location."

"We're on the state highway running parallel to the last reported position of the funnel. It appears to be rain wrapped. We do not have a visual," Skye answered.

"Get out of there, guys. I repeat, the tornado has changed its course and picked up speed. It's headed right towards you."

"Will do. Thank you, Seth. Stand by DOW. Tripp get us out of here. Now." She held the microphone for a moment before replacing it with a shaking hand. "Shit, shit, shit."

"Skye, what's happening?"

Jemma's eyes were wide and she was gripping the door handle like a lifeline.

"We may be about to experience that one percent." Big hazel eyes blinked owlishly at her. "Keep looking out that window. See if you can get a visual."

"A visual of what, exactly."

"The tornado, Simmons, look for the tornado!"

"Okay, yes. Looking for the incredibly dangerous tornado that is heading right towards us that we really have no chance of seeing through this rain until it's on top of us. Good, good, good."

Shaking her head at Jemma's antics, Skye reached for the radio.

"Tripp, talk to me. You've got to find us somewhere else to be."

"We're in the middle of rural Kansas. There's nowhere else to go. All the roads in this area are dirt and in this rain, we'd have no chance of using one without getting bogged down. Anyone have some ruby shoes?"

"Skye, Skye! I see something! That's bad, isn't it?"

To Skye's horror, she looked across Jemma to see the silhouette of a large stovepipe tornado through the curtain of dense rain only a few hundred yards away and closing quickly.

"Fuck! I can't even describe how bad that is."

She fumbled with her radio, having a hard time keeping the car on the road with only one hand. A warm hand closed over her wrist and Jemma took the microphone from her.

"I'll handle this. You concentrate on us not getting killed."

Not having to be told twice, Skye pressed the gas pedal to the floorboard while Jemma radioed the boys in a surprisingly calm voice. This was the only chance they had at getting out of this unscathed.

Loud thumps began to echo through the cab as debris began pelting the truck. Skye knew it was a miracle one of the windows hadn't been busted out yet, but she sure didn't want to test her luck. The windshield wipers were no longer able to function in the high winds and it the entire visible exterior of the vehicle was covered in clumps of grass and wet earth.

A large branch flew past them and the light coming in through the windows dimmed suddenly as the truck began to rock even more violently. Skye knew in that moment that they were out of time.

"Motherfucker. Jemma, hold on to something."

Skye's heart broke a little bit when Jemma looked at her with wide eyes brimming with tears. Everything went dark. The sounds of debris beating the truck grew to a constant roar, almost as loud as the wind, and the strong gusts threatened to flip the vehicle that was currently serving as their shelter. Skye could barely hear Jemma's panicked screaming over the roar of the storm and reached across the console to take her violently trembling hand in her own.

And then it was over almost as soon as it started. A look to her left told Skye the tornado had moved on to the field across the highway and a quick glace in her review mirror let her know the Explorer hadn't been flipped in the vortex. Throwing the truck into park, Skye moved her feet from the brake pedal and put her head in the hand that wasn't having the life squeezed out of it.

"Holy shit. I really want to say that was awesome… but it may be too soon for that."

Jemma's whimper was the only response she received before the other woman burst into hysterics.

"You-you arsehole! That was-that was- I don't even know! We were hit by a tornado. A tornado!"

"I'm well aware of that fact."

Ripping her hand from Skye's grasp, the scientist wiped furiously at the tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Of course you're so calm about this and I'm the one having an aneurism. Make me look even more like a loon, why don't you?"

Skye rolled her eyes at the woman and opened her door.

"Look, if you're going to keep being a bitch over something completely out of my control, I'm going to go check on the guys. We weren't the only ones that were in the twister, you know. Call Seth and tell him we're okay."

Slamming the door behind her, she carefully made her way to the Explorer, taking care to step over the tree limbs and rocks littering the pavement. As she approached the other vehicle, her two teammates emerged unscathed.

"Ya'll okay?" she shouted.

Tripp galloped towards her and swept her up in his strong arms, spinning her around.

"Okay?! That was incredible! Aren't you stoked?"

Ward shook his head at the man's antics and stepped closer to Skye, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"Doesn't look like your truck suffered any major damage. Is Simmons okay?"

"She's fine. A little pissy about the proximity, but I figure she'll be fine once she sees the data the instruments on your roof logged."

"Seth said the probe took a direct hit," Tripp added.

"I guess we better go pick it up and meet up with the DOW so May can lecture us on safe chasing."

"Yup…" Ward agreed reluctantly. "Though I'll be happy not to get so close ever again."

"Amen, brother." Skye gave his arm an affectionate squeeze and waved at Tripp, happy her navigator had decided to stay with the Explorer rather than going to speak with Jemma. Steeling herself and breaking deeply, she headed back towards her truck, ready for another confrontation.

"Skye, I'm sorry. I was just scared and I took it out on you."

Skye blinked at Jemma's turnaround and closed the truck door behind her.

"It's okay, really. I guess you heard about the probe?"

A small smile flitted across the scientist's lips, however her eyes remained serious.

"Yes and it's wonderful, but it's not okay that I treated you in such a manner. I feel simply awful. We're alive and I'm grateful for that. Please let me make it up to you."

A salacious grin overtook Skye's features and she waggled her eyebrows at the woman in the passenger seat.

"You want to make it up to me, eh?"

Melodic giggles spilled from Jemma's lips and she turned her head away from the chaser to hide her blush. A rumble of thunder broke the silence in the cab.

"Why don't you get us out of here first and then we'll see what I can do."

9:46pm

When Skye imagined telling Jemma how she felt, she never imagined it would happen in the cab of her truck. She also never imagined it would happen whilst she was in the throes of a particularly intense orgasm.

"Oh, oh fuck! Jesus Christ, Jems! Right there, right there, right there…" She could feel it coming. She tried to hold it back, she really did, but when she met the gaze of the woman kneeling on the floorboard between her lewdly spread legs, it slipped out. "God, I love you so much, Jemma."

All sensation suddenly stopped. Jemma blinked at her.

"What did you just say?"

Realization dawned on Skye. The overwhelming sinking feeling she felt in her chest threatened to drown her. Her orgasm muddled mind struggled to come up with a reasonable explanation.

"Uh, I said 'I love your mouth?' Yeah, that's totally what I said."

Resting her elbows on Skye's bare thighs, Jemma arched an eyebrow and pursed her lips in an expression that was belied by her still glistening chin and cheeks.

"Really. Skye, I thought that we agreed this was to be completely casual."

Skye groaned and let her head thump back against the headrest. She had really been hoping that Jemma would be willing to forget her little slipup.

"It was… What I mean is, I mean-" she sighed and ran a hand through her mussed hair. "Can you honestly tell me it's only sex for you?"

Jemma stared up at her for a long moment and all Skye could do was pray that she didn't say yes. She finally exhaled in defeat and pressed her forehead into the top of Skye's thigh.

"No. It's not. It never has been, has it?"

Suddenly Jemma was straddling her lap and her lips were everywhere. Skye wrapped her arms around the shorter woman's shoulders and dug her blunt nails in, relishing in the needy groan that left Jemma's lips.

"We shouldn't do this," was gasped out between desperate kisses.

"We so totally should," was Skye's response as she tugged down the cup of Jemma's bra and latched on.

"I-oh god, yes- I'm going back to England in a few weeks."

Skye released the other woman's nipple with an audible pop and unzipped her shorts before slipping her hand inside.

"And your point is? God, you're wet. Seriously, it's like a lake down here. Long distance relationships can work."

She crooked her fingers and smirked when Jemma's eyes crossed before closing as the shorter woman rocked against the hand working between her legs.

"Long distance is, fuck, long distance is living in two different states, not two different countries separated by a- god, that feels incredible, by an ocean."

"Be with me."

"I can't, Skye."

A strangled squeal left Jemma's lips when Skye twisted her fingers.

"Yes, you can."

"This-this isn't fair! You're blinding, oh, oh, my sensibilities with sex!"

At this point Jemma was all out riding Skye's fingers, bouncing up and down in the chasers lap, using her hands to brace herself on the other woman's shoulders.

"It seems to be working doesn't it?"

Jemma opened her mouth to answer, however her eyes rolled back in her head and she buried her face in Skye's neck as she shuddered uncontrollably against the other woman. She lay against the chaser for a long moment, their combined panting the only sound in the truck.

"This is a terrible idea."

Skye smiled down at the woman in her arms and pushed her damp bangs out of her face.

"I happen to think it's an amazing idea."

She felt rather than heard the English woman scoff.

"We're going to regret this, aren't we?"

Shrugging, Skye pulled the scientist closer and kissed the crown of her head.

"Maybe, maybe not. But I think we'll regret it more if we don't try."

May 19th

3:23pm

The next day when they were racing down the backroads of Kansas after a high precipitation supercell and Jemma held Skye's hand on the console, Skye thought maybe she was in over her head. That night when she was stroking Jemma's bare back as the woman drifted off to sleep, her head resting on Skye's collarbone, Skye knew she was definitely in too deep. The funny thing was that she couldn't bring herself to care.

May 21st

10:35pm

Ward and Tripp sat around a small table at the club the rest of the team had decided to visit. After a couple of days with little rest, everyone agreed a little fun was in order.

"What do you think about me asking Jemma out?"

Ward nearly spewed his Jack and coke all over the other man. He coughed a few time to clear the burning liquid from his airway.

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah. I mean, she seems like she might be into me."

Ward looked over the other man's shoulders where Skye and Jemma were engaged in a heated lip lock in clear view of the rest of the club patrons.

"I think that ship has already sailed, my friend."

Tripp followed his gaze and shook his head.

"I swear that girl can charm the pants off anything with boobs."

May 26th

3:14pm

Skye looked at the woman by her side. The strong winds were whipping her hair into Jemma's face and she flinched every time the thunder crackled around them. Her hazel eyes were focused on the tornado roping out over the cornfield before them. And although the sky was glowing green with hail and they were up to their ankles in muck in the roadside ditch, Jemma was smiling, laughing joyfully. She stretched out her arms, letting the loose sleeves of her windbreaker ripple in the outflow from the storm that was rapidly respawning. Skye realized this was the first time she had seen the other woman look truly free.

She laced her fingers with Jemma's and received a toothy grin in response.

"You ready to move? This thing's gonna drop another one and we need to keep up with it."

Jemma closed her eyes and breathed in the earthy scent of rain and electricity.

"Lead the way, captain."

The other woman's response was reason enough to kiss her senseless in front of the dying tornado in as the sky began spitting rain. Skye thought it was really sort of perfect.

May 31st

11:55pm

By the time the last chase rolled around, the team plus its new additions were working together like a well-oiled machine. Though the day yielded little in the way of storms, the Skye was pleased with the season overall. The experimental probes had been intercepted multiple times and the foreign scientists seemed happy with the data they had collected.

That evening, the team found themselves in a crowded bar in southern Missouri. They had commandeered a large booth in the corner and were watching other patrons perform on the karaoke stage with varying degrees of talent.

Jemma sat in Skye's lap, leaning back into the chaser as she sipped on her cocktail. With her arms wrapped snuggly around the other woman's stomach, Skye was savoring what she knew deep down were her last moments with her lover. She couldn't bring herself to call Jemma her girlfriend even though the women had agreed to a relationship. For all her wishful thinking, Skye was certain the scientist would choose going back to England as opposed to staying in Oklahoma. The British scientist was too tied up in her work to let anyone get in the way of her career. That was one of the things Skye admired about the woman. Ironically, it would be the doom of their fledgling relationship.

Skye was shaken from her thoughts by Seth standing and staggering from the booth and towards the stage. What followed was the most horrific rendition of "My Heart Will Go On" Skye had ever been privy to. Torn between secondhand mortification for the shy young man and admiration at his drunken bravery, Skye couldn't decide whether to go retrieve him or cheer him on. She settled on the latter when he winked at an older woman sitting close to the stage and began gyrating his hips to the mournful melody. She also pulled out her camera to film the rest. For science. Seth finished his song before promptly passing out on the MC.

June 1st

12:13am

After putting her youngest teammate to bed, Skye returned to her hotel room to find Jemma sprawled out across the bed in only her bra and panties. A very undignified snore came from the woman and Skye rolled her eyes, pulling back the covers and maneuvering the sleeping scientist under them before crawling into bed herself.

"Skye?"

She had just turned out the lights and begun to drift off when the sleepy voice reached her ears.

"What is it, babe?"

"I'm sorry I fell asleep," the woman's words were slurred slightly, the lingering effects of the tequila sunrises she had consumed earlier that evening. "I really wanted to have sex tonight."

Skye snorted at the words coming from the normally bashful woman's mouth and pulled her close, snuggling into the crook of her neck and smiling at the contented smile her actions elicited.

"S'okay. We can fuck tomorrow."

The body against her own giggled.

"Don't say fuck unless you plan to do it."

"Well, you said it too."

"I did, didn't I?"

Somehow Skye ended up hovering over a very naked Jemma with a pale thigh between her own. One hand was wrapped around a muscular calf and the other holding her weight on the mattress as she spread the other woman open and ground into her wet heat. Drunk Jemma always did moan like a porn star (not that she was ever quiet, per say) and the headboard was slamming up against the wall on every thrust. Skye was certain the boys could hear them, but she had Jemma writhing underneath her and she didn't really give a damn.

Letting go of the shorter woman's leg, Skye braced herself on the headboard to increase the force behind her movements. Jemma's now free leg wrapped around Skye, her heel digging into the small of the chaser's back and she used the extra leverage to rock up against the other woman's body.

Every rock of their hips drove both women closer to the edge. Jemma's nails dug painfully into Skye's shoulders and the sounds she was making had reached an ungodly volume. Skye placed a sweaty hand over Jemma's mouth to muffle the noise, shocked when the action seemed to spur the woman on. Seconds later, she was constricted by the leg around her torso and Jemma's head snapped back against her pillow, her sweaty locks fanned out like a halo. Her slick skin slid against Skye's as her chest arched up into the taller woman's. Her impassioned cursing was thankfully muffled by Skye's hand, however Skye couldn't hold back her own groan when she followed Jemma into oblivion.

3:05am

"Skye?" Jemma's voice was scratchy with sleep. "What's that noise?"

Skye blinked as she drifted into awareness. Something was flashing in the darkened hotel room and it took a rumble of thunder for her to realize it was storming outside.

"Just a thunderstorm. Go back to sleep."

She buried her face in between Jemma's breasts, groaning when the woman pushed at her shoulders.

"I'm serious. It sounds like a siren."

"Jemma, it's probably just the wind. Tornadoes are pretty rare this late at night."

The woman huffed against her before settling back against the pillows. Skye pulled her close, pressing a kiss to the warm skin in the crook of her neck. The sound of rain punctuated by an occasional rumble of thunder lulled the women back to sleep.

4:15am

Frantic knocking had Skye shooting up in bed, cursing whoever was at her door. Noticing the distinct lack of daylight in the gap between the curtains, she hesitated before pulling on her robe. A split second of blinding light followed by an earsplitting crash had her trotting to the door.

"Skye, open up!"

Ward stood outside her room, his expression sullen.

"What's going on? What's wrong?"

Tripp showed up at his side, refusing to look her in the eyes. He shifted uncomfortably when Jemma joined her at the door wearing Skye's long night shirt. Skye smirked despite the two men's solemn expressions. So the boys had heard them. Good.

"We've got some bad storms rolling through."

"How bad?"

Ward sighed, running an overly large hand through his sleep mussed hair.

"Bad. The one headed our way is tornado warned. I was listening to the radio and it's big, Skye. People who have seen it are saying it's a mile wide. Maybe more."

Skye's heart dropped into her stomach.

"How long?"

"Fifteen minutes at the most."

As if on cue, a faint wailing sound could be heard from outside the building.

"Well, we're leaving then, right?" Jemma's wide eyes surveyed the three storm chasers standing in the doorway.

"Not enough light or time. Running would be suicide. Our vehicles are in the parking garage so they should be okay. We need to get down to the first floor. Did you call the front desk?" She directed the question at Ward who nodded.

"May's on the phone with them now."

"We'll throw some clothes on, grab the data, and meet you in the hall in two minutes."

When she closed the hotel room, Jemma grasped her arm. Skye pried her hand off and kissed her knuckles.

"I know you're scared, but we need to get on the ground floor. Get dressed. Long pants and sleeves if you have them and tennis shoes. I'm going to grab our equipment. We need to save as much data as we can."

Skye thanked the heavens their cameras and the probes were in the vehicles. They were safest there under the tons of concrete that made up the parking garage. After grabbing her computer bag, she threw on a pair of jeans and her favorite University of Oklahoma hoodie, tossing a similar sweatshirt to Jemma.

Upon entering the hallway, they found the rest of the team waiting and were pleased to see the other hotel guests seemed to be heeding the warning.

"I just got off the phone with Coulson," May spoke, her eyes dark. "It's going to be an extremely close call. He said he's already getting reports of damage. It's at least EF-3 strength. He's already got recovery teams on the way."

Fitz eyes went wide at the gravity of the statement. The seven adults all shared a look before they made for the stairs. By the time they made it down to the lobby, it had stopped raining, the eerie calm punctuated by cracks of thunder. Even the wind had died down.

"It's here."

"What?!" Jemma held Skye's wrist in a death grip.

Skye shuffled closer to the glass automatic doors, jumping when they whooshed open. Warm humid air that smelled of rain and churned up earth came rushing into the lobby. In between the booms of thunder and over the faint wail of the sirens, Skye could hear something else. A dull roaring sound. There was only one thing it could be and when lightning lit up the vengeful sky, her worst fear was realized. The tornado was on their doorstep and it was massive. She only caught glimpses of it when it was lit by lightning, but an exploding transformer exposed it in all its terrible glory.

"Get to the bathrooms! Now!"

The power in the lobby flickered before they were bathed in darkness. Following hotel staff armed with flashlights, the group barreled into the men's bathroom. Skye shoved Jemma into a corner and wrapped her arms around the trembling woman. She could hear the rest of her team settling around her. Seth was relaying somewhat comforting statistics to Fitz and Ward and Tripp were recalling other close calls they had encountered. Somehow Skye knew in her heart that this wasn't going to just be close.

"Jemma, sweetie, it's going to be okay."

"I'm so scared, Skye."

Pressing a lingering kiss to the scientist's temple, Skye hugged the other woman tighter to her chest. The roaring noise was growing louder and Skye's ears were starting to pop. She could hear the sounds of debris beginning to pelt the building as the wind picked up.

"I meant what I said the other night, you know, the part about loving you. I do."

A delicate kiss to the underside of her jaw was her only answer before the world exploded around them.

When Skye opened her eyes she could still feel Tripp and Ward at her back, open arms shielding the rest of the team. She could tell the ceiling had at least partially caved in due to the fibrous waterlogged tiles lying atop the group. Her main concern, however, was currently sobbing into her neck.

"Jemma, are you okay? Talk to me."

Feeling a nod against her collarbone, she pushed the debris from off her back and stood, pulling the dazed scientist up with her. She felt her team do the same. They picked their way out of their shelter and into the lobby. Lightning forked across the sky above their heads where the second floor used to be.

"Oh god." Jemma finally spoke before she ripped herself from Skye's grasp to wretch violently into the pile of devastation that used to be a small town hotel.

Too enraptured by the utter destruction that surrounded them to assist Jemma, Skye stumbled out into the parking lot through a broken window of one of the walls that was still standing. She stared to the east until a flash of lightning confirmed the tornado, though somewhat weakened, was still on the ground.

Though the storm sirens had been silenced by the vortex, the air was soon filled with the wailings of ambulances and fire engines. As far as Skye could tell, the town was in shambles. Thankfully, the garage they had parked the vehicles in hadn't suffered a direct hit, however many other structures did not share the same fate.

"Holy fuck."

"You can say that again." Tripp appeared at her side, the persistent rain dripping from his face.

May and Ward approached, their faces dirty and hair windblown. Skye was certain she bore the same appearance.

"Ward and I checked on the vehicles. They look like they're still operational. Coulson and Fury should be on their way by now so we'll probably be able to leave by tomorrow afternoon."

Skye breathed deeply, attempting to focus on her team rather than the chaos surrounding them. Normally they were the ones that came in after the disaster to help. They had never been the victims. She felt utterly helpless.

Seth shuffled over, tugging on the hem of his torn t-shirt.

"Simmons is sitting on the curb with Fitz. She won't say so, but I think she wants you."

Clapping the nervous boy on the shoulder, Skye muttered her thanks before making her way in the direction he pointed out. Guilt bubbled in the pit of her stomach. She had completely forgotten about Jemma in her own shock.

Upon reaching the pair of scientists, she dropped down on her knees in front of Jemma, disregarding the muddy ground. She cupped the other woman's face and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. Jemma stared blankly at her for a moment before throwing herself into Skye's arms with a broken sob.

7:38am

Coulson and Fury arrived hours later with several analysts in tow. Though both men remained professional, Skye could tell they were relieved to see their team had weathered the storm with minimal injuries.

It was early dawn when Coulson cornered her in the temporary shelter the Red Cross had set up. Somehow his suit was still clean despite the fact he had been traipsing through wreckage since his arrival.

"Sir?"

The man that had been a father figure to her since she had begun working for NSSL put a hand on her arm and squeezed reassuringly.

"Don't worry, I'm not about to take your team from you." Skye sighed and relaxed slightly. Coulson smiled one of his sad smiles and released her arm. "I just wanted to tell you that I know this was a rough season and you had to make some tough decisions, but I'm proud of how you handled yourself. You kept Fitz and Simmons safe and got the job done. NSSL is lucky to have you."

With that, Coulson turned on his heel and was gone. Skye stared after his retreating form until he was out of sight. He was an odd man.

12:24pm

As soon as the entrance to the parking garage was cleared, Skye and her team were on the road back to Norman. Jemma fell asleep ten minutes into the drive and remained so until they stopped for gas and snacks. She surprised Skye by offering to drive the rest of the way, which Skye gratefully accepted after cracking a few jokes about driving on the right side of the road. Jemma was, thankfully, a decent driver and Skye drifted off after ensuring the other woman wasn't going to drive them off a cliff. Before she surrendered herself to dreamland, she felt a soft hand take her own, lacing their fingers together.

6:45pm

When they arrived back at the station, they were informed the tornado they had survived had received a preliminary rating of an EF-4 and that 7 people in the small town and surrounding countryside had been killed in the storm. Skye felt as if someone had punched her in the gut. In that moment she realized just how close she had come to losing her own life, to losing Jemma.

Jemma spent the meeting sitting quietly next to Skye, refusing to meet anyone's gaze as tears tracked silently down her cheeks.

9:31pm

"I can't do this."

"What?"

Skye rolled over in bed to face Jemma. After the convoy had limped back into town and the probes and instruments returned to the NSSL, Skye had insisted Jemma and Fitz stay at her place in lieu of getting a hotel room closer to the airport. The duo was set to fly out the following morning and though Skye was keen to make the most of her remaining time with Jemma as the other woman had been cold and detached since the meeting at headquarters.

"I can't be with you, Skye. Not anymore."

Silence enveloped the two women and Skye suddenly felt like she couldn't breathe.

"Why? I thought we were going to try."

"I just can't. Don't you understand?"

"No. I don't. Please, Jemma, enlighten me."

Jemma raised a shaking hand to wipe the tears that were already trailing down her cheeks.

"I can't spend every spring wondering if you're going to get yourself killed or not. Your job is dangerous, Skye. Not only that, but I'm going to be halfway around the world. That's too much stress to put on a new relationship."

Skye scooted closer to Jemma and cupped her face. Leaning in to kiss the other woman, her heart fell when the scientist turned her head and Skye was forced to kiss her cheek instead.

"Baby, please, we can make this work."

"Do you even know how much a round trip ticket to England costs?"

Skye's eyebrows furrowed in frustration.

"So now this is a question of money? Jemma, what is this really about?"

The shorter woman pushed herself into a sitting position and leaned back against the headboard, throwing her hands up in defense.

"It's about everything! I don't want to lose my job, I don't want to go broke traveling back and forth, and I don't want to have to wait around for a phone call telling me you've been sucked up by a bloody tornado!"

Skye sat in stunned silence at the other woman's outburst.

"To be fair, this season was a little unusual. Normally we only almost die once every other season." Skye chuckled nervously when Jemma's eyebrows climbed into her hairline.

"We almost died twice and you have the audacity to joke about it?"

Rolling her eyes, Skye huffed.

"You know what, Jemma, I sure as hell do. At least I'm happy doing my job. I'm doing what I want to do. Do you really want to go back to live a life someone else chose for you?" She snatched her pillow off the bed and grabbed a blanket from her closet.

"Where are you going?" The trembling bottom lip and watery hazel eyes only served to infuriate Skye further and she turned away from her lover before she said something she would regret.

"I'm going to sleep in my roommate's bed. Maybe a night apart will give you a chance to decide what you really want."

Before she closed the door, Skye was certain she heard a muffled sob.

June 2nd

7:46am

The following morning, the rest of the team met at the airport to see Fitz and Jemma off. The car ride had been filled with awkward silence interrupted only by Fitz's sad attempts at making small talk. The group now stood near the line for security, Fitz laughing with Tripp and Ward while Skye and Jemma lingered off to the side, speaking in hushed voices.

"I'm sorry, Skye."

Skye looked at Jemma in disbelief.

"So you're just going to leave? After everything?"

Jemma rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

"I have to, Skye. I can't lose my job. You knew this from the beginning."

"And where does that leave us?"

"Skye…"

Skye had been given that look enough times to know what it meant. Angry tears stung at the edges of her eyes as her heart clenched painfully in her chest.

"So that's it?"

Jemma refused to meet her gaze, instead studying the boarding pass clenched tightly in her fist.

"You know it won't work, Skye. It's just too far."

Grinding her teeth in frustration, Skye reached forward and gently lifted Jemma's chin so fiery mocha could meet uncertain hazel.

"Can you honestly look me in the eye and tell me you're not in love with me? I sure as hell can't."

Jemma's pale throat bobbed as she swallowed and her eyes began to mist over.

"I'm sorry, Skye," was her quiet response before she turned and headed towards the security line.

Fitz trailed after her slowly, sending Skye a pitying look and squeezing her shoulder as he passed. Her jaw slack, Skye watched the woman of her dreams walk away until she was out of sight. Balling up her fists and taking a few deep breaths, she forced herself to turn away and head back over to the area where the team had been pretending not the hear the exchange that had just taken place. Ward opened his mouth, but Skye put a hand up to stop him from speaking.

"If you even think about fucking saying 'I told you so', I will rip your goddamned balls off."

She managed to wait until she was alone in her truck to let the tears fall.

June 6th

2:17pm

It was three days before Skye could bring herself to go through the footage from the season. As she downloaded the memory cards from the cameras, she found herself lingering on videos and pictures of the woman she couldn't shake from her consciousness. She wanted so badly to be angry at the scientist, to hate her, mostly because that might lessen the hurt she was feeling. At this point she'd give anything to simply hold the other woman one more time. It wasn't even as if Jemma didn't have feelings for her. Skye knew the depth of the doctor's feelings mirrored her own. That was the worst part. Knowing Jemma was in love with her, yet somehow that wasn't enough to make her want to stay.

Clicking away from a video of Jemma (incorrectly) describing what was happening with a storm in the background, Skye stood from her desk chair and moved towards her living room, making sure to bring her beer with her. With a resigned sigh, she collapsed on her overstuffed leather sofa and took a long swing from the bottle in her hand. The roommate was still out of town visiting her boyfriend so Skye was left to wander her empty house in her underwear all week. Normally this scenario wasn't so depressing.

4:23pm

Two hours later found Skye in the same position. The only difference was the three empty bottles on the coffee table and the bowl of cheese puffs on her lap. The sound of knocking suddenly interrupted her solidarity and she groaned in exasperation. How dare someone barge in on her Lost marathon. Barely refraining from throwing the bowl of cheesy deliciousness across the room, because that would be a travesty, Skye stomped to the front door and flung it open. A biting tell-off was ready to spill from her lips until her eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness. Her brain short circuited.

"Jemma." The name left her lips in a whisper and the woman standing on her front steps shifted uncomfortably. Over the scientist's shoulder, Skye could see what looked suspiciously like Mr. Coulson's car pulling out of her driveway.

"Do you usually make a habit of answering the door in your knickers?"

Looking down, Skye realized she was still clad only in her worn out Star Wars t-shirt and Wonder Woman briefs. She met Jemma's eyes and smiled sheepishly.

"Um, no, actually. I wasn't really expecting company today, or this week, really." She stood awkwardly in the doorway of her house until she noticed she was letting her kind of girlfriend melt in the Oklahoma summer heat. "Oh! Come in. I'll put some pants on."

When Skye returned to the living room, still tying the drawstring on her sweatpants, Jemma had settled herself on the sofa with a bottle of water. Hazel eyes followed her movements as she sat down next to the other woman. She turned down the volume on the television and turned to face the woman who was currently wringing her hands in her lap.

"Lost, eh? I watched that show when it first debuted. It was quite good. Of course I had to quit watching it after the writers made so many scientific errors. It's a shame, really. I just wish for once I could watch a science fiction show that was at least somewhat realistic, and I'm rambling, aren't I?"

"Why are you here?"

Skye took the now label free water bottle and damp shreds of sticky paper from the scientist's hands and placed them on the table along with her own empty beer bottles and the forgotten bowl of snacks. Glistening eyes looked up from Jemma's lap to meet Skye's own.

"Jemma, I watched your flight take off. What happened?"

"Well I spent the first half of the fourteen hour flight crying and the second half figuring out how to get back to you. As soon as we landed in Manchester, I bought a ticket back to Oklahoma City. The next morning, I was on another plane. It was awful and I'm so tired, but I'm so happy to see you and I really, really want to kiss you, but I know you're probably still quite cross with me. You have every reason to be. I hate that I just left you at the airport like you meant nothing to me. The truth is, you mean everything to me." Her throat bobbed as she swallowed thickly. " I love you, Skye."

Skye blinked once, twice, three times. She contemplated pinching herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming, but Jemma was looking at her like she was going to explode if Skye didn't say something soon.

"And how do I know you're not going to jump on another plane? Do I need to lock you in my bathroom?"

Rolling her eyes with a scoff, Jemma shifted closer on the couch.

"I'm not going anywhere. I want to be here. With you."

"What about your job? What about Fitz? You're kind of a two-for-one type of deal."

"Mr. Coulson said Fury had a spot open ready for me in the Norman labs. Somehow he found out about… us and knew I would end up coming back. Something about knowing everything that went on in his organization. And Fitz is fine. He helped me book my flight back and everything."

"So Fury has a spot for him too?"

Jemma smiled guiltily before reaching forward to grasp Skye's hands in her own, squeezing tightly.

"Yes! Isn't it wonderful, Skye? I'll have to go back to English in a few weeks to pack my things, but I'm here for better or worse."

Not bothering to reply, Skye surged forward and attached her lips to Jemma's, smiling when the other woman groaned into her mouth. Slender arms wrapped themselves around Skye's shoulders and she tilted her head to deepen the kiss. She broke the embrace when she felt a warm hand creep up her stomach to cup her bare breast. Smirking, she pulled Jemma's hands from her shirt and met the eyes of the frowning scientist.

"We'll have plenty of time to christen the couch later. Right now, I really just want to cuddle with my super-hot British girlfriend and watch a movie."

Humming in consent with only a hint of a disappointed frown, Jemma settled into Skye and lay back against the couch.

"I think I can handle that."

Skye kissed the crown of the shorter woman's head, breathing in the sweet scent of her shampoo.

"For the record, I love you too."

One Year Later

April 7th

4:32pm

Skye is watching the first tornado of the chase season form and glances across the console of her brand new truck to meet the excited hazel gaze of her new fiancé and returns the blinding smile she receives. A quick look into the review mirror tells her the small convoy of shiny, (temporarily) dent-free vehicles is still following her. May had actually smiled the first time she climbed into the driver's seat of the new Doppler toting semi.

Suddenly, the funnel makes contact with the ground and Jemma's nervous, I'm-in-danger-but-I'm-having-a-great-time-regardless laugh fills the cab that still smells like new car. She's got the window rolled down and is filming the small vortex as it attacks an empty pasture. She looks back at Skye with the same wonder she wore on her face during her very first chase a year ago and in that moment, there is absolutely nothing Skye could wish for. She already has everything she's ever wanted or needed.