Cared for.

Summary: He isn't surprised to find her waiting for him in his office, when he comes back from seeing Dr. Streiten, because who else was it going to be?
Notes: Written for the #cousyrewatch event.

He isn't surprised to find her waiting for him in his office, when he comes back from seeing Dr. Streiten, because who else was it going to be?

"I thought everyone had gone to sleep." he says quietly.

"Yeah, fat chance of you getting away from me, AC." she said. "I know you don't want to talk about it, I'm not sure I could hear it, not tonight, but, I need to know. Are you ok?"

Coulson draws a breath.

"I..." he pauses. Is he ok? It's been a day and a half and the rest of the day gave him more things to worry about himself. "I don't know." he admites. "Physically? I am sore all over, but..." he swallows.

Skye moves closer and slowly wraps her arms around him.

He doesn't freeze this time, doesn't hesitate to wrap his around Skye, to hold on tight to her. He feels safe in her arms, those hands held him as her voice brought him back. Those hands will always be his safe place.

"Is there anything I can do for you?"

"You've done...so, so much." he replied, squeezing her closer.

"Hey, hey." Skye pulls back a little, lifts a hand to wipe away the tears he didn't know were falling.

"Sorry." he shakes his head.

"It's fine. I cried on you earlier today, so we're like even now. And you had some pretty crappy couple of days."

"You didn't have the easiest of times yourself."

"Between the two of us, I wasn't tortured." she deadpanned. "And you said you were sore. Where?"

"Please don't offer me a massage." he said quickly.

"Yeah, no, I know zero about massages. But I do know warm compresses."

He pauses for a second – he doesn't know how to tell her about the shock treatment of Po's – before taking his jacket off and slowly unbuttoning his shirt. Skye quickly turns to pick the compresses she had placed on his desk, that he had missed, and to give him some privacy.

It feels...not weird, not exactly, to expose his scar to Skye. Just...different, new. On the other hand, she heard him today and she knows he didn't tell her the truth about his memories, he could tell by the look in her eyes. But he feels he can show her this, that she can take this.

"Coulson..." Skye breathes out.

She doesn't look at his scar, but at his face, solemn and caring. He looks away, because he can't look at her eyes, the depths of them. It's too much and he isn't used to the feeling of being cared for, of being someone's priority.

(Because that's what he was today, for Skye. No worry about him finding out about Tahiti – just worry about him. And while he doesn't like the idea of him being a source of worry for Skye, he can't deny feeling warm at the knowledge she would care.)

"The entrance wound is in the back." he says quietly, expecting her to go around to see it.

Skye comes closer and wraps him in her arms again, letting her right hand brush against the scar in the back. It's neater in the back, not the gnarled mess in the front; easier for the doctors to work on his chest rather his back/him on his back.

"I am so sorry." she whispers against his shoulder. "I am so sorry."

He holds her to him. He wants to tell her it's ok, that he's fine, but he can't find the words, nothing that won't sound weak and empty, a meaningless platitude.

A few moments later, she lets go and concentrates on his bruises, taking care of him, bandaging his middle and the burns Po inflicted on him.

It's over soon and they find themsleves standing across from each other, knowing Coulson needs to tell her everything.

He draws a breath.

"I told you I am not sure I can handle it tonight. And neither can you." she shook her head.

"I know. I just want you to know that I will tell you. When you ask me to."

Skye nodded once, like she did hours ago, when he lied to her, in the cargo bay of the Bus. Accepting his word.

"Okay." she said softly.

Her eyes stray towards his chest, to where his scar is hidden behind the bandage.

There is sadness in those eyes. For him, for the pain he went through.

It's humbling. And unprecedented. They haven't known each other for long, almost three months, but he can't deny their connection from the moment they met. Like they knew each other for years.

He raises a hand against the scar for a second, before he takes her hand and places it against his heart.

"I'm here." he said softly and Skye's surprised look turns into an understanding one.

She presses against his chest once and then takes her hand away.

"I'm glad." she replied. "You should rest." she adds.

Coulson smiles.

"You too. Like I said, I heard what you did for me. Sounds exhausting."

"Oh, you read the report, not what I had to go through to get your ass out of the fire, mister." she answered. "I committed at least five crimes to get to you." she huffed.

"Please, Skye." Coulson begged to know, charmed. "Tell me everything."

"Not before we both had had a couple of hours of sleep." she shook her head, heading for the door. "But, I will tell you everything, in detail, when you ask me again." she smiled at him, over her shoulder.

"Okay." he smiled.

"Okay." she echoed.

"Okay."

"Goodnight, Phil." she grinned, mischievously.

"Goodnight, Skye." he smiled.