It was all one big misunderstanding. Really, it was.
Baths were so, so rare for the team. It was usually a three minute lukewarm shower and then straight back to the bus, no argument, and well, Skye was used to that. So when she was offered a bath for the first time in six months, she leapt at the chance, and with the enthusiasm of a child on Christmas eve, she'd run herself a bath and jumped right in. It was after she'd cleaned up, with the rare luxury of exfoliating and using scented soap rather than generic, and she was feeling particularly relaxed, so she did what she used to do whenever she was at a particularly good (and 100% safe) foster home, and lowers her head under the water, listening to the sounds of her movement beneath the water, it had always been mesmerising to her.
And then, she coughed. It had never happened before, and as she coughed, water surged into her lungs with a white hot burn, she tried to sit up but she slid right back in, panic bubbling up in her chest as more and more water was inhaled, and she tried to hold her breath, quite painfully, right as someone knocked on the door.
"Skye?" It sounded like Agent May, and she couldn't breathe anymore, so she let it go, hoping to every fricken god and goddess that this wasn't the way she was going to go out, in soapy bathwater with Agent May on the other side of the door. As her vision faded to black, she thought she heard a bang.
The next thing she heard was a steady beeping. She groaned through an enflamed throat but couldn't bring herself to open her eyes. She felt a sharp pain in her hand as she tried to move, and scowled, her eyes finally opening to take in her surroundings, despite the fact they were stinging, no doubt from the soap. Great, just great. She was willing to bet she was off the team now, she'd definitely proven herself a risk.
Her gaze finally took in the room properly, and she saw Jemma on one side of her, and Coulson on the other. She heaved a sigh of relief, they hadn't left without her.
"Hey guys," it sounded like her throat had been grated, but she made herself smile awkwardly at her boss/friend and her…well, she wasn't sure what Jemma was to her. Jemma smiled brighter than Skye had ever seen her smile, and she clenched Skye's hand tight. That must have been the pain from before, she realized. Coulson however, did not smile. "Uh, you gonna talk?"
"I'm so glad you're alive," Jemma said softly, tilting her head, her smile faltering a bit. "Why did you do it?"
"Wait," Skye choked out, launching into a brief but painful coughing fit before turning and narrowing her eyes at Jemma. "Do what?"
The silence was almost painful, and Skye frowned, leaning back and crossing her arms. It took her another minute before she realized why Jemma looked so distraught and Coulson was doing that whole silently angry thing.
"You think I…? No! I swear, I wasn't trying to kill myself!" She gasped out, her eyes wide and pleading for them to believe her. That was nuts, she was just getting closer to finding her parents, and sure May had shot her down as hard as she could and yes that had hurt, but deep down she knew she was going to figure it out someday.
Jemma winced and then turned a bright smile on. Couslon just sat there, still fuming.
"You don't have to lie to us Skye, we want to help you." Jemma says softly, reaching out again for the hand Skye had jerked away.
"I didn't try to kill myself!" Skye shouted, more angry that Jemma didn't believe her than that they'd thought it in the first place.
"Simmons, would you mind?" May stood in the doorway, her usual impassive expression on her face. Skye wanted to answer on Jemma's behalf and tell her to get lost, because the most important thing was that Jemma knew she wasn't all messed up and suicidal, that she was happy, that it was nothing Jemma could have stopped because it was an accident, but Jemma got up, nodded and left the room, glancing back worriedly at Skye on her way out.
May took Jemma's seat, and there was silence once more. she suddenly realised that Agent May had seen her naked. Her face lit up like a Christmas tree, but still nobody said a word.
"Oh come on, you didn't just kick my- Jemma, out, to sit there and stare at me. Am I off the team or what?" She could hear her voice crack and she knew she was about to cry but she hoped that they couldn't tell.
"It is very rare that I do something that isn't in the best interests of the team," May stated, sitting as stiffly as a board and staring holes into Skye, with that uncomfortable intensity that was 'emotions'. "But in this case I was wrong to say what I said. I hope that you understand that I didn't intend to hurt you." Too badly, was unspoken but clearly meant, and Skye rolled her eyes and nodded.
"I didn't try to kill myself. This is a misunderstanding." Skye repeats, frustration clear in her voice, "Hell, I don't care if you hate me, it's not going to make me commit suicide, so can we please just cut the caring and apologising crap? I'm fine, i'm never bathing again, but I'm fine." Sne thought the joke would lighten the situation, but it only caused Coulson and May to exchange a concerned glance. Skye groaned and smacked her head back against the pillows.
"Skye, this is a very serious situation. You need to be honest with us so we can get you the help you need," Coulson said, his brows furrowed and his fingers intertwined. "We'd hate to lose you."
"Alright, you want the truth? The truth is, that a really smart, beautiful and frankly adorable girl is out there waiting to see me, and she thinks I tried to kill myself, which is fucking ridiculous, because I was supposed to ask her out today, and if I was going to off myself, it would be after at least one date and the season finale of supernatural, so obviously, this is an mistake."
Coulson blinked, and a tiny smile pulled at the corners of Agent May's lips.
"I see." Coulson murmured, hiding his embarrassment rather well. "In that case, we're very sorry, Skye. Would you like us to leave and send her in?"
"Yes," Skye beamed, glad that they no longer thought she was on the verge of death, and watched as they stood and left, whispering to each other when they were out of earshot, rather irritatingly.
The brunette awkwardly stood in the doorway a minute later, her face already red. "I really must apologise Skye, I thought that…"
"I know, but I'm really not Jem, its just a really weird mess up. C'mere." She tore off the blankets without thinking, and then sat atop them, legs crossed, accidentally pulling on her IV. She winced and then waved Jemma closer., wondering how ridiculous she must look with bed hair and a hospital gown on.
Jemma awkwardly approached, and went to sit in the chair but Skye reached out and pulled her closer.
"I'm not completely certain that bed is actually structurally stable enough for two people, I certainly wouldn't want to break hospital property, i'm sure the fines for that sort of thing are-"
"Just get on the bed, Jemma." Amusement shone in Skye's eyes as the obviously uncomfortable woman nervously inched onto the bed, breathing a sigh of relief when it didn't collapse under her weight. "See? Haven't you ever seen Grey's Anatomy? They do this all the time."
"Well I tend to have much more pressing things to do than watch something that requires little to no brain activity, Skye. Although I must admit it hasn't affected your intelligence, you're rather fascinating, actually." Jemma turned bright red yet again and Skye remembered her last attempt at flirting, connecting the dots quickly. That was Jemma's version of hitting on someone, it seemed. It was entirely unfair how cute Jemma could be.
"Well, I think you're fascinating too." Skye smirked, leaning in, "And between you and me, I think you'd actually like Grey's Anatomy. Lots of smartsy stuff and heaps of drama. We should watch it on our date tomorrow."
"Oh, I don't really like drama, it usually ends badly- Wait," Jemma's eyes widened comically, "Our date?" She was practically gaping at Skye, and then her nose crinkled and she smiled on that bright way that she does, and said, "Yes, I'd quite like that."
