1
"Hold still," Simmons ordered. Across from her Skye sat on the exam table. "Heart rate elevated."
"Is that a bad thing?" Skye asked. Next to her sat Trip and Simmons moved to check his pulse.
"It might be. I have no idea what Padovano injected you with. This could be a symptom or just you being stressed. Your heart rate is elevated as well Agent Triplett," she said moving to the other work bench. "I'm going to take blood samples."
Trip started to roll up his sleeves but Skye just sat there watching him. Her eyes were fixated on his forearm now exposed.
"It's okay Skye," he said quietly while reaching out and rubbing her on the back. "Jemma's got this."
Simmons fought back the smile she felt bubbling up at Trip using her first name. She moved toward him, needle in hand and smoothly took a sample.
"Besides," he continued. "It's probably just an Icer knock-off. Been hit with one before and it feels pretty much the same."
"That is very possible Skye," Simmons prattled while turning and labelling her first sample. "Thanks to HYDRA that technology is out there now. It's certainly not what Fitz and I had in mind when we designed the Night Night gun but all we can do-"
Turning around, Simmons trailed off. They were sitting closer than before and both had their eyes closed breathing heavily. Skye's head was resting against Trip's shoulder while his hand gently travelled up and down her back. Trip turned and placed a kiss on the top of Skye's head
"Skye," Simmons said harshly snapping them both apart. Their pupils were clearly dilated and their breathing heavier than before. They looked like two teenagers busted by a parent. A blush crept across Skye's face.
"Please roll up your sleeve so I may drawn some blood." Simmons aimed for a much sweeter tone. She was embarrassed by her reaction. Trip flirted with her sometimes but he worked with Skye everyday. Of course they would become close. Still she had hoped Skye had realized how she felt about Trip.
She had to admit she was less gentle drawing blood from Skye and quickly brought her samples to the microscope. She didn't want them to see the disappointment that was surely clear on her face. Simmons looked first at Skye's sample. She'd seen Skye's blood so many times after the shooting and nothing looked out of place. She reached for Trip's and again, nothing was amiss. If it was an Icer that made perfect sense. More tests were needed if she was going to be sure.
She turned around, ready to announce that her patients were free to go. She gasped. Skye was lying on the exam table while Trip was on top of her, their mouths joined together as they fondled each other.
"Hey," Simmons shouted. This time there was no holding back the anger she was feeling. "What are you doing?"
Skye pushed Trip and they broke apart. She sat up and there were tears in her eyes. Trip straightened up find fixed his eyes on a point on the wall, trying to steady his breathing.
"Simmons," Skye said pleadingly, aware that her friend was upset. "It's like I can't help it. There's no way that was an Icer." Trip just nodded avoiding Skye's eyes. Simmons moved to the comm panel.
"Sir, I think you need to get down here. Something's very wrong."
2
Coulson was surprised at the sight that greeted him in the lab. Simmons was trying desperately to pull Skye off of Trip. Trip's hands were firmly holding her ass so it was clear he was a willing participant. Coulson heard a chuckle behind him and turned to see May amused by the scene.
"Help me!" Simmons begged and Coulson, rushing forward, grabbed Skye around the waist and pulled her free of Trip. Coulson felt Skye relax the moment she was free of Trip's embrace. He looked over and May had moved herself in front of Trip in case he tried to get to Skye again.
"As you can see," Simmons began, "we have something of a situation. Whatever they were injected with has caused this reaction. Things ramped up rather dramatically following a casual touch." Coulson quickly let go of Skye afraid he might be next.
"No don't worry," Skye said. "Simmons has touched me tons since we got back and I don't feel the urge to jump her bones. Just Trip."
Trip had walked across the room to get as far away from Skye as possible. May had stuck by his side.
"She's right. I like to think I have control over myself but it's like a that part of my brain stops working when we're touching." Trip was even avoiding looking at Skye. And Simmons.
"So what do we do with them?" Coulson asked.
"Cold shower," May joked. Coulson looked at her annoyed. This was not a laughing matter. He'd sent Skye in with Trip to gain more field experience and now she was drugged and out of control.
"Would that work?" Skye asked earnestly. "Because I will try anything. No offence." She directed the last part towards where Trip was standing. Coulson noticed that Skye had turned herself so that Trip was no longer in her line of sight either. She missed his nod in return.
"Honestly, I don't know. I have the blood samples and I'll analyze them. I've never seen anything quite like this but if we could find Padovano maybe he has an antidote. In the meantime keeping these two apart-" Simmons allowed herself to trail off, embarrassed by the situation.
"Koenig is already working on Padovano upstairs. Skye, you can come help us." Coulson rested his hand on her shoulder as he talked. He could see that she had only gotten more upset when Simmons admitted that she hadn't seen this drug before. Skye nodded.
"I'll stay here with Simmons," Trip volunteered. "I'm no Fitz or anything but if I can help."
"Brilliant," Simmons said trying to catch Trip's eye. Coulson guided Skye from the lab and he farther they walked the calmer she seemed. He just needed Simmons to come up with something fast.
3
"Skye, hello? You in there?" Koenig turned from the keyboard and looked at her with concern.
Skye snapped to attention, her eyes darting around the room. Coulson had noticed that she was getting slower in her responses but now was sure that things were getting worse. Still, he didn't want to ask what was going on in her head. He stood next to her waiting to see if she would calm down.
"What should we do next?" Koenig asked, gesturing at the large computer screen in front of them.
"Whoa! You hacked into Interpol?" Skye was excited.
"No Skye," Coulson said softly. "You did, just a few minutes ago." He watched as those words sank in. Skye looked crushed.
"Never mind. I think I've got it," Koenig said either truly oblivious to the scene happening behind him or politely ignoring it. With Koenig, Coulson was never sure.
"It's getting worse," Skye admitted.
"I've noticed. We can probably manage without you if you need to go lie down or-"
"No!" Skye was emphatic. "I'm pretty sure I need a chaperone." Skye blushed and Coulson was glad she was choosing to go light on the details. Once this was all over, he didn't want Skye to be too embarrassed.
"AC," Skye whispered, "please don't let me do anything with Trip. No matter how bad this gets." Tears welled in her eyes and Coulson instinctively pulled her into a hug. "It's not that he's not a great guy, I just don't feel that way about him."
"Of course, Skye," he murmured into her ear. She pulled back from him, a small smile on her face. It was a relief to see it. She nodded, clearly grateful.
"Hey guys," Koenig called out. "Interpol thinks Padovano is based out of Miami. They've been investigating him for drug trafficking for three years now."
"I can take the jump jet and see if I can pick him up." Coulson turned as May spoke. He hadn't noticed her enter the office. He wondered how long she had been there. "I guess no one told them he was in the Fridge most of that time."
"Not yet," Coulson answered. "Miami's a big place. We need more to go on before I'm putting someone else in his line of fire." May nodded.
"How are you feeling, Skye?" she asked. "Simmons wants an update."
Coulson watched as Skye struggled with her thoughts. She seemed so pained.
"It's getting worse." Coulson wasn't surprised that she didn't say more. He was angry. Skye had been through so much already; it was a non-stop year really and now something else and something so personal. When they caught Padovano, Coulson was going to make him pay.
May only nodded in response and left to update Simmons.
"Let's get back to work," Skye said brightly. Coulson caught her eye and it was clear to him that she was faking the energy. She dropped her guard, looking at him. "We need to catch this guy, soon."
4
"Your hormones are off the charts. I'm genuinely surprised you're still standing." Simmons was carefully looking over her test results.
"Have you ever noticed how soft Skye's hair is?" Trip's eyes were glassy and his voice detached.
"I can't say that I have," Simmons responded tersely. "It's almost like they're synthetic. Your hormones I mean, not her hair." She looked up at Trip for a response but he was off in some fantasy land. At least now he was quiet. For the last hour it was Skye this and Skye that. She'd have sent him away if if wasn't so fascinating. He had gone from occasionally distracted to practically catatonic. She peered into her microscope hoping to test another theory.
"Jemma," he said softly. His voice sounded normal for the first time in a while. "Thank you. I'm glad it's you working on this. I know you'll fix us." She smiled but by the time she turned to face him he was glazed over and lost in Skye-land again.
Suddenly the answer jumped out at her. She rushed over to her computer to try a model. She waited anxiously for the result and shouted with joy when it loaded. She noticed Trip snap to attention and she smiled at him before rushing to the comm panel.
"Sir," she said and waited for Coulson to respond.
"I hope you have something Simmons," he answered leading her to believe that Skye was in as rough of shape as Trip.
"I do. I've isolated the various components of the injection. It's made up of synthetic hormones, enhanced bee pheromones and very pure MDMA. Based on that last ingredient this should be out of their system in a few more hours. Four tops."
"Great work Simmons" Coulson sounded as relieved as she felt. Even if she couldn't counteract the drug at least there was an end in sight.
"All we have to do is keep Trip and Skye apart until they come down and - Dammit! Trip's gone. I'm so sorry. He's been so quiet I didn't realize." She was now standing alone in her lab.
"It's okay. He's probably coming this way so- Stop!" Simmons heard a bang over the comm and the sound of a door.
"Sir? Are you still there?" Simmons asked.
"I'm here," Coulson answered. "Skye's not."
Hi everyone! Thanks for reading this and just so you know the updates will be coming fast and furious. This story has been kicking my butt all summer long. I got the original idea to drug Simmons and Trip and got about halfway through the story when I realized that it wasn't very good. I kept changing who was drugged, who was the point of view character was and how I wanted things to end. Seriously, there's about 300 words on my computer of Trip and Coulson before I realized that was never going to work. So once I settled on Trip and Skye the conflicts and tension became very clear and I finally made some real headway. I don't know if there's a better combination, but I'm putting this out here because I need to move on. The rest of the story is done and I'm just editing.
All that to say, I hope you enjoy this because it was hell for me. I don't own Agents of Shield or any of these characters.