A/N: Hope you enjoy.

Summary: For as long as Skye could remember she had been alone. There would be times where she thought she could find a home, but in the end she was always proved wrong. Skye never had anything to hold onto, but that all changed with two pink lines.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Original idea credited to Red lighting.

Beta: Uiop12092

Prologue: Promises

"Are you certain these documents are authentic?"

"No one will be able to tell the are your best shot of staying off of their radar."

The woman licked her lips, her brown eyes glazed over as she stared at the manila folder resting haphazardly on the table. If she had the chance, she would have forged the documents for herself, but she was worried and rightfully so. Her friend assured her Erik, the man dressed in all black sitting across from her, was good at what he did and never got caught in his affairs.

Even still, the woman was hesitant to trust the man, but she had always been distrusting of the people around her.

Taking a breath, the woman lifted her head to look into the man's blue eyes, "Alright. How much do I owe you?"

Erik tilted his head to the side, a smirk present on his face, "On the house."

"Why," the woman asked sharply, her brown eyes narrowing at the man.

Erik only chuckled and ran his fingers through his curly black hair, "What can I say? I don't like charging beautiful women who are in need."

The woman stared at him quizzically, but made no other reply to Erik as she took the folder into her cold fingers. Although there were only a dozen thin sheets of paper inside, the weight of what these documents meant was heavy on her shoulders.

"Thank you," the woman whispered breathless.

Erik nodded with a look of sympathy and understanding on his face.

She put the folder into her laptop carrier, slid out of the red booth and walked out of the diner without another word. It was late, she needed to get home to someone who was expecting her to come back like she promised. Every time the woman left, she always promised that she would come back and every night or afternoon she kept that promise to the girl with the green eyes. Adjusting the black strap on her shoulder, the woman continued down the empty streets of the city.

Now she wouldn't have to run anymore, she could stop and settle down in a place without constantly looking over her shoulder. Maybe for once she would be able to breathe without the thought of someone watching her from behind or above. After walking for several minutes, the woman arrived to the place she needed to be. Across the way was an alley, she could just barely make out the dark silhouette that was her home.

It was a van that she lived in, but she hadn't spent the night in there since a few months ago. Now it served more of means of transportation and living on the run. Content with seeing her former home, the woman entered the building. The rush of cool air caused her brown hair to blow out of her face.

"Look who's back," said the man, Jamie, who worked at the front desk of this place.

The woman gave him a kind smile, "I didn't know you would still be here Jamie."

"Ah, it's only eleven at night, I don't have to close up until twelve," the older man said.

"Of course," the woman replied, "I've got the money for this month and last month's rent."

Jamie waved her off, "Don't worry about it, just be careful. This place still needs to be refurbished after the last quake."

The young woman nodded her head, a nervous smile on her face as she walked passed him to get to the stairs. Although she had it under control, there was the one time she could no longer keep it at bay. Luckily no one else knew that, except for someone she trusted with her life.

She raced up the stairs, taking two, three at a time if she could. After her trek up the few flights of stairs, she made it to her floor and quickly found her room down the hall. This place used to be a small hotel, but because of low funding and other issues, it became an a low income tenant place. She hated to admit it, but she was near rock bottom. Either she lived here or she live in her van parked across the street.

Pulling out her key, she unlocked her door, 21B , and entered the dimly lit room. Every suite in this old tenant was the same, two rooms turned into one large one. What would have been one small living room was now a big one with four windows, one kitchen, two bathrooms and two rooms. She walked down the small hallway and entered the large living room to see her friend sitting on the couch.

"Hey," he said to her with a smile, "How'd it go?"

The brown eyed woman took a seat on the couch next to him, "Well. I got the documents, but I don't like him Lincoln."

The man, Lincoln, rolled his eyes in response, "Oh come on, he isn't that bad."

"Pfff, sure he isn't," the woman replied sarcastically, "But I'm over it. I got the paperwork so we're good to go."

"Do you have any idea where you'll go from here," Lincoln asked her curiously. He wouldn't be able to come along.

She shrugged, "I'm not sure, but I think I'll head south."

"Why south," Lincoln asked her with a raised eyebrow.

"Because I need to stay off the radar and," the woman replied grinning, "I may or may not have lead them on a false trail to New York."

Lincoln laughed happily, "Of course you did. Skye the brilliant hacker strikes again." Her smile grew wider and brighter at the sound of her new name, her name.

"Yeah, I'm just that good," Skye said with a teasing grin, "How was she while I was gone?"

Lincoln sighed dramatically, "Fussy as ever. Although she can't talk, she makes the most noise. I honestly I think the only reason she screams so loud is so you can hear her and come back."

Skye playfully pushed her friend's shoulder, "Oh shut up."

Still smiling, the woman placed her bag on the floor and left the couch to go see her daughter. A year ago, Skye had the most shocking revelation of her life and it came in the form of two pink lines on a pregnancy test. She couldn't believe it, a baby. She was going to have a baby. At first, she had been utterly terrified of the idea having to care for an infant. Yet that terror quickly turned into excitement.

All her life she wanted a family and now she could have one. It was strange for Skye to think a little over a year ago she had been living across the street from Lincoln without a care in the world. It wasn't until SHIELD came along that the peace was ended and Skye needed to leave along with the other powered individuals who lived out there.

Shortly after the chaos had settled, Skye learned something that would once again change her world. Skye had been alone when she discovered her pregnancy. For three months she had been on her own, pregnant and living in a van before she got the nerve to contact Lincoln. If there was anyone who could help her, she knew it would be Lincoln.

The first thing she did when she learned she was with child was run, she ran far away until she knew it was safe. Once she was safe, she contacted Lincoln and he came rushing to her side ready to help in whatever way he could. She was grateful to him, more grateful than he would ever know. Quietly, Skye opened the door to the room she shared with her baby.

The room was like any other hotel room, there was an average sized bed on the left and the right was the crib she and Lincoln had assembled. She could remember how he had built the whole thing and hour only to have collapse on itself when he placed the toolbox down. It had been a hard and stressful process, but the two of them were able to get it to stay together after seven hours of work. Skye walked over to the crib and looked down to see her baby, her little girl, awake with big green eyes.

"Hey," Skye said with a huge smile.

Upon seeing her mother, the little girl smiled and raised her arms, opening and closing her small hands. Skye chuckled, she bent down and carefully lifted the baby into her arms.

"Oh look at you," Skye cooed at the baby girl, "Why are you still up little one?"

Skye didn't expect a verbal reply, but the look in her daughter's eyes answered the question.

"I came back, just like I promised," Skye said in soft tone.

Her daughter's hands gripped the collar of her shirt tightly, not willing to let go. Skye held her daughter a little tighter too, also not wanting to let go of the little one anytime soon.

Swaying from side to side, Skye talked to her daughter, "Today, mom got the documents. We don't have to worry so much anymore."

Skye paused briefly, a thoughtful expression on her face. It had only been three months since her daughter was born and Skye could only focus on the present. Usually whenever Skye thought of the future it involved her being worried and afraid about the unknown. However she would find herself thinking about what would happen to them in future. Where would they be tomorrow? Would they be safe? Would they be happy?

"We could settle down, you might even be able to go to school when you get older," Skye whispered, "Maybe, just maybe, make some friends and some new memories. A lot of things will change for us, hopefully for the better."

The baby let one her hands let go of Skye's shirt and Skye put her finger in front of her daughter. Her little hand wrapped around Skye's finger, the touch bringing a watery smile to Skye's face.

"But don't you worry Grace," Skye said softly, "I'll always be there and no one will ever hurt you. I promise you that."