Chapter 2
Flashbacks in Italics
May's POV
"May" I say answering my phone and heading to the cockpit, I was still waiting for Coulson and Skye to get back from taking Ace to his Aunt.
"Hill, I heard your mission went well"
"Yes, it did" I tell her not sure why she was calling me.
"How do you feel about Skye being on the team" She asks, thankfully getting straight to the point.
"It's okay. It could be difficult keeping her cover but other then that it is fine" I tell her, if I was being honest I liked having her close to Phil and I, I hate not knowing where she is and if she is safe.
"So it won't be a problem. You won't avoid her and you will be able to work together on missions"
"I don't avoid Skye" I tell her, I hadn't realized it was that noticeable although, I probably should have.
"Yes, you do. I just wanted to check that their wouldn't be any problems. Skye said I should check with you" she says casually but it feels like a slap to the face. I had never thought much about how I was affecting Skye, I just wanted to keep her away from me after what I did in Bahrain. Even thinking about the place brings up the nightmares of the little girl.
After I briefly talked to Hill about Phil I made my way out of the cockpit and dodged agents on the way out of the Bus to where Skye had parked her van. I opened the back door hoping less people would see me going in there. Skye was facing away from me ramming clothes in to bags "Everything okay?" she asks without turning around.
"Yeah, I just" I didn't really know why I had come out here, I just had to see her.
"Well, since your out here you can help" she hands me a box and gestures to the desk. "Just grab the laptop, a few memory cards and wires it doesn't really matter. I have already hidden most of my S.H.I.E.L.D stuff in Dads office" she says before moving to corner and dragging things out of the way.
"What are you doing?" I ask as she places her hand to the floor and a small panel opens, revealing a scanner, it then scans her hand and shows a hidden safe under the floor of the van. Skye grabs out a box that was inside. As she opens the lid I move to see whats in it she pulls out a file with level 9 clearance written across it in bold letters, a standard S.H.I.E.L.D gun, SAT phone and her badge before getting to the bottom and pulling out a zip lock bag. "How did all that fit?" I ask as she sits next to me.
"S.H.I.E.L.D" was the one word answer she gives me as she pulls her locket over her head. I was about to ask what she was doing until I see the pictures that are in the bag. "I didn't want anyone to see the pictures when I was undercover. I considered taking the locket off, but then how would Grandma stalk me" she explains and I roll my eyes continuing to pack her things as she puts a picture of Coulson, Skye and I and a picture of Nick, her and my mother back into her locket.
"Your Grandmother is not stalking you. The tracker is in it is for emergencies" I tell her, Skye had always complained that she has a tracker in her locket, and telling her that both her Grandmother and I had one in our lockets too didn't help.
"It feels like stalking when she randomly shows up" she tells me putting things back in her box. "I still think we should get Dad something with a tracker in it"
"You know he refuses to wear one" I tell her, much to our annoyance Phil has always hated the idea on himself, although he likes the fact that he can find Skye quickly if she needs him.
"Yeah I know" she says closing the box and putting the file at the bottom of a bag. "Could you do me a favour?" she asks.
"Of course"
"Could you keep this for me" she says holding out the box.
"Yes, I can put it in the cockpit but, I thought you said your S.H.I.E.L.D things were in your Dad's office.
"That's just my tac-gear and laptop from Tony" She explains, as I take the box from her. "Are you sure everything is all right?" she asks looking at me nervously. I don't answer I just pull her into a hug, she hesitates before returning it.
"You know I love you, right?" I ask because since Phil died on the Helicarrier, I have noticed how distant Skye and I have become even if it was my own fault.
"I know Mum, I love you too" she tells me and I can hear the smile in her voice.
Coulson's POV
"Skye girls not qualified to be a S.H.I.E.L.D agent" Wards says and I almost laugh Skye had been qualified to be an agent since she was a teenager, I argue with him until May speaks ups.
"We have two kids on this Bus that aren't cleared for combat. You're adding a third" Melinda says and I glare at her for siding with Ward even if it is only to keep Skye's cover. Having enough of discussing my daughter I change the subject to the mission.
"Yes, it means we don't know what that means" I say to Ward, handing Melinda the coordinates dismissing them both.
"Sweet ride" Skye says, when I walk up to her standing next to her new bunk.
"I earned a little good will from Director Fury when I got hit right before the battle of New York" I tell her.
"You didn't take a hit Dad. You were stabbed though the heart by an Asgardian with a Chitauri Scepter" she frowns.
"The effect was similar got a few weeks R and R, and this Plane. Had it completely refurbished studs up, speared no expense"
"Yeah, they even sent you to Tahiti" She says.
"It's a magical place" I reply automatically.
"You mentioned that" Skye says sliding in to a booth.
"Here use a coster. I'd Buckle up" I tell her sitting next to her and putting a coster down. I ignore her eye roll as I put my belt on.
"I don't even know where we are going"
"Peru, that's where the 0-8-4 was reported" I tell her remembering the last one.
"It's been a while since I've went to an 0-8-4 site" she smirks, and I presume she is remembering too.
"Who knew a hammer could be so interesting" I say and she gives a small laugh.
I get out go the van at the 0-8-4 site with Skye standing right next to me. I can see her scanning her surroundings and she seems a little tense and nervous with is surprising. She has always been confident when we have done missions together. She seems to relax a little when she sees May get back in the van to find a place to park.
"Your scientists are cute" she tells me watching Fitzsimmons walk up to the Temple.
"They are some of the best youngest to graduate from Science and Technology " I tell her and laugh when she scrunches up her nose at the mention of the rivalry academy.
"Guess we have something in common" She says.
"True, but you are the youngest to graduate from both Communications and Operations" I tell her and she grins following me to the Temple.
"Should we warn people that the 0-8-4 is dangerous they are already dealing with anti mining rebels" Skye ask, and I can't tell if she is keeping her cover or is she thinks we should warn them.
"Remember the panic when that anti matter meteor splashed down just of the cost of Miami nearly devoured the city" I ask trying to prove a point which doesn't work out that well.
"Yes, I was working with people fresh out of the Academy. It was a nightmare" she tells with a smirk.
"My point is that if something happens you need to create some kind of a diversion, put the public on the wrong scent" I tell her and she sighs.
"So everything that my covers against"
"Yup" I say walking away to talk to the professor.
Skye's POV
"Not a scratch, but your plane's totalled good thing S.H.I.E.L.D insurance covers highjacking" I say walking up to Dad who is carefully inspecting Lola for any damage.
"Right under incidentals" he says.
"Lot of damage for an object we are just going to destroy" I sigh, this had been a crazy mission. I had been starting to forget what it was like being in the field like this when things were a lot more crazy then just people with computers trying to take down an organization.
"You know the protocol, for these things they are to dangerous for any person or, country to have" Dad explain and I quickly move on before I can get a protocol lecture.
"I know" I say beginning to back away "Oh and Dad, Mum and I would rather not see you flirting with your old Girlfriend" I tell him quietly so no one else can hear and laugh when I see him blush a little.
"Come on you guys don't want to miss this" Fitz say as he and Simmons walk down to the end of the cargo ramp with a cooler. I laugh when I hear Fitz start rambling in big words I don't understand.
"How many of those have you had?" I ask and regret it when Simmons starts rambling on about unwinding in the field.
Dad surprises me by moving to standing front of everyone asking about who blew a hole in the plane. I almost run away when I recognize the voice he uses it usually followed with me being grounded when I was younger. Opening my mouth to take the blame I am cut short by Simmons jumping in followed by Ward, and Fitz all agreeing that it was everyones idea.
"Nice work" was all Dad said.
"All clear for lift off" we hear from the sandbox. I smile remembering the last time I heard that.
"Mum, Where are we?" I ask as Dad lift's me out of my car seat and on to his lap. Mum turns towards me and smiles pulling me away from Dad and puts me on her lap giving me a hug. I lean my head on Mums shoulder as she begins to tell me where we are.
"We are at a top secret place and we are going to watch a rocket take off"
"A real rocket that goes in to space" I ask sitting up and getting excited.
"Yes, Skye" Dad laughs. "It is going to go all the way up to the sun" He tells me, and Mum looks at Dad with the weird look on her face that she does when she is annoyed at him.
"But you said that the sun is made of fire won't the people on the rocket get hurt" I tell him confused. I remember asking Dad about rockets and space when he read me 'Goodnight Moon' because I didn't know much about space.
"These are special rockets with no people in them so no one will be getting hurt" Mum tells me and Dad says something quietly so I can't hear. We then hear a man say that it is all clear for lift off, then there is a loud noise and we all look at where the rocket is flying away up in to the sky.
"Goodnight Rocket" I say quietly when I can no longer see the rocket. Mum pulls me closer and kisses the top of my head.
"Love you Bookworm" Mum says.
Mum, Dad and I all make brief eye contact and I can tell that they remember that day too. I glare at Dad I was still mad at him for telling me their was no such things as aliens when I was younger, which was a complete lie. I am pulled away by a text from the Rising Tide asking what my status is. I internally groan as I tell them 'I'm in' hating that I have to keep up this cover.
Hiding in a storage room in the back of the Bus, I wait for Uncle Nick to finish yelling at Dad and come talk to me. After another ten minutes of waiting the door opens Nick comes in.
"I told you to watch your parents, not help them blow up the plane" He says giving me a hug I laugh pulling away.
"Sorry, but this time I was the one to blow it up" I tell him. "I wouldn't have had to if I wasn't keeping up this ridiculous cover" I tell him after today I really want to drop this cover.
"Sorry, Agent Mayson but your orders are to keep your cover"
"I know my orders Sir, but there are two agents on the Bus that aren't cleared for combat. Agent May is just the pilot, that only leaves this team with two agents that are clear and willing for combat. Today's mission would have been a lot easier with three. It wouldn't have had to escalate to the point of blowing a hole in the side of the plane" I tell him, as an agent and not his niece.
"Are you going against my orders" he growls in a way that makes me understand why some junior agents are afraid of him.
"No, Sir"
"How is your mission going?" he asks after a second of glaring.
"I got a message from the Rising Tide about an hour ago asking about my status I told them that 'I'm in' so my cover is fine there. Dad still thinks Tahiti is a magical place. Mum is mad that she has had combat it these past two missions, as well as being called the Calvary by Ward and Fitzsimmons, and Dad's ex showing up hasn't helped her mood" I tell Nick and he just nods.
"And Ward?" he asks and I hesitate before answering.
"We didn't get off on the right foot but our success on the last mission seems to be helping. He has offered to be my SO"
"Good, we need to find out what Garrett is up too" He say.
"I'm sorry, Uncle Nick" I tell him I knew that even though he hides it Garrett going against S.H.I.E.L.D. hurts him especially since he was Garrett's SO.
"We already have Trip with Garrett, hopefully we will find out what he is planning before he does anything to serious" He tells me checking his phone pretending I didn't say anything. "I have a meeting with the council that I have to get to. There is an encrypted line in the cock pit if you need to reach me" he says and turns away opening the door. "Oh and thank you for the heads up about the fish tank"
"Bye Uncle Nick" I laugh he just gives me a nod.