Hello my fellow fanfiction readers! I haven't updated in two weeks but that's because I just started high school and I'm still figuring things out. And it probably doesn't help that I've joined more than five clubs. So this story probably won't be in chronological order, each chapter will just be a one shot about the Begin Again universe that I want to expand more on. Things like Skye's life outside of SHIELD, the team handling her leaving, and a bunch of other bits and moments. Did you guys see that episode last night!?

IMPORTANT NOTE: This chapter takes place right after Skye creates her new identity and she leaves SHIELD. Skye's thoughts and flashbacks are going to be in italics

Disclaimer: I do not own Agents of SHIELD, I am not Joss Whedon because if I was, believe me we'd all know.

Skye Johnson. Went to MIT in 2011. Skye Johnson. Grew up in Chicago. Skye Johnson. Parents died in a car accident in 2009. Skye Johnson. Just an ordinary girl, Skye thought to herself as she entered her new apartment. It was nice of Coulson to give me this place, she thinks as she looks around the room. Sure, some new furniture was in order but that didn't matter. Just as long as she manages to find a job…..

The apartment was a simple three room apartment in New York City with a kitchen that connected to a small living room, one bedroom, and one bathroom. Better than all the other places you've lived in, Skye thinks, except for the BUS with everyo—no stop. You left to figure yourself out. It won't help it you keep reminiscing on back then. After Skye finished unpacking her things, which there was less than she'd ever like to admit, she looked around her bedroom. I have got to get some new clothes, Skye says to herself as she stares at her closest, black, black, why is everything I own black? Oh wait that's right, join SHIELD and get a wardrobe of monochromatic colors and a gun for half off! She thinks sarcastically. What now? I should start looking for a job. A normal job where I don't go on man hunts to avoid being the one hunted. A normal job, for a normal person.

Skye opened her laptop and perused the internet for any jobs available fit for someone who graduate of MIT. You didn't really graduate from MIT you know, Skye tells herself, well Skye Johnson did and she needs to get a job, the other part of her brain cut in. She sighs and continues to look at job openings.

"Tech support, nope, I was never a desk person. Technology teacher, nope, awful at teaching children," reminds me too much of the orphanage, Skye thinks, "Security firm, now hiring," Skye trails off. A security firm? Where I protect people from the new world that is the internet? Why not? Just because I left SHIELD doesn't mean I can give up on protecting people. Skye thinks as she jots down the address. After putting on a jacket and getting her bag that contained all her fake credentials, she was out the door and on her way to the real world.

***************************AOS*******************************

"It says here that you graduated from MIT," Miranda Prescott, the head of the security firm, stated as she was standing over Skye, "Is that correct Ms. Johnson?"

"Yes, I graduated last year." Skye told the formidable looking women. Not as formidable as May, she thinks.

"It seems that you graduated with a handful of recognitions," Prescott continued, "Why would a woman like you want to join a security firm? You could easily work for a software company? Why here?"

And for the first time during the interview, Skye tells the truth. "Because I want to protect people. I've always wanted to protect them whether or not it's from an outside force, themselves or even their rights." Realizing just how personal she had gotten with her answer she fidgets in her jeans as the crisply dressed woman stares down at her. Miranda Prescott looks impressed with her answer.

"And have you had any outside experience?" Prescott questions.

"Yes," With a pseudo-anarchist online organization and another that has been labeled as a terrorist organization, "I have the verification papers right here." Skye says as she hands over the fake documents to the other woman.

"Hmmm. According to these you did very well at your internships." Prescott says as she scans the pages. "You're hired. You start tomorrow morning."

"Thank you!" Skye stands up and shakes her boss's hand. "I won't let you down."

"You better not. It's not often that we hire people who have just graduated. But you made the exception." Prescott gives a small, warm smile.

Ok, I got a job. What now, Skye asks herself as she walks out of the building, now I can take back my closest.

****************AOS********************

Skye walks down the street in search of any department store that she can buy new clothes from. Seeing a store that catches her eye, she quickly walks in and starts looking at the clothing racks. Suddenly something catches her eye. As Skye walks closer to the mannequin she stops dead in tracks. She slowly reaches a hand out to touch it when suddenly a voice next to her startles her.

"Do you need any help?" A chipper young woman in her early twenties asks Skye.

"No thanks, I'm good. Just looking." Skye quickly turns around to face another rack, quietly dismissing the saleswoman. When she is gone, Skye turns back to look at the bright pink party dress.

FLASHBACK

"But do you have the guts to pull the trigger?" Ian Quinn's face stares smugly at her.

"Nope!" Skye says before turning around and jumping off the balcony and into the pool. As water and cold engulfs her, Skye looks up to see a blurry Ian Quinn looking down from the balcony and yelling to his two lackeys. Quickly kicking her legs, she resurfaces and climbs out of the pool with her makeup long gone and her pink dress wet and clinging to her shaking body. As she stumbles in her sopping wet heels she can see two guards rounding the corner, quickly advancing towards her.

"Get her!" One of them points, "Come here!"

"No, no, please," Skye pleads as they grab her arms. Seemingly out of nowhere, Agent Ward appears and starts to fight off the guards. After Ward throws his last punch, which sends the other man flying into the pool and sinking to the bottom, Skye runs over to him, grateful to have escaped the cold, unfeeling arms of the guards and wraps her arms around the agent.

"Are you hurt?" Ward asks pulling away from her in a slightly concerned voice. Skye quickly shakes her soaking wet head. "Just follow my orders, alright."

END OF FLASHBACK

Skye quickly shakes her head, ridding herself of the memory of that mission all those months ago.

God, I didn't even know how to pull the trigger back then, Skye laughs to herself humorlessly. While looking through the racks, she finds an assortment of clothes, which are colorful thank you very much, that she can wear both to work and every day. As she is trying on a purple top, the pink dress calls out to her again. Caving in on her nostalgia, Skye picks up the dress in her size and tries it on in the changing room.

It's a bit different than the one before but it feels the same, Skye thinks to herself. It's true, the dress is cut a bit differently with a slighting different neckline but the shade of pink is identical to the dress that was ruined from chlorine. Maybe I might end up having a work function or something. That's what people at work have right? Special events? Skye wonders as she twirls around in front of the mirror

After paying for her new clothes, Skye visits a few more stores where she buys a new bed set, curtains, and little plastic magnets for her refrigerator. When she gets back to her apartment, she deposits all the bags onto the kitchen table and starts taking all her new purchases out of their bags. That SHIELD salary went a long way, Skye thinks to herself. After spreading the bed set out on the bed and hanging up the curtains, she looks around the apartment with a proud little smile on her face. It actually feels a bit like a home now. As she is unpacking her clothes, she stares at the pink dress she had reluctantly bought against her better judgement. Finally snapping out of her reverie, she grabs the dress, puts it on a hanger, and hangs it in the back of her closet.

****************AOS**************

The next morning, to her dismay, Skye realizes that it is six o clock. Old habits die hard, she thinks bitterly. Deciding to get up out of bed, she showers and changes into a pair of new clothes. A light blue blouse with a pair of neat, dark wash jeans. To make the outfit look a bit more professional, she slips on a pair of black pumps. When the last time I wore actual heels, Skye wonders to herself. Stepping into the kitchen she opens the cupboards and refrigerator—to find absolutely nothing. Not even a crumb or stray piece of bread.

"Dammit," Skye mutters out loud, "Forgot to buy food."

Gathering all her things, she exits her apartment and walks down the street in search of a diner. Spotting a quaint corner café, she walks in and hears the little bell jingle. Quickly taking a seat in the first booth she sees, she takes a glance at the menu. Eventually a grandmotherly looking waitress walks up to Skye.

"Hi, I'm Rhonda! Are you ready to order or do you still need more time?" The waitress asks with a warm smile.

"I'll have coffee with a croissant please." Skye tells Rhonda.

"Would you like creamer or sugar with that, dear?"

"Uh, yes to both. And three teaspoons of sugar please."

"Coming right up." Says Rhonda as she flashes another warm smile over her shoulder. After a few minutes, she comes back with coffee in a neat porcelain mug and Skye's pastry on an equally neat plate.

"If you don't mind me asking but," Rhonda asks, "Are you new around here? I haven't seen you around here before."

"Yeah, you could say I'm new. And how do you know that? It's not like New York City is a small town." Skye asks, her curiosity peaking.

"It may be a big city but it's filled with small people," Rhonda says with a knowing smile. Just before she turns to walk away, she looks at Skye with a newfound look on her face.

"I have a feeling I will be seeing your face here quite often." She says with a twinkle in her eye.

Skye smiles as Rhonda walks away to help other the customers. Little did she know that Rhonda was right. For Skye would be coming to that same café at 7:15 on the dot every day for the next eight months.

And that's the second chapter done! I know that this chapter is shorter than the first one but remember the first one-shot was the whole story. These are just some missing moments from the universe that I want to write about. I don't know exactly how regularly I am going to be able to update because, once again, I just started high school and I'm still getting used to it. But I do have an idea of what I want the next two one shots to be about so hopefully I'll have one of them up by next week. And you guys can always request a one-shot if there's something in the Begin Again universe that you want me to write about. Don't forget to review!

Love (in the time of Hydra)

XX Hannah