On Saturdays, at the Shield Academy, you were supposed to do school related activities till 3pm, then you had the rest of the weekend off.

Most students wanted to laze about, so they pretended to study, whilst really reading or talking and hanging out. Skye on the other hand, had her routine, that she had finally settled into. She would start with a 5K run, and then she would hit the gym, doing her weapons practice, before having lunch, then spending the last hour and a half reading up on the latest class topic they were studying. It was paying off too. She had risen the ranks of her class, roughly in the top 5, much to her classes displeasure.

On one of these Saturdays, Skye was tired, she had just finished her 5K run, around the campus. She was guzzling from her water bottle, in the main hall, by the wall of Valor, when she heard her name.

'Skye is doing great. Here scores are fantastic and-' Simmons and Fitz were talking to...

'TRIP?!'

Skye ran at Trip, and as he turned to her call, she launched her self at him, encompassing him in a bear hug.

'Skye? Its great to see you!... Err, you wanna let go? everyone's kinda staring.'

Skye giggled, before letting go, a huge grin on her face, which was mirrored by Trip.

'Skye! We were just talking about you, about how well you're doing.' Simmons said, happily.

'Yeah, it really is quite remarkable, how good your scores are for someone with no prior training,' Fitz added, to Skye's surprise.

Skye dramatically gasped. 'Was that a compliment, Fitz,' Skye teased.

'Alert the news!' Trip joined.

Fitz blushed, but let out a bark of laughter.

'So, how come you're here?' Skye asked Trip.

'Well, Coulson had some business here and brought me along, said Agent O'Conners wanted to meet whoever taught his most promising student.'

Skye grinned, ignoring the blatant compliment, 'AC is here?!'

'Yeah, he's really busy, but he will probably be looking into most classes, so you'll see him around.'


And indeed she did, he was often in one class or another, or if not him, one of the other agents he had with him, Agent Romanov, a slim redhead who looked like she could kill you with a toothpick; Agent Barton, a handsome man who had killer arms, quite literally, and of course, Trip.

No one knew why they were there, only that every now and then, they would scribble something down on a clipboard. Everyone kept bugging Skye with questions.

'Well, you know Coulson, he must have said something.'

'You always work out with Agent Triplett, what does he know.'

Sometimes it would get quite hostile. But Skye knew nothing, she hadn't even asked, its not like she could make them tell. No one knew nothing till Coulson arranged for all the operations students to come to Lecture Hall B.

Coulson stood at the center of the stage, and cleared his throat. Everyone quietened, as he addressed the students.

'I know a few of you have been wondering why we have been over viewing your classes, in fact, all of you probably have. We have been assessing you, narrowing you all down to a group of 20 students, who we think show the most promise. We are going to carry out further assessments, till we have a group of 5 standouts. Each one will be taken on a simple, but very real, mission. The student who performs the best, and shows the qualities needed in a field agent, will graduate early; and continue their training as a junior agent, working with myself, Agents Triplett, Fitz and Simmons and Strike Team Delta.'

A hush of shock surfaced the room, the desire to win almost palpable. Skye's heart was racing, it would be perfect, she would be training with her friends, and be in on the real action. She hadn't admitted it to anyone, in fear of seeming selfish, but she hated it here, the hostility, the stares, and the only friends here were FitzSimmons, Trip and AC, and they would be leaving, with or without her. She needed to win. She was drawn away from her thoughts as Coulson continued to speak.

'We have the list of 20 students who have been selected for the second assessment, here, and they will go to a separate class, so we can see everyone together, and we will also be having independent tests. I will be posting the list in the dining hall at 7:30, and those on the list are expected to come to Room 43 at 0600 tomorrow in full tactical gear. That is all.'

Coulson swiftly left the hall, and everyone suddenly burst into chatter, as if the floodgates were flung open. Skye didn't have anyone to chatter with, instead she rose, and left the hall, heading straight to the gym.


Skye knelt down, and tied her shoelaces, before popping her headphones in, and started around the track, enjoying the feeling of empowerment that came with the strength of her stride, and the energy bursting in her. She found herself settling into the rhythm of the music, and thought back on how things had changed.

She wasn't living in a van, for one, and she was voluntarily excising, but it was more that that. She had found herself, in her training. She was going to help people, its why she had the whole PI stint in the first place. And now, she had a real chance to do that, help people the way she always wished someone could have helped her. She had found who she was.

She was knocked from her train of thought, by the sudden presence beside her. She tensed, not trusting everyone here to not push her when she was unaware. She tugged out her headphones and looked beside her.

'Trip.' Skye was relieved. 'What are you doing here?'

'Skye, its 9 O'clock, you never came to check the list, or get some food.'

Skye was shocked, it had been 6:30 when she started running, and she swore that was only 10 minutes ago.

'Wow, i guess i just lost track of time.'

'You were on the list, obviously... Penny for your thoughts?' Trip asked, sensing something was up.

'I just really want to win this, be with all you guys.'

'Skye, I know you hate it here, I'm not oblivious, it's okay.'

Skye sagged in relief.

'Everyone treats me like shit. Like I'm something they stepped in. They stare at me, and think the only reason I am here, is because I know you guys. I need to win this, i have to get out of here. I don't think I could take it, being here without any of you.'

Trip felt his heart go out to Skye. She needed this. 'You know, I hated this place too. I am the Grandson of a Legend and a Howling Commando. My Grams, Peggy, she practically founded Shield, and Gramps fought alongside Captain America. Everyone treated me different, treated me like I hadn't earned my way there, like how they treat you.

When I graduated, I changed my surname to my Ma's maiden name, Triplet. I wanted to be seen for what I do, not who I am. Trust me, it gets better, either way this goes. And besides, you've got my vote,' he said with a wink.

Skye grinned, before pulling Trip out the gym. 'Come on, I'm starving.'


Wow, That was unexpected, even for me, i kinda just went with it (i never really plan these things.) So this chapter was big on the Skye/Trip friendship, and not so much the skimmons, but don't worry, things will progress in the next couple of chapters. Send a review, of what ya think, and check out the new fic i started :) hope you liked it xx