A.N.: So, I had a choice with last week's ep, and it tripped me up for longer than I would have liked. Do I ignore Ward, or do I take creative license and commit to this being AU? I went with creative license and AU, so...please enjoy and forgive me if you're disappointed I went astray!

Chapter 4: Scars

I hate waiting. I always have. I hated it when it was waiting for Christian's next twisted game, I hated it when it was waiting for Garrett to come back for me, I hated it when it was waiting to be found out as the double agent I was.

But this waiting...this is worse. First off - it's longer than it was supposed to be. Thanks to Stark for that. Our original rendezvous was obviously not going to work - not once Sokovia started floating away. At least the chaos let Kara get me a message, so I know for sure she's safe. But now, I'm waiting for a traitor, knowing Kara is alone with the team that hates me. They'll remember that now that Ultron's gone. It's having to rely on Coulson, to make sure that Simmons can see the difference between me and Kara. It's having to completely let go of control. It really is Kara's op now. That doesn't come easily for me. But I'm trying. I'm trying to trust, to be better, to let people in. I'm trying to be a better person.

We just both need some closure first. Hopefully Kara's closure will be less...explosive than mine.

Then again, knowing what I know? It might just be worse.

Fitz and Simmons watched Skye sitting vigil over Lincoln.

Fitz spoke quietly. "She's been in there every day. You think she'll stay when he wakes up?"

Simmons shrugged. "She says she wants to take him home, whatever that means. She won't say much else about it - not to me, anyway." Simmons turned as a beep sounded from behind them. "You can go ahead and take that off now, Agent Palamas."

Kara took the monitor off. "Thanks."

Simmons hummed thoughtfully. "Your brain scans look rather normal, considering."

Kara frowned. "What does that mean?"

Simmons gave her a small smile. "Well, you'll still have some memory gaps, obviously, but any part of the HYDRA indoctrination that was affecting your actions is gone," she explained. "Your mind's your own again."

"Thank you - both of you," Kara said with a smile. "Honestly, I think knowing Bakshi's gone has helped more than anything." She turned to Simmons. "You know as well as I do what a monster he was. You were undercover at HYDRA with Agent Morse, weren't you?"

Simmons shrugged. "Well, sort of. I didn't know she was there at the time. She had very dark hair. But she did save my life when it came - "

Simmons and Kara froze as the lights started to flicker.

Skye watched Lincoln's chest rise and fall. What is it with me and the men in my life? Can't anything with them be easy? "Hi," she said, recognizing the meaning of the power surge. "It's okay. I'm here. You're safe now." She smirked. "Added bonus - you're not naked with needles poking out of your skin." She grinned as Lincoln laughed.

Lincoln looked around, his eyes widening as he caught sight of the door. "Skye, why are we - no."

Skye followed his eyes. "Oh." We're at SHIELD after he was just captured by HYDRA..."Uh...uh, it's okay. You can trust them. They're my friends. They helped save you." And once upon a time they helped save me too.

"You never should have come for me," Lincoln muttered, removing all the medical equipment he could reach.

You too? Skye frowned at him. "I had to. Jiaying wouldn't allow it if I -"

"There's a reason for that," he hissed. "The only thing that's kept us safe all these years is that we were a secret. Now SHIELD knows we exist. And they won't stop till they find Afterlife."

Skye looked around. But, they're my friends. My family. Aren't they? She looked at Lincoln and the desperate panic on his face. Aren't they?

I've really tried to help Kara as much as I can. I don't know that anyone would believe me about the relief, the freedom, that came after Garrett, Christian, my parents, after they were all gone. There's nothing as cathartic as actually eliminating the demons in your head. Closure. But that only comes after validation. My family admitted what they'd done, what I'd been forced to do, and then they were gone, like mist, like a bad dream. With Garrett...he was willing to give me what I wanted only because it was what he needed. Raina showed me that. And then Coulson took him out. To have her and Coulson asking me to look for the good that might still be buried in my twisted heart - it messes with me when I'm not paying attention. Waiting gives me time, and that's not a good thing.

I would feel better if I could at least monitor how things were going. It still amazes me that Bakshi's gone, that Simmons actually tried to kill me. I would've gone back if she hadn't. The cage wasn't the worst, and knowing SHIELD protocol, it might still smell like Skye...But Simmons really did disappoint me. I thought she would be able to understand, to be Machiavellian about it all. After going undercover at HYDRA, I thought she'd have a thicker skin.

I'd be wrong, apparently. Not the first time, and not the last. Sometimes I wonder if I'm the alien. I'm more Loki than Thor, more Winter Soldier than Captain America.

I wonder if there's an opening now that the Winter Soldier went underground...That job, at least, would be something we'd all agree I'm good at.

Gonzalez shook his head as the council and Coulson assembled to discuss Raina and Gordon's visit. "Should have destroyed it when we had the chance."

Bobbi frowned. "You know we couldn't risk it."

"There were too many variables," Weaver agreed.

"So this is alien," May said tentatively.

"Recovered from a dig site nearly a hundred years ago," Gonzalez confirmed.

"Its energy signatures are unlike anything we've seen before," Weaver added.

Hunter continued drawing spikes on Raina's file photo. "Mm. And does anyone have any idea what alien world it came from or what it even does?" He looked around, met only with blank stares. "Oh, this new SHIELD brain trust seems to be working out brilliantly."

"Anything about it in Fury's toolbox?" Gonzalez asked Coulson.

"Just that HYDRA was looking for it," the director replied.

"Well, now you have a new interested party," Bobbi remarked.

Gonzalez stared at the screen. "Question is, why?"

Coulson and May eyed Skye as the three of them spread through Coulson's office.

"I have no idea." Skye shook her head. I wish I did. "Seriously, I have never heard of anything like that before, and neither has Lincoln." I wonder what Raina knows...

"And you believe him?" Coulson asked.

Wait. What? "Why wouldn't I?" Skye countered.

"You barely know him," Coulson challenged.

"I know enough," Skye snapped back. I didn't know you guys either..."He and Jiaying helped me. They never tried to hurt me. Th-They taught me to channel my power so I wasn't hurting myself." While showing you how to use them to hurt other people? a familiar low voice whispered to her. Oh, right - to 'defend yourself.' She shook it off. "These are good people, Coulson."

"Are they?" he asked. "People, I mean." He paused at her expression. "Look, I know you feel connected to this group, but you won't tell us much about them, you're keeping to yourself..."

"I've been taking care of Lincoln," she protested. First FitzSimmons, now you...

"Okay, but from our perspective, we don't even know what to call them," Coulson amended.

"Inhumans," Skye answered softly. That's the first time I've said it out loud. I'm an Inhuman. "Our ancient ancestors called themselves Inhumans, and we just want to be left alone." She looked away. Oh, shit. That was probably not the best word choice...

Coulson looked at her. "'We'?"

May jumped in at the awkward moment. "If they want to be left alone, then why infiltrate a military vessel?"

"You're assuming that this thing is a weapon," Skye remarked. "Well, it's in SHIELD's possession," she pointed out. "Maybe they're just afraid of it - afraid of what Gonzales might do with it." I can't blame them, knowing what Gordon rescued me from...

"We're not the enemy here," Coulson responded.

"This man teleported onboard, Skye," May added. "He's clearly very dangerous."

"Well, same could be said about you, May," Skye snapped. "I heard about what happened to that little girl in Bahrain. Jiaying told me the whole story." Their version of the whole story, that is, the voice she'd been struggling to forget whispered again. Skye dismissed the thought out of hand. "Did you know that she was Inhuman?"

May stood silent.

"They both were," Skye continued. And they both died because of it. "So you, of all people, should understand why they'd want to keep their location a secret - what they're so afraid of."

I wonder if Simmons was in on it. I wouldn't have thought so a few days ago - I told Kara as much - but that's relying on the Simmons I knew, or thought I knew. This Simmons - the one who brought a splinter bomb to a rescue mission - might be capable of it, though.

Giving SHIELD a day or two to recoup after the world nearly ended again, standard scans on Kara should be over soon. She'll give me the sign, and I'll head to the new rendezvous. Took a little doing to get this close to Sokovia, but at least it gave me a chance to do a little good. Whether they'd believe it or not. Easy enough for a specialist to get a uniform and just follow evac protocol. I never wanted civilian casualties if I could help it. Garrett always called that a weakness, called me soft. I just never saw the point of sacrificing innocent lives - that's what would get people looking, that's what would get us caught.

In the end, it's exactly what did. If Skye had never found that Koenig, if I hadn't killed him...I hate thinking about it, because it means imagining how good it could have been. How we could have been together.

Maybe that's why I'm still here, so I can still wonder what I lost. So I can bite my tongue and taste her, and punish myself over and over when I look at Kara's face and wish it was hers.

I hope closure comes soon.

Skye walked quickly to keep pace with Coulson through the hallway. "No, you cannot go there," she protested. Please, don't ruin this for me…"Listen, secrecy is what they value most."

Coulson's mouth was a thin line as he bit out his reply. "We can't ignore their existence. They're not ignoring ours."

"Please!" she pleaded. They were ignoring you just fine until I came along...

Coulson sighed. "Look, at the very least, we need to find out how many people we're dealing with, assess their powers, place them on the index. You know how this works. You're a SHIELD agent."

"I-I don't know what I am anymore," Skye admitted. She heaved a deep breath. "Okay, just... let Lincoln and I go first. They're probably worried about us. I'll talk to Jiaying, explain why you're coming, that you just want to help. She'll listen."

"How can you be sure?" Coulson questioned.

And this is where things get interesting...Skye swallowed and replied. "Because she's my mother."

Bobbi watched as Kara went by, flanked by SHIELD agents. "We're locking her up?"

"Don't tell me you empathize," May chastised.

"She was one of us," Bobbi protested.

May stared at her. "So was Grant Ward," she reminded the other agent. "Look, when she takes your face, then we can talk."

Kara looked around as the SHIELD agents led her through, Grant's words echoing soothingly in her head. It all looked like he described, as though they hadn't bothered changing protocols. She made a note to mention it to him - he'd appreciate that. She knew how much he missed them, the team, SHIELD, but that ship had sailed, he said. She took a breath and started to strategize her escape.

I haven't dreamed about what comes next. After Kara's closure, after we're finished...where do we go? What do we do?

Do I have a choice in the matter?

SHIELD isn't usually willing to give up on targets easily - but the question is, with Coulson in charge, am I still a target? I suppose I'll see how easily Kara can get to me - the less they've changed, the faster it'll be. Shift changes, sympathetic guards, and the flying lessons...It'll be that much clearer where I stand.

I just really hate the waiting.

Skye eyed Simmons as the biochemist walked into the room. "You finish indexing Lincoln?" I wonder what my entry looks like...

"Yes. But, um, I actually went to get - well, I - I thought you might like this." Simmons showed Skye the hula girl in the palm of her hand. "Snagged it off the bus before it went down. Thought it might be something you -" Jemma shook herself and handed it over. "Well, anyway, here you go."

Another life, another me...Skye smiled at her friend. "Thank you," she said, chuckling softly.

Fitz grinned. "Yeah, she, um ... she shakes. But you're not doing anything." He gestured at Skye. "That's why it's funny."

They all laughed until Coulson and Lincoln walked in. "Time to go," Coulson declared.

I miss this so much...Skye gazed at her friends. Why does it have to be a choice? She zipped the hula girl into her pack and left FitzSimmons behind. I may not know why, but it's definitely a choice. She eyed Lincoln. "How did it go?"

"The indexing?" Lincoln clarified. He shrugged. "They just asked a lot of questions. But I'm sure you guys already have my blood from when I was out, right?" He looked ahead to Coulson.

"It's protocol," the director confirmed.

Lincoln narrowed his eyes at Coulson. "HYDRA said the same thing."

"I know you've been through a lot, but you can trust us," Coulson countered. "You'll see." He turned his attention to Skye. "So, how does this work? You just click your heels together and whisper, 'there's no place like home'?"

We don't even have to whisper. Skye gave a half smile. "Sort of, actually. Gordon explained it. He can sense us. It's this thing called quantum entanglement, and, um…" I don't quite think that's what AC was asking. "Yeah, he'll - he'll find us. As long as we're nowhere near any of you guys." Sorry, Coulson.

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay." Skye bit her lip. I wish I didn't feel like no matter what I do, I'm hurting someone I care about. She looked back at Coulson as the door shut.

We're a go. About time. I thought I knew this team, knew them better than they knew themselves, but...something really did change them. I know part of it was me, I know I broke it, but I didn't break them nearly as badly as they broke themselves in the aftermath. I thought the good guys were always supposed to come together, support each other - just look at what Coulson's death did for the Avengers.

But instead of it bringing them together, they were torn apart. How did he miss that? Was he so busy feeling betrayed? That's true, it wasn't just me - there was May too. The two people who were supposed to be trusted to have his back, to be the muscle when he needed it - we both betrayed him in our ways. Interesting to wonder whose cut him deeper. I'd think it'd be May, and that could explain why Mike was on that mission, not Skye. Well, that and how much May hates me.

Outnumbered and misunderstood. What a cliche I've become...

Skye ran straight to her mother as Gordon's bridge faded, hugging Jiaying tightly. Just tell me everything's going to be okay...

"Are you all right?" Jiaying asked.

"Yeah," Skye answered softly. At least, I think I am.

"What happened?" her mother inquired with a frown.

"A lot," Lincoln said. "But I'm okay."

"A doctor at SHIELD patched him up," Skye added. 'A doctor', like it was just anyone. My friend. One of my best friends. Or at least, I thought so, before...

"SHIELD?" Jiaying said sharply.

Who am I anymore? "We need to talk," Skye murmured urgently. That reaction alone...

"Go to the recovery room," Jiaying said to Lincoln. "Have one of ours take a look at you." Turning to Skye, she continued, "Come. Tell me everything."

Skye followed her mother back to her office, filling her in along the way. At least as much as you trust to tell her. Funny how you said you were a SHIELD agent when you got here, and you can admit to Coulson you don't know what you are anymore, but to your own mother you have to always be on her side...Skye shook Ward's voice from her mind and focused on her mother's response.

"And you were just beginning to like it here," Jiaying said mournfully.

"We don't have to leave," Skye persisted. "SHIELD doesn't want that, either. Nothing has to change." Who are you trying to convince? came the whisper again.

Her mother gave her a patiently patronizing look and sighed. "Sometimes, I forget how young you are."

"Please just sit down with him," Skye pleaded. "Coulson - he's a good man. He's - He's the only person who's ever tried to take care of me." Are you sure? the husky voice questioned. She shoved the thought away. "And... until now, he's the closest I've had to family." Maybe even still? Skye swallowed hard. "Please, Mom."

"Bobbi, Coulson wants us to scout ahead." May fell into step beside Morse down the hallway. "Already locked in the coordinates."

Bobbi nodded automatically. "Okay."

I'm glad we had that flight time on a Quinjet. It was the perfect opportunity to make sure Kara's skills were ready. Autopilot will really do most of it, but there's the comfort level behind the stick that you can't fake.

Or at least, most people can't fake. Train with Grant Ward, though, the traitor, the mole, whatever you would call me...my entire job was to pretend. I only wish I'd done a better job pretending to myself.

"Mack quit today," Bobbi offered. "You ever wonder who you'd be without SHIELD?"

May pursed her lips. "Actually, been giving that a lot of thought recently. You?"

"Hunter asked me to leave once, to be with him," Bobbi said softly. "It was the one time I was tempted to walk away."

I hate that the plan was to let Bobbi take Kara. I wanted to keep training, I wanted to push harder - but then I remembered. This plan, the end of it, was to be free. Not to have more red in my ledger, as Romanoff would say. So I made sure I grabbed an icer when I was packing my gear for List's base, and more ammo than Simmons would ever have given me credit for. I didn't want to turn Kara into me. I won't do that to anyone else.

It really does get under my skin, knowing that Simmons still believes the worst of me, and that Fitz does too. I don't think any of them were raised by sociopaths - I didn't stand a chance. But of course they'd believe it didn't matter.

That's the arrogance of SHIELD, the hubris that always allows decay at the core. SHIELD wants to believe all wounds can heal in the same way, that all damage done to a heart and soul can be processed and moved past with the right time and care. Some wounds are too deep, some damage too heavy, that the weight to counter that, the thing to bring peace and closure, would have to be so extreme that most couldn't stomach it, wouldn't believe it. SHIELD definitely wouldn't. But that's why the beautiful parasite appeared - deny the dark exists, and it can even survive in the light.

Bobbi frowned at the control panel. "Hey, May, autopilot has us descending. You sure about those coordinates?"

May pulled her gun on Bobbi. "Funny how you're so broken up about betraying Hunter," she remarked. "'Cause it seems like you couldn't care less about what you did to me."

Morse froze as recognition dawned. "Kara."

Kara touched the control, dropping May's face and projecting her own. "You just sat there, pretending to comfort me," she hissed. "But you were just trying to see if I remembered. Well, I do."

Kara and Bobbi fought as the plane descended, exchanging blows through the cargo hold. Kara exhaled as Bobbi grabbed the roof, bracing for the kick to come. She grunted and fell to the floor.

Bobbi dropped the ramp, stepping out into the green countryside exhaling heavily.

Finally. Ward took aim, and fired. Time to finish this.

"I always knew my life was building up to something... that I had a purpose. It's nice to finally see what it is." Raina turned to look at Gordon. "Where did you take Jiaying? I would hate for her to be someplace uncomfortable."

Gordon didn't respond, the people entering the room making any explanation unnecessary.

"Some would call your transformation a curse. But at Afterlife, we choose to call it a gift," Jiaying declared. "Why? Because we don't want the way that others see us to define who we are. But you have used your powers to manipulate those around you, and you've taken advantage of my good faith."

"No," Raina protested. "You have to listen to me."

Skye looked at her dismissively. "Don't. It's the same with you every time." With you, with Ward, no matter what. I can't forget who you are and what you've done.

"No, it's not!" Raina protested. "I'm trying to save us!"

"There's not a single soul that knows you who trusts you, Raina," Jiaying declared. She turned to the other woman with them. "Keep her here until SHIELD is gone. Then we'll decide your fate."

Raina shook her head. "You have to believe me. Something terrible is going to happen unless you do what I say!" she called after them. "You'll regret this," she whispered.

Skye watched her mother and father holding hands. How can she just - I mean, I know why she's turning him over but - why don't I trust this? Why is there part of me that thinks Raina is right? She looked up as the door opened. Well, there's my first problem. "Where's Coulson?"

"At headquarters. And I represent SHIELD with his same intentions." Gonzalez nodded towards her father. "I might ask why he's here, though."

"You returned Lincoln and Skye to us. We'd like to return someone of interest to you," Jiaying explained. "He's killed agents of yours, hasn't he?"

"Uh, no. No, not SHIELD agents," Cal remarked. "I don't think. No, just people...who had it coming."

Jiaying didn't respond to him, instead continuing to address Gonzalez. "We pride ourselves on doing the right thing. And as much as this pains me, I do understand the larger goal."

"I'll call one of my people to take him," Gonzalez replied.

"Skye can," Jiaying offered. She turned to her daughter. "Would you take your father to the agents outside? I'm sure Mister...?"

"Gonzales, Robert," he answered.

"Robert and I have much to discuss," Jiaying finished.

Skye exchanged a look with her mother and father. I wish I knew why it had to be like this, but...I can't lose anyone else. She nodded and escorted Cal from the room.

"You know, I was always excited to meet you," Cal said, smiling. "Even when you were a little bit of nothing in your mother's belly." He chuckled. "Oh, I had all these ideas in my head as to what kind of woman you'd turn out to be, and…" He stopped to look at her. "You really are magnificent. I'm very grateful I got a chance to know you."

My dad. My real dad. Skye smiled shakily. Why do I have to choose between them? "I'm glad I got to know you, too." She relinquished him to the agents and went in search of May.

I missed that feeling more than I should have. A gun in my hand, taking someone out...I wonder if the damage is irreversible, if Garrett and my family have ruined me. I don't want to believe that, but sometimes it's so seductive. No need to struggle or suffer to do the right thing. Just point and shoot and eliminate your problems and your enemies...

But this is about closure, and that's not nearly that simple.

Skye frowned at May. "What happened to Coulson? Did they do something to him?" He said he'd see me tomorrow when we left. Did he know he wouldn't?

May's face was stoic as always. "We all felt that it was best to have someone more objective to meet with your mother."

Objective? Him? Skye blinked at her former SO. "Gonzales sent people to kill me a few weeks ago."

"He's a much better man than you think," May countered.

Is he really. Skye pursed her lips. You still won't convince me he's better than Coulson. She raised a brow. "What about you? Why can't you be in there right now?"

May sighed heavily. "I told you, we needed someone objective."

Skye just looked at May blankly. So what does that say about what you think of me?

May looked at Skye for a long moment. "I hope your mother is everything you wanted her to be," she said softly.

I don't know anymore...I really don't know...Skye watched as the second person to ever try to take care of her walked quickly away.

"SHIELD has a very long and sometimes violent history with enhanced people, but the truth is, sometimes good people get powers, and sometimes bad," Gonzalez explained. "We're there to protect the public when it's the latter."

Jiaying eyed her guest. "And how would you like me to help you do that?"

"I would like to meet your people, learn about their powers," he replied. "We'll keep a record, and if any ever try to do someone harm, we'll be there to stop them. That's why SHIELD exists."

"I have a gift in return ... a piece of our history, something that might interest you. May even be worth indexing. That's what you like to call it, right?" Jiaying extracted the cloth-wrapped rod and turned back to Gonzalez. "I have lived enough life to see countless people profiled for their differences. It's amazing how many generations fall into the same trap. What is it that makes people feel they have the right to do that? Fear. That's what it is."

Gonzalez eyed her warily. "SHIELD's goal is to protect everyone."

May glanced around and opened a comm to Coulson. "They turned over Cal."

The director paused to absorb the information. "We'll deal with him when you get back to H.Q."

"We found these vials on him, ma'am." An agent held up empty test tubes, a trace of yellow liquid remaining.

Weaver frowned at Cal. "What are these?"

Cal inhaled deeply and grinned. "Beats me."

"We only had five Diviners in our possession. I knew if they were destroyed, we'd lose our ability to transform - an entire race gone forever," Jiaying explained to Gonzalez. "So we decided to make our own. As some have said, discovery requires experimentation. Eventually, we melted a Diviner down and grew new crystals from it. Unfortunately, we could never quite separate the Diviner metal out." She spun the crystal in her hands. "It's now laced within them." She brandished the rod. "See? This wasn't a problem for Inhumans, of course. The Diviner's harmless to us. But for humans...well…" She smashed the crystal on the desk, releasing the Diviner metal.

Gonzalez gasped as the gas hit him.

Jiaying gazed at him, eyes blazing. "Let's hope you're one of us."

Gonzalez struggled against the stone solidifying his body. "No! Stop!"

"How dare you compare your scars to mine?" Jiaying scolded. "You're nothing like me, like us. Whitehall cut me to pieces," she spat. "He ripped out my organs and stuffed them in jars! I will never let that happen to my daughter - to any of my people!"

"You'll get everyone killed, you crazy -" Gonzalez' voice cut off abruptly as the Diviner took its toll.

Jiaying took the gun from Gonzalez' hand, drawing deep heavy breaths before shooting herself once, and again.

Skye caught her breath at the sound of the gunshot. "Mom? What's going on in there?" I knew it should've been Coulson, I knew it...She ran down towards her mother.

Jiaying staggered into the courtyard.

"Mom?" What the hell did he do? Skye ran through to her mother's side. "Mom!" she screamed.

"He tried to kill me. SHIELD tried to kill me," Jiaying gasped. "This is war." Jiaying groaned and collapsed.

"Mom!" No! Skye closed her eyes and willed the words away.

Grant ignored the voices seeking Morse's ETA and smiled at Kara. "You did good, baby. Fooled every one of them."

"It was hard being away from you," Kara murmured.

Grant touched the side of her head gingerly, checking for a bump. Not bad. No signs of concussion. "It's better when we're together." He traced a thumb down the blood near her eye. I'm not leaving anyone else I care about unprotected.

"Why can't we kill her now?" Kara asked, glancing at Bobbi on the floor.

"Closure's about so much more than that," he explained. "It's about digging in, doing the work. I'll show you what I mean." He shrugged. "And then we'll kill her."

Kara frowned. "She's waking up."

Grant sighed. "We don't want that." Not yet, not until we're ready to finish this. He shot Bobbi with the icer again. And a few more agains.

Ironic, isn't it, that a traitor would make me this angry. But Kara - she didn't deserve to become a weapon, a pawn. Bobbi fed her to the wolves without a thought. My parents corrupted me before I even understood what the word meant, but Kara was just looking for a place to be safe, to be true to her cause and stay the course. All those Captain America end of the line references. All of it. But she was forced otherwise, she did have everything taken from her. Her face can be short circuited - who deserves to live like that?

I don't know where the road goes after this, but I do know one thing - a little boy in a well would want me to help her. He would.