I know it's been awhile since my last update. I am still working on all my stories. This story is becoming more Au as I deviate from the show's canon. I just miss the bus team and all that they had become to each other (minus Ward) and I miss the interactions between everyone. I also see a stronger, closer bond created between May and Skye then what is shown on the show. This chapter really gets into their relationship which is strictly platonic here. A mother/daughter relationship. This chapter has so many feelings, and fluff, and friendship. Thanks so much for reading. Next chapter hopefully within a few weeks.
Melinda woke up slowly, her head foggy. As her vision cleared Skye's face came into focus gazing down at her. Melinda sighed as everything that happened came back to her. The mission and being shot. She glanced at her shoulder which was throbbing. She remembered leaning on Skye and Phil as they had helped her off the plane and into her bunk at the playground. Skye had helped her into her bed in her room after Jemma had given her a shot, a more potent painkiller. Apparently the girl had not left. Melinda tried to sit up.
"Oh hey you should take it easy. Here let me help."
Skye reached out as Melinda grabbed her arms to pull herself up better. Skye sat on the side of the bed. She reached for a cup with a straw in it and offered it to her SO.
"It's water. Jemma said you should stay hydrated."
Melinda took the cup and sipped some of the water, which felt good on her scratchy throat. Then she handed it back to Skye.
"I could make you tea if you want. You need to eat soon too."
"Skye what time is it?"
"It's like 5am."
"I slept most of the night? What time did we get back to base?"
"Um I think like 9 last night. You went out pretty quick. Jemma gave you a shot."
"Hmmmm. How long have you been here Skye. In my room?"
"Oh I didn't ...I mean I just stayed. In case you needed something. You woke up a couple times then went back to sleep. Don't you remember?"
"No. I don't." Melinda looked at Skye suspiciously. "Did I say anything?"
Skye stayed silent. Melinda cringed inside.
"Skye what did I say?"
Skye looked thoughtful and then answered. "You mumbled mostly. Couldn't really understand much."
"What did I say Skye?"
Skye looked down at her hands. "Just mumbling May." She looked at her SO. "It was hard to understand."
"What did I say Skye?" Melinda was worried now. She was known to talk in her sleep at times during her worst nightmares. She really didn't want Skye hearing those things.
"You just called out sometimes, mostly names. For us. Like you were scared for us. I heard Phil, me, Jemma, and Leo. Mumbling and stuff. I would hold your hand and you would stop and go back to sleep."
Melinda looked at Skye intently. "What other stuff."
"I don't know May. Like about people dying and you'd cry out and scream. Like bad nightmares. I have them too."
Melinda focused on Skye who was squirming under her questioning. There was something she wasn't saying. Skye bit her bottom lip and turned to look at the door.
"Skye." Melinda took her hand and circled it around Skye's wrist. "Hey. What did I say. Did I mention Bahrain."
"No. Nothing. Not like that. It's just... I don't know. May you were crying, screaming for AC. For me. Telling us not to die."
Melinda tightened her grip on Skye's arm. "And?"
Skye grew noticeably nervous. "I don't remember May? You would seem to wake up but then fall back to sleep. You said stuff. I guess the drugs and pain and stuff brought out weird stuff."
Weird stuff. That was an odd choice of words. "What kind of weird stuff Skye?"
"It doesn't matter May. You were like half unconscious. I think I should get AC or maybe Jemma to check you over. I'll bring you some food." Skye tried to sit up but May pulled her back down with her good arm.
"Skye? Just tell me what I said. What did I do?"
Skye reached up to scratch her head and frowned. "I'm pretty sure you didn't want me to hear it and maybe I should have left but I didn't want to leave you alone and...and you acted weird like...I dunno...different...you needed...um...you...you just..."
"Skye for Pete's sake just spit it out."
Skye swallowed hard and then looked at May. At first she stuttered. "You, you...well you begged me not to...not to ... leave. Asked me to st...stay and gripped mmmm...my...my hand real tight. Told me you...you...you said, you said...you...you loved me and didn't want to see me get hurt."
Skye was picking up speed now and her words came tumbling out. "You grabbed me and hugged me. Told me you would be proud to have had me as your daughter, and I would make a great one. Then you said stuff about AC dying, and me almost dying and getting shot, and started crying and you pulled me into your arms and held me. Told me not to die and then told me that you couldn't kill AC and that you didn't mean to care about us but we snuck in when you weren't looking, and honestly May, I started crying too and I told you to stop almost dying protecting me and that I loved you and then we both cried ourselves to sleep and I was cuddled in your arms and then I woke up like a few minutes before you did and got up and it felt good wrapped in your arms and I know you didn't mean it cause of the drugs and pain and anyway I'm sorry and then it kind of was weird and then you didn't remember so I'm sorry and maybe I'll just go now."
Before Melinda could connect everything to her brain that she was hearing, Skye had pulled away and ran out the door. Melinda stared blankly after her and tried to remember. She willed herself to remember and suddenly a memory of holding Skye tightly to her popped in her head. Of Skye sobbing in her arms and Melinda crying and promises of taking care of the girl and of herself crying remembering her nightmare of Phil's funeral and remembering how angry he was when he found she was watching him for Fury. And her orders were to put him down, and no way would she ever hurt Phil or hurt Skye or her team. She continued to remember the nightmare that woke her up terrified. Phil and Skye pointing their guns at her and hating her and calling her a traitor. Then suddenly Ward was there in her dream, and he stepped in and killed Phil and Skye while she watched and was tied up and couldn't stop him. She remembered the nightmare and how she had been scared when she woke up, and she had grabbed Skye and held her tightly and both had cried.
The drug had made her go into a deep sleep and then she had the nightmares. She'd had them before usually of someone close to her dying and she unable to save them. Probably scared Skye half to death with her screaming and crying and rambling on about dying.
And then rambling on about how much she cared for them which was caused by the drug too. But Melinda knew it wasn't just the drug talking. She knew she loved both Skye and Phil. And that she would die protecting them. She had loved Phil since their academy days. Best friends. Partners. Maybe even more than that. And Skye had wormed her way into her heart months ago. But these last few since she had become her SO, Melinda had even more so come to care for the girl. Come to see as more than her student, more than just a fellow agent.
With a jolt of awareness, Melinda realized that how much she cared for Skye and felt a strong pull to her to protect her, to keep her safe but also to just be around her. Melinda dropped her head into her hand. She did see the whole team as a family, and she saw Skye as the daughter she never had nor ever would have. Melinda sighed. That was not good. Cause now everything was personal. And a specialist could not get personal. Should not care that much. She was now compromised because no matter what the mission, no matter what she had to do, she knew she would never let any harm come to Skye. Or to Phil. Or to Fitzsimmons. With growing clarity, Melinda realized these people were her family.
Melinda pulled the covers off her legs and swung them over the side of her bed. As she was getting up, there was a knock on her door. The door opened slowly and Phil peered in at her.
"Hey you okay. I passed Skye as she was running in the hall to her room and she seemed upset. Did you threaten her again."
Melinda gave him a dirty look. "Little help here."
"Oh." Phil let the door close behind him and stood next to Melinda. He offered her his arm which she took as he led her to her bathroom. She had moved to this room a few weeks ago after realizing it had a small bath in it, and had kicked Koenig out since he wasn't even on the base most of the time.
"Thanks. Hand me a new shirt and sweats will you."
Phil opened the drawers and got out the appropriate items handing them to her. She took them and then closed the bath door.
"To answer your idiotic question, no I did not threaten Skye." Her voice drifted out from the bathroom.
"Well that's good. She just cares about you Mel and wants to help. She feels responsible for you getting shot. I know she's probably hovering too much for you to like but her heart's in the right place."
"Do you think I don't know that Phil? Of course she feels guilty. We all feel guilty. It's what a good agent does."
"Ah sarcasm. You must be feeling better. How about I make you breakfast. You and Skye. You can meet me there at her room and apologize for whatever mean thing you said and offer her my tasty breakfast as part of the apology. The girl does like to eat. And we all know you suck in the kitchen."
Melinda slammed open the door. "Are you finished insulting my culinary skills Philip?"
He laughed. "Yep. You are not that great at apologizing either but I figure the food would go a long way to make up for that lack of skill set you have. What did you say to her anyway."
Melinda squirmed trying to put the new shirt on with her hurt arm and Phil reached over to help her pull the shirt over her sport bra. His hand lingered on her back.
"I told her I loved her and thought of her as my daughter."
Phil's mouth opened with no words coming out. He closed his mouth and then opened it again. His arms flapped as he tried to speak.
Melinda grinned. "Ha. I finally got you to shut up."
Phil finally made a sound. "Yoooooooooouuuuuuu..." It sound like a sick owl. He shut his mouth and tried again. " Um you...you..."
"I had nightmares Phil. Screamed and woke up Skye. Apparently strong pain medicine is good for telling secrets. I apparently went all emotional and maternal on Skye and then didn't remember. Which probably disappointed her come to think of it. Then she felt embarrassed and ran away."
Phil blinked rapidly at her. "So you are saying you care..."
"Oh stuff it Phil. I see you looking at me. Your little smiles. You knew Skye would bring that out in me. Apparently I also hugged her. And cried."
Melinda sat on her bed. Phil sat down next to her.
"You told her much more then you were ready to tell her." Phil knew how guarded Melinda was. How careful she was with words. He knew without a doubt how much she cared for all of them. But she showed it, she did not say it. In Melinda's eyes saying it made her vulnerable. Made her weak. Made it so much more real.
Melinda sighed. "Then I didn't remember when I woke up. At least not right away."
"Well she understands that part Mel. I'm sure if you talk to her..."
"I don't know if I can do that Phil." Melinda's voice was barely a whisper. "It will change everything. If I let her think it was just the drug and getting shot and ..."
"You've always been brutally honest with her Mel. She expects it. Relishes it actually."
"I know."
They sat in silence for a while.
After a few moments Melinda looked at Phil. "You know when I first came on this team, picked it actually, when I saw everyone and then you let Skye join, all I wanted to do was run back to my desk and hide in administration again."
Phil raised his eyebrows at her. "Yeah I knew that."
"But you don't know why Phil."
"Cause you were afraid after Bahrain. Afraid to make the tough call. Knowing now what Fury asked you do to, I know it wasn't easy. Watching me to make sure his little experiment worked. Having to return to combat when you didn't want to."
"Well yeah that too. Skye was me Phil. A younger, lighter, prankster, freer me. She reminded me of what I lost. Of who I lost."
"You pushed her away at first because of that. She thought you were amazing, hell her hero even and every time she seemed to push in to get closer to you, to care for you, you pushed her back away. She scared you."
This revelation did not surprise Melinda. She nodded.
"Skye started coming in the cockpit and just sitting there. At first I tolerated it because, well, she earned it. Then I started looking forward to it."
"Yeah we have all heard the singing Mel." Phil chuckled. "How you get her to listen to your oldies is a mystery though."
"After a time of silence and oldies she started talking. Mostly rambling. I barely said anything back. But it was comforting. Skye sensed this. So she'd ramble on about things and not expecting me to respond was normal."
"You both had boundaries."
Melinda nodded.
"They are gone."
Melinda nodded again. "They've been chipping away since I agreed to be her SO."
"But now they are knocked down and trampled on. And that scares you more than twenty Hydra agents between you and freedom. "Phil took her hand in between his. "You should be having this conversation with her."
Melinda let out an exasperated sigh. "I'm not sure I'm ready for that."
"Then give her what you are ready for. She'll take it. She thinks you hung the moon Mel."
"She shouldn't."
"Hey." Phil pulled her into his side. "Stop beating yourself up. You need to let the girl go Melinda."
Melinda closed her eyes and sighed. Didn't it seem to always come back to that. She changed the subject. "You better get started on that breakfast. I'll head to Skye's room in a few minutes."
Phil kissed her temple and got up. "Twenty minutes. You better be there."
Melinda watched as he left her room. She slumped resting her head on her good arm, sitting quietly with memories dancing around her brain. Memories of a younger self laughing and carefree mixing with memories of a young woman whose eyes held so much hope.
Melinda leaned against Skye's door, catching her breath as pain shot thru her shoulder. She probably should have stopped at the lab for more painkillers but she wanted clarity for this conversation. She knocked lightly on the door. Skye didn't answer but Melinda heard some shuffling from the room.
"Hey Skye. Can I come in."
A bang and more shuffling. "Um yeah, hang on a sec." More banging and some hushed cursing and then the door popped open. Skye stood there with a smile. But Melinda also noticed her red eyes. "What's up May?"
So she was going to cope with her emotions by burying them. Putting on a happy face. Not so different then. She pretended everything was fine by smiling while Melinda did the same by showing nothing.
"We need to talk." Melinda walked into the room and sat on Skye's bed. "Phil's bringing breakfast in a few minutes."
If Skye was at all surprised, she didn't show it. She closed the door and then sat down next to Melinda.
"So what's up. New mission?"
"No."
"Yeah well I have work to do. I need to trace some things and I have a couple leads on the writings. So if it's nothing important..." Skye started to rise.
"Sit." Melinda cleared her throat. "It wasn't the drug talking Skye. Least not all of it. Of course it loosened my inhibitions."
At that Skye sank back done on the bed and raised her eyebrows.
Melinda continued. "Made me sleep soundly and then it was hard to wake up from the nightmare. I sleep talk when I have nightmares Skye."
"Yeah I get it. It wasn't real. You'd have never talked like that normal. It's good."
"No Skye it's not. That's not what I... I mean I said some stuff that I normally would not say. About you and Phil and ... I meant it I just didn't mean for you to ..."
"It's okay May."
"No Skye it's not. I remembered what I said to you. Some of it's a bit hazy. And I remembered what I did. Well mostly remembered. Some things are still a bit blurry. But I ...I ...want you to ...know... I mean I need you to understand ... um pain killers and me we kind of, I...um...react to them. I mean I don't..."
"Look May. It's cool. You get a little touchy feely on drugs. Open up and say stuff you don't mean. I get it."
Melinda shook her head. Why was this so damn hard. Why couldn't she let this younger women know how much she meant to her. How much Skye had helped heal her. She hesitated for a few seconds and then took a deep breathe. "I meant what I said Skye. All of it. Drug or not."
Skye turned to look at her SO. Her eyes widened and she looked confused. Melinda reached her good arm over and grasped Skye's hand. "The drug in my system broke down my barriers. A truth serum so to speak. It allowed me to say what I feel without a filter. Allowed me to open up."
Melinda paused, and collected her thoughts. "I don't do this well Skye. Talk about this. About feelings. I never really did. Even before...um, well before. Ph...um Coulson he could sometimes make me talk. I felt comfortable. But I was always quiet. Always controlled. But I was different. I was ...I was..."
"Warm."
Melinda's lips turned upward. She looked her student in the eye and nodded.
"You still are." Skye looked at her feet. "Always were. Even when I ...when I was a brat to you, I knew it. You just show it differently is all. Like threatening to kill Hunter for me." Skye looked back at Melinda. She gave a small laugh. "Beating the crap out of Quinn. Being my SO. Training me so I can defend myself. Yelling out so the soldiers shot you instead of me. I've always known you've cared Melinda."
Skye waited for Melinda to say something but when she didn't she spoke again. "You also give good hugs."
Melinda smirked at her. "Just so you don't expect them daily. Or even weekly. Hell, I think my quota's done for the year."
Skye looked at Melinda seeing the mirth in her eyes. She leaned her head onto Melinda's shoulder. "Okay no hugs around other people."
"That's not what I said."
"That's what I heard."
Melinda reached her arm across Skye and pulled her closer. Skye grinned. It was at that moment that the door opened and Phil pushed a cart filled with food into the room. He stopped suddenly as he saw them. He smiled as he saw Melinda looking just a little uncomfortable with her arm around Skye. Skye by contrast was beaming.
"I made omlets!"
"Yay omlets." Skye snuggled in closer to Melinda.
It was much later in the day when Skye got bored and starting roaming the base. She had been looking up info for Coulson and working on those strange writings he had given her, but after a hours of doing that she needed to talk to someone. Melinda had worked a few hours on paperwork in Phil's office but had grown tired and had gone to her room, presumably to sleep. Skye ended up in the Lab bothering Jemma.
"Skye!" Jemma batted at Skye's hands as she got to close to the specimens Jemma was examining. "You need to stay back." She frowned at her friend.
"Oh come on Jems. I was just looking. I wasn't gonna touch it."
"Don't you have work to do? Or training?"
"Nope. Finished work, at least for today. Staring at the screen so long made my head hurt. And no training, May's hurt so..."
"Well can't you train with someone else? Or find something...," Jemma batted at Skye again, "you need to back away form that Skye...find something else to do? Someone else to bother? Skye you are in the..."
"Oh come on Jemma. You're mean. Can't I help? I could take..." Skye went to pick up a glass tube and it slipped from her hand sending a trail of smoke across the broken pieces on the counter. "Oops."
"Skye! Oh for goodness sake." Jemma pushed Skye away. "You're lucky that was not toxic. Now just go. Please."
Skye sulked away as Jemma gave her another stern look.
"I was just trying to help out you know. Geez."
"Oh Skye. Just... I'm just busy. Maybe we can talk later. After I'm done working?"
Skye waved her hand. "Yeah, yeah, you're just always working," she mumbled as she made her way out of the lab and down the corridor. She kept going till she go to the garage planning to sit in one of the SUV's and sulk. Until she saw Fitz in the garage. He was working with the new mechanic, Mack. Skye's bounced over to them.
"Hey Leo whatcha doing?"
Leo looked up and smiled. "Just...um...you know..," he stuttered as he made wide sweeping motions with his arms.
"Looks cool. Can I help?"
Mack looked over the girl and sighed. "You a mechanic?"
She shook her head. "But I can help whatever you need."
"Right now I need to change the oil on this truck and I was trying to show Turbo here how to do that. I guess you can learn too. Pay attention."
"Oh I can do that. Change the oil. Me and Leo can do that."
"You can?" Mack's surprise was evident in his voice. Leo looked at her.
"Yeah I had a van. Old van, you know the eating oil kind of old van. Had to do that lots of times."
Mack hesitated. "Um well this vehicle here is..."
"Basically the same, right. Seriously Mack I got this, That's your name right, Mack? I get it, built like a Mack truck." Skye giggled. Leo rolled his eyes.
"Mackenzie. Last name."
"Oh." Skye shrugged her shoulders. "I'd go with the Mack truck thing. Much cooler. Come on Leo." She grabbed the oil pan and some tools and headed over to the SUV putting her head under the hood of the vehicle. Mack watched them and assuring himself the girl seemed to know what she was doing, he went back to tinkering with the engine in front of him.
Three SUV's and 2 hours later, Skye and Leo headed to the kitchen to grab some dinner. Mack had been impressed that the girl knew her way around the vehicles decently so he had them change the oil in three SUV's and by the third the girl was merely supervising Fitz. Mack was impressed.
Skye made a frozen pizza and some popcorn and they headed to Leo's room to watch some Dr. Who.
"Hey here." Leo reached into his little fridge in his room and pulled out two beers. They sat on his bed and ate and watched the screen.
Two episodes, and a pizza later Leo spoke to her. "May's okay?"
Skye looked over at him and smiled. "Yeah. Just needs to rest a couple days and let it heal. Bullet went through, which Jemma says was a good thing, and no major damage. Melinda called it a flesh wound. A flesh wound. Blood's pouring out her shoulder, and she's wincing from the pain and she shakes it off calling it a flesh wound."
"L..l...like.. Monty...P...P.."
"Monty Python. Yeah." Skye giggled. Then spoke in a bad English accent. "It's just a flesh wound. I'll be fine."
Leo winced. "Not, not the acc...accent. " He covered his face in his hands.
"Skye smacked him with his pillow. "It's not that bad."
He raised his eyebrows at her and rolled his eyes. "Horrible Skye. Worr...worse than hor...hor..horrible."
"I think you're just jealous of my fine accent capabilities." She continued in the accent.
Leo held his hands to his ears. ""They ...they... they're gon...gonna... bleed."
Skye jumped up. "Fine. I'm leaving if you're gonna be mean Leo."
"Skye. I'm sorry. I'm so...so... sorry you're accent ...um...um..." he got up and he waved his hands around.
"Was good?"
"Nah."
"Was awesome?"
"Sucked!"
Skye tackled him and they both fell on the bed laughing. Skye grabbed the popcorn bowl. "Another episode?"
He clicked the screen back on, reaching for some popcorn.
