Floating.
It's nice to float in a silent cocoon of dark warmth. He doesn't have to do anything except float. Doesn't even have to breathe as it is being done for him.
Floating's….nice….the darkness embraces him and he relaxes into it. When he relaxes completely, he can see …. Stars… He gave his copy of "The Night Sky" to Jasper in remembrance of their long stay in Albania. Too bad, there are some constellations that he doesn't recognize.
Heaven has once again been denied to him, so he'll take what he can get.
Pleiades. That myriad of stars is what he thinks is overhead, so he stares and floats.
"How's he doing?" Skye asks Simmons. Then in a perplexed tone, she asks, "What's he wearing?"
"Sound silencing headphones, plus I'm monitoring and regulating his brain waves using beta and theta wave therapy. He's physically and mentally exhausted, so we think a deep, restorative sleep would help him heal." Simmons makes a valiant effort at being chipper and upbeat but she's exhausted. Her eyes are red rimmed and there are dark circles under her eyes.
"And how is Simmons?" Skye pointedly questions. "Physically and mentally exhausted. Should I take off his headphones and tell AC to move over?"
"In the same bed?" A brittle Simmons shrieks. She looks around and relaxes once she realizes that Streiten and Fury are not in Medical.
"Bit of a crush, eh? Don't worry, you're not the only one," Skye admits. "So, I did some shopping while I was banned from Medical and I bought some things for Sleeping Beauty."
She places the bag on the table, and pulls out a pair of big, ugly, green feet.
"Hulk slippers," Skye explains. "Feet get cold fast. I have an Iron Man teddy bear and a fake plastic Thor hammer that squeaks when you smack it. When he wakes up, he can thwack it for attention."
The hammer is vigorously demonstrated and it squeaks quite loudly causing Simmons to laugh for the first time in too long.
"And….." Skye reaches back into the bag and pulls out a red blanket. She unfolds it to display Captain America's shield in the middle. "I decided not to go with the Captain American pajamas bottoms or the Hawkeye foam arrow set. However, I did get him socks."
Skye presents the socks to Jemma. They are quite positively the strangest socks Jemma has ever seen, as they have…. bow and arrows… on them.
"Ready for your mission, Agent?" Skye asks in her best Phil Coulson voice.
"Let's do it."
Fury storms down to Medical, barges in and stops dead at the sight of the still intubated Coulson. His shock might be from the very noticeable Hulk slippers. It might be the Captain America blanket, or the plastic Thor hammer that is on the stand next to the bed. More than likely it's the Iron Man Teddy Bear complete with Glowing Chest Plate that is nestled under one arm.
"SIMMONS!" he roars. "Couldn't find red hair dye?"
She tries to look innocent, fails and smiles.
"When is the tube being removed?" Fury asks.
"When he can breathe on his own," she retorts.
"Which will be?" Fury asks.
"When he can breathe on his own. I can yank the tube out and ask him, if you'd like," she puts her hand on Phil's face and then announces, "Suction, Skye."
She had thrown herself onto a grenade, had even jumped out of a plane to save her team. Standing toe to toe to Fury…. Possibly even scarier than jumping out of a plane, but she was the only one that could protect Coulson.
"I don't think he's stable enough, but on your head, ….. on the count of three…" she enunciates as she stares down Nick Fury. "One…"
The sound that Fury emits sounds is almost inhuman, but Jemma Simmons knows that the Fury monster has been defeated.
"MAY!" he roars as he sweeps out of the room.
"Oh my GOD," Skye squeaks. "You were amazing. I almost believed that you'd do it."
Simmons' jaw drops. "No! I couldn't! He's not stable! But, do you want to sit with Coulson? I think talking to him would be a good idea."
"What about the ears?" Skye asks.
"Mainly classical music. He was playing a CD in his office, so he's listening to that plus the theta and beta waves…" Simmons stops and shakes her head. "I'll wean him off the drugs…so he's a little more aware."
Simmons grimaces, as she revealed her secret.
"Hey, you're being sneaky," Skye whole heartedly approves. "And the best part is… you seem so honest. I'm rubbing off on you!"
"He needed to sleep," Simmons insists.
"Keep the honest integrity. Makes people doubt that you're lying," Skye chirps.
"Let's take off the headset," Jemma announces. Coulson's eyes are barely open but he is warily watching Jemma Simmons. She takes off the headset and places it on the table next to the Thor hammer.
"Hi," Simmons softly says to Coulson. "Do you promise to behave?"
Slightest of head nods.
"Your hands are restrained because I can't risk losing your IV site," she explains. "You need the antibiotics."
Simmons leaves him alone with Skye and Coulson stares at his feet. The Hulk slippers are oversized and green and he's quite confused.
"They're slippers. I saw them and thought of you. Nothing worse than cold feet," Skye chirps. Then she turns serious, "Except for what you did. You're the closest I've ever had to a father…"
She stops and wipes her eyes. "I can't lose you, AC."
Skye reaches for his hand, and squeezes it hard. "When I was fourteen, I tried. It's why I wear the bracelets. Hides the scars. I did after I went back to the orphanage, because I thought I finally found a family who wanted me. I felt like I didn't have anyone, anything who cared about me, that I was completely alone in the world."
Coulson just watches her.
"You're not, you know. You've got us, the team that puts the fun in dysfunctional. AC, I'll tell Simmons to knock it off regarding the threats of kicking your ass. You don't need that right now, you need to rest, regain your strength. You'd be incredibly proud of her as she is seriously terrifying the One Eyed Dude with the Leather Cape."
Always proud, he mouths.
Skye smiles at him and their fingers remain entwined until he falls asleep.
Fitz enters the lab and shakes his head. "Mum is making Agent Coulson chicken soup. I told her that you'd need to approve. She'll have it ready tomorrow."
"That's sweet that your Mum would do that for AC," Skye says as she joins them. "I'm sure Simmons will approve."
Simmons doesn't approve, instead she shakes her head.
"How much whisky is she adding?" Simmons asks. "She does have a heavy hand."
"Not my fault, you're a lightweight," Fitz angrily protested as no one criticized his Mum's cooking, especially Simmons who had three helpings of Scotch Mist.
"Your 'Mum' does whiskey chicken soup? I think I want to meet her as she sounds like such good fun," Skye giggles. "What does she do for dessert?"
"Fruit and liquor," Simmons explains. "With either cream or chocolate."
"Meeting her!" Skye decides.
"She's invited the team for a traditional Scottish home cooked meal on Saturday, so you can definitely meet her then. I don't think Ward and May will want to come, but what about Agent Coulson?" Fitz asks.
"Hopefully, we can extubate him this afternoon," Simmons decides. "He might be physically able to attend, but he may not want to go. After I…"
Simmons stops and looks at Skye. Her eyes are wary, as though she's fearful of Skye's reaction. Gone is the confident façade, instead, there is a wary tenseness in her hunched shoulders.
"I really didn't want to go out," she says in a very quiet voice. "I hid."
In response, Skye slides off her multitude of bracelets, and points out thin, faded scars on her wrists. Simmons relaxes and the two women hug.
"Just stop threatening to kick his arse," Skye requests when they finally break apart.
"It's just more pressure, I know…" Jemma stops and then she begins shaking. "I am trying to protect him, but… Fury."
"Simmons, you need to sleep," Skye insists. Fitz murmurs his agreement and
"I don't think I'm capable of keeping him safe," Simmons admits before the trio is interrupted by May.
"Simmons, go to bed. Coulson has enough issues that he doesn't need guilt over your physical collapse. Or you two. Go to bed, all of you," insisted May. "Get out."
Simmons vainly protests, finally her protestations sputter to a halt. "Sleep. Now," May adds. "Escort her back to her POD. I'll wake you if he needs you."
"But…" Jemma's protests one last time.
"The nurse is here. She can monitor the displays and I will stay with Coulson."
She's about to sit with Coulson when Ward walks in. He hasn't offered his opinion on recent events, but there's been a noticeable strain between the two men for the last few weeks. Coulson isn't happy about her relationship with Ward, but he trusts her. On the other hand, he doesn't trust Ward.
And she's noticed that Ward seems to be jealous over her firm friendship with Phil.
Maybe because Phil is the only one on the Bus knows her as Melinda May and who had steadfastly refused to view her as anyone else. Certainly not the blasted CAVALRY. While Ward…. Ward seems to be in awe of her. It's ego-stroking to have a young stud like him… enthralled… with her but sometimes, she's tired of the pissing contest between the two men.
"Any change?" Ward asks.
"No."
"Streiten says once he's off the vent, Coulson'll be taken to the SHIELD office in Glasgow for a full psych eval to determine his stability." Ward has no people skills, none, which is part of his awkward charm when he tries to be suave and debonair in their couplings.
But the way he uses the term 'stability' deeply disturbs Melinda.
After Bahrain, far too people had used 'May' and 'Stability' in the same sentence for her to ever feel comfortable with someone using that word. Or 'equilibrium'. Her distaste must be painfully obvious as Ward realizes that he has said the wrong thing.
"May, he jumped off a bridge," Ward reminds her.
She doesn't respond because there's nothing to say. Or can be said, as Ward is not in Coulson's Inner Circle. He hasn't seen the pictures of Coulson in a body bag, hasn't physically counted out how many days Phil Coulson was dead, and hasn't needed to bite his lip to prevent himself from vomiting when he realizes that was Phil's naked brain on display.
No context.
None.
Instead, she walks into Phil's room and she stations a chair next to Coulson's bed.
Yes, Phil Coulson jumped, but he is still Phil Coulson to her, always have been, always will be. Not Zombie Coulson, not Coulenstein, but Phil Coulson. Forever and ever, amen.
"I'm here," she fiercely says. "I won't let them do anything to you."
A/N - don't mean to Ward!Bash, so hope it doesn't seem like I am. however, of the team, he's the only one besides Skye who hasn't read the binder.
