AT LEAST WE'RE IN THE DARK TOGETHER

Chapter 7.

A/N Thanks to all who have reviewed, favored and followed. This chapter contains some medical material which I know practically nothing about so bear with me. Sorry if it isn't completely realistic.

Jemma stood next to Coulson as he lay on the bed. May was on the left and Skye on the right holding his hands. He still looked terrified, especially when Fitz brought in the portable scanner.

"Sir," Jemma stated gravely. "I can't just go carving on you like a side of beef. We've got to use the scanner to pinpoint the exact location of the bullet. Otherwise you'll lose too much blood and the chance of infection goes way up. Okay?"

Coulson, for once, was not the man with all the answers. He was lost and in a lot of pain. His eyes sought out the one person he trusted implicitly – Skye. She met his eyes and in a gentle voice responded to his unspoken question.

"I'm right here. Not going anywhere. Please let them do this, AC." Everyone let out a sigh of relief when he nodded yes, although Skye and May noted the increased pressure on their hands where they held his. This was traumatic for him, and Skye hated that. She hated what Fury had done to him, but now was not the time for that.

Skye reached over with her free hand and cupped Coulson's face. She turned his head toward hers and away from the scanner. "That'ta boy, AC. Look at me. Did I ever tell you about the time I went skinny dipping on a golf course?" This statement not only pulled Coulson's attention off the scanner, but perked up the ears on Ward and Fitz as well. May just gave a little smile of appreciation for her younger colleague.

"Well," Skye continued, "it was a scorching August night in New York. My boyfriend…NOT Miles at the time… and I were burning up and the van's air was on the fritz. So we snuck onto a private course and ditched our clothes. Damn that water felt good. I didn't think until afterwards what other life forms were probably in the pond with us." She shivered, noticing that Coulson was totally ignoring the ongoing scan. "Afterwards, we got out and laid on a blanket to dry. It felt good being, you know, naked outdoors and gazing at the stars. Of course, then we….."

"Finished!" Jemma almost shouted. "And just in time." She mumbled under her breath. Shoving the scanner toward a dazed Fitz, she told the rest of them to wait a few minutes.

"Nice story." May grinned at her. "It definitely did the trick." Skye smiled and gave Coulson's face one last caress as she removed her hand. Leaning down, she placed her mouth right next to his ear and whispered so only he could hear.

"I wish you were the one that was with me then." She sat back up and reveled when his eyes got wide and he gripped her hand in response. Even though she truly meant it, she could always claim she was just distracting him at the time if he considered it inappropriate. Jemma chose then to return.

"Really good news." She said almost cheerfully if that was even possible in this situation. "The slug is resting only an inch below the skin next to your hip. It should be easy to remove and stitch up. You ready?" She pulled out a large syringe. Coulson gulped, but nodded to go ahead.

Jemma explained, "This will numb up the area, but don't worry, you'll be awake for the whole procedure. You've got to hold very still though. Okay?"

"Go ahead," Coulson confirmed in a weak voice. He groaned softly, but held very still as she injected him with the numbing agent. After waiting for it to take effect, Jemma took a small scalpel, located the area where the bullet was and made an incision. With gloved hands she reached gently in and easily slipped the projectile out. She poured anti-bacterial medicine in and around the incision, and then she quickly used stitches to close the wound. She wiped everything down again and used fresh bandages to finish.

"That should do it." She said confidently. Looking at Coulson, she said "I'd prefer you rest here for a while. This is much more sanitary than your quarters." Coulson blinked, but his face was determined.

"I'm fine." He said as he tried unsuccessfully to sit up. The anesthetic was beginning to wear off and his side felt like it was on fire, but the clinical appearance of the place was still bothering him. Skye gently pushed him back on the bed.

"I'll stay with you here." She said simply, hoping he would agree, needing him to agree. She wanted to talk to him about things that had come up recently. It was important to her that he know what was going on. This was his life, and she understood completely how it felt to be lied to. She was not going to be a participant in that. Luckily, he was too hurt and exhausted to put up much of a fight.

After the others left, Skye ran her hand over her AC's forehead and cupped his face again. Looking into his eyes, she tried to establish if he was awake enough to hear what she had to say.

"Skye, what is it?" he had noticed the troubled look in her eyes. She swallowed and worked up some courage for this conversation.

"I've just learned something, and I want to tell you. But, I can wait if you need to rest for a while." She didn't want to delay, but she respected his needs.

"Tell me." Coulson looked again like he was resigned to hearing more bad news, and Skye's heart broke that she had to deliver it. She quietly and succinctly told him what May had revealed earlier. His eyes filled with tears that wouldn't drop. They were tears of anger, betrayal and shame. He didn't question Skye's narrative, he trusted her implicitly.

"So…what… I'm crazy?" he finally managed to get out.

"No, AC! Don't ever think that. I read a lot about this. You have what are called 'moral wounds.' You have all your life believed in doing what's right for your country and for your fellow man. You've lived by the S.H.I.E.L.D. code. But, now you are forced to realize that things are not so black and white. That morality is subject to manipulation, and that those you trusted betrayed and hurt you." She huffed in frustration at the situation. It wasn't fair to him, but it had happened and couldn't be redone. All she could do was to be there for him. "They pulled your symbolic rug out from under you, AC. Your life is changed forever by psychological wounds that may never heal. And now, they want to make it all better by lying to you."

Coulson was shocked and her words made his heart thump in his chest. "It won't get better?" he asked.

"Especially if they continue to lie to you, AC." Skye leaned forward and rested her head on his chest. It felt comforting, and he laid his hand on her back. He had a lot to think about. He knew May was his friend, even though she was actually participating in what S.H.I.E.L.D. was doing to him. For the first time in his life he feared for his sanity. He felt lost and conflicted about what was happening to him and how he should deal with it. But, one thing he knew was that there was one person who understood it all, and that was this girl in his arms. He drew her tighter to him and let himself succumb to exhaustion.

To be continued.