Grace's eyes fluttered open to a bright light. As her deep ocean blue eyes focused she saw that she was in what looked like a hotel room. She was lying back flat on a double bed with garish sheets, and drab curtains framed a window to her right. The dull grey sky was just about visible from where she lay, threatening a torrid downpour of rain. Though she had grown accustomed to having trouble remembering things, she remembered with clarity where she had last been. She sat up, her eyes fixated on the window as she recounted what had happened.

"Good sleep?" A voice asked behind her. She took a moment to turn around, searching her mind to recognise whether this voice belonged to Meyer. She prayed that it did not. That day, she had seen what he was capable of. She had been foolish to place her trust in Zach, to think that the Circle of Cavanaugh would welcome her with the intention of becoming like a family to her. That wasn't who they were. They were cruel and heartless and wanted to use her for her powers. Relief filled her as she turned and saw Fury's smirk. He scoffed slightly as he saw her joyous expression and yelped in surprise as she leapt towards him, hugging him furiously.

"What happened?" She asked as she pulled away from the startled Director.

His cool expression almost twisted into a smile, "Meyer was going to kill me. Kill us all."

"That's the last thing I remember," she told him, "How did you escape?"

"You saved us." He informed her, sitting back down in his armchair as the girl sat back onto the bed. She creased her eyebrows, asking him to elaborate. "You were close to unconsciousness. It looked like Meyer was going to shoot me when you fired a big old ball of that blue stuff at him."

Her eyes widened in surprise and she looked down at her hands, "I did?"

"Yeah," He nodded, "After that you passed out and we captured the rest of the Cavanaugh agents we could find. You were close to death, we had to bring you back to SHIELD." He smirked again, "I know how you hate us doing things without asking, but it was…life or death." A sarcastic tone was in his voice and she rolled her eyes.

She frowned for a moment, "Did you get Stanis?" she spat.

"When the plasma hit him, he stumbled…right into one of our agents," the man paused, clearing his throat, "He got what was coming to him."

Grace's spinning mind stopped in it's tracks. She had helped kill him. Her breathing quickened and once again, she felt like she was going to be sick. "I…I killed him." She said to herself, her voice small as tears began to run down her face.

Fury stopped for a moment. He had almost forgotten what that looked like. Remorse, "No, it wasn't you that finished him off. He had killed a lot of people," He said softly, standing up and walking towards her, "And he would have killed a lot more if you hadn't helped take him out."

"Doesn't make it okay," She mumbled, taking a deep breath and standing up, looking out of the window over the unknown city, "Where am I?" She asked him, watching the rain trickle down the cool glass.

"Oh somewhere on the East coast," He said vaguely, "We thought you'd be more comfortable in a hotel than in a facility."

She scoffed, "I guess," sighing she turned back around, "What about Zach?"

"These Cavanaughs always find a way to disappear into the shadows," Fury replied, shrugging slightly.

"What now?" She asked, a bitter tinge to her voice, "More tests?"

She turned to see Fury shaking his head, "No. You deserve a couple of vacation days."

"Vacation?" She asked incredulously, shaking her head, "Where would I go?"

The Director walked towards the door, turning before he reached it, "I hear New York is nice this time of year."

/

Fury smirked as he shut Grace's hotel room door, looking as Coulson and walking them towards the elevator.

"Sir, a vacation?" He asked, keeping up with the man's quick pace.

He shrugged, "She can do what she wants. We don't own her." Coulson nodded in agreement as the Director continued, "The truth is, she needs a family. S.H.I.E.L.D wants to protect people and now we get to protect her. She needs us, and we will always be there for her."

"She needs a team," Coulson mused and Fury gave him a look, "You should consider it." He muttered lowering his voice slightly, "You know, Captain Rodgers asked after her." He informed him as they reached the elevator.

Fury smiled for a moment, turning to look at him as the doors slid closed, "Maybe we should give him what he wants."