I updated on time!
mostly because after that trailer I can't think of anything but AoS, so…

Please review, it really helps with motivating me to keep writing.
If you have a prompt or an idea for me, or just want or talk AoS in general… You're welcome to message me!

Chapter 19 - Origin

It takes a while for Skye to find the place she's looking for, having to navigate through a strange city. But still, she managed to get to the address of Agent Linda Avery.

As she stood there, staring at the door of a woman who might just be her mother, she can't help but wonder whether someone at school had noticed she was gone.
Have they called Malinda? Would she come looking for her?

Skye was almost certain she knew the answer for that, but she pushed the thought out of her head and knocked on the door.

There was no response, so she knocked again. This time she could hear movement from inside. She tensed, waiting. It sounded like someone was stumbling to get things cleaned up in a hurry.

Skye narrowed her eyes and raised her hand to knock again, just as the door swung open and a pair of blue eyes looked out at her.

Skye swallowed "Umm… Agent Linda Avery?"

The woman stared at her suspiciously "Yes?"

"May I come in, please?"

Avery didn't move, only lifted an eyebrow. Skye took in a deep breath before explaining. "Fourteen years ago you dropped off a baby girl at St. Agnes orphanage. That was me. And I have questions".

She watched as understanding overcame the woman's features, and she rushed Skye in.

She seemed highly alert, like she was expecting to open the door to a deadly assassin, not a teenage years old girl. She locked the door behind Skye and lead her to the living room, then disappeared into the kitchen.

Skye took the chance to look around, but still kept her guard up for anything unusual.

Everything seemed to be unusual in this place, though.

There wasn't much furniture. The couch Skye was sitting on, the one on opposite of it, a coffee table, and a small tv. She could see absolutely no personal items.

But soon enough Avery came back with two cups of tea. She handed one to Skye and sat down in front of her. Skye stared at her.

Avery sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Okay, kid. What's your name?"

"Skye."

Avery leaned forward a little "Skye, I'm not sure what you expected to find by coming here, I don't even know how you knew to come here, but I'm not your mother. And I don't know who your parents are. I'm sorry, I really wish I could tell you more".

Skye nodded, biting down on her lower lip. She blinked fast to force the tears away from her eyes. So Linda Avery wasn't her mother. But she must still know something, right?
"How come you have dropped me off at St. agnes, then?"

Avery let out a breath of what might have been relief. "That's a really long story. Shouldn't you be in school, anyway?"

Skye shrugged, and Avery sighed once again. "Do you mind telling me who are you currently staying with?"

"Melinda May." said Skye after a short hesitation "she's a SHIELD agent, like you. Do you know her?"

Avery nodded shortly "We went on a few missions together". she took a long sip of her tea "Where would you like me to start, then?"

"How about the beginning?"

And she told her the whole story. Everything she could remember.
By the time she finished Skye was in tears.

Because so many people had died trying to protect her; because she was an 084; because she now knew that a lot of the times she was sent back to the orphanage was not actually because a family didn't want her, but because of Avery's protocol, keeping her safe from god knows what.

Phil was doing paperwork. Again. Because he might be a trained spy working for a super secret organization, but there was still just so much paperwork.

So he was grateful when his phone rang. Then he glanced at the caller's ID, and a frown started to form between his brows. It was Melinda. And she was supposed to be on a mission.

"Melinda?"

"I just got a call from Skye's school", she responded. "She's not there."

She sounded panicked. Which was a thing Phil barely ever got to hear.

Melinda was fearless.

But, Phil guessed, being worried was part of the job description of being a parent.

"I'll find her," he said instantly, without having the faintest idea how he was going to do so.

He could hear Melinda breathing deeply on the other side of the line. "-Just… just make sure she's face. she's my daughter. I can't- I can't lose her". she whispered.

Phil nodded, and promised her again that it'll be okay, he'll find Skye, she should focus on the mission. Then he hanged up and stared at the mountains of paperwork that still needed to be done, and looked away because Skye was way more important than paperwork, and tried to think of the best course of action.

He eventually decided to go to Melinda's apartment, 'cause maybe there would be a clue to where Skye could be. but he didn't get far before is phone rang once again, only this time he didn't recognize the caller's ID. He took the call after a short hesitation.

"Phil?" asked a voice he recognized immediately.

"Skye? Thank god, where the hell are you?! Are you okay?"

He could hear her swallowing thickly. She sounded off. Like she had been crying.

"Could you… could you come and get me, please? I'm at Linda Avery's house". She gave him the address and he decided to ask questions later, and promised he'd get there as soon as possible. And he texted Melinda to let her know Skye was alright.

When he got there, avery immediately directed him to the living room where Skye was sitting on the couch, her knees pulled up and tucked beneath her chin.

Phil bent down in front of her, noting the tracks of tears on the kid's face. Something was definitely off.

"What happened?" he asked quietly.

Skye sniffled "I wanted to find my parents, but-" another tear rolled down her face "It's worse than anything I could've ever imagined".

Phil reached out carefully, touching the side of her face and wiping her tears with his thumb "It will be alright. What happened with your parents doesn't define who you are."

Skye nodded and sniffled again. she gave him a wet smile and half a hug, then let him take her home. He thanked Avery and made and they said they'd talk later.

Skye didn't completely stop crying, though. Phil didn't know what she found out, and he didn't want to push her. He talked on the way to Melinda's apartment, trying to sooth her the best he could.

He really hoped it helped.

And maybe it did, because by the time they got home she was holding his hand.