Chapter 30- Deterioration

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Skye burst into Coulson's office without invitation, disrupting May and Coulson's heated conversation told by the looks on their faces.

"Skye, could this wait-" Coulson began but a hand up from May stopped him from speaking any more. She approached her trainee who had a conflicted expression fixed on her face.

"Did Ward say something?"

Skye opened her mouth, then hesitated, before continuing, "Yes he said something," May tensed, "But not what you think. He told us that he didn't cause the crash. And I believe him."

May disguised her initial outrage behind a frown, "You're sure? He isn't messing with your head?"

"I'm very sure. You have to trust me. We need the search back on right now." Skye pleaded.

"I'll talk to Ward and make the decision," Coulson stated and observed his agents, "You both should go to your hotel rooms and get rest. Better yet, get food and fresh air before getting rest. It will do you good."

May raised a judgemental eyebrow but lead the way for Skye to follow. However, Skye had a final word for Coulson before she went,

"Please reopen the search. This isn't about me, or you or anyone on the team. It isn't even about Ward. It's about Bobbi, what she deserves, right AC?"

Coulson smiled slightly, "Right."

The hacker left Coulson in his office, thinking about where on earth they were supposed to start searching for the new suspect.

Bobbi released a breath of exhaustion as she finally settle into her wheelchair. After the Ward revelation from Lance, Maria's physical - (torture) – therapy and trying to move from the bed to her wheelchair by herself with a heavy cast on one leg and numerous broken ribs – it had been one hard day.

Lance had watched it all unfold from his seat in the corner, banished there by Maria for a reason that Bobbi thought was to make everything twice as hard. He knew Maria was making Bobbi's recovery as efficient as it could be but it was hard to understand that when you're on the receiving end of the treatment.

"Please say I get help getting back in that." Bobbi breathed, inclining her head to the left where her bed was. Maria chuckled lightly,

"I'll think about it. But hey, what happened to wanting to do things independently?"

"I don't think today's events have granted me the enthusiasm." Bobbi replied, the recurring questions about Ward returned to swirl at the front of her mind again.

Lance piped up from the corner, knowing what was likely to have cropped up in Bobbi's thoughts, "Not worth your time, Bob."

The room fell into a quiet lull as Maria and Bobbi passed small words to test the latter's current body strength. This lull was only broken by the appearance of Skye and May a few minutes later.

"Hey, anything too important?" May said as she observed the scene before her. Before Maria could get a word in, Bobbi jumped in to answer,

"No stay. Please."

Ignoring the glare from her nurse, Bobbi gestured to her bed.

"Take a seat, may as well use it while it's free." Skye and May did so, acknowledging Lance as they passed, "What brings you here?"

Bobbi didn't miss Skye instantly look like a fish out of water or May conspicuously nudge her and plaster a fake smile on her face. But she didn't mention either. Yet.

"Just seeing how you are." May answered.

"Well, I hope this all sums it up. If not, Maria has my notes."

Maria almost choked on air, "Bobbi you can't do that! Patient confidentiality, the law..."

"I'm the patient and I'm an agent. Think that covers both." Bobbi shot back at the nurse who groaned.

"God, you're so difficult." Maria left the agents in the room with one last firm glare at Bobbi.

May was amused, "She's... fun."

"You sure?" Bobbi inquired but left the topic where it was, "Anyway, has there been any updates on the mission you want to tell me about? Skye?"

Skye stammered, "Uh..."

Bobbi decided to save the young agent the embarrassment and addressed both,

"Hunter told me about Ward. Don't get mad at him," She warned before May could pounce on her new prey, "I just want to know more."

This time, Skye could speak, somewhat thankful for Lance's revelation to Bobbi.

"There's actually been a development. Ward didn't cause this. He sent three people in and they all came back to him that same day."

Bobbi leant back in her chair, "Oh."

"I know. He's a shocker, right?" May muttered. Lance also reacted to this news, his chair scraping against the ground showing his distaste as he stood.

"He's a wind up, that's for sure," He said, bitterly as he stalked over to stand nearer the bed, "Do you know why he waited so long to tell us?"

Skye shook her head, "Who knows how his mind works? But this means we have to keep searching so we're going to need all the help we can get." She glanced guiltily at Lance. He turned to Bobbi,

"You don't mind if I go get you some justice?"

Bobbi chuckled, "I'm not dead. Go for it, go and do my job worse than me."

Lance pulled a mock-offended look and left the room to return to the Bus. May failed to hide her smirk and Skye didn't even try.

"Well..." The hacker drawled, "You and Lance?"

"Lance and I, we..." Bobbi debated lying, "We might have something going on."

"Finally!"

"Hey! You know we were married, Skye," Bobbi laughed but winced when a twinge shot through her ribs. May immediately stood from the bed,

"Think you should rest before any more damage gets done." She and Skye worked to get Bobbi back onto her bed, a task harder than it first seemed.

"Can you lift your legs a little?" Skye asked.

Bobbi sighed in slight annoyance, "Trust me, I would if I could," She bit before wincing in regret, "Sorry."

The job was finished in silence and May and Skye stepped back to give Bobbi the space to adjust.

"You good? Starting to break a sweat there." May asked.

"Yes..." She paused, "Wait, that's weird..."

In the next moments, the atmosphere dropped and the temperature sunk a few degrees. Bobbi was gripping her thigh just above her leg cast as her face creased in pain.

"Bobbi?"

She could only whisper, "My leg hurts. It hasn't been hurting."

May was out the door instantly as Skye remained firmly next to Bobbi.

"Hey," She grabbed Bobbi's hands that were grabbing for her leg, "Don't do that it won't help. It's okay."

As she prayed for May to get back with someone that could help the agent in front of her that was fighting to cover her pain and her pride.

"Sorry," Bobbi gasped. Skye shook her head,

"Don't worry Bobbi. Bobbi?" The question came after Bobbi seemed to lose consciousness but Skye couldn't be sure because the pain was still obvious.

"Agent Skye?" Maria questioned for information as she entered followed by a short strong of other nurses.

"She just passed out I think, I'm not sure." The words tripped over themselves in the haste. Maria didn't waste any time checking vitals, calling orders around the room.

"Page the doctor, keep her stable!" The nurse demanded, "You said she had leg pain?"

May snapped out of her daze to reply, "It came on suddenly, she said it never hurt before."

Maria nodded, "It shouldn't. The nerves from the partial paralysis stopped most of the pain. A dull ache at most."

She moved down the bed and pressed on Bobbi's thigh. The agent jerked a little but Maria continued to her foot. Her face dropped.

"What? What's going on?" Skye inquired.

Maria looked at the nurses, "Get the cast off."

One male nurse with short blonde hair and crooked glasses stuttered, "T-the doctor isn't here yet. We can't do that procedure."

"We need it off now."

"But-"

Maria lost her patience and raised her voice a few octaves, "Compartment syndrome. It's been days, I don't know how it happened but we need to cut off the cast. If we don't – she has no leg."

to be continued...

Thanks for reading. And the amazing reviews I got from the last chapter made this happen faster. I'll take note on feedback and suggestions.