Chapter 13

Time Just Changes Everything That Stays the Same

Skye stood in the center of her room rubbing the sting off her posterior with one hand and the tears off her cheeks with the other. "Thanks for that, Daisy. Hope it was worth it." She spoke sarcastically to her alter-ego.

'Not really,' Daisy grimaced, feeling the brunt of their grandfather's anger.

Skye lifted the blanket on the bed and crawled under. "You should have woken me. I wouldn't have gotten caught."

'He's like a damn cat. You don't even know he's there until it's too late.' Daisy wondered for a moment if she inherited the inhuman gene from Yeye. Yeah, maybe he was Cat Man! Geez, she had to stop letting Skye's crazy kid thoughts get mixed up with her own.

"Probably from all that spy stuff he did in the war. You know he was a double agent, right?" Skye reminded her older self.

No, Daisy didn't know that. In fact she knew pretty much nothing about her grandparents, didn't even know his name until she met him here. May was a private person and Daisy respected that.

"One of us coulda been the look out and we would have seen him coming. Why didn't you wake me up and how the hell did you move me without me knowing it?"

'Don't say 'hell' kid.' Daisy sighed.

"You say it all the time." Skye retorted. "In fact you say a lot of things I probably shouldn't so why can't I just say them as well?"

Daisy shook her head. It was one thing to talk to yourself but quite another to argue with yourself. 'Fine, kid, suit yourself. When May hears you, it's your funeral.'

"I'm not stupid, you know and I sure don't have a death wish." Skye huffed then stopped and thought for a moment. "Do you?" She asked as if she thought maybe it was true.

'Of course not,' Daisy blew her off. 'Not anymore,' she thought hoping Skye would never see into that dark memory.

"So how'd ya do it?" Skye's tone changed from angry to anticipatory. "How'd ya make me sleep walk? Can you do it again? It's so cool!" Her voice squeaked with excitement at the last statement.

'You forget, dear little me that it's my body too. That's why you can still sit down, thank me very much.' Daisy reminded her kid-self. 'You're not as 'in control' as you thought.'

"Probably cuz I was asleep," Skye snorted as she curled into a ball and rolled on her side, pulling her stuffed dog close. "So…ya gonna tell me what you found?"

'Nothing, kid, I didn't find anything.' Daisy lied. 'The only thing Co…dad's got on his computer is bills, history and Captain America stuff.'

"Yeah, that's why he keeps it locked up with some dumb password and flicks it off if I so much as walk into the bedroom when he's in there. You're lying Daisy. I should know. I'm you. I know when I'm lying."

That made some kind of illogical sense and Daisy remembered someone telling her once that she could lie to the world but not to herself. Geez, how many people actually ever got to really, really and truly experience that? One, exactly one…well, maybe two if you counted Skye as a separate being but she wasn't because they were the same and even though there were two of them there was really only one. Daisy wondered if she gave herself a headache if Skye would have one too.

"Stop it, Daisy," the girl in the bed whined as she snuggled into her pillow and pulled the blankets up to her chin. "I don't want a headache."

Well, that answered that. Apparently, Skye wasn't able to access everything in Daisy's head but some things were just out there. Daisy wondered if she some how had tapped into social media, but then again it didn't exist in 2002. Well, not like it did in 2017 anyway. Friendster was to Facebook like drizzle to a hurricane…whoa, dopey analogy, Daisy thought. Anyway, she had to find a way to build a Skye-proof firewall or password or…she'd talk to Fitz about keeping this little future hacker out of the parts of her head space she had no place being.

"What's Facebook and yeah that was dumb," Skye mumbled and Daisy rolled her eyes. Maybe she just shouldn't think at all, or maybe it had something to do with proximity, but then how do you distance yourself from yourself. "So, what did you find out in there?" Skye yawned.

'Nothing, kid, there was nothing to help us get in touch with the folks. Guess we just have to wait.' Daisy smiled. That wasn't a lie. She didn't find anything helpful.

"I hate waiting." Skye sighed as she finally lost her battle with the gods of sleep and took a very tired Daisy into the oblivion of computer generated dreams along with her.

xx

"Well, I can't see a damn thing but that thump was deafening." Phil spoke from inside the rather wide chute at the end of the hall. "No poof of flame, so I guess that's a good thing." He said as he pulled out and turned toward Melinda.

It had take a few minutes to drag the dead soldier from the office door and get him up high enough to slide him down the chute as a test. If nothing else, his body might break their fall and prevent a few broken bones. Melinda pushed Phil aside and peered into the long dark tunnel. They'd been wrong about one thing. It wasn't a straight drop down thirty feet. It was more of a slope or an angle and she wondered just what the people in this building were dropping down there in the first place. It didn't smell like smoke or like garbage, in fact it smelled more like formaldehyde. "What exactly is this place?" She raised one eyebrow at Phil as she turned back toward him.

"Not really sure, my Russian is a bit rusty and most of the letters were crumpled off the façade of the building. Why?" He spoke as he maneuvered the large bag on his shoulder and considered what to send down next. He could hear the movements of the troops outside and knew it would not be long before they stormed the building. Of course it would take them a few minutes to get up three floors being that they had destroyed the first flight of stairs and dismantled the ancient elevator.

Melinda walked back to one of the open doors and pulled it shut. She looked at the printed name on the beveled glass window – Го одск й мо г. There were letters missing but she had no problem filling them in. "Great," she growled under her breath. "I hope that guy you sent down there is the only one at the bottom." She snarled as she walked back toward Phil.

"I don't hear anything down there and there was no reaction to his untimely arrival," Phil smiled as he secured the rifle over his chest. "I don't think there's even a way for them to get in there with all that rubble surrounding this place." He thought, trying to imagine the outside of the building before he used it as cover the day before.

"Yeah, well his friends wouldn't be making much noise." She peeked into the dark hole again. "And you need to brush up on your languages. Spanish isn't the only one you need, hombre sabio." She sneered. "This place is a morgue."

Phil's eyebrows shot up as he looked into the shoot again, then laughed. "What kind of morgue drops bodies down a chute from the third floor?"

She looked at him over her brows, "the kind that doesn't really care what happens to them. Damn it, Phil there could be a pile of rotting flesh at the bottom of this thing." She sighed as she pushed him aside and peered down again.

"Naw," he disagreed. "We'd have smelled it by now. Hell, the whole town would reek. Probably a pick up point for whoever was responsible for getting rid of the evidence." He shrugged his shoulders as he grabbed the top of the tube and bounced his feet into the opening. The voices from below were getting louder. "Ten seconds, Mel and you follow me. Send the bag and then you get in. I will catch you. I promise." He just looked at her, just long enough to let her know how much he cared…how much he needed her. She nodded her promise and watched him disappear into the blackness.

Phil expected a hard landing but slid onto a flat surface stopping when his feet hit the soldier he sent down first. He pushed the body forward and heard it drop a few feet to the floor. It had been dark upstairs but at least the moonlight gave a bit of relief, but this place was like a damn cave. He'd go dark blind before his eyes ever adjusted to the black of the basement. He moved to the side as the telltale sound of vinyl zipping along the surface of the chute announced the bag's arrival. A few seconds later he felt rather than heard Melinda's presence stopping her from tumbling onto their buffer friend with his outstretched arms.

"You couldn't have picked up a flashlight on your search, could you?" She whispered in his ear as he helped her to stand.

"I wasn't on a trip to Wal-Mart, Mel." He let out a huffed breath in answer.

They both fell dead silent as the voices now came from above them and a stream of light poured down the chute. Melinda was sure she had not left a blood trail. She and Phil had used another set of gauze pads and twice as much bandage to cover her wounds. Not being able to see she felt the front and back of the wrapping bring her hands back dry. Nothing had seeped through.

There were too many of them speaking too quickly for Melinda to translate and Phil was no help with it but they apparently had found their ploy with the grate and were working at removing the grate. That would give them a little time. She tried to get her bearings in the darkness, but she had entered the building from another point and this was unfamiliar. If those men figured out they'd been duped they would no doubt come sliding down that chute in force and they would have light. She and Phil needed to act quickly.

"Pretty sure whoever worked here didn't do it in the dark…well, let's hope they didn't." Phil shivered with the thought.

"No heat, no electricity, pretty much everything here runs on generators. So even if you find a switch it isn't going to turn on any lights. And further more light of any kind is just gonna help those goons upstairs find us faster." Melinda scolded as she inched her way to the wall. It was rough and rocky. "Follow me," she ordered as she continued moving.

Phil squinted his eyes, "Easy for you to say," he grumbled as he hefted the large bag onto his shoulder and slid along the wall behind Melinda.

She stopped when she reached the corner. Phil crashed into her causing a quick moan of pain and a disgusted sigh. "Watch it," she growled back at him. He didn't answer, just snarled silently at her back or her front, he wasn't sure since he couldn't see her but that meant she couldn't see him either.

Melinda felt to her right. Metal, cold and smooth meant she'd found the exit door she knew was blocked with rubble. She'd checked it from the outside when trying to enter the building. It helped her visualize their location. She took a breath and moved along tilting her head to silently let Phil know to follow then realized the futility of her action. "This way," she whispered as she reached back and took his hand.

Phil smiled at the gesture then frowned at the chill he felt in Melinda's grip. Her hand was like ice and she said they'd have to wade or was it swim through icy water to reach the end of whatever the hell that tunnel pipe thing was she told him about earlier. He knew it was freezing outside as well. Great, they'd escaped the hands of the Gulag, scratched around in the black pit of despair, only to die of exposure in the Chechen woods. Things just kept getting better and better.

"Look," Melinda's voice actually sounded excited.

"Look, right like I could actually see anyt…" Phil grumbled but stopped as she grabbed his head and pushed him in front of her. Damn she was strong, even when wounded. He only thought about complaining until he did see it. A tiny sliver of light about the size of a pencil point coming through a crack in the foundation or a bullet hole or shit, who cared where it was coming from it was there and his eyes drank it in like someone lost in the desert finding an oasis. Melinda took his hand and led him into the teeny spotlight. She pulled her pack off her back hanging in on one arm and yanked open the zipper. He watched her fish around inside for a moment then pulled a small circular object from inside.

Recognizing it immediately he turned up a side of his lip. "Really, that's the first thing you think of…checking your face?"

When she looked back at him he was sure she was about to break his nose, but she merely opened the small compact and with a crisp snap broke it in half. He swallowed hard as she never took her eyes from him as she bent to the floor and suddenly the room was lit with a filmy dim light. Phil looked where Melinda had dropped the small round mirror into the beam of light and created a small circle of illumination. Granted it wasn't much more than one of those glowy stick things kids ran around with at picnics or celebrations, but it was a light in the darkness for which he was grateful.

"Oh," Phil managed to gulp and Melinda merely glared at him before turning and walking out of the glow and into the darkness once again. He waited a few seconds and started to take a step when she returned. She picked up the mirror and angled it in the direction she had come revealing a ring about the size of a donut pressed into a recessed spot on the floor.

"That's it," she breathed as she nodded toward the object and he quickly moved to pull open the cover.

A few moments later he pulled the cover back into place and watched as she stashed the mirror back into her pack. There was no more light in the tunnel than there had been in the basement and for now they stood on dry packed dirt, but he could hear the steady drip of water in the distance. He could smell the moldy staleness of it and braced himself for the pain of the cold that would soon encircle them both. Again Melinda's hand reached back and took his as they slowly moved toward whatever awaited them.

xx

Skye rolled over and blinked her eyes at the bright light that filled her bedroom. She grabbed the fish shaped clock on her night stand and brushed her hair from her eyes. Almost ten-o-clock! Yeye never let her sleep this late. He believed sleeping late wasted away most of the day. She almost fell out of bed but caught herself before hitting the floor. She bent and gathered the blankets then pushed them back onto the mattress. Remembering last night's weather forecast she ran to the window and peered out at the fresh blanket of snow that covered her yard and the street beyond. It was Sunday. They'd take their time cleaning the streets. Nobody really needed to go anywhere today.

"Yes!" she threw a fist across her middle. If it snowed that much grandmother could not arrive today. That gave her twenty-four hours to convince Yeye not to tell her about her venture into Daddy's computer. No, make that Daisy's fiasco with the computer. Nainai would not be as understanding as Yeye.

Speaking of Yeye, he must still be pretty angry at her. He hadn't even called her for breakfast. He always made sure she ate breakfast. She quickly dressed, pulled the covers on her bed in a semi, looks pretty good to me order and made for the stairs with one quick stop in the bathroom. Skye was halfway down the steps when she realized she could not feel Daisy. Maybe she was still sleeping; after all they had quite a wild night. So yeah, she was probably still sleeping.

She stopped in the parlor and sighed at the site of the very sad Christmas tree with only four ornaments hanging on its skinny branches. It reminded her of how she felt and she slowed her steps as she wandered into the kitchen finding it just as empty as the rest of the house. In the sink she found not one but two cups and the ceramic teapot on the table was still warm. Grandfather had to be somewhere and who else was there and how had they gotten there in all that snow. Skye noticed the basement door was slightly ajar.

"We definitely traced back to this address," the man's voice said with a very gruff tone.

"It is not possible," Yeye answered. "There is no one here with that kind of ability. There is only my young granddaughter and myself. You must be mistaken."

"We don't make that kind of mistake." The voice boomed. "Someone at this location was snooping around our files last night and we intend to find out who and how."

"You intend to interrogate a child?" A third voice snarled. That one she recognized. It was Nainai. How the hell did she get here! Skye slapped a hand over her mouth even though she had only thought the word.

"I intend to find out just how this happened and make sure it doesn't happen again." The angry man spoke again.

"Perhaps it was, what do you call it, a glinch?" William offered.

"Glitch," the voice corrected. "And glitches don't bypass passwords and search for specifics, no it was not a glitch. Someone, someone here was in those files."

"Our granddaughter is ten-years-old, do you really think she has the capability to do what you are describing?" Nainai posed.

"She's half May and half Coulson, I suspect she has the capability to do just about anything she damn well sets her mind to doing." The man growled back.

Skye pressed her back against the wall closest to the open door. Part of her beamed with pride at being compared to her parents and part of her shook with the fear of what the heck Daisy had gotten them into…well it really was her idea so she guessed they were both to blame. This guy sounded official. What if Daisy got into Daddy's work stuff? Maybe it was his boss or the police. What if they took her to jail?

"If Skye is responsible for this then we shall be the ones to see that she does not repeat the offense." Lian May informed the man with the angry voice. "I assure you it will be dealt with properly."

For a moment there was silence and Skye was afraid maybe they were on their way to the kitchen. She held her breath listening for a clue. She heard an odd sound, like a buzzer or an alarm clock and then the man spoke.

"When?...How long?...Twenty minutes…"

She heard a soft click and he spoke again. This time his voice was not so loud and not so angry.

"You see to it she stays away from that computer. If I have to come back I'll be the one dealing with it, understand?"

The basement door opened then shut and Skye felt rather than heard an odd vibration that seems to shake the whole house then it was quiet again. She could hear her grandparents speaking softly in Mandarin but could not make out what they were saying.

Daisy watched as what was probably the precursor of a Quinjet lifted from the Coulson's backyard. It was a lot smaller and more helicopter-ish but she suspected there was a much larger aircraft high above. She heard Coulson say that they used craft like the Bus back in the 90's so it only stood to reason something else was up there. She recognized the tall black man with the eye patch. She'd never met him but she knew exactly who he was. Apparently, she had struck a nerve when she hacked into SHIELD's system during the night.

'Relax, they don't put kids in jail and anyway they can't prove a thing. Just keep quiet and it'll be fine.' She assured a very stressed out Skye.

'Where were you?!' Skye threw a punch that Daisy actually felt land on her arm.

Daisy yawned to cover the 'ouch' that Skye rubbed off her own shoulder. 'Catching up on lost sleep, as you recall I did all the dirty work last night while you were snoozing.' She elbowed the smaller girl and smiled when Skye teetered just a bit to the left.

'Nainai's here. I don't know how the hell she got here, but she's here and we are dead meat! She knows, Skye and she said she's gonna deal with it.' Skye was near panic.

'Calm down kid, she's grandma for crying out loud.' Daisy tried to calm herself. 'And don't say…er think, 'hell''

'Daisy, she's not a make-you-milk-and-cookies-huggy-kissy-grandma!' Skye explained with a whine.

'We're goin' with the sleep walking excuse because that is really what you did. Right? And tonight we'll give a repeat performance just to prove the point. All that stress about missing your parents at Christmas and all.' Daisy smiled. 'Anyway, gramps already took care of it.' She absently rubbed her backside with both hands.

Skye was so involved in her think-conversation she did not hear her grandparents until the door swung open and her grandmother glared down at her. She swallowed hard and immediately cast her eyes to the floor. It was disrespectful to stare into the eyes of her elders. Mommy didn't practice that belief but Nainai was a firm believer.

"Breakfast first. Then we talk." The older woman put a hand on Skye's shoulder and escorted her to the table commanding her to sit without saying a word.

Skye kept her head down and ate the oatmeal placed in front of her without complaint.

⁓ ⁓

"I don't remember, Nainai. Wǒ bù jìdé." Skye pleaded her case. It wasn't a lie because until her grandfather woke her in daddy's office she really remembered nothing.

"It does not matter what language you say it in, Skye." Lian spoke in a calm, emotionless tone. "What matters is the truth of your statement."

"Yes, grandmother," Skye spoke just above a whisper.

'Why are you so scared? You are telling the truth.' Daisy whispered then rolled her eyes remembering no one but Skye could hear her.

Skye did not dare think back, certain that her grandmother could read her mind or at least look right into her thoughts. Truth was, Skye was terrified of the woman. She always had been. Lian May had never so much as raised her voice to the child but had told her on many occasions that the punishment for her disrespectful actions would have been several strikes with a thin bamboo shoot if she had lived in her time. Skye wasn't sure what that meant but she was careful to be on her best behavior whenever her grandmother was present. This time was an epic failure.

'Sleep walking, kid, remember? Tell her about the sleep walking.' Daisy urged the girl, pushing away the gnawing feeling she had of May when they first met. She'd been terrified of the woman and it took almost two years before she bumped that down to a mild fear. Here it was five years later and she would still shake in her boots, inhuman powers and all, if she knew May was angry with her. 'Go on, tell her,' she gave Skye a little shove which knocked her forward a bit.

Skye covered the sudden move with a quick cough. "I might…I think maybe I was sleep walking, Nainai." She peeked sideways at her grandmother and caught just a hint of frustration in her gaze.

Yeye stood silently across the room with his hands behind his back. She glanced up at him once and immediately knew he also put no faith in her explanation.

"Your mother has never told either of us of this sleep walking." Grandmother replied.

"That's because it just started!" Skye spoke quickly, throwing up her hands and glaring at her grandmother who merely stared back until the girl once again dropped her gaze to her lap. She considered apologizing again but knew it would be like sticking Jello to a tree. Instead she drew a deep breath and let it out slowly knowing full well it was just another sign of disrespect.

"I didn't even know I was there until grandfather yelled at me." Skye mumbled. "It isn't fair for you to punish me when I didn't even know what Dai…" she stopped herself and thought quickly. "What day is was or where I was or what was happening."

Daisy breathed a sigh of relief. 'Close one kid, we want then to believe you were sleep walking not going all schizophrenic.'

Skye couldn't help the small laugh that escaped her.

"You find this amusing, child?" Lian posed as she stood and began pacing in front of the chair where Skye sat.

"No, grandmother…I'm…I'm just nervous." She watched her grandmother's shoes go back and forth in front of her.

"As you should be," Lian said without emotion, remaining stoically calm. "Why is it then that you told your grandfather this when he found you in your father's office."

"I don't know. I…I guess I just was too scared and confused. I didn't even know how I got there and he didn't really give me a lot of time to tell him anything." Skye explained. There were no lies in that statement. She truly had no idea what was happening when William found her in Daddy's office. She was on the verge of tears and that would put grandmother right over the wall. Lian hated crying. It was a sign of weakness.

Daisy felt the girl start to lose control and put an arm around her. 'You want me to take over, kid? Maybe you need a break.'

Skye shook her head. She had no desire to have grandmother make due on her bamboo stick threat and she wasn't quite sure Daisy would be the one to smooth the woman's feathers. In fact right now all she felt from her big-self was the need to defend and that would be a very big mistake.

"Please, grandmother. I am not lying to you. I promise it is the absolute truth. I don't remember. I was walking in my sleep. I just miss my mom and dad so much I can't stop thinking about them." Now she was crying and desperately trying to quell her tears. She wiped her cheeks on the sleeve of her sweat shirt and sniffed as hard as she could.

The telephone rang and William excused himself to answer. She could hear his muffled voice from the parlor. Grandmother stopped pacing and stood in front of her.

"You will go to your room and stay there until your grandfather and I talk. We will decide what is to be done and how much truth is in your statement." It was a very polite order, but an order none the less. Skye opened her mouth to speak but was stopped with a glare. "It would be unwise to speak now, child. You are dismissed. Go." Lian pointed toward the stairs and watched as the little child dragged herself out of the room and onto the staircase.

William returned to the room. Just from his look Lian knew something had happened. She held up a hand for him to remain silent and listened for the sound of footfalls on the stairs. "I do not want to escort you to your room, Skye. You do not want me to do it either." A few seconds later she heard the door close and knew her granddaughter was out of earshot. She turned back to William and nodded.

"It is not good," was all he said.

xx

Phil held the large bag over his head and waded through the chest deep water. He could no longer feel his feet and wondered how he was able to still move his legs. His teeth chattered so hard he feared biting off his tongue. In fact he could have already done so, it was so cold it was numb. Melinda continued to move ahead of him, not that he could see her but the wake in the frigid water let him know there was motion. Occasionally something bumped his side and he thanked fate for the darkness that hid whatever it was. He really had no desire to know what was floating in this arctic cesspool.

"Not far," Melinda's voice was strained although he was pretty sure she could not feel the pain in her side. She was more than likely up to her neck in the stuff and luckily her waterproof pack did not have to be head above the pool.

Phil didn't really feel the water level receding because he pretty much felt nothing but as it became easier to move forward he realized they had come to the end of the frozen torture. He practically fell over Melinda as they reached a dry spot. He could smell the fresh air and hear the sounds of nature…wind, brush moving…and knew they were close to the exit of this nightmare. Melinda had used her beacon to summon the Evac Team. He had one more to give them their exact location. He'd wait until he could see the coming of dawn, until then they needed warmth and they needed it quickly.

"Get those clothes off," he ordered the shivering woman who merely raised an eyebrow.

"Really? Here? Now?"

He already had his shoes off and his shirt unbuttoned. "Don't be ridiculous. You need…we both need to get out of these wet clothes." He pulled off his shirt and undid his belt, quickly stepping out of his pants and shorts. He opened the bag he'd protected all the way through the icy water and pulled out thermal Mylar blanket large enough to cover them both. "Come on, Mel," he spoke to the darkness. "We have to get warm. This blanket…our body heat, we need it." He felt her body move close to his and felt the ice cold of it. He pulled her close and wrapped them in the silver blanket then slowly lowered them to the floor of the small cave. Their clothes would freeze before they dried but at least they had a small chance.

Melinda laughed, "Can't even imagine the chatter when they find our frozen naked bodies."

"We aren't going to freeze, Mel."

"Oh, that's even better. They just find our naked bodies."

Phil laughed and pulled her closer. "Remember that mission in Nepal when we were rookies…"

Melinda shook her head. "I do and it's still something everyone talks about in survival training. This is all we need. Part two of the naked survivor tale."

"Well, at least we're a little more comfortable with each other this time." He chuckled into her neck. "Would be nice to have one of those down filled sleeping bags, though."

"You are incorrigible." She smiled as she kissed him and pulled the blanket closer around them.

Melinda lay on Phil's chest, sleeping away the pain that had returned with a vengeance. Phil watched as the blackness at the end of the tunnel turned a soft shade of grey before pressing the button on the beacon he had managed to keep in the palm of his hand. If the team was on the ground they would be found soon. He'd let Melinda sleep until then.

⁓ ⁓

"Agent Coulson! Coulson!"

Phil jumped, grabbing the weapon he kept at his side.

"It's okay, sir. We're here to get you out. Are you hurt, sir?" The young agent flipped up his visor and tried to hide his blush. He'd been told one of the team was hurt and for that he was prepared, but never had he imagined this scene. "We need some blankets in here." He spoke into the radio inside his helmet as he eyed the senior agent. "Also, some…uh…some clothes…clothing of some kind…we need clothing."

Phil smiled at the man's embarrassment. "Water's freezing," he shrugged, "the only way to warm up."

"I…a…I've heard the story…I," the young man smiled.

Two more officers hurried into the cave carrying a backboard. Phil held up a hand and pulled himself out of the blanket, making sure Melinda was covered. He shivered in the cold before one of the soldiers pulled off his outer jacket and handed it to the man.

"She's been shot, through and through, left side just above her hip. Did a little field first aid but that water did nothing to help." The first man gave a quick nod as he pulled equipment from a large orange case and started an IV in Melinda's hand. In minutes the Med Techs had her strapped to the board and hurried out with her to the waiting copter. Another soldier arrived with a jumpsuit, down filled jacket and boots for which Coulson was grateful.

The medical copter lifted and disappeared leaving the small team to wait for a second Evac Copter. The guerillas that had searched all night for the escaped thieves had seen it and approached with guns blazing. It would not be safe for the second copter to return just yet.

Coulson pulled out the automatic rifle and followed the team. They'd fight their way to the clearing and wait. The battle didn't last long as the returning copter was well-armed sending the few remaining men scurrying for cover. Coulson and the small team ducked lower to avoid the copter blades and ran for the vehicle. It wasn't until he was seated and watching the village of Novyy disappear that he felt the burn in his right shoulder. Reaching inside the thick jacket he felt the sticky liquid that covered his chest and brought back his bloody hand a few minutes before the world went black.

xx

Skye threw herself on her bed, sobbing into her pillow and clutching her stuffed dog beneath her chest. She just could not deal with all of this any longer. The last time she remembered wanting her mom this badly was the day she started kindergarten and even then it wasn't as bad. If she were a little kid she'd throw herself on the floor and have an all out kicking screaming tantrum.

Daisy wrapped her arm around her little self and pulled her close. 'It's not that bad, kid. I think they believed you, otherwise you'd already be paying the price and don't fret. Like I told you, I'll take the full brunt of it…whatever it is.'

"I just want my mom, Daisy," Skye sobbed. "I need her. I need my mom so bad."

Now that was an ache Daisy could share. She knew exactly what it was like to want, to need a mom. Long before she even knew what the need was, she would feel that empty pain and cry endlessly inconsolable. That was what Skye felt now, only her need had a face and a name…Melinda May.

The child ignored the soft tap on her door, pulling herself into a tighter ball and sobbing even harder into her pillow. She cried even harder as she felt the mattress dip down with the weight of someone seated on its edge. Daisy prepared to take the lead, mentally pushing Skye behind her.

"Sūnnǚ, wǒmen xūyào shuōhuà," William May's gentle voice cut through his granddaughter's tears.

"I don't want to talk, grandfather." Skye cried into her pillow. "I told you the truth. I just want my mom. Please, just let me be alone."

"Zhège fēicháng zhòngyào. Nǐ bìxū tīng." The man spoke quietly as he placed a hand on the girl's back. "Wǒ xūyào hé nǐ tán tán nǐ de fùmǔ."

Skye turned over and rubbed the tears from her eyes. She saw the sadness in her grandfather's eyes and sprang up grabbing his hand in her own. "What happened to them, grandpa? Tell me. Are they…are they d…"

'Don't even say it, don't think it' Daisy told herself, really told herself. 'They're fine. They're right here. They're right here.'

Skye wasn't listening to herself, she only heard her grandfather.

"No, no dear child," he brought her close and wrapped his arms around her trembling body. "They have been hurt and will be home with us by tomorrow, but they are very much alive." Skye's sobs were pitiful and William looked over his shoulder at the woman who stood like a sentry at the door. Lian nodded her approval and turned away, leaving the man to console the girl.

xx

Skye was up before the sun rose and hurried to the parlor to finish decorating the sorry excuse for a Christmas tree that stood in the corner. She chose each ornament carefully and placed one on every branch. The angel she set on the mantle. That would be last. That was tradition. She and Daddy would put it up while Mom took a picture. Grandpa said they were hurt but he didn't say how, only that they were on their way home and by tonight they would be here. Skye wanted everything to be perfect.

She opened the bag that contained those long stringy silver icicle things that Melinda would place meticulously on each branch. Skye never had the patience and felt they should just be thrown on in handfuls but today she pulled them out like magical thread and laced then through the picky needles. It took a lot longer than Skye usually took to decorate the tree but she stood back when finished and smiled at her accomplishment.

"Beautiful, granddaughter, Fēicháng piàoliang." William smiled from the foot of the stairs. "Your hard work has made a small tree look enormous."

"Xièxiè, yéyé." Skye beamed. "I am so sorry I was such a brat about it."

William moved next to the girl and placed an arm on her shoulder. "You are a child. You will make many mistakes, for which I will forgive you." He squeezed her arm gently and walked toward the kitchen. "I think I will make blueberry pancakes today."

Skye snickered. "It's December, Yeye, blueberries are not in season."

"It seems your grandmother has provided some. They are very much in season where she has been the last few months. This and she knows they are your favorite." He smiled as he walked into the kitchen with Skye on his heels.

The rest of the day moved slowly, as if someone had turned off time and it refused to budge. Skye spent most of it avoiding her grandmother, as she usually did. They'd shared breakfast together and she thanked her several times for the blueberries, even commented on how big they were, but never got more than two or three words from the woman. Grandmother was always stern but she figured she was still angry, maybe still contemplating delivering on her bamboo switch threat. So, the girl did her best to be respectful and helpful. She cleared the table and did the dishes, rinsing each one thoroughly before setting it in the dishwasher. She swept the floor and took out the trash.

After cleaning the kitchen she put on her boots and snow garb then set off to clear the walks and porch of the snow which had continued to fall all day yesterday. The plows had been down the street several times and every kid in the neighborhood was swarming all over the giant snow mountains they had created. Several of them called to her, but she merely waved and continued her work. By the time she stomped off the snow and trudged in for lunch she was exhausted. After a few bite of a toasted cheese sandwich she could barely hold her eyes open and didn't even remember making her way to the parlor couch. Yeye smiled as he threw a blanket over her.

'Show time,' Daisy smiled, knowing that both grandparents were fully convinced the girl was sound asleep. She slowly eased herself into the control seat and brought Skye's sleeping body to her feet. Just to keep it creepy she decided to keep the girl's eyes closed. She thought about laughing but was afraid Skye's body would duplicate the action. Yeye and Nainai were in the kitchen quietly sharing a cup of tea. Daisy walked easily into the room and decided she was still a bit hungry. Skye had been sleeping long enough for the kitchen to have been cleaned so there was no chance she'd finish that great sandwich or that steamy cup of tomato soup so she opted for her other favorite, sugary sweet cereal and nice cold milk. Skye headed directly toward the cupboard where it was stored.

"I thought you were asleep," William smiled at the girl as she entered the room, ignoring his comment and walking right past. He noticed quickly that her eyes were closed yet she moved as if she saw everything. "Skye?" He was concerned.

Daisy smiled knowing Skye would do the same. She reached up and pulled out her favorite cereal then grabbed a bowl and set both on the table before opening the refrigerator and pulling out the milk. She poured both into the bowl without spilling a drop, picked up her spoon and began eating, all while keeping her eyes shut tightly.

"What nonsense is this, granddaughter?" Lian inquired as she placed her cup on the saucer.

William put a finger to his lips and watched as the girl finished her cereal, then replaced every item where it belonged, rinsed her bowl and set it in the dishwasher then walked back to the parlor. Lian watched as William followed and motioned for her to do the same.

Daisy watched both follow and wondered what else she could do to convince them. She stood in front of the tree and reached out taking a delicate glass ball from one branch then took another and switched places. She then bent down and flicked on the tree lights as her grandparents still watched but still seemed unconvinced.

'Time for the grand finale,' Daisy thought and moved to the front door pulling it open and stepping out into the wintry weather in her bare feet. She almost raised her fists in triumph as Lian May gasped. 'A reaction! A damn reaction from Lian May, the only person more stoic than Melinda herself."

"Skye!" William grabbed the girl's arm and stopped her before she stepped outside. Daisy let go of control and the child snapped back. Her knees went weak and she stumbled back into the house.

"Grandfather," Skye looked up at William clearly confused. He helped her back to the sofa where she sat down and looked up at him for a moment before dropping back onto the pillows and closing her eyes. In seconds she was sound asleep once again.

Lian moved to stand next to William and stared down at the sleeping child. "Perhaps we should reconsider the sleep walking story." He calmly stated.

By six p.m. Skye was pacing when she wasn't peeking through the curtains. Grandmother had spoken to her for a very long time about respect and privacy but also understood that she was not in complete control due to sleep walking. She still didn't sound convinced but assured the child she would not be punished. Skye was relieved but only partially listening since she was more excited about her parents returning than anything her grandmother might have to say.

When the black SUV pulled into the driveway, Skye was practically ready to scream. "They're home Daisy. They're here." She bounced up and down as she whispered to herself then raced to the door and pulled it open.

xx

Daisy tossed her head side to side struggling with some unseen foe. Coulson placed his hand on her shoulder and whispered softly. "Hey, kiddo, come on, come back to us. Your okay, we're all here."

"Why does this keep happening?" May demanded. "She should just wake up, like the rest of us."

Fitz shook his head as he flicked through his programming. "She's no longer connected. Whatever is holding her there is not the program."

Jemma checked vitals on Daisy. She was certainly stressed but everything was within normal parameters. "She's not suffering from any medical issue. It's more like some kind of nightmare she just can't wake from."

May nodded once then stepped next to the girl. She placed a hand on her shoulder and held tightly. "Daisy, listen to me," her voice was firm, stern almost as if she ordered the girl to pay attention. "It's just a dream. You need to wake up. Daisy? Wake up." She gave a strong shake and Daisy's eyes sprang open.

"May!" She sat up quickly. "May, you're safe. You're not hurt." She pulled the surprised woman into a hug refusing to release her.

May looked at Coulson. He moved to the opposite side of Daisy's gurney and wrapped his arms around both of them.

"Coulson," Daisy sobbed not caring that she was crying. Her parents were back and they were safe and they were holding her and the empty ache that was her need for them filled with the love they shared.

'They're back, Skye and they're safe.' Daisy spoke to the little girl in her mind, feeling her relief as well