"Whatever alien or inter-dimensional technology that this box possessed is entirely depleted." Fitz gave the news to all of us as we stared in disbelief. "It appears that Sita's jump used the entire thing."

I picked up the box, pressing in the pattern I had before. The box locked into place but Fitz had been correct. Nothing happened. "So I'm stuck. But more importantly, no one else can steal it." I sat the box back down with a sigh. "So we're back to using the Walk as the only way to port."

Coulson crossed his arms. "There's also the prototype box that popped Fitz into the Walk. How was that powered?"

Fitz shook his head. "Just a fraction of arc reactor tech. From the data I ran when I returned, it won't work for actual inter-dimensional travel. We'd have to have Stark's full size reactor to make a jump outside of the Walk."

"So that's that," I concluded. "I am a permanent resident of this dimension."

"We don't know…" Coulson began.

I raised my hand to stop him. "No, it's okay. It just confirmed what I already felt was right. Now we can focus more on stopping whatever project Holtz and Eric were up to. That's easier." I was trying to convince myself more than anyone else. "I'm gonna go get dinner started. Everyone okay with spaghetti?" I didn't wait for the answer, just turned and left.

()

I chopped garlic furiously, taking out what little aggression I had. I loved it here and would be happy to stay. But knowing that I could never get a message to my family and friends was the heartbreaker. I chucked the garlic into the pot of diced tomatoes and grabbed some oregano and basil. This was my family now. This group of people loved and cared for me for whom I was. I finished my sauce, adding the ground sausage last, and then set a large pot of water to boil for the pasta.

"You want to talk?" Coulson asked from behind me.

I shook my head. "Making dinner."

"You multitask better than most." He sat down at the counter. "You told me you wanted to stay. Did that change?"

I tossed a bunch of dried pasta into the boiling water. "No. But… there's no way to let anyone in Normverse know that I'm okay."

"Just because we can't port a person doesn't mean FitzSimmons won't find a way to get messages through. You just have to believe."

"I am so done with believing. Journey is going to be so pissed." I pulled out some vegetables for a salad.

He frowned. "I'm sorry, Sita. I don't know what else to say."

I sighed and stopped chopping mid slice. "You don't have to say anything. I know you're here for me. I appreciate it and that's why you're one of my closest confidants. It's just going to take time."

He nodded. "I can give you that." He stood. "Oh, and please have Ward go to your room tonight if you want. I had Fury soundproof it when he built it. I said you snored like a foghorn."

I smiled. "Can do."

()

After dinner, I did invite Ward back to my bunk. But he could tell that our previous plan might not be in action. I changed into my nightshirt and slipped under the covers. He followed suit, dressing down to his boxers. Once beside me, he held me close. "You doing okay?"

"Yeah." I gave him the cliff notes of my conversation with Coulson. "So I'll be okay. I have a family here and that helps. It's not like I'm stranded alone." I laid my head on his chest. "So we're headed back to Canada, I guess."

"Looks like. If nothing else, we'll check in with Fury's mobile command."

"I'm hoping for another assignment. I really am tired of dimensional crap."

He chuckled. "You are too cute."

"Mmm-hmm. And I'm all yours in a soundproofed room."

He perked. "Soundproof?"

()

I limped out of bed the next morning, wrapped in a snug terrycloth robe, hair tussled and glazed look in my eyes. May looked up from the coffee pot and raised an eyebrow. "You missed training."

"I did get a workout, though!" I smiled. "Three times."

She grinned at that. "Well, if you got your cardio in…"

Fitz came in next, groggy, worn out and disappointed. I knew he wanted the box to work as bad as I did. Poor guy. "Hey Fitz?"

He looked over. "Aye?"

I opened my robe for a moment, let him get an eyeful, and then tied it up. "Keep up the good work." I snagged two cups of coffee and left the stunned engineer with my SO.

()

Ward sat up when I brought in the coffee. "Oh yes." He reached out and winced. "Oh man, I think I pulled something."

I gave him his cup. "That's what we get for trying the bionic seahorse move." I kissed him. "Sleep good?"

He nodded, inhaling the aroma of his mug. "Much better. Of course, I was worn out."

"Yeah, lightweight." I winked.

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Should have requested a larger bed in here. That last position…"

"I know. I agree." I paused. "You ever seen Coulson's room? Does he have a normal bunk?"

"We did it in Lola. You wanna do it in his bunk?"

"I just think that if we're bunking together, then he could swap rooms with us."

"Yeah, go ahead and try that." He snorted and drank his coffee. "What time is it?"

I looked to my little alarm. "After ten."

"Shit!" He hopped up, almost spilling his coffee. "I'm late for training." Scrambling, he gathered up his clothes.

"Sad time. Grant is dressing." I pouted. "May let me off the hook today."

"Yeah, but I'm the SO. I have to be there. And she's progressing well. If she could just figure out the safety release verses the magazine release…"

()

All my life, I'd loved snow. Now, visiting the Walk for yet another time, I was finding myself connecting snow to the heartache of all this. Once we were secure on the ground, Coulson and FitzSimmons went to join up with Fury's research team with my powered down box. As I entered the camp area, I was horrified to find Holtz at her old desk, using her tablet.

"What are you doing?" I snapped.

She looked up and smiled. "Working." I wanted to knock that grin right off her face.

"You've got to be kidding me."

She stood, going over to a table and preparing injections. I about gagged. "Not kidding. I've been given a green light on a few things."

I stepped to the table. "I should just wipe this whole table off and trash your precious work."

"You could. But then we'd lose any possible data for this." Turning quickly, she stabbed a needle into my arm and pressed the plunger.

I jumped back, too late. "What the hell did you just do?" I cried out, panicking.

"We'll find out. I either made you a new superior being or killed you." She went back to her tablet. "Tell me, are you feeling anything initially?"

I stared at my arm in disbelief. "Shock."

She nodded. "Emotional trauma aside, how are you physically?"

Was this happening? She'd just injected me with an alien substance and I'd seen some of what that can do to people. I choked back a sob. "You really are a monster," I told her.

"Yes, I really am."

I ran out of the room, bee lining it for the bus.

()

"GRANT!" I screamed as soon as I hit the ramp, tears rolling down my cheeks. I dropped to my knees on the cold metal, burying my face in my hands.

He bolted to me from upstairs, May close on his heels. "Sita! What is it?" He knelt down in front of me. I couldn't talk, I was sobbing in fear. "Baby, you have to talk to me," he pleaded. "Are you injured?"

I nodded, taking in large gulps of air. "Holtz," I managed to get out.

His eyes flashed with anger and he looked up to May. "Get Coulson." He lifted me up into his arms, carrying me into the lab.

Skye finally made it in, her concern plain on her face. "What happened?"

Ward shook his head. "I don't know. She just said 'Holtz' and won't stop crying. I don't see any wounds. I can't… I don't know what to do!"

Skye pushed passed him, taking my hand. "Look at me, Sita. Breathe." I tried to focus on her, finally getting in a good deep breath. "There ya go. One more," she urged. I obliged, regaining some composure. She stroked my hair back. "What happened?"

I swallowed. "Holtz injected me."

Ward and Skye exchanged looks of shock.

"She said she either made me super or killed me." I started to cry again. "I'm her new lab rat."

Coulson ran in with the rest of the team as Ward sat heavily on a stool. "What's going on?"

()

FitzSimmons had me hooked up to various monitor and do-dads as I sat looking blank. I had showered, dressed in shorts and a tank top, pulled my hair back and settled in for my new role as a test subject. I felt numb. There was no way to know what Holtz's injection would do. Coulson had reported the incident to Fury and Holtz was now under a stricter watch. But the damage was done. Fury had obtained all of her notes and gave them to FitzSimmons to help. The solution she'd injected had been one for speed and agility. If it worked like it said, I would basically be a world class gymnast if I trained a little for technique.

Simmons unhooked me. "I think you should take a break."

I shrugged. "Whatever. If you have more to do, do it."

She looked so sad for me. "Sita, go see Grant. We have plenty to work with for now."

I got up, nodding. "Okay." Everything was as monotone as my voice. I made my way up to the living area to find it empty. Sighing, I ascended the stairs to Coulson's office to hear raised voices.

"Frankly, sir, that's a load of crap," Ward sneered.

"We can't go back in time. We have to deal with what we have."

"We don't know what we have. Thanks to Fury."

"He doesn't make the call on his own. And he didn't know that Holtz would do what she did."

"Some spy."

Coulson's tone took an edge. "Watch yourself, Agent Ward."

There was a pause. "Yes, sir."

I knocked on the doorframe, drawing their attention. "Hey."

The tension fled from the room, replaced with thick guilt and worry. Ward came to me first. "Hey."

I took his hand and gave it a squeeze. "Both of you can stop. What's done is done. I know Holtz made the choice herself and that while we can play 'pin the blame' until we're blue in the face, it doesn't matter."

"We'll make this right," Coulson assured me.

I nodded. "You have the best. I know that Jemma and Leo are hashing out the details now. And who knows? Maybe I'll get super spy powers or something."

He nodded. "Until then, let us know of anything you want. It's yours."

I looked down. "I want to be normal."

()

It was the middle of the night when the pain first hit. My ribcage felt like someone threw twenty daggers at it. I curled up tight, biting back a scream. Ward instantly woke beside me at the movement. "Sita?" He put a hand on my shoulder. "What is it?"

"Oh god it hurts to bad," I whimpered. I began coughing next, covering my mouth and bringing my hand back with blood. "I'm dying…"