Chen watched from her bed the new treadmill that had been places into her small cubicle her fingers gently popping the bubble wrap though Skye had long gone… having been called away by Coulson for a brief mission no doubt to help track down Creel.
It bothered her a little though she had watched when Hartley was brought in in a small bubble before being lifted into her own hospital bed in her separate quarantine cube then hooked up to many machines. She was still under anesthetic from the looks of it. Chen could see the new stump of her arm, or what was left. Just above her elbow was as far as her arm went but she saw Fitz take notes of her stump through the glass; no doubt in the planning for a new.
Though Skye had done good, in packing some of her clothes here ready too; noting the small flat pack she knew was a spare nano mask for emergencies. She had wash stuff; wet wipes and even an air freshener; which was ideal if she was going to be festering away in a sealed cube for the next couple of days; especially if she was going to go through a few physical and get sweaty.
Food and drink was another thing Skye had packed, a range of healthy to non so it was nice to know she could graze whenever she wanted. Who knew what sort of meal was going to be handed to her?
"Knock knock." Called a voice, her eyes flickering from Hartley to see Trip by the door, his arm twisted behind his back.
Chen smiled softly. "Hey, Trip." She greeted softly. "Kinda feels like in a zoo…wrong side of the glass though."
Trip chuckled softly. "It's only temporary, Chen, But don't worry. I don't mind spending some time with you..Skye suggested it as well and I don't have any work that's not world threatening. I got you theses to help brighten the place up…"
From behind his back, he produces purple flowers in a bunch, similar to the ones he had bought for her the other day.
Chen moved off the bed towards the small box in the wall. Watching him put the punch into the slot then pushed it forwards into her side. She smiled softly, picking them up out and lent her head down. Noting the lilies in them as well as she inhaled the scent it had. It was a small thing but… it brightened her up a little more.
"Thank you, Trip." She smiled, moving to sit back on the bed, running her fingers over the petals then sat back against the side.
There was a long moment of silence before he spoke. "How do you feel?… apart from being in a zoo…" Trip asked.
Chen shrugged softly, letting out a deep sigh. "Irritated… bored. Isolated… wishing Coulson took that stick out his ass."
Trip chuckled quietly. "He's a busy man."
Her eyes flickered to his face. "Doesn't excuse his behavior." She sighed deeply, "Look don't get me wrong; I understand the reason to why with quarantine and tests; but the way he's gone about it-"
"Not the best route. I know. I'm trying to stay neutral in this whole situation." Trip moved around; grabbing a wheely chair and slid to the other side of the glass closest to her
Chen tittered softly.
"Hey, Emily, It's nothing personal. But you're right but he behaves the way he does… i think because.." He paused though Chen didn't look at him, keeping her fingers on the soft silky texture of the petal. "After May… died, he hasn't been the same."
Chen's eyes flickered up to his face at that, her eyebrow raising. She couldn't help but be surprised that he brought 'her' up in this. "I know what happened to her."
Trip nodded, "And he has been affected by what he did. He can compartmentalise, but it doesn't make it all go away. And don't get me wrong. You're good at your job, being there for him and helping with SHIELD despite the mess you're dealing with but she was the person he wants to work alongside him as well."
Chen shook her head softly, though wasn't offended by Trips wording; she can see Trip's perspective.
"We can only call him out on his behavior. But he's still our Director. For now, until we know what the hell is going on, we have to trust that he had a higher picture in mind. Coulson can't make up for what he did, not by a long shot but he's sure as hell making sure to do this the best way he can… for her."
Trip sighed in deeply shaking his head.
"Still mad at him." Chen mumbled, placing the flowers down in favor of the bubble wrap again.
"Don't worry, You're not the only one." Trip's lip curved a little though she could see he was a little down, no doubt on talking about 'May'
There was a moment of silence before she saw the odd lumps in Trip's pocket. "What's that?"
"Huh?" He followed her gaze down before he reached in an pulled out three small monitor pads. Similar to the ones Ward had to wear after the Berserker staff incident.
"Well, they're going to start your physical in an hour, They told me to give these to you as well." he started. "I was going to wait…"
Chen sighed deeply with a shake of her. "It's fine, Trip… gonna happen sooner or later." If she was honest, Trip was far the better person to give her things than some random scientist. "Will you be running the Physical as well?"
Trip nodded. "If you want me to, I can boot off the agent planning on it and have Fitz oversee your vitals."
"Fitz isn't a biologist… so have him work with someone with the Biochem degree... Kinda makes me wish Simmons was here…It'd be much more comfortable with her."
But Simmons was undercover, not that Trip knew the details. But With Fitz about then at least she'd be surrounded by people she was comfortable with.
"I'll see what I can do. You need to change and stick those on then I'll be back in 10." Trip nodded then quickly hurried away after sending over the monitoring pods.
Sighing deeply, Chen changed from her PJs to her Gym kit, pressing the pod onto her Neck, Chest and heart and turned them on, Fitz arriving a few minutes later to synth them up.
Coulson was nowhere about so she felt more relaxed as a few more people arrived with Trip. One in a Hazmat suit with made her roll her eyes as they came in.
"Okay, We have your vitals on screen, Heart Rate, blood pressure and a read of your hormone levels." the Medic announced from beside Fitz. "All looking good for now. We'll start you on the treadmill, Slow pace."
"Aye Aye." Chen sighed, poking the hazmated agent out the way to get to the treadmill, ignoring their attempt to turn it on but started it up with little worry and began at a fast walk…
/
Chen found herself getting rather bored as the couple hours passed as the tests continued; stopping a few times to allow her to rehydrate and letting them take another blood and tissue sample though it relaxed her to see Skye make a reappearance as they began to do less and less tests.
"You look like you could punch someone." Skye mused as Chen wiped her forehead clean of the sweat…
"I feel like a Money in a circus." Chen answered back in a huff
"Primary tests are done. Bloods and tissues are still being worked. We only have a couple more to run then we'll leave you to it." Fitz called but Chen didn't have to ask what before she saw the Hazmat agent return into her cube with a clear box, inside it now she could see the Obelisk.
It didn't surprise her that they were gonna try this. Taking a seat in front of the small Table and watched as a camera and scanner was set up beside her as the Obelisk was set down on the surface then the glass casing removed.
Chen looked around, to the few curious faces then to the recording cameras then reached forwards slowly, pausing purosly as her fingers almost closed around the 084; to antagonise the viewers a bit longer before her skin once again made contact with the cold metal. There was a second before there was the same reaction, the pattens immeidlay brailling out the surface as the colours shifting a little in undertone then revert back into the obelisk.
Again, Chen could feel the soft tingly sensation, like pins and needles from holding it but she wasn't petfrying.
"Tiny bit envious…" Called a small yawned voice from the other cube.
Chen's head turned to see Hartley on her bed, Pale and peaky, though still watching her handle the Obelisk. Hartley looked to what was left to her arm then back to her then chuckles, Closing her eyes again, no doubt too tired to really get into a conversation.
"What's it like, Holding it?" Fitz asked after a moment.
Chen looked back to him, setting it down and placed the glass lid over the top. "Like holding a metal object that giving me soft tingles in my hand."
"Tingles!" Hartley snorted, keeping her eyes closed "Hm, did not feel like that to me."
"Yeah well out the both of us, you were turning to stone." Chen bit back. Hartley's smile lingered briefly before she shot up her middle finger but made no comment.
"Okay, Hartley, sleep through the morphine." Fitz called, incase things escalated.
Chen chuckled but waved the hazmat agent to take it away. Her temperament with the tests done and they knew it. Letting them clear out fore Chen went to her kit, grabbing some wipes to clean herself with, Relaxing more and more once the Lab area was clear of the audience she had. Only Skye now remaining.
Chen relaxed back onto her bed as she swapped her gym tank top for her PJ one. "So, What did Coulson send you out to do?"
Skye shrugged. "A replica of the Obelisk was needed to be stolen."
Chen's head tilted. "Was it?"
Skye shrugged. "Not yet but it should be found soon. Fitz planted a tracker in it so we should get a location soon."
Chen nodded. "Good." She agreed. "Nice trip back?" Though she hoped Skye would understand what it meant, her nano mask tech she had taken and hidden. Iven that they were in a lab, who knew what was listening.
Skye's eyes flickered to Hartley then nodded. "Yeah Stopped off to get you a new 'shirt'. It's in your bunk." She answered.
Chen nodded, relief filling her next though kicked off her trainers and tossed that into a pile.
"Good. I look forwards to my own bed…" She yawned softly.
Skye smiled and nodded. "Take a Nap, I'll be back later with some lunch."
"Okays.." Chen nodded, closing her eyes. Not seeing why not. After all the tests were tiring and she'd kill for a shower; wet wipes could only go so far...