Chapter 25
Disclaimer: I do not own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners and I am not making any profit from this.
AN: Thank you to all who have added to alerts, read, reviewed or any combination of the three. It means a lot to me.
AN2: Thank you to you incredible people. 459 reviews. If there is 500 reviews on this story by the time I wake up tomorrow (Ten am Adelaide Australia time, it's currently 8:10pm) I will update two chapters tomorrow instead of one
Three weeks later the group are no closer to finding Quinn or the Clairvoyant. Once a week Natasha sometimes with Coulson or Clint show up where they know Tony Stark is going to be to see if he has anything from Director Fury and so far all they know is that Quinn managed to escape by using an airborne version of the dendrotoxin to cause all the people in the facility where Quinn and Rania were being kept to be knocked out and believe that no time has passed as well as altering the security cameras to make it look like they were both still in their cells.
During the past three weeks Clint and Natasha has become a part of the team and it's clear to everyone that Melinda and Coulson like having their old friends around and Skye has started to see the two older Agents like an Aunt and Uncle.
It is just before the middle of the day and everyone is scattered thought-out the plane. Natasha and Melinda are in the cockpit, Coulson and Clint are up in Coulson's office, FitzSimmons are down in the lab and Skye is sitting on the couches on her laptop when Ward walks in.
"Hey, I've been wondering where you've been." Skye tells him.
"I've been around, you've just been busy." Ward comments as he walks over and sits down across from her.
"Yeah, trying to find Quinn, not exactly easy." Skye comments.
"That's not all you've been doing." Ward mutters though not loud enough for her to hear.
"What?" Skye asks hearing him mutter but not what he said.
"Nothing." Ward answers "Have you had any luck?" He asks curious.
"No, but I'm working on it." Skye comments "But I've actually been meaning to talk to you for a few days." Skye says moving her laptop off her legs. "All my wounds are healed and I know it would be difficult with my arm in a cast but I was wondering if we could get back to my training." She asks.
"If you think you're ready." Ward tells her "I think we could come up with some kind of alternative training schedule until your arm is better." He explains.
"Cool." Skye says.
"So when do you want to start?" Ward asks.
"Tomorrow?" Skye ask "I'm working on an idea that if it pans out could help us find Quinn." Skye explains.
"Oh yeah? What are you thinking?" Ward asks curious.
"It was Clint's idea actually." Skye comments not noticing the look that Ward gets on his face at the mention of Clint "He was saying that someone like Quinn couldn't go very long without contacting someone. He has too many business that he is still trying to run, other venturers that he won't want to just let go and that could be our key to finding him." Skye explains "So I'm working on that. I'm tracing the actions of Quinn's key shareholders or key members of Quinn worldwide and seeing what connections I can find, any pattern to their behaviour that a lot of them share. Then I'm hoping that there will be something that could lead us to Quinn." Skye explains.
"And how's it going?" Ward asks interested.
"Slow. So far I haven't seen anything that sticks out that we can use, but I'll see what I can find." Skye explains.
"So are you going to work on that all day?" Ward asks.
"Until I found something, yeah." Skye responds.
"You should take a break." Ward tells her, "Have some fun." He suggest.
"Wow, it must be serious if you're telling me I need to have fun." Skye comments stressing the you're.
"I'm serious Skye, all you've been doing lately is trying to find Quinn. When was the last time you did something relaxing?" Ward asks.
"This morning." Skye answers "Clint and I got in a water fight." Skye says remembering what happened when they attempted to do the dishes.
"Oh right Clint." Ward says standing up.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Skye asks.
"Nothing." Ward says walking towards his bunk.
"No, that meant something. Do you not like Clint?" Skye asks following him.
"I like Agent Barton just fine, but maybe you like him a bit too much." Ward comments
"I'm going to tell you something you clearly don't realises." Skye says angrily "He is a brother to my parents, their family, which makes him mine as well. In my head I call him Uncle Clint, that's what he is to me, an Uncle or what I've always imagined an Uncle is." Skye says angrily "Grow up Ward, if you want to say something to me just say it. Stop acting like a jealous teenager." Skye says angrily before grabbing her laptop and going to her bunk, slamming the door as she does.
"Agent Ward, a word." Clint says walking down the stairs from Coulson's office, glad that he closed the door before he left.
"Sir?" Ward asks nervously though trying not to show it.
"You're behaviour for the last week has been out of line, but I've let it slide, not anymore." Clint informs Ward "I don't know what your feelings are in regards to Skye but I do know that she looks up to you and is very thankful to have you as friend, her SO, and she doesn't want to lose you. Figure out whatever it is that you are feeling and do something about it, because believe me when I say you'll regret if you don't. But remember this, that girl is loved by some pretty powerful people all of whom will not hesitate to make you pay if you hurt her. Do I make myself clear?" Clint asks.
"Yes Sir." Ward responds.
"Good." Clint says before walking away and into the Cockpit deciding to let Skye calm down before he talks to her.
After Clint leaves Ward stands in shock for a while until he realises what he has to do he walks over to Skye's bunk and knocks.
"Skye, I'm sorry." He says knocking on the door "I care about you and after everything that has happened I don't want you hurt again, that's what I thought Agent Barton was, just someone else who could hurt you, but he's obviously not. He's someone else who wants to stop you from getting hurt. I'm sorry I overreacted." He says through the door.
"You know the Tin Man is meant to be missing a heart, not a brain." Skye says opening her door.
"I'm sorry." Ward tells her.
"That doesn't make things okay." Skye tells him.
"I've hid the last of those Chocolate Cookies that Agent Romanoff made, does that help?" Ward asks curious.
"Bribery?" Skye asks and Ward nods "Yeah that helps." She admits.
"Come on Rookie." Ward tells her with a smile.
"Where did you hid them? Mom and I spent two days looking for them." Skye comments.
"I know. That's why I hid them." Ward comments as they walk over to his bunk and he pulls out a baggie of Chocolate Cookies from the cupboard.
"Are those the Agent Romanoff's chocolate cookies?" Fitz asks as he and Simmons walk over to the pair.
"Yep, Ward hid them, can you believe him?" Skye asks walking over to the L shaped couch round the corner and siting down.
"How could you do that?" Simmons ask Ward.
"Because I actually wanted some." Ward comments.
"I don't think you should get any it would be the fair thing to do considering you tried to keep them for yourself." Fitz comments.
"That would be too mean." Skye comments pulling out a cookie and breaking it in half "You can have half." She says handing the half over to Ward before handing both Simmons and Fitz a whole cookie each.
"Thanks." Ward tells her with a smile.
"These biscuits are amazing." Fitz comments.
"They really are." Skye comments.
"All we need is something to drink and then this would be a real party." Simmons comments.
"Party?" Skye says to the others confusion "That's it." Skye says getting up and running to her bunk and grabbing her laptop.
"What are you talking about?" Ward asks curious.
"I think I know how we can find Quinn." Skye says hurriedly typing something on her computer.
Over an hour later Skye has called everyone down to the Command Centre to tell them what she found.
"What have you got?" Coulson asks his daughter.
"So I've been working on trying to find Quinn and Clint gave me the idea that the key might be the people he interacts with and then Simmons gave me the idea of party then I remembered that a lot of the people who Quinn is likely to still be in contact with will be at the same party tonight. It's in London and for the vice president of Quinn World Wide, it's a very formal black tie party and more than half the guest list has some kind of personal relationship with Quinn, this could be our chance." Skye comments.
"We're never going to be able to get into a party like that." Ward comments.
"Actually we are." Skye comments "I've gotten into the server where the guest list is kept I can add however many people we need to the list, though I would say no more than two, and no one would be any the wiser." She explains.
"Two of us could go in place trackers on the people who are most likely to lead us to Quinn and then all we would have to do is wait." Natasha realises.
"I would recommend these three." Skye says casing three people to appear on the screen "The VP of Quinn worldwide, Quinn's personal lawyer, and one of his key shareholders. They are the most likely to have contact with Quinn." Skye explains.
"What are our options when it comes to trackers?" Coulson asks FitzSimmons.
"Ever since Skye was taken and the sent failed us we have been working on a new tracker." Fitz Explains, "One touch and it will painlessly supplicant itself under the skin. No electronic signature but can be traced having the exact code, which only we have." Fitz explains.
"Sounds good." Coulson comments.
"Hang on there is something else." Skye comments "The server with the guest list in was difficult to get into, extremely so, but wasn't as hard as it could have been." Skye explains "There is the possibility that this is a trap or that Quinn was alerted the second I got in." She explains.
"This is the only lead we've had in three weeks. We can't pass this us." Natasha comments. "What do say Melinda? Do you feel like going to a party?" Natasha asks her friend curious.
"It has been a while since I had a night on the town, why not." Melinda comments.
"You did hear the part about this maybe being a trap right?" Skye asks "You could be walking right into a trap." Skye tells Natasha and Melinda.
"I heard you Skye, which is why Melinda and I will be the ones doing it. We can't pass up this opportunity and between Melinda and me we can handle anything." Natasha comments "That's if it's okay with you. You're the boss after all." She says to Coulson.
For several minutes Coulson ponders everything "We do this smart." He answers "You're right we can't pass on this but we need to make sure you two are safe." Coulson says to Melinda and Natasha.
"Skye can you pull up a diagram of the building?" Coulson asks his daughter.
"Yep, done." Skye says pulling up the plan.
"Clint, best point for you and Ward to be stationed?" Coulson asks and Clint walks over to the screen to look closely at plan to pick the best place.
"Here." Clint says pointing to a building in front and to the left of the building. "Not to close but not too far, we will be able to see into the event room and help if there is any problem." He says.
"Sir what if that is the actual trap." Ward comments "Quinn and the Clairvoyant has researched us. If they know that Agents Barton and Romanoff are on the plane then they will know that they will have to get them plus Agent May and myself away if they want a chance of getting to you and Skye. Maybe that is the trap, giving us an opportunity that they know we wouldn't be able to pass up to get us away from the plane, away from you." Ward comments realising that it would make sense.
Everyone is quite for a few minutes knowing that Ward does have a very good point.
"Put the plane on Lockdown." Melinda comments causing everyone to look at her "Once we leave put the plane on Lockdown until we get back, no one can breach that." She comments.
"We did." Skye reminds her.
"From the inside. When we were in the air. Doing it from the outside when on the ground is basically impossible." Melinda tells her.
"So Mom and Natasha go in, Ward and Clint provide back up. What about us four?" Skye asks, "What do we do from a lockdown plane?" She asks.
"Surveillance, tracking, run the back end." Coulson comments. "Work with FitzSimmons and Skye, get a good backstory in place." He tells Melinda and Natasha who nod before exiting the Command Centre.
At eight o'clock that night everyone except for Natasha and Melinda are ready for the mission. They have the car they rented for Melinda and Natasha standing by and Ward and Clint have everything they need loaded into the vehicle.
"What's taking them so long?" Ward asks.
"Do you want to explain it or should I?" Clint asks Coulson as he Coulson and Ward are waiting outside the Command centre while Skye, and FitzSimmons are inside doing last minute things that they need to get done.
"You." Coulson tells his friend.
"Ward if you don't want to drive yourself crazy you never ask that." Clint says walking over to Ward and putting his hand on his shoulder "Why women take so long to get ready is one of life's great mysteries that not even we know the answer to. In a lot of ways Melinda May and Natasha Romanoff aren't like other women, except when it comes to getting ready for a fancy event and I think that's the first time I got away with saying that without them walking up behind me." Clint explains looking around expecting to be hit.
"It is." Coulson comments amused.
"We're going to be late." Ward comments looking at his watch.
"No you're not." Coulson answers "You've got another ten minutes before you have to leave. Melinda and Natasha will be ready then." He explains.
"Trust us, we have some experience with this." Clint tells Ward "They will be ready exactly when they have to be."
Over five minutes later the door to the bathroom opens and Melinda and Natasha walk out. They are both wearing short black dresses but they are different styles. Natasha's has no straps with a straight top while Melinda's has a strap over each shoulder and a V neck. Melinda's hair down and straightened while Natasha's is up in a high neat bun. Both are also wearing black stilettos, but Melinda's are open toed while Natasha's are closed.
"Uh, Coulson, Barton." Ward says as they two men are staring at Melinda and Natasha as they walk towards them.
"What?" They both ask.
"Nothing." Ward says though he is amused by the two senior Agent's reaction.
"Wow Mom, Natasha, you both look amazing." Skye tells her mother Natasha as she exits the Command Centre Fitz and Simmons behind her.
"Thank Skye." Melinda and Natasha say.
"She's right you do look incredible." Coulson tell Melinda quietly "Be careful tonight." He tells her.
"We will, but it's me and Tasha what could go wrong?" Melinda asks Coulson.
"Do you really want me to answer that?" Coulson asks with an amused smile.
"No." Melinda replies "We've got to go. You guys be careful too." She tells Coulson.
"I will." Coulson responds.
"Good Luck." Skye says walking over and giving her mother a hug. "Both of you." Skye says giving Natasha a hug as well.
"See you later." Melinda says. "Put the plane on lockdown as soon as we go." Melinda tells Coulson who nods
"Do you have the trackers?" Fitz asks and Melinda and Natasha nod.
"Good, then let's go." Ward comments and he, Clint, Melinda and Natasha leave.
"Dad come on, we've got to get the last few things on line." Skye says as her father who is watching Melinda go.
An hour later Natasha and Melinda arrive at the party destination.
"You ready for this?" Natasha asks Melinda as the valet takes their car.
"Always, are you?" Melinda asks.
"Of course." Natasha answers.
"Names please?" The man at door ask.
"Nicky Frank." Natasha answers.
"Maria Holden." Melinda responds.
"Really? You couldn't be any more inventive than that? Really?" Coulson asks surprised through the coms.
"Ah here you are." The doorman answers "Welcome Ms Frank, Ms Holden." He says allowing them to enter.
"Thank you." Melinda and Natasha say as they enter.
Ten minutes after they enter the party they have managed to tag Quinn's lawyer with the tracker and have talked to quite a few of the guest's. They are blend in flawlessly amongst the guests and if you didn't know better you would be sure that they do this every day, that black-tie events are where they belong.
"They're really good at this." Skye says to her father.
"They have a lot of experience." Coulson answers, "But there is also no one better." He answers "Clint, Ward? What it look like?" Coulson asks.
"Everything's fine Phil, relax a bit." Clint tells him.
"Melinda? Tasha? How things going?" Coulson asks.
"Things are fine." Melinda answers.
"Relax a…, Oh crap." Natasha comments.
"What's wrong?" Coulson asks concerned.
"Skye did any of the guest lists that you saw say Tony Stark?" Natasha asks as she spots the billionaire walk in with Pepper Potts.
"No." Skye answers.
"And he's spotted us." Natasha comments as Tony and Pepper walk over.
"Well this is a surprise, Agent Romanoff." Tony greets.
"You must have me confused with someone else, my name is Nicky Frank." Natasha says giving Tony a look which says 'shut up'.
"No, I'm pretty sure I'm not, especially considering you're Agent Melinda May." He comments looking at Melinda.
"Phil's Melinda?" Pepper asks surprised.
"That's the one." Tony answers. "Now this is a surprise to see you both, but I guess I should be used to it considering you have just been showing up wherever I am for the last three weeks." Tony comments.
"Not everything is about you Stark." Natasha says taking a step closer to Tony "We actually have a job to do and while we do this job I'm Nicky Frank and this my friend Maria Holden and you will remember that." She says the threatening undertone of her voice clear.
"Yes Ma'am." Tony responds sarcastically.
"It's a pleasure to meet you." Melinda says shaking Pepper's hand once Natasha finishes threatening Tony.
"You too." Pepper responds. "I love the dress."
"Thanks." Melinda says and before she can say anymore the back twenty heavenly armed men walk into the room.
"Nat? Mels? What is going on? We've lost our visual." Clint's worried voice asks through the coms.
"This just got interesting." Tony comments, "I'm guessing they're here for you." He comments looking at Natasha and Melinda.
"Clint, Ward hold your position until you get my say so. We've got this." Natasha says through the coms.
"You've got this?" Stark ask surprised "There are twenty armed me and neither of you are armed, how exactly do you have this?" He asks the pair as the men demand that any agents of S.H.I.E.L.D show themselves or they will start killing.
"Sudan?" Natasha asks Melinda.
"That will work." Melinda responds with a nod "Pepper, stay back, stay hidden." Melinda advices "And Stark…." Melinda begins to say
"Stay out of our way." Natasha finishes.
"You want us." Melinda says as her and Tasha walk towards the men.
"I trust you will come quietly." The men tell Natasha and Melinda.
"Of course." Natasha responds.
"They are unarmed, about to be captured, what are they planning on doing?" Tony asks Pepper confused about what they could have planned.
"That, apparently." Pepper comments shocked as Natasha and Melinda take out the guys who were coming to restrain them then within minutes have taken down all the other men. Having not killed a single one of them only knocking them unconscious or wounding them and without a single civilian casualty.
"Ward, Clint, meet us out the front." Melinda says as they walk back over to Tony and Pepper.
"Coulson everything okay there?" Natasha asks.
"Yeah, everything's fine here. How about you two. Are you alright?" He asks concerned.
"We're fine." Natasha responds
"We've got to go." Melinda tell Pepper and Tony as Natasha talks to Coulson "Nice meting you both." She tells the pair.
"Yeah, you too." Pepper responds though she is still shocked about what they managed to do.
"Bailing before the cops get here smart idea considering two of you just managed to knock out twenty guys without a single weapon, but what do I tell them?" Tony asks them.
"Tell them that you don't need the suit to be super." Natasha says as her and Melinda walk away from him and Pepper
"So that was Phil's ex-wife." Pepper comments.
"Yeah, I'm having a real hard time trying to think of a reason why he would ever divorce a woman like that." Tony comments resulting in him a very un impressed look from Pepper.
Melinda and Natasha run right out of the building and into Ward and Clint's waiting car.
"Drive." Melinda calmly tells them when they get it.
"Are you two okay?" Clint asks concerned.
"Yeah we're fine." Natasha answers.
Once they are back at the plane, after assuring her daughter that she is okay Melinda gets the plane in the air and once she is able to engage auto pilot, which is about forty minutes after they are in the air, she does. After waiting a few minutes to assure that the autopilot is working Melinda exits the cockpit.
When she walks into the main part of the plane she sees Coulson sitting at the breakfast bar, trying not to make it obvious that he is waiting for her.
"Where is everyone?" Melinda asks as she walks over to Coulson.
"Skye, Ward and FitzSimmons all went to bed. Tasha and Clint are downstairs somewhere." Coulson comments. "Are you alright?" he asks concerned
"Yeah, I'm fine. I think I made quite the impression on your friend Tony Stark though." Melinda comments.
"I bet you did." Coulson says with a small laugh. "You know what this dress reminds me of?" He asks Melinda.
"The one I wore graduation night from the academy." Melinda realises after a couple of minutes of thinking, "Only you would remember that dress." She comments as even though she barely remembers the dress she isn't surprised that Phil does.
"Of course I remember, that was the first time I let you go." Coulson comments remembering.
"Little black dress, big party, even bigger fight, it does remind me of that night." Melinda comments. "You know you still owe me a dance." Melinda reminds him.
"It's been thirty years." Coulson comments getting up and walking over to the radio where he puts his phone into the speakers and plays a song "I shouldn't keep you waiting any longer." He says walking back over to Melinda and sticking out his hand.
"No, you shouldn't." Melinda says taking Coulson's hand which he uses to pull her in close to him and the pair dance.
For several minutes the pair dance in silence just listening to the lyrics of What A Wonderful World, the first song they ever danced to together and the song that they danced to around their hotel room after they were married.
Unknown to Melinda and Coulson just after they started dancing Natasha and Clint came upstairs to look for them as they felt the plane switch to autopilot.
"Let's give them their moment." Clint says to Natasha after watching the pair with a smile on his face for a minute. Natasha nods and the pair head back downstairs, leaving their friends alone together.
"I love you Mel."
"I love you Phil."
The pair say to each other before exchanging a passionate kiss.
PLEASE REVIEW
PLEASE REVIEW
PLEASE REVIEW
AN3: So I know that 'It's A Wonderful World' may not seem like a fitting song for May and Coulson but I choose it for personal reason as it was my parent's weeding song. My parents were married for almost twenty four years at the time of my father's death 20 months ago, so it has personal meaning to me and that's why I used it.