I apologize for the long wait, but things have been crazy busy. I teach and have a problem with an uncooperative assistant. It's been rough the last few weeks. Please let me know if this chapter stinks, because I can't even think straight in my only means of escape. Thanks so much for your time and support.
Chapter 26
A Shoe That Clicks to My Clack
It took Skye very little time to find the spiral staircase she had climbed with her parents. She made her way back to the dirty window and looked down, once again, on the street below. It was dark now. The street lights lit up the sidewalks while the headlights of the cars lit the street. The little ice cream store was still open. Skye could see the people inside the lighted windows, seated at the tables enjoying their late night treat. The little bodega was also open and people milled in and out with various sized bags of groceries. A woman, probably a mother, hurried out and turned down the street holding on to a small boy who hopped and skipped along with her. She smiled at the sight.
There had to be a way out of this broken building. They got in. They had to be able to get out. It was logical. Mommy had told her over and over, for as long as she could remember, if there was a way in then there was a way out. She didn't need any funny headphones or to fall asleep on a doctor's table to get home. She just needed to get out of here and find her house. Mommy and Daddy and Daisy would be there and she'd just switch back to herself. Maybe…
Skye rested Daisy's head against the window. She thought about that movie where the boy turned into a big old shaggy dog because of some old ring. Maybe that was it. Maybe she and Daisy got near some kind of magical thingie and it switched them. There were a lot of movies about that kind of stuff. She watched that dog one with mommy and daddy when she was sick last year. They all cuddled up on the couch and daddy told her it was one of his favorite movies when he was little like her. She thought about what happened before they got all mixed up. Daisy said mommy wanted to talk to her alone and she needed to be 'in charge'.
'In charge', that's what they called it when they traded being the one who did the big thinking or decision making. The other one stayed back and kinda didn't do anything. It was like being in a different room where you could hear the mumbly voices but didn't really know what was happening or what they were saying. Sometimes they did in on purpose like that day they got separated. Sometimes they pushed each other to be in the 'in charge' place and sometimes they pushed into the 'in charge' place. But she couldn't remember any thing that was making them do it other then just them doing it.
Daisy was in mommy's room when it happened, when they got split apart. Maybe what ever did it was in there. Maybe they brought something back from the trip they took and it was weird or cursed and Daisy touched it when she was there. If that's what happened all she had to do was ask her and they could just touch it again and whamo…everything would be back to normal.
Of course none of that would matter at all if she didn't get out of here and soon. Mommy was very good at knowing when she was doing something she shouldn't be and this was a big 'shouldn't be.' Skye was supposed to be sleeping. Mommy tucked her in and daddy kissed her goodnight a while ago. Mommy said she was going to have a cup of tea and talk to daddy a little before she came to bed too. She just waited until she couldn't hear them anymore, got dressed and found her way back to this window. It was pretty high so there was no way she could climb out or down and she couldn't find a fire escape anywhere so how did people get in and out of this place. She really did not like this dumb building.
Walking around and looking wasn't a good idea. She'd probably run into someone who would march her right back to mommy and daddy, probably that soldier lady with the mean eyes. What kind of a place didn't have an exit? How did they go to the store or get supplies? There was take-out stuff in the fridge. How did it get in?
She had to find that door. Then she'd find a bus or a train or something and get back to her house. Nobody would make her stop because she was big. She had Daisy's body and Daisy was a grown up. Everyone would just do what they were doing and not even look at her. And if she did get caught…still Daisy was a grown up. Mommy would yell a lot and maybe lock her in that white room again, but she couldn't punish her like she did with the bike because she wasn't a little kid…she hoped…
There were several doors in this hallway. Skye walked up and down wriggling doorknobs that did not open. At the end of the hall, where the spiral staircase went back down to the floors below she noticed a hallway that ended with yet another door. The girl shrugged her shoulders.
"What the hell," she spoke quietly to herself, liking the way that word rolled off her tongue. "Maybe that one might open." She walked toward it pushing away the fear the darkened hallway created. The girl fully expected another nonmoving knob keeping her from whatever was behind the door and laughed out loud when it turned and opened. She slapped a hand across her mouth and looked back over her shoulder as if someone might have heard. A cool rush of air escaped from the stairwell, Skye could smell the outside it carried. Ignoring the darkness that swallowed the stairs, she scampered down following the breeze and the promise of escape.
xx
Daisy sat in front of Skye's laptop staring at the field of daisies. It was apparent Fitz had gotten her message and sent one in return. Now how was she to let him know she'd gotten it? She couldn't add to the code from here and even if she could he wouldn't see it. The Morse code thing was a fluke. She remembered that goofy commercial that had all the pots and pans tapping out the dot-dot-dot, dash-dash-dash thing over and over while hawking some scrub pad. She didn't really know Morse code or what else she could send. Messing with Fitz's code could cost someone their life. She wriggled her fingers, hovering over the keys.
"How ya doin', sweetie?" Phil's voice startled her and she pulled her hands back. "Need some help?" He rested his hands on her shoulders and smiled down as she looked back and up at him.
"No…no, daddy…I'm aaaaaaaa….just thinking." Daisy told him truthfully. She tapped a key and the screen saver flicked off revealing the various programs available on the laptop. Skye clicked the internet icon and waited for it to load. Daisy grit her teeth at the sluggishness of the system. What she wouldn't give to hack into SHIELD's tech right now. Explorer opened and immediately a pop-up flashed on the screen demanding she load some game that would be the 'answer to everything she was looking for'.
He tapped her shoulders twice. "Well, you just give me a shout if you need me, okay?" She nodded and waved one hand without turning around. Phil smiled as he walked away. His little girl had found something that held her interest like nothing else.
"Doubt it," Daisy mumbled as she hit the close box on the ad. It popped back up in a different spot. Again she closed the window then opened the internet set up box and checked the 'allow pop ups' setting. Pop ups were blocked as part of that net-nanny thing she'd disabled. 'Great,' she grumbled. 'Gave myself and every advertiser twenty four-seven access.' The ad popped up again. This time a little cartoon guy walked across the pop-up and waved its hand.
"Download me with one click." The little man said with a decidedly Scottish brogue. Daisy's eyebrows rose and she watched the little cartoon guy walk out of the picture. A second later he reappeared and pointed to a green button in the center of the red ad. "Just click here," it spoke with that same accent as it slapped its little four-fingered hand on the button which turned a darker shade of green as it simulated being clicked. Daisy jumped back a second later when a spray of daisies poured out of the same spot. She covered her mouth to catch the giggles that escaped. "Fitz, you little devil…"
Quickly moving the mouse to the download button she looked over her shoulder to be sure her parents were not watching and flicked it, then just as quickly minimized the screen to hide it. She was forbidden to download anything without prior permission. Damn, how did Skye live with all these rules?
"It'd be great if you could program some speed into this dinosaur, Fitz." Daisy mumbled to the computer as she watched the progress bar creep toward one hundred percent. She drummed her fingers on the desk and tried not to think about the fact that if it took too long her time would be up before she could make any progress of her own. She side glanced toward the kitchen to watch her parents sitting at the table engaged in a conversation she could not hear. Yeye walked through saying his goodnights then came up behind her to wish her sweet dreams.
"Tiánmì de mèngxiǎng, sūnnǚ" William smiled as he kissed the top of Skye's head.
Daisy smiled as she tilted her head back and looked up at him. "Wǎn'ān, yéyé shuì dé hǎo." She said goodnight as well. She held her breath as William stared at the screen watching the little bluish bar. Daisy knew her parents were not computer savvy but she wasn't sure about grandpa. He was a very smart man and it would not surprise her if he knew exactly what she was doing. He laid his hands on her shoulders and gave a gentle squeeze then smiled at her once before walking toward the stairs and wishing everyone goodnight one more time as he climbed them.
The little girl breathed a sigh of relief and looked back to the download progress….seventy-two percent. She glanced at the countdown clicker at the top of the screen. She had ninety minutes…an hour and a half, with any luck this Fitzie program would finish downloading and install quickly, giving her at least an hour to figure out his message. He'd have to be pretty damn tricky to get anything past his Fitzwork versions of Coulson and May…they were ultra vigilant especially where Skye was concerned. Then again, he had the real deal right there with him. If they were giving him pointers…well, who better to fool you than you! Daisy smiled at the silliness of it all. The laptop gave a soft ping and a new window opened proclaiming the download was successful. She quickly minimized the window.
"Enough with the flourishes, Fitz…" Daisy grit her teeth and whispered a growl. She threw a quick glance to the kitchen and found the table empty. She spun around looking in all directions for her parents, making sure they weren't lurking in the shadows, peering over her shoulders. 'Great,' she grumbled to herself. 'Real great way to look suspicious, keep jumping and checking and they'll be on you in a heartbeat.' She took a gulp of air and forced herself to calm down. No sense looking guilty.
She turned back and opened the window then clicked the button to install, Fitz's game. She rolled her eyes and snorted as the little Fitz character paced back and forth and checked its large watch. When the installation completed the little figure raised its fists and paraded around in a mock victory dance. Daisy couldn't help laughing at Fitz's humor. It helped her feel this crazy situation could be fixed and lightened her heart to know he was feeling well enough to send her such a silly message.
She hit the open key and watched as the screen turned into a cartoon picture of a path that wandered off into the horizon. It was bordered on either side by green grass, trees, and small animals. Above it all hovered a cloud filled blue sky. Yep, the usual cartoon background picture. The little Fitz walked into the frame and stood on the path pointing up at a box that opened and asked the user to type in a user-name. The girl looked at the blinking cursor for a moment before typing D-A-I-S-Y and waiting for the next instruction.
"Hello, Daisy!" Fitz's brogue lilted from the little character. "We've missed you. Hope all is well." A little question mark blinked in a box next to the figure. She quickly typed 'okay as it can be' and hit enter. The character smiled and nodded its oversized head. "Skies are blue here. Sun is shining."
Daisy sniggered at the reference to Skye, letting her know that the little girl was there and was safe. She fell into using the same silly coded language. "Daisies are a little stunted in growth."
"Yes, well the skies are vast and we are working to bring them there to help those little flowers get back to normal." The character smiled. He reached behind his back and pulled out a palm sized flower pot with a tiny yellow daisy in its center. Holding it out toward the viewer the character continued. "We need your help to get this little flower home. Would like to play?"
A small box opened with the character's large head nodding and a second head wagging side to side. Daisy had to laugh again at Fitz's attempt to create a kid-friendly pseudo game that she could slip past her cyber parents with no worries. He knew them well…both versions. Yep, she could imagine Coulson and May being very overprotective parents, shielding her from pretty much everything. Oh, yeah, that shield held a whole different meaning in this Skidaisy's world. Part of her resented it, but a larger part felt safe and protected…loved like she'd never been loved. It really wasn't so bad, except she had to get back and make this right. She clicked the little nodding head and waited for the Big Headed Fitz cartoon guy to give her directions.
"Great!" the character did a back flip and smiled wide as goofy music played. He pointed down the road he was standing on and started walking. The scenery moved toward her as his little skinny legs moved. The big head turned back to look in her direction but the legs kept moving. "You need to get this little daisy to that spot." One of the cartoon guy's hands pointed to sparkling dot where the path it walked on met the sky, it was directly on the horizon. "It needs to be right where you found it."
Daisy scrunched up her face as she tried to decode the message. Was Fitz telling her she had to get herself to a specific spot and if so, where exactly did he mean? She watched as the figure stopped walking and placed the little flower pot on the pathway. It turned and smiled at her. She waited a few seconds, hoping for clearer instructions but the little Fitz guy just stared at her with that big toothy smile. She wriggled the mouse a little and hoped to get another message.
"It needs to be right where you found it." Cartoon Fitz repeated as it pointed to the little flower.
"Damn it, Fitz," she whispered. "I didn't find it anywhere." She drummed her fingers on the desktop and rested her chin on the opposite hand. What was he trying to tell her? 'Right where she found it'…found what? The program found her…it took Skye and left her…left Daisy…she was the daisy.
"I gotta put me back where it found me!" She spoke out loud…too loud.
"Everything okay, sweet pickle?" Phil's voice came around the corner about a millisecond before he stepped behind her.
Afraid to do anything that might jeopardize the silly program. She froze as her father peered over her shoulder at the screen.
"Hmmm, I don't remember this game." He gave her a very suspicious look.
'Oh gawd, he knows I downloaded something. I'm dead.' It was a goofy thought, but it was the first thing that ran through her mind…her ten year old mind. What if she got stuck her and actually turned into Skye? Daisy shook her head a few times to clear the nutty thoughts.
"Mmmmm…must have been part of the system." She shrugged. "Lots of systems come with games already in them." Daisy toned down the computer-speak to sound like a kid and so he'd understand.
Phil moved to his daughter's side and squatted down to her level. "I don't know, Skye. The guys showed me everything they put into this computer. I don't remember this." He shook his head and sounded overly concerned.
Daisy forced a smile. "It's just a game, daddy." She smiled. "You gotta get the little flower to the spot the guy points to…like this." She took a risk and grabbed the little pot with the cursor then dragged it to the sparkly spot on the horizon. It was immediately absorbed into the sparkles and the Fitz guy did somersaults again. It gave her a 'thumbs-up' and a wink as well. She watched, breathlessly waiting for whatever it would say next.
"Want to try again?" It asked as the two Fitz heads once again appeared and waited for her to choose.
"See," she turned and smiled at her father, "just a game." She mentally crossed her fingers hoping he would take it at that. Phil watched the screen for what seemed like forever then stood and crossed his arms over his chest. Daisy swallowed hard and waited for him to deliver the blow.
Instead he shook his head, "guess they forgot about this one." He reached forward and tapped the timer on the screen. "Half hour, sweet pickle…then bath time."
"I'm not a pickle." Daisy smiled. "I know no extra time and no begging for it either. I didn't forget." She waited a few seconds for him to leave then turned back to Fitz's crazy daisy game. "Okay, I put it where you said, now what?"
She clicked on the nodding head and the little pot popped out of the sparkle and landed back on the pathway. The cartoon guy shook his head. "You must put the daisy back exactly where it was." This time a box opened with a blinking cursor. Daisy stared at it. Maybe this game let the user ask questions. What the hell, she had nothing to lose.
"Me…put me back?" She typed quickly and hit enter. The words disappeared and she let out the breath she was holding.
The little cartoon Fitz nodded its big head and again gave a 'thumbs up'. "So daisy can touch the sky!" It smiled again. She watched as the sky started to turn dark and feared she had waited too long. The little cartoon guy yawned a big exaggerated yawn. It pointed to the crescent moon that appeared in the darkened sky and bent to pick up the little flower pot. "Be sure the daisy is in the exact spot when the sun is highest." It pointed straight up. "Tomorrow we put them together." It smiled again and raised a hand. "Nite, nite, Daisy." The little Fitz guy waved then turned and walked out of the picture as stars appeared in the cartoon sky and cricket noises replaced the goofy music.
"Hey, come back here!" Daisy spoke to the screen and jiggled the mouse, then clicked it a few times. Fitz's big cartoon head peeked from the right side of the screen. She clicked on it and it appeared in the center with the dialogue box open next to it. 'I have to be right where I was when this whole thing started? Is that what you mean?" She typed and hit enter again, looking over her shoulder quickly.
The cartoon guy nodded. "Put the daisy back exactly where it was." It said again with the same dumb smile. This guy was getting a lot less cute and a lot more aggravating.
Daisy thought hard about where she was when she and Skye switched bodies or spaces or consciousnesses or whatever the hell they did. Yeah…yeah, she was in her parents' bedroom and…and May was there, not Mommy Melinda…no it was May, really May and she was pee-ohed, seriously pee-ohed. In fact she'd just found out that Daisy had hacked the computer in Phil's secret room and about Skye getting sucked into the real world with her and about her using Fitz's program on her own to get the kid back home…yeah she was pissed, really pissed. Daisy's eyes went wide. If memory served her well she was in a very compromised position when this whole thing happened.
"Why exact same spot?" Daisy typed quickly. May was about to tan her hide before all this Freaky Friday stuff went down.
"Just to be sure," the cartoon guy actually shrugged his shoulders. Geez, wasn't Fitz sure about this. "Couldn't hurt," he smiled.
"Yeah, speak for yourself," Daisy grumbled, already trying to figure out how to get to that spot with Melinda by high noon tomorrow.
"Nite, nite!" The cartoon guy said again and blipped off the screen as the timer chimed her 'times up' warning.
Daisy sighed as the cute puppy screen saver appeared for a few seconds before the screen went black then turned and headed for the stairs.
xx
Skye took a deep breath of the fresh air. Inside the broken building everything smelled like a campfire. She'd been there so long she didn't realize it until she breathed in the night breezes. It wasn't too late. She could tell because there were still people moving in and out of the little shops on the opposite side of the street. Turning around she looked at the spot she had just exited and found no door visible. It was there, she knew it was, but from this side it just looked like a brick wall. What kind of a building was this anyway?
Shoving her hand in her pocket she wrapped it around the money she'd stashed there. Skye had never stolen anything in her life, but she needed to borrow this cash she found on the dresser. When she got home she'd make sure she mailed it back. This was if she could find an address. She pulled out the wad and counted it. Twelve dollars, she had twelve dollars. Hopefully, it would be enough to get her home. She had enough of this game and when she found Daisy she was going to tell her she did not want to play it anymore. She walked to the corner and waited for the light to turn, then crossed to the other side.
A man bumped her shoulder and then looked at her funny. She said excuse me, even though he did the bumping but he kept looking at her even after he got to the other side of the street. The bodega was empty except for a woman at the register and kid staring at the beverages in the cooler at the back of the place. She stepped inside and smiled as the owner looked up at her. He gave her a funny look too, kinda like a 'what the heck are you doing here?' look. She turned and pretended to look at the magazines and newspapers on a rack near the door. There was one of those big round mirror things above her head, the kind that lets you see all over the place. Skye could see the owner and the lady talking at the check out, but he kept glancing up at her. She tried not to look, but it was kinda creepy and she couldn't help it.
The kid in the back finally made a decision and carried a bottle of blue something to the register and tossed his payment on it. He waved to the guy as if he knew him then nodded to her and walked out into the night. The lady with the groceries was pretty talky and no matter how many times the owner tried to hurry her along she had more to say. Skye would have left but she wanted to ask where the nearest bus stop was and what time the last bus would come. Bodegas usually had bus schedules on the magazine racks but she saw none there. The shop owner packed up the lady's bags and carried them outside for her. She said a lot more but he just told her good night and waved before walking right up to her.
"What are you doing here?" He asked under his breath. "Are you insane?" He looked back out on to the street and then turned to her waiting for an answer. "Did something happen?" Now, he was concerned.
Skye shook her head. It took her a few moments to realize this man must know Daisy and well, she was Daisy now. She wasn't a little kid, even though she still felt like one. She was as tall as this guy and she didn't need to tell him anything she didn't want to tell him.
"Nothing happened," she spoke using the voice she thought was pretty much like the one Daisy used. "I need to get to Alexandria." That was the truth. "When's the next bus?"
"Bus?" the guy laughed. "What'd ya forget how to drive?"
Skye thought for a moment. No, she didn't know how to drive and anyway she had no car. She didn't know where the people inside the building kept their cars anyway. She shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. "I need to take the bus this time." She told him.
"Yeah, well, there ain't no bus to Alexandria, not from here anyway. In fact there ain't no buses at all until Monday and you'd need to walk six blocks to get one. You know there's no public transportation around here. What's wrong with you?" He squinted at her, looking up and down like she had dirt all over her or something.
The girl looked down at her clothing and absently brushed it off. "There's nothing wrong," she told him. "I just need to see some people there."
"Yeah, well it ain't safe for you to be roamin' around the streets. Even in that get up, you're sure to be recognized. I thought you were laying low until this whole mess got straightened out." The guy walked into the store and moved back behind the counter. "Maybe I outta give Coulson a call and just find out what's goin' on." He picked up an old fashioned telephone receiver and pointed it at her.
Skye didn't wait for him to say or do anything else. She ran out of the bodega, turned in the direction the guy pointed for buses and ran as fast as she could into the darkness. She bumped into two or three people in her attempt to escaped and dashed across two streets without looking for traffic. Horns blared and obscenities were screamed but she kept running until she was sure her lungs would burst. Spinning around a chest high wall she fell down onto the concrete steps of an apartment building and tried desperately to catch her breath. Looking up and down the street at the traffic and the lights, Skye had no idea where she was or how to get to where she wanted to be. She rubbed the back of her hand across her eyes and refused to cry. Crying was baby stuff and it wouldn't help. She told herself to calm down. She took deep breaths like mommy told her to do when she got this upset. Wiping her eyes again, she stood and looked across the street. She smiled at the sign on the corner pointing to the subway stop.
Subways ran all night long. They didn't stop. She'd take the subway to the hub and then find the right train to Alexandria. That would work. That would get her home. She waited for the walk sign then crossed the street and headed for the stairs that led down to the platform.
xx
"Agent Coulson, sir," Piper's voice was strained trying to interrupt the heated conversation between the senior agents.
"I don't have the heart to tell Fitz," Jemma sighed. "He's just now been able to contact Daisy with that silly game he devised. Apparently it worked, but she's got limited time to communicate with him."
"Damn it!" May spoke through her teeth as she pounded her fist on the table. "I never should have left her alone. When I get my hands on her…"
"May, she's an adult. Remember that." Coulson tried to keep calm despite his growing panic. "She couldn't have gotten far. I have everyone searching every inch of the base."
"Sir," Piper tried again.
"Her body might be adult but her head is not." May growled.
"Yeah, well I don't think it's her head you'll be after…" Coulson barked back as he paced across the common room.
"She doesn't realize the danger, May. She knows nothing about what happened here." Jemma stated with concern.
Coulson shook his head. "And we intend to keep it that way, but if someone recognizes her and makes a call…
May let out a disgusted breath and slammed the table top a second time.
"SIR!" Piper spoke as loudly as possible. The three senior agents stopped and turned toward her. For a moment they merely stared at each other before the young agent spoke. "We just heard from Larkin. She was in the bodega about…" Before she could finish the statement the other agents were out the door and heading for the exit.
"What do you mean she just took off?" May demanded of the man who stood white-faced before her.
"You couldn't keep her here?" Coulson stepped between them.
The man took a breath, keeping his eyes trained on May. "You expect me to hold on to Quake? What're ya, crazy?" He laughed at the mere concept.
Coulson looked at May and shrugged. "He has a point." He quipped as he walked toward the door. "Which way did she go?" He asked without turning back.
May stepped next to him and whispered, "A moot point."
"The less he knows the better." He whispered back.
"She headed uptown. Lit outta here like her tail was on fire. What the hell's goin' on, Coulson?" The man demanded.
May snorted at the comment and bit back the urge to make one of her own. She planned on lighting that fire herself, just as soon as she got her hands on that stupid kid.
"Nothing, she's just a little restless, a bit of cabin fever's all." Coulson explained as May rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, well how about a little warning next time." Larkin huffed. "Lucky it was Mrs. Gabbygutz and that stoned kid in here or someone might have blown the whistle on this whole shebang." He shook his head and stepped back around the counter. "Ya gonna buy something or just waste my time?"
"Thanks, Larkin." Coulson spoke again without facing the man as he and May stepped out of the shop and stood facing the direction he had given them.
"Where the hell, does she think she's going?" May spat, pacing in an attempt to quell her anger.
"No idea," he answered, "but we have until sun up to find her. After that it won't be safe for any of us out here in the open." He nodded at his partner and headed back toward the base. They'd need a car if they were going to make any progress quickly. May threw up her hands and followed.
xx
Skye pushed her fare through the small opening in the cashier's window and again wondered why she was getting such odd looks. Were these people able to see she wasn't really Daisy? How could they? She looked at her reflection in one of the Plexiglas covered displays. Nope, there was no difference. She was exactly Daisy…well, except for the jeans, purple sweatshirt and pink sparkly sneakers. Daisy always wore black or some dark color. Skye never asked why. She checked again to be sure there was nothing on her clothing, her zipper was snuggly up, there were no holes showing her underwear or anything else that shouldn't show. Her shoes were tied and her hair…well, it wasn't great, but it wasn't a rat's nest. Why did everyone keep looking at her like she did something wrong? She pushed through the turnstile and shoved her hands in her pockets as she sidestepped down the stairs to wait for the train. She had to buy two transfers and now had only six dollars left. She hoped that was enough for the train.
At the base of the stairs several people milled around waiting for the subway train. It was late so there really weren't a lot of people, but enough to be considered a small crowd. After all it was Friday night and a lot of couples were off to clubs and hotspots to celebrate the end of the work week. There was laughter and chatter which was an unusual sound to Skye but she never had occasion to be in the subway this time of night or in this part of town. She moved toward the back wall in attempt to avoid the young couples that already seemed to be celebrating. A few couples looked in her direction and gave her that same weird stare before moving away. One person actually smiled at her but when she raised her hand and wriggled her fingers in a silent hello, everyone kinda gasped and moved even further away. Then no one took their eyes off her as she slid along the wall and pushed into the restroom. It was quiet inside, kinda smelly like most subway restrooms, not bad smelly but that air freshener smelly. She heard the screech of the train and resisted the urge to run out and jump aboard. Maybe all those weird people would get on and go away.
Skye waited until she heard the train speed away then pulled open the door and peeked out onto the platform. She breathed a sigh of relief at the empty area and stepped out to wait for the next car. She kept her head down, not wanting to look anyone else in the eye should they happen along. She listened as someone walked slowly across the tiled floor, turned and walked back. She looked up quickly and spotted security guard moving up the stairs.
"Hey!" A deep male voice called out from the opposite side of the platform.
Skye looked up quickly and noticed a very large black man waving at her. She looked at the clock hanging above the track. It read, 'next train in ten minutes'. If the man went up into the station and then made his way back down it would take a while. Maybe the train would come first. Maybe…
"Daisy!" A woman's voice rang out and she looked to see a smaller dark skinned woman step around the man and waved as well. She turned to step back into the bathroom and found the same woman standing in front of her. This person looked at her funny too, but not like the others. She looked more like her teacher when she didn't know the answer to a question or the doctor when he wasn't sure what was wrong.
"What are you doing here? Has something happened?" The woman asked in a strange accent.
Skye shook her head and tried to move away but the woman grabbed her arm and shook her head.
"Stay right here." The woman said in a hushed voice and then she was gone.
Skye looked in all directions then noticed her across the tracks speaking to the large man. She was stunned. How could that lady do that? There was no time to think about it. The sound of a lot of people coming down the stairs distracted her and got the attention of the man and lady as well. Skye turned to see several men in dark uniforms, helmets and face masks exit the stair well and drop to one knee, several more men stood behind them and everyone held a rifle pointed at her.
"Stop right where you are!" A voice commanded. "Do not…I repeat…do not move or we will open fire." She heard several loud clicks and fought the urge to cover her face with both hands.
"I…" she started.
"QUIET!" the voice commanded and she snapped her mouth shut.
A second later the platform went dark and Skye felt someone pull her back faster that she could ever remember moving. Before she had a chance to scream a large hand covered her mouth and she was lifted into someone's arms…then there was running. No one spoke, they just ran. She was on her feet and two someones were holding her arms and running. She could hear a popping noise like fireworks behind her, but would not look back. Then the darkness broke and she could see the lights of the cars and city as they continued to run. She could barely breath…again. The large man was speaking to someone, shouting out street names and repeating west, west, west…over and over. The woman on the other side just looked worried as she ran as well.
They turned down an alley and ran to the opposite end. Tires squealed as they came to a stop and a large black car screeched to a halt in front of them. The doors opened. The man let go of her arm and the woman pushed her inside. He slammed the door and practically fell into the front seat then pulled the door closed as the car sped away.
Skye was beyond terrified. Mommy and Daddy had warned her so many times about strangers that took children and did horrible things. Children that were never seen again, children that didn't get to grow up. She forgot all about being Daisy, squeezed her eyes shut tight and screamed as loud as she could. Someone was calling her name and someone was holding her arms, shaking her gently, but she kept screaming until she felt a sharp smack across her cheek. She snapped her mouth shut and quickly brought her hand to her stinging face. Opening her eyes she peered into familiar eyes. May glared at her with a mixture of fury and relief.
"Momma," Skye breathed as she wrapped her arms around the woman and finally allowed herself to cry.
Mack raised an eyebrow and stared at Coulson who maneuvered the SUV through traffic heading back toward the base. Elena mimicked his look toward May then to Coulson's eyes in the rear view mirror and then back to May.
"Long story," the director sighed as he took the long way leading anyone following them in the opposite direction.
xx
May threw open the back door of the SUV, stepped out and grabbed Skye by the wrist pulling her to her feet. She pointed a finger in the girl's face.
"You and I have a lot to discuss, right now!" She growled at the still sniffling girl then yanked her toward the large doors that led back to the living quarters on the base.
Elena stepped out of the vehicle and looked with confusion at Mack and Coulson. Mack shook his head.
¿Que demonios fue eso? The Latina snarled. "¿Todos han perdido la cabeza? ¿Qué está pasando? Nos vamos por unas semanas y todo el infierno se desata!" She spoke rapidly, waving her arms in tandem.
Coulson watched May drag Skye down the hallway, still reading her the riot act. "No, we having lost our minds…yet and yes this place has gone to hell." He looked from one confused agent to the other. "Hopefully we'll find the way back."
Mack pointed in the direction May had led Daisy. "And that?" he raised an eyebrow.
"That is a very relieved mother furious with her child." Coulson shook his head. "I can sympathize…with both of them."
"And you are going to explain all of this, right?" Elena asked expectantly.
Twenty minutes later May stormed into the common room, slammed a tumbler on the table and filled it with the amber liquid from the flask she held and drank it all in one gulp. She poured a second glass and lifted it to her lips taking a small sip before lowering herself into a chair.
To Coulson's silent question she replied. "She's asleep…for real this time and Chen is outside the door until I get back."
"You didn't…" he began.
She held up a hand as she took another sip of her drink. "What happens in May's bunk stays in May's bunk" was all she would offer.
Elena bowed her head in laughter then lifted her own glass to her superior. Mack smiled and shook his head.
"I guess congratulations are in order." The large man smiled as he tipped his beer bottle toward May and Coulson.
May held up her glass in response. Coulson swirled the liquid in his around before doing the same.
"You understand that is not really Daisy, right?" He asked the couple.
"Sure," Elena responded. "She's really a ten year old computer generated version of Daisy."
"And our Daisy is stuck in the program stuck in a little kid body." Mack added with a smirk. "Why would that seem strange? Just everyday stuff around here." He actually laughed causing everyone at the table to smile. Mack had not done a lot of laughing since the Framework. It was good to hear.
Coulson threw back the last of his drink and stood. "It's been a long day. I think I'll turn in…again."
"Right behind you," May stated as she finished her own drink and set the glass on the table.
"You go, we'll get this," Mack waved his finger in a circle around the used glasses as he took another sip of his beer.
For the second time that evening May and Coulson stopped in front of her bunk door. Chen was relieved of duty and reported no trouble. This time Coulson did not stop her as May placed her hand on the lock and the door opened with a soft shoosh. She stepped inside with him right behind. They stood and looked at the sleeping form on the bed.
Skye breathed deeply, drawing in a few sniffles every other breath. She hugged the little stuffed dog close. Coulson put a hand on May's shoulder, surprised when she did not move away and thankful that once again the nagging pain in his head retreated.
"She looks so innocent wh…"
May elbowed him in the gut before he could finish. "She is a lot of things; innocent is not one of them." She groaned with a soft smile.
He chuckled softly as he slipped his arm from her shoulder and moved to the side of the bed. He bent and placed a kiss on the girl's temple.
"Don't worry, I won't let her out of my sight until Simmons puts that headgear on me tomorrow." She assured him as he turned and headed for the door.
His fingers brushed her hand as he passed and again the pain in his head retreated. He considered telling her, letting her know that just a touch from her stopped the throbbing, but now was not the time or the place. Skye stirred, opening her eyes and blinking at the sight of her parents.
"Daddy…Daddy, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I ran away. I'm sorry I made you angry." She started as she began to rise. Coulson moved quickly to her and sat on the bed. He wrapped her in a hug and kissed the top of her head. "Shhhh, shhhh," he comforted. "It's late. Go back to sleep. We'll talk in the morning." He kissed her again and laid her back against the pillow softly running his fingers through her hair until she was once again breathing deeply and snuggling her little stuffed dog. He bent and kissed her again.
"No worries, sweet pickle. By this time tomorrow you will be safe and sound in your own bed. I promise." Pinching the bridge of his nose he stood and faced May who stood directly behind him.
She pulled his hand into hers and watched the change in his expression, watched the pain drain away. "We've got to do something about that headache soon." She smiled and squeezed his hand a little tighter.
He felt his breath catch and knew his heart beat had increased. A warm flush poured over his face and then across his body, like gooseflesh on fire. He nodded into her eyes and squeezed her hand in return. "Soon…" he repeated.
She smiled at him, a real smile, a whole smile, a smile he missed for a very long time. "Good night, Phil." She whispered.
"Good night, May…" he sighed as their hands fell apart and the pain sped back to claim his brow.
He stepped into the hallway and let the door close behind him. Tomorrow…tomorrow he thought.