A/N: Hi! I just want to say how grateful I am for the love I've received for this story recently. I also want to warn you guys that I won't be posting the last chapter tomorrow, only the 29th chapter. I'm assuming that the last chapter will end up somewhere around 5000 words total and I don't have the time tomorrow to write that much. I will try and get it posted on Wednesday so it isn't too long after the season premiere tomorrow but know that this is a busy week for me. Anyways, enjoy!
"Skye, your DNA is gorgeous, I must say!" Jemma was smiling ear to ear as she examined the screen with Skye's DNA.
From across the room, Fitz piped up. "It took forever to get the lab results back from the deep analysis, though. Under any normal analysis, you can't even see the differences between you DNA and some plain human DNA. It's really quite fascinating, really." He held a test tube up to his eyes and swished it, watching for any changes.
Skye rolled her eyes, somewhat bored watching her DNA on the screen. To her, nothing looked out of the ordinary, but to them, something was obviously different. "You see, Skye, right there!" Simmons pointed to the screen excitedly, nearly bouncing on the balls of her feet.
"I don't really know what I'm looking at, guys. I'm a computer science genius, not robotics or chemistry science. I'm way out of my league here."
Fitz smiled gently before shifting to stand next to Skye and point to the screen with Skye. "See that there? You couldn't even see that on the analysis we did on your blood after your recovery from the gunshots a few years back. And we could only actually see it after your first time using your powers. It's incredible."
Skye cocked her head to the side, squinting at the screen with a degree more of interest. "So, do you guys have any idea what it is exactly that gives me my powers? I mean, obviously get it from my parent, but is there some science-y reason?"
"Oh! Well, we aren't quite sure as of right now what exactly enables your abilities but-"
"-but it's obvious that whatever it is allows you to endure much more than a normal human and-"
"-and, is influenced mainly by your emotions. We're about to test the sample we took from you with chemicals related to certain emotions and see what it does." Simmons finished the thought as she held up a syringe of liquid in front of her face. "When people get angry, a stress hormone called cortisol is released into the body and can cause bouts of energy, though it can equally be harmful. Because your abilities seem to be stemmed in your emotions, we want to test other chemicals related to emotions-"
"-such as adrenaline. It's incredibly fascinating how your powers enable you to step out of your corporeal form and walk away from it—like a ghost. It's completely we've never seen before just think of all the scientific advancements that could be made with this if we're able to figure it out!" Fitz gestured wildly with his hands in excitement as Skye blinked owlishly at him.
"That's… great. But, is there anything you could figure out to help me control my super freaky mutant powers. I mean, using them is great and all, but I still can't properly control when I'm able to use them. I can't exactly rely on getting angry every time…" Skye nervously shifted from foot to foot as she spoke, pointedly ignoring the worried looks she was getting from FitzSimmons.
Simmons and Fitz went to either side of her and each placed a gentle hand on her shoulders. "What's wrong, Skye?"
"You know how in movies, when the main character suddenly gets these amazing abilities, everything seems awesome at first, right? But then, their powers go haywire, and their powers become more of a nightmare than a dream."
Jemma furrowed her brow, glancing at Fitz from over Skye's shoulder. "You know, Skye, those movies are so unrealistic. This is actual science we're talking about. We will help you find the limitations of your powers. We've already seen that overexertion can cause a major depletion of your energy but we know that there must be more. We will do everything in our power to help you know your powers."
"But what about if something goes wrong? What if one day I use them, and I'm unable to get back to my body. I've never exactly tested the limits to how far I can go from my body before it either snaps me back or locks me out." Skye bit her bottom lip, her nerves showing in her tense shoulders and her anxious eyes.
Fitz wrapped an arm around her shoulder and rubbed up and down, Simmons mimicking him with her arm. It was Fitz who next spoke, practically whispering. "You know, Skye, we will figure these things out. If we can isolate what causes your abilities, we'll be able to create a serum to administer to test subjects, like rats, and we'll figure it out. You won't have to do this alone."
"You're never alone Skye. We would never risk you, even for all the scientific advancement in the world. You're worth so much more. And if there are limitations, you'll be the first to know after we find them. Your powers are incredible, but they aren't worth losing you by any accident." Simmons leaned her head against Skye's hugging her slightly.
"With these crazy abilities, I feel kinda like it's my responsibility to use them. You know what I said to Mike Peterson the first time I met him? I told him, 'With great power comes... a ton of weird crap you are not prepared to deal with.' I'm pretty sure it applies even more now than it did back then. It's insane. What are the odds I'd be some mutant and be recruited by SHIELD?"
Fitz pursed his lips in thought. "You know, I think the chances were in your favor. SHIELD attracts the most interesting people you'll ever know. It wasn't just likely that you'd find your way into SHIELD, being your not-quite-human self. It was probable. I will say this, though. Mutant or not, you're a great part of this team, and a great friend."
Skye smiled, feeling somewhat reassured. At her smile, her shoulders dropped, relaxing and slouching slightly. "Thanks guys."
"Our pleasure, Skye. Now! Shall we begin tests?"
Skye rolled her eyes, her smile turning lopsided. "Sure. Let's see what I'm made of."
