Chapter 28

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The next few hours pass slowly for the member of New SHIELD and Pepper Potts. While Skye, Fitz and Pepper are sited in the War Room monitoring everything they can everyone else is on their way to the academy of science and technology.

Even though it is a relatively short flight, only a few hours, everyone on the plane spread out once they take off. Ever since they took off Bucky has been sitting down in the lounge area of the plane debating whether or not he should go and talk to Coulson who is up in his office, he is almost sure that he is going to wait until he sees Melinda walk up to Coulson's office at which point he is sure that he is going to talk to him but then he realises that he shouldn't just have the conversations without Skye so he doesn't, he just returns to switching between looking out of the window and checking on Steve who is sitting with Tony and Bruce discussing something.


Only minutes before they are due to touch down Maria's voice comes over the Coms system at the tower so that she can talk to Skye, Pepper and Fitz,

"What's the situation?" Maria asks, "Has anything changed?" She asks.

"Satellite looks the same, no agencies in the way, you're clear." Pepper tells her.

"Skye?" Maria asks.

"All's…..crap." Skye says.

"Need more than crap here Skye, what's going on?" Maria asks, "Has something changed?"

"Not yet, but it's about to?" Skye asks, "How long will it take you to get to the academy from where you are?" Skye asks.

"We're just landing now so five minutes." Maria answers, "What's going on?"

"In five minutes Grace Pierce is going to make a call to the person in change there and order him to once more make the offer to join Hydra and kill anyone who refuse." Skye reveals, "Act as fast as you can, I'm going to buy you some time." Skye tells her Aunt.

"How are you going to do that?" Pepper asks.

"With a phone call." Skye answers, "Aunt Maria go." Skye instructs as she pulls the phone that Ward has the number to out of her pocket.


After she ends communication with everyone back at the tower Maria, who was alone In Coulson's office, runs downstairs to the Cargo bay where everyone is getting suited up.

"We've got to go now." Maria says as she runs down the stairs.

"Problem?" Tony asks as Natasha hands her ICERS and rounds.

"According to Skye's power we've got five minutes before Grace is going to give orders to kill anyone who refuses to join Hydra." Maria reveals, "Skye is going to try and buy us time but we've got to go." She says.

"How is Skye going to buy us time?" Coulson asks.

"With a phone call." Maria answers as everyone gets in the cars.


Thanks to her abilities Skye knows a number at which she can contact Grace at but not just any number a number which the only two people in the world who have it are her brothers, so she always answers.

Skye waits for three minutes to pass before she dials the number as she knows that it is the way to give the others the most time she can.

"Hello?" Grace asks when she answers after only a couple of rings.

"Grace Pierce, I thought it was time we talked." Skye says into the phone as Pepper and Fitz look between her and the satellite images.

"Who are you?" Grace asks.

"Skye Coulson." Skye answers, "Please don't say that your next question is going to be how I get this number."

"It's not, I know how you got it." Grace answers, "I am curious as to why you are calling now though." Grace responds.

"Like I said, I thought it was time we talked. We do have a lot to talk about after all." Skye responds.

"Yeah, I guess we do." Grace answers, "Are you the one who killed my father?"

"No, I wasn't." Skye answers as she knows that in the official record the one that Grace defiantly would have seen Alexander Pierce was killed by Natasha in self-defence.

"But you did kill fifteen of my men." Grace tells Skye.

"I never intended for that to happen." Skye tells Grace, not saying that she really wished that that didn't happen and that she feels guilt over those deaths "We were only stunning, we, I, never wanted to hurt anyone, you're the one who gave the orders to blow the place up." Skye tells her.

"What about Grant, did you mean to hurt him?" Grace asks.

"I don't remember hurting Grant, do you want to explain that one to me?" Skye asks wanting to buy as much time as possible because she knows thanks to her powers that neither Grace nor anyone else has given kill order.

"You didn't want to be with him, you don't want to be with him, that hurt him." Grace reveals, "And I'm not overly found of people who hurt my family." She reveals.

"Good to know." Skye answers, "Grant and I didn't work because I now have memories of him looking after me as a baby and young child and once I grew up again I didn't feel the same about him as I once did." Skye tells Grace, "I'm guessing you we're filled in on that." Skye comments, "Because he felt odd about us after that as well."

"I'm aware, but I also know my brother, I know that he doesn't often say what he is feeling." Grace tells Skye.

"That's because of you, isn't it?" Skye asks, "You taught him to be like that."

"The vile human beings we called our parents did that to him, not me." Grace tells Skye, "I saved him."

"Is that what you call what you did to him?" Skye asks.

"YES." Grace says clearly getting angry, "He was broken by our parents I put him back together, you can think whatever you want about me but the one thing that even you know to be true without a doubt is that I care about my brothers and everything they have done has been their choice, I've never forced them into anything." Grace tells Skye.

"That we agree on." Skye responds as while Grace did manipulate both Grant and his brother a lot she never forced them to do anything, they always had a choice.

"What is this really about Skye?" Grace asks, "What did I do to get the pleasure of you calling me?" Grace asks.

"Like I said, I thought it was time we talked." Skye responds.

"No, this is more than that." Grace realises, "There is something you aren't saying." Grace realise.

"Quite often there is, but it's nothing important." Skye answers.

"Let me decide that." Grace requests.

"I know a lot of my power but I don't get a real feel for a person with it." Skye tells Grace, partly lying but partly telling the truth at the same time, "I felt considering everything that it was time I got a feel for you." Skye responds.

"Well I usually prefer dinner first." Grace responds and Skye curses herself for giving an opening like that.

"You and me and dinner, I think I've got to pass on that." Skye responds, "You're not my type." Skye responds.

"Shame, the famous Skye Coulson, I would love to get to know you more." Grace responds.

"Over torture." Skye responds, "Not exactly my thing." Skye answers.

"Like you wouldn't do the same." Grace responds.

"I really wouldn't." Skye answers as Pepper hands her a note saying that the academy has been secured, "Well as nice as it was talking to you, I've got to go." Skye tells Grace.

"Of course, I look forward to talking to you again." Grace says and Skye hangs up.

"I feel like I need a shower now." Skye says once she hangs up as she hates that she had to be so nice to Grace, "Report?" Skye asks Pepper who doesn't even have to say anything for Skye to realise that something happened, the look she has on her face says it all. "What happened?" Skye asks concerned and together Pepper and Fitz explain to Skye what happened.


Due to the fact that Natasha, Clint and Tony who were the ones driving the three vehicles completely speed to get to the location they are at the rally point within a few minutes.

"Remember Bruce, Simmons, stay in the car until we need you." Steve says and the pair nod, "Tony, Sam, Clint, Buck, get in position." He says and Tony picks up Bucky while Sam picks up Clint and they fly off.

"Let's go." Maria says and the group head off towards the buildings of the academy.

Once they reach the buildings Steve signals to the others to split up which is exactly what they do, Steve, Melinda and Natasha go one way while the others go another.

Once Melinda, Natasha and Steve get close enough to the doors they see, as they were expecting two guards by the door.

"Now Buck." Steve says through the coms and Bucky hits either guard with an ICER bullet to the arm knocking the both out.

Once they see the guards full Natasha, Melinda and Steve head in. As around the back Clint deals with the guards out their allowing Coulson, Garrett, Melinda, Tripp and Sharon to go in.

Natasha, Melinda and Steve are in the building and with the help of Bucky who is sniping through the windows manage to ICE a lot of the guards before they even realise what is going on, but as soon as they do they start to use the cadets as hostages, which due to the fact that they are so focused on protecting themselves form Natasha, Melinda, Steve and Bucky, allows the others to sneak in and ICE them from behind.

While the man group are dealing with the threats inside Tony and Sam, with help of Clint who is multitasking, are dealing with the Hydra agent's outside, the ones who are standing guard on the perimeter or just outside.

"Bruce, Simmons, get down here and get down here fast." Coulson's voice requests about five minutes after the first guard was ICED.

"Are any of our people hurt?" Simmons asks as Bruce stars to drive.

"A few cuts a bruises." Coulson answers, "The person with the most serious injury is Steve, he was fired upon by several people and a bullet managed to get through the armour." He reveals as the only reason it even had a chance to get through the armour is because Steve was using his shield to block another attack as it seems that the Hydra agents were doing their best to focus all their attacks on Steve so that they could try and take him out.

"How bad?" Bruce asks fighting to remain calm.

"I'm fine." Steve's voice answers, though it is clear that he is in pain.

"You're shot." Bucky's voice says through the coms, ''That's not okay." He tells him.

"Bruce, are you okay?" Simmons asks concerned but because the coms are still open everyone hers.

"Bruce, I'm okay." Steve assures, "I heal fast and it's not as bad as it could be, I'm okay." Steve assures his boyfriend.

"Bruce, see he's okay." Simmons says walking over to him.

"Don't come closer." Bruce tells Simmons, as when one of the three people he cares about the most is hurt he has a harder time controlling himself.

"Simmons open the door to the van." Tony's voice request and Simmons goes and does that, when she does she sees Tony hovering on the outside, as soon as the door is open he flies in and somehow, Simmons isn't quite sure how, he manages to land in the van then walks up to Bruce.

"He's okay." Tony says grabbing one of Bruce's hands in an attempt to calm him, "It's a wound to the side, the bullet is still lodged but I don't think it hit anything major, he's sitting down, Bucky is watching him and he seems to be doing okay." Tony assures Bruce, who just nods.


"I need to go out there." Steve says standing up.

"What, no, you need to rest." Bucky tells his friend.

"I need to show Brue that I'm okay, otherwise we're going to have a problem." Steve says as he knows, thanks to Tony and Bruce, that the Hulk exists to protect Bruce and due to the fact of how much Bruce cares about Tony, Pepper and Him, the Hulk will do whatever he has to to protect them as well.

"You need to rest." Bucky tells him.

"I need to see Bruce." Steve says trying to push past Bucky and as he does it becomes clear that his injury is affecting him a bit.

"Fine, then let me help you." Bucky says as he realises there is no stopping his friend.

"Thank you." Steve responds as he puts an arm around Bucky to help him walk and they head outside.


Bucky helping Steve walk outside just as Tony, Simmons and Bruce pull up in the van.

"I thought you were getting him to sit." Tony says when he sees Bucky and Steve.

"I tried, he didn't listen." Bucky responds.

"Tripp is starting to do what he can with the injuries, Jemma please can you go and give him a hand." Steve requests and Jemma nods and heads inside.

"I'm okay." Steve says looking directly at Bruce, "See, I'm okay." He repeats as he removes his arm from around Bucky and stands up straight, to show Bruce that he has nothing to worry about, that he is okay.

"Sit down." Tony, Bucky and Bruce say together and Bucky helps Steve over to the van where he sits down.

"It's not that bad honestly." Steve tells the other three.

"Just because you keep saying that doesn't mean we're going to believe it more." Bucky tells him.

"Show me." Bruce requests and Steve moves his hand out of the way to reveal a tear in his uniform and a bullet wound, "Because you heal quick I've got to get that out before you start to heal around it otherwise it will cause problems." Bruce tells Steve.

"No point using that, it won't work." Steve tells Bruce when he sees Bruce getting anaesthetic out.

"Then this is going to hurt." Bruce tells him.

"I can handle it." Steve tells him, "Don't you two have something better to do?" He asks Tony and Bucky.

"No." Tony and Bucky respond.

"I'll try and make this as painless as possible." Bruce tells Steve.

"Thanks." Steve responds and Bruce gets to work.


Back at the tower Pepper and Fitz have finished filling Skye in on what she missed when she was talking to Grace, and as they do it becomes clear that Pepper is very worried about Steve. It was a shock for Skye to find out that Steve was the one hurt the most when he is the hardest to hurt, which makes Skye realises that was Hydra's point. If they can hurt the strongest of their enemy's then there is nothing that they can't do.

"Skye, Pepper, Fitz?" Coulson's voice asks.

"Yeah Dad, we're here, what's going on?" Skye asks.

"Simmons, Tripp and Sharon are helping the wounded. Maria, Melinda, Natasha, John and I are starting the vetting process while Sam and Clint are keeping guard. Tony, Bucky, Steve and Bruce are outside, Bruce is treating Steve's injury." Coulson explains

"How bad is Steve hurt?" Pepper asks worried.

"I'm honestly not sure, but I do not believe it is serious." Coulson answers, "Skye call the FBI, we need to start getting some of these people debriefed, some to jail and others to the hospital." Coulson tells his daughter.

"On it." Skye answers, "I'll warn them about all the bodies they'll find in the other buildings." Skye says trying not to think about all the lives that were lose because she knows that if she does then she will know how each and every one of them died.

"That would be a good decision" Coulson responds.

"Jarvis, connect me to the FBI, make sure they know that it is New SHIELD calling" Skye requests.

"Yes Miss Coulson." Jarvis responds as the call is connected.


For the hours that follow Skye making her call the FBI, Pepper, Skye and Fitz realise that they are useless as there is nothing they can do from New York while everyone else is at the academy.

A couple of hours after the call Fitz went down to the lab leaving Skye and Pepper in the war room.

"Are you alright?" Skye ask Pepper concerned.

"I don't like it when one of them are hurt, or in danger." Pepper tells Skye.

"I get that, it's not a good feeling." Skye tells her Aunt.

"I would feel a bit better if I was there with them, if I could see for myself that he is okay." Pepper admits.

"He is okay, I know that." Skye tells her Aunt.

"That helps, but I still wish I was with them." Pepper tells her niece.

"I know, so do I." Skye responds and before either one of them can say anymore Skye's phone rings, "I was expecting this." Skye tells her Aunt.

"Who is it?" Pepper asks.

"Grace." Skye says as she presses the answer button, "Hello." Skye says.

"I've got to say, nicely done." Grace tells her.

"Thank you, but you did make it really easy." Skye responds, "Embarrassingly so really, I didn't have much faith that you would fall for such a distraction but I am glad you did."

"You realises that I will never fall for that again right." Grace tells Skye.

"Well I guess it's a good thing that I don't plan to use it again." Skye tells Grace.

"You have no idea what you've just done." Grace tells Skye.

"Oh, I don't? Why don't you tell me." Skye responds.

"You've started a war Coulson." Grace tells Skye, "I can't let this go without retaliation, but know this everything that happens, every live that is lost, every person who suffers or is caused pain is on you, you did this, you started it." Grace tells Skye.

At Grace's words Skye realises that she is right and for the first time since she learnt about her power she loses complete control for a second and lets her anger at Grace, and the pain she feels because she knows that she is right, take over causing Skye to give a heartbreaking cry of anger and pain and send out a beam of her energy out of her which breaks all the windows in the war room.

"SKYE." Pepper yells worried as she avoids getting hit by the glass and rushes to Skye's side.

"Stay back." Skye tells her aunt as she doesn't know if she is in control again yet and she doesn't want to her hurt Aunt.

"You won't hurt me." Pepper says, fully believing her words, as she walks up to her niece, bends down and hugs her.

Pepper hold Skye in her arms from several minutes until they finally break apart and she reaches down a picks up Skye's phone which has fallen on her lap and when she sees that the call is still in progress she puts it to her ear.

"Grace Peirce this is Pepper Potts, if it's a war you want then it's a war you're going to get." Pepper says before once hanging up the phone and once more hugging her niece who is now petrified that she is going to lose control again.

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