How Will I Ever Know

May moved across the lab ready to take on anyone trying to stop them. Coulson followed equally prepared to fight his way across the expanse. The techs that moved from station to station seemed either unaware or unconcerned with their presence. Each one was so engrossed with whatever they huddled over they barely picked up their heads to draw a quick breath. Even those in motion stared at the small screens they carried, never looking to see where they were headed or who may have passed them on the way. The entire room seemed to be inhabited by tech robots.

Coulson paused for a moment to watch or perhaps just to test that theory. It was like watching some weird video game…. 'No…no', he thought to himself. It was like that ant farm he had as a kid. He'd watched for hours as the tiny insects scurried to and from beneath the glass.

May reached the door across the room and placed a hand on the door handle. She looked over her shoulder expecting her partner to be inches behind. Instead she found him dumbfounded in the center of the lab…standing there just staring like some dumb-struck kid. She rolled her eyes and swore under her breath then turned and stormed toward him promising to slap him silly when this was over. She shook off the image of that scene and growled silently.

Ten steps later she dug her nails into his shoulder and spun him around. Coulson raised a fist then froze as she pulled him forward, silencing him with one fierce glare. She held tight until she pushed him back to the door, slammed it open and pushed him into the small room. The door clicked shut behind them.

"What the hell, Coulson!" She demanded.

"Did you see them?" He nodded toward the door, astonished that she had not noticed the oblivious lab techs.

May gave him a soft shove then marched toward the doctor's desk. "Got their head so far up their science shit they don't see a thing…" she snarled.

Coulson glanced over his shoulder at the closed door. He shook his head and turned back toward his partner.

The room…the office…was empty. It was in order…nothing out of place. The desk was neatly, though sparsely arranged, something that resembled a telephone or some sort of intercom, a few pens, a pad and a calendar with several notes scratched on the days. May breathed a sigh of relief and nodded to Coulson. Daisy would have used everything she was taught to protect herself and to escape if necessary. The fact that the room was intact told her there had been no altercation…unless.

"He could have drugged her." Coulson put her worst fear to words. She narrowed her eyes and stared at him over her shoulder. The man ran his finger along the edge of the doctor's desk. "She wouldn't have walked into that…not with her training."

May eyed the door on the opposite side of the office. "Unless she didn't see it coming…" She stepped around the only chair other than the one behind the desk and headed for it. "This damn place has more doors than Home Depot."

Coulson examined the calendar. "Doctor scribble," he huffed, "can't make out a thing."

"Hanzi," May remarked, listening intently at the door she'd moved to inspect. Hell, it could be a closet.

He scrunched his brow and glanced at the back of May's head. "Pretty sure it won't haunt me. I've seen worse."

May shook her head and stepped back to his side. "It's hanzi, Chinese characters." She paused for a moment then let out a breath. "The guy's obviously Chinese." She answered his unasked question.

"So?" Coulson nodded.

"How the hell should I know," May growled. "His handwriting's atrocious." She leaned forward to look closer.

Coulson waited.

"Something about a bridge," she tapped a square then ran her finger along what was more than likely a series of days, possibly a week in this dimension. "Child…risky….time…" She stopped, holding her finger on one specific scribble the looked up at Coulson.

He recognized the look and matched it with his own.

"Daisy," she breathed, her face turning into that of a fierce tigress ready to defend her young.

xx

Mack stood staring at the length of hose they'd pulled from the emergency fire box. It was more than twenty feet from nozzle to attachment. Fitz had estimated they needed at least five feet of it giving extra for the length they'd need to attach the flanges. He pointed out it would take more than fifteen minutes for the fluid to travel the length of the original hose given that it pumped at one fifth of the pressure of the water the hose would spew to put out any fire. It would slow down the door's opening to almost a foot per hour. They did not have that much time.

"Perhaps un buen golpe with that axe gun you are so proud to carry." Elena suggested. She stood with her arms crossed over her chest and stared at the same object.

Mack squatted down with a modicum of pain and shook his head. "Kevlar…at least three…maybe four layers…never get through it." He groaned as he stood again.

"So much protection to fire water?" The woman grimaced at the thought.

"Not if you're using it to defend the base." Fitz quipped.

Elena shook her head and let out a soft chuckle.

"Never know what might serve as a weapon in the heat of battle." Mack explained.

"It appears the hose has won this battle." Elena crossed her arms over her chest again and tapped one foot against the concrete.

Fitz squatted down, mitten-bandaged hands dangling over his knees. He appeared deep in thought. Mack and Elena remained silent, waiting for something that might solve this new development.

"A micron wavelength CO2 laser," Fitz mumbled more to himself than to anyone in particular, "ten point six, preferably but nine point three might work just a bit slower."

Elena lowered her head to hide her snicker. Mack ran a hand over his face, pulling his cheeks down as he let out a soft breath.

"It will do the job rapidly heating and vaporizing the materials that are directly in the beam path to create a clean and precise cut without contacting the material." Fitz smiled as he stood. "No fraying or loose ends…a perfect cut and no messy connections."

"That's great, Turbo." Mack smiled. "But we don't have a laser."

Fitz tapped the tip of one 'mitten' on his chin, holding his elbow with the other. "No….we…don't…" Again he was deep in thought. "But," he smiled. "Jemma does."

Before he could elaborate he was heading toward the Zephyr's ramp.

Mack and Elena exchanged confused glances then followed.

xx

Daisy tapped her finger on the schematics spread out on the desk before her. It really made no sense at all to her, nothing more than a lot of sketches and calculations she'd never understand, but the doctor insisted it was her way back home.

"You're a hundred percent sure?" She asked without turning toward the doctor.

"Nothing is one hundred percent, young one." Dr. Liu smiled. "It is likely closer to ninety…" He paused for a moment. Daisy's brows rose higher with each second. "Seven," he finished.

Daisy swallowed then took a deep breath. "You're sure it will be temporary?"

"Ah, yes of that I am quite sure." The doctor nodded, leaning forward then back as he held his hands prayer style before him.

Daisy turned up one side of her face and chewed her bottom lip. "Any idea how temporary?"

The doctor stuffed his hands in his jacket pockets and took a few steps across the room then turned back to the girl. "I am afraid I have no control on that variable. It may be a few hours but could be days or perhaps months. But I assure you, in time, you will be just as you are now."

Daisy let out a nervous laugh. "I'm not gonna grow a tail or anything, am I?"

"Not unless you have always had one." The doctor smiled back. He walked to the charts on the table and flipped through a few pages. Pointing to a series of computations he continued. "I have only used the information extracted from your Fitz's program and the DNA sequences that they revealed. The process will use that data to deactivate your molecules here and reassemble them in your parsec."

"Sounds a little Star Trekkie," Daisy curled her lip. It was the doctor's turn to look confused. The girl pursed her lips and shook her head. "Never mind, it would take way too long to explain."

The doctor stared at the girl for a moment, waiting for an explanation then smiled and laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Will I…" Daisy paused for a beat, not sure if she really wanted to know the answer to her question. She took a breath. "Will I still be me?" She asked without looking up at the man.

Dr. Liu chuckled as he moved around to face the girl. "You will indeed be you and have all of your memories and abilities. That will not change." He stopped for a moment when she glanced up quickly.

"So even though I'm…different, I'll know…be the same in here?" She tapped her temple.

"Everything in here," the doctor tapped his own temple, "is already there. This will not erase it. You may remember it all at once or in bits and pieces as you return to you as you are now." He pursed his lips and looked down at the papers on the desk. "I cannot say how those memories will be held or returned but a assure you they will."

"So I could be…." She flopped her hand down on the papers. "And this," she waved her hands up and down her sides. "In here," she ended tapping her temple again.

The doctor nodded with a smile, hoping the girl fully understood everything they had discussed.

Daisy gulped as her eyes widened with understanding. She swallowed hard and drew a deep breath. "When do I have to do to get started? Are you going to do it here?" She glanced around the much smaller laboratory.

Dr. Liu nodded. "We will have to wait for your parents' voyage to be completed. Once the power has been replenished I will begin your transition. It should be but a few minutes longer."

"Will it hurt?" Daisy rubbed her hands up and down her arms.

"Has it hurt before?" The doctor seemed intrigued. He hadn't thought to ask if any of the subjects had experienced pain. In his observation it did not appear that they had.

Daisy thought for a moment then shook her head. "Nah," she thought again. "Well a couple times but it wasn't from all the bouncing. It was more like leftovers from being in the wrong place." She wrinkled her nose and rubbed both hands on her backside recalling the bicycle incident. It seemed so long ago.

The doctor tilted his head to one side. He would like nothing more than to draw all the information he could from this girl but time would not allow it.

"What about Skye?" Daisy glanced at the numbers and letters that all ran together on the crinkled paper the doctor studied. She pointed a finger then twirled it around in a small circle. "She's not gonna get sucked in to this plan is she?"

"No," the doctor shook his head. "The child will not be harmed. She and her parents will go on as usual, resuming their lives."

Daisy stopped and took a shaky breath. "So she'll…" she swallowed and paused, collecting her thoughts. "We…we'll forget all this ever happened?"

"You will not. As I said you will have your memories." The doctor assured the girl. "Skye is but a child. She has many memories still to make. The child will grow up. What she remembers will be determined by only her and what her parents allow."

"Allow?" Daisy pulled her head back and curled her lip. "How can anyone allow you to remember?"

"Children ask many questions and some regard their experiences in a blur as they mature. What her parents say to fill in those gaps will serve to hinder or expand these memories." The doctor explained.

"Yeah," Daisy replied slowly. This guy talked a lot like Fitz-Simmons when they first met. She looked back to the schematics. "So how do we…" she searched for the correct words. "How do we do all this?" She again twirled her finger over it. "I don't see one of those tubey thingies for me in here."

The doctor smiled and walked toward a microwave sized container on the counter along the opposite wall. He picked it up and turned back holding it out to her.

"Whoa!" Daisy held out a hand. "There's no way…"

The doctor wrinkled his brow as he eased the top from the box.

xx

May and Coulson stepped into the quiet hallway. A quick glance in both directions and a pause to listen closely told them it was as empty as the office they had just exited. It was dull gray and dimly lit with one door only, at least forty feet away. There were no other doors or windows or even an air vent on either wall. They exchanged a knowing glance and moved toward it, each stayed close to one wall.

As they reached the door May moved to one side giving Coulson a quick nod. He stepped forward and wrapped his hand around the lever that would open it. Communicating only with eye contact he pushed down on the handle and eased the door open enough to cautiously enter. May remained ready to take on anyone or anything that prevented them from doing that.

Cool air escaped the room along with the steady beep of what had to be some sort of medical equipment. May pushed the thought of a hundred scenarios that had her child fighting for her life on some sort of respirator or worse. She pushed her way past Coulson who had frozen after taken five steps inside. She rushed by, fists raised, poised for a fight but slowed to the same frozen stance as the full realization of what the room held hit her like a firm punch in the gut. For a few seconds they both stood staring at the couple in the beds against the far wall.

"What…"

"How…"

They spoke at the same time then looked at each other and waited for the other to speak.

"How did they get here?" May spoke as she moved closer to her young counter part.

"He said they were fine…safe?" Coulson stepped to the foot of Phil's bed. He picked up the clipboard that hung there and flipped through the few pages. "I'm no expert but it doesn't look like he's got a problem."

May rolled her eyes and took the clipboard from the bottom of the second bed. She studied the first page then flipped to the second. Coulson was right. From the notes on Melinda's chart there appeared to be no reason for her to be unconscious. All of the beeping machines weren't keeping the couple alive, just monitoring their vitals. With a quick glance all of those readings were just as normal. She slipped the board back in place.

"So why are they…" May asked in a hushed voice. She gently placed a hand on Melinda's covered foot.

"Like this," Coulson finished. He had stepped to his young 'twin's' side, leaning over to peer into his own youthful face. He stood back and squeezed the man's shoulder.

xx

"You still there?" Skye's voice echoed in the large dark marble paneled restroom. The eeriness of it made her regret she had made her grandfather promise to stay outside the door. She stood and righted her clothing then almost jumped from the stall when the commode flushed itself. The little girl slapped her hands over her ears as the loud slush of water sucked down into the plumbing.

Skye spun around, flipped the catch on the door and stumbled out of the stall. "Yeye!" She shrieked, forgetting all about modesty and bravado. This place was creepy.

William pushed open the door and caught his granddaughter as she hurried to exit. She wrapped her arms around his middle as he peered over her looking for whatever had frightened the girl.

"I don't like this place." Skye mumbled into her grandfather's jacket. "I wanna go home."

William wrapped his arms around her and smiled, satisfied that she was indeed alone in the large restroom. "Have you washed your hands, sunnu?" The little girl shook her head rapidly but did not release her hold on the man. "Very well, then I will help you to the basin and stay with you. We will leave together." Again the little girl shook her head.

William took her shoulders and gently pushed her back. "It will take a few seconds and then we will be on our way." He smiled and nodded toward the long line of pristine sinks.

"Everything goes by itself, Yeye." Skye almost sobbed.

"That is to keep it sanitary, little one. The less it is touched the less bacteria is shared." He explained.

"The toilet growled at me and it flushed all by itself!" Skye's brows rose as William escorted her to the sink. She stretched her hands under the faucet then pulled them back when the water shot out. "See?" She pointed at the spigot.

William put his hand under the faucet again activating the automatic water spout. "It is but water, Skye and also soap." He placed his opposite hand under a smaller spout that dispensed a squirt of foamy soap then rubbed his hands under the still running water. "It is very safe." He smiled at the little girl then turned and tore off the towel that rolled out when he waved a hand beneath a red light on the wall.

Skye drew a breath then blew it out of puffed cheeks. "This place is weird." She shook her head and imitated her grandfather's actions then took his hand. "Let's find Mr. Liu and Daisy so we can go home. Maybe mommy and daddy are there now."

William gave a noncommittal nod and squeezed the little girl's hand.

The tremor that rocked the room knocked both to the hard floor.

xx

The box in Dr. Liu's hand shook a bit and Daisy wondered if the man was having second thoughts. The vibration built until the room shook. Items danced to the edge of the tables and counters then smashed to the floor. The schematics shuffled then scattered across the work station and fluttered in all directions. Dr. Liu staggered left then right and then back again, locking the box he held under one arm as he tried to latch onto a stable hold and remain upright.

Daisy looked at her hands, squeezed her fists tight and searched for the familiar buzz that filled her conscious. All she found was her own need to grab something and just hold on.

xx

The blue flash that filled the room appeared seconds before Coulson and May were thrown against opposite walls. The hospital beds bounced as monitors tumbled and crashed in an array of sparks and mini lighting bolts. One of the mattresses slid slide-long allowing Phil to slide to the floor before Coulson could stop him. May struggled to her feet and stopped the second mattress from following suit. A cart that held a few trays and smaller medical utensils bounced across the floor depositing its contents in a cacophony of metal clangs. A door opened spilling the contents of the small closet across the floor. Paper towels unrolled like streamers while tissue boxes tumbled like a child's block structure. Gauze, bandages and adhesive tape bumped and tumbled in all directions.

"Daisy?" Coulson shouted over the clamor.

May pursed her lips and shook her head.

The building seemed to bounce hard twice and then fell still and silent.

"What the hell was that?!" Melinda growled as she pushed herself into a sitting position and held a hand to her head. "And where the hell is the mule that kicked me?"

"I think it galloped over my head." Phil grumbled as he untangled himself from the sheets that wrapped around his legs. He stared at the short blue hospital gown that almost covered him and pulled them back.

Coulson stood and held out a hand to help the man to his feet. Phil looked at it for a moment, shook his head and wrapped the sheet around his shoulder before pulling himself upright.

"Mel!" he gasped, noticing his wife in the bed. "What happened?"

Melinda rubbed her temples and threw her legs over the edge of the mattress. She looked from Phil to the other couple and shook her head. "Last thing I remember was that damn empty space cracking open like glass." She closed her eyes and leaned forward. "S'like the worst hangover ever…"

"I think we might be responsible for that." Coulson shrugged.

Melinda looked up over her brows at him. May merely glared.

"Well not directly. Not us…" He pointed to himself and then to May. "More like the we we left back…" He motioned over his shoulder then let out a huff and dropped his hands to his side.

"Skye!" Melinda turned to May. "Where's Skye?"

"She's safe," May smiled. "Baba's got her."

"We have to get out of here." Melinda stood ignoring the exposure a hospital gown allows. She pulled off leads and patches as she did. "Where are my clothes?"

Coulson averted his eyes. Phil grabbed another sheet and wrapped it over her shoulders. She pushed it aside.

May glanced at the debris expelled by the closet and picked up a garment. "Try this." She tossed it to Melinda and smiled. "We'll give you a minute." She joined Coulson turning her back to the couple while they slipped into medical scrubs.

xx

"Yes, it is a laser, but it's meant as a scalpel. I don't think it has the power you need." Jemma sighed as she held up the pencil sized tool. "And however will you hold it?" She nodded toward his bandaged hands.

"Then we will have to boost it a bit, won't we." He replied, ignoring her question.

"It won't reach that far, Fitz." The doctor pointed out, as if he had not already thought that through.

"One problem at a time, Jemma," he rested his 'mittens' on her shoulders. "We will do this." He smiled and encouraged her to yank the laser from its source. Jemma sighed at the harshness of that action, stepped forward and carefully pulled the cord free. With a nod he led the way back to the hangar.

Mack had pushed and dragged the large welding machine as close to the hose as possible before the two scientists joined him. He detached the line that ran from the motor to the laser eye used to create or repair anything in the hangar that needed attention. He glanced at Elena and gave a quick exhale and an almost imperceptible nod.

Fitz stepped between them, examining both cords. The scalpel cord was noticeably thinner than the other. He blew a quick breath over his top lip and reached up to characteristically scratch the top of his head. Elena snuck a smile to Jemma when the man barely noticed his inability to do so.

"We have a bit of rewiring to do." He exhaled then stood still as a soft rumble shook the floor. A few discarded pieces of metal bounced in a quick dance then fell still. Everyone froze for a moment waiting for a more intense shake that did not come.

"Tell me what to do." Mack growled, grabbing both cords from him.

xx

Skye threw her arm around her grandfather and squeezed her eyes closed tightly. "I told you this place was weird. Did we step in a bad spot?" She yelled above the sound of the stall doors rapidly slamming back and forth.

A moment later it was silent and still. The little girl opened one eye but kept her fingers firmly attached to a handful of William's jacket. When everything remained calm she opened the other eye and pushed herself to sit on the cold marble floor. Slowly she released her grip and looked in all directions.

"Was that a land quake, Yeye? I never felt a land quake." Skye shook her head. "Was it like the one when you were a little kid in yer village? She waited for an answer as she took in the large dark room. Nothing had moved but the doors and they were not moving anymore. "Was it, Yeye?" She turned to her grandfather who had not stirred. "Yeye?" She put a hand on his arm and shook it gently. "Yeye?"

The little girl rose to her knees and put both hands on William's chest. She wrapped her hands in the lapels of his jacket and shook it. "YEYE! YEYE! What's the matter? YEYE!"

Tears spilled from the child's eyes as panic took control. She sobbed once then drew a deep breath and shook her grandfather again, calling his name repeatedly. The man emitted a low moan but did not stir or open his eyes.

"It's okay, Yeye, it's okay." Skye sniffled, quickly swiping at her tears and drippy nose with her sleeve. She stood and ran to the door then hurried back and dropped back down beside him. "I gotta leave yer side ta get help, but…" she sniffled again and used the opposite sleeve to again wipe her nose. "But I'll come back. I promise." She started to stand then threw herself across his chest and hugged him tightly. "Please be okay, Yeye." She whispered then stood and used both hands to open the heavy wooden door.

Skye looked in both directions then headed away from where she and her grandfather had spent most of the day. The only thing there was that snack room and nobody came in there, not even once. She turned and sped in the opposite direction slamming through the double doors at the end of the hall. It led only to another hallway and she hadn't seen one person. The little girl remembered a lesson she'd had in school once. The teacher said when you needed help you had to make a lotta noise. That was one thing she knew she could do and anyway Dr. Liu had to be somewhere in this way too white building.

xx

"When's the last time you saw her?" Melinda demanded as she stormed out of what had been a makeshift hospital room in green scrubs and barefeet.

"About two hours," May replied keeping in exact step.

Phil looked to Coulson. "What the hell is this place? It's like some damn rat's maze."

"Lab of some kind," Coulson replied hurrying to keep up with both versions of his partner. "Dr. Liu claims he can send us back and end this circus."

"Great," Phil growled noticing his wife was at least twenty paces ahead.

Melinda stopped and held up a hand, motioning for silence. May had stopped a second before, cocking her head to one side at a sound she almost recognized. Phil and Coulson stood in place struggling to hear what their respective partners could.

"Skye!" Both women exclaimed a second before breaking into a run.

The men exchanged a glance and sped after them.

xx

"HELP! SOMEBODY, HELP! WHERE'S EVERYBODY? HELP!" Skye hollered as she ran without any specific direction. Her shrill voice echoed in the huge hallways.

Melinda and May followed the child's voice rounding a corner as the little girl slipped around one at the opposite end of the hall, still bellowing her need.

"SKYE!" Phil and Coulson's voice boomed in the wide space.

In the next hallway, Skye stopped mid shriek. "Daddy?" She whispered, then spun around and ran back where she had come. She rounded the corner and burst into tears at the sight.

"MOMMY!" She screamed as she sped into Melinda's arms. "Mommy, mommy…" she repeated over and over into her mother's embrace. Melinda kissed the top of her head and let her own tears of relief fall freely.

Phil joined them, wrapping his arms around both as May and Coulson stepped back, smiling. Skye let go of Melinda with one arm and held on to her father, still sobbing uncontrollably. They remained that way until the little girl was calm enough to speak. Again she swiped away her tears and sniffles with her sleeve.

"Oh, Skye," Melinda scolded gently. "Use a t…" she reached for the Kleenex she always kept in a pocket then realized there were no pockets.

Skye swiped her nose again and looked at her parents for the first time. "Why are you doctors?" She sniffed again.

Both looked at their outfits then back at their child. "It's not important, sweet pickle." He hugged her to his chest and kissed the top of her head.

Skye pushed back quickly. She grabbed his hand. "You gotta come." She pulled him forward. "Yeye got hurt. I can't wake him up." She tugged again.

May and Coulson moved closer.

"He's in the weird bathroom." She tugged harder. "We got knocked over when everything was shaking then it stopped and I couldn't wake him up. Come on!"

The little girl pulled her father a few feet with the others following. She stopped and looked back at them then back at the series of hallways she had traversed. "I…I don't know which way…I don't remember."

"It doesn't matter." A stern male voice caused the small group to turn. "You will need to come with us." The man spoke calmly. "All of you."

Phil pushed Skye behind him as Coulson stepped to his side. May and Melinda fell into defensive stance.

The man held up his hands as several more men stepped into the hall at both ends. He smiled and nodded toward the little girl. "There is no need for violence, ladies. After all none of us wants to see the child hurt."

Melinda and May did a quick inventory of the men in the hallway. They were outnumbered at least ten to one and who knew how many they couldn't see. Both knew they could handle the battle but neither would risk their child's welfare. They exchanged one look and relaxed.

"Good," the man smiled. "Now if you would all just follow me this way. I am sure we can bring all of this to a mutually satisfying conclusion." He stepped aside and waved his arm in the direction he needed them to move.

Melinda took Skye's hand, Phil took the other. May and Coulson moved together and followed the man's order.