Request from TMayBe: Right after Daisy's mom tried to kill her and Coulson and his hand... Love the dramatics! Thanks! You're amazing!
Thank you all for the kind words! It means a lot :)
Coulson stared at the hand that was now disconnected from his body. He couldn't move from the shock. The edges of his vision began to tint black, but before he completely passed out he had a single thought in his mind,
"Skye." He whispered before completely collapsing to the floor.
Coulson awoke to the sound of machines beeping and the roar of a plane. He knew immediately he was on the Bus, but he also knew something wasn't quite right. He turned his head and to the left of him he saw the problem. Skye lay in her own hospital bed looking worse for wear. Her skin had a sickly-gray tone to it, and she was surrounded by blankets and looked peaceful despite being covered in cuts and bruises. The girl appeared younger than she actually was and it broke Phil's heart.
"Oh, sir! You're up." Simmons entered and immediately checked his vitals.
"Simmons…" He said, not taking his eyes off Skye, "what? What happened to her?"
Immediately, Jemma's smile turned into a frown and her eyes grew dark.
"Her mom, um, Jaiying..." She couldn't even finish the sentence as she blinked back tears. The room was filled with silence once again before Simmons left, suggesting he get some rest. Coulson nodded and thanked the young scientist, but as soon as the woman left he got up and sat in the chair next to Skye's bed.
He dozed off and on, but a majority of his focus was on the girl laying on the hospital bed. His eyes were slipping shut again when a groan made him snap them back open.
"A.C.?" The girl croaked. She squinted her eyes open and blinked several times.
"Hey there, kid." He adjusted the strap on his sling then leaned forward. Skye was still a little out of it, which caused him to smile a little. She just looked like a little kid.
"Water?" She asked. Coulson immediately got up to get her a glass, then proceeded to help her keep her hands steady as she brought the cup to her lips.
"What 'appened to your arm?" She slurred and Coulson couldn't help but chuckle.
"Oh, just a slight mishap." He shrugged, but she looked at him with curious eyes. "Mack cut it off. I dove to catch a terrigen crystal, so he saved me from becoming a pile of rock."
"I'm sorry." Skye whispered and looked down at her fidgeting hands.
"It's not your fault, Skye." Coulson moved to sit on the edge of the bed and grabbed her hand to keep them from fidgeting.
"I didn't know who to trust, and she was my mother, but I should've known."
"Hey, look at me. You couldn't have known. No one blames you, okay?" The girl nodded, but kept her gaze down.
"How're you feeling?"
"Fine."
"Skye," He admonished, "I know things didn't end well with your mom. So, honestly, how are you feeling?"
"I've been better, been worse." She shrugged then continued after Coulson gave her the dad look, "My bones feel tired and my stomach feels like it's doing backflips… My head feels like a thousand bees are trapped inside, but it's fine…. What about you? You planning on becoming Captain Hook or?"
He smiled at her poor attempt at a joke.
"Nah, the hook could be hazardous, but it'd look pretty cool." Skye laughed and agreed.
"But really, it can't be easy." She said, worry etched all over her face.
"My fingers feel numb, but I've got quite a few pain meds in me at the moment. It'll take time." He was trying to stay positive despite the terrible situation they were all put in. Skye glanced at his arm in the sling then quickly looked away blinking back tears. Coulson studied Skye and knew there was something bothering her.
"Talk to me, kiddo. What're you not telling me?"
Skye's eyes filled with fresh tears. She took a moment to gather her thoughts and reign in her emotions.
"It wasn't just a fight, on the roof I mean. I went up there to stop her, and then… I let my guard down. She told me how much she had wanted me and how much she loved me." Skye sniffled and wiped a few tears away. "And then… and then I thought she was coming around, but I was wrong. She used her powers against me, her own daughter. She tried to take the life outta me."
Coulson was horrified. He knew Jaiying had issues, but he didn't think she would go for the kill with Skye. He stared at the girl in front of him, shocked that he had almost lost her again.
He almost lost the closest thing to a daughter he had. A shiver ran down his spine at the thought of what nearly happened.
"And then what?" He couldn't help but ask. He knew Skye made it out alive, but he needed to know what happened next.
"I quaked the terrigen into the ocean. And the Cal," Her voice broke, "Cal saved me. He broke her spine. He killed the love of his life to save me."
Skye let the tears freely roll down her cheeks.
"Jaiying may have been his love, but Skye, you were his everything. He'd do anything for you." Coulson smiled sadly and moved to wrap his good arm around her shoulders.
"I know that now." Skye whispered and leaned into the hug. "It's not just that though. If I had just trusted Shield, trusted you! You'd still have a hand, innocent agents wouldn't be dead, and… and May wouldn't hate me."
"May doesn't hate you."
"No, Coulson, I fought her. I fought her while my mother tried to kill everyone!" She spat angrily.
"Skye, you didn't know. No one blames you, okay? We aren't the only ones who were hurt by this, you were hurt too, and it isn't your fault."
Skye just let out a little sob and buried her face into Coulson's shoulder. He let her release her pent-up emotions and comforted her as much as possible.
"Skye?" He said, pulling away to look his daughter in the eyes, "Please believe me when I say we all forgive you, and none of this is your fault. You did what you thought was right in a confusing situation, and it didn't work out, but it wasn't your fault."
She didn't say anything, but he knew in time she would realize it wasn't her fault. It broke his heart that this young girl had endured so much hardship and betrayal. What broke his heart even more was the fact that he could protect the world, but he couldn't be the shield for Skye. He vowed that although he couldn't protect her from other people, he would never betray her and he'd love her as his own.
