Chapter 32
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AN: Thank you to all who have added to alerts, read, reviewed or any combination of the three. It means a lot to me.
AN2: Sorry this chapter is later than usual but I have been away from my computer all day. That is also why I haven't responded to reviews from the previous chapters, but I will do that in the next hour. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
The next six hours pass in the same way. Doctor Streiten coming in every half an hour to check on Melinda and Coulson, Clint, Natasha and Skye not moving or looking away from Melinda. For the entire six hours Skye has been asleep which has led to Coulson, Clint and Natasha becoming more worried about her.
"How is she?" Natasha asks Coulson.
"Fine, as far as I can tell." Coulson responds.
"You haven't eaten or moved out of that chair in almost ten hours, why don't you take some time, have some food, stretch your legs." Clint suggests.
"I'm not leaving her." Coulson tells Clint.
"Okay." Clint says knowing that it was very unlikely that Coulson would agree to his suggestion, "What about if I go get you some food, will you eat?" Clint asks.
"Yes." Coulson responds "Get something for Skye too." He requests.
"Of course." Clint answers "Nat?" He asks and Natasha nods.
"I'll be back soon." Clint says before leaving the room.
Once Clint leaves the door opens and Tony walks in.
"How is she?" He asks Natasha quietly.
"According to Streiten as okay as she can be." Natasha answers. "He still won't say what her chances are though." Natasha admits.
"How are they?"
"Not great." Natasha answers.
"Fury's on the warpath." Tony comments.
"I know, but we told him the truth, he'll realise that soon." Natasha comments giving Stark a look which says don't say more here.
"Pepper's sitting with Fitz and Simmons. They're not doing too good." Tony reveals "I should get back to them. Ward is outside, send him if any of you need anything." Tony requests showing his more caring side.
"Thanks Tony." Natasha says and Tony leaves with a nod.
Ten minutes after Stark leaves Clint returns with food.
"Skye, Honey wake up." Coulson tells Skye shaking her awake
"Mom?" Skye asks waking up "Is she okay?" Skye asks turning to look at her mother.
"She's still the same." Coulson tells his daughter. "Clint brought food, you hungry?" Coulson asks.
"Yeah I am." Skye admits.
"Then come help yourself Kid, I brought more than enough." Clint tells his niece.
Coulson, Clint and Natasha all would like to ask how Skye is feeling but because they can't risk being overhead they don't.
"Dad, what do you want?" Skye asks her father as she walks over to where Clint has put all the food, "Uncle Clint brought everything." She comments looking at the various raps and sandwiches and other food that Clint brought.
"I'm not fussed, you guys take what you want I'll have what's left." Coulson tells her.
"Here." Skye says walking over and handing her Dad a sandwich and a coffee.
Coulson nods and drinks a mouthful of the coffee.
"How long was I asleep for?" Skye asks curious.
"About seven hours." Natasha answers.
Skye nods and sits back down, just as she does the door opens and Doctor Streiten walks back in.
"Doc, what is it?" Coulson asks concerned when the Doctor finishes his exam and has an odd look on his face.
"She is starting to fight the intubation." Dr Streiten answers.
"That's a good thing, right?" Coulson comments.
"It is, but at the same time with the damage done to her lungs I wouldn't be comfortable removing it at the moment." Dr Streiten explains.
"So what are you going to do?" Clint asks concerned.
"I'm going to monitor even more closely for the next hour and increase he sedation, and make a decision in an hour about how to proceed" Streiten explains.
"And if she keeps fighting the intubation, are you going to remove it?" Natasha asks
"Yes, I will." Dr Streiten answers "But doing so is risky because while her lungs seem to be doing very well at the moment they are damaged and there function could decrease quickly." Dr Streiten explain, "I will be back in twenty minutes." Dr Streiten says before leaving.
"Why can't we just get good news?" Skye asks. "Why does there have to be bad as well?" She asks.
"I don't know." Coulson answers.
"Where's the bathroom?" Skye asks several minutes later.
"Down the hall." Natasha answers "Ward is outside get him to show you." She tells her and Skye nods and exits the room.
As soon as Skye exit the room Ward stands up and walks over to her.
"How is she?" He asks concerned.
"Good, bad. It's not really clear." Skye answers "She's fighting the intubation which is good, but her lungs are damaged which makes removing the intubation is risky, and Dad's falling apart and I'm so tied and…" Skye begins to say but Ward cuts her off.
"Hey, it's okay." Ward tells her reaching out and grabbing her hand.
"No, it's not. How is any of this okay?" Skye asks.
"You're Mom's alive." Ward tells her, "I know it's not much, but it's something, and no matter what happens you're not alone. You have your Dad and Natasha and Clint, FitzSImmons even Stark and Pepper, and you have me. No matter what happens you're not going to have to handle it alone." He tells her.
"Thanks Grant." Skye tells him, "Where are the bathrooms? тетя Наташа told me to ask you." Skye says to him.
"Hey, you finally got it right." Ward comments.
"Yeah I did." Skye realises, "Bathrooms?" She asks.
"This way." He tells her leading her to the bathrooms neither minding that he hasn't let go of her hand.
An hour later Dr Streiten comes back for his third check of the hour. When he enters the room everyone is in the exact same position that they were in a hour ago though both Skye and Coulson have briefly left to go to the bathroom, Coulson being as quick as possible because he didn't want to leave Melinda for longer than he had to.
"Dr Streiten, what's the verdict?" Coulson asks.
"I'm going to remove the intubation but she will remain sedated for another twelve to twenty four hours and she will be on oxygen and monitored closely." He informs Coulson, "You're going to have to leave while I remove the tube." He tells Coulson.
"No, I'm not leaving her." Coulson says leaving no room for argument, "Skye go outside with Tasha and Clint for a few minutes." He tells her daughter.
"Okay." Skye says and she leaves the room with Natasha but Clint walks over to Coulson.
"We should listen to the Doctor, Phil." Clint tells him.
"No, I'm not leaving her." Coulson says not looking away from Melinda.
"Phil…"
"No."
"Doc, would it be alright if we stayed?" Clint asks realising that there is nothing he can do to get Coulson to leave Melinda and he's not going to leave Coulson.
"I guess it will be okay, but it will not be pleasant for you to see this." Dr Streiten informs Clint and Coulson as he comes to the same conclusion that Clint did, there's no way to get Coulson to leave.
"I understand." Coulson responds and Dr Streiten get started on removing the tube from Melinda's throat.
When Natasha and Skye exit the room they don't just see Ward waiting but FitzSimmon, Pepper and Tony as well.
"What's happening?" Simmons asks.
"Dr Streiten is removing the intubation, but Coulson won't leave so Clint's staying with him." Natasha answers.
"That's good right, that they are removing the intubation?" Pepper asks as she assumes so.
"It is but how Agent May responds is the unpredictable part." Simmons answers.
"What do you mean?" Ward asks.
"Just because she is fighting the intubation doesn't necessarily mean she is really ready for it to be removed. She could go downhill and fast without it." Simmons explains "How are you?" She asks Skye quietly.
"Week, worried, scared, a thousand other things." Skye responds just as quietly.
"Not here." Natasha tells the pair just as quietly.
"Agent Romanoff a word." Hill says walking down the corridor.
"Of course." Natasha responds and she follows her down the corridor and to Hill's office.
"How is Melinda doing?" Hill asks concerned.
"She's having the intubation removed and from what Dr Streiten said it's all down to chance now, she could get better or she could get worse." Natasha explains. "You know you can come and see her for yourself."
"I know, and I will. Just not now." Hill answers.
"Of course." Natasha responds realising that it must be just as hard for Hill to see Melinda hurt as it is for her because Melinda is more than just an agent to Hill she's a friend and a mentor, something that Hill truly look up too.
"I don't know whether you're lying about what happened but I know if you are you have a good reason." Hill tells Natasha "But Fury is determine to know that reason, it may be a better course of action to just tell him. I have told him my opinion that he should just let it go but he won't." Hill informs Natasha.
"Thank you for telling me that but we're not lying so there is nothing for Director Fury to discover." Natasha comments "I should be getting back." She says.
"Of course." Hill responds and Natasha walks to the door.
"Maria, you should come and see her, ever if it's just for a couple of minutes." Natasha says before exiting the room.
An hour later Natasha and Skye are back in Melinda's room. Having took Natasha's advice Hill come to see Melinda but she only stayed for a few minutes.
"How much longer did Streiten say he is going to keep her sedated for?" Skye asks interested.
"Twenty four hours if she doesn't get any worse." Coulson answers. "But it will be at least twenty four hours after the sedation is removed before she is awake." He explains.
Skye nods and makes herself more comfortable on the chair just as there is a knock on the door and Simmons walks in "Fitz and I are heading back to the plane to get a few things, is there anything any of you need?" She asks.
"No, but thanks Jemma." Skye answers.
"No, take Ward with you." Coulson answers and Natasha and Clint both shake their heads no.
Simmons nods and exits the room.
The next twenty four hours pass the same way. Coulson and Skye not leaving Melinda unless they have to go the bathroom, or in Skye's case change into the clean clothes that Simmons brought her even though she didn't ask for them. Natasha and Clint only leave for about ten minutes at a time to get everyone food or to allow the others to spend a bit of time with Melinda, and even then they are right outside the door, except when they both went back to the bus at different times to have a shower and put on clean clothes. Thanks to Ward and Stark, Natasha and Clint are well aware that Fury is still trying to find out what really happened but as of yet he has had no luck.
During the twenty four hours Melinda's condition remains mostly the same except for there has been a couple of times where her oxygen levels have gotten low but her condition improved again every time.
Natasha, Clint, Coulson and waiting for Dr Streiten to come and do his next check-up and Skye is once more asleep.
"Phil once Streiten reverses the sedation it will still be twenty four hours at least before Mels is awake." Clint tells him.
"I know." Coulson answers.
"You should take half an hour, go back to the bus have a shower, maybe some rest." Clint suggests as even know he knows there is only a very little chance that he will, he has to try "Nat, Skye and I will stay with her." He promises.
"No, I'm not leaving her." Coulson once more repeats.
"Phil you've been wearing that same suit for over thirty six hours. You've barely moved out of that chair, you barely eaten. Take an hour, look after yourself." Natasha tells her friend.
"I can't. Not until I know she is okay." Coulson tells her.
"Phil…" Clint begins to say but Coulson cuts him off "No, she's barely hanging on. I can't leave her, I won't." Coulson says.
Natasha and Clint look at each other and try and decide if trying to push him more will be a good idea, but they decide against it. Realising that there is a strong possibility that he will snap if they try any more.
The room drifts back to silence for several minutes until the door opens and Dr Streiten walks in. Coulson, Natasha and Clint are silent while Dr Streiten does his exam.
"Doc how is she?" Coulson asks once he finishes his exam.
"Her vitals are still irregular and the frequent fluctuation of her oxygen levels is concerning, but everything else is very positive. Her shoulder is healing well and there seems to be no complications from the liver resection. I feel comfortable reclassifying her condition to critical but stable, and I will reverse the sedation." Streiten explains.
"What does that mean exactly?" Clint asks.
"It means that while Melinda isn't out of the woods by any means especially considering her injuries her condition has improved drastically." Streiten explains as he administers the medication to reverse the sedation "It will take at least twenty four hours for her to wake." Streiten explains.
"Do you have any questions?" He asks.
"No." Coulson, Clint and Natasha say.
Once Streiten leaves the room Coulson puts his head in his hand and lets out a sigh of relief as even though Melinda isn't out of the woods it is good news and that means everything to him. He has had his head in his hands for about a minute when he feels hands on his shoulder and he looks up to see Clint and Natasha
None of the three of them say anything because they know they don't need to.
"You should wake Skye." Clint says several minutes later. "I'll go let the others know." He tells Coulson.
Coulson nods, "I'll bring back Coffee." Clint says before leaving the room.
After leaving Melinda's room Clint stands outside the door for a minute to collect himself. He is so so happy that Melinda is getting better but at the same time he knows that she still has a long way to go and that there is a still possibility that she won't be okay. After collecting himself Clint heads to the conference room that Hill gave the team to wait in about twelve hours ago.
As soon as he enters the room FItzSimmons rush to him.
"How is she?" Simmons asks.
"Dr Streiten has reversed the sedation, he said she is in a critical but stable condition." Clint answers.
"Simmons what does that actually mean?" Ward asks.
"It's the best news that there possibly could be, especially considering her injuries." Simmons answers "Are her oxygen levels still fluctuating?" She asks interested.
"Yeah." Clint answers.
"That's worrying." Simmons notes.
"So Streiten said." Clint comments, "But he also said that her other injuries are healing well, it seems like the only main concern at the moment are her lungs." Clint explains.
"How are Phil and Skye doing?" Pepper ask concerned.
"Barely holding on." Clint answers "I should get back to them." He comments.
"Of course, let us know if you know anymore." Ward requests.
"Of course Agent Ward." Clint says before exiting the room.
After leaving the room Clint goes and gets coffee he is almost back at Melinda's room when he sees Natasha exit Melinda's room.
"Nat?" Clint calls after her but she doesn't respond. Concerned about her Clint puts the coffees down on the table outside Melinda's room and follows her.
Natasha walks into a supply closet, Clint walks in a second after and finds her sitting on the ground crying. Without a word Clint sits down next to her and puts his arms around her pulling her into his chest.
"I'm here." Clint says repeating the words she said to him earlier as she cries.
Half an hour later Natasha and Clint re-enter Melinda's room. Natasha not showing any sign that she had just broken down in a supply closet. When they enter the room they see a surprising sight of Coulson and Fury both standing across from each other, neither looking happy and Skye in the chair clearly unsure of what do to.
"Either you accept that we are telling you the truth or I quit." Natasha and Clint hear Coulson say as they enter.
"I don't like ultimatums Coulson." Fury responds.
"It's not an ultimatum Boss, it's a promise." Coulson responds.
"Fine, if that is the way you want to do this then you have an hour to leave the premises." Fury responds.
"I wouldn't do that Director." Natasha says stepping forward "You let Coulson quit because of this then that is a guarantee that his entire team will also quite, that includes Clint and I, you will also be assuring that Stark cuts all ties with S.H.I.E.L.D, and the other Avengers will be right behind him. Are you prepared to lose all of us over this?" She asks.
Fury looks between Natasha and Coulson clearly un happy with the position that he is being put in. "I will find out what you are not telling me." He says before exiting the room slamming the door behind him.
"You guys have really great timing." Skye tells her Aunt and Uncle.
"Are you alight?" Clint asks Coulson concerned.
"Yeah, I don't think dealing with Fury at the moment was a good idea." Coulson comments.
"I would say so, you haven't slept in about forty hours." Clint answers, "You two should have another talk when things calm down a bit. He listens to you."
"I think I just destroyed any chance of that happening again." Coulson answers.
"I wouldn't be so sure." Clint answers "You and Fury are friends, he calls you his one good eye. You'll get past this."
Coulson shrugs then sits back down.
"I'm really glad you guys got back when you did." Skye says standing up, "I've got to go to the bathroom, I'll be back." Skye says exiting the room.
"Here, drink some coffee. You look like you need it." Clint says handing Coulson a cup of the fresh Coffee he got after leaving the closet. "But you should get some sleep at some point." He tells his friend.
"I'm fine." Coulson tells him.
"That doesn't even sound like a word anymore." Natasha comments grabbing her own cup of coffee and sitting down.
Instead of going to the bathroom Skye walks over to the nurses' station, "Um hi, I need to talk to Director Fury. Do you know where I could find him?" She asks interested.
"You could try Agent Hill's office, that's your best shot." The nurse responds
"Thanks. Um where could I find that?" She asks when she realises that she doesn't know.
"All the way down the corridor, then take a left." The nurse tells Skye.
"Thanks." Skye says and makes her way down the corridor, when she reaches the end of the corridor she takes a deep breath and knocks knowing that it is the right choice, not sure if it her powers telling her that it is, or because she doesn't want her Dad to lose a friend over her.
"Enter" Hill's voice says and Skye enters and finds Hill, and like she was hoping director Fury.
"Skye?" Hill asks surprised
"They're protecting me." Skye says simply.
"What do you mean?" Fury asks confused.
"Dad, Uncle Clint, тетя Наташа, Mr Stark, FitzSimmons, Ward, Pepper, they are all lying to you to protect me." She explain.
"Sit down, tell us everything." Hill requests hiding a small smile at the fact Skye calls Natasha and Clint her Aunt and Uncle.
"Before I start I need to know that none of them will get in trouble, not Dad or any of the others. They only lied because they were trying to protect me." Skye informs the director and Deputy Director.
Hill and Fury look at each other "They won't be punished." Fury answers about a minute later. "Start at the beginning." He request.
"Thank you." Skye answers "Mom, Dad, Uncle Clint, тетя Наташа and Mr Stark went into Quinn's house. FItzSImmons, Pepper and I stayed behind at the plane we were on lockdown and we all had night night guns. When Dad, Uncle Clint and Mr Stark came up with the mission plane they were going to send us away but we refused to let them. They had been gone half an hour when suddenly I knew something had happened to Mom, I didn't know how I knew I just did. I broke the lockdown and ran downstairs and took Lola." Skye explains as she does she realises that she hasn't gotten in trouble for that yet, not surprising considering everything.
Fury and Hill exchange looks both wondering what she meant by she knew something was wrong but they decide to wait to the end of her story before they question her.
"I was going to go on my own but Simmons got in the passenger seat she refused to let me. I flew us to Quinn's place. On the way Stark found us and flew alongside us. When we got to the house the first person we saw was Agent Ward but he didn't know where Mom was so I focused on the knowing feeling I had and I knew she was in the basement so we went down there." Skye says pausing for a minute to collect herself before she remembers the sight that greeted her when she entered the basement "We found Mom on the floor bleeding out, Dad was on one side of her and тетя Наташа was on the other. Uncle Clint grabbed me stoping me from going to her and Simmons rushed to her side. Seconds after we got there тетя Наташа said that she stopped breathing, so her and Simmons started CPR but they stopped after just a few second because Simmons realised that there wasn't enough blood left to circulate." Skye says pausing once more to collect herself and Fury and Hill become more confused with the more Skye says, "I broke free of the hold Uncle Clint had on me and I ran to her side. I refused to let her die, I put my hand on her chest and she started breathing again and her injuries stoped getting worse." Skye explains to Fury's and Hill's shock, "I collapsed and I didn't know how I brought her back to about an hour later. Simmons discovered that the levels of electrical activity in my brain are astronomical, and I, guess looked inside of myself would be the best way to explain it and found out what I did. I pushed some of that excess electrical activity form me into Mom, like a supercharge Defibrillator I brought her back, and for four hours I prevented her injuries from getting worse by feeding that excess into her, making me weaker as I did, that's why I've been sleeping so much. Dr Streiten is right, Mom should be dead, she did die, for thirty seconds she was dead, and I brought her back." Skye says tears once again forming in her eyes, "They are all lying to you to protect me, they were worried about what S.H.I.E.L.D, would do, what you would do to me if you found out what I did. Especially considering I still have no idea how to control what I can do." Skye explains "Dad respects you, both of you, and considers you his friends, and I knew that telling you was the right choice, and I'm not entirely convinced that it's my power telling me that." Skye explains and then braces herself for Fury and Hill's reaction.
"Let's go see your father." Fury comments, "Maria, you as well." He tells the assistant director, Hill nods and the three leave the office.
A couple of minutes later Skye, Fury, and Hill enter Melinda's room to find Coulson, Natasha and Clint all sitting in 'their' seats.
"Director, what is it?" Clint asks when they walk in hoping that there isn't going to be another fight between Coulson and the director.
"Skye told me everything." Fury says looking directly at Coulson.
"Kid?" Clint asks shocked. "Why would you do that?"
"Because I knew it was the right choice." Skye responds.
"Knew as in knew, knew?" Coulson asks surprised and concerned about what Fury's reaction is going to be.
"Not sure, but I don't think so." Skye answers.
"Sir, we, I, can explain." Coulson tells his boss and friend.
"Twenty five years ago you allowed me to be the first person after you and Melinda to hold you daughter and when I did I assigned myself to be her protector, a job that I have failed at." Fury explains, "No one else will know what she has done, those in this room and your team, Stark and Pepper will be the only ones. I will not allow her to be used as an experiment to find out just what she is capable of and what she can be used to do. The council will never know." He reveals.
"Thank you Sir." Coulson says gratefully.
"That being said, Skye you should learn to control these ability, learn what you can do, for your own sake." The Director tells Skye.
"FitzSimmons already agreed to help me Sir." Skye reveals.
"Good." Fury responds, "I believe she could also benefit from the help of the two of you." He says looking at Natasha and Clint.
"Of course Sir." Natasha and Clint respond.
"I'm sorry Phil." Fury tells his friend, "If I knew how close you had come to loosing Melinda I would have handled things differently."
"Thank you Sir." Coulson responds.
Fury nods and he leaves the room.
"I'll make sure he sticks to that, and I've had all cameras disabled in here and the conference room your team is in for the past three hours and they will remain off, you can talk freely" Hill says before following Fury out.
"Do you know how risky that was Skye?" Coulson asks his daughter.
"It didn't feel like a risk." Skye answers "I just knew that I didn't want you to lose a friend because you were protecting me." Skye tells her father walking over and sitting down next to him.
"Skye Coulson you are one of a kind." Clint tells the girl fondly.
"May Skye Philippa Coulson." Skye corrects.
"What?" Coulson asks shocked.
"My name." Skye tells her father "it's May Skye Philippa Coulson, but because most people call Mom May I'll still go by Skye, but that's my name, it's who I am." Skye tells her father. "That's if it's okay with you and Mom." She tells her father.
"It's more than okay." Coulson says hugging his daughter "But are you sure May Skye? Why not Skye May?" he asks curious as Natasha and Clint watch the pair managing to have small smiles on their faces despite all the bad that is going on.
"May Skye sounds better, and I want the name you and Mom gave me to be my first, a lot of people go by their middle names so it's not that uncommon." Skye explains. "Do you think Mom will like it?"
"I think she will love it." Coulson tells his daughter and Skye snuggles into his side and the pair continue to watch Melinda.
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