Chapter 39
Disclaimer: I do not own anything. Everything belongs to their rightful owners and I am not making any profit from this.
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: Thank you so much for the truly amazing response to this story and I am glad that so many of you liked Coulson's "First my wife now my daughter." Line from the last chapter.
When Skye enters her room she pulls her hand towel down from behind her door where it hangs next to her regular size towel. Once she grabs it she puts it against the back of her head and walks over and grabs her phone and presses call on her first speed dial.
"Skye? What's wrong? It's midnight there." Coulson answers worried after only two rings.
"You need to come home." Skye tells her father simply knowing that he is the only one who has a chance at helping her Mom because she isn't even sure if Natasha or Clint could help at the moment.
"Why? What's wrong?" Coulson asks worried.
"I'll explain when you come home, Just come home Dad. I've got to go, just come home." Skye says hanging up without explaining anymore.
As soon as Skye hangs up the phone Coulson almost runs down to the cockpit.
"Phil? What's wrong?" Clint asks worried as soon as he sees his friend
"Set a course to New York." Coulson tells him.
"Why what's going on?" Clint asks worried.
"I don't know. Skye just called. All she said is that I needed to come home, she wouldn't explain anymore." Coulson explains.
"Setting Course for New York but it will be at least six hours." Clint tells his friend.
"That's not quick enough." Coulson comments.
"Ward might know something." Clint comments.
"Why would Ward know anything?" Coulson asks.
"Because like it or not he's her boyfriend. She might have confided in him." Clint explains.
"I'll go talk to him." Coulson says.
"Agent Ward." Coulson says walking out into the living room where Ward is playing games with FitzSimmons.
"Sir?"
"How did Skye sound the last time you spoke to her?" Coulson ask worried.
"Fine Sir." Ward answers wondering why he is bringing it up. "Why?"
"Because she just called me saying that I need to come home but she wouldn't explain any more than that.
"I'll try calling her Sir, see if I can find anything out." Ward comments.
"I would appreciate it." Coulson tells the younger agent.
Once she hangs up the phone Skye puts her phone down and walks back over to the bathroom.
"Mom, let me in please." Skye requests and she receives no answer, "Mom, are you okay?" Skye asks worried and once again receives no answer.
"Ok time for desperate action." Skye comments going back to her room, as she does she hears her phone ring, seeing the caller Id saying Ward she ignores it because she is sure that he's doing it for her father. Instead she walks over and grabs a bobby pin and walks back over to the bathroom.
"Mom, I'm picking the lock." Skye tells her mother dreading what she will find when she does.
A minute later Skye gets the door open and sees her Mom huddled in the corner.
"Mom, are you okay?" Skye asks worried kneeling in front of her mother but making sure that she isn't touching her, keeping the towel against her head as she does.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Melinda repeats.
"Mom, it's okay." Skye assures her mother, "It was an accident. I know you didn't mean to hurt me, it's okay."
"No it's not." Melinda tells her daughter, "I hurt you. I'm sorry Skye, I'm so sorry." Melinda keeps repeating.
" . ." Skye tells her mother stressing every word but it seems like her mother didn't even hear her.
For more than twenty minutes Skye tries to get through to her mother but she has no luck. It's almost like she is in her own world. Skye is attempting to try and think of an way that she could help her mother when she hears the doorbell.
"Now what?" Skye asks. "Mom, I'll be right back." Skye tells her mother before getting up and walking over to her room.
Once she is in her room she digs through her top draw and pulls out a night, night gun that her Dad left her and heads downstairs.
Once she is at the front door Skye raises the gun and opens the door a crack
"тетя Наташа?" Skye asks surprised. "What's with the hair?" Skye asks surprised as Natasha hair is still wavy but instead of red it is now blond.
"It's for my mission, what's with the gun?" Natasha asks.
"The doorbell rings at one am when I'm not expecting anyone? Of course I'm going to come armed, I think you Mom, Dad and Uncle Clint would never let me hear the end of it if I didn't. What are you doing here?" Skye asks confused.
"You're Dad called. He said you told him to come home, but wouldn't say way, and wouldn't answer Ward's call. What's going on?" Natasha asks worried.
"You better come in." Skye says opening the door fully and letting Natasha in, it's when she does that that Natasha notices the bloody cloth that Skye is holding against her head.
"What happened?" Natasha asks worried inspecting the wound.
"Long story." Skye answers closing and locking the door behind Natasha.
"Give me the short version." Natasha requests then realises something, "Where's your Mother?" She asks worried.
"Huddled in a corner in the bathroom." Skye tells her and Natasha gives her a confused look, "She was having a nightmare and I tried to wake her and she sent me flying into a wall, hence the bleeding head. She's blaming herself pretty bad, won't listen to me when I tell her it was an accident, that it doesn't matter, but it's more than that." Skye tells her aunt.
"What do you mean?" Natasha asks interested though she is very worried about her friend.
"A few days ago she was just sitting in the living room looking like she had been crying and I'm pretty sure that she hasn't slept since then. Something's wrong but she won't talk to me." Skye explains.
"Go sit down on the couch and keep pressure on that cut." Natasha tells her niece, "I'll try talking to your mom." Natasha explains, "Upstairs bathroom?" Natasha asks.
"Yeah." Skye responds as she walks over to the couch, trying to force the memories of a different person saying the exact same words as her mother in the exact same way out of her mind as she does.
After leaving her Niece Natasha heads straight up to the bathroom and when she gets there she becomes even more worried because she sees Melinda in a state that she hasn't seen her in for a few years.
"Melinda." Natasha comments walking over and kneeling in front of her friend.
"Natasha. I hurt her. I hurt my girl." Melinda tells her friend the guilt clear.
"It was an accident." Natasha tells her friend, "Skye doesn't blame you, she's worried about you."
"She should hate me." Melinda tells her friend.
"She's never going to hate you." Natasha tells her friend, "She knows that it was an accident." Natasha tells her friend, "When was the last time you slept?"
"A few days." Melinda responds.
"Nightmares?" Natasha asks curious and Melinda nods. "How bad?" She asks knowing that Melinda will know exactly what she is really asking.
"Istanbul." Melinda answers.
At her friends answer Natasha feels her heart sink as she was hoping that the answer wouldn't be that, but on the one bright side Natasha is quite thankful that she didn't say Bahrain.
"I'm going to go check on Skye, I'll be right back." Natasha tells her friend after checking to make sure that a few certain objects aren't around.
Once she is right outside the bathroom Natasha pulls out her phone instead of going straight downstairs.
"Well if it's isn't my favourite assassin. What can I do for you in the early hours of this lovely morning?" Tony Stark's voice ask.
"I need you to send a car to the Coulson house to pick up Skye and let her stay at the tower tonight." Natasha tells Stark hoping that he agrees because one of the only way she knows how to help Melinda at the moment isn't something that Skye should see.
"Why? What's happened?" Stark asks clearly worried.
"It's a really long story and I don't have the time to explain at the moment, can you send a car or not?" Natasha asks her friend.
"I'll be there in fifteen." Tony responds.
"Thank you. I'll explain when you get here." Natasha tells her friend clearly grateful.
"You better." Tony says hanging up the phone.
After Tony hangs up the Natasha heads back down stairs and walks over and sits on the coffee table in front of Skye.
"тетя Наташа, what's going on with Mom?" Skye asks worried, "I've never seen her like this."
"I know you haven't, your Mom hoped that you never would." Natasha tells her niece, "I know you're Dad has told you about Bahrain and how it changed Melinda."
"Yeah."
"She has never talked about what happened there, there is no one expect for Melinda who knows what happened there, she has never told Phil or me or Clint or a single other person, but ever since then she has had these times where she's in a bad place. Some times are worse than others, but I haven't seen her this bad since she quit field work." Natasha explains as how Melinda was after she told Melinda that Coulson died was a different type of bad.
"Why did she quit?" Skye asks interested, "She said that you to we're on a mission but she won't tell me anymore."
"That' not my place to tell you." Natasha tells her Niece, "You're Dad and Clint don't even know what happened during that mission."
"Can I help her?" Skye asks, "I know she didn't mean to hurt me but I couldn't get her to see that. Is there something I can do to help her?" Skye asks desperate to do something to help her mother.
"Tony Stark is on his way here, I need you to go with him and spend the night at the tower." Natasha tells her niece.
"What? No. I want to help her тетя Наташа." Skye tells her aunt.
"Skye, the best way for you to help her at the moment is to go with Stark." Natasha says reaching out and grabbing her niece's hand
"Why?"
"Because seeing Melinda like this is something you shouldn't have to see, and when she is more like herself again she wouldn't have wanted you to see her like that." Natasha explains, "I know very few ways to help her when she is like this and a few of them I can't even do at the moment. Skye the best way you can help her is to trust me to do what I have to help her through this."
"Why do I have to leave to do that? Why can't I stay and help?" Skye asks not understanding why her Aunt is sending her away.
"Because your Mom won't want you to see her like this." Natasha explains "Skye I know you want to help and If I though you staying here would help Melinda then I would let you, but it won't. It will just hurt you."
"I don't care about me тетя Наташа, I care about her." Skye tells her Aunt.
"I know you do." Natasha tells her, "But you should care about yourself as well." Natasha tells Skye.
"I did this, I shouldn't have tried to shake her awake I should have known better." Skye comments clearly looking guilty.
"No, you didn't do this, don't blame yourself." Natasha tells her, "From what I've seen this has been coming for days, there is nothing you could have done to stop it."
"Are you sure there is nothing I can do to help her?" Skye asks her Aunt.
"Yeah, I'm sure." Natasha answers.
"Well I don't believe that, there has to be something I can do to help." Skye says moving her legs so that she is sitting cross laggard on the couch.
"What are you going to do?" Natasha asks confused.
"I've been practicing with my powers, I'm starting to get more control over my knowing power. Electric energy power, not so much. I'm not going to think about what is going on or what's bothering Mom because that' not fair on her, but just on whether I can help." Skye explains closing her eyes.
For several minutes Skye is quite just thinking about knowing whether she can help her Mother.
"You're right." Skye say opening her eyes.
"I know I am, but how do you?" Natasha asks curious.
"I just focused on knowing whether you were right or not and I know that you're right, I should go with Stark, I don't understand why and I don't like it, but I know I should." Skye explains.
"I'll do whatever I can do to help her Skye." Natasha tells her niece.
"Thank you." Skye says giving her Aunt a hug. "I should go get changed." Skye says heading upstairs.
Instead of heading straight to her room Skye heads to the bathroom.
"Hey." Skye says squatting down in front of her mother. "I'm going to Stark Tower for the night." Skye tells her Mother, "Mom I know you didn't mean to hurt me and I'm not upset or angry. I love you, and that's doesn't change anything." Skye tells her mother.
"I'm sorry Skye, I'm so sorry." Melinda tells her daughter.
"I know." Skye says as she slowly reaches out and grabs her mother's hand as the memories that she is trying to forget once more fight their way to the surface.
Downstairs Natasha Is still sitting on the coffee table running through all the ways she knows to help Melinda when the doorbell rings.
Taking a breath Natasha walks over and answers the door, "Thanks for this." Natasha tells Tony.
"You're welcome." Tony tells her "What's going on?"
"Melinda is in a bad place at the moment, Skye shouldn't see her like this because there are very very few ways I know to help her." Natasha explains.
"Is Coulson coming home?"
"Yeah, he's on his way, but there has been times where neither of us can help her when she gets like this." Natasha explains. "Do you have a doctor who won't ask too many questions?"
"Banner's at the tower, why?" Tony asks worried.
"Melinda was having a nightmare Skye was tried to wake her and Melinda accidently threw her into a wall. Skye cut the back of her head, she needs to get that checked out but her brain is abnormal, we know that, which could lead to questions if a doctor wanted to get scans." Natasha explains.
"I'll get Banner to check her." Tony tells her.
"Thanks." Natasha tells him. "Melinda's beating herself up even though it was an accident, Skye's blaming herself and she fully understands that it was an accident and doesn't blame Melinda at all, she isn't even upset about it, but neither of them are doing too good."
"I'll see if there is anything I can do, where is she?" Tony asks interested.
"Upstairs, I'll go see if she's ready." Natasha says heading back upstairs.
When Natasha walks through the hallway she see Skye and Melinda in the bathroom.
"Skye, Tony's here." Natasha tells her niece.
"I love you Mom." Skye tells her mother before letting go of her hand. "Always, no matter what." She tells her
"Help her тетя Наташа please." Skye requests a tear coming to her eye because he mom seems so broken.
"I'll do my best." Natasha tells her as Skye walks over to her room.
Five minutes later after quickly putting on a pair of jeans and a jacket and some stuff in a bag Skye walks down the stairs to where Tony is standing.
"тетя Наташа didn't wake you did she?" Skye asks worried.
"Nah, I'm always awake." Tony tells her. "You ready to go?"
"As ready as I can be." Skye comments.
"Then let's go." Tony comments and the pair leave the house.
(Line break)
Once Skye and Tony leave Natasha goes back to the bathroom and walks over and sits down next to her friend.
"This would usually be the time where I would usually pull out the Vodka but you can't drink." Natasha tells her friend. "So about we just sit here and you talk when you're ready." Natasha tells her friend.
"You're meant to be on a mission." Melinda points out
"Since when has that ever stoped me from being by your side?" Natasha asks curious and Melinda doesn't answer, "I'm right here Linda, I'm not leaving." Natasha tells her best friend, reaching over and grabbing her right hand which she is using to dig into her own hand.
"You alright?" Tony asks Skye curious as they drive in one of Tony's most expensive cars back to the tower.
"No, not really." Skye answers.
"Romanoff said that you hurt your head. Any headaches?" Tony asks concerned.
"A little." Skye answers truthfully, but she is honestly more worried about her mother.
"I called Banner while I was waiting for you, he's going to check your head." Tony tells her.
"Thanks."
Meanwhile on the plane both Clint and Coulson are worriedly wanting for some kind of explanation about what is going on back in New York
"Nat will contact us soon." Clint tells his friend wanting to do something to help him.
"Skye didn't answer her phone, Skye always answers her phone." Coulson reminds him.
"Phil until we know what's going on soon, until then you shouldn't panic." Clint tells his friend.
"I can't not." Coulson admits as his phone beeps.
"It's from Nat." Clint tells his friend giving him back his phone because he was obsessively checking it so much that Clint confiscated it.
"Melinda is in that place again, Skye's spending the night at Stark Tower. I'll stay with her." Coulson reads and as soon as he does both Clint and Coulson become more worried.
"How long until we are there?" Coulson asks his friend worried.
"A few hours." Clint answers. "Nat's with her for now, she'll look after her." Clint tells his friend.
"I know." Coulson answers though he wishes that it was him by Melinda's side.
Once they arrive at Stark tower Tony takes Skye to the lab.
"Why exactly are you bringing me Coulson's daughter instead of taking her to a hospital?" Banner asks curious as Tony and Skye walk in.
"I have way to much electrical activity in my brain, way more than a normal person should, very very few people know that even among S.H.I.E.L.D and we can't risk more people finding out." Skye explains. "Nice to meet you Dr Banner."
"You too Ms Coulson."
"Skye."
"Skye." Banner corrects, "Sit on the table and let me have a look." He requests.
Skye nods and walks over and sits on the table.
"Do I ask what happened?" Banner asks Tony interested in a quite whisper.
"No, I'll tell you later." Tony responds.
Banner spends several minutes cleaning and inspecting Skye's cut. As he is the door opens and Pepper walks in.
"Hey Pepper."
"Hey Skye, I've just checked and the rooms next to the Captain are ready for you." Pepper tells her.
"Thanks, and thanks for letting me stay." Skye tells them gratefully.
"Not a problem, you're always welcome here" Tony answers as his phone rings "I've got to get this." Tony says stepping out to the corridor.
"What happened?" Clint's voice asks worried.
"What do you know?" Tony responds.
"Mels is in a bad place, Skye is with you. Phil's worried." Clint explains.
"I got a call from Natasha, she asked me to send a car to get Skye, I went personally instead. I didn't see Melinda but Natasha said she isn't too good. Coulson's not listening to this conversation is he?" Tony asks before he says anymore.
"No, it's just me." Clint answers "What else happened?" he asks worried.
"Melinda was having a nightmare, Skye tried to wake her and out of reflex Melinda threw Skye into a wall and Skye cut the back of her head." Tony explains, "Banner is checking her out now. According to Natasha Melinda is blaming herself a lot for hurting Skye but Skye doesn't blame her at all, she isn't even upset about it." Tony explains
"Damn it." Clint says worried, "Is Skye okay?" he asks worried.
"She seems like it." Tony answers. "I'll let you know once Banner finishes checking her out."
"Thanks." Clint responds before ending the call and Tony goes back into the lab.
"Dad or Uncle Clint?" Skye ask Tony curious as he walks back in.
"Clint." Tony answers. "So what's the verdict? Is She-Coulson's brain going to fall out her head?" He asks interested.
"Funny Uncle Tony." Skye tells him to Peppers and Banner's surprised.
"I try." Tony responds.
"She's fine." Banner answers, "Just a couple of butterfly clips, doesn't even need stiches." Banner informs him. "If you get too many headaches come and see me again." Banner tells Skye who nods.
"Good." Tony answers.
"She calls you Uncle Tony?" Pepper asks surprised.
"Yep." Tony answers.
"So where am I sleeping?" Skye asks Tony hopping down from the table.
"I'll show you." Pepper offers.
"Thanks." Skye responds and Pepper and Skye leave the lab.
"So what happened?" Banner asks and Tony begins to explain what happened.
After some difficulty Skye manages to get some sleep. When she wakes in the morning she leave and tries to look for some food and the first person she finds is Tony.
"Hey Uncle Tony, any breakfast?" Skye asks curious.
"Yeah follow me." Tony comments. "How's the head?"
"Fine." Skye responds and the pair continue to walk in silence.
"So any more dreams featuring a certain spunky Captain?" Skye asks with a grin.
"Oh, I'm going to get you for that." Tony says and he starts to chase Skye down the corridor.
Just as they enter the dining room Tony picks Skye up.
"Put me down." Skye says hitting Tony, though it's clear that she isn't really bothered because she is laughing.
"STARK." Steve's angry voice ask.
"Captain?" Tony asks confused as he puts Skye down, Skye having to pull down her tank top which is road up when Tony picked her up.
"What do you think you are doing?" Steve asks angrily.
"Nothing that should made you pissed at me." Tony comments.
"She's Coulson's daughter you should try behaving a little more respectfully." Steve tells the Billionaire.
"It's okay Steve, I didn't mind, I wasn't really mad. It was actually fun. I forgot that I was worried about my mom for a minute." Skye admits and as soon as she does she feels guilty about that.
"See, no need to overreact. This isn't the forties anymore Gramps, things are different." Tony comments.
"I should call тетя Наташа, see how Mom is." Skye comments.
"No one should call an assassin on an empty stomach." Tony informs Skye "Breakfast then call her." He suggests.
"Yeah okay, breakfast fist." Skye says reluctantly agreeing, "Where's Pepper?" she asks interested.
"Work." Tony answers and the billionaire, Captain and hacker walk over and sit down at the table
Ever since Skye and Tony left Natasha has stayed by her friends' side, keeping her promise. Melinda hasn't said another word to Natasha but on occasion Natasha hears Melinda's mutters off "I'm sorry."
She doesn't move from Melinda's side until she hears the front door open when she get up and meets Coulson in the hall.
"In here." Natasha says pushing Coulson into his and Melinda's room.
"What's going on?" Coulson asks worried.
"She's in a bad place Phil." Natasha informs her friend, "And to make matters worse Melinda was having a nightmare and Skye tried to wake her but Melinda reacted, like Melinda does and she pushed Skye into a wall. She's fine." Natasha quickly adds, "But Melinda is beating herself up over that as well." Natasha explains.
"Is she okay?" Coulson asks worried.
"She's completely fine. She's not mad or upset with Melinda, she knows it was an accident." Natasha explains.
"How bad is Mel?" Coulson asks worried.
"You haven't seen her this bad since Bahrain." Natasha answers as the last time Melinda was in this kind of bad place Coulson wasn't around, "I've got to get back to my mission, call my emergency phone if you need anything." Natasha tells Coulson before leaving the room.
After leaving the room Natasha heads right back downstairs where she finds Clint waiting in the hall.
"What's going on?" Clint asks his partner worried.
"Melinda hasn't said a word apart from Sorry for hours. Phil's going to try. I've got get back to my mission. Keep an eye on them and you should call Skye." Natasha tells her partner.
"I will." Clint assures her, "Go." Clint tells her "Good luck." He says giving Natasha a kiss before she rushes out the door.
After Natasha leaves the room Coulson walks into the bathroom and right over to Melinda's side.
"I'm sorry, I hurt our girl." Melinda says when Coulson sits down next to her.
"Natasha said that she's fine." Coulson tells her, "I'll talk to her to make sure that she's alright." Coulson tells Melinda.
"Sorry, so sorry." Melinda repeats.
"It's okay." Coulson says putting his arm around Melinda pulling her in close to him. Knowing that for now at least there is nothing he can do to help her.
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