Chapter 13
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For several hours Skye drives as she does she realises that her mother was right, the car drives amazingly and thanks to the GPS she is able to find the location easily.
When she arrives at the gate, she gets stopped like you do when you enter every S.H.I.E.L.D facility.
"Name?"
"May Coulson." Skye answers and she hands over her ID.
"Make your way to car park C, Agent Harrison is waiting for you." The guard tells her once he has checked her name against the paperwork that he is holding.
"Thank you." Skye says and she follows the signs to the where she needs to go to.
A few minutes later Skye arrives at the car park she was directed to and she parks her car. She is walking to her trunk to get out her stuff when a female agent who looks to be about thirty with long dark hair walks towards her.
"May Coulson?" The Guard asks.
"Yeah, but I go by Skye." Skye answers as the only person who calls her, and the only person she let's call her May is her mother, as not even her Dad regularly calls her May.
"Right of course, it says that in your file, sorry about that." The agent says, "My name is Eve Harrison, grab your things and follow me." Agent Harrison orders and Skye grabs her stuff and follows her.
Skye is taken through the buildings to a conference room where she is instructed to sit down and Agent Harrison sits down across form her,
"First I would like to say I'm sorry for your loss, your father was very respected here." Agent Harrison tells her.
"Thank you Ma'am." Skye responds having decided on the drive that if anyone mentions her father's death she would never confirm or deny anything and change the subject as quick as possible.
"So I understand that you are a computer science expert that has been a consultant for the last eight months and a part of a mobile team. Is that correct?" Agent Harrison asks.
"Yes Ma'am." Skye responds.
"Now according to your file you have been receiving training from several agents but they names are not present in the file, my question is what agents have you been receiving training form and what kind of training have you undergone?" Eve asks.
"I'm sorry Ma'am, but I was told explicitly by Director Fury that if you didn't know the names of the agents then I couldn't tell you." Skye tells Eve as Fury told her that the day before, before he left the house, "From what I understand there are reports in my file from the agents who have trained me and I can fill you in on any aspect of my training you would like to know more about, but I am unable to tell you the names of the agents." Skye tells Eve.
"Cadet Coulson, while you are here I am your senior agent and you will answer my questions." Agent Harrison tells her.
"I understand that Ma'am, I do, but I have orders from Director Fury." Skye tells her.
"Fine, let's move on." Eve tells her.
"Good job Skye, here not even ten minutes and you've already pissed someone off." Skye thinks to herself.
"I will show you to your room shortly and one you are there you have an hour to get settled after that you will do several tests to see where we will start with your training and what you have to do in the time you are here." Eve tells her, "Now even though you are training to be a computer science operative director Fury has requested that you also have some operations training while you are here." Eve reveals, "That means that your timetable will be a combination of both operations and communications training, do you understand?"
"Yes Ma'am." Skye responds surprised that she will be receiving some ops training but as she thinks about it she realises she shouldn't be surprised as it does make sense.
"Good, grab your stuff and follow me." Eve requests and Skye follows her.
"As you will not be with us for long, you're free time will be strictly limited, we will know how limited once you have undergone your tests. When you do have free time you are free to use any of the facilities that I will show you on your tour later or to spend time in your room. Waiting inside is a book of all the rules here which you are to have memorised in the next three days." Eve tells her, "This is your room. I will come and collect you in an hour, please be dressed in something that you can work out in and would be comfortable wearing during written and computer based tests." Eve tells her, "Here are your keys." She tells Skye.
After collecting the keys of Eve Skye opens the door and walks into her room. She closes the door behind her and she realises that she's been spending a lot of time around her parents, Uncle and Aunt as before she even moves away from the door she does a sweep to make sure that she is alone, once she is she sure that she is Skye walks over and puts everything down on the bed and sits down herself.
As Skye is getting settled at the Academy, everyone who is on the plane are in the command centre trying to come up with a plane for their current issue.
"If we confront him it is likely that he will be ordered to kill us and if he doesn't he will be killed, and we will lose another lead to the Clairvoyant." Natasha comments.
"Just tracking him is risky because we may lose him." Ward comments.
"Not if we get a tracker on him." Fitz comments.
"That's a good idea Fitz, but how are we going to get a tracker on him? He and the Clairvoyant knows all of us which means we will not get close enough to him without either of the options Natasha mentioned happening." Coulson points out.
"He's on the move again." Tony says popping up on the screen.
"Okay, until we figure out a better idea, we've just got to follow." Coulson comments, "Ward, you're with me, Mel, Tasha, you're together. Fitz, Simmons, Tony work on an away for us to track him without getting to close." Coulson instructs and the four senior agents leave the plane.
Less than an hour after Eve left her Skye has changed into black work out pants and a take top with a hoddie just in case and is waiting for Eve. She has the phone that Steve gave her on her but apart from that she has nothing.
Exactly an hour after Eve left Skye hears a knock at the door and she opens it and sees Eve on the other side.
"Follow me Cadet Coulson." Eve requests. Skye nods and locks her door and follows.
Twenty minutes later after a tour of the campus Skye is lead to the gym in the operations side of the campus
"First we want to see just what your skill is with certain weapons and what your fitness levels are so that we can tailor the operations part of your training to you. After that will perform other test so that we can tailor your program." Eve explains, "Ah, right on time." Eve comments as Clint walks in.
"Cadet Coulson this is Agent Barton he will be in charge of the operations part of your training while I will be in charge of your communications"
"We know each other already." Clint informs Eve.
"Oh right, you and Agent Coulson were friends, of course you know each other." Eve realises.
"We'll start in the firing range before the Gym, is that okay with you?" Clint asks his niece.
"Yes Agent Barton." Skye responds it feeling odd to call him that after months of calling him Uncle but as she doesn't know if she can call him Uncle she knows that it is the best choice.
"Good, follow me." Clint requests and he leads Skye to the firing range.
Five hours later Skye arrives back at her room and collapses onto her bed. After her shotting test she had to do a beep test during which she swore she saw Clint smirk more than once, and a test to see her strength levels.
One the physical tests were done Clint left and she followed Eve to the communications side of the campus where she did a general S.H.I.E.L.D knowledge test which she thinks that thanks to all the stories that she has heard that she did pretty well on as well as a test to see just what her computer science abilities are, which she is positive that she did very well at as well as a few other things. All of which has made her very tired.
Skye has been laying on her bed for more than twenty minutes when she hears a tap on her window and she turns to see her Uncle outside it which makes her even confused because her room is on the third story.
"What the hell are you doing?" Skye asks opening the widow and letting him in.
"Even though I'm in change of your ops training I can't be seen coming to your room too often, it will raise questions." Clint tells his niece as she closes the window.
"And climbing in through my window won't?" Skye asks surprised, "How did you get up here anyway? It's the third floor." Skye comments.
"Please, don't you know by now not to ask that?" Clint asks, "Besides do you think its random chance you are in this room?" Clint asks curious, "Apart from the camera's that Tony has in place this room is in a camera black spot from the outside and so if you're as skilled as me you can get to this room from the outside without being seen by a single S.H.I.E.L.D camera though you will be seen by several of Tony's." Clint explains.
"Oh, okay cool." Skye says before punching him softy in the shoulder, "That wasn't nice, don't think I didn't notice your smirk when I was doing the beep test." She tells her Uncle.
"Sorry kid but I had to test you." Clint tells her.
"You didn't have to enjoy it so much." Skye tells him, "So why are you here?" She asks curious.
"I'm sorry that I put you on the spot earlier I realised after I left the house that we didn't talk about the best way for us to interact." Clint explains, "All the agents who know who you are, whose daughter you are, or who have just assumed from your name know that I know or as most think knew you parents, which means I know you." Clint explains.
"So can I call you Uncle Clint when other people are around?" Skye asks interested.
"I don't know." Clint answers, "I don't see a problem with it but other cadets or agents could." He tells her.
"They could think I was getting favouritism." Skye realises.
"Exactly." Clint realises, "We both know that's not true, but around here people would do a lot to get ahead and they tend not to react to well to people who they think are treated differently." Clint tells her, "I love you kid, and I love being your Uncle, you know that, but I don't want things to be any harder on you than they have to be. Your last name is pretty famous around here which may not make things easy on you, I don't want to make them worse." Clint tells her.
"We'll see how it goes." Skye tells him, "But for now I guess we'll stick with Agent Barton." Skye comments not looking to happy but knowing that for now at least it's the right choice.
"Hey, it doesn't matter what you call me, I'm still you Uncle." Clint tells her and Skye gives her a hug.
"You know I think I've already pissed of Agent Harrison." Skye comments.
"It's likely not personal. She has a reputation for not being any fun." Clint comments.
"Oh, that makes me feel a bit better." Skye tells him.
"I'm glad." Clint tells her, "I should go. I'm already late for a meeting." He tells her as they break apart and Skye laughs.
"Really? Great way to start." Skye tells him amused.
"I had to come see you first, you're more important." Clint tells her and Skye smiles, "Oh question before I go, do you want to start learning how to use a bow and arrow?" he asks curious.
"Oh my god, yes, times a million, yes." Skye tells her Uncle.
"We'll start in your first lesson then." Clint tells her opening the window, "Always keep this window locked." He tells her before climbing out, once he is outside her room Skye closes and locks the window behind her Uncle and she goes back to laying on her bed. She has been laying on her bed for several minutes when there is a knock at her door so she once again gets up and walks over to it.
"Agent Harrison." Skye greats when she sees who is standing on the other side.
"Here is your schedule and everything you need to know." Eve tells Skye, "Dinner is in an hour, you will be introduced to the other cadets then." Eve says before leaving Skye.
"Good talking to you." Skye says sarcastically before heading back into her room and putting the file down on the bed and starting to read through it.
An hour later Skye makes her way to the dining hall where she sees Eve waiting for her, "You're late." Eve tells her
"By like a minute." Skye responds and she receives a very un impressed look in response, "I apologise Ma'am." Skye responds and she follows Eve into the dining hall.
"Everyone this is Skye Coulson, she will be with us for six weeks doing an intensive course. I hope you all make her feel welcome." Eve says and Skye realises that this, not her first day on the bus, is truly what a first day of school feels like.
Doing what she has years of experience at Skye ignores the stares and just goes and gets herself some food. Once she gets her food she realises that she has no idea where she should sit, until she sees at empty spot at one of the tables and goes over and sits there, not caring what anyone else thinks.
She has been sitting, eating her dinner for several minutes until she realises that everyone at the table is staring at her, "Yes?"
"Sorry to stare it's just that people doing intensive courses are rare, especially in communications usually if someone is doing an intensive course it's at Ops or Science and technology. I don't think there has been a communications student before. It a surprise that's all." A girl who looks younger than most the other students says.
"It's okay." Skye tells her, "I've been a consultant for the last few months and Director Fury offered me the opportunity to do this course to become an actual agent." Skye explains, "From what he said he has offered the opportunity to other consultant's but I'm guessing that they weren't computer science experts." Skye explains and she hears as snort from a girl several seats down, "Is there something you would like to say?" Skye asks her politely.
"No." The girl responds with a fake smile, "But I'm betting that it wasn't your computer skills that got you here." She tells her.
"Oh, why do you say that?" Skye asks trying not to get angry.
"Please don't act like you don't know. The instructors have been taking about it for days, the daughter of legends coming to the academy." She tells Skye,
"Your parents are S.H.I.E.L.D agents, legends according to what everyone was saying, your Dad died in New York and you're mothers The Cavalry. I'm betting Fury gave you this course because he feels sorry for you." A boy sitting several seats down from the girl says.
"First don't call her that. Second, you can doubt me all you want hate me if you want, because I can take it, but if you doubt Director Fury then you shouldn't be here." Skye says angrily as while she isn't as close to Fury as say Clint or Tony he is a part of the family she has gained and she will defend him, "I earned my place here, and it wasn't because of who my parents are." Skye says angrily and she realises that her voice has raised and everyone is looking at her, "I deserve to be here as much as any of you do and I would say that I will prove that to you but I shouldn't have to. Director Fury would never have offered me a spot here if I didn't meet all the requirements, no matter who my parents are. If you want to be a part of S.H.I.E.L.D and you should want to, then the first thing you have to learn is that your judged on you skill not who you are or who your family is because S.H.I.E.L.D is a family, the sooner you learn that the better of you'll be." Skye says before getting up and leaving the dining room before she does or say something she will regret.
Once Skye gets back to her room she locks her door and sits down on the floor in front of her bed and she feels tears well in her eyes as for the first time in a while she once again feels like she doesn't belong and that it is likely that while she Is at the academy she will be alone because at least a dozen other students that she saw looked like they agreed with the girl and boy who called her out.
Skye sits for over ten minutes trying to will herself not to cry when she hears a tap at her window and she turns to see her Uncle once more at her window, so she gets up and walks over and lets him in.
"Hey." Skye says to her Uncle moving out of her way so that he can climb in, "You heard." She realises.
"Yeah." Clint tells her.
"It's been ten minutes, how have you already heard?" Skye asks surprised.
"You should know from all the stories we have told how quickly gossip spreads around S.H.I.E.L.D, and right now you're at the gossip hub. Ten minutes is about standard for this kind of thing." Clint tells his niece, "You okay?" he asks worried.
"Yeah, maybe, I don't know." Skye answers truthfully and he hugs her.
"Grab a jacket and come on." Clint tells his niece several minutes later once he removes his arms from around his niece.
"Why?" Skye asks but she grabs her jacket.
"Just trust me kid." Clint says and he walks to the window. "Meet me outside, it will be to suspicious if you just disappear from your room." Clint tells her and Skye nods.
Five Minutes later Sky meets Clint outside in the courtyard
"What are we doing Uncle Clint?" Skye asks curious.
"There is a place you should see, follow me." Clint says and Skye follows Skye through the grounds until they reach a place away from the building with a crowed of trees. "Still confused here Uncle Clint." Skye tells her Uncle.
"You're parents told you how they met I'm guessing." Clint tells his niece.
"Yeah. Dad always studied at the same tree when had free time but one day when he got to his tree someone was meditating there, that was mom." Skye remembers.
"That was right here. This is the spot where your parents first became friends." Clint tells his niece, "I'm sorry about the way the cadets treated you, but everything you said was true. You deserve to be here Kid, you've proven that more than once." Clint tells his niece.
"Thanks." Skye says, "Can I call Mom and that while I'm here?" Skye asks curious.
"No, S.H.I.E.L.D traces all cell calls and electronic communications on campus, we don't know who could be tracing and monitoring them so it's too risky." Clint tells his niece, "You can only use the phone Steve gave you if it's an emergency." Clint explains.
"Oh." Skye comments realising that for the next six weeks she is going to be alone.
"I'll be around, whenever you need me. I'll be there." Clint tells her.
"And if people see you continually climbing in my window? How's that going to look?" Skye asks with a small smirk.
"Who cares." Clint tells her, "If I want to spend time with my niece then I am going to spend time with my niece, and I don't care what anyone else thinks." He tells her.
"Thanks Uncle Clint." Skye tells him with a smile.
"Come on Kid, let's get you back to your room." Clint tells her, "Hold your head high while you're here. You deserve to be here, and you shouldn't let anyone else make you think otherwise." Clint tells his niece as they walk, unknowns to both Skye and Clint she is going to have to remind herself a lot of her Uncle words in the coming days.
From the moment that Skye leaves her room the next morning she knows that it is going to be a long day as whispers and stares follow her from the second she does.
When she eats breakfast she does her best to ignore the whispers, but the girl and boy who gave her such a hard time the night before are making no effort to keep their voices quiet. Their main discussion topic seems to be how Skye got into the academy because of who her family is.
"What nothing to say to defend yourself Coulson?" The girl asks as Skye stands up.
"I was always taught that you shouldn't encourage stupid people with the privilege of a response." Skye says before leaving the hall.
Ten minutes later Skye arrives at the gym on the op side of the campus where her Uncle is already standing.
"Morning." Clint tells her.
"Morning." Skye responds putting her bag down on the stands.
"Here, put this on." Clint says handing Skye an arm guard.
"Why?" Skye asks confused accepting the guard.
"Because you'll wish you had if you don't." Clint responds, "I know I make shooting arrows look easy but trust me when I say it's not." Clint tells her, "You will do shooting practice with me two hours every day, then another hour to hour and a half on some days with other agents who will teach you different things or just work with you to improve your strength or an extra hour and a half with me, you good with that?" he asks.
"Yeah, I'm good with that." Skye tells him.
"Good." Clint responds, "Leaning how to correctly shoot an arrow with precision and use a bow is very hard work and takes serious commitment. Are you prepared to seriously commit to learning this?" Clint asks his niece.
"Yeah, I am." Skye tells her uncle, "I really want to learn." She tells him.
"Good." Clint responds and he starts to show her how to use the bow.
Two hours later Skye's arms feel so sore that they feel like solid bricks instead of flesh. Within a minute of Clint showing her what to do she realises that he is right and she would have regrated it if she didn't have the guard.
After the lesson with her Uncle Skye does some basic fight training with an agent by the name of Yasmin Piper who Skye realises five minutes into the lesson is very similar to Akela Amador.
After her lesson with Yasmin Skye heads to lunch where she once again is subjected to stares and whisper before heading to meet Eve for the afternoon where she spends the afternoon being asked to see how many different random encryption that the computer generated that she could get through.
Skye breaks through all the encryption with ease, and according to Eve she finished more than an hour earlier than what was expected so she is able to go earlier because they didn't plan anything else for her to do.
Deciding not to subject herself to another meal of stares Skye heads back to her room and collapses on her bed, being shocked that her favourite part of the day was hitting her arm with a bow string hundreds of times.
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