Chapter 8
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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: Thank you for the incredible responds to the last chapter, and I'm sorry.
"What did you call me?" Coulson asks forcing the words out.
"AC." Skye answers, "What's going on? Why are you and May holding my hands? Where are we? This isn't the bus." She realises and it's clear to everyone who has seen it before that Skye is close to having a panic attack so Natasha and Clint lead everyone else out of the room, feeling like for now at least it might be best.
"What's the last thing you remember?" Melinda asks her daughter the years she has spent since Bahrain putting a mask on her face being the only reason she isn't letting what she is feeling show at the moment.
"Coulson was taken by centipede, but we got him back, did something else happen?" Skye asks looking confused.
"M-Skye that was almost two years ago." Melinda tells her daughter correcting herself mid name as it would only make things more confusing for Skye if she called her May.
"That can't be." Skye says, clearly starting to panic and almost in unison both Coulson and May let go of her hands as they realise that it will likely to make her panic more.
"Look at me." Coulson says to his daughter who doesn't realise that she is that, "Just breathe, in and out, can you do that?" Coulson asks doing the deep breathing that he knows help's when Skye has a panic attack.
"How did you know what to do?" Skye asks Coulson once she has her breathing under control.
"This isn't the first panic attack we've helped you with." Coulson tells his daughter.
"Really?" Skye says looking up at Melinda, guessing that in the last two years their relationship has changed for her to be with her at the moment.
"Really." Melinda tells her daughter.
"Why can't I remember?" Skye asks.
"I don't know." Coulson answers, "But I've got a couple of ideas."
"I want to remember, I feel like I need to remember." Skye says and it's those words that make Melinda realise something.
"You might be able to do that." Melinda says to her daughter.
"What are you thinking?" Coulson asks looking at his wife.
"OH MY GOD, you guys are married." Skye says when she notices the rings on her parents' hands.
"Yeah, we are, a year now." Coulson tells his daughter.
"Wow, I'm so happy for you, but I guess you know that." Skye realises.
"Yeah we do." Coulson responds with a half-smile.
"I need to go discuss an idea I have with your doctors and a couple of people who know more about what I am thinking that I do, but if they give the okay then we might know a way for you to get your memories back." Melinda tells her daughter.
"Really?" Skye asks excited.
"Really." Melinda responds.
"Are FitzSimmons and Ward here?" Skye asks, "I would love to talk to them." She says then she notices the look her parents exchanged, "What happened, they are okay aren't they?" she asks worried
"Fitz and Simmons are right outside, I'll get them." Coulson tells his daughter.
"What about Ward? Did something happen to him?" Skye asks looking between her parents who she thinks are her bosses, "Just tell me please." Skye requests as she notices the looks that her parents are exchange.
"A few months ago we found out that Hydra agents were among S.H.I.E.L.D, Ward was one of them." Coulson tells his daughter knowing that she will know what Hydra is because she had read the handbook before her was taken by Poe.
"What? He can't be." Skye tells her Dad.
"He is." Melinda tells her.
"This isn't fair! I want to remember that, I know that I've forgotten something important but I don't know what, what don't I remember? And why do I feel you guys are my parents? When that is crazy." Skye ask and Coulson and May are shocked by her question as they weren't expecting that.
"It's not crazy." Melinda tells her daughter, wanting to hug her daughter when she is clearly in so much pain but she knows that it will only cause Skye who doesn't remember that to panic, "Because we are." Melinda reveals.
"What?" Skye says looking between her parents and when she does she realises that they are telling her the truth.
"A couple of months after the last thing you remember we found out that you were our daughter who was kidnapped when you were three months old." Coulson explains.
"Wow, um, you said that there may be a way for me to remember?" Skye says looking at May, it being clear that she doesn't want to discuss it.
"Yeah, I'll go talk to the people who can know and I'll send in Fitz and Simmons." Melinda says leaving the room, knowing her daughter well enough to know that thinks are too much for her at the moment and that Skye with the memories that she does have is more comfortable with Coulson than her.
When Melinda exits Skye's room she finds everyone else just outside, clearly waiting for something.
"How much has she forgotten?" Clint asks as soon as he sees his sister.
"Almost two years." Melinda answers, "She thinks we just rescued Phil from Rania, Poe and centipede." Melinda explains, "She wants to talk to you to." Melinda says looking at Fitz and Simmons, "She know that Ward is Hydra and that Phil and I are her parents but she doesn't know anymore, nothing about her powers or what has happened, go talk to her." Melinda tells Fitz and Simmons who nod and re-enter Skye's room.
"Are you okay?" Pepper asks worried.
"No." Melinda answers, "Her powers seem to be working, she said she said she knew something but she didn't know how she knew, do you think if we talk her through how to use her powers we could help her to remember?" Melinda asks looking at Tony and Clint who know her powers the best, "And do you think it would be safe to do that?" she asks Bruce.
"I don't see why it wouldn't be safe, in fact I think it could help, but you may have to worry about her energy level because it is increased but I would prefer to do another scan before you attempt that." He explains.
"Clint? Tony?" Melinda asks her friend and Brother.
"We can try." Tony answers.
"Good." Melinda comments, "Until we know more it might be best if everyone else stays out here, it is going to be enough of a shock when three avengers walk in." Melinda tells the others.
"Right, Skye was a fan girl before she got to know us." Tony remembers with an amused smirk.
"Go, help her. We'll be fine out here." Natasha tells her best friend who nods and walks back into the room, Tony, Clint and Bruce following her all three of them preparing themselves to see their niece who won't know who they are.
"Seriously you guys are dating now? That's soo great." Skye says to Fitz and Simmons where she is lying in bed slightly up, "So what happened to me, did I get hurt or something? I did right, that's why I'm connected to all these things and why AC and May looked so worried?" Skye asks Fitz and Simmons.
"You were shot." Coulson answers from where he is sitting on his chair slightly back from the bed while Fitz and Simmons sit on the end of the bed.
"And travelled a long time by yourself to get help." A voice says from the door and Skye is shocked to see three of the Avengers walk in.
"HOLY CRAP, you're Iron Man, and you're Hawkeye and The Hulk." Skye says in compete shock, "Do I know you?" Skye asks excited.
"You more than just know us Kid." Clint tells her glad to see that she is awake but hating that she doesn't remember.
"Kid? I'm not a kid." Skye tells Clint and hearing her say that hurts more than Clint would like to admit.
"I tend to go by Bruce or Doctor Banner, not the Hulk." Bruce tells Skye knowing even if he won't admit it that that would have hurt Clint to hear.
"Sorry." Skye says, "So I guess sometime in the last two years they were allowed to know you were alive." Skye says to Coulson.
"Not exactly, but they know." Coulson answers.
"Skye, Jemma and I are going to run a test to see if you're strong enough for an idea your Mother had for Tony and Clint to help you get your memory back, are you okay with that?" Bruce asks
"I'll wait outside." Fitz says getting up and leaving the room.
"Will it hurt?" Skye asks.
"No." Simmons answers.
"Then do it." Skye tells them then turns to Tony and Clint who are standing together, "I know Iron Man, like are we friends?" She asks
"We're more than friends, and you just don't know me you have a room at my house." Tony tells him.
"That is sooo cool." Skye comments, "Do I know Thor? And Black Widow? I mean I know Hawkeye so I must know Black Widow, I have to, she I so awesome and Thor is so dreamy." Skye tells them.
"Yeah you know them both." Clint tells her slightly amused, both Melinda and Coulson are quite as it hurts that their daughter doesn't remember anything about them as her parents.
"Levels are at about ninety percent, she's strong enough." Simmons tells everyone else, "I'll leave you alone." Simmons says and she and Bruce leave both feeling like the fewest number of people in the room would be best right now.
"Level's? What levels?" Skye asks confused as Coulson walks over and sits on the side of Skye's bed because he and Melinda decided without saying a single word out loud that considering everything he would be the better person to discuss the first bit of the idea with her.
"Skye I get that this must be confusing having no memories of the past two years and even though you don't have any reason to I need you to trust Tony and Clint because while you don't know them, they know you." Coulson tells his daughter, "Can you do that? Can you listen to them?" he asks knowing how much he is asking but needing to ask it anyway.
"Yeah, I can do that." Skye responds and Coulson gets up and goes and stands by Melinda while Tony and Clint walk over and sit either side of Skye's bed.
"Okay, Ki-Skye, this is going to sound really crazy but we need you to try…" Clint begin to say and Skye cuts him off.
"I familiar with crazy." Skye tells her Uncle.
"Believe me, I know." Clint tells her and Skye is interested about that but she doesn't question it.
"Enough of you're talking you two." Tony says being able to tell how much everyone, including both Clint and Skye want Skye to get her memories back, "Close your eyes." He tells Skye and that's what she does.
"I need you to think about all the reasons why you want your memories back, just focus on that." Clint tells her and Skye attempts to do just that, as she does everyone hopes it will work otherwise they will have to come up with another back up plan.
"Are you doing that?" Clint asks several minutes later and Skye nods.
"Good." Tony tells her, "Now this is the hard part, while keeping the reasons why you want to remember in the back of your mind I want you to focus on nothing else but remembering everything that you have forgotten play that thought over and over in your head." Tony requests.
"Okay." Skye says confused.
"Just try it." Clint tells her keeping the name kid of the end.
"Fine." Skye says and for more than ten minutes everyone is silent, everyone hoping that it works until Skye finally opens her eyes, "Uncle Clint, Uncle Tony." Skye says to her Uncles, "Mom, Dad." She say and her parents walk across the room very fast and hug her, "I remember." She says as she hugs her parents, Clint and Tony watching on with smiles on their faces.
For several minutes Coulson, Melinda and Skye hold each other tightly until they finally break apart.
"I've got a serious question for you." Clint says to his niece.
"Okay, I can't guarantee I've got a serious answer for you." Skye tells Clint and he just gives her a look that says 'really'
"I couldn't resist." Skye explains.
"Do you really not like it when I call you Kid?" he ask.
"No, I love it." Skye tells her Uncle, "And I mean that." Skye tells him.
"Good, I'm really glad you are okay." Clint says getting up off the bed and walking over and giving Skye a hug, "But you and me have got to have a talk when you're up to it." Clint tells her quietly.
"I know." Skye tells her Uncle.
"If you're feeling up to it there are eight people outside who really want to see you." Tony tells his niece.
"Of course I'm up to it, as long as Mom and Dad sit either side of me." Skye tells everyone.
"Done." Coulson says and he and Melinda sit down either side of their daughter, each of them putting an arm around her.
"I'll go get them." Tony says getting up and leaving the room while Clint makes himself comfortable on the other end of the bed putting his legs on Melinda.
"You comfortable?" Melinda asks her brother.
"Very." Clint responds with his grin, "How you feeling?" he asks Skye.
"A little tired, slightly confused, but okay." Skye tells him.
"You were shot so that's not a surprise." Natasha comments and she walks over and sits on the bed on the same side as Clint and puts her legs on Coulson.
"Are any of you comfortable right now?" Tripp asks the five.
"I am." Skye, Clint and Natasha say.
"Of course you are." Pepper says as everyone else take seats around the room.
"So you've got your memories back?" Simmons ask.
"Yeah, Jem, I do." Skye answers.
"Good." Jemma responds.
"Yeah, it is." Skye responds, "So how bad is it?" Skye asks looking to Bruce.
"What do you know?" Bruce asked her.
"I was shot in the side and made it worse by traveling the distance to you and that I collapsed not long after I got there and I know my heart stopped beating." Skye comments.
"What did you see?" Coulson asks his daughter in a quiet voice.
"Miles, Jessica, Lisa and Emma." Skye answers to everyone's surprise, "They told me that you guys needed me. That I couldn't just give up and die, that I needed to fight to live." Skye tells them.
"I'm glad you listened." Melinda tells her daughter and even though they won't say anything around Coulson and Melinda, who would have been able to see if it wasn't their daughter, Clint and Natasha realise that that Skye was tempted not too.
"How long have I been out?" Skye asks, noticing the looks that her uncle and aunt exchanged and realising that they realised what she wasn't saying.
"Four days." Bruce asks, "But I think that is because of you using so much of your energy and not just your injury, thankfully so far you show no sign of infection." He explains.
"That sounds about right." Skye answers as a phone starts to ring.
"It's my cousin, sorry." Tripp says as he leaves the room, as he checks the caller id.
"Are you okay?" Coulson asks concerned as he notices Skye opening and closing her eyes.
"Tired." Skye answers.
"Why don't we let you get some sleep." Coulson suggests.
"No, don't leave, I'll be fine." Skye responds and this time another phone rings but this time its Tony's.
"I'll be back." Tony says once he checks his caller id.
Once Tony exits the room he looks around and he doesn't see Tripp so he assumes he went to go talk to his cousin in private.
"Where the hell have you been?" Tony asks the person on the other end.
"You know where I've been." Steve responds.
"I know what you've been doing, not where you've been doing it. Did you find him?" Tony asks.
"Yeah, I did." Steve answers.
"How did it go?" Tony asks concerned.
"At first not well, he's not in good shape but he's doing better than he was. So I was wondering if Skye was their or if you knew where she was if she isn't. She said she she could help him." Steve explains.
"You don't know." Tony realises.
"Know what? What happened?" Steve asks worried.
"Skye was shot by a Hydra agent, she almost died." Tony explains.
"Is she okay?" Steve asks the worry clear.
"She just woke and apart from some memory issues she seems to be doing okay." Tony explains, "Bring Bucky to the tower, we'll help you help him until Skye's strong enough to." Tony offers.
"I'm not sure if that's a good idea. I trust Bucky, he's my best friend, but he's still un predictable and I know him well enough to know that he would never forgive me or himself if he hurt someone because I brought him to where people are." Steve explains.
"This is the best place for him, for both of you, come home Steve." Tony asks a clear almost begging clear in his voice that you wouldn't notice unless you know him as well as someone like Steve.
"We need a few days to get transport." Steve tells him.
"You'll have it within a couple of hours." Tony tells him.
"Thanks Tony." Steve tells him.
"He's important to you Steve that means he's important, I'll talk to you later." Tony says before hanging up as he does he notices Tripp walking down the hall, "Your cousin okay? She's working at the CIA now right?" Tony asks when he sees him.
"Huh, yeah, she's fine." Tripp answers, but it is clear that he is distracted by something.
"What happened?" Tony asks concerned.
"She was calling about my grandmother." Tripp answers.
"Is Peggy okay?" Tony asks concerned.
"She's started to get worse, the doctors think she has another couple of months at the absolute most." Tripp answers, "I need to tell Melinda, and do you have a way to call Steve? She would want to see him again before it's too late." Tripp says.
"Hey, just breathe." Tony tells his new friend, as this is the first time in the short amount of time he has known Tripp that he has seen him fall apart, "Come sit down." Tony says leading him to a nearby chair, "Steve is on his way back to the tower with Bucky Barns, you can tell them when they get here." Tony explains, "You don't have to tell Melinda right now, in fact I can tell her if you want." Tony offers.
"Thanks." Tripp answers, "I know Grams has been getting sicker for a while and I know that she's in her nineties, but I always thought she would out live everyone, she always said she would, we used to joke about it." Tripp tells Tony.
"From what I've heard that sounds about right." Tony comments, "Do you want me to go get Maria?" He asks and Tripp looks at him surprised.
"Please this is my house I know everything that has happens, and I know for the last two weeks you two have had something going on." Tony explains.
"I'll remember that." Tripp comments, "But, no thanks, I'm okay." Tripp says standing up.
"Are you sure?" Tony asks.
"Yeah, thanks man." Tripp says to him and He sticks out his hand for Tony to shake, "I need to tell everyone."
"I'm here if you need anything." Tony tells him.
"Thank you." Tripp responds and the pair walk back into the Skye's room.
When they enter Skye's room Tony and Tripp find everyone in the same positions that they were in earlier.
"Sharon okay?" Maria asks when Tripp and Tony walk back into the room.
"She's fine." Tripp answers, "She was calling about Grams." Tripp answers.
"Is Peggy okay?" Melinda asks concerned.
"No, the doctors think she has at the most a couple of months left." Tripp answers looking directly at Melinda as he knows that she is the one that the news affects the most.
"I'm sorry Mom." Skye says giving her mother a hug.
"A couple of months?" Melinda asks Tripp.
"At the most." Tripp answers the room drifts into silence.
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