Chapter 22
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THANK YOU SO MUCH TO STARFIRE25 WHO EDITED THIS CHAPTER FOR ME
It has been over four hours since Skye lose consciousness and in that time Bucky has fallen asleep in the chair that he was sitting in. When he first fell asleep Simmons was tempted put an oxygen mask and monitoring equipment on him but because she was worried about waking him she decided against it.
"Doctor Simmons the car has pulled into the garage considering the injuries I recommend warning them." Jarvis advices.
"Thank you Jarvis." Simmons says and she and Fitz get up and leave the room and wait by the elevator for everyone to get up to the floor.
Fitz and Simmons don't have to wake long as they are only standing by the elevators a couple of minutes when they open and everyone comes out.
"Before you see Skye, Bucky and Tripp there are things you need to know." Simmons says loudly.
"What?" Several voices asks.
"First Skye has two fractures in each of her legs, she was able to stand and talk to Congress because she short circuited her pain receptor so that she didn't feel anything and even then from what she told Bucky it was a struggle." Simmons explains and she doesn't give any of them a chance to say anything before she continues, "They all have some cuts and some bruises, nothing overly serious." She assures, "And they all have smoke inhalation, which is why Skye and Tripp are unconscious. Tripp also has a slight concussion. Bucky keeps insisting that he is fine but he was on oxygen for a little while." Simmons tells everyone.
"Can we see them now?" Coulson asks wanting to see his daughter.
"Yes, I just had to warn you fist." Simmons says and everyone enters the lab.
"We tried to get Bucky to go rest but he wouldn't leave them and we couldn't lift him to a bed once he fell asleep." Fitz explains when everyone walks in and sees Skye and Tripp fast asleep in beds and Bucky fast asleep in a chair.
"Of course he wouldn't." Steve says walking over and picking up his friend and walking over to the third and only empty bed which like the others are more like tables and placing Bucky on it.
Coulson, Melinda, Natasha and Clint go over to their daughter/Niece, Maria and Sharon goes over to their boyfriend/Cousin, Steve sits right next to the bed where he just put his best friend and everyone sits down everywhere.
"He okay?" Natasha asks walking over to Steve once she's checked on Skye.
"Yeah, I think so." Steve responds.
"Do we know what went down yet?" Natasha asks curious as she sits down next to Steve.
"Yeah, Bucky filled us in." Simmons says, and she proceeds to tell everyone what Bucky told her and Fitz.
"He left the part out the part where he saved our asses." Tripp's voice says.
"Are you okay?" Sharon and Maria asks together as Simmons rushes over to check him.
"Yeah." Tripp says as he sits up.
"Lay down." Maria, Sharon and Simmons say together.
"No need, I'm good." Tripp says and Sharon hugs him so glad that her cousin is okay.
"You've been unconscious for several hours." Simmons says, "But your levels are much better." She admits, "You can keep the oxygen off but tell me right away if you get short of breath or find it hard to breath." Simmons tells Tripp.
"Of course." Tripp answers.
"And take it easy." Simmons adds and Tripp nods and reaches over and grabs Maria's hand and gives her a smile.
"What do you mean he left out the part where he saved your asses?" Steve asks.
"I'll get to that, how bad are they?" Tripp asks worried.
"Bucky has some minor cuts, bruises and smoke inhalation." Simmons explains, "Skye has the same plus two fractures to each leg." She says.
"Two fracture's, that's it?" Tripp asks surprised.
"Why does that surprise you so much?" Coulson asks concerned.
"She was pinned for about ten minutes and this thing wasn't small, it was huge and I couldn't even lift it. I would have thought it would have been much worse." Tripp explains but he is thankful that it's not.
"Bucky was just as shocked as you are. Was it that bad?" Fitz asks and Tripp nods.
"The room was filling with smoke and the whole thing was going to collapse any minute, Skye kept telling us to leave her but we wouldn't." Tripp explains, "Bucky started to lift the, I think it was a pillar, off her and Skye yelled stop." Tripp tells the others, "The other end of the pillar was keeping a hole in the gas main blocked." Tripp explains, "Skye told us again to leave but we wouldn't and together we came up with a plan." At the second mention that Skye told them to leave her Melinda and Coulson exchange a concerned look and Clint realises that he is going to have to have a talk with his niece when she wakes and maybe tell her parents everything that he has been keeping from them.
"You mean you did." Bucky's voice says.
"Are you okay Buck?" Steve asks his friend
"Yeah, I'm good." Bucky answers and Steve hugs his friend.
"It was your plan, you're the one who figured it out." Bucky says to Tripp.
"And you're the one who got us out." Tripp says to Bucky.
"Just tell us what happened instead of being modest." Natasha requests, rolling her eyes at the pair.
"I knew that Skye could make force fields so I asked her if she could make one that would cover the gas." Tripp explains, "She said yes but that would give us about a minute to get out." Tripp explains, "Bucky told me to go and I got angry because I though he joining Skye on the whole self-sacrificing thing but he wasn't, he was giving me a head start." Tripp explains giving Bucky a grateful look.
"Skye and I worked together to stop the gas and get her free." Bucky explains, "I picked her up and I ran."
"Picking me up on the way and getting all three of us out." Tripp says finishing the explanation, "You saved our asses."
"So did you." Bucky says, "And so did Skye, she warned us about the first bomb." He explains.
"Skye also threatened Congress, and all three of you stopped several bombings and saved lives, so I would say it was a good day's work." Tony comments.
"She what?" Tripp asks confused.
"You missed a few things when you were sleeping." Sharon informs her cousin.
"Don't be too hard on her about that." Bucky says looking at Coulson and May, "She didn't mean to do it and a couple of minutes after the video chat when she comprehended what she said she panicked." Bucky explains.
"Thanks for telling us." Melinda says to Bucky who nods.
"Did she say what was in the Mauve bunker?" Maria asks curious.
"We asked." Fitz says, "But she said that we wouldn't want to know." He says.
"You don't." Skye's voice says, "I'm okay." Skye says to her parents and Uncle before they have a chance to ask.
"I've got to ask, how were you able to stand, because damn girl." Sam says to her.
"By doing pretty stupid things." Skye answers, amused by his reaction, "How much trouble am I in?" Skye asks worried.
"Trouble? Kiddo you deserve an award." Tony tells her and Skye has to fight a smile at that.
"While threatening Congress wasn't a good idea, what you said was." Coulson tells his daughter, "You did the right thing." Coulson tells her.
"I did?" Skye asks
"You did." Melinda tells her daughter, "I'm proud of you Sweetheart." Melinda tells her daughter as both Coulson and Melinda hug their daughter.
"So who am I naming the director of new S.H.I.E.L.D?" Skye asks everyone once her parents finish hugging her, at the same time she notices the look on her Uncle's face and she knows that they are going to have a conversation.
"That's up to you." Maria tells her.
"What! No." Skye says, "I was a part of S.H.I.E.L.D a year, I'm not qualified to make this decision." Skye objects.
"Seriously, what did I miss?" Tripp asks shocked and with an amused smile and Sharon pats her cousin's shoulder.
"We talked on our way back." Coulson tells his daughter, "We'll crate the policies and procedures together because we all decided that it was best like that but the new Director, that choice is yours." Coulson tells his daughter.
"We vote, decide together." Skye suggests, "I shouldn't be the one who makes this decision, I'm like the worse person to make this decision." Skye tells everyone.
"You're the best one Kid." Clint tells her, "You get people and not just because of your powers. You'll make the right choice, and you know it, you just don't want to admit it."
"See I think we should come back to this voting idea." Skye tells everyone though she has to admit that she is touched by her Uncle's words.
"Trust yourself Ребенок, you'll make the right choice." Natasha tells her niece.
"Is anyone on my side?" Skye asks and everyone shakes their heads, "Great." Skye says sarcastically, "So any idea's how I'm going to be to get around?" Skye asks curious.
"A wheelchair." Simmons tells her.
"We have one of those?" Skye asks.
"Of course I do." Tony answers.
"Perfect." Skye says sarcastically.
"Okay, can someone please tell me what I'm missing?" Tripp request and several laughs are heard around the room but Skye takes pity on him and starts to explain.
A few hours later Skye is wheeling into her room in the wheelchair, her parent's right behind her.
"I promise you I'll be okay." Skye promises her parents.
"We're your parents, we worry Baby girl." Coulson tells his daughter.
"I'll be fine." Skye assures, "I'll get Jarvis to get you if I need you." Skye tells her parents, "Can you help me get into bed?" Skye asks her parents and they both nod and help her and once she is lying in bed under the covers both Coulson and Melinda sit down on the edge.
"We wanted to talk to you about something Bucky and Tripp said." Coulson tells his daughter.
"What's that?" Skye asks.
"They said that you kept telling them to go." Melinda tells her daughter, "To leave you behind. Why did you do that?" Melinda asks.
"Because I didn't think I was going to get out of there." Skye admits, "And didn't want something to happen to them either."
"You know that you can talk to us about anything." Coulson tells his daughter.
"Yeah I know." Skye answers.
"We're worried about you May." Melinda tells her daughter, "For the last few weeks you've seemed different, is there something that you're not telling us?" Melinda asks.
"Yeah, there is." Skye answers.
"What is it?" Coulson asks worried, "Talk to us Baby Girl." Coulson says to his daughter.
"You've got to know that up until almost two weeks ago I hadn't told anyone this." Skye reveals, "And even though I am glad I did and he's been helping me the last week I wasn't ready to tell anyone else, but I am now." Skye reveals.
"Is this about why you have been having even more secret conversations with Clint?" Melinda asks.
"You've noticed that?" Skye asks.
"Of course." Coulson and Melinda answers, "Skye we are your daughter and we love you, no matter what." Coulson tells her.
"My powers been getting too much for me." Skye explains, "And add to that a phone call from Ward when we were in DC and I wasn't in a great place." Skye explains, "I dealt with that by drinking half a bottle of tequila and eating half a burger in a few seconds." Skye explains, "That's why I was sick, though Uncle Steve didn't know about the tequila when he told you." Skye explains, "That night I was back in a place that I hadn't been since I was sixteen, the first time." Skye reveals, "And for the last week I've been trying to work my way out of that place." Skye explains.
"What do you mean?" Coulson asks confused.
"Everything that happened with Lard was harder on me than you know." Skye reveals, "I started drinking and not caring what happened to me, I was a mess, screwed up, I was that for years but it was after Lard that I was at my worse." Skye explains, "You know about my cutting and you know slipped two weeks ago but, what you don't know, what no else except for Uncle Clint knows and like I said I only told him when he found out about my cutting, is that when I was sixteen I drank several bottles of tequila and was about to swallow a handful of pills when I had a moment of clarity, where I wondered what the hell I was doing and I threw them away, something that I am still thankful for. For the last few weeks I've been thinking about it, considering it and if it wasn't for Uncle Clint in the last week I probably would have." Skye reveals closing her eyes so that she doesn't have to see her parent's response.
"May, look at us." Melinda's gentle voice requests. Drawing on her courage Skye opens her eyes and looks at her parents, both of whom look upset but are looking at her with looks of pure love on their faces, "We love you so much." Melinda says, "And we hate that you have been hurting so much and we need you to know that we are always here for you, no matter what." Melinda says as Coulson holds his daughters hand so tightly that Skye doesn't think he will ever let go.
"I couldn't tell you, I wasn't ready." Skye admits, "The last few days have been better, Uncle Clint's been helping me with a way to control my knowing power so that the knowledge isn't hurting me as much." Skye explains.
"Have you ever thought about talking to someone, not Clint or us, but someone else?" Coulson asks.
"What like a shrink?" Skye asks and Coulson nods, "How could I? I can't exactly tell someone what's going on with me, they would think I was crazy." Skye comments.
"Sam worked with returning veterans and people with PTSD, he might be able to help you." Melinda tells her daughter.
"I don't think so." Skye answers, "I've been struggling for a long time to get the courage to tell you guys and you're my parents." Skye points out, "I don't think I could tell anyone else." She admits, "Don't be mad at Uncle Clint." Skye requests.
"He should have told us May." Melinda tells her daughter.
"If he had then I would never trust him again and I would never let him help me" Skye tells her parents, "He knew that, he didn't like that but he knew that, he was, he is prepared to have you guys hate him if that meant he could help me." Skye explains.
"He still should have told us." Coulson comments, "You're our daughter, and we love you more than anything and we want to help you." Coulson tells her.
"You couldn't! No one, not even Uncle Clint, could until I was ready to let anyone know and that didn't happen until I got drunk in DC and James had to practically carry me back to the hotel." Skye explains, "I realised that I didn't want to become a screw up again, as much as I was hurting I didn't want that I talked to Uncle Clint and he wanted to tell you, but he decided not to so that he could help me." Skye explain.
"He should have told us." Coulson repeats.
"You're right, I should have." Clint's voice says from the door that none of them released was still open, "I'm sorry that I didn't but I wasn't going to break Skye's trust, and I knew that helping Skye, doing whatever I could to make sure that that she didn't do something that she couldn't take back was more important than anything." Clint tells Coulson and Melinda who turned to look at him.
"The only thing that telling you before I was ready for you to know would have done is making sure that I wouldn't let any of you help me." Skye tells everyone, "He did the best thing, in the last week he saved me in more ways than one, please don't be mad." Skye requests.
Without a word Melinda gets up and no one isn't sure what she is going to do but she walks over to Clint and hugs him, "Thank you." She tells her brother.
When they break apart Melinda turns back to Coulson and Skye and when she does she realises that Coulson still looks angry, "Phil we could have lost our daughter in the last week, and one of the reasons why we didn't is Clint. Clint could have told us but if he had then Skye wouldn't have let him help her. You say that you are thankful that Skye has someone to talk to who isn't us and this is exactly why you should be. Skye couldn't talk to us but she could talk to him, Skye's right, we shouldn't be mad." Melinda tells her Husband.
"I know that, I do, I just can't, I never want to lose you baby girl." Coulson tells his daughter and it is when he says that that Skye realises her Mother and Uncle understand because they get it, they've been there but her Father hasn't not even when she was fist taken he never gave up hope so he never let himself go there because he wanted to be strong for her. Without a word Skye leans forward and hugs her father, "I love you Daddy." Skye tells him, "I'm getting control of my power, I'm doing better." Skye admits when she and her father finally stop hugging.
"Then why did you keep telling Tripp and Bucky to go?" Clint asks curious.
"Because I had control of my power, I knew that the building was going to collapse and I didn't know if there was a way out and I didn't want them to get trapped to." Skye explains, "I was trying to protect them, that's all there is too it." Skye explains before giving a big yawn.
"Why don't you try and get some sleep." Coulson says standing up.
"Yeah, I guess I should." Skye says.
"We'll see you tomorrow Kid." Clint says walking over and giving her a hug, "Glad you're okay and just to make your job easier, I don't want to be director." He informs Skye.
"Thanks that's helps." Skye says sarcastically.
"You're welcome." Clint tells her with a grin, "See you tomorrow Mels, Phil." Clint says leaving the room, closing the door behind him, because he knows that what Skye needs best and what Coulson and Melinda need is time alone.
"You're going to watch me sleep, aren't you?" Skye asks curious.
"Of course." Coulson and Melinda respond.
"Well in that case this bed's huge and if you don't mind the possibility of being kicked with a cast then you might as well join me." Skye tells her parents, trying to be as casual as possible but she would actually like to sleep between her parents again.
Both Coulson and Melinda can tell how much their daughter truly wants them to so without a word them both remove their shoes and Coulson lies on Skye's left side while Melinda lies on her right. As soon as they lay down Skye closes her eyes and snuggles herself between her parents.
"Goodnight May."
"Night Mommy."
"Goodnight Baby Girl."
"Goodnight Daddy."
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