Chapter 45
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At the tower Tony, Pepper, Bruce and Steve are woken by an emergency alarm. Tony is just about to yell at Jarvis when he realises what the alarm means.
"No." Tony says colour draining from his face.
"Tony what is it?" Steve asks worried.
"I hid an emergency beacon in Skye's shoe. That alarm means she just activated it." He explains, "J, wake everyone. Tell them to get the War Room." Tony says and he gets out of bed in a rush, Pepper, Steve and Bruce right behind him.
"Could it be a mistake?" Pepper ask curious, "Could she have not meant to activate it?" she asks as they leave their room.
"No. If it was activated then she activated it." He explains.
"And she wouldn't have activated it unless something bad happened." Bruce realises.
"Exactly." Tony says as they arrive in the War Room and Tony heads straight to the computer.
"Why would Skye be doing something that required an emergency beacon at five past two in the morning?" Bruce asks checking his watch to see the time.
"Her power probably told her something." Steve guesses.
"But why would she go by herself?" Pepper asks, "Why wouldn't she wake us?"
"Worried about our safety would be my best guess." Tony comments, "And we don't know that she was alone, not yet." He points out.
"What's going on Stark? I was sleeping." Natasha says walking in the room with Clint, both of them clearly annoyed about being woken.
"Trust me you'll be glad you were worked for this." He tells her.
"Really?" Natasha asks.
"Really." Tony confirms as everyone else slowly makes their way in.
"Bucky's not here. He's with her." Steve realises once everyone is in the War Room, worry clear in his voice.
"Where is Skye?" Melinda asks worried, not seeing her daughter, "What's going on?"
"We don't know anything for sure. All I know is that Skye activated a hidden emergency beacon that I didn't even tell her about." Tony explains, "Jarvis when did Skye and Bucky leave?" he asks.
"Mr Barnes and Miss Coulson left at one seventeen am. Each of them on a different motorbikes." Jarvis informs Tony.
"That wasn't even an hour ago." Steve realises, "Do you know why they left?" he asks Jarvis.
"No." Jarvis answers.
"Okay what about the location that Skye's beacon is at? What do you know about it?" Coulson asks.
"At approximately seven minutes ago there was a very large spike of Miss Coulson's electrical energy at the location where the emergency beacon was activated." Jarvis informs them.
"That's not good." Simmons comments worried.
"No it's not." Coulson says agreeing, "We've got to go, get there." Coulson say and the others nod.
"Pepper, Fitz, can you stay here and prep the medical area?" Tony asks.
"Sure." They both respond.
"Garage. Five minutes." Melinda says as she exits the War Room. The others not far behind her.
Thirty five minutes after they all left the War Room the group arrive at the location where Skye's beacon is going off.
"There is only one way in our out." Natasha informs the group as they get out of the cars.
"Great." Tripp says sarcastically.
"How do we do this?" Sharon asks.
"Loudly." John answers.
Ever since Skye lost consciousness Bucky has been holding her and listening for any signs of danger. About half an hour, though for Bucky it feels a lot longer, after Skye lost conscious he hears several cars pull up. Even though Bucky is pretty sure that it is their family he can't risk Skye's safety until he knows for sure, so using the leg which has a bullet wound in it, something which isn't the smartest idea he's ever had Bucky kicks the door to the closet closed.
Once the door is closed Bucky listens. He hears the door in get broken open and he hears people come in and, not a single one of them say anything, Bucky guesses because they want to make sure they are alone.
"It's Grace Peirce." A voice that Bucky remembered even when he barely remembered himself, the voice of his best friend, says.
"Steve, we're in the closet." Bucky says loudly, though he doesn't yell knowing that Steve will be able to hear.
As he continues to listen Bucky hears Coulson say, "Skye and Bucky have to be around here somewhere, spread out and find them." And once Coulson finishes speaking he hears someone running towards the closet and the door being thrown open to reveal Steve,
"I'VE FOUND THEM." He yells as he runs over, "What happened? Are you okay?" Steve asks his brother kneeling down in front of Bucky and checking Skye's pulse.
"Two Gunshot wounds. Skye's worse though." Bucky tells Steve, "She said that she used a lot of her energy and she wasn't sure if she would wake up." Bucky explains as everyone else arrives at the closet.
"They both need medical attention." Steve says standing up.
"Nice job with the Hydra agents." John tells Bucky.
"It wasn't me. It was Skye." Bucky reveals, "She used her powers. From what I understood she used too much of her energy." He explains.
"Not good." Simmons says checking Skye as Bruce begins to check Bucky's bullet wounds.
"They both need medical attention now." Bruce says, "I don't know what we can do about Skye's energy depletion but I do know that these wound need to be treated." Bruce tells everyone.
"How bad is it?" Melinda asks.
"Judging by how much energy she would have had to use to render all those people unconscious I speculate that her energy levels are very very low, dangerously so, but I won't know for sure until I can test." Simmons tells Melinda.
"Okay, Bruce, Simmons, Bucky, Skye, Steve, Melinda, Clint and I will go back to the tower. The rest of you stay here and call the FBI, we're going to need their help to deal with all these stunned Hydra agents." Coulson says, trying not to focus on the worry he is feeling, and the only way he can do that at the moment is to focus on the job.
"Ward, he's at another location, I think Skye knocked him out." Bucky explains.
"Where?" Maria ask and Bucky recites the address.
"John, Natasha, Sam, go. Make sure he's secure." Maria tells them and they nod and leave.
"Okay how are we going to get you two out of here?" Sharon asks looking at the space of the closet and realising that it's not that big.
"I'll carry Skye." Steve suggests, "Bruce, Clint do you think you can help Bucky?" he asks and they both nod.
Once Steve has picked up Skye Bruce and Clint walk over to Bucky and help him up.
"Don't put pressure on that leg if you can help it." Bruce tells Bucky who nods and the three of them walk out of the closet nodding to Maria, who is on the phone with the FBI, when they pass her.
After leaving the location where the others are Natasha, John and Sam make their way to the location that Bucky gave them. The place where they should find Ward.
"Clear every floor?" Sam asks.
"Clear every floor." Natasha and John respond and the trio head into the building.
When Ward wakes up on the floor of the office he has been working out of he is very confused about what is going on, then he realise that Skye must have knocked him out.
"Wow. That's not pleasant." Ward says to himself trying to get his barring.
"Sir? Are you there?" Someone says through his coms.
"Yeah. What's going on?" Ward asks.
"A read haired woman, an older man and a black man have just infiltrated the building, I think they're SHIELD. You need to get out." The man tells Ward.
"On it." Ward says having a pretty good idea about who it is and knowing that it wouldn't be a good thing if they catch him, something that he is right about even though he is wrong about who he suspects on of the people to be.
Forcing himself to stand up Ward makes his way over to his private stairwell which he manages to go down and get out of the building just as Natasha, Sam and John get to the floor.
"Clear." Sam says as Natasha heads over to the Computer wanting to get a lead.
"He was here." Natasha tells the others, "I'm guessing the stun wore off." She comments, "It's a good thing Skye and Bucky stoped them. What they were planning wasn't good." She tells the other two who come over to the computer and read over her shoulder.
"No. It wasn't." Sam comments.
An hour after they left the warehouse Bucky's bullet wounds have been treated by Bruce, which thanks to his advance healing the job is mad easier, and Simmons has connected Skye up to all the machines that measures her energy levels and along with Bruce, and Fitz she has been going through the results.
"Jemma, what do they say?" Clint ask asks as he, Pepper, Steve, Coulson, Clint and Melinda are sitting around the lab, Bucky on one of the stretcher tables.
"Nothing good." Simmons answers and she Bruce and Fitz turns to look at the others, "I've never seen Skye's levels this low. I would say that that her energy reserves are about five percent, at the most." Simmons reveals and everyone is shocked into silence.
"How long will it take to get her energy levels up again?" Melinda asks.
"We don't know." Bruce tells her, "We don't know if they will." He admits.
"Skye talks to you about her power." Melinda says looking at Clint, "Do you know a way to help?" Melinda asks her brother.
"No." Clint answers, "All I know is that her energy should never get this low." Clint says having the same sad look on his face as Fitz, Simmons and Bruce.
"What aren't you saying?" Coulson asks the four, being able to tell that they are keeping something from him and Melinda.
"We don't know if she will ever wake up." Simmons reveals, having extreme difficulty even admitting that.
"No." Coulson and Melinda say together, neither of them willing to accept that.
"What are you doing?" Steve ask his best friend when he notices that he is sitting up, "You need to rest." He tells him.
"We had a deal." Bucky says getting up and walking over to Skye where he sits down next to Coulson who is on her left side while Melinda and Clint are on her right, "I promised her that I wouldn't leave her, no matter how long it took her to wake up, and she promised that she would do her best to open her eyes again." Bucky tells everyone as he makes himself comfortable in the chair that he knows he's not going to move from until Skye wakes up.
Over the next week and a half several things happen. The first is that everyone becomes more worried about Coulson, Melinda, Clint and Bucky with every day that passed. The four of them and Natasha, who has made it her job to look after and watch over Coulson, Melinda, Clint and Bucky, only leave Skye's side when absolutely have to, though in Bucky's case the 'have to' is Steve physically making him because he is taking the promise he made Skye seriously and Coulson, Melinda and Clint are just as bad. Fitz, Jemma, Tony and Bruce barely leave the labs trying to find a way to help Skye. Maria, John, Pepper, Steve and Sam are dealing with fallout of capturing so many Hydra agents and are hunting for Ward. Tripp and Sharon are doing their best to help their family, and everyone is worrying about everyone else.
In the lab Bruce, Tony, Fitz and Simmons are doing everything that they can think of to try and find a way to help Skye but so far they are having no luck.
"We need more information." Simmons says.
"We don't have any more information." Tony says, him like all of them are getting very frustrated about not having a way to help, "Clint told us everything Skye told him and we have everything that Skye's told us, and all the test results. The only one who knows anymore is Skye." He says.
"Quinn and Hand do." Fitz points out.
"Yeah, well, Ward killed them, so they can't help." Bruce says, "We've been looking at this for almost two weeks without a break. Maybe we need a fresh set of eyes." He comments.
"Doctor Forster." Simmons says and everyone turns to look at her, "Think about it, she helped when we were trying to figure out a way to get this exact energy out of Skye. She might know a way to help." She explains.
"I'll make the call." Tony says but before he can pull out his phone Pepper, Maria and Steve walk in.
"We've got a problem." Pepper says.
"Of course we do." He says then signs, "What now?" Tony asks, sounding completely done with everything.
"Someone has to do the Congress update in three days." Maria tells him, "The one where they will, without a doubt, ask why Skye isn't there." She explains.
"Great." Tony says sarcastically, then once more sighs, "I'll do it." He says.
"Are you sure?" Maria asks.
"Yeah. I can handle Congress, plus I've memorised all of Skye's backup plan so they can't pull anything on me." He says, "It will be fine." He comments, not sure if he believes that himself.
"Good." Maria says, "We'll sit down later and come up with a lie as to why Skye's not the one doing the briefing. I don't think it's a good idea for Congress to know what's going on with her." Maria comments.
"Got to agree with that one." Tony comments.
"How's it going looking for a way to help Skye?" Pepper asks curious.
"Not well." Bruce comments.
"But things might improve I'm about to call in someone for help." Tony says pulling out his phone to make a phone call.
"Who?" Steve asks curious.
"Doctor Foster, Jane." Fitz answers.
"Good idea." Maria comments, "Also the fact that Thor is likely to come with her is a good thing to considering most of us aren't ready for a fight at the moment." Maria comments.
"It really is." Tony says, "Plus he might be able to help as well." Tony says making the call.
Across the ocean in the main secret Hydra base Ward is sitting at his desk trying to figure out a way to get Grace out of custody, when all a sudden he hears his door get thrown open with a large amount of force. Knowing that there is only one person who would do that to the person who took over as leader of Hydra after Grace's capture Ward looks up from what he is doing and just like he suspected he sees his little brother Dan standing before him.
"Are you okay?" Ward asks his brother, who looks a lot like him, but with a kinder face and longer hair.
"I'm fine." Dan assures his big brother, "But what the hell Grant?" he asks angrily.
"Dan." Ward begins to say but Dan cuts him off.
"No! You told me that you would look out for her. That you would protect her just like she's always protected us, and you let her get arrested. What the hell?" he asks angrily.
"Okay fist; I didn't let her get arrested. I was unconscious when it happened. I couldn't have stopped it." He tells Dan as he stands up, "And second I am trying to figure out a way to get her out." He tell Dan.
"What's this trying nonsense?" Dan asks, "You're in charge of Hydra now." Dan points out, "you have an army. So you take that army and bust her out." He tells Ward.
"It's not that simple." Ward tells Dan, "Grace is being kept in the most secure prison there is." He reveals, "We can't just go in all guns blazing, if we do we will fail. We've got to be smart about this." He tells Dan.
"Are you sure that this is about that?" Dan asks, "This isn't about that ex and mentor of yours it is?" he asks.
"No." Ward says walking closer to his brother, "I promise you Dan I will get her out, but it's going to take time." He says.
"You have until New Year's." Dan tells his brother.
"What?" Ward ask surprised.
"I am not going to let Grace sit in jail for long. So either you get her out by New Year's or I will." Dan says before walking out of the office
Once Dan leaves Ward signs and heads back to his desk knowing without a doubt that Dan didn't just make an empty threat, that he will get Grace out of jail, all by himself if he has to.
The day after Tony makes the call to Jane, Jane along with Darcy and Thor arrive at The Tower where everyone except for Coulson, Melinda, Bucky, Natasha and Clint, who are with Skye, are waiting to meet them.
"My friends." Thor says happily when he sees them all.
"Good to see you Thor." Steve says walking over and shaking Thor's hand.
"You as well Captain." Thor replies.
"Thor, there are people you haven't met before. This is Antoine Triplet and his cousin Sharon Carter, John Garrett and Sam Wilson." Tony introduces, "Tripp, Sharon, John, Sam, this is Thor, Doctor Jane Foster and Darcy Lewis." He introduces.
"You know who I am?" Darcy asks.
"Of course I do." Tony answers, "Darcy I'm Tony Stark and this is, Tripp, Sharon, John, Sam, Fitz, Simmons, Pepper, Steve, Bruce, and Maria." He introduces, pointing to everyone as he says their names.
"Where is Philip Son of Coul and his Bride?" Thor asks, "I want to give them my sympathy and support about their daughter." Thor comments.
"They are down in the medical lab with Natasha and Clint, as well as someone else you haven't met before my childhood friend and Skye's boyfriend James 'Bucky' Barnes." Steve explains.
"Then to the medical lab we go." Thor says and that's where everyone goes.
"I still can't believe G man has a daughter." Darcy comments as they go.
When the group arrives at the medical lab Darcy is shocked by the sight of who it is lying on the medical table.
"Philip, Lady Melinda, I am sorry." Thor tells them.
"Oh God. Skye?" Darcy says shocked as she thought the fact that Coulson's daughter was called Skye was just a coincidence.
"Do you know her?" Tripp asks causing all eyes in the room to be on Darcy.
"Yeah. She dated my brother." Darcy reveals.
"You have a brother?" Jane asks shocked, "How did I not know that you had a brother?" she asks.
"He wasn't really my brother, not biologically." Darcy explains.
"He was adopted?" Thor asks.
"No, we grew up in the same group home. Neither of us had any family and he looked out for me, became the brother I never had." Darcy explains, "I met Skye when they started to date and she helped me study, helped me fill out the applications for collage and all the scholarship applications." Darcy explains to everyone.
"What happened to your brother?" Thor asks though by the expression on Darcy's face he could guess.
"He died. A year ago. The last time I heard from Skye was when she called to tell me." She explains.
"Miles was your brother?" Simmons asks surprised and Darcy nods, "I'm sorry." She tells Darcy who nods.
"You have my sympathies Lady Darcy the death of a brother causes an incredible sadness." Thor tells Darcy.
"Thanks Thor." Darcy responds.
"What do we know so far?" Jane asks Simmons, Fitz, Bruce and Tony wanting to change the subject for the sake of her friend who is clearly getting upset.
"Her energy levels are very low. Going by what we know her standard amounts to be we suspect that he levels are increasing at about one percent a day." Simmons explains.
"Where's the lab area?" Jane asks.
"Down the hall." Bruce answers.
"Then let's go to work." Janes says and she, Bruce, Tony, Fitz and Simmons leave the lab.
"We've got some things to catch up on. Let's give them some privacy." Steve says to Thor.
"The man with the metal arm, is he Lady Skye's mate?" Thor asks Steve in a quiet voice.
"We don't phrase it like that, but yeah." Steve tells Thor.
"Do you want a tour?" Sharon asks Darcy curious.
"Please." Darcy responds and that's just what Sam and Tripp, along with Sharon, do, give her a tour of the tower.
The following morning Tony, who was convinced by Pepper, Bruce and Steve to actually get some decent sleep, because he has to face Congress, got up even earlier than usual so that he can catch the private plane to DC, when he walks past Sharon's room he finds her and Sam kissing in the door way. Sam clearly about to go on a run.
"Huh, Bucky, Tripp and I owe Skye fifty bucks when she wakes." He comments.
"Why do you think we let you catch us now?" Sharon asks as she and Sam break apart.
"You knew about the bet?" Tony asks surprised.
"Of course. None of you are very subtle." Sam responds, "And for the official numbers for the bet we got together last Monday." He reveals.
"Good to know." Tony responds.
"Good luck today Tony." Sharon tells him, "Congress is not going to make things easy on you when they realise that you are their instead of Skye." She tells him.
"I excel at hard." Tony says before walking away.
Tony saying that he excels at hard turns out to be completely correct. Even though Congress gives him a hard time, and it's clear that they don't like that he's there instead of Skye, he manages to get through the briefing okay, and even manages to convince them of the lie that Skye has the flu and didn't want to risk anyone else getting sick, but he also knows that if they hadn't just captured the leader of Hydra, and if he wasn't subtitle making nods to the secrets in Skye's back out plan the outcome would have been very different.
All together the meeting with Congress takes about four hours and by four thirty he is back in his lab at The Tower with Jane, Fitz, Simmons and Bruce, doing exactly what they have been doing for the last two week; trying and failing to find a way to help Skye.
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