Agents of SHIELD: Agents of Redemption

by JFuzzyWraith0587

With dangerous change on the horizon, Director Coulson tries to stem the tide, but he can't do it alone. With his team still recuperating from the Jia Ying/InHuman assault and Simmons missing he has to recruit an old ally to aid him. Jaxx is a former soldier and a 0-8-4, but are his skills alone enough to help rebuild SHIELD, or will the secrets from his past make him a danger.

11. Ep1 Ch4 Crucible pt3

Disclaimer: Sorry for the long wait but I've had other projects that needed tending to as well as matters of a personal nature. I had wanted this to be the last chapter in this story but since I haven't posted anything in well over a month I decided it was way past due. Hopefully the next chapter will end this particular story, and I would like to thank all of you for your show of support for this story, I really do appreciate it. Tell me what you think and let me know if there is anything that is confusing or doesn't make any sense and I'll get to as fast as possible. I do not own any MCU characters just my own crazy imagination and also rest in peace Jaxx. Enjoy.

A pillar of fire expelled out of the passageway followed quickly by bits of debris just as Coulson and company leapt off the cliff, into the unknown; seconds later the facility itself exploded sending flaming debris the size of small car's soaring into the jungle and down into rushing rapids below. The self-destruct sequence placed within the facility days earlier had done its job. Fire started engulfing what remained of the facility, which also meant that any trace of Hydra's experimentations had been destroyed.

Between the raging fire and the facility slowly collapsing in on itself, it seemed extremely unlikely that anyone or thing, could have survived such carnage and destruction. Yet Coulson and his team seemed to manage an escape but not without great cost. Agent Shaw, a great agent and a great friend to agent Coulson, sacrificed his life to get vital information to the one organization he trusted most above all others, S.H.I.E.L.D.

Dr. Streiten, one of only a handful of doctors that was responsible for bringing Coulson back from death; that day has haunted him ever since, so much so that he too paid with his life. Jaxx was friend, colleague, brother and so much more, is now the most recent casualty in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s war against Hydra. His loss is a heavy burden to bear, and yet he too was willing to sacrifice his life to save those most precious to him; though he wasn't much for showing his true emotions, his sacrifice spoke volumes.

Unfortunately, despite all the loss and a daring leap of faith, the survivor's lives were still in danger. When they leapt off the cliff they landed in a large deep pond which quickly turned into violent, rushing rapids. Despite their best efforts they were being pushed and pulled every which way; during the confusion some of the members of the team got separated from the others, pushing them downstream where the rapids had split into two, the left path and the right. God only knows where each one would end up, or if any would survive such an event.

18 minutes later

When the rapids split off, the two paths lead to two very different locations; the left leads and eventually ends at yet another waterfall, which in turn spills into this lustrous cove. Vibrant trees and dense foliage surround the cove from all sides making it essentially invisible to those ignorant of its very existence. The animals which call this place home come here to drink from the fresh water brought in by the waterfall; others come here for the exotic fruit that grows from trees, but not today.

The few that have come to the cove seem more skittish than usual, scared even; none dared go near the water, as if they sensed that there something was off, or that some sort of danger was close by. Suddenly, the animals perked up as if they sensed that something was coming. They scatter, rushing back into the jungle, moments later…

Skye

*Breathing heavily* HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT! (Her efforts to swim against the rapids yielded little results. The sheer force, speed, and strength of the water rushing around and over her are too overwhelming. All she could do is keep her head above water and keep from drowning. She looked around for anything to grab a hold of, during which she saw another unexpected sight. She yelled out,) "NO, NO, NO-"

(She launches forth from the top of the waterfall and plummets down into the pond before she even has a chance to finish yelling, but she did manage to inhale some air during her flight. With only seconds to spare, Skye holds her breathe as she dives feet first into the crystal-clear water below. To her, it seemed like she was underwater for nearly 5 minutes, when in reality only a few seconds had passed.)

(Her mind was blank as she started frantically swimming upward, trying desperately to reach the surface. In less than 5 seconds, she broke through to the surface, and exhaled heavily the last bit of air she had. She frantically looked around, in the hopes of seeing someone, anyone from her team. During her frantic search she shouted,) "COULSON!? TRIP; SIMMONS…ANYONE!?"

Please be okay, (She looked to her left and saw some dry land not too far from her and without hesitation she started swimming towards it. It wasn't long before she found solid ground under her feet; once she got sturdy footing she preceded lug her and her water soaked clothes and pack onto the shore and after a few steps she drops to her knees.) *breathing heavily* Son of a bitch…well, I guess I can check White Water Rafting off of my to-do list. Never, ever doing that again.

(She took a moment to collect herself, during which her eyes enlarged and a look of concern was plastered on her face. She mumbled to herself while she started unclipping the pack,) "Oh no; no, no, no, please don't be-" (She swung the pack around to her front and checked the front pouch on her pack. After a few seconds, she pulls out what she was looking for, but now she looked disappointed.)

Damnit, it's soaked. *sighs* let's hope that some of the files are still intact, otherwise…no don't think like that; think happy thoughts. (She turned around and sat on the leaf-covered ground and took a better, less frantic look at her surroundings.) I don't see Coulson, or Trip…or Simmons for that matter; "*Still breathing heavily* Coulson…Trip…Simmons…where the hell are you?" (Skye mumbles.)

(She spots a tree off to her left, for which she quickly turns and leans against. As the adrenaline was starting to wear off she started feeling the exhaustion start kicking in. She tilts her head back, resting it against the tree; her eyelids felt heavy, and every blink lasted a bit longer the previous.) I'm exhausted; I can't even keep my eyes open, but I can't rest, I need to… (Her eyelids closed one last time and stayed closed; she was finally drifting off to sleep, until…)

*Loud, heavy splashing sound* (Her body jerked forward just as her eyes snaps open; quickly looking to her right, she spotted the point of impact and watched as the water rippled outward.) What the hell is it now? (Skye quickly stood up and took cover behind the tree; she reached for the gun that she had stuck in her pants behind her back, only to find it missing. Her eyes enlarged,) SHIT, SHIT, SHIT; WHERE IS IT!?

(Panic started creeping in as she started frantically around her for her one and only weapon. After searching for a bit, she stopped,) The rapids must've… Shit!? (She looks over to her left only to find nothing but leaves and dirt; she then looks over to her right, seeing only a thick branch hidden underneath some leaves.) Seriously!?

(She looks back at the pond, just in time air bubbles rising to the surface, and shortly after she saw the blurred image of someone or thing swimming up towards the surface. Skye shakes her, and says,) "Guess it's better than nothing," (Skye looked down and snatches up the thick branch, just as the something breaks through the pond's surface. Skye quickly stood up, tightly gripping the branch to the point where she could feel the wood start to dig into her hands.)

(However, when she saw what it was splashing around frantically in the pond, her eyes enlarged.) Holy shit… (Skye lowers the would-be weapon and excitedly shouts out,) "SIMMONS!" (Simmons turns to her left, and spots Skye standing there on the shore; after which she exclaims,) "SKYE!" (Before either one could utter another word, Skye drops the makeshift weapon and starts rushing over to the edge of the shore.)

(Simmons started swimming towards her friend, while Skye runs into the pond until she got about waist deep and reached out her hand. Once she was close enough, Simmons grabbed her friends' hands and with every ounce of strength she had; Skye pulled her friend up to her feet and the two started making their way to shore. They're feet splashed water all about until they finally made it to solid ground. They didn't stop, not until Skye helped walk Simmons over to the tree, sitting her gently down against it.)

(Simmons laid her head against the tree and closes her eyes, while Skye flopped down onto her knees in front of her friend. Both took a moment to catch their breaths, unfortunately there was little time for it. Skye looked at her friend and placed her hand on Simmons' shoulder and asks without thinking.) "Are you okay?" Wow, did I really just ask her that?

Simmons

(Simmons opens her eyes and lifted her head off of the tree, and expressed her annoyance at Skye's obviously ridiculous question by giving her a simple stare. When Skye saw the look her friend was giving her she quickly back-tracked by stating,) "Sorry; stupid question; *looks down at the ground and mumbles to herself* of course you're not all right."

(Simmons' look of annoyance quickly dissipated. She knew all too well what her friend was talking about, more specifically, who. In her mind, she immediately shot back to that moment; standing there in that room, staring down the passageway at Jaxx, who was just kneeling there in front of those creatures. Suddenly he turns to her and speaks; only there are no words only silence, and once his lips stop moving, his arm shoots up and less than a second later the security door starts to close.)

(The last few seconds seemed to slow to a crawl as the door slowly inches closed; then, suddenly out of nowhere she hears someone screaming out, but she wasn't sure who, perhaps it was Skye. After what seemed like an eternity, the door finally closes shut and once more she heard a scream, the same scream as before. It was at that moment when she figured that…it was her; she was the one screaming out.)

(Simmons was so enthralled by that memory that she had not noticed that Skye was trying to get her attention. Luckily Skye's voice managed to break through, bringing her back to reality, before her mind could replay that tragic event over again once more. Simmons saw the concern and sorrow in Skye's brown doe-like eyes, and she knew what was coming next.) "Simmons…are you okay?" (Skye asks.)

I wish I could tell you that I was Skye I really do, but…I just…no; there's no time for that, not now. (Simmons smiled half-heartedly and replied,) "I'm good Skye, well, aside from a few scrapes and bruises that is." (Skye appeared relived after hearing Simmons' words; Skye smiled back and replied sarcastically,) "That's good, *mumbles to under her breathe* really good." She bought it, good; now, our next priority should be straight forward enough.

(Skye looked over at the crystal clear pond then up at the waterfall; seconds later she asks,) "Do you think Coulson and Trip are okay?" (She turns to Simmons who sat there for a moment, trying to figure out what to say ;) Well, they appeared okay when I last saw them; just before the rapids split us apart, but god only knows where they've ended up or if they're even okay.

But of course I can't very well tell her that now can I? Regardless, we need to find them and get back to the transport. (Simmons looks back at Skye and says reassured-ly that,) "I'm sure that they're just as banged up as we are, but alive nonetheless." (Skye breathes a sigh of relief and looks back out at the pond once more.) I'm guessing that she really needed to hear that; if only I could reassure her that everything will be alright, because honestly; deep down, nothing will ever be right again.

After everything that has happened, Skye thought it best to catch their breath for few minutes before starting their searching for their missing friends; Simmons was so exhausted from her own trip down the rapids that she didn't even attempt to argue. Skye sat on the ground, hugging her knees against her chest while Simmons continued leaning against the tree, both contemplating the tragic events of recent hours. Eventually, after a few minutes of peaceful yet haunting silence, they formulated a plan. They would trek around to the other side of the pond, and head deeper into the rainforest; hopefully they would find where the other half of the rapids broke off and hopefully to find Coulson and Trip there waiting.

Skye gathered up her pack and started going through it, taking out and leaving behind anything that was of no use or that would weigh her down on her travel. Meanwhile, Jemma saw that her own pack had floated up to the surface of the pond; she slowly made her way back into the water and mumbling to herself as she made her way to the middle of the pond. Skye's bag was soaked, which meant that every electronic device that she had inside was now useless.

She tossed these water-soaked devices aside and finds a soaked bandana at the bottom of her bag. Skye had completely forgot about having with her; she looked frantically at Simmons, who was still wading through the pond to get her pack. Her eyes widened as she looked back at the bandana, slowly unfolding it. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that the vial was still intact, and she even smiled a bit. Yet as she looked back up at Simmons who finally managed to grab her pack and was starting to make her way to shore.

Thousands of thoughts and scenarios started running through her mind, but each ended with less than desirable results; she finally decided that it's best for the time being to keep this under wraps, at least until they're safe on the transport back to the Playground. She quickly wrapped it back up and hid it away in the bottom of her pack. Soon they were off, traveling straight into the rainforest for nearly 8 minutes now. It seemed like the farther they traveled inward, the more intense the heat became.

Beads of sweat continuously dripped from Skyes' face; she had only been walking for a few minutes, but she already felt exhausted as she wiped away the sweat for the 5th time.

10 minutes later

Skye

For crying out-*sighs*-can't we get a break from this freakin heat? (Skye shakes her head, mainly because she already knew the answer to her question.) I never thought, *gulps dryly* that I'd miss nearly drowning in the nice, cool rapids. (Skye sluggishly reaches behind her, grabbing her canteen; she had filled up with water from the waterfall before their departure. She twists off the lid, presses the metal lip against hers and takes a swig.)

I'd prefer a nice ice-cold beer, but it'll do. (Skye takes yet another swig from her canteen.) Damn, I really needed that. (Afterwards she realized that the canteen was already a little under halfway-full.) Crap; I've gotta take it easy on the drinking; I've gotta save some for when we find AC and Trip, just in case. (She looks at Simmons who is just a few feet in front of her, and then looks quickly at the canteen before looking back at her friend.)

Simmons almost lost her gear when we went for that wacky, wild ride; including her canteen. She has to be thirsty… (She quickly catches up to her friend and holds the canteen out in front of her friend and says.) "Simmons, here…" (Simmons glances at the canteen then at her friend; she shakes her head and holds up her hand and replies,) "That's kind of you to offer, but I'm actually not thirsty."

Not thirsty, really? Your face is literally covered in sweat, dripping even and you're not thirsty…right. (Skye reaches out with her other hand and gently grabs Simmons by the arm and the two stop. Skye looks her friend in the eyes and states,) "Simmons c'mon…you haven't hand a drink since we left that pond and at our current pace, you'll be de-hydrated before we even come close to finding Coulson or Trip. So please just…take a sip; one little sip."

(Skye was right and Simmons knew it, but wasn't willing to admit as much. The biochemist knew that at her current pace that she would be de-hydrated in less than 5 minutes; she could feel her body temperature rising. She stared at the canteen, her mind started picturing the cool refreshing water swishing around inside. The temptation was too much for her to stand, Simmons reluctantly took the canteen. She looked at her friend and replying with.)

"Alright, fine; but really Skye I'm fine." (Simmons raises the canteen up to her mouth and tilts it just enough. She took one gulp of the cool refreshing water and just as it finished funneling down her throat she took another, and another. After one last gulp, Simmons lowered the canteen down and closed her eyes briefly.)

(She smiled, but only for a moment; afterwards she opens her eyes and sees Skye staring at her, sporting mischievous grin. Skye playfully mocks Simmons, saying.) "Thirsty are we?" (Simmons chuckled a bit as she screw the lid back on, afterwards she said.) "Sorry; I guess I was thirstier than I thought."

(Simmons hands the canteen back to her friend, who upon receiving it noticed that the canteen felt lighter than before. She tilts the canteen back and forth, hearing only the slightest sound of water splashing about inside. Skye looked at her friend and once again playfully mocked her friend by saying,) "I wouldn't have guessed."

(Simmons tried to hide her embarrassment behind an awkward chuckle, but Skye could see right through it. As she started putting away her canteen, Simmons turned and spotted a hill about 25 meters ahead. Skye took this moment to look her friend over,) She looks exhausted, hell, I'm exhausted. If she continues pushing herself like this, she'll blackout for sure. And on top of that we have this ungodly heat smacking away at us and we're low on water. God, I hate freakin jungles.

(Before she could speak a word, Simmons turned to her and said meekly,) "We should really keep moving, *wipes her mouth* I mean, god only knows what kind of trouble could be skulking around out here." (The sound of a twig snapping interrupted their conversation. Simmons turns to her left, and Skye to her right; both froze in place, somewhat panicking as they waited to see who or what it was.)

(After a few seconds, they see a small bird shoot up from the ground into the air, landing on the branch of a tree just a few meters away. Skye breathed a sigh of relief, thrilled that it wasn't another one of those monsters from the facility waiting for them. She looked back at Simmons, expecting to see the same look of relief, but found something unsuspected instead. Simmons was just standing there staring at the bird as it pecked at its' own feathers.)

(Skye recognized the look on her friends' face, the combination of grief and disappointment. Every morning it's plastered across her face, usually right after visiting Fitz in his hospital room. But this look wasn't for him; it was for someone else entirely.) She can't help but think about…what happened…back there.

(Skye gently placed her hand on Simmons' shoulder, which caused her to flinch a bit, which snapped her out of trance-like state; she saw the look Skye in the eyes. Skye's voice was soft and sincere when she said.) "I'm so sorry Jemma, for what…for what happened to-" (Simmons interjected before Skye could finish uttering her fallen brother's name.) "No time for that now. We have a mission to complete, remember?"

(Skye was taken aback by her friends' somewhat harsh tone, until she looked into Simmons' eyes and that's when she saw it; the pain, the anger, it was all there, trying to boiling over, trying to consume her.) That look, it's the same look I have every time I look in the mirror and think about Ward…and what he had done. All I wanted to do was focus on the next mission or anything else besides Ward; just like Simmons was feeling right now about...him.

(Understanding this, Skye nodded and replied meekly,) "Yea right, totally." (The two share a half-hearted smile, before continuing their trek onward. Neither one spoke another word as they trek over and under trees, with only the sound of leaves crunching and twigs snapping under the pressure of their boots could be heard. Simmons kept glancing at her surroundings, which Skye couldn't help but notice.)

(However, her mind was on other things, such as trying to get Simmons to open up, to help her accept what happened.) Last time I tried talking to her about Jaxx, she shut me down pretty damn quick. Can't blame her though, I mean he was her family, and from the way she looked at him… I could always tell her about the serum that I took from the facility, but…no, I can't bring that up, not now.

(Minutes passed by seamlessly, without a single word being uttered.) This has got to be the longest that I've gone without speaking, like ever. (Her eyes drifted to her left, until she was staring at Simmons whom was still looking around curiously. Simmons slowly looked from left to right, eventually meeting Skye's eyes; the two share an awkward 5 second long glance, followed by Skye smiling awkwardly before looking away.) That was awkward, definitely. "Are you alright Skye?" (Skye looked over at Simmons, and for a moment she was stunned by the unexpected question.)

(Skye managed to shake it off and answer her friends' question.) "Me, I'm-I'm fine, I mean *stammering* I'm good or not good, but not bad either I'm…somewhere in-between y'know…?" Wow, that was just…bad. (Skye knew that she wasn't very convincing, not in the least. Yet that seemed to give her a jolt, one that helped her finally confront her friend, asking her.) "How 'bout you; how are you feeling?"

Simmons

(Simmons glanced at her friend for a few seconds before looking ahead. She'd been expecting that question ever since they met back with each other at the waterfall. Even though she suspected it, she was unsure how to answer it; part of her wanted to avoid the question entirely and focus on finding Director Coulson and agent Triplett.)

(The other part however, just wanted to breakdown right there, to unbury her rage and anguish at what had transpired and scream at the top of her lungs.) How am I feeling…? My world has been shattered, my friend is lying in a hospital bed fighting for his life and my brother is…gone. Oh god, he can't be gone, he just can't…there is not a single word or even a collection of words that can describe how I'm feeling.

(Her mind shot her back to a few single moments in time, one of which was her and Fitz laughing while sitting next to the indoor pool, the other was of when she was younger, back before she joined S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy.)

Most days in her household she got up, brushed her teeth, got dressed and went down to enjoy breakfast with the family. Her mum and dad waited for her downstairs, her mum making scrambled eggs and French toast while her dad brewed a fresh pot of coffee. She'd sit down next to her dad and enjoy her meal and listened to them talk about their latest breakthroughs in their respected fields. After finishing, her mum would walk her to the bus stop and wait with her until it came; they'd wave goodbye to each other, after which she'd step unto the bus and watch her mother smiling at her as the door closed.

Her parents and most of her teachers called her a genius, due mainly to the fact that her test scores and IQ are way above average for someone her age. And per-recommendation from her teachers and the school district, she quickly became a senior in high school within the year. However, it didn't take her long to regret her decision to advance further in her studies. The seniors were anything but nice to her, for as soon as the bus left the curb, it quickly became a living nightmare. Walking down the aisle of the bus was treacherous as she was constantly tripped by someone's foot, while others simply made insulting remarks or call her names.

At school, a few of the local jocks would knock her study books out of her hand, spilling them on the floor. A few students would threaten her for her lunch money, which is why she started filling up on breakfast. Her torment didn't end until the bus dropped her off at her house, everything after was bliss by comparison. She had thought about telling her parents, but decided against it, thinking that it would only make things worse for her.

After a while she accepted the fact that the seniors wouldn't or couldn't look past the fact that she was smarter than them, though she would never tell them that to their faces. This was her typical week, her typical life that is until 3 months ago when they brought home a 15 year old boy. After about a week or two he had finally settled in with Simmons and her family, he even decided on a name, Jaxx; during his stay he proved that he was just as smart as Simmons and so he attended school as a senior right alongside her. The first time she noticed a change is on his first day; he had walked her to the bus stop and followed her on and as soon as the doors closed everyone went silent.

She was used to them glaring at her, giving her looks of disgust, but this time was different. This time they were looking at him, their eyes filled with uncertainty as they measured him from head to toe. As they walked to the back, one snaggly-tooth boy reached out to try and pull on her ponytail, only to have his hand quickly grabbed by her new friend. The senior's eyes met Jaxx's, who gave him a look that caused the senior to go pale. Jaxx then leaned in close and whispered something to him, afterwards he let go of the boy's hand and stared at him for a few seconds more.

Everyone could see the look of fear growing in the boy's eyes, and after seeing this, he took Simmons gently by the hand and the two made their way to the back. Ever since that day everything changed. The seniors stopped bullying her and causing her grief which in turn helped her focus more on her studies. Also everyday Jaxx would get up in the morning and make breakfast for everyone; she'd assumed that this was his way of saying thank you for taking him in.

Today was a special day, for it was Simmons 13th birthday. She barely slept all at all the night before, so it was no surprise when she came rushing downstairs only to be greeted by her parents and Jaxx. The highlight of that day, to her at least, was the two presents Jaxx had gotten her. One was the first 3 seasons of Dr. Who and the second was a promise; the promise being that no matter where he was or what he was doing, that he'd always be there for her, always.

That was the first day that she had felt whole for the first time and it was also the first day that she thought of him as her brother…

(That is where her memory decidedly ends, bringing her back to the cruel reality before her. Her stomach was in knots, and with the force of a flood, her emotions rushed forth and that's when it all became too much.) Oh god…Jaxx… (Simmons vision started to blur as her eyes started to well up; she closed her eyes and started mentally cursing herself as she tried and failed to keep the tears at bay.) Damnit! Not now, not here, I have to- (She dropped to hers knees as the tears flowed freely down her cheek; she had lost so much already that she couldn't bear it, so much so that she simply wanted to sit there on her knees, whimpering and crying.)

(Seconds had passed when she suddenly felt someone's hand on her shoulder; she looks up to see Skye kneeling down in front of her, her eyes welling up as a single tear streaks down her face. Skye too had tried to keep it together, but found that she was unable to as well. Skye said with a grief-stricken tone,) "Jemma, it's okay, it's-" (Skye sits down next to her friend, holding her close as Simmons rested her head on her shoulder. she rested her head on top of Simmons'. Skye placed her cheek gently on Simmons' hair, as the two started to rock subtly back and forth in unison. All Skye could do was hold her friend tightly and help her thru this the best way that she could.)

A moment like this was bound to happen, it just happened sooner rather than later, but luckily Skye and Simmons had each other to fall back on. It would by no means be easy for them to accept such a loss; Skye had only met him today, but still it felt like a punch in the gut to see someone, a potential friend, sacrifice themselves' like that. For Simmons however, it was going to hurt long after they leave here; to her, losing Jaxx was like losing both a friend and a brother and it was as painful as raw nerve being dipped in salt.

It took some time, but eventually the weight of all the emotions that were weighing them down seemed to dissipate with each passing second. There would still be bits of hate, fear, and sorrow leftover, but it would be manageable. 15 minutes had rushed by them, but by then Simmons seemed all cried out and a bit better; she was still mourning Jaxx's loss, but it hurt less so than before. Both wiped the dried tears from their faces, after which they stood up and continued moving forward. Despite today's tragic events, they still had one last mission to complete and they were more determined than ever to see it to completion. No words were spoken, no speeches given just a simple unspoken promise; they looked one another in the eyes, and unspoken promise was made. That Jaxx's sacrifice would not be in vain, that his death would not be for nothing, but most importantly; Simmons made a personal vow, one that she promised to keep, no matter what it would cost her.

Location: Unknown

45 minutes later

Their search was slow going, hindered by both the dense trees for which they had to push through and by the blistering heat of the mid-day sun. They had pushed themselves and their bodies to the point of pure and utter exhaustion, which is why they decided to rest for a while before continuing forward. Simmons legs felt weak and hollow, she could barely stand much less walk another step or mile. She slowly lowered herself down to the ground, leaning her back against an uprooted tree which seemed to have fallen some time ago. Skye had wanted to stay standing, but the soles of her feet felt like they were being pricked by hundreds of needles.

She unclipped the pack and gently lowered it to the ground as she took a seat next to her friend. Both were drenched in sweat and both were exhausted beyond measure; though they'd never say it to one another, each one started having doubts about finding either the friends or the transport. Skye had decided that the two of them should rest for a while, and despite the fact that they were losing precious time, Simmons conceded. Meanwhile, as they rested their weary bones and strained muscles, something was lurking, watching the two from the dense foliage just a few feet behind them.

It watched them, listened and waited; Skye and Simmons were oblivious to its presence as Skye reached for her canteen, taking a quick sip before passing off to Simmons. She too took a quick sip and handed back to her friend shortly after. It stayed there, hidden like a chameleon, watching them with those pale, cold, soulless eyes. It would announce itself soon, but not now, no; it would study them further, to find the perfect moment then and only then would it finally take its prey.

Skye

(It had been a little over 5 minutes since either one had said a word, even so the tension had seemingly disappeared. While Skye sat there pondering on the events of the day, Simmons leaned her head back resting it against the tree behind her. Skye looked over at her friend, who was staring off into the trees watching a group of birds flutter about. She couldn't help but smile a bit as two of the birds started chirping in unison; seeing her smile seemed to brighten Skyes' own mood.)

Despite everything that's happened, she still able to find something that makes her smile; even if it's only for a little while, it's good to have the old Simmons back. (Seconds later, Simmons closed her eyes and after a few more seconds of silence, her smile grew; after that Simmons started chuckling without rhyme or reason. Simmons lifted her head up, opened her eyes and looked at Skye, who couldn't help but think,) Alrighty then…I think she's finally snapped.

(In Skye's mind, she thought her friend was starting to feel overwhelmed once again, which is why she asked with a concerning tone.) "Simmons, are you okay?" (Simmons was still sporting that gleeful smile on her face, but she managed to contain her chuckling. She nodded and replied simply,) "It's kind of you to ask Skye but I'm fine, really. It's just…*she looks up once again, staring at the sun beams creeping in through the trees* being out here, it reminds me of the time when I first met Jaxx."

(Skye had heard quite a bit about Jaxx, mainly though it was rumors and legends about his secret alter-ego, The Sword; she had yet to hear anything about how Jaxx and Simmons actually met, much less about their childhood. Needless to say, Skye was quite intrigued.) I've heard a lot 'bout him being 'The Sword', but no one has told me how Simmons and Jaxx actually met. (Skye asks, unable to hide her curiosity.) "Yea bout that,"

(Simmons shook head, feeling reluctant to tell her.) "I shouldn't, I mean it's not exactly my story to tell-" (Skye teasingly replied,) "Oh come on, don't leave me hanging. *whispers* Pretty please…" (Simmons looks away for a moment, and lets out sigh. She then turns back to her friend and says,) "Okay fine," YES! Finally, Jaxx's origin story, this is going to be fun. (Skye could barely contain her excitement and Simmons knew this, given the fact that she wore Skye wore her emotions on her sleeve as well as her face.)

(Skye turned towards her friend and relaxed against the tree while her friend told her the story of how she met Jaxx; a brother, and one of her most trusted friends.)

Her parents were renowned anthropologists in their field; her father focused more on the social complexities of certain cultures while her mother was leaned more towards the linguistically side. Both had studied cultures all over the world and each time they came home with exciting stories; with each story that they told little Jemma Simmons, the more enthralled she became to the point where she often pleaded for her parents to take her with them on their next foray.

Sadly, they continuously told her that she was not yet old enough, but that someday they would take her on one of their future studies. So, year after year she asked again and again if she could accompany them on their current study and year after year they told her no. However, on Jemma's 8th birthday, after years of begging and pleading with her parents, her wish finally came true. Both Martin and Marianne Simmons were heading to the United States for a year-long study into the Blackfoot tribe; more specifically the tribe that resides in a remote town in Colorado.

After a bit of teasing they told her that she would be allowed to come along so long as she stays out of trouble. With the agreement set, little Jemma and her parents pack what they needed, drove to the airport and after nearly an 11 hour flight they had arrived at the airport. There they were met by a fellow resident and Blackfoot tribe member who would serve as their guide and translator for the duration of their stay. With the sun setting, the Simmons' stowed their bags into the back of the jeep and soon after they were off.

Within 20 minutes they were already heading deep into the wooded wilderness, but by that time Jemma had already fallen asleep in her father's arms. Even though she was sleeping, she could hear her parents and the man conversing, she knew not about what as their voices seemed to drift off until she was completely out of it. She stayed asleep all the way to morning where she awoke to the sun shining through a window onto her face. After washing her face and brushing her teeth, she changed into some fresh clothes and ate breakfast with her parents. Little Jemma Simmons couldn't wait to start the day, to watch her parents do what they do best and learn what she could.

After only a few months little Jemma learned a lot, mainly that the other children in this small-town community didn't seem to like her very much; she often explored on her own while her parents talked with the elders and various other members of the tribe, learning what they could about the Blackfoot tribe. Jemma learned that this particular tribe was the Kainai, or Blood; she also learned that the Blackfoot Indians were and very much still are a spiritual and believed strongly in the supernatural. This often put her in conflict with the other children as she tried on numerous occasions to explain that there is no such thing as the supernatural, only science that has yet to be figured out.

As another month passed Simmons felt more and more secluded, while her parents continued their research. However, one day seemingly out of nowhere some of the children had come up to her and asked if she would like to play with them in the nearby forest. She was ecstatic, so much so that she didn't even question the motive behind such a sudden change in events. After grabbing her coat she followed the children as they walked into the forest; they seemed to walk on for hours until they finally came to a spot, after which the children told her that they were going to play hide and seek and that she would start it off.

Jemma walked up to a tree, placed her arm against it, and rested her head against her; she closed her eyes and started counting. Once she reached 10 she began looking for the other children, but after 15 minutes she had no luck in finding the others. After looking for yet another 10 minutes, she gave up, yielding to the fact that she was in fact a terrible seeker. She called out to the other children, shouting that she gave up, yet all she heard were the sound of trees rustling in the wind and the sound of thunder clapping off in the distance.

Jemma continued shouting out for the others only to get no response in return; it was by this time that she had realized why the kids were really being nice to her and asked her to play with them. She was infuriated, but that soon subsided and was replaced by panic when she realized that she had no idea where she was or how to get back.

Simmons

(She looked down at her hands, which was busy crumpling up some leaves that she had picked as she regaled Skye with her story. After she was finished crumpling the leaves she released the crushed pieces and brushed her hands together. Suddenly she hears Skye ask,) "So wait, they just left you out there all by yourself?" (Simmons could hear the less-than subtle hint of anger in her tone. She looked over at her friend and gave her a half-hearted smile and replied,) "Yep, pretty much…"

(Skye's expression turned to disgust as she stated,) "Those little bastards," Yea, that's exactly how I felt, at the time at least. (Skye shook her head and scoffed at the fact those kids could just leave her out there in the middle of the woods all alone. Of course Skye knew all too well how harsh other children could be, growing up in foster care moving from one home to another.)

(Still, she couldn't stand the thought of little 8 year old Jemma being left out in the woods all alone. Skye looked away for a moment before looking back at Simmons, saying,) "Damn, that's just…" (Simmons replied) "Precisely," (Skye shook her head briefly then asked curiously,) "Wow; how long were out there?" Well Skye, therein lies the problem. (Simmons was suddenly silent, which of course Skye noticed and asked,) "Someone did eventually come looking for…right? (Simmons simply said,) "That's not exactly what happened,"

(Skye leaned forward a bit and asked,) "Simmons, how long were you-*the sound of a twig snapping off in the distance*" (Skye's body immediately tensed up as she turned around, looking in the general direction of where the noise had come from. Simmons eyes widen and her heart pounding as she started cautiously looking around. Against her better judgment, Skye slowly got to her feet, once she was standing she took a small step forward and shouted out,) "Hello? Who out there…?"

(Skye shot a concerned look at Simmons, who shot one back at her; yet Skye turned back and shouted questioningly once more,) "Coulson, Trip…is that you? *mumbling under her breath* Please say yes," (Seconds later, the sound of leaves crunching off to their right, sounding like whatever it was is getting closer. The two of them quickly turned and as they stared off into the dense brush, it was then that Skye felt a knot in her stomach; almost as if she had sensed her friends' trouble, Simmons says.) "Maybe it was just a wild boar…"

(Skye looked at her with uncertainty, as well as replied unenthusiastically,) "Yeah, maybe…" That wasn't very reassuring at 'tall, (Simmons slowly got to her feet while Skye cautiously looked around their surroundings. After a moment of silence, Simmons started to feel calm once more, so much so that she stated with a hint of exasperation,) "Well now, guess it was nothing." (A second later a low-vicious growl came from somewhere over to their right, hidden amongst the dense bush and brush.)

(They turned and looked at one another, each one sporting a familiar yet custom look of fear in their eyes. Skye whispered,) "You just had to say it…" How was I supposed to know that there was something lurking in the bloody bushes? (Soon they're gaze quickly fixated on the bush as it started rustling rapidly back and forth as a yet another growl once more emerged from within.)

(Simmons felt her stomach twisting, knotting up, much like it did when she first saw those creatures in the facility,) No, it couldn't have…there's no way… (She could feel her hands shaking albeit ever so slightly, meanwhile her eyes were fixated on the bush as the rustling stopped. The seconds of silence that followed were excruciating as she waited, holding her breath as she did so.)

(Skye however, wasn't willing to simply wait a see what comes out; her eyes remained on the now still bush as she slowly reached down to grab her pack. Her hand frantically motioned around until it finally found the strap. Her movement was slow, as she placed her hand on Simmons' shoulder; her tone was frantic, yet compiled as she whispered,) "Okay, we're going to slowly get up and-"

(The growl had now evolved into a raging roar, as if it the creature that had been watching them knew what they were planning, and was intent on not seeing it fulfilled. The plan was no longer relevant; being cautious was no longer relevant as there was only one plan left to enact.) "RUN!" (Shouts Skye, her tone both urgent and forceful; Simmons wasn't about to argue with her friend as the two started their sprint away from whatever caused that monstrous roar.)

(The overwhelming fear flooding their minds made it nearly impossible to think, much less come up with any sort of plan. All they knew was that something was behind them, chasing them and that they weren't about to stop to see what it is. Simmons continued rushing forward with Skye nearly keeping pace; as they slapped away the branches that hinder they're way, Skye suddenly stopped, dead in her tracks.)

(Simmons notice that her friend had fallen behind and confusion took hold as she saw Skye standing there.) "WHAT ARE YOU DOING, WHY ARE YOU JUST STANDING THERE!?"

Skye

(Simmons was standing there yelling something, but Skye's mind was focused elsewhere; she was looking back behind her, staring at something lying on the ground. In their haste, she mistakenly dropped her pack; the pack itself wasn't important, but the contents within could be invaluable.) Shit, shit! That's just fucking great! (She could hear the creature getting closer and knew that within mere moments that it would be right on top of them and then, game over.)

(As her mind raced back and forth on what to do, Simmons voice finally managed to breakthrough to her as she shouted,) "SKYE WHAT ARE DOING!? FORGET THE BLOODY THING!" (Skye's mind was already made up and her decision was final. She could feel her stomach knotting up, her pulse sped up and her eyes narrowed as she focused on her target. The next moment was a blur as she ran as fast as she could towards the bag; her every instinct told her to run the other way, to forget the bag, but she just couldn't.)

(With the bag was a mere inch away she stretched her hand out which was close enough that her fingertips brushed the strap. Without stopping or even slowing down, she scooped the bag up off the ground and flung the strap over her shoulder while she sprinted back towards Simmons. Everything seemed to go silent, almost as if someone muted everything around her; the only sounds that she could hear was the constant pounding of her heart and a throbbing in her ears.)

(The sound returned second later, just in time for her to shout at Simmons,) "GO, GO, GO!" (Skye's tone was filled with fear and urgency; fortunately it was enough to shake Simmons out of her stupor. Simmons quickly ran into the jungle with Skye following quickly behind. They continued running, leaping over trees which had fallen years prior, pushing through brush and shoving away various branches and limbs that blocked their path.)

(The terrain was only getting rougher the further inward they went, Skye noticed this and she also noticed that Simmons was starting to slow down. Simmons had looked back to see if Skye was still behind her, but in doing so she neglected to see the branch lying directly in her path which quickly catches her foot. Skye could hear her friend grunt as she fell to the ground, nearly knocking the wind right out of her.)

"Simmons!" (Skye shouted, but Simmons was already pushing herself up off the ground by the time she knelt down beside her. Skye grabbed both of her shoulders and helped hoist her friend to her feet. Simmons was out of breath as she stated reassuringly,) "I'm okay Skye, really I'm okay." (She was lying of course and Skye knew that when she said in a lowered tone.) "*mumbling* Somehow I doubt that."

(There's no way that they could outrun whatever was chasing them, Skye knew as much especially with their bodies nearing complete exhaustion. Skye looked around and spotted a large thick tree just a few feet off to they're left ;) If you can't run, hide… (Using what strength was left, she started gently shoving Simmons towards the tree, where they used it as concealment and cover.)

(Skye looks over at her friend who was resting her head against the tree and had closed her eyes.) "*whispering, * Are you okay?" (It was only after Skye said it that she realized just how ridiculous such a question was at this particular juncture; Simmons however was amused by it, as she retorted.) "*whispering* I've been better." (The two chuckle a bit, which seemed to help take their mind off the situation at hand, even if it was short-lived.)

"*mumbles to herself* Yeah, I hear ya." (Simmons continued resting her head against the tree and kept her eyes closed as she tried taking in deep breathes to slow downing her still rapidly pounding heart. Meanwhile, Skye took this moment to peek out from behind the tree, just enough to scan the area for their pursuer. Much to her surprise, she found no sign of their pursuer anywhere within the vicinity.)

Where the hell-where did it go!? (She continued her search, but found only the freshly disturbed leaves, ones which had been left by them during their escape. Shocked and confused, she slowly leaned back behind cover; Simmons lifted her head off the tree and looked over at Skye to see the confused look on her face, which more than concerned her.)

"*whispering, breathing slowed* What is it Skye, what did you see?" (Skye looked at her friend and saw the concerned look plaster all over her friends' face. She didn't want to concern her even more, but she felt that Simmons had to know, which why she told her.) "Nothing…there's nothing out there," (Simmons eyes widened, and her tone that was filled with concern just a few seconds ago was now replaced by disbelief when says,) "*whispering* What!?"

(Now it was Simmons turn to take a quick peek, during which time Skye's mind was being filled with questions that she had no answers to. After just a few seconds Simmons leaned back, looking just as confused Skye. Despite seeing no evidence of their pursuer, they continued to remain in cover if only to be cautious. Simmons mind was still frantic from being chased, which meant that she didn't know how ridiculous it sounded when she suggested that,) "Do you think that it's possible that-it lost track of us?"

(Skye shook her head because in her mind, Skye had already thought of that and dismissed just as quickly.) There's no way in hell that we lost it that easily; not after it tracked us from the facility. (She chose her words carefully so as not to frighten Simmons any more than she currently was.) "Somehow, that thing only survived an explosion and being buried alive, but also managed to track us this far. *Looks over at Simmons* Besides, we both know that it's never, ever that easy."

(Regardless, they decided that it was best to remain in-cover for the time-being, just to be safe. Simmons had once more placed her head against the tree and took this brief moment of peace to calm herself as well as quell her wondering mind. Unfortunately for Simmons, she couldn't help but fixate on one particular event, one that happened just a few minutes ago. She seemed conflicted about what she saw and short of any logical reasoning she found only one course of action that could be taken.)

(Determined to get a proper explanation regardless of their current predicament, Simmons looked over at Skye, who was peeking out from behind the tree once more and spoke softly.) "*Whispers* Skye, I need to ask you something," (Skye continued peeking, mentally taking note of every tree, every bush; anywhere that the creature could possibly use as a hiding spot. Skye main focus was on the current situation, but she managed to find time to answer.)

"*Whispers* Yeah, now might not be the best time Simmons," I hate brushing her off like that, but we need to focus and find a way out of this freaking jungle. (Simmons swallowed hard as she focused on what she wanted to say, not willing to be deterred from her question. With a newfound determination in her tone, Simmons spoke once more as her gaze settled on Skye.) "Regardless of our current situation, I believe that you owe me an explanation,"

(Skye looked back and saw the accusing look that Simmons was shooting her way; she seemed dumbfounded as to what she was being so suddenly accused of.) What's with the look? (With little else to go on, Skye could only assume that it had something to do with her.) What the hell did I supposedly do now? (Unsure, Skye asked,) "Explanation to what?" Seriously, what the hell did I do this time?

(Simmons stared Skye in her eyes, unfaltering in her goal and said,) "An explanation as to why you so recklessly risked life and limb for that pack." (Simmons shoots a quick glance at the pack which Skye had placed on the ground in front of her;) "What could possibly be so important?" (Simmons' tone was a bit furious, yet still she remained collected. Skye's eyes also glanced down at the bag and lingered there for a minute.) Crap, I completely forgot about-she probably thinks that I'm nuts or something.

(Skye was going to tell her, but they had been rudely and unexpectedly interrupted; even so, she was unsure of whether or not it was a good time to tell her. Unfortunately Simmons was stubborn and was growing impatient by Skye's lack of response.) Now is probably not the time- (Skye saw the way that Simmons was frowning at her; it was look she became all too familiar with since she joined up with Coulson and company.)

(She bit her lower lip as she weighed her choices; seeing no other choice, she decided it was best for to finally know.) "It's better if I just show you," (Skye knelt down and unzipped the pack; after a bit of shuffling she pulled out a soggy bandana after which she stood back up. She glanced empathetically at Simmons, who raised a brow as Skye held the soggy bandana in her hands; soon Simmons looked bewildered, confused even, but she remained silent.)

(Slowly, Skye started unfolding the bandana, taking care just incase the vial itself was cracked from her dropping it. The anticipation soon settled once she finished unfolding, revealing an intact vial; Simmons' eyes widened, her face flushed as she simply stood there staring at it. Soon her eyes met Skye's, who could see the shock and awe hidden behind them.)

"Is that-what I think it is!?" (Simmons nearly lost her voice as she started to speak, due in no small part to the shock of seeing something that she thought had been destroyed when the facility self-destructed. Her eyes returned to the vial while Skye's lingered on her face; it was the look of awe on Simmons' face that caused Skye to grin, if only a little bit.) "Yep, HH.327; I found it in that hidden in the-" (Skye's mind quickly flashed back to the makeshift surgery room, but all she could think about was Jaxx; it's still a fresh wound, one that still bore pain.)

(She pushed that memory aside in order to finish what she was saying,) "Anyways, I managed to snatch before we had to take a swan dive off a cliff. I figured, that anyone could make something good out it; it'd have to be you." (Simmons remained speechless, and motionless for a time, almost like she was frozen solid; after nearly a minute of silence, Skye couldn't help but think that this was the longest that Simmons has gone without speaking.)

(Another minute passed by before Simmons finally snapped back to reality; without saying a word she quickly unbuckled her pack and sat it down on the ground. It was quick and frantic the way she unzipped the pack and pulled out a stainless steel container of some sort. Confusion engrossed Skye's face as she watched Simmons press a button on the container, which made a pressurized pooping sound seconds later.)

(After opening the lid, Simmons held it out towards Skye and said hastily,) "Quickly, place the vial gently, and I mean gently, into the cryo-container." (Skye heard the urgency in her tone, but said nothing as she looked inside the container only to find that it was almost to the brim with a gel-like substance.) What the hell is that? Looks like apple jam, (As she looked a bit closer, she caught a less-than subtle whiff from inside.) What the fuc-(Her gag reflex kicked in, yet she somehow managed to not show it.)

Oh my go; ugh, whatever it is it smells like it's two weeks past it's expiration date. And was left on the floor of a truck stop bathroom, (She turned her head, in the hopes of not catching another whiff.) "What, in the hell is that stuff?" (Skye didn't even try to hide the disgust in her tone;

Simmons reply was straightforward.) "It's a cryo-suspension gel matrix; Fitz and I designed it a year prior to joining Coulson's team. " (Simmons looked up, only to see Skye raising an eyebrow and giving her a confused look.) "It will keep the sample cold long enough until we get it back to the lab for testing, but time is of the essence…"

(Her tone was firm, if not a bit impatient, nevertheless Skye was willing to go along, but was not about to stick her hand in the container. She held the vial above the container, and just as she was about to dunk it in, Simmons stated,) "You need to make sure to push the sample down into the center of the gel," (Skye suddenly stopped, her eyes shot up to meet Simmons; the look of disbelief encompassed face as she retorted,) "Whoa, whoa wait; you mean that have to stick my hand in that crap? Aww hell no, ain't going to happen."

(Simmons urgency explained her reasoning,) "It's the only way to maintain a proper core temperature." I don't care, (Skye sarcastically replied) "It smells like something that came out of the HULK's butt," (Simmons was starting to get agitated with the lack of progress as well as Skye's stubbornness.) "Skye, the longer we wait the less-likely that the sample will that I'll be able to extrapolate any viable data; we're running out of time so just, bloody do it already!"

(Skye felt like she was back at the orphanage, being scolded for not eating her vegetables; seeing no way out she finally conceded to Simmons request.) "Okay fine, it's just-*mumbles* this sucks." (She placed the bottom of the vial into the gel, slowly pushing it in; the squish-like noises coming from the gel as she pushed the vial farther in didn't help much, in fact it only made Skye more squeamishness.)

Ew, ew, ew; this is just nasty-(Eventually, she could feel the texture of the gel on her fingertips; in Skye's mind, it felt like she was sticking her hand in a jar full of pancake syrup.) "Oh god, it feels-*shakes her head and sticks her tongue out* nasty, nasty, nasty…" (A few more seconds passed, during which Skye had managed to tuck the vial all the way down to the middle of the gel. A split-second later she removed her hand from the container and was relieved that it was over.)

(Skye couldn't help but shake her hand off to her side while Simmons clamped the lid back down; another pressurized popping noise came from the container, after which she held it of close to her face and smiled.) "Now all we need to do is find Director Coulson and Agent Triplett and get back to the plane and get this back to the lab." (Simmons stated as she started tucking the container back into her pack; Skye however, was still shaking off the non-existent gel on her hand, that is until she suddenly heard a twig snap.)

(She peeked out from behind the tree, just in time to catch a glimpse of something moving from one tree to another.) Shit! (Quickly she ducked back behind the tree, kneeling down next to Simmons, who had just finished securing the container in her pack.) "What is it Skye?" (Simmons curiously asks, to which Skye replied with an uncertain tone.) "*whispers* I think it's back."

(From the look of fright which was now plastered on Simmons face, it appeared that she knew what she meant by Skye's reference to "it".)

Simmons

Bloody Hell! (Simmons shuddered at the thought of that creature closing in on them and they were helpless, at least in the means of fighting such a beast. She turned to Skye and watched as her friend frantically looked around the ground before them. Unsure why Skye was doing this, Simmons asked,) "*whispers* What are you doing!?" (She didn't mean to sound so agitated, but given the current situation she couldn't help it.)

(Skye's eyes lit up as she snatched up a branch that must've broken off from the tree that they were using for cover. Gripping it tightly, she held it up and readied herself as the sound of leaves crunching grew closer. Skye glance over at Simmons and states urgently.) "*whispers* Get ready," Ready-ready for what?! (Suddenly it hit her, and she knew what Skye's plan was; needless to say, Simmons wasn't too thrilled about the plan and she said as much.)

"*whispers, agitated and panic tone* That is your plan?! You do realize that this thing survived an explosion and god only know what else, do you honestly expect to hurt it with that!?" (Skye shot her a look, this time she was the one that appeared agitated and responded accordingly.) "*whispers, * My plan, is to buy you some time; only one of us is going to make it out of here," (Simmons eyes narrowed as confusion started to set in; seconds later however it became quite clear as to what Skye's was really planning.) She's planning to stay behind, to hold off the creature and buy me time to get away…(Skye looked into Simmons' eyes and could see that she figure out her plan.)

(Shaking her head, Simmons stated sternly,) "*whispers* No, I'm not leaving you to fend off that monster by yourself," (Skye lets out a scoffs as she retorts,) "It's the only-" (Simmons cuts her friend off and sounding even more stern than previously she states.) "*whispers* I AM NOT LOSING ANYONE ELSE! UNDERSTAND!" (Even before joining up with Coulson's team, Skye always seemed adept at reading people, knowing their intentions or how they will act. For Skye, Simmons was like an open book, especially when it came to the team; Simmons would do anything to help the team, even jump headlong into danger to protect them.)

(For this reason, she expected this type of reaction from Simmons and she in turn felt the same way. For Simmons however, leaving her closet friend behind wasn't up for debate, it never would be.) Either the both of us make it out of here or neither of us do. Knowing that she was unsuccessful in swaying Simmons, Skye nodding and stated,) "*whispers* Ok fine, but your going to need a weapon." Right, (Simmons looked around and eventually found a nice thick, sturdy branch.)

(Her grip tighten as her nerves kicked into overdrive, as she waited for Skye's to give her the order to attack. Meanwhile the sound of leaves crunching under heavy footing was growing louder and closer. The creature was there, just on the other side of the tree; they could hear it's heavy breathing, during which the two shared a looked, one which stated that it was time to strike.)

(Skye stood up quickly, with Simmons in quick pursuit and the two stepped out from behind the tree and swung the would-be clubs with all their might. It became apparent that they had missed they're targets when their clubs splinter apart from hitting the tree. However, they managed to get a up close and personal look of what they were swinging at, or more specifically who.)

"Whoa, whoa take it easy, it's just us." That voice-Coulson (Shock washed over both Skye's and Simmons' faces as they stood there, staring at the two people they had thought were themselves lost, or worse.) Coulson, Trip! (Without a second thought Simmons dropped the branch and swung her arms around Trips neck, squeezing him. Skye and Coulson also embraced, both looking relieved to see the other. After a few seconds more, they released one another as did Trip and Simmons.)

"Well, you may not be able to shoot worth a damn, but you sure can swing that club like a maniac." (Trip's attempt at humor was a success, causing Simmons to chuckle a bit, she stopped however when she looked down at the ground and saw a patch of blood on Trips' leg, just below his kneecap.) "My god," (Simmons words seemed to trail off as she turned her focus to the wound. She knelt down to get a better look; Trip winced when Simmons placed her hands around the wound.) "What happened?"

(Trip shrugged it off, stating reassured-ly,) "It's nothing, really; I must've cut it on a rock when decided to go base jumping off the Cliffside. Really it's no big deal." (Simmons shoots him a look, before looking back at the wound; after a few seconds she stood back up and told Trip,) "Well regardless, your not going anywhere until that wound has been dressed. *gestures for Trip to take a seat next to the tree*" (Trip heaved a sigh, his way of letting her know that it was a waste of time as he limped over to the tree.)

(He slumped against the tree while keeping his leg straight so that Simmons could work. She ripped open the cut in Trips' pants, making it bigger which in turn gave her a better look at his wound.) Thankfully the wound isn't deep; the area around the wound is discolored which is to be expected. (Simmons reached around the tree grabbing her pack; after placing down beside her, she unzip it and reached within.)

Where's the bloody hell are those gauze pads, I know that I- (She pulls out a small sealed gauze package, afterwards she reaches into the bag once more, this time pulling out some bandage wrap. It was difficult to tear open the sealed pack with her hands, mainly due to how sweaty her palms were. Becoming somewhat frustrated, she placed one of the edges of the pack in her mouth and used her teeth to rip the corner off. She spat out the piece of wrapping off to her side and was finally able to open the pack, tearing it apart to get to the gauze pad held within.)

'Bout bloody time, I don't waste anymore time. (Gently, she placed the gauze pad on Trip's wound, during which he winced in pain. Her eyes shot up to his face and she said in a gentle, almost mother-like tone.) "Here hold this," (He didn't question, or argue as he replaced her hand with his, while she started to unroll the bandage wrap in her hands. Once she had about 5 inches worth, she placed it at the bottom edge of the gauze pad and began wrapping it around his leg.)

"You're quite lucky; another inch or two deeper and it would have lacerated your arterial vein. You would've bleed out in minutes." Quite lucky indeed; I did however forget to mention the fact that it will need to be stitched up when we get back to base, but given his hesitation when it comes to needles...I think it's best if I leave that out for now. (Trip heaved a heavy sigh as he retorted sarcastically,) "Yeah, thanks; I think."(She determined that it would take most of the wrap to keep the gauze pad secure.)

Coulson

(Coulson took note of the condition that Skye was in, noting every little detail no matter how minuscule.) Skye looks like she's about to kill over, (He glances over at Simmons who was still wrapping up Trips' leg.) Simmons too for that matter. (His attention turns back to Skye, taking note of how the sweat was literally running down her face; without even thinking twice he grabbed the canteen strap which was draped diagonally across his chest lifted it over his head.)

"Here, drink." (He said unscrewing the cap and holding out in front of her; he held it out in front of her, for which she humbly accepted. She felt the cold steel on her lips, followed by a rush of fresh ice cold water; never had water ever tasted so good she thought, taking 3 gulps in quick succession. Once she was finished she handed back off to Coulson and happily replied,) "Thanks, I really needed that."

I see that. (Coulson walked over and knelt down next to Simmons who had just finished patching up Trip's leg. Once more he held the canteen out, and in a gentle said,) "Here," (Simmons looks up, her kind, tired eyes meeting his. She smiled, albeit briefly as she took the canteen; with it in hand she pressed it's cool steel lip to hers, taking two quick gulps before stopping.) "Thank you sir," (Replied Simmons as she lowered the canteen down and started screwing the cap back on.)

(She held the canteen for a moment before handing it off to Coulson, who shook his head, simply stating.) "Keep it." From the looks of you, you need it more than I do. (Simmons tilted her head slightly, her tone filled with uncertainty as she asks,) "Are you sure sir?" (Seeing no need for words, Coulson gives a simple nod and with that Simmons smiles once more.) "Again, thank you sir."

(Her voice nearly breaks, which Coulson heard clearly, but decided to say nothing; instead he gave her a simple smile before he stood up. Simmons looks over to Trip, and their eyes meet; she looks away and tries her best to keep her composure.) "So AC, what's the plan?" (Coulson turned around, and studied Skye who was waiting for him to answer. He knew what needed doing, and he did hesitate to tell her.)

"It's simple; get to the plane and get the hell out off this island." (He studied the expression on her face, one that all but shouted confusion and she wasn't the only one.) "But sir, we don't even know where exactly the plane is?" (He turned around once more, this time studying the look on Agent Simmons' face. He retorted,) "Actually, we do."

(He looked to his left and walked over to a tree; it was there in the tree that would lead them to their salvation and back home. Carved into the tree was an arrow, one which pointed north. He turned around and saw that Skye had taken a few steps towards the tree. Confusion washed over her face as she squinted her eyes to focus.) "What is that-an arrow?" It's exactly that Skye.

"It's not just an arrow," (Coulson cryptic message only seemed to confuse Skye, until suddenly her eyes widened when it hit her like a bolt of lightning to her brain.) "*exclaims* It's a compass!" (It was a revelation that that came out of nowhere, but was a welcomed surprise to all. Coulson nodded and stated with a smile.) "Exactly. One that will lead us back to the Iron Wing."

(Trip smiled, as did Simmons who could barely contain her excitement at this new development. However, Coulson was able to determine that Skye was still confused and he thought he knew why.) She hasn't figured it out yet; she doesn't know yet who planted this here. (Skye shook her head before looking up at Coulson and asking,) "Whoa, whoa wait a second-how do you even know what that means? For all we know it could lead us to some kind of trap that Hydra left,"

(Coulson shook his head and replied,) "It wasn't Hydra," (Skye tossed her arms in the air and asked,) "Then who was it?" (He stayed silent, trying to maintain his composure, trying to be strong for the team, despite their setbacks, their losses. However, when he glanced over at Simmons, she looked into his eyes; despite all his training, it was the look in his eyes that gave her the answer.)

"It was Jaxx, wasn't it?" (Her voice trembled when she spoke, and nearly broke when she said his name. The loss was still fresh, still carried weight, one which seemed almost unbearable at times. All Coulson could do was nod and state the reasoning for this.) "Yes; he carved these in 1 mile circle out from the plane, so that we could find it if we ever got separated."

(She dropped her head, her attempt at hiding the pain which crossed her face; Skye's heart sank as she stood there staring at her friend who was in obvious pain. Trip couldn't look away, so he sat there, watchin as Simmons fought to push back the tears. After a few seconds she wiped her nose with her hand, sniffling as she did so; Trip places his hand on her shoulder, gently massaging her shoulder in a silent show of support.)

(The group was silent, each one trying their best to grapple with the loss of one of their own. Coulson knew time was of the essence and yet, he just couldn't bring himself to bark orders at those who were still grieving. Instead he turned away, looking at the tree behind him; his gaze lands upon the arrow etched upon the tree, seconds later he recalled a mission from a few years back that he and Jaxx was on. He wasn't sure why, but he felt compelled to share it,) "June 13th 2008, Benghazi…"

(Skye was the first to turn her attention to Coulson, with Trip and Simmons not to far behind her. They weren't expecting the director to speak, but now that he had, they were curious and he had their undivided attention. He turned around, feeling their eyes upon him he met their gazes as he continued.) "I'm not going to brief all of you on the mission, not because it's classified or anything like that, it's just, well, it wasn't very memorable. Hell, I don't even remember why Fury had sent me in, or Jaxx for that matter."

(He saw a light flicker their eyes when he said that name, Jaxx. It was especially noticeable in Simmons eye's, who looked away to have a brief moment to collect herself.) "Okay well, if the mission was nothing special then why tell us about it at all director?" (Coulson turned his attention to Trip, whose question as well as his tone hinted towards wanting to know more.)

(Coulson decided that the best way to answer any questions, present and future, was to get to the point that he was trying to make.) "Like I said, the mission wasn't very memorable, but afterwards," (He took a couple steps forward, closing the gap between him and his team as he continued.) "Now some of it is a bit hazy, mainly due to the fact that Jaxx decided to celebrate."

(Seeing the looks on Trip and Skye's faces, he could see that they knew what he meant by 'hazy' and 'celebrate'. Skye wasn't afraid to state it as much.) "*grinning* You totally got wasted didn't you?" Wasted; that would be an understatement Skye. (He looked over at her and shared a grin before replying.) "That's an understatement," (Coulson turned his attention back to the group and continued.)

(He told the group about the brief antics and how they almost got in trouble with the local military police, for which Skye and the others were more than a little shocked at finding out this information. They only became more enthralled as the story went on, he told them how he and Jaxx met back up at the S.H.I.E.L.D Hellicarrier. It was after they're debriefing that Coulson had offered him yet again a chance to join S.H.I.E.L.D and yet again he refused.) "No offense, but what did Jaxx have against S.H.I.E.L.D.? I would've thought that he would jump at the chance to be a part of it."

(Coulson nodded in agreement, but then he stated,) "That's exactly what I thought, at the time anyway, but then he told me that he couldn't leave his family behind; that he couldn't leave his family to fight alone."

Trip

Waitasec, (He glances at Simmons briefly,) I thought Jemma was the only family he had…(He thought about it for a second, recalling what he read from the one page file on Jaxx and from what Simmons had told him. That's when it suddenly became clear to him, unfortunately it wasn't as clear to Simmons or Skye who appeared confused.)

"But wait-I thought Simmons was the only family he had, *looks over at Simmons who looks over at her* right?" (Simmons nods, appearing as confused as Skye, so to help alleviate the confused-stricken duo Trip thought that he'd throw them a bone; one in the form of information.) "That's not what he is talking about…Jaxx was a marine, right?" (Skye nodded and from the way her lips parted was about to retort when she sudden froze. Her eyes widened as glance at him, Simmons and then to Coulson.)

That's it girl, now you get it. (Skye looked dumbfounded at the fact that she couldn't figure it out sooner; Simmons even more so since Coulson had told her, leaving her the last one to actually know. With that everyone was back on track and listened intently as Coulson carefully spoke each word with care.) "He told me, that I needed to watch out for my family, now; everyone here knows by now I'm sure, that I'm an only child and that my mother and father passed on a many years ago so naturally I was a bit confused when he said this."

"But then, he told me 'Family isn't about blood or DNA; it's about who you would fight for, it's about who you would live and dies for but mainly…it's who you would sacrifice your body, mind and soul to protect…" (At that moment, they realized why Coulson had shared that story,) "That is why I remember, not because we stopped some bad guy from doing bad things but because of what he said…This is why we're here, why all of us continue doing this, to continue fighting even in the shadow of defeat because we do not for ourselves, but for our family, our friends, our loved ones. They are why we are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice so they others can continue on in our place; just like Jaxx has." (Coulson continues.)

(Coulson eyes meets Simmons and within, they each saw the spark, that fire that had been thought lost, extinguished, burning brighter than in previous days. Simmons stood up, her form showed confidence, which only made Coulson even more proud to have her on his team, to see her standing instead of crippled over in defeat. Soon Skye and Trip joined them, and the despair-soaked atmosphere had dissipated, replaced by that of determination of confidence.)

(He gazes at each and every one of them, more than thrilled that they are willing to continued onward. The smile he had held back before, now flourished as he stated.) "If there's no other objections; we have a plane to catch, so let's get it done." (Each one gave a nod before gathering their things prior to heading out. Simmons grabs her bag, and pauses when she sees the container.)

(Her mind started to wonder, pondering on the repercussions of taking the vial with them, or if it would be simpler to just destroy, here and now. Trip noticed Simmons standing there, staring into her pack as if she were staring into a bottomless pit.) "Hey Sims," (His words struck her like thunder, snapping her mind back to the world. Quickly she zipped up the pack as Trip walked over, the sound of curiosity in his tone as he asked,) "Everything alright?"

(Simmons nodded as she frantically put her arms through the straps of her pack.) "Everything is hunky doory," (Her tone wasn't as convincing as it should have been, but it would have to suffice. She decided to take the vial with her and notify Coulson and company later when they were back at base and safe. Trip saw that she still looked rattled which was always a concern, so he asked.) "Are you sure everything's good? If you need a second to-"

(Simmons interrupted him, stating in a calming tone.) "Trip I'm fine, really. I mean it's not like this situation of ours could get any worse right?" (Trip shot her a look, one which stated all to often a common conception.) Oh girl, please tell me that you did not just jinx us by saying- (A loud roar suddenly echoed from behind them, catching the attention of everyone. Coulson and Skye walk towards Simmons and Trip, who shakes his head and says,) "You just had to say it, didn't you girl?"

(Another roar echoed, causing a shiver to course down their spines, this time however it echoed from their right. Seconds later another roar this one was to their left; Coulson retrieved his weapon and stated,) "I count 3, and from the sound of it, they have us surrounded." (Simmons shakes her head and mumbles under hear breath.) "Bloody hell."