Day 105 – Lighthouse Base – mid-afternoon
The next couple days weren't too bad…well they were really boring but I kept my head on straight. On the fifth day Simmons did a whole bunch of X-rays and then Fitz came and said the splint was adjustable. He did some jiggling and moving some things and I could move a little. I could almost bend my elbows. Never thought something so little could make me so happy. When Simmons told me I could go back to my own room I almost jumped my little bare tush right out of the bed. She said my fractures were healing quickly. It was probably cuz May finally let her give me them bone healing pills but she said it was cuz of my inhuman rate of getting better. Maybe I'd only be stuck in this splint for another week and I'd be FREE!
May came at lunch time and helped me get dressed in real clothes. I didn't even care that she had to do most of the dressing. She cut up a bologna sandwich in real little pieces and I got to eat it on my own. It was kinda hard since my arms didn't bend too good, but I did it. Then I said good bye to the med bay and almost ran down the hall. May couldn't even grab my arm to stop me but her voice did a pretty good job. After that she held my hand. I guess it was to slow me down. She probably thought I'd break if I got too excited. I thought for a second I was gonna just jump right out of my skin.
Then I started remembering about that 'conversation' we were s'posed to have. All that excitement turned to a kinda scary feeling. May didn't do a lot of conversating during those conversations. I was pretty sure she was dragging me to my room. I was more pretty sure I was dead meat. My brain was trying so hard to think of something to say or an excuse that wasn't too dumb that I didn't even realize the elevator we got into was going up and not down.
Since all these dumb floors look alike it's not easy to tell what floor your on til you kinda walk around a little and get to a room or lab or bunk or something. Anyway I wasn't paying much attention since I was trying to get out of getting my butt blasted yet again. Next thing I knew we were in Command. I was pretty relieved…for a minute until I thought maybe May was gonna…like right then and there and I was pretty sure I was gonna puke. But then everybody was clapping and telling me they were happy I was better and back to 'work'. I almost laughed cuz I didn't do any work for like a hundred days. But everybody was there…well, cept Mack and Fitz. Even Davis said it was good to have me back. I didn't believe him at first, since Piper kinda butted him a little before he said it, but she said he really meant it. There were some guys I didn't know watching computer screens but Coulson said everything was pretty quiet for a change and that maybe it was the right time to show me that surprise Mack and Fitz were working on for a long time. I didn't think everybody would need to come but it was like a big parade.
Coulson and May had my hands and we were like leading the way, even though I didn't know where the hell we were going. Yoyo and Piper and Davis and then Simmons we're following us and they were all smiley and talking quiet so I couldn't hear them. May and Coulson kept looking at me and smiling like they knew I was gonna really like whatever it was.
We all went back to the elevator…all of us. This was getting way too weird. I kept asking what was up and they kept saying 'you'll see' in a real singie kinda voice. I never really liked surprises cuz mostly they were tricks or some kind of crappy thing somebody did to you. Like one time this kid said he had a big surprise for me. He gave me a bag of pistachio's cuz he knew I really liked them. Then him and his gang of creeps stood there while I was all happy and opened the bag. It was just shells that they stuck back together. It was a rotten thing to do to a little kid and I really never forgot about it. Still kinda bothers me too, but then lots a kids did lotsa mean stuff to me…but not these guys…well, maybe Davis but that was just joking around with both of us, kinda fun stuff not mean. Yeah, he got kinda all goofy about it but that was because I am so much better at it than him.
Still, I was feelin' a little nervous about this whole thing. The elevator kept going down and down, father than I ever went on it, in fact I kinda kept waiting for it to hit the bottom with a kinda big bang. Geez, maybe there were some kinda cells down there like an old castle dungeon and May was gonna threaten to toss me in and throw away the key. Naw, she'd never…well I was pretty sure she wouldn't and anyway Coulson wouldn't let her. I looked up at her and she smiled back with a silly wink. Then I knew I was dead. May giving a wink? Like that ever happened in all of life.
When we finally stopped everybody got off before us and went down a long hall that was a lot smoother than the ones on other floors. They kept looking back over their shoulders and I think they were laughing but trying to cover it up. I was pretty sure they were talking about me cuz that's how they were acting. You know that kinda way you all talk real quiet then look back at the person and smile then laugh real quiet. You're kinda pretending you're doing nothing while you're doing lots. This was not getting better and my feet felt like they were stuck to the elevator floor. I didn't care when we just stood there and watched. May and Coulson even let them get a head start before we stepped out of the elevator. By that time they disappeared around the corner or through a big kinda door at the end of the hall. I couldn't see it but I heard it open and close.
I put on the brakes, just stopped and pulled on their hands. They both just looked at me and gave me a little tug but I shook my head and tried to get loose and go back. I told them I didn't like surprises too much and maybe this wasn't a good idea right now. Maybe I needed to get better more. They kinda looked at each other and smiled and that made things even worse. I tried to get loose again but May squeezed my hand tighter and Coulson said it was definitely time to do this. He said we all deserved it.
Argh! There was that word – 'deserved'. Getting what I deserved never really turned out too good for me. It usually ended up with me in detention or without supper or nursing a very sore butt. May wasn't into starving me or keeping me in solitary confinement. I dug my feet into the concrete and refused to budge. I begged her not to have that overdue conversation in front of the whole team. I promised every crazy deal I could think of until she was right in front of me with her finger over my lips. She told me she would never do something like that and that she was pretty sure the last week being stuck in bed and not moving was enough conversating for a while. Coulson told me to relax and that Mack and Fitz were really excited about this big surprise. I didn't even realize I we were moving down the hall until we got to the big door. Then we stopped and they told me to close my eyes til they said so.
I did and they opened the door.
A whoosh of air came out and the sound changed, funny kinda like echoey. I could hear the others even though they were whispering which was kinda weird, but I kept my eyes closed. I could hear something that sounded like the water when it sloshes around in the tub but it was bigger. Before I could figure it out everyone yelled, SURPRISE!
I opened my eyes and almost fell right on the floor. It was a massive room with a ceiling about a hundred feet high. There were flags like the little triangle kind they put out at fairs or parties. There was even a breeze which was kinda goofy cuz the Lighthouse has no windows. The flags were flapping and making that sound they make. There were chairs like the kind you stretch out on at a real fancy hotel and a couple of those umbrellas people use at the beach. I remembered seeing pictures of them. For a minute I thought I was dreaming cuz it looked like the sun was shining. Jemma even had sunglasses! And right in the middle was the biggest swimming pool I ever saw with a slide and a diving board. I didn't even think about all the team standing around in swimsuits. Mack and Fitz were there with giant smiles that I don't remember seeing for a real long time. In fact everybody was smiling more than they did in longer than I remember. Then Mack jumped right in the water and came up right in front of us. He wiped the drips off his face and smiled up at me. He told me the water was great and put out his hand.
I just stared at him for a couple minutes cuz I didn't even know what to say. He laughed that big great laugh he has and yelled to Fitz that they finally got me to be quiet. Fitz put up his thumb and smiled real big. I looked up at May and figured she'd say no way cuz I still think she thinks I'm gonna break if I do anything. But she smiled again and told me it was okay, that all of this was to help celebrate. I took a step toward Mack then I told him I didn't have a suit. That was kinda sad and there was no way I was skinny dipping. I didn't care how little I was. May said that wasn't a problem and she pointed to Yoyo who was dangling a kid sized swim suit on one finger. She just popped it out of nowhere.
I just stared at her while she walked around the edge of the pool to me. She said she promised me we'd get to swim but when she found out the lake water never gets more than freezing, even in the summer, she said no way in Hell was she getting in that. She handed the suit to May. Then she told me Davis and Piper did the shopping…nobody was looking for them. Davis said they just went with plain stuff cuz they didn't know what I liked but it didn't matter. Plain blue was good, it was fine. Plain blue with a little red dolphin on the top of one leg was even finer. It was the most beautiful thing ever! Then I remembered the splint and figured that was the end of the surprise but Fitz said it was just as good wet as dry. He made it that way. It adapted to the environment just like the inside of the containment pods. I wanted to kiss him…but even being nine that kinda was a little weird. I looked at May and she smiled again then showed me where we could change. She helped me and even had a suit for herself. I couldn't believe it. It was black, of course and looked terrific. I couldn't wait to see Coulson. I didn't even know they could swim…but they must cuz what if they got some job where they needed to and I remembered May saying Coulson left her in the water for a real long time so yeah they had to swim.
I wanted to dash right out and right into the water. Damn I love to swim. But, being May, she sat me down and read me a mile long list of rules and things not to do and no risky stuff and no running and if I hurt I had to stop (yeah, like I'd tell her) and how to stay safe and on and on and I wasn't even listening anymore. I just kept nodding and saying okay and I promise and finally she said we could go. My plan was to just run right out there and pow! jump right in with a giant splash.
May had a different plan.
I didn't get to jump right in…had to walk down the steps in the baby end, but that was it! No jumping and stay in the shallow end and don't over do it and be careful and stay close to her. I noticed everybody trying not to laugh and I thought it was at me but it wasn't. It was May. She was all crazy about it but Simmons said it was the best thing for my arms…kinda like therapy and she said a couple hours a day would be a great idea. Love you, Jemma Simmons! Coulson told her to let me go and have some fun. Mack and Davis said they would be the life guards. We all waited and when she said okay…I was all over that water.
Me and Davis had a cannon ball contest off the side. He made bigger splashes but hell, he's bigger. I thought about givin' the water a little quake but didn't want to push my luck. I let him win…this time. I did flips and swam under water, floated, did back strokes and crazy dance jumps off the side. Mack let me jump off his shoulders and even threw me up in the air so I could splash down. Yoyo swam around and around and made the water go the same like a whirlpool. I got to hand on to a tube and ride the waves. Everybody else kinda just relaxed in the water that was warm like a comfy bath and for once I was glad I was a kid and could have fun. I really wanted to dive off that board but May said absolutely not. I tried pouting and puppy dog eyes, even tried getting Coulson to get her to let me but no was no. She even said if I kept asking I'd be sitting on the side watching everyone else…until Mack said he would stay right in the water and make sure I came right back up. There was lots of bargaining and everybody took a side and finally May said I could try one time…just one time and that was it.
I was on that board before she could finish the sentence. Mack was right there and he didn't need to help me at all. I came right back up and I did it so good and Fitz checked the splint and Jemma made sure I didn't do anything worse and I got to dive about ten more times and go down that big slide at least twenty before May said it was time to take a break.
I wasn't happy but the surprise didn't end because this whole place had all kinds of stuff. There were these big lights that looked and felt like the sun and fake windows that showed a beach kinda place. Fitz showed me a console and hit a button that made it sound like the ocean with waves and birds squawking. It made me giggle. I haven't giggled in a bazillion years. There were picnic tables and even little grills…well, they were really stoves but they looked like grills. Somebody brought hamburgers and hot dogs and Mack was busy flipping and tossing them on one. There were salads and fruits and veggies and all the condiments you get with stuff like that. And there was chocolate cake and I knew Yoyo made it, cuz she made the best chocolate cake ever. We all ate and talked and laughed.
It was great just doing nothing…just being people having a good time. Just being a family that wasn't worried about saving the world for a while. It was great.
Fitz said whoever designed this place figured the people would be here for a long time and they'd need someplace to just relax. Mack said they probably planned on people bringing their families and they needed a place to keep their kids entertained. Him and Fitz found it when they were looking for life support and tryin' to find out why there was so much power allotted to this floor. He said it wasn't in bad shape since it really was kinda preserved all the way down here. Mostly they had to work on getting the filters to work and figure out the way the pumps worked. The water came from the lake and was heated before it went into the pool.
I didn't really care how or why, I just cared that it was here and we could use it and Jemma said I should swim a couple hours a day. Then they showed me an added bonus. There was a room behind the big pool area and the changing area that had a whole bunch of pin ball machines. Yeah, not video games with all that hi-tech stuff, they were real pin ball machines with flippers and lights and bells. They got a couple of them working and ya didn't even need to put money in to make them work. Me and Davis had a blast. There was even a Captain America game…guess who played that one the most. Yep, Coulson got the high score. Bing, bing, bing, bing…it was great. And Skeeball…there was a skeeball and I didn't even care there was no prizes. I just liked rollin' the ball and hearing all the bells and whistles.
Then it was back to the pool and more diving and sliding and I didn't even notice that the window things got darker like it was night. May said I had to get out and get dressed and I argued until she got that look and I knew I was beat. By the time we were dressed and back out to the 'park', Fitz had his little campfire stove going. It was right in the floor and worked with a button but it looked like a real campfire and we toasted marshmallows and made s'mores and listened to the cricket sounds that Fitz got the sound thing to play. It was the best day I had in all of my lives.
I was so tired my feet were dragging on the way back to the elevator. Mack scooped me up and I think he carried me all the way to our bunk but maybe it was Coulson. I was too tired to notice. Somebody got me outta my clothes and into PJ's and I didn't even care who it was.
I slept like a rock.
Day 109 – Lighthouse Base – Command
The first pool rule was absolutely, under no circumstances, for any reason was I to go there by myself…never, never, never not ever.
It took me three days to break that one.
Jemma said a couple hours a day…just a couple and by day three everybody was too busy to go with me. I just figured if they were too busy for that they were too busy to notice I was gone on my own. So I did.
I was relaxing on a raft with one foot just twirling around in the water, just listening to the invisible gulls when May found me. I don't know how long she was standing there with her arms crossed just glaring at me before I opened my eyes and saw her. I slid right off the mat and under the water and wished I had gills so I could just lay on the bottom until she cooled off…which would be about the same time Hell froze over.
Instead I swam to the opposite side. I didn't even see her move but she was right there when I started to climb out. I slipped right back in and she put out a hand to help me out. Great help cuz she whacked my butt with the other hand so hard I think I jumped right off the floor. Damn, I saw stars and let out a yelp that echoed in the big room like thunder. She didn't let go either, just marched me right to the changing room and peeled off my wet suit and helped me dress but not before finishing what she started.
After she escorted me right to Coulson's office and pointed to that big leather couch, I scrunched myself into the corner of it, pulled up my legs, wrapped my arms around them and buried my face there. She was talking real low and slow telling Coulson what happened and then they were both lecturing me for like an hour. then she was talking all fast to Coulson again and he stopped trying to get her to calm down and I just didn't want to look at either of them so I just scrunched back further on the couch.
May said she was done trying to get me to see what the hell I was doing. I peeked a little and she was like pacing and throwing her arms up in the air and Coulson was just listening. Then she told him it was his turn and maybe he could get through my thick skull and then she left…just walked right out the door and slammed it so hard I thought all the windows would break. Huh, safety glass…shoulda figured. Probably even bullet proof.
It got real quiet and for a minute I thought Coulson was gone too but I could hear those kinda sounds chairs make when you stand up from them. Then he was sitting on the couch by me. I peeked a little but he wasn't looking at me. He was kinda looking at his hands and then at the door and he took a big breath and blew it out real slow but he didn't say anything.
After I couldn't stand the quiet anymore, I said May probably hates me. Coulson shook his head and said she didn't but I really pushed her too far this time. I told him she left us but I never picked up my head or looked at him. He didn't look at me either, just kept looking at his hands. He said she didn't leave just went to cool off before she went too far. My butt kinda thought it was too late for that but I didn't say anything. So it got all quiet again until I knew the weird little sounds I could hear was me crying. That's when Coulson leaned back and pulled me real close. He wrapped his arms around me even though I was still all scrunched up and just let me cry.
When it got quiet again he asked me what I was thinking when I knew I wasn't s'posed to go to the pool floor alone. I was still hugging my knees so I shrugged and shook my head. I told him everybody was too busy so I figured they wouldn't notice. That's when he told me to look at him and he helped my lift my head with his fingers under my chin. He said I could do better…that I knew better than thinking just because someone doesn't know you break a rule doesn't mean it isn't broken. I had to blink a bunch of times because tears were just rolling outta my eyes. Then he reminded me what kind of stuff people around here are busy with but that didn't mean they didn't care or worry about me and did I think for one minute May wouldn't be worried if she couldn't find me. I just shrugged again. He hugged me some more and said that everyone on the base was expected to follow rules and obey orders. They weren't just made for me. And everyone would have consequences if they chose not to do that.
I shrugged again and told him it wasn't fair. I was still hugging my knees but now I had my head on his shoulder. I was glad he was still hugging me real close. He didn't say that dumb thing about how life isn't fair but asked me what wasn't fair. I was sniffling and trying not to get all weepy again but I told him if Fitz-Simmons decided to go skipping off in the moonlight they wouldn't have to worry about momma-May taking it out on their backsides. He kinda laughed and rocked me back a little. He wasn't laughing at me but it did give funny brain pictures. Then he kissed the top of my head and said that was what I got for messing with time and space and ending up such a stubborn little kid. I told him that Fitz had some hand in that and he said he'd mention it to May. Then we both laughed.
We were quiet for a little bit and I finally stretched out my legs and breathed out a long breath. I leaned on him and said that May was probably real mad at me, like worse than ever. He said he could think of a couple worse times but we didn't need to talk about them. I said I was sorry but he said he didn't think that was enough this time, even though he was glad I was. I hugged his arm that was hugging me and asked what else I could do. This time he shrugged. I told him I would try a lot harder to follow the rules and he just smiled. He kissed me again and said I was too much like my mother for that. Then he said she knew that too but that didn't make it alright. He told me he wasn't the one I needed to say sorry to, but I said I already said sorry to May only she probably didn't hear me cuz she was all 'seek, kill, destroy'. He nodded and said that was part of May's anger right now. I just wrinkled my face at him, like 'what?'.
He asked me if May ever, EVER gave me what for when she was so angry. I said uh-uh. She never was angry even a little cuz she said she wouldn't do that. She always cooled off before she heated my butt. He almost laughed but just smiled funny. He said today she let her anger and probably her fear be in charge and did what she promised she would never do. May didn't like to break promises. She hardly ever did. He said she was pretty scared that she might have hurt me and that was something she just hated. I had to admit my butt was stinging a lot longer than it usually did after we had one of our little conversating sessions, but I didn't tell him. I asked Simmons about it a long time after and she said it was because I was soaking wet. Water actually soaks into your body and fills in all the little openings in your skin so if something (or someone) whacks you there's nothing to slow it down. Did you know there's like this air cushion around your body to help protect you from stuff like that? But when you're wet it doesn't work. So yeah, really mad May plus really wet me made a really sore butt.
We were quiet for a bit while I thought about it. Maybe I should talk to May. I could tell her it was okay and that I wasn't mad or anything and she didn't hurt me. Hell, I got slapped around a lot when I was a real kid. Nuns didn't take a lot of gruff and I got paddled lots of times and way harder too. It was different cuz it was like those mean old bitties kinda liked smackin' kids. One of them said they had to beat the devil out of lots of kids and I wasn't the only one. They always left bruises. May never did, not even a little one.
I just leaned on Coulson and thought about how much better it was now, how having him and May was like the best thing I ever had. It almost made me forgot about being alone back then…well most of the time. I just wanted to stay right there and be a kid forever and be safe and feel this great feeling of snuggling into someone who cared even though I was a real brat. It was more comfortable than anyplace I'd ever been but I couldn't stay there. When Coulson kinda moved a little and helped me stand up in front of him I already missed him holding me, but he rubbed my arms real soft cuz of the splint I still had. We both kinda leaned a little til our heads touched. He said he thought I knew what I needed to do and I just nodded. So he kissed my forehead and told me to go find May.
I turned around to leave and he gave me a not so gentle swat to help me out the door.
I guess I deserved it.
