18
Saez sat back on his feet and wiped the sweat from his brow. Despite the chilliness of the cavern, the situation brought a rise in everyone's temperature. "Can't be sure how long it is or how far…." The young man scratched his hair line and shook his head. He glanced at May, surprised at her look of concern, a look he'd never seen on the woman.
Bradshaw dropped to his knees next to them, pushing the large first aid bag forward. He put a hand on Saez's shoulder knowing he had the most training in field medicine. If anyone could handle this it was Julian Saez. "Can't be too bad," Bradshaw laughed nervously. "There's not even any blood."
Saez yanked the medical bag open and shuffled through the contents. "Not sure if that's a good thing."
May gave a disgusted grunt and ran a hand across Coulson's forehead. Saez did not miss her unspoken comment. He cleared his throat. Coulson let out a low moan.
"Keep him still," Saez ordered when Coulson began to regain consciousness. "I have no way of knowing how much damage this thing did." He spritzed a syringe and flicked the side of the vial with one finger. For a moment the man closed his eyes and faced upward then quickly jabbed the hypodermic into Coulson's shoulder. The agent moaned again and slowly relaxed. Saez looked up at May quickly. "Just to keep him calm." He assured her.
Bradshaw let out a low whistle and glanced up at the three men standing in the archway, watching. He shook off the shock of their leader's situation and regained composure. "What are you looking at?" He demanded as he stood. "The three of you, get out there and call in the extraction team. MOVE!"
Carson snagged the other two men by the collars gave a nod and pulled them back then pushed both toward the crumbling rubble that lead to the opening they'd just blown. He pulled the sat-phone from the back pack nearest Coulson and headed after Lieu and Cooper. Bradshaw turned back but continued watching his team crawl over the mess to the unstable doorway at the top. He brushed his hands on his pants and squatted back down.
"What'ya need me to do, Saez?" He asked quietly.
xx
William May paced the kitchen of his daughter's apartment lost in worry over both her and his granddaughter. He placed Melinda's best Scotch back in the credenza, locked it and set the key in its place atop the refrigerator. Skye was safe with Celia Gibbons. That he knew. But he could not get the angry countenance of Veronica Roffman out of his mind.
That woman had no clue that he had only stepped down the hall to a kind neighbor's hospitality. And yet that woman suspected him of running with the little girl she intended to rip away from probably the only loving home she'd known. Now William wrestled with his own emotions…his fear…his anger…and disappointment in the system meant to protect the innocent.
Stopping himself mid pace, William drew a long breath and cleared his mind. He stood still in the center of the room, silently repeating prayers learned in childhood while continuing to breathe in and out deep and slowly. Worry would not help. Worry would only heighten the anxiety everyone experienced. Worry would make this much worse for the little girl he already adored. And worry would not solve this problem. With one final cleansing breath, William exhaled and walked toward his room. Skye would need him at his best.
xx
Celia rocked with her little patient asleep on her lap for a little more than half an hour. She actually drifted off herself for a few minutes. Without waking the child she did a quick ear temperature check and sighed at the fact the little girl still ran a low grade fever. She tucked her back into a comfortable spot on the couch and scratched Muffy's ears when the cat padded back to its cuddle space.
William had done most of the cleaning in the kitchen. She smiled at the kindness of the man then hurried to dress before his return. Pulling an older address book from the roll top desk in the living room, Celia sat down to review the names her husband had scribbled into it so many years ago. She smiled at some of the names remembering luncheons and dinners, holiday parties and summer bar-b-ques and children growing up together. With a frown she drew a line through the names of those she knew had passed or moved from the area and those with whom she had lost contact. The remaining names did not give her much hope, but perhaps her son could add to it.
Celia lifted the phone receiver and glanced at Skye still asleep on the couch. She set it back it its cradle softly. It would not be wise to speak in front of the child. Skye was already upset, hearing her speak to anyone about the situation could only worry the child even more. Smiling at the soft knock on the door she rose and moved toward it, already knowing it was William. As soon as she saw him she knew there was more concern. She knew it was not good.
William stepped inside and stood staring at his granddaughter. He smiled weakly. Celia placed a hand on his arm wordlessly asking what was wrong. He nodded toward Skye.
"Perhaps she would have more comfort in her own bed." It seemed as if all hope had left his tone.
Celia shook her head. "I've got a spare room." She motioned toward it. "She's spent the night here a few times. She'll be okay if she wakes there." Celia moved across the parlor and opened a door revealing a small but neatly decorated bedroom.
William thought for a moment then barely nodded as he moved to the couch and lifted the child in his arms. She mumbled his name and he shushed her softly, holding her close. By the time he crossed into the room Celia had drawn the blankets. He lowered Skye to the pillows then brushed the hair from her face.
Celia tucked the blankets around the little girl and smiled. "She thinks her pajamas are making her ill." She laughed softly. "Poor little thing told me they make her feel yucky." She explained using Skye's terminology.
William smiled again, but not the usual wide smile that met anything this little one did or said.
"She's still a bit warm, but I let her sleep." She shook her head. "It can't be the shots she received. It was too long ago. She's a bit stuffy, but that could be from all the crying." She turned to the man who now looked more concerned. "Probably just the start of a little cold," she smiled and assured him.
They left the room, pulling the door closed a second after Muffy slipped inside and up onto the bed.
xx
Saez rested his head against Coulson's back and motioned for the others to be quiet. He leaned back and spoke quickly. "His breathing's a little ragged. Probably hit the lung." He shook his head. "All we can do is keep him from moving or moving that piece of wood."
"Can't you just pull it out?" Bradshaw wondered.
"NO!" both Saez and May exclaimed.
"No," Saez repeated calmly. "Pulling it out will cause more damage to whatever it's hit, probably start the bleeding and no telling what vessels it may have torn. One wrong move and he could lose use of that arm for good." The young man shook his head again. "There's not much here we can use other than immobilizing his arm and keeping him upright." He looked at the others and continued. "Easier to breathe."
Bradshaw gave a nod as he, May and Saez began to wind bandage around Coulson to keep his arm from moving. Once done the two men propped up their leader against May making sure the injured shoulder was not pressing against any obstacle. May dismissed them both, ordering them to check on the others and the status of their call for extraction.
"Damn it, Coulson," she breathed as she adjusted herself in the uncomfortable position. He gave a slight painful grunt as she pulled him a little closer. Saez had placed him with his back against her right side and his head leaning against her. May had wrapped an arm across his chest to keep him sturdy. His free right arm rested below her left.
"Sorry," he groaned in a voice laced with pain.
"Shut up, jerk. Concentrate on breathing." May warned him.
He leaned his cheek against her breast and forced a weak smile. "Haven't…been…this," he struggled to breathe between words. "Since…S-san…cisco," he coughed a wet laugh and moaned again.
May did not share his amusement. "That wasn't close, damn you, that was work and you were a lousy lover."
Coulson frowned. "Sorry…got…you…in…to this." He reached up and wrapped a hand around her bicep and gave a soft squeeze.
"Just shut up and breathe." She told him again.
His hand slid from her arm and dropped to the rock floor. She felt him exhale and waited for the intake of breath that did not come. May pushed herself up straight and shook him a bit more than she should have. "Damn you Coulson if you die…I'll get the biggest dog I can find and have it shit on your grave every day." She shook him again. "Coulson!"
She felt the intake of air as the man's chest rose. He groaned as it escaped him.
"Agent May," Bradshaw interrupted before she could speak. She looked up at him. The man paused for a moment. "Snow's not as heavy as it was, still a lot of cloud cover. The phone is useless but we managed to get two beacons to work. Carson and Lieu are heading for higher ground. "Might get better reception." He glanced at the man lying against her, noticing how pale he had become. There was no need to ask how he was, that was apparent.
"Up," Coulson groaned, pushing away from May to sit on his own. She struggled to hold him in place. He shook his head and pushed harder. "Me…up…May." The man wrestled to the point she released him thinking to fight would worsen his injury. He forced himself to focus on the young man standing before him. Coulson put out a hand insisting Bradshaw pull him to his feet.
The younger man looked to May who simply shook her head and rose to heft Coulson up. Bradshaw did the same and together they brought the man to a standing position. Coulson drew a breath and for a second bent at the knee, sinking back to the floor. May and Bradshaw caught him, brining him back up.
"Damn you," May spoke through her teeth.
Coulson slid one foot in front of the other, paused, then slid the other inching his way forward.
"Where the hell do you think you're going?" She demanded.
Bradshaw knew enough to stay out of this argument. Coulson jutted his chin toward what was probably the mess hall. The younger agent pulled his superior's arm up and around his own neck, ready to do what he could.
"You'll never make it that far…" May growled, wrapping an arm around his waist on the opposite side.
"S'what…you…said…in Troskovice," he stopped moving and drew a few short breaths. Exhaling brought obvious pain but he smiled weakly at May, "when…you…shot me…in…the foot."
"You shot yourself in the foot, moron." She snarled back as they started moving again. "Had to have that damn antique pistol."
Coulson nodded, but did not have enough strength to answer. Bradshaw merely listened but wished he could hear the whole story. They made it to the long wooden table in what was once the mess hall where Coulson slipped his arm from Bradshaw's support and dropped onto the bench next to it. He folded his arm on the table and let his head drop on it. They could see him struggling to catch his breath.
May stepped back and placed her hands on her hips. "That's it? You had us drag your sorry ass all the way over here so you could park it there."
Coulson nodded without lifting his head. "Floor's…cold…" he mumbled into his arm.
"Ma'am!" Cooper almost fell into the room. He blinked a few times at Coulson seated at the table, then turned back to May. "We…we've got something…scratchy but…"
May took a step then turned back. Coulson raised a hand and waved it toward the door. "Got this," he groaned. "Go…"
xx
"It's hard to give you any kind of advice without knowing the whole story, but it doesn't sound good." Celia could hear the doubt in her son's voice. "I don't know a lot about family law but it seems like this case worker might have reason to remove the child. Not that I agree or think it's right," he quickly added. "I can put you in touch with a few guys that know more about this kind of stuff but until they talk to the foster mom there's not much they can do."
Celia nodded and thanked her son for his attempt to help. She jotted down the names and numbers he suggested and tucked them into her address book. She'd spoken to two judges that had retired some years ago, both told her almost the same thing. Melinda could be considered abandoning the little girl since she left no way to contact her and had no contact with her father or Skye since leaving a few days ago. One told her it would be best to allow Skye to leave with the case worker and begin the process of having her returned to the home if and when May returned, of course with a reasonable explanation. It mattered not that Skye had been left with May's father. He was not legally her grandfather and had not been mentioned in any documentation May had provided to the District. He went further to say that if Ms. May had not disclosed the nature of her employment that would be held against her and would more than likely determine the child would not be returned.
The more Celia spoke to the man the more depressing the situation became. She thanked him graciously and wished him well. She turned to William with a frown.
"Things do not seem to be working in our favor." He sighed.
"Perhaps you should try calling again." She nodded toward the pocket where he implied the special phone was held.
William shook his head. "It does not work in that manner. Unfortunately, this phone is meant to contact me but not to contact others." He sighed deeply. "The number Mellie left was to be used only once. It will not be answered a second time."
Celia knit her brows and rolled one hand into a fist. "Maybe taking her away for a few days would not be so bad. I could tell them you never saw the letter, that you were gone before she came back…" She thought for a moment, "gone to find May and solve this whole thing."
William smiled and placed his hand around her fist. "I have gone to great lengths to instill honesty and integrity in my child." He patted her hand softly. "I am sure she would do the same for hers."
The woman exhaled the breath she'd been holding and relaxed her hand turned it and held his. "Of course," she agreed. "I just don't know what else to do." Her voice shook with emotion.
"I am afraid we have no choice." William shook his head.
"She will never trust anyone again." Celia quickly wiped a tear that escaped her eye.
"Yéyé?" The small voice interrupted their conversation. Celia quickly turned away and wiped both eyes then turned back with a wide smile.
William moved to one of the large plush chairs in the living room and patted his lap. "Come sunnu," he smiled. "We must talk."
Skye blinked a few times staring at her grandfather who seemed so different. She looked to Mrs. Gibbons who smiled funny and nodded. The little girl knit her brow and tugged at the front of her pajama top, sliding it side to side then up and down as she slowly walked across the room. William pulled her onto his lap and hugged her close for a moment. The little girl sniffled and rubbed the back of her hand under her nose before tugging at her top again.
"It seems Mrs. Roffman knocked on our door this morning." William began. He felt the little girl shiver against him. "It was lucky that we were visiting our good friend." He nodded toward Celia. Skye glanced at the woman and gave a tiny nod.
"The case lady don't know Miss Gibbons." The little girl mumbled.
William hugged her closer and chuckled. "No, she does not."
Skye rubbed the front of her top against her skin. "Are we hidin', Yéyé?"
William looked at Celia, who covered her smile quickly. "No, sunnu, we are not hiding. It is just a lucky coincidence."
"But she dint git me." Skye shook her head against William's chest and pulled at her top again. "These pijamas got sumtin makin' me yucky." She dug her fingers into the material and rubbed it back and forth.
Celia stepped closer and felt the soft material she also noticed the light camisole Skye wore beneath her pajamas. "Are they new, sweetie?"
Skye shook her head. "I got 'em a long time ago when I went the new school." She explained. They never made me yucky b'for." She scratched at her tummy again.
"Maybe a new detergent," Celia suggested to William. "How about a nice warm bath and some fresh clothes?" She spoke to the little girl, deliberately changing the subject.
Skye shook her head rapidly and held tighter to her grandfather. "I doun wanna go ta May's house. The case lady'll find me there."
William wrapped both arms around the child. "No, Skye. She will not return today. That I can promise."
"I need my May." Skye sniffled.
"Yes, bao bei." William comforted. "I too need her, very much."
"My May calls me bow bay when she tucks me inna bed." Skye sniffed again. "It's okay you call me that too, Yéyé."
William held her tightly for a moment then nodded to Celia. It was not the time to discuss what would happen. He could not bring himself to do so now.
xx
May stood at the mouth of the hole the team had blown to free themselves. Whatever was left of the castle that supposedly stood here had long disintegrated probably with the help of the last war. Chunks of rock were strewn in all directions along with the bricks and wood that had blown free in the explosion below. She stared at the tracks that led away from the site into the forest and back. Carson and Lieu stood a few hundred feet away. The snow still fell in soft flakes that drifted quietly to the ground. The sky was a mix of deep blue and dark gray. Cooper held out the sat-phone and pointed toward the other two agents.
"We think we got some kind of reception there, about ten minutes ago. Carson gave our coordinates but we haven't heard anything since." He spoke quickly as they trudged toward the area he'd pointed. "Beacons seem to be up and running, no problem."
May did not answer, merely listened to the man's report. She took the phone from him and stepped between the other two agents. She took a few steps and looked up to the clear sky above and the heavy clouds rolling toward it. Tapping a few buttons, she put the cold object to her ear. The static almost stung.
"S.H.I.E.L.D. 1606….repeat, S.H.I.E.L.D. 1606, code 226…repeat code 226, agent down." May spoke clearly, answered only by more static. She listened, hoping to hear the faint garble of voices within the scratchy feed then repeated her message and listened again. She swore under her breath, turned and pushed the phone into Lieu's chest. "Keep trying," she order through her teeth then marched across the trampled snow toward Cooper.
"We have about an hour or so before that storm is right over us." He nodded toward the cumulating cloud cover.
"Agent May!" Lieu called, holding the phone toward her.
She was there in two long strides and pulled the phone to her ear. "We have your location." A voice scratched through the static. It was all she heard but it was enough. Even a damn snowmageddon couldn't stop a Quinn Jet.
xx
"You don't needa take my tempachur cuz it's my jammas making me all," Skye squirmed a little, scrunched up her face and wiped at her tears with her sleeve, "all icky."
Mrs. Gibbons sat the little girl on the edge of her bed and placed a hand on her forehead. "You still feel so warm that I think it is a very good idea before you bathe and change. Maybe it's the fever that is making your pajamas feel so icky." She smiled and tapped the end of Skye's nose causing the little girl to blink. Tears squirted and lit on the child's lashes.
"You gots one of them ear things doncha?" Skye sniffled. Again she swiped at her nose with her sleeve.
Mrs. Gibbons resisted the urge to hold out a Kleenex. This was no time to correct the child. She crossed her arms over her chest, just like May and smiled. "I do." She agreed. Then added, "but, we always want to have the absolute most accurate temperature so we know exactly what to do."
Skye crossed her arms over her own little chest. She sniffled a few times as tears rolled over her cheeks. "I don't like it very much." She mumbled into her own chest.
Celia sat down next to the child and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She pulled her close in a half hug. "I know dollie, but it only takes a few minutes and we are all done."
Skye turned up one side of her mouth. More than anything she just wanted May then it wouldn't matter how many times she got her temperature taken. May would be there to pat her pack and whisper in her ear and tell her everything was okay. She sing that little song real close to her and kiss her face right by her eye. She say, 'be brave' and 'be strong'. And the more Skye thought about May the worse things became and the more she wanted her to be there, right there next to her.
Mrs. Gibbons was always gentle. She never ever, not once hurt her or made her feel bad or scared but Mrs. Gibbons' voice was way too doctor happy. It was like when he said a shot would only hurt for a second or when May took the splinter out of her foot and said the medicine would sting for just bit. Right now she didn't need a happy doctor voice she needed May's be-brave voice. She needed May's no-nonsense-cuz-this-is-the-way-it-is voice that held the whole world together and made her feel safe no matter what happened.
Mrs. Gibbons hugged her again then stood and walked to the bathroom returning with the thermometer she shook with one hand.
Skye shook her head then dove into her pillow, gritting her teeth and suddenly unable to suppress the overwhelming sobs. May was gone. She was tired and hot and her pajamas were making her scratchy. The case lady was mad and she wanted to go back to hide in Mrs. Gibbons' house and hug Muffy and feel her purring against her side. She didn't want a thermometer or a tired nurse or even a yéyé. She just wanted May. That is what she cried into her pillow ignoring everything else.
Mrs. Gibbons held her for what felt like a long time. She cried so much her head hurt and her eyes felt sticky and swollen. Mrs. Gibbons rocked her and told her that sometimes a nice long soak helped a lady feel better. She promised to add some of that purple stuff May always put in the tub that made everything smell just like May. Mrs. Gibbons wiped her face and made her blow her nose a bunch of times before they both slipped off the bed.
A few minutes later Skye stood in the bathroom drawing shaky breaths while Mrs. Gibbons filled the tub. She really tried to stop crying but it was so hard because she couldn't stop thinking. Her fever still hovered at over one hundred and she'd developed quite the sniffle. The retired nurse was almost positive it was the beginning of a head cold. She turned off the water and turned to see the little girl again scratching at the front of her pajama top.
"Let's get those itchy pajamas off before you scratch yourself silly." Mrs. Gibbons smiled.
"Maybe Muffy gots fleas." Skye sniffed as she attempted to pull the top over her head. She pushed her hair away from her face when Celia tugged the sleep shirt off her arms. "Maybe them fleas was bitin' on me." She nodded her head and pulled the camisole's neckline to wipe her nose and eyes. "At the orfnedge we got them bugs once and errybody got lotsa bites, just like me." The little girl sniffed and swiped between her words.
Mrs. Gibbons shook her head. "I promise you my sweet kitty has no fleas, sweetie." She reached and pulled the little girl's t-shirt over her head.
"See," Skye pointed to her speckled belly with wide eyes. "Maybe they's skeeter bites." She sniffed deeply and wiped her eyes then shook her head, "but they's mostly inna summer time." She shrugged and reached to scratch again.
Snagging her hand, Mrs. Gibbons pushed her glasses up on her nose and looked at the bumpy rash more closely. It did indeed resemble a cluster of mosquito bites. The woman lifted the little girl's arm and found more bumps there, ditto with the other arm. She carefully turned the child around and examined her back finding the rash there and up her neck into her hairline. Slipping Skye's PJ bottoms off, she checked the child's thighs and found even more. For a moment she bit her bottom lip. She hadn't seen this in many years but was absolutely sure what it was. A warm bath would confirm her suspicions.
"You're squishin' me," Skye croaked as the older woman wrapped the little girl in a tight hug.
"I am so sorry sweetie," she spoke through her tears and quickly swiped them away. "Let's get you into the tub."
"I gots lotsa them bites doun I?" Skye hiccoughed as she turned to look at her sides and legs. "Maybe they was in Dr. Wang's sky place."
Celia held the little girl's head in her hands and kissed her forehead. "They're not bites, sweetie they are the best thing that could have happened today." She kissed Skye again before helping her into the tub. "Do you think you can soak for a bit while I talk to your Yéyé?"
Skye scrunched up her face and nodded. Mrs. Gibbons was acting really strange and kinda happy about all these itchy bumps. She assured the little girl she would be right back and hurried from the room.
xx
William had prepared tea. He chose a mixture that might help calm him and second that would help relieve his little girl's fever. The tea kettle began whistling at the same time the phone rang. He put the kettle to the side and hurried to answer, hoping it was Melinda at last returning his call.
"This is Veronica Roffman," the woman spoke without greeting him. "I take it Melinda May has not yet returned." She did not give William time to answer before continuing. "I left a note for you Mr. May. I am glad you have chosen not to run. It would not be well for anyone."
"I assure you I have no reason to run." William spoke quietly.
"I also informed you I would return in forty eight hours." She ignored his comment. "After speaking to my supervisor about your absence upon my arrival we feel we cannot take such a chance. I shall be arriving for the child by three tomorrow afternoon. Please have her ready." She gave him no time to respond. "And Mr. May, I expect you to be there at that time." With that she disconnected the call.
William stood for a moment staring at the receiver in his hand. He resisted slamming it back into its cradle.
"William?" Celia spoke as she entered the room.
"She must be ready by tomorrow. Mrs. Roffman will be here by three o'clock." He sighed as he shook his head. "I must tell her."
Celia stepped closer and smiled. "That little girl isn't going anywhere, William. And that horrid case worker can do nothing about it."