A/N: So, I've been having some hangups in life which leave me not creatively inspired. But I know people were waiting for another installment of this, and honestly, so was I. Here it is. More later - sooner, hopefully.

Enjoy!

When Jemma woke up, Skye was still sleeping. They'd eventually ended up in an awkward sprawl on Jemma's floor, wrapped up in all of the blankets from her bed. At different points during the night, Jemma had awoken to find Skye's fingers still wrapped around hers, the deaf girl's breathing soft and gentle. It had reassured Jemma; after the confusing and somewhat terrifying night, she was glad to see that Skye could relax enough to sleep.

Jemma slipped out from under the blankets and got to her feet. She threw on a sweatshirt and her fuzzy slippers and grabbed her cell phone. Then she hesitated. If Skye woke up and she was gone, it would be pretty scary.

Quickly Jemma wrote a note on the back of a flier advertising study groups in the dorm: Skye, I went downstairs to make a phone call. I'll be back in twenty minutes. I'll bring breakfast. Please wait here. – Jemma

She slipped the note under Skye's hand.

Downstairs the dorm was coming back to life. Jemma checked her mailbox and then found a still-empty classroom. Holding her breath as she dialed, she punched in a number she'd scribbled into her planner.

Ring… ring… ring…

"Hello?"

Jemma's heart leapt in her chest. "Professor? Professor May?"

"Yes?"

"This is Jemma. Jemma Simmons. I'm, um, the one you're tutoring in ASL?"

"Yes. Good morning, Jemma. Is there something I can help you with?"

"It's Skye," Jemma said.

She could almost hear the professor come to attention. "What about Skye?"

"Last night she was… I think she was attacked."

Professor May inhaled sharply. "Where is she now?"

"She's in my dorm room. In Castell Hall, number 428," Jemma said. "Could you… could you come here and talk with her? I know she'd listen to you."

She flushed, realizing that they would be signing… and that Skye wouldn't be listening.

But Professor May didn't seem to notice. "I'll be there in twenty minutes."

"Thank you, Professor."

Jemma hung up and watched as a group of girls still in their "going-out" clothes paraded past the door of the classroom. They were talking and laughing, seemingly having a great time. Their night had been so much fun… hers and Skye's had been so different.

There wasn't a line at the takeout window in the cafeteria, so Jemma grabbed two single-serving bowls of cereal, two cartons of milk, two apples, and two jelly-filled Danishes. She skirted a group of boys heading out to play soccer and hurried back upstairs.

Skye was still asleep on the floor when Jemma let herself back into the room. She sat down on the rug and poured the milk over her cereal, then ate it while reading her notes from her pathophysiology class.

Jemma had just finished her apple when there was a knock at her door. She got to her feet, tossed the core in the garbage, and opened the door.

Professor May stood there, looking as refined as usual, clad in a well-tailored pantsuit and carrying a leather handbag. Next to her was Mr. Coulson, awkwardly adjusting his tie.

"Oh, thank goodness," Jemma said.

She let them in, and pulled over her desk chair for Professor May. Mr. Coulson knelt next to Skye and gently pulled back the blanket covering her upper body, then patted her shoulder, trying to wake her without frightening her.

"What did she say to you?" May asked Jemma.

"I couldn't get her to tell me about it," Jemma said. "But she showed up here late last night covered in scrapes and practically incoherent. She almost passed out. I think someone tried to attack her."

May gave Mr. Coulson a sharp glance.

"She said it was under control," Mr. Coulson said quietly.

"She didn't tell you who hurt her?" May asked.

"No." Jemma shook her head.

Skye rubbed her eyes and then blinked, seemingly surprised to see Professor May and Mr. Coulson in the room. Almost immediately she realized what they were doing in Jemma's dorm and she began to sign one word over and over.

It broke Jemma's heart – she recognized the sign.

Sorry. Sorry. Sorry.

Tears welled up in Skye's eyes as she desperately signed her apology to Mr. Coulson and May.

"Oh, Skye," Mr. Coulson breathed, and he put his hands over hers, effectively silencing the girl, while May started to sign.

"Do not apologize, Skye," Professor May said, speaking as she signed. "It isn't your fault. It's the fault of the person who did this, and he isn't going to get away with it. Mr. Coulson and I will go in front of the dean on Monday, and we will go to the police station later today and report the assault."

Skye's hands flew into motion. No, no, no!

"Skye," Mr. Coulson said gently, "you can't deal with this man on your own. Please, let us help you."

May leaned forward, and Jemma sucked in an anxious breath – it looked like the professor was going to slap the deaf girl, or shake her by the shoulders. But May reached for Skye's sleeves, and carefully rolled them up, exposing the bandages Jemma had placed the night before.

"This is serious," May said softly, still signing. "You are too important to too many people to let someone this close-minded hurt you like this."

Skye turned her head to look at Mr. Coulson, who signed a series of sentences he didn't vocalize.

People care about you, Skye. You don't have to be strong on your own. It's important to fight your own battles, but it's also important to realize that no one can fight all of their own battles. Let us help you – me, May, and your friend Jemma.

Skye brushed tears from her eyes. He's too much, she signed to Coulson. When he's around it's like I forget how to breathe, how to walk, how to protect myself. I've never been around someone who hates deaf people as much as he does. Is it all deaf people? Or is it just me? I don't even know. And if it's just me – why?

It isn't you, Skye, Coulson replied. You are smart, and strong, and brave. There is no one in the world in their right mind who would want to stand in your way. You have power I don't think you even know about. You're so much bigger than this jerk.

But when he's attacking me all I feel is small, Skye signed.

She pushed herself to her feet, looking around the room. Maybe I should just go home.

Mr. Coulson stood as well, putting his hands gently on Skye's shoulders to get her attention. Once her eyes were on his face, he signed carefully, putting great significance into his movements. I can't tell you what to do. I can't tell you how to live your life, or how to feel about these problems you have. But I can tell you that you're worth ten of this asshole, if not more. Your life has value, your studies here have value, and you have value above and beyond this series of minor inconveniences. And that's all they'll be. The professor and I will watch out for you as best we can, and Jemma can be with you when we can't.

May, who had been observing the entire conversation, broke in. Don't make any decisions today, she signed. Sleep on it. Mr. Coulson and I will go to the dean on Monday and we'll come up with a plan of action.

Fine, Skye signed flatly.

The professor and her interpreter spoke with Jemma for a few more minutes, and then they left. Jemma closed the door behind them and then turned back to Skye.

Skye raised her hands and signed write, please.

She watched as Jemma processed the two signs. Then the other girl went to her desk and found a pad of paper and a pen.

I'm sorry about all this. I'll go back to my room now, get out of your hair, Skye wrote, and she passed the paper to Jemma.

It took only seconds for Jemma to read the two sentences, but quite a bit longer for her to write her reply. She passed the paper back to Skye once she'd finished.

You don't have to apologize about anything. I'm glad I could be here to help you. And you don't have to run out of here. You can stay if you want. I like having you here. I… I like you.

Jemma flushed bright red as Skye read what she'd written. The temperature in the room seemed far too hot, and Jemma was almost positive her ears were ringing. She had never been so forward with someone, especially someone she didn't know well.

A small smile appeared on Skye's lips, and she wrote a response. I need to go back to my own room to think. I need some space for a bit. But I'm really grateful that you were here. And I'd like to spend more time with you. After all, we have that presentation coming up. And… I like hanging out with you. I like you too.

Jemma's eyes remained glued to the last sentence Skye had written, and it completely took her by surprise when Skye was suddenly next to her, holding her coat under one arm.

"Jemma," the deaf girl said in her awkward lovely voice.

And she leaned in, all raspberry-scented hair and humming hearing aids and overwhelming beauty, causing Jemma's brain to fairly shut down, and she kissed Jemma gently on the cheek.

Jemma was still standing in the middle of her room, holding the pad of paper, shell-shocked, when she realized Skye had let herself out into the hallway, the door closing quietly behind her.

"Typical Jemma," she could hear Fitz say – but it wasn't true, she wasn't typical Jemma any longer. She had no idea who she was.

But that kiss – it burned like a brand on her cheek, and there was something about it she desperately wanted more of.