I am blown away by the response this story has got, thank you so much to all reviewers, followers and people who favourited! This is the largest response I've ever got for a fanfiction, so again thank you, I hope I don't disappoint with the next chapter.

Ward wasn't worried. Nope. Definitely not worrying, Skye was a big girl, she could generally take care of herself. He wasn't worried when he saw he working out, when he saw her push her food around her plate. He certainly wasn't worried as he watched her energy waver. As the bag knocked her, and it was a knock, that's why he hadn't reached out to stop it.

But Skye stumbled back. And he knew as soon as he saw her face that she was about to collapse. Not worried. Not worried. Oh hell, who was he kidding? He was terrified.

"Skye!" he exclaimed, rushing over, unfortunately not in time to stop her hitting the cold ground. He did manage to cradle her head and he quickly shifted her so she was mainly in his lap. "Skye?" he asked urgently, shaking her shoulder. No response.

He refused to admit that his hands shook as he tipped her head back, fingers searching for a pulse. He let out a small breath as he felt the flutter under his fingertips.

She's cold, he realised as an afterthought, and he recalled Skye's earlier statement about feeling a 'little ill'. This wasn't ill, this was sick, really sick. He'd been an agent for years; had seen gunshots and hypothermia and stab wounds and about any kind of injury someone could imagine. He knew when someone was in danger. She was pale and cold, her breathing laboured, pulse weak. How the hell had he not noticed?

Except…except maybe he had. He knew she had been working out more, but pushing it to the brink of collapse? Had he seen that? Had he maybe ignored it because he was still bitter over the Miles incident? Either way, Skye was sick. And now he had to deal with the consequences.

Ward lifted Skye easily, far too easily. His stomach fell and everything seemed to fall into place. Oh god, Skye, what the hell have you been doing to yourself?

He rushed from the gym and up into the main area, calling out. "Simmons! Coulson!" he shouted, gently laying the hacker on the largest sofa, taking a moment to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

Should have noticed. Should have done something.

"Ward?" Simmons asked softly, obviously a little confused. Fitz was chattering away at her side, idling with some sort of tech, "and really, I don't see the problem with the Night-Night gun, I really think he's overreacting and-"

"Fitz, shut up for one minute!" Ward snapped and something clicked for Simmons who sprang forward, originally believing that Skye was sleeping. She knelt beside the young hacker, gently pressing two fingers to her neck,

"Ward, what happened?" she asked, turning over her shoulder to glance at Fitz, who seemed to understand. He left the room quickly to gather the medical supplies from the lab.

"She was working out, didn't look well. I told her to get checked out. She pushed the bag, really, I would have stopped it but I thought you could just punch it or…or move or something. It knocked her and she just…collapsed.

Both Coulson and May appeared then, Coulson looking mildly concerned, May looking disinterested as per usual, though something in her eyes hinted that she was just as worried as Phil. They kept out of the way, watching silently as Fitz came stumbling back in, three green med bags in his arms. He placed them down and knelt beside Jemma, both talking and starting to work, just like they were working on some sort of experiment- in sync.

"Dehydrated." Jemma murmured after pinching the back of Skye's hand. "I can't put my finger on what's wrong. I'd say flu but…something's just not right." she looked up, gently biting her lower lip.

Grant closed his eyes briefly, not wanting to voice his concerns, have them become a reality. He'd been to S.H.I.E.L.D's psychiatric centre only once and the image had stayed with him; haunted eyes, frail bodies, the screaming and the eerie quietness at home together.

He couldn't imagine someone like Skye there, happy and bubbly. A smartass and a joker. She was still just a kid. It would break her. But was she already broken?

No. No, of course she isn't. She's sick. And now she has a family to take care of her.

Jemma was inserting an IV into the back of Skye's hand when Ward spoke up. "Jemma." he croaked, clearing his throat and nearly stiffening as all eyes swivelled to him.

"I think…In fact, I'm sure that…Skye hasn't been…" he swallowed, shaking his head. "She hasn't been eating. I…she's been working out so much but there's always food gone so I thought that she was at least looking after herself." That was how he'd been trained; the more you work out, the bigger meals you eat, to replace lost energy and calories.

But Skye hadn't been eating. Not really. And with the work outs she'd been pushing her body through, the water she'd apparently decided she didn't need, and the sleepless nights…was it any wonder her body had eventually had enough?

Jemma's eyes were brimming with tears and she hastily rubbed them, turning back to Skye, shoulders shaking slightly as she set about making the hacker comfortable. They'd become close in the past few months, doing general girly things like gossiping and painting their nails (neither of them had had that growing up so it was a nice change for the both of them).

The bus was silent for a few minutes whilst Simmons worked and the others watched. May and Coulson were standing a little closer together and Fitz's hand had found its place on Simmons' back, running up and down gently.

When Simmons sat back, slumping against Leo a little, Ward could see Skye. She looked awful. He wasn't sure if it was the unhealthy pallor, the tube sticking out of her hand, the mask placed over her face or just the sheer knowledge of what was happening in Skye's mind. Of what she was doing to herself.

Fitz slowly glanced over at Coulson and then Ward before activating Happy, quite ironic really, and setting the little bot to work. A few minutes later, he had his results. He showed them to Jemma, whose tears brimmed over, trickling down her cheeks. Skye was ill, seriously ill.

105 pounds. Skye was five foot five and she only weighed 105 pounds. 47.6 kilos.

Underweight.

She swallowed and shakily wiped her eyes. "Skye needs help." she said gruffly. "If what Ward is saying is true and…judging by these measurements, he is, she cannot carry on like this. Are we understood?" determination flashed in her eyes and she stood. "We are the only family she has and whether you don't care," she looked at May, "whether you're still pissed off for something that happened months ago," she then turned to look pointedly at Ward. "We have to help her." and with that, she took Fitz's hand and pulled him to the door, pausing. "Call me when she wakes up." she said flatly before leaving, Fitz, silent for once, trailing behind her.

Both Phil and Melinda stepped forward, May bending to whisper something in Skye's ear. She squeezed her shoulder and walked from the room.

Coulson brushed his fingers over her forehead and down her cheek, something akin to pain in his eyes. He stayed silent, turning to watch Ward for a few seconds. "You look after her." he said evenly, almost as if it was a threat.

Then he too left and Ward was alone with Skye. His legs didn't seem to want to carry him anymore and he collapsed on his knees beside her, automatically his hand seeking out his rookie's. He cradled the hand to his cheek almost absently, eyes flitting up and down Skye's body, stomach churning and heart pounding.

I should have noticed. What kind of Supervising Officer am I? What kind of…friend?

I failed. I should have noticed.

I'm sorry, Skye.

Okay guys, I just want to say a few things. Firstly, thank you again. Secondly, I'm sorry if that chapter was OOC and rubbish, I feel like I really let myself down with this chapter. Please let me know what you think. And lastly, I want your guys input on a few things. How do you feel about me including not only SkyeWard but FitzSimmons and May/Phil? And how do you feel about me having Coulson as Skye's father and maybe May for her mother? One? Both? Neither? Next chapter should be up Sunday, at the latest Monday. If you guys want me to carry on, that is.

Reviews are love, thank you for reading!

Until next time- Sophie.