A New Rose

Disclaimer:
As always, I own nothing.

Rating:
T

Genre:
Romance/Family/Angst

Pairing:
Coulsye

Lyrics Used:
Sara Evans - "No Place That Far"

There's No Place That Far

If I had to run, if I had to crawl | If I had to swim a hundred rivers, just to climb a thousand walls | Always know that I would find a way to get to where you are | There's no place that far

It wouldn't matter why we're apart | Lonely minds or two stubborn hearts | Nothing short of God above | Could turn me away from your love | I need you that much

After over a month of failure, Phil Coulson didn't want to admit it … But, he was starting to lose hope of ever finding Skye. He couldn't help wondering if someone had gotten to her or if something had happened to her. There was a nagging little voice in the back of that mind told him that – if Skye were okay – she would have found some way of letting him know. She was creative enough, she could find a way to contact him without attracting the attention of the 'real' S.H.I.E.L.D. She's just being cautious … He told that little voice. Phil Coulson knew what a fighter Skye was. She'd be okay … She had to be.

However, he was suddenly snapped out of his reverie by a familiar voice next to him. "We'll find her, mate." Lance Hunter told him, once again.

"I know." Phil sighed, turning to face Hunter. "It's just hard to stay positive after all this time … I was hoping we'd have found her, by now …" He added, his voice sounding uncharacteristically lost.

"Two coffees black?" The young cafe waitress spoke, interrupting the conversation as she appaeared at their table on the outdoor patio of the coffeehouse, holding two cups of coffee in her hands.

"Thanks, love." Lance Hunter replied, as the waitress set the drinks before them.

"Everything looks good on the ultrasound." Jean replied, passing a printout of Skye's ultrasound to Logan. "The fetus-" She began, before Logan cut her off.

"Baby." Logan corrected, sternly. "Called it what it is … A baby."

"The baby appears to be four weeks along in its development …" Jean began, carefully, adjusting for Logan's correction. "And, also appears to be perfectly healthy." She added, with the faintest ghost of a smile.

"Well, I guess that's one good thing." Logan grunted, as he turned to leave.

"Where are you going?" Jean called after him, curiously.

"To find the baby's father." Logan called, back, over his shoulder.

Turning to face Marie, Jean added "You should go with him …" She suggested. "Make sure he doesn't do something he'll regret."

"Right." Marie nodded, rising from her seat to follow Logan out of the room.

Watching the two of them leave, Jean could only hope that Marie would keep Logan calm when they found the baby's father. She knew how protective Logan was of Skye and while that was usually an endearing quality, she knew how easily that could cause a problem in a public setting if it got the better of Logan. Sighing lightly, she turned back to speak with Skye.

That's Phil Coulson?! Logan thought to himself, incredulously, as he watched the pair of federal agents a couple of tables away. He's old enough to be her father! He silently seethed, his mind turning to the sonogram picture he was clutching in his pocket.

Marie could sense Logan tensing up – which she had fully expected, given what Skye had told her about the age difference between herself and Phil. But, after they'd been eavesdropping on the agents' conversation, she could tell he deeply cared about her and knew he was a good guy for Skye. Gently gripping Logan's leather-clad arm in her gloved hand, she gave his arm a gentle squeeze. "Take it easy." She reminded him. "He's really important to Skye … Try to go easy on him."

"'Go easy on him?!" Logan growled, incredulously, as he turned to face Marie. "He's old enough to be her father, for God's sake." He added.

"I know that …" Marie conceded. "But, Skye's told me a lot about him … Even if only half of it was true … I couldn't imagine a better man for her to be with." She elaborated, watching him with a softened, sympathetic gaze. Logan wanted to believe her. But, all he could see was the years between them. Finally, with a steadying breath, he rose from his seat and began to approach the other table. "Oh good God …" Marie muttered under her breath, watching the impending exchange from between her fingers.

"You Phil Coulson?" Logan grunted, gruffly.

"Depends on who's asking." Coulson countered, briefly.

"Name's Logan." Logan grumbled, the irritation evident in his voice though it baffled the two agents before him. "Now, I'm gonna be honest with you … I don't like you too much, right now. But, I'm gonna overlook that because you happen to be very important to someone who happens to be very important to me."

"Look, mate, I don't know just the what the hell you're playing at …" Lance warned, rising from his seat.

"I'd sit my ass back down, if I were you." The tone in Logan's voice was low and intimidating and seemed to have the desired effect as the agent before him lowered himself back down into his seat. "Now … as I was saying …" He elaborated, his voice returning to normal. "I know the young woman you're looking for … Skye-"

"You know where she is?!" Coulson replied, eagerly, almost jumping out of his seat. "Please! You have to tell me where she is! Is she okay?! Is she safe?! Is she-" However, Coulson was soon silenced with an envelope in Logan's hand as he shoved it in the director's face.

"This!" Logan hissed. "This is how she's doing! Ya see this?!" He barked, looming over the director's smaller frame. "This is the first-ever taken photo of your CHILD!" Logan shouted. "This is a photo of your unborn CHILD!"

Phil Coulson's blood ran cold as he froze to the spot when Logan shoved the envelope into his hand. Visibly shaking, he slowly flipped the top open to pull out the contents. When he examined the ultrasound print-out in his hand, Phil would have sworn his heart actually skipped a beat. He never thought the day would come when he'd be looking down at a photo of his unborn child.

Glancing over Phil's shoulder at the print-out in his hand, Lance Hunter had no words for what he was looking at. Never, in a million years, would he have expected this turn of events. Shit … He thought to himself. The situation just got inifinitely more complicated. "Bloody hell …" He muttered, quietly.

"Bloody hell is right." Phil muttered as he finally wrenched his attention away from the ultrasound to look back up at Logan. "I don't care who you think I am or what you may think of me. That doesn't matter to me. All that matters to me … is Skye." Logan had to admit, the quiet determination in Coulson's voice surprised even him. "So, please … I am begging you … There are people after her – people whose intentions I can't be sure of … She needs me." He paused to hold up the ultrasound. "Now, more than ever. … Please … I need you to take me to her."

"Yeah." Logan replied, finally, after a brief, tense, silence. "Yeah, don't worry. I didn't track you down for my own sick amusement … I tracked you down so I could bring you to her." He finished, before turning around to head back. When he didn't hear footsteps behind him, he turned to call to the agents over his shoulder. "You comin' or not?"

Author's Note:
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Don't worry, I got plenty in store for ya in the next chapter … including a major bombshell for Coulsye. :D

~Skye Coulson