Author's Note: Sorry this one took me so long. Been a busy couple of days and honestly didn't know how to start this chapter. Proud of the way it turned out. All characters owned by Marvel except Hayden, Cole, and Macy. Read and review!

Agent May was in charge of making dinner that night. That meant the team would be having hot dogs and macaroni and cheese for dinner because that was the only meal she was capable of not completely ruining. Before she turned on the stove, she noticed how quiet it was—an odd quality that they hardly ever received. That's when she felt it. The slightest tremor went through the base. Skye. Melinda left the water-filled pot on the counter before she dashed through the halls. The other members stuck their heads out of the rooms when she ran by. She passed her husband. "Where is she?"

"I haven't seen her since this morning. Is everything alright?"

"I doubt it, considering the earthquake." He continued with her for a few more paces. "Let me handle this one, Phil." He dropped back as Hayden tried to speak as she neared Skye's bunk.

"What was-"

She raised her palm to his face dismissively. "I'll explain later, but first you need to back off." She hated being so harsh to the caring young man as much as she would deny it. Melinda knew he was only asking a simple question, but she needed to protect her daughter at the moment and not even her best friend would get in the way. She gently knocked on her door. "Skye, can I come in?" She tried to open the door. "You know I can pick a lock."

The older agent quickly did and was in the cramped, dark room before her daughter could reach the floor. She closed the door behind her and sat next to Skye who was curled into a ball near her pillow and ran a hand through her hair. "Sweetheart?" Even though she had been legally her parent for over a year, Melinda rarely used the term of endearment. Hell, she rarely used them with anyone. She believed it suited the current situation. "What's going on?"

When Skye faced her mother with tears on her cheeks, the twenty-seven-year-old suddenly looked like a little girl. She tried to put up a brave front—wiped the moisture from her eyes and breathed deeply. "Hayden," she croaked. "He, uh, he-"

"Said he loves you?" Melinda suggested. Skye simply nodded her head while leaning against her mother's shoulder. She wrapped an arm around the hacker. "I could tell within the first week."

"Was I literally the last to know?" Skye mumbled.

May hid her small smile. "Unfortunately, you are as blind as Jemma when it comes to a best friend loving you."

Skye let out a groan muffled by Melinda's jacket. "What should I do?"

"Talk to him. You both need clarity." She tightened her grip in a hug. "Maybe talk to Jemma and Leo?" Skye slowly nodded her head. As May stood from the bed she said, "Now I need to speak as your SO. How's the ID's, invites, and covers going?"

"Got the invites, almost done with ID's, and still need to talk about the covers with Hayden." Even with her tears wiped, Skye wore a worried look.

"Hey," May began when she stopped at the door, "you two are going to be fine. You're both too good of friends to let this get between you. Just talk to him."

Skye gave a slight smile at one of her mother's rare comments as she continued working on the fake ID's.

...

After finishing the ID's and the great dinner May made, the resident hacker went on a search for her favorite engineer. Skye finally found him sprawled across a couch in the rec room, snoring soundly. "In the Playground, the mighty Playground," she softly sang while poking him between the eyes. "The Leo sleeps tonight." Fitz's pale blue eyes sprung open. "Well, if it isn't Mr. Liam Benjamin Carter," Skye greeted using his alias. She handed over his and Jemma's ID's. "Simmons will be disappointed that you get the last name Carter."

He gave a groggy grin. "Blame Coulson. He picks the names," he mumbled while reaching for something in his pocket. "Besides, she probably won't be that upset." Skye squealed when she spotted the diamond ring in his open palm. He placed it back in his pocket while shushing her.

"Leopold William Fitz, you sly devil, you," she whispered as she scooted the Scot over.

"Ugh," he groaned. "Please don't call me that."

"Why didn't you tell me?!"

"Because I knew you would freak out," he said exasperatedly. "So, you think she'll say yes?"

"Without a doubt, Scotty," Skye joked.

Fitz smiled at her awful attempt at using a nickname. "How have you been?"

"Pretty good," she lied.

"Skye, I felt the earthquake earlier. You hadn't had an incident since-"

"I know," she cut him off.

"You got Jemma worried. What's going on?"

Skye let out a deep sigh, avoiding eye contact. "Hayden kind of let it slip that he-"

"Loves you," Leo drawled out. She lightly punched him in the shoulder. "Hey! Just stating what I've seen. And what Hayden told Jemma," he mumbled. "So why are you so worried? Thought you two would be all over each other by now."

"Fitz! God, was I the only one who didn't see it coming?"

"If it helps, Jemma seemed pretty shocked."

"Yeah, but she didn't even notice that you, Captain Obvious, had feelings for her."

"Touché. My advice? Talk to him. Maybe give it a shot. You'll probably surprise yourself."

She gave a small smile in return. "Thanks, Fitz. So," she began, "you nervous?"

He scoffed. "Me? Nervous?" His voice rose in pitch. "I'm not afraid."

...

At 9:56 PM, Skye finally found the courage to knock on Hayden's door. "It's unlocked," he called. She quickly walked inside and closed the door behind her. He stood from his spot on the bed. She could easily tell he was just as distressed as her. Tousled hair, bitten fingernails, scratches on his forearms. "Hey," hey mumbled.

Her eyes never left his as she stood her ground near the door. "We need to talk." He simply nodded his head along in agreement while sitting back down on the mattress, leaving room for her which she took.

"I'm sorry about what I said earlier," he started while staring at the floor. "I shouldn't have said that. You obviously don't feel the same way. It was a stupid thing to say, really."

She let a grin sneak before replying. "You don't mean that."

This count his attention, and he looked back up into her eyes. "What?"

"You have nothing to be sorry about. If anything, I'm the one who's sorry. I completely overreacted."

"No, trust me. Your reaction was definitely reasonab-"

"Did you mean what you said?"

He ran a hand through his hair and breathed deeply. "I think you know the answer to that," he said with a weak smile.

Skye desperately tried to hide her grin. She stared into his forest green eyes. "I think I want to try this."

He was baffled. "You mean try us? As a-"

She nodded while cutting him off. "Yeah. I think it would be nice."

"Really?" His once weak smile had grown into a smile that challenged the team's late literal ray of sunshine.

"Yeah. Just keep in mind that I'm clearly not the on the same level in our relationship as you are."

"That's fine by me. Take all the time you need."

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