Family

by Apple Blossom

Disclaimer: Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.Dbelongs to Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon, Stan Lee, ABC, Marvel Television, Mutant Enemy, and anyone else who wants to lay claim to it.

This story contains spoilers through SOS and contains dialogue directly from the episode.

The alarm on my phone startles me awake and as I reach for it, desperate to silence it for five more minutes, my eyes glimpse the date on the screen. July second. As much as I really want those extra moments of sleep I find I'm wide awake, mulling over the date in my head. It's my birthday. My actual birthday - not one made up by St. Agnes - but the actual day I was born. Of course the only other person who knows this no longer remembers me so unless I say something it will remain my own secret. I haven't updated my personnel file in the S.H.I.E.L.D. database after Jiaying and Cal told me the truth and my heart aches a little thinking of them and what could have been. Jiaying's betrayal is still fresh in my mind. The lies. Killing Gonzales and Raina and the other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. Trying to kill me. Those last moments with her still haunt my dreams most nights.

"My daughter," she says, her eyes momentarily filling with pride and maybe love, as she steps close and at first I think maybe I'm getting through to her. Maybe we can salvage this thing yet. Her hand reaches out and caresses my cheek softly and I want this more than anything. "So beautiful. So strong."

Both of her hands cup my face and suddenly I feel the life flowing out of me, escaping into her hands as she grips me tight. She is psychotic. I understand that now as I gasp for every last breath. I fight back, the only way I know how, the vibrations trembling up from the deck of the aircraft carrier as I force myself away from her and send the Quinjet, with the Terrigen crystals inside, plummeting into the ocean. The force of it knocks me to the ground and as I struggle back to my feet, exhausted from my efforts and drained from my mother's attack, she is on me again, desperate to finish what she's started. I have to kill her now or she will kill me. I understand that and we are locked into a battle of wills, one Inhuman power against the other.

Cal appears out of nowhere and I barely hear his voice. "Please stop. You don't have to do this."

He is looking only at Jiaying but then he turns to me and says, "You don't have to live with that pain. I will."

I understand he is protecting me. Saving me from her. From the trauma that will surely come if I kill my mother. He snaps her neck and the force of it knocks me to the ground as she releases her death grip on me. A moment later he breaks her back and my mother and father collapse onto the deck as she dies in his arms.

Tossing back the covers I sit up and look around my room. It hasn't changed at all since we first settled in here. Everything about it is the same with the exception of one thing and slowly I get up crossing the cold linoleum floor in my bare feet, reaching for the photograph in the wooden frame. I am just a baby in this picture but it isn't me that captures my attention. It's the look on my father's face, one of pure adoration, and I remember the last conversation I had with him. When he was still Cal.

He's leaving the base, escorted by several S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. He stops and tells me this is so long. Little does he know that it is really goodbye and my heart aches a little at the decision Coulson and I have made.

"We found you," he says and tears fill his eyes as he adds, "You know, you're better than I imagined... and I imagined you perfect."

Tears fill my own eyes as he says, "You're way more interesting than that."

A half-hearted laugh escapes me as I reply, "I wonder where I get that from."

He knows he is going to be locked up and asks if I will come visit. When I tell him I will he says, "That would be..."

"Let me guess," I interrupt. "The best. Day. Ever. You have a lot of those."

"No," Cal answers sincerely. "Just one. July second. 1988."

The tears are ready to fall now as I step forward and hug my dad one last time. Once he leaves here nothing will ever be the same for him again. Part of me is glad of it. He deserves a second chance. But I realize that now that I know him, I'm not ready to be an orphan yet again. I hold him tight and when we finally part Cal gives my hand a little squeeze.

After the T.A.H.I.T.I. Protocol he is now Doctor Winslow, a veterinarian happily living his life with no memory of Jiaying. No memory of everything he's done; the horrors he's committed. No memories of me or his best day ever. As the months have gone by I feel the loss of him more than ever. Sighing, I place the frame back on the dresser and head for the shower. I have work to do and today is just another day.

The day goes quickly enough as I am overseeing the training of the new recruits in the Caterpillars program. I'm tired after a day of sparring and weapons training and thinking about just grabbing a sandwich before heading back to my room when Lincoln appears by my side.

"I don't know about you," he says as he falls in step beside me. "But I'm exhausted."

I nod listening as he continues talking about the new agents, but my heart's just not in the conversation at the moment. I'm ready for this day to be over so I can stop thinking about Jiaying and Cal. About what could have been.

"Earth to Skye," Lincoln says and when I glance up at him he's grinning at his own joke.

"Funny," I snap, but I can't hide the fact that the corners of my mouth are turning up and he bumps lightly into me, making me laugh despite my grumpy demeanor.

"Let's get some dinner," Lincoln suggests and I nod, ready for a little distraction from my own thoughts. I follow him to the cafeteria and as he slides open the door I'm stunned by the fact that the room is filled with people, multi-colored balloons and a bright banner across the back wall that says HAPPY BIRTHDAY and I'm suddenly choked up with emotion.

"Surprise!" they all yell in unison as little horns blow while confetti streams out of white plastic poppers and I glance around from Coulson to May, both smiling like the surrogate parents they've become. Fitz and Simmons, clapping happily at what I am sure is a stunned look on my face. Bobbi, standing with the help of crutches and Hunter hovering close by her side. Mack calling out, "Happy birthday, Tremors."

"How?" I ask as I turn to Lincoln and he grins happily down at me, knowing he's surprised me.

"I was there," he tells me. "When Cal told you about the night you were born. July second. 1988."

I nod, remembering that one family dinner we had. When I was still scared of Cal. When I'd just found out that Jiaying was my mother. When I'd just started learning how to control my powers. I remember being stunned to find out that I was actually twenty six and now I'm twenty seven.

"You still have a family, Skye," he whispers in my ear. "And they're right here ready to celebrate with you."

I nod once more, tears springing to my eyes as Coulson comes forward, hugging me quickly with May right behind. Fitz and Simmons grab me by the hands, pulling me into the room where all of these people have gathered to celebrate my first birthday. As the hours pass, we eat my favorite foods, drink a little too much, and before it is over Mack brings out a huge sheet cake. Happy Birthday Skye is written in beautiful blue script on the white butter cream frosting. When it is over I'm a little drunk, a little stuffed and feeling like I've finally found my true home. Lincoln is right. I've found my family after all.

The end