It was still early in that Saturday morning, but Phil and Skye had already had breakfast. Phil was rifling through his daughter's closet while she watched him picking out her clothes, sitting at her bed. He laid over the bed, right next to her, a pair of dark wash denim shorts and a gray T-shirt. To finish her attire he left at the foot of her bed, on the floor, a pair of navy blue laceless low tops.

"Are we really going to see mom?" Skye asked for the third time.

Phil, very patiently, responded (again), "Yes, angel eyes. We are really going to see mom."

"But why do we have to go see her?" she wondered, taking off her pajama's top. "Why can't she just come home?"

The man sighed and stooped to be at her eye level, "These things are complicated. It's grown-ups' stuff."

"Grown-ups are strange."

He chuckled quietly, "I know. Now," he got up to his feet, "finish getting dressed. Aunt Maria should be here any minute now."

Phil walked to his bedroom to put a suit on – his usual attire – and make the bed. Once the doorbell rang, Skye hurriedly finished fixing an unruly bit of her side swept bang with a snap clip and stomped down the stairs.

"Hi Aunt Maria!" Skye enthusiastically greeted as soon as she opened the door.

"Hey there, quake," the woman replied back almost in the same tone. She picked up the girl in arms and walked inside, "How are you?"

"Really 'cited 'cause we're gonna see mom. I miss her lots."

Hill smiled in amusement all because of Skye's excitement, "Well, she's misses you too. She's been talking on and on about you."

"Is she coming home soon?"

"Yes."

Skye cocked her head, "For real?"

"You don't trust me, short-stuff?"

"I trust you," she admitted. "You always tell me that dad will come home when he goes to work to places really far away and he always comes back."

"Good that you trust me," Hill said, putting Skye down on her feet, "because I was starting to doubt your loyalty to me."

Skye giggled.

"Now get your father, will you? Tell him I don't have all day to wait."

"I'm coming, I'm coming," Phil announced, coming down the stairs in a rapid pace to meet their guest. "And now I'm here. I think we can go. Skye," he looked down at his daughter, "are you ready?"

She nodded firstly but then swirled on her heels quickly, "Forgot the drawing I made for mom upstairs."

Phil didn't have the chance to tell her to go and get it; Skye was already climbing up the staircase in running steps. She returned shortly, proudly waving the paper sheet and walked immediately to the door. The two adults shared a look and exited after her.

Hill walked in a fast pace, taking left and right turns, leaning her access card to the multiple sensors they've encounter along their way. Phil tried to peek around, to understand what sorts of things were being performed in that facility but he couldn't see much. SHIELD was that secretive, he knew so, and he figured whatever was happening there was being conducted behind the thick doors they didn't cross. The white dullness of the long corridors and the deafening silence made him shudder and think he was at a psychiatric hospital. But looking down at his daughter, as they walked hand in hand, made him lose any fear or apprehension; she just wanted to see her mother, and she trusted her father and her faux aunt to keep up with their promise.

One of the SHIELD's medics crossed paths with them, and as soon as he saw Phil and Hill he said, "Agent Coulson's wife is in break room 2 if you're here for the visit."

Hill nodded shortly and guided them to the break room. She pushed open one of the thick double doors and stepped aside, allowing Phil and Skye through. The girl let go off her father's hand and walked in, anxiously started scurrying through the faces of every person in the room, trying to find her mother. Phil was frozen by the entrance, gazing the room full of patients in dull gray garments. They all seemed so relaxed and well. Something else that struck his attention was the room itself. The walls were white, same color as they were throughout the whole building, but the room looked comfy, with tables and chairs, some couches as well, and there were books and board games at everyone's disposal. They were even granted the chance to have a view to the outside through the few windows lined along the wall.

"It's better than what I expected," he confessed.

"And what exactly were you expecting, Coulson?" Hill asked curiously. "We're treating them alright, they're not lab rats."

"I'm glad SHIELD thinks so. It helps me to slightly trust the agency again."

The Commander sighed and told him she'd be waiting outside for them. Phil concentrated on trying to find his wife, walking slowly across the room. Melinda was surrounded by a small circle of Inhumans that were learning from her a few breathing meditation techniques. Some of the Inhumans were a bit more apprehensive to be in that SHIELD's facility than others, so the woman put her skills to good use and tried to keep everyone relaxed.

"Mommy!" Skye rejoiced once she found Melinda, making a run for her.

The woman grinned and stooped down, waiting for her daughter to get to her embrace.

"I missed you so much, bao bei."

Skye clung tightly to her mother's neck, even after she lifted her off the ground, "I missed you too, mommy."

Melinda saw her husband looking everywhere, trying to figure it out from where Skye's voice had sounded. Once their eyes met, Phil walked to her, draped his arm around his wife and pulled her and their daughter closer to his chest.

He pressed a kiss to the top of Melinda's head, muffling into her hair, "How are you?"

"I'm good. Told you not to worry, didn't I?"

Phil took a step back, allowing Melinda to look at him, "I just can't help it."

He cupped her cheek and kissed her tenderly.

"Ew," Skye whined, covering her eyes with her free hand.

The two chuckled quietly as they parted the kiss.

"Sorry about that," Phil apologized, stroking her hair. "By the way, don't you have something for mom?"

"Yeah," she handed the paper sheet to Melinda, "look. I made it all myself with those cool crayons Grandma Julie gave me."

"It looks really beautiful. Thank you," the woman put Skye down on her feet and after taking a look at her husband's face, she suggested, "See that boy over there, Skye?" she pointed. "His name is Lincoln and he's the only kid in this ward. Can you go and play with him for a while? Mom and dad need to talk, alright?"

"Alright," the girl promptly agreed and walked to take a seat across from the boy playing backgammon alone.

"How are you really?" Phil asked, grabbing one of her hands on his, noticing a large bandage covering its back where an IV had once been. "What have they been doing to you?"

"They've been treating everyone nicely, if you must know," she said. "It's just medical exams, collection of samples and psychological evaluations."

"Of course," he breathed deeply, "standard procedure to categorize and create a profile in the Index."

"So you know what this is about," Melinda placed her hand on his forearm and gave it a slight squeeze. "You've got nothing to worry about, Phil. Maria said some more three or four weeks and I can go back home."

"It's been two weeks already and I mis – we miss you so much, Mel."

She leaned forward and pecked his lips, "I miss you both you as well. But if this is what we have to go through so that we can live in peace again, then let's bear with it for a while more."

"I don't think we can live in peace anymore. People are going crazier as the days go by," Phil looked at his daughter and then back at his wife, telling her, "Skye's all alone. Ever since SHIELD picked you up, all of our neighbors look at us like we're murderers and tell their kids to keep their distance from her. Apparently it's the same at school. Every day she's waiting for me by the gates, crestfallen," he sighed thoroughly.

Melinda heaved a sigh as well and told him, "Maybe we should move once I'm out of here. Start a new life where no one knows about us."

"I've thought of that too." His voice was much quieter when he disclosed, "And I've thought of going away with her for the time being. She's been having a hard time. And so am I."

She nodded her head instantly, "You and Skye, and many other people, shouldn't be to blame if some people are too thick to understand this situation. You should go."

"But it's just while you're here," he reinforced. "Once they release you, we come to pick you up and we start a new life somewhere else." His lips drew into a smile, "Starting thinking of some cities you'd like us to live in. Or countries."

"I will," Melinda smiled in return. "But where are you planning to go for now?"

"I thought about going to my parents'. They must be shaken up about all of this and I think it's best if we stick together."

"Yes, it is. Now, can you call my little girl to come back here? I miss her so much and I'm sure she has a lot to tell me."

"Sure," he said as he stood up and walked to their daughter.

Leave your reviews. Next chapter Melinda will be knowing her fate...