Take This Darkness from My Soul
A/N More on the rest of the team in this chapter.
Chapter 3.
Skye finished cleaning up and ventured into the lounge. May was sitting at the bar, and unless Skye was mistaken, she had been crying. When the older agent saw her approach she ran a quick hand over her face and stiffened. Skye sat down next to her.
"You okay?" she said gently. They had all been through so much lately and Skye realized that without Ward and Coulson, May really had no one to talk to. However she felt about May's actions regarding her AC, Skye did not lose her sense of compassion for others. If May needed someone, she would try to be there for her.
May glanced at her and Skye saw the stark sense of defeat on her face, and sympathy tugged at her heart.
"I guess you hate me too." May said grimly. Skye's brow wrinkled in concern.
"No, of course I don't hate you, May." She said. "And neither does Coulson. He's just very hurt and confused right now. Surely you can understand that." May's shoulders slumped.
"We go way back you know." She told Skye. "I can't even count the number of times we have supported each other, watched each other's backs. When he…..died, I was devastated. I guess he told you what I confessed to him?" Skye remained silent. This was the line she had drawn when it came to Coulson. Nothing he told her would be repeated unless she had his permission.
May shrugged and went on. "I picked out this team for Fury. It included people who could reprogram him, or….. take him out if necessary." Skye gritted her teeth. This statement still lacked all humanity in her reasoning.
"You would kill your friend if he didn't act the way you thought was appropriate?" She asked, trying to keep any accusation out of her tone. May looked surprised.
"No!" She exclaimed. "I didn't mean it that way. I meant that if he began to suffer because of the T.A.H.I.T.I. treatment, that I would help him. He's been through so much, Skye. I couldn't bear to see him suffer anymore. Fury didn't know. That's why I wanted to be on this team. To make sure Coulson would never again suffer like he did."
Skye believed her. She felt the same way too, although her approach was different. She wanted to get him away if something went askew. She wanted to try to remove him from this situation, but in a different way. She sighed.
"Then I think we are both on the same page, May. But, you need to understand that what you said hurt him badly and it may take a while for him to recover from that. After talking with you, I think I can try to help if you give me permission to tell him what we just talked about."
May's eyes lit up. "You would do that? Yes, please, tell him. I never meant to hurt him."
Skye nodded. "It'll be a good start, May. There have been enough misconceptions and lies on this bus as it is…." Just then, Coulson came in the room followed by Fitz and Simmons. Everyone seemed to know to sit down and they all stared grimly at each other. You could have cut the tension with a knife.
Coulson cleared his throat and then said, "I think it's time for truth or dare without the dare. If we can't get all our secrets out, then this team is finished. The lies are tearing us apart better than Hydra ever could." He shook his head. "I know S.H.I.E.L.D. has indoctrinated us with the need to know level system, but the agency has been taken down. I'm not sure anymore that that system can be effective when we are on our own, and we depend on only each other. I think it's time we be open and honest with each other to get the job done. We need to have complete trust in each other, and that can't happen when we all hold secrets that effect the members of this team. So, with Skye's permission, I'd like to start by telling you my own." He looked at Skye, prepared to follow whatever her decision was. She smiled at him.
"I think it's time, AC." She agreed.
"Okay." Coulson looked around at the group. "The thing that brought me back to life, the ingredient in GH 325, was taken from an alien. This is what I saw when we broke into the bunker behind a door marked T.A.H.I.T.I. Resting in a tube of fluid was a dead, blue alien with tubes that were extracting the fluid. When I discovered it, I was in shock at first. Then I realized that you were going to give it to Skye and I panicked." He looked at Jemma. "That's why I tried to stop you. That's why I didn't want you to know what it was. I was afraid that your knowing would make you more vulnerable to the Clairvoyant."
Jemma's face reddened. "You were trying to protect me." She sighed. "I wanted to go to the Hub because I had taken a blood sample from Skye and I wanted to get it analyzed." She slammed her fist down on her knee. "Bollocks! That info is on a computer at the Hub now. Anyone could possibly see it."
Skye figured it was her turn. She cleared her throat and announced her confession about being an 0-8-4.
"Do you have powers?" Fitz asked excitedly.
"Not so far." Skye shrugged her shoulders. May opted to go next and explained about reporting to Fury.
"But, that's all over." She said tersely as she looked at Phil. "My loyalty is to only those in this plane right now. And to Ward of course."
Coulson seemed to have a strange look on his face. He spoke to the rest of them.
"I know this is hard for you, but it has to be said. Ward…. uh Ward is… off. I don't know why he insisted on going to the Fridge with Hand. I just find it disconcerting that he so completely changed his feelings about the man he looked up to. I was stung by what Garrett did as well, but it's very hard to abruptly make your feelings take an about face like that. We definitely need to talk to him."
The others took this in without comment. Ward was not here to defend himself, so they followed Coulson's lead and gave him the benefit of the doubt until they could question him in person.
"Sir, I think there is one more issue." Fitz's face reddened as he spoke up.
"What is it, Fitz?" Skye asked.
"Well, it's about protocol." Fitz replied, determined to get through this. "Jemma and I saw you and Agent Coulson coming out of your bunk this morning, Skye. I… I mean is having a relationship on the Bus okay now?"
Coulson just burst out laughing and Skye smiled. The others looked on in shock.
"Fitz, as long as it doesn't hinder our work, you can sleep wherever you want. To be completely honest, I've always thought that particular protocol was a little too intrusive. We all need some comfort at times." He said as he looked at Skye and smiled.
May smiled too, but it was a sad one. She could only hope that her fractured relationship with Coulson would gradually be repaired in time, but she also realized that he and Skye had a bond like no other couple on Earth that she knew of. Honestly, she was happy for them.
The team decided to break up for the next few hours. Fitzsimmons wanted to unpack all their replacement equipment. May wanted to try to locate friendlies over the airwaves. Skye still had to repair onboard electronics. Left with no paperwork, Coulson decided to enjoy mindless cleaning up and repairing the inside of the plane as best he could. He was actually quite handy after years of practice living on his own.
Everyone seemed to have a new energy and focus now that the major secrets were out. They were still raw from the last hours, but hope was peeking out from around the corners at last.
To be continued.