I am myself surprised to finish the second chapter this soon. Thank you for following my story, liking it and reviewing it. I was inspired by all of you. Hope you all enjoy this chapter. I am not rushing the story. So it will take some time to reach real Skoulson moments. This should be the Second Chapter.
Disclaimer: The characters are not mine, sadly!
Tony Stark?
THE TONY STARK!
The narcissist, obnoxious, self-conceited, super intelligent, handsome, Pepper Pots-level-charming, billionaire, Avenger: the bloody Tony Stark is on his way in his fancy Iron Man suit, to pick Skye. My Skye.
Coulson did not remember himself storming out from the lab to the office room, fuming with anger, frustration and green with a mountain size- ting of jealousy. He did not remember bumping into a surprised Gemma or kicking the office table. All Coulson could think of is having to entrust the responsibility of Skye to that wretched trouble making Tony Stark with whom he will not even trust his pet robotic pig if he had one.
I really must have offended fate when I did not properly die the first time, thought Coulson.
"Coulson," There was a voice and a knock at the door. It was Skye. Coulson took a second to compose a face of what you call an attempted serenity.
"Skye," he said opening the door. "Come in."
Skye looked troubled for some reason. She was uneasy and not meeting his eyes.
"What is it, Skye?" Say I cannot be what I want her's to be, but I AM the responsible adult here. So get a grip, Coulson monologues.
"Sir, is it really Ok with you if I leave? You know…. I can always say no."
Coulson's mind was racing. At least she is not dreamy eyed about the Avengers. Not yet, until may be she meets….. Thor? Coulson could pretty well remember Skye confessing that Thor is dreamy. Of course, Thor is handsome, have a sexy voice and all…but…Even May thinks Thor is dreamy. What's with women and muscles. Something perennial, his inner voice replied.
"It is all right, Skye. As much as you are a SHIELD agent, you are an Avenger now. Your responsibilities are greater. All I want is…." Coulson choked. "All I am worried about is…just that…you would not be harmed. I cannot allow that."
"Sir, if you think that I am taking an unnecessary risk…."
"No, no, no, Skye. I understand that you feel responsible for our safety and that you are worried if something goes wrong here, you will not be able to help us." Coulson said, involuntarily putting his hands upon her shoulders. "All I am worried about is your safety. I cannot risk losing you. I almost lost you and had to inject an alien serum to make your heart beat again. Then I almost lost you at that cursed alien city. And I can't afford to lose you or almost-loose-you again. I want you to be safe and come in one piece." With every word, his grip on her shoulders grew harder. It was hard to keep all the flooding emotions in check while having her so close but not being able to crush her in an embrace.
"Sir…I..I..I promise that nothing bad would happen to me." Skye replied. "Thank you for being so concerned. Nobody…you know…value me as you do. Always."
You are the purest and the most precious thing for me in my life, and you are the center of this whole wide universe, Coulson's heart beat furiously. He could not betray his feeling from his voice or his eyes.
"Skye, you are my agent and I am responsible."
And every time you are not in my sight, my breathing loses its rhythm,
Every moment you are not in this base under my protection, I lose my head.
Every single time I remember you, I feel like my body is burning.
I maybe not able to hold you, you may never feel about me the same, but right here right now, you are in front my eyes and with all the burdens you had to bare, you can still afford to smile. It was a long time ago I lost my soul, Skye. But I can never ever let you lose yours. That is all that matters to me…..Coulson wished he could make the unspoken verbal.
The phone rings. "Yes." Coulson answers.
"Sir, Mr. Tony Stark is here."
Coulson took a deep breath. "Alright, send him in."
Few minutes from then, walks in to the office, the Tony Stark followed by his charming-but-not-so-charming smile, snobbish walk, his best friend arrogance and irresistible charisma. Coulson wished he could flash a forced smile, keep aside a real one, but at the given circumstances neither appeared.
"Mister Agent!" History between Stark and Coulson has always been a battle of words thrown at each other in their ugliest sense and worst appearance. "Well, well, well…So THIS is the invisible flying bus!"
"Well, Mister Stark, I always believed that there is at least one percent of goodness behind your heart…I mean your Arc Reactor." Coulson shots back with an extended hand.
"Let's hope so Agent! And here I thought I am the weird guy!" Stark shoots back. "So you guys seem to travel awful lot."
"He is not an agent anymore, Mister Stark. He is the Director of SHIELD."
Coulson was pretty sure it was not he who said that and looking at the surprised look in Stark's face, it was obvious that he had nothing to do with it either. Then…the speaker sure….. must be….SKYE!"
Coulson's heart skipped a beat.
"Daring!" Stark turns to Skye, with a strange glint in his eyes. "You are 'The Daisy', if I am not correct."
"That's me, Sir…Sorry for interrupting your 'cOnVeRsATiOn' but….."
"Well, you see darling, your DIRECTOR's first name is AGENT! And if I am not dating Pepper Pots, I would have asked you out right here right now. It is Pepper-Pots-rare that a woman usually rebukes me!" Stark walks up to Skye and extends his hand, which she takes, rather amazed by the fact that Tony Stark just complemented her.
"I should say you are a very impressive young lady," Stark continues, "And you are specialized in Earthquakes?"
"Yes, Sir. Earthquakes and Hacking."
"Hacking?" Stark laughed. "Two very uniquely destructive abilities you have got in this little package, young miss Daisy Johnson."
"Thank you Sir."
"Skye," interrupted Coulson. "Can you give me and Mr. Stark a moment, please?"
"Yes, Sir." And she walks out.
"We have all the time in the world to be better enlightened about each other without Mr. Agent interrupting us big times." Stark shout back to the disappearing Skye.
"So….What is so important that you have jump in between I meeting a very nice lady, Coulson?" Stark questions, snobbishly working around the office with a raised eye brow.
If I could just kick him out of the bus, the bus would be a far better place, thought Coulson. What is with Skye that every stubborn Avenger seem to find her either physically or psychologically attractive? As if I could complain myself. Why did she defended me, when Stark addressed me The Agent? Coulson could not come to a conclusion, so he turn towards the reality; in the obscure form of Tony Stark.
"Now you listen to me very well, Mr. Anthony Stark," Coulson himself was surprised hearing his own voice. The tone was unexpectedly graver and threatening. "I am a person who will not trust my worst enemy's grandmother with you. But you are an Avenger for some weird reason. I should give some credit to that and Pepper Pots is a really nice woman. So I am entrusting Skye's…. My agent's…aahh…..Daisy Johnson's safe transportation into your hand. I really hope that your Iron suit is not malfunctioning. And if something as a scratch would happen to Skye….I mean, my agent, you will not like the repercussions. You, Mr. Stark has enough enemies for a lifetime, and you don't want me to join the band wagon." With every word, Coulson took one step towards a bewildered Stark and now is at nose to nose. "Same goes to Nick Fury and the rest of his Avengers."
"Wooha!" Stark thought. Usually, most of the threats aimed at me are quite empty ones. But this Coulson guy…How did he turn out this creepy from the last time I met him…..I can remember that he was revived from death or whatever the crap….but this fellow sounds really sincere and genuine in his threat that even I feel rather intimidated!
"THAT was quite the speech Director!" Stark says hiding the fact that he was shaken by Coulson's threat. "This is the longest speech that I have ever heard from you! Returning from dead sure has its side effects!"
"I am not joking with you, Stark."
"Why is Daisy Johnson so important to you?"
"Skye is my agent."
"Well, she could be your agent….but the last time I checked, SHIELD is not Daisy Johnson. So, she is ONE of your agents. In conclusion, your She-is-my-agent sale…I won't buy that."
Damn it, Coulson. Take control. You are screwing yourself up.
What is with this man? Why is he acting ultra-intimidated by me? As much I could remember, Agent Coulson was one of the best SHIELD agents who talk business and stay professional. But this man is like a Lion in his territory…..Territory!
His Territory! Hahahaaaa!
This Daisy Johnson aka Quake or as he quite devotedly puts it as, SKYE…
NOW I know why I am not offended by this guy's rebuking. I was like this, once…insecure, afraid, alone, frustrated…whenever a man approached Pepper, whenever he thought he is going to lose Pepper. The same old story. When the realization dawns, if you are not already haunted by it my man, you are in for a ride of a life time, chuckled Stark.
Coulson watched as Stark's face turn from anger to patience and then to wonder and mischief.
What's up with him? Suddenly the Starkian smirk turns to rather an adorable smile. He almost dances across the office and sits on Coulson's table. "Alright mate. No more word games. I perfectly understand your situation."
"My situation?" Coulson looks suspicious.
"Yeah, you are her boss. She is your agent and you are sending her in against the protocol. And unlike us, she is rather new to the whole I-am-willing-to-die-for-the-man kind and obviously you are worried."
An understanding Tony Stark? The world should be really coming to an end. But since the air inside the office seem to have settled to a better condition, Coulson decided to go with the flow.
"I really appreciate your concern, . As you understand I AM in a tight situation. So I hope you would have an eye on her."
"Of course, I am pretty sure there is nothing to worry about. Captain America seem to fancy her. That is the first time after a very long time. Nick Fury on the other hand is quite interested in her as well. I am not sure if it is because of her earthquake abilities or because he thinks that he can make her hack my Iron man suit! But anyways she is in good hands,Coulson. Stop worrying yourself to death."
Coulson nodded his head. The bracelet that Stark wearing beeped.
"Fury, the package is secured. I am about to go aboard. I will let you know when I reach the Garden."
"You are taking her to the Garden?" Coulson didn't like the sound of it.
"Yes, apparently the Garden is the reason that weird species of aliens appears in the middle of New York….There might be a portal in the Garden that is connected to several exits in other planets. Apparently yesterday there was a blue alien on the top of a very annoyed Lady Liberty."
"Yeah, I heard." Coulson said following Stark out of the office. Skye was anxiously waiting outside. Coulson's heart started to beat furiously. Hunter was pretending he was working on something but Coulson was pretty sure he was spying on him. Gemma and Fits were saying good bye to her.
"Miss Daisy, we are about to go on board." Stark said, his iron man suit appearing from nowhere.
"Skye…." Coulson was too agitated to say anything. Skye, please take of yourself. You know I cannot lose you. I will hate myself if something happens to you. Every minute without you in front of my eyes, feels like a walk in the eternity. Coulson bowled his fists. He couldn't meet her eyes.
And then she flew her arms around his neck. Coulson stopped breathing.
"Don't strain yourself. I will be fine. Make sure you don't get in to trouble while I am not here. You are the Director, who attracts universal troubles twenty four seven. So take care of yourself. Or else I will have to shake range of mountains to rescue you."
Coulson could hear his own heart thumping. Only if I could word my feelings like you do. Your innocence, the brightness…..
"Time to let her go," Stark said slightly amused by the clarity with which Coulson is holding himself without melting in the girl's embrace. The feelings could be even mutual, as this scene suggests. "You are suffocating her."
Coulson let her go, embarrassed. Skye 's face look flushed.
Hunter comes and pat Coulson on his shoulder. I am here for you mate.
"Keep the miniature model just in case you missed me, Director!" Skye shouts as the Iron man takes her in his arms and shoots through the dark sky.
Coulson puts his hand in his jacket pocket. There you are….my super heroine.
Hey, wait a second. It was not just a miniature model. It was a communication device, Coulson realized.
Smart girl. My girl.
I am already missing you.