Ch. 9

A few more months of weapons training, combat training and on-line classes and the big day came, graduation day. Well, graduation night. Coulson received the email confirming that I had met all of the requirements of the on-line program and that I could now be considered a level one S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Jemma and Leo went out and got us Italian food, my favorite. We ate; we drank; we told funny stories. It felt like home. It felt like family. Coulson even had my bracelet removed and I felt like I finally completed my probation. I was one of them.

Later that night, I was getting ready for bed, when I heard a knock on my door.

"Come in," I said.

Agent May walked in the room, closing the door behind her. "I'm very proud of you, Skye."

"Thanks, Agent May. That means a lot to me."

"I . . . I didn't know. Not when you first came on board. I actually fought Coulson on it. Thought you weren't trustworthy."

"You didn't know what?" I asked.

"I've had my suspicions for a while. The dates, your age . . . . but I didn't know."

I couldn't speak. It felt as though if I moved the wrong way or said the wrong thing, she would clam up again.

She took a deep breath and went on, "I had Simmons run a DNA test. It came back a match."

"You're my mother. And Coulson?" I asked, sinking to the bed. My legs would no longer support me.

"You're right. He's your father."

"How? What?"

"Let me tell you the whole story," she said, sitting next to me on the bed.

"I was younger than you are now. I had only been out of the academy for maybe two years. It was my first long-term mission. Phil was my S.O. He and I got close," she looked down and smiled briefly and when she looked up, her eyes were shiny with unwept tears, "too close. There are anti-fraternization rules for a reason. When I found out I was pregnant, I went into a tailspin. I kept going back and forth. I didn't know what to do. If I kept you, that was it. Things were different back then. No more field work, no more being an agent, no more S.H.I.E.L.D."

"I had a friend," she shook her head angrily at that. "At least, I thought she was a friend. She was going to help me out. Set up a private, closed adoption with a nice couple. I didn't know about the orphanage. I signed the paperwork the day you were born and I never saw you again."

"For years, whenever I saw a little dark-haired girl, I'd think, she's four now. I wonder what she's doing. Or she's twelve. Or sixteen. I never stopped thinking about you. Wondering about you," she said, her hands trembling slightly.

"And Coulson?" I asked, my breath ragged.

"I never told him. I never told him because I knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that if I did, we'd both live that other life. The normal civilian life. We'd get married. Buy a two story house in the suburbs. He'd be an insurance adjustor. I'd bake cookies for the PTA. Phil wanted to be a part of S.H.I.E.L.D. so badly. I didn't want to force him to give up on his career, on his dream."

"Would that . . . .," I could hardly breathe, "Would that . . . have been such a horrible life?" I asked, tears sliding down my face.

"At the time I thought it was. And every time I shut down a weapons facility or saved someone's life, I felt like I had made the right choice. But . . . I look at you . . . ," she gulped. "I look at you and . . .,"she broke down then, openly crying. "I am so sorry, Skye. I am so very sorry."

What do you do in that moment? What do you do in that moment when you get the answers you so desperately want? When the last piece of the puzzle is granted to you?

"It's okay; I forgive you," I said as I hugged her. She clung to me, weeping as sobs wracked her body. "It's okay; we're together now."

We sat there, holding each other for a few minutes. I was the one to break the silence.

"We have to tell Coulson," I said.

"Skye, I can't . . .," she began.

"No. No more lies, no more secrecy. Right now, we are going into that office," I said firmly. This was going to end tonight.

She nodded and we walked the few feet into Coulson's office, opening the door without knocking.

Coulson looked up, a puzzled look on his face as he saw us both, mascara streaked down our faces.

"Coulson, there's something I need to tell you," May began shakily.

"Okay," he said warily.

"Twenty-three years ago, you and I had a mission together. . ." she started.

He looked at us both and comprehension dawned on his face. His face turned ashen. "No, you didn't . . . May, tell me you didn't do that to me . . . to us . . . tell me you didn't . . ."

"Phil . . . ." she began.

"Skye," he said, "would you mind giving us a moment . . . please?"

"I'd really like to stay," I said.

"Please," he repeated sharply, his voice breaking as he sat down heavily in his chair, looking like his world was crumbling.

"Okay," I said and I turned to go.

000000

A few minutes later, Ward saw me in the lounge, shaking and crying on the couch. "Hey, what's up? What happened?" he asked as he sat down next to me.

"Coulson and May are my parents," I said between sobs.

"Are you sure?" Ward asked.

I nodded and began weeping once again. I should have been happy, but I was just so overwhelmed. Ward hugged me, quite literally giving me a shoulder to cry on. I don't know how long he held me, stroking my hair, murmuring words of encouragement in my ear. When my sobs finally subsided, Ward said, "You're going to be okay. You're strong. You are so very, very strong. You're going to be okay." Then, he kissed my forehead and stood up abruptly. "I'll . . . I'll see you in the morning."

I sat there for a moment after he left, feeling adrift, not knowing what the next step was. I had finally gotten all that I wanted. Now what?

Author's Note- Don't worry. I won't end it here. I wouldn't do that to you, my dear readers. We still have a few more chapters to go.