"They said you were dead."

Skye is more than a little surprised to find Captain America standing in the middle of the Bus. She's more than a little surprised to find a very angry Captain America standing in the middle of the Bus. But what really takes the cake is that his heated, hurt gaze is centered on Phil Coulson.

"I was," Phil answers. He blinks slowly and squints as though he's staring into the sun before his expression suddenly goes slack. "You're… not supposed to be here, Captain."

She's pretty sure she's not the only one who's noticed, but something's… not quite right. There's something lacking. Okay, so she's only known him for a few months, but a few months is long enough for her to say that there's no conviction with the statement. His words had come across as uncertain, confused; as though he wasn't truly sure of what he was saying. Steve takes a step forward and Ward does the same, shifting his body protectively in front of Phil. The action only seems to draw the captain's ire further.

"This doesn't concern you," Steve says.

"If it concerns him, it concerns us," Ward answers firmly.

Steve's nostrils flare as he makes an obvious attempt to reign in his temper. "I just want answers."

"You're… not supposed to be here, Captain," Phil repeats.

The same words, spoken in the same detached manner. Like an automated response. Like something else she's heard before. She's starting to worry now as she watches him. He doesn't seem worried by the confrontation, nor angry, nor pleased, nor displeased. In fact, he doesn't seem to be anything at all. Even his earlier confusion is gone, replaced by an eerie emptiness.

"From my understanding, neither are you," Steve points out. "It's been a year since the Battle of New York. This entire time we've believed you were dead. Most people still think you are. What happened?"

There's a ferocity in his tone that Skye knows isn't simple anger. Oh, he's angry alright, there's no denying that, but it's not just for himself. She knows what it's like to feel angry on the behalf of others; she's a hacktivist, after all. Steve Rogers is standing before them now because there are other people who have been hurt by… this. The secrecy, the lies.

"He was in Tahiti," May says.

The funny thing, Skye thinks, is that this entire time, May's attention hasn't strayed away from Phil for a second. Steve may as well not even be in the cabin, what with the way her gaze is boring into their team leader. And apparently she gets what she wants when his eyes glaze over and he utters the phrase they've all heard a dozen times.

"It's a magical place."

Steve's expression falters, his anger fracturing into confusion and concern as he chances a glance at May. Ward does the same and looks over his shoulder at Phil with an expression not all that unlike Steve's. Skye doesn't know if any of them are feeling it and just not showing it, but she's freaked out. Beyond freaked out.

"A.C.?" she ventures cautiously.

Phil flinches as though someone had pinched him and turns his head to look at her. He's back to squinting again, only the look he's giving her… it's like he doesn't know who he's looking at. Or maybe he doesn't know where he is. In any case, he looks lost and that scares her. Because out of all of them, he's supposed to be the one who's grounded, the one who knows what he's doing, the one that keeps all of them together. But right now, he doesn't look like he's in any condition to keep anyone together—himself included.

"Agent Coulson?" Steve tries, taking another step forward.

Skye sees a full-body shudder pass through him. He squeezes his eyes shut and sways on his feet until May places a steadying hand at his elbow. There's some sort of struggle going on, but it doesn't last because that scary, vacant look is back. She notices that he seems to keep shifting between that blank expression and one of confusion. Or pain. It's almost like watching someone kick to the surface of the pool of water for air only to have someone hold their head under. They're all looking on curiously, but Skye has a feeling she's the only one who's really out of the loop here.

"You're… not supposed to be here, Captain," Phil repeats slowly, his words devoid of emotion as he gazes impassively at Steve. "You can't be here."

"Well, I am," Steve says firmly. His anger is still present, but it's gone soft at the edges. "Whether or not I'm allowed to be here is irrelevant. There are people who would want to know, who have a right to know, that you're alive. I don't know why this had to be kept a secret, but it's not going to be one for much longer."

"I'm…"

Skye's startled when, out of nowhere, Phil gets a nosebleed. He doesn't seem to notice, though, as his nose gushes like a leaky faucet and blood drips off his chin.

"…am I…?"

Half a beat later, his eyes roll back in his head and she watches him just… crumple. Despite the fact that May and Ward are there to support him well before he ever hits the ground, Skye finds herself taking a few worried steps forward all the same. Steve hovers awkwardly, making a few aborted starts forward to help as they settle the unconscious agent and begin checking him over.

She has no idea what she's just witnessed, but concern makes her bold enough to turn to Steve and say, "Good job, Captain America."

Skye's never spoken down to a national icon and based on the way her stomach drops at his answering glare, she won't be doing it again anytime soon.

"What just happened?" Steve asks.

"That's what I'd like to know," Ward grunts. "Those responses sounded—"

"Conditioned," May says, her tone low.

Skye shivers, rubbing her arm. "So, when he said that Captain America couldn't be here… do you think he really couldn't be here? Is that even something possible?"

"You're not supposed to be here, Captain."

They all turn at the statement, only to find Nick Fury standing a few paces behind them. In tow, Fitz and Simmons make for quite the guilty looking pair and begun explaining immediately.

"We thought Director Fury should know—"

"We weren't sure what to do—"

"It's just that considering the circumstances—"

"It seemed the best course of action—"

"There wasn't really—what's happened to Agent Coulson!?"

"What did you do to him?" Steve demands, cutting through their chatter.

Fury takes in the sight of all of them, of May and Ward crouched protectively over Phil, of Steve looking like a gun cocked to go off.

"Fact of the matter is, I didn't do anything," Fury tells them. "Whatever was done to bring him back… I don't have a fucking clue. Not that I haven't been trying my damnedest to find out."

Skye pulls a face. So, if Fury hadn't done this…

Then who had?