Chapter 11
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AN2: Thank you so so much for your support of this story, I hope you like this chapter.
A few days after Skye fell off her bike during which time Skye aged to almost five years old, the team are in southern America where they have just finished a case and are waiting on the next one. Phil and Melinda are up in Coulson's office arranging something, while everyone else are down in the living area of the plane trying to stay cool as it is unseasonably warm.
"Why is it so hot?" Skye asks.
"Because the aircon sucks." Clint answers.
"Sucks?" Skye asks confused.
"Is something you shouldn't say." Simmons tells Skye.
"But Uncle Clint did." Skye says to her sister.
"I'm going through the plans trying to improve it." Fitz says loudly from where he in on one of the tablets, to save Simmons from responding and having to explain to Skye while everyone, Clint the most, are hoping that Skye doesn't say that in front of Melinda or Coulson.
"And?" Natasha asks.
"I've got an idea but I'm not quite sure if it will make things better or worse, not yet anyway." Fitz tells them.
"Don't even try." Coulson says walking down the stairs with Melinda, "We're going to do something else to cool down." He tells them.
"What?" Clint asks curious.
"The S.H.I.E.L.D aquatic centre is fifteen minutes away from here. As it is first week for new students at all of the academies the facility is empty. I called Fury and we explained the situation to him and he gave us the access codes, it's ours for as long as we want it." Coulson explains.
"Is this the aquatic centre with the waterslide?" Fitz asks excitedly.
"Yes, and the diving boards for those of us that like them." Melinda answers and everyone smiles.
"Well I hate to be the one to put a damper on things but none of us have bathers." Ward points out.
"We need to get flotation devices for Skye so we'll stop at a store on our way." Melinda answers, "Pack a change of clothes or anything you want to bring with you, the centre has plenty of towels." Melinda tells the others and they all get up.
"How did you swing the access codes from Fury?" Clint asks curious as he, Natasha, Melinda and Garrett once tried to get the access codes for that very facility and Fury wouldn't give them to them.
"It wasn't easy, and if we do any damage to the facility he will be after all of us." Coulson explains and the four friends go there separate ways to pack things for the trip to the pool, Coulson walking over and picking up Skye.
An hour later, after stopping at a shop to get everyone bathers, a personal flotation device for Skye and pool toys that Fitz and Clint insisted upon, everyone is at the S.H.I.E.L.D aquatic centre, all changed into their bathes waiting on Melinda and Coulson who are double and triple checking to make sure Skye's life jacket is on properly.
"I think it's on right." Natasha tell them.
"We all watch Skye and one of us are to hold her at all times." Coulson tells everyone,
"Yes Sir." Ward responds.
"What's with the camera?" Clint asks Fitz.
"It can be used in water." Fitz answers, "I know that we are trying to get as many pictures of Skye growing up as possible so I thought that this would be a good chance." He explains.
"Thank you Fitz, that's a great idea." Coulson tells him.
"Any time." Fitz responds and the younger agents and Clint and Natasha head to the closes pool, Clint grabbing a floating basketball hope and Fitz grabbing a ball.
"I'll get in first then you pass me Skye so you can get in." Melinda says to Coulson.
"I'll be okay Mommy." Skye tells her mother.
"We worry Skye, you know that." Melinda tells her.
"We're going to teach you how to swim, would you like that?" Coulson asks Skye who nods enthusiastically.
Melinda runs and jumps straight into the pool nearly landing on Clint which may have been her intention.
"Really Mels?" Clint asks playfully pushing her away from him.
"You deserve it." Melinda tells him.
"Why?" Clint asks confused.
"The Bahamas." Melinda and Natasha say in unison, Melinda as she is swimming over to the side to get Skye.
"That was…. seventeen years ago." Clint says shocked.
"When will you learn that I never forget?" Melinda asks her brother as she turns and does backstroke back to the side so that she can turn and look at him.
"She's right there and you know it." Natasha tells him.
"Clint, think fast." Fitz says throwing a ball at Clint which he catches even though he was looking the other way.
"Okay, that's impressive." Fitz comments.
"Not really." Clint answers.
Once Coulson has handed Skye down to Melinda he jumps in splashing both Skye and Melinda.
"Daddy." Skye tells him laughing as Melinda and Coulson head over to the others where they are all throwing the ball around.
"Phil catch." Natasha says throwing the ball at him which he easily catches.
"You could have at least made it hard to catch Tasha." Coulson tells her and she rolls her eyes.
"I'll take Skye, you and Tasha go and do what you do whenever you're around a diving board." Coulson tells his wife knowing her well enough to know what she really wants to do.
"What?" Melinda asks.
"Please, don't act like you don't know, for the last twenty years, whenever you and Nat are around diving boards you got to the top of the highest, jump at the same time and see which one of you can do the most flips, and every time you do the exact same number so much in sync that it is like you are synchronize divers." Clint tells them and he receives two looks in response, "Am I wrong about any of that?" he asks the pair.
"No, you're not." Natasha admits, "I'm in if you are." She tells Melinda.
"Of course." Melinda says and she hands Skye to Coulson.
"How about we get started on those swimming lessons, your Mommy and aunt are going to be a while." Coulson tells his daughter.
"Okay." Skye responds.
"Phil, Skye's not meant to have a lifejacket on while learning to swim, she'll become too dependent on it." Clint tells him.
"How do you know?" Coulson asks and Clint just raises an eyebrow then Coulson realises, he taught his brother to swim.
"But…" Coulson begins to say but Clint cuts him off
"You'll be on one side of her I'll be on the other, we won't let anything happen." Clint assures his friend.
"I don't know." Coulson says uncertainly, worried about taking of Skye's life jacket.
"Daddy, I want to learn." She tells him giving him her best begging look.
"Okay." Coulson says still worried.
"I'll hold the life jacket." Simmons offers, "Although that isn't the right name we should all it a PFD, personal floatation device." Simmons corrects.
For five minutes Clint and Coulson demonstrate the proper technique for swimming to Skye.
"Guys, May and Romanoff are about to dive." Fitz comments and everyone turns to watch, Coulson holding on to Sky.
In perfect unison Melinda and Natasha stand at the edge of a ten meter platform and dive off. Both of them do two flips, once again their timing being perfect before they hit the water.
"How do they do that?" Simmons asks shocked.
"Skill." Clint answers, "And years of friendship." He explains.
"That is so cool." Skye comments.
"Yeah it is." Coulson responds, "If I hold your waist do you think you can try to swim?" Coulson asks and Skye nods.
Coulson holds Skye around the waist and as he does Skye manages a perfect swimming techniques even though she was only shown how minutes earlier.
"How's that possible?" Clint ask shocked.
"Of course! That makes sense." Simmons comments.
"What makes sense?" Clint asks her quiet enough so that Coulson and by extension Skye can't hear.
"Skye's memories are still in her mind somewhere, she just can't remember. This could be one of the echoes of her other life that we knew she would have. Swimming is different to actual memories, it's a survival skill, muscle memory." Simmons explains.
"Is that why when she was punching the bag she could do it easily?" Ward asks as he thought it was odd at the time how easily she could do it but because of how pissed Natasha was at him he didn't bring it up.
"Yes." Simmons answers, "I think there are things that she can remember how to do well if she just gets that first revision of how to do it." Simmons reveals, "Swimming and punching are two things that take a while to lean, but in a way you never forget, it makes sense that she remembers."
"I think it's more than that." Clint comments.
"What do you mean?" Fitz asks interested.
"Like you said it's a survival skill." Clint responds, "The Nuns at the orphanage where Skye grew up, would take the kids swimming a lot, they thought it was a useful skill to learn." Clint explains to the others, "When Skye was about four one of the other kids pushed her into the water, I guess they thought it would be funny. It terrified Skye, but like anything that terrifies her she made herself learn to swim quicker than any of the others so that it wouldn't happen again." Clint explains remembering the story that his niece told him a while ago.
"That makes sense." Simmons realises, "Somewhere inside of Skye she may just remember that fear and that desire to learn to swim to protect herself, which could be why she remembers." She guesses.
"But you can't be sure." Ward comments.
"I can't be sure of anything." Simmons says stressing the anything.
"Let me guess you're talking about how Skye can suddenly swim perfectly?" Natasha asks swimming over to the group.
"We that obvious?" Clint asks.
"Yes." Natasha answers, "And it makes sense." She tells them, "I'm guessing you have a theory." Natasha says to the others.
"Of course." Simmons answers and she explains what the others are talking about.
Just wanting to see what she will do Ward picks up the ball and throws it at Natasha but his plan doesn't work as good as he wanted it to as she catches it.
"Really? Did you think that would work?" Natasha asks.
"I had to try." Ward responds slightly worried as it seems in the last few days all he is doing is annoying Natasha Romanoff, something any sane person doesn't want to do.
"Do want to play dodge ball Ward?" Natasha asks curious.
"Sure, why not." Ward responds, and the game starts between the five agents.
While the five agents have started to play a water version of dodge ball Melinda and Coulson are both completely shocked that Skye seems to be able to swim well having just learnt how to do it.
"Skye how do you know how to swim?" Coulson asks his daughter.
"You showed me Daddy." Skye says to her father confused about why he asked, and he and Melinda exchange a look.
"Phil, we need you." Clint's voice yells and he and Melinda turn to see Clint and Ward seemingly playing keep away with the ball which due to the fact that both Clint and Ward are a lot taller than everyone else they are able to do well.
"What do you want me to do?" Coulson asks, "I'm short." He tells him.
"Help us." Every single person's voice says.
"Go, I'll stay with Skye." Melinda tells her husband. Coulson nods and Melinda takes his place holding Sky.
Over with the others Natasha is clearly annoyed about the game that Ward and Clint are playing so she jumps onto Clint's back and catches the ball that Ward threw, and once she does she stands on Clint's shoulders.
"Wow, тетя Наташа is a giant." Skye says shocked.
"Yeah she is." Melinda responds with a laugh.
"Now I'm taller than all of you." Natasha tells everyone.
"A little warning next time Nat, and sit down, your feet are bony." Clint tells her and after rolling her eyes Natasha drops down so that she is sitting on his shoulders.
"Clint you do know what your partners signature move is don't you?" Coulson asks his friend.
"Of course, but I know Nat will never use it on me." Clint responds.
"Don't temp me." Natasha tells him, knowing that there are very few circumstances that will lead to her actually using it on him, but needing to maintain her image.
"You know that reminds me of things I've seen in your American movies where you try and push another person off someone's shoulders." Fitz comments.
"That's actually harder than you would expect." Melinda says swimming over still holding Skye even though she has proven that she can swim.
"Seriously you've done that before?" Ward asks surprised.
"Many times." Melinda answers.
"What do you say old man, are you up for a rematch?" Clint asks Coulson.
"You do know that you aren't that much younger than me, right?" Coulson asks his friend.
"You're old enough." Clint tells him, "You're not scared are you? Nat and I are reigning champions." He tells Coulson.
"In a competition that involves us, Maria, Garrett, Blake and Sitwell." Coulson points out.
"Phil, all our competitions involve some combination of the eight of us." Melinda reminds him.
"Good point." Coulson admits.
"You know Clint, I think they're scared." Natasha comments wanting to egg them on because she wants to see if she can still beat Melinda.
"Ward, can you hold Skye?" Melinda asks as they have never backed down from a challenge especially when it is Natasha and Clint doing the challenging.
"Sure." Ward asks swimming over and getting Skye.
"What are they doing?" Skye asks Ward confused as Melinda, Coulson, Natasha and Clint move away from everyone else.
"Being idiots." Ward answers attending it as a joke.
"WARD, don't say that." Simmons says swimming over and getting Skye out of Ward's arms because she has started to cry.
"Shhh, it's okay, Ward didn't mean it." Simmons tells Skye glaring at Ward as she does.
"Then why did he say it?" Skye asks sniffing.
"Because he's being a meanie." Fitz tells her.
"I meant it as a joke." Ward defends, "You're parent's aren't idiots." Ward tells her but Skye still looks upset.
"I don't want to swim anymore." Skye says.
"Okay, we'll go sit out." Simmons tells her.
"I'll take her." Melinda says appearing at Simmons's side because as soon as she heard Skye's cries Coulson, Clint, Natasha and she swam back over.
"You sure?" Coulson asks and Melinda nods and swims over to the side with Skye.
"I'm so so sorry Sir, I was joking." Ward tells Coulson feeling bad that he made Skye cry.
"She's five Ward, she doesn't understand sarcasm or those kinds of jokes yet." Coulson tells Ward angrily.
"I'm so sorry." Ward repeats.
After getting out the pool Melinda has wrapped Skye in a towel and she is holding her in her arms.
"Why did Ward say such a mean thing?" Skye asks her mother confused.
"He wasn't saying it to be mean." Melinda tells her daughter.
"Then why did he say it?" Skye asks confused.
"He meant it as a joke." Melinda tells her daughter.
"But jokes are funny, that was mean, not funny." Skye says becoming more confused the more her mother says.
"Sometimes people say things that are mean, meaning them to be a joke. That doesn't make it okay or not mean, it's just something that some people say." Melinda explains.
"I still don't understand, people shouldn't be mean." Skye comments.
"No, they shouldn't." Melinda tells Skye, "Do you want to go down the waterslide with me?" Melinda asks Skye.
"I don't know." Skye responds.
"Well if you don't want to we don't have to, what do you want to do?" Melinda asks.
"I want to go home." Skye tells her mother.
"Okay, I'll tell the others." Melinda tells her.
"No, they're having so much fun. I don't want to end that." Skye tells her mother.
"Well if we did bring two cars May, just you and I can go if you want, your Dad too." Melinda tells her.
"Won't Daddy mind?" Skye asks.
"No, I'm sure he won't." Melinda tell her, "Wait here." Melinda says moving Skye off her, "I mean it May, do not move towards any of the pools, do you understand?" Melinda asks and Skye nods.
Melinda gets up and while watching both Skye and where she is going Melinda walks to the edge of the pool, "PHIL." Melinda yells because the others are swimming in the centre.
With a worried look on his face Coulson quickly swims over to the side of the pool, "What's wrong?" he asks concerned.
"Skye wants to go home but she doesn't want to take the fun away from everyone else, do you want to come with us or stay with the others?" She asks.
"I'll come." Coulson says, "I'll swim back over and tell everyone else what is going on." Coulson says and that's what he does while Melinda goes back over to Skye.
Twenty minutes after Melinda, Phil and Skye left the aquatic centre they arrive back at the plane.
"So what do you want to do Skye?" Coulson asks his daughter.
"Tag." Skye says with a smile.
"Let's go downstairs." Coulson says not wanting anyone to run into anything again.
"You've got to catch me first, you're it Daddy." Skye says to Coulson and she runs and jumps on one of the couches.
"You heard her Phil, you're it." Melinda says jogging to the other end.
"Not for long." Coulson says chasing after her.
When the others arrive back at the plane three hours after Coulson, Melinda and Skye left the aquatic centre they find the Coulson family sitting in a blanket and pillow fort watching a movie, Skye between her parents.
"Looks like you guys had fun." Clint comments.
"Uncle Clint." Skye says happily, "You have to watch this movie with us, it's awesome." Skye says.
"Who taught you to say awesome?" Natasha asks curious.
"Uncle Tony." Skye responds.
"Did you really have to ask that?" Clint asks his partner feeling like it would have been obvious.
"No, I should have known." Natasha responds.
"Everyone come on, I can't hear the movie." Skye says.
"You heard her, get in." Coulson tells the others and everyone squeezes into the blanket fort.
"What are we watching?" Simmons asks curious.
"The parent trap." Skye answers and everyone else can't help but smile when they think of how much older Skye loved that very movie.
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