Chapter 23
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Both Maria and Ward sit next to each other in silence both of them waiting on news on the person that they both truly care about.
"Do you want some coffee Ma'am?" Ward asks wanting to do something.
"Yes, thank you Agent Ward." Maria tells the young specialist.
"I'll be right back." Ward says standing up and going to get them both coffee, leaving Maria the only person in the room
After Ward leaves Maria gets up and walks across the room and back again, with every step she takes she attempts to get the image of her best friend laying on the floor bleeding out of her mind, but as she does she's not sure she's going to be able to.
By the time Ward returns Maria is once more sitting down and her mask is firmly back in place.
"Here." Ward says handing her the coffee.
"Thank you, Agent Ward." Maria responds grateful because it gives her something more to do than just sit and think.
On the plane Skye and Simmons are both sitting on Skye's bunk watching Gilmore Girls. A show which after the few episodes Skye has seen she really likes, a fact which Jemma is grateful for because she has missed talking to grown up Skye about this show and others that she can't talk to Fitz about.
"Jem, is everyone in danger because of me?" Skye asks curious.
"Skye, why would you even think that?" Jemma asks posing a question so that she can have more time to come up with a story.
"Because it makes sense." Skye tells her, "And don't lie to me, please, I'm sick of people lying to me." She tells her sister.
"No one's lying to you." Jemma tells her.
"Yes they are." Skye tells her, "Mom and Dad want me to believe that I've already been an adult, that's lying to me." Skye tells her.
"That's true." Jemma tells her sister and Skye rolls her eyes.
"It's insane." Skye tells her, "It can't be true."
"I know it's hard to believe but it's the truth Skye." Simmons tells her, "And people aren't in danger because of you."
"Really? Because it seems like it." Skye tells her, "That man who came after us, us having to leave that place, Garrett being shot, is it because of me?"
"No." Simmons tells her, "There is a bad person called Ian Quinn, who wants to hurt all of us." Simmons explains, "Yes, he wants you, but he wants all of us too." Simmons explains.
"So it's not because of me?" Skye asks.
"No, it's because of him." Simmons explains.
"You sure?" Skye asks.
"I'm sure." Simmons tells her.
"Good." Skye responds, "When will Luke and Lorelai get together?" she asks curious.
"You'll have to wait and see." Simmons responds and the two sisters go back to watching TV, Simmons making a note to talk to Coulson and May about what Skye talked to her about.
"Can I brad you hair?" Simmons asks curious.
"Sure." Skye responds and that's what Simmons does as they continue to watch.
Less than an hour after they left the Hub the plane touches down at the airport that they have all became familiar with in New York.
"Guys, come on." Clint says popping his head into Skye's bunk.
"We're coming." Skye responds and they get up and head out into the main part of the plane.
"Dad are we taking Lola to Uncle Tony's?" Skye asks curious.
"I think we can do that." Coulson says exchanging a look with Melinda.
"The rest of us will take the SVU." Natasha comments.
"Does Tony know to expect us?" Fitz asks curious.
"No." Coulson answers as he presses the button to lower the ramp.
"You guys go first, we'll follow." Melinda comments getting into the driver's side of the SVU as Skye and Coulson get into Lola.
"I really love this car." Skye comments as Coulson reverses out.
"So do I." Coulson tells his daughter and Skye smiles back in response.
Back at the Hub both Maria and Grant are sitting and waiting for news, both of them want it to be positive.
"How much longer do you think they're going to be?" Ward asks Maria curious.
"I don't know." Maria answers, "It could be any time or not for a few hours, we just have to wait." Maria responds.
"Thank you for allowing me to stay." Ward tells the Deputy Director.
"No need." Maria tells him, "I know how important John is to you, how important you are to him. I wouldn't be fair if I forced you to go." Maria tells him and the pair drift back into silence.
When they arrive at the tower the security knows them all and lets them in right away and they go up to the top floor.
"You know a warning tends to be customary." Tony comments from where he's sitting having dinner with Pepper, Steve and Bruce.
"We wanted to surprise you." Coulson responds and Skye walks over and gives her Aunt and Uncles a hug.
"Ah huh, what are you really doing here?" Tony asks curious pretty sure that they have a reason especially considering Ward isn't with them.
"A few hours ago Garrett was shot at the apartment that the five of us own." Clint explains pretty sure that they will know who 'the five of us' refers to, "Maria found him and he was taken to the Hub in critical condition. We believe that Quinn or someone on his orders was the one who shot him because Garrett told Hill earlier that he had a lead on the mole, because we don't know who shot Garrett and because whoever did may be able to get into the hub and because a team posing as a SHIELD team cleaned the scene before the one that Maria ordered could get there we realised that the Hub probably wasn't the best place for us, I hope that's okay." Clint explains.
"Of course, you're always welcome." Pepper comments.
"Is there something I can do to help?" Steve asks curious.
"Not at the moment Cap." Coulson tells him, "But we could use yours." He says looking at Tony.
"Of course, what do you need?" Tony asks.
"To see if we can find a tec trail." Natasha tells him, "The apartment might have been cleaned but whoever did the shooting must have done something we can track, allowed themselves to get caught by security camera's, made a phone call, something." Natasha tells him.
"I'll see what I can do." Tony says heading over to his computer, "I need info on where the place is and the timeframe." He tells the others.
"I'll give it to you." Melinda says walking over to him.
"Where is agent Ward?" Bruce asks curious.
"Still at the Hub." Coulson tells him, "He and Maria are very close to Garrett so they are waiting together for news." He explains.
"Come, eat." Pepper tells the others, "As usual Tony got enough food to feed a small army." She reveals.
"I have to when Steve is eating." Tony comments, Steve rolls his eyes and everyone walks over and sits down.
It has been over and hour and a half since the others left and with every minute that passes Maria and Ward want answers more and more.
Maria has gotten up and paced the room so many times that Ward has lost count.
"Commander." Ward says when Maria is facing the opposite way and he sees a doctor walk out.
"How is he?" Maria asks walking over to the doctor as Ward stands up.
"We've removed the bullets and repaired the damage, he's in stable but for the moment but he may not stay that way, we're moving him to the medical ICU, he was incredibly lucky you got there when you did, if you got there even a few minutes later it would have been a very different story." The doctor tells Maria.
"Can we see him?" Ward asks.
"He's being moved now, I will send someone to come and get you in about half an hour." The doctor tells Maria and Ward.
"Thank you." Maria tells him and the doctor nods and leaves them.
"I'll call the others." Maria tells Ward who nods in responds and he goes back to sitting down while Maria goes to find somewhere private to make her phone call.
Once she arrived back at the Hub the first thing that Victoria does is find out Garrett's status, when she does she finds out that he is being moved from Recovery to the medical ICU unit and will not be allowed visited for half an hour which means she has half an hour to inject the serum into him because she knows Hill well enough to know that as soon as she can she will make sure that her best friend has the best security and will leave his side as little as possible.
For several minutes Victoria just stands and tries to come up with a plan. She knows that she could easily arrange for Ian to make a big distraction which would enable her to inject Garrett easily but she realises that it won't be the best idea as the first thing that Hill is likely to do is go to her fallen friend.
Deciding to do the simple but risky way, Hand just goes to a doorway near the room Garret is getting put in which enables her to see into his room but not be seen. As she stands she pulls out another one of her encrypted phones and types a message to her brother and once she gets her opening she presses send.
Then once she knows that her brother has had enough time to do what she needs him to do she sneaks into Garrett's room, empties the vial into him then just as quickly as she entered Hand exits all without being seen as this is her building, no one knows it like her, which means no one knows how to get around it without being seen like she does.
At the tower Melinda and Tony are sitting by Tony's computer trying to find a tec trail while everyone else is sitting eating dinner when Coulon's phone rings, resulting in everyone turning to look at him.
"It's Maria." Coulson informs everyone else before answers, "How is he?" Coulson asks.
"He's alive." Maria informs Coulson, "He's being moved to the ICU and we'll be able to see him soon, according to the doctors he was very lucky." Maria explains.
"That's great news." Coulson tells her.
"Has Stark gotten anywhere on the tec trail?" Maria asks curious.
"He's working on It, I'll let you know if we find anything." Coulson tells her.
"I'll let you know if anything with John changes." Maria tells Coulson before hanging up.
"How is he?" Clint asks when Coulson hangs up his phone.
"Lucky." Coulson answers, "He's being moved to the ICU and Maria and Ward will be able to see him soon." Coulson explains.
"Good." Natasha comments
"I've got something." Tony comments.
"What?" Clint asks and he, Coulson and Natasha walk over to Tony and Melinda.
"A call was made from outside the apartment building seconds after Hill made hers to S.H.I.E.L.D" Tony explains.
"Can you trace it?" Clint asks
"My usual methods aren't working so I'm trying a little trick I was taught." Tony says not saying more but implying the truth which is that Skye taught him what he is trying.
"And? Melinda asks
"It takes a couple of minutes." Tony tells her, "Dam they're good." Tony's several minutes later.
"You can't trace it." Natasha realises
"No. Whoever made that call has made it impossible for the call to be tacked or to get any information on the phone on either end of the call." Tony explains annoyed.
"How did he manage that?" Coulson asks.
"Money, Connections and genius." Tony answers, "From what I understand all things that Quinn possesses.
"Yeah, he does." Coulson answers, "Can you get whoever it was on a CCTV camera other kind?"
"Nope, there are none where we need them to have been." Tony reveals, "I'll keep looking but I don't know if our chances are high."
"Thank you Tony, for everything you've done." Coulson tells his friend.
"No need." Tony responds.
As soon as they are allowed to, unaware that they are not the first who have done so Maria and Ward make their way to Garrett's room and sit down in chairs either side of his bed.
"When will he wake?" Maria asks he Doctor.
"Within the next twenty four hours." The Doctor Answers and Maria and Ward nod.
"Hopefully he'll be able to tell us who shot him." Ward comments.
"Let's hope." Maria tells him, "But I'd settle for him just being okay."
"So would I." Ward responds and they once again drift into silence.
At the tower, one they have finished eating the group have put on a movie which for once they are not all fighting about as they watch. They are about three quarters through the movie when Melinda notices the time.
"May, you should have been in bed a while ago." She realises.
"Are you staying the night?" Tony asks curious.
"We weren't planning on it but if you if you don't mind we would." Coulson tells him.
"Of course I don't mind you all have your own rooms here anyway." Tony tells him.
"He's right there." Natasha comments as even though they have only slept here when they have been drunk both Fitz and Simmons have their own rooms at the tower as well as everyone else.
"Does that mean I can watch the rest of the movie before going to bed?" Skye asks hoping that she can.
Melinda and Coulson look at each other and communicate without speaking about whether that would be a good idea.
"If it helps there is only twenty minutes left." Bruce tells them.
"Okay, you can watch the end." Melinda tells her and Skye smiles happily and the group continue to watch the movie.
"Okay, time for bed." Coulson tells his daughter once the movie is finished.
"You're still going to be here in the morning right?" Skye asks Clint, "You and тетя Наташа aren't going to leave to do your important work when I'm sleeping are you?" Skye asks worried.
"Skye I promise you that when we do go we will say goodbye first, so got to bed Kid." Clint tells his neice.
"Night Uncle Clint." Skye says giving her Uncle and hug then her other Uncles, Aunts, and siblings
"We'll be in in a couple of minutes to tuck you in." Coulson tells his daughter.
"Okay." Skye responds and she heads to 'her' room.
"What important work are you to going to do?" Steve asks curious.
"Make it a bit harder for Quinn to stay hidden." Natasha answers, "We actually need your help with something." Natasha tells Tony.
"Of course. What do you need?" Tony asks as Melinda and Coulson leave the room.
"A couple of phones that are secure, completely untraceable and potentially some other things." Natasha tells him, "It just depends what John know when he wakes up because he might be able to give us an idea about where to start when it comes to tacking Quinn down." She explains.
"I have what you need." Tony tells her.
When Coulson and Melinda arrive at the room at the tower that has become Skye's when she is at the tower the find Skye already lying in bed.
"What story do you want tonight?" Coulson asks curious as he walks over and sits on one side of Skye's bed and Melinda sits on the other.
"The first time you met." Skye tells her parents as she snuggled down into the bed.
Coulson and Melinda exchange smiles and they both begin to tell the story of the first time they met.
When Coulson and Melinda enter the living room of the tower they find Clint, Natasha, Tony, Pepper, Steve and Bruce sitting, each with a drink in their hand.
"Where are FitzSimmons?" Melinda asks curious.
"They already went to bed." Pepper answers.
"And you already got started on a drink?" Coulson answers.
"Another one of our friends almost died today, we don't know who in the Agency we've all been working for for most of our lives we can trust, and Quinn is still three steps ahead of us, a drink is valid." Clint tells the others.
"Pour me one." Coulson requests as he and Melinda sit down.
"Good choice." Natasha comments as Tony hands Melinda and Coulson a glass.
At the Hub Maria and Ward stay up all night by Garret's side, waiting for him to wake. At about eight thirty am in the morning Garret wakes up.
"Aren't you two a sight for sour eyes?" Garret asks his best friend and student when he sees who are sitting by his side.
"Hey." Maria tells him with a small smile.
"Glad you're awake Sir." Ward tells him.
"What happened, did our plane get hit?" Garrett asks Maria.
"Plane get hit? What do you mean?" Maria asks confused.
"Our mission, we were waiting on the extraction team." Garrett tells her.
"That was over a day ago." Maria tells him.
"What?" John asks confused.
"We were back at the Hub for hours, you did paper work, we talked, don't you remember that?" Maria asks.
"No." Garrett answers and Maria and Ward exchange worried looks.
"What is the last thing you do remember?" Ward asks.
"We were at the extraction point, waiting on the team." Garrett tells her, "I was joking that this better be a better extraction than Zimbabwe." He explains and Maria laughs remembering the incident.
"But then there's nothing." Garrett admits, "There's nothing until I woke up, did I get a head injury?" He asks his friend.
"No, you were shot in the chest and stomach, no head injury at all." Maria tells her friend.
"I'll get the doctor, get him to run some tests, see what he can find." Ward says getting up and leaving the room.
"So shot." Garrett says to his friend, "Guess its two more scars for my collection." He says to them.
"You've really got to do your best to make sure that that number isn't increased anymore." Maria tells her friend.
"I'll do my best." Garrett responds then notices the look on his friends face, "I know that face, what are you thinking?"
"I'll tell you later." Maria responds.
"Maria, what's really going on?" Garrett asks concerned.
"Later, promise." Maria responds and Garrett looks at her still worried about what his friend is thinking but knowing better than to push her.
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