Awakening Quake
By Misha

Disclaimer and Notes in Chapter One.

Chapter Two: Introductions and Goodbyes

"I guess you want an explanation." Coulson said awkwardly, looking at the three people standing in his office.

"No." Steve said flatly.

Coulson couldn't stop the pang he felt at seeing his idol so disappointed at him.

"I've explained about T.A.H.I.T.I." Natasha said calmly.

"You knew?" Coulson asked in surprise. Though if anyone was going to be in on the secret, it would be Natasha. She was one of Fury's most trusted assets.

"Only after the fact," she told him, "but I eventually got the whole story out of Fury and well, I know you Phil."

They had worked together for years. Actually, he and Barton had been quite close as well.

"I told Clint." Natasha added. "He was a little angrier than I was, but in the end I think he understood." Except he hadn't chosen to come to the meeting, so Coulson guessed he was a little angrier than Natasha was letting on.

"Tell us about the girl." Steve said after a moment, getting the conversation back on track.

"Her name is Skye." Coulson began. "She was an orphan, grew up in the system. She joined the Rising Tide and came to my attention that way, but she has since become one of my most trusted team members."

He and Skye had agreed that they would tell the Avengers everything. There had been enough secrets and lies already.

"So why does she need help?" Sam Wilson asked. Since he and Coulson hadn't been introduced before his 'death', he was the one who had no reason to be angry or disappointed.

Coulson explained about Skye's 0-8-4 status and the circumstances of her birth and what they had learnt about her parents. He explained in detail about T.A.H.I.T.I and how the protocol had had no negative affect on Skye and why and then he explained what happened in San Juan.

"She came out of the temple changed," he explained, "she can set off earthquakes, sometimes without even trying."

"And you want us to help her work with her powers?" Natasha asked.

"Yes." Coulson confirmed. "I have no practical experience with this kind of event. I suspect Thor might have more knowledge, but also…" He paused. This was the hard part. "Since San Juan, some of the team members have… They've found it hard to be around Skye." He admitted.

Mack was visibly uncomfortable, quite possibly because of his own experiences in the temple, and tended to avoid Skye's company. Hunter was also obviously uneasy and Bobbi was trying her hardest to hide her discomfort. Even May was less comfortable with Skye now, though partially because she worried that Skye was a safety risk to them all.

No one knew what went through Fitz's mind these days, though he was getting better, but he didn't seem noticeably perturbed by Skye's powers. Perhaps his own experiences had made him more understanding and Simmons was fanatically loyal, though Phil knew she was driving Skye a little crazy by constantly wanting to examine her.

"You want us to take her with us." Steve stated. "Does she know?"

"She does." Phil confirmed. Skye had been noticeably withdrawn the last few weeks as she registered the team's reaction. He knew that she had never felt like she'd belonged anywhere, something that had changed when she'd joined his team and he hated seeing the rejection in her eyes. She had told him what her father had said to her and Phil was desperate to make sure Cal's words didn't come true.

Maybe Skye didn't belong with his team, but there were people who understood her and who would help her.

"Let's meet her." Natasha told him. "And then we'll make a decision."

Phil nodded and opened his office door. He asked May to go get Skye.

0

Skye was nervous. Of course she was, she was about to meet the Avengers. Well, some of them.

And if this meeting well… Well, Skye didn't even want to think that far ahead.

"Skye, Coulson's ready for you." May told her.

Skye nodded and followed her former trainer. Since San Juan, May had been keeping a cautious distance. She was nicer about it than some of the others, but their training sessions had come to an abrupt end.

Skye took a deep breath and entered Coulson's office. Standing there were Sam Wilson, Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff.

"You must be Skye," Steve said politely, sticking out his hand.

Skye took it, a little in awe that she was touching Captain America. His handshake was warm and firm and his smile was friendly, even a little reassuring.

Sam also shook her hand, but Natasha made no such overture, but the other woman did give Skye a friendly smile, so she decided it was nothing personal.

"Coulson says you're a computer genius," Natasha said immediately. "That will come in handy, though be prepared for Stark to harass you constantly and assume he knows more."

Skye just laughed. "I'm pretty confident in my skills." Though Tony Stark was a legend and a genius and she wasn't sure how she matched up to him.

"You'll need to be to deal with Tony," Natasha told her, "it's not a man-woman thing, he just thinks he's smarter than anyone else on the planet. It's amazing his ego even fits in the tower."

That had pretty much summed up everything that Skye had ever heard about Tony Stark, so she wasn't surprised, though she hadn't expected the Black Widow to be so open or so friendly.

"Coulson says you'd like help learning to use your powers," Steve said after a moment, "is that true?"

"Yes." Skye said instantly.

The three exchanged a look.

"We can give you that help and it sounds like you have some skills that will be pretty handy to have around," Natasha said after a moment. She gave Coulson a long look. "At this moment, the Avengers have no interest in working with S.H.I.E.L.D though." She turned her attention to Skye. "So if you come with us, then you're leaving S.H.I.E.L.D. and agreeing to work with us."

Skye gulped. Coulson's team was the first family she'd ever had. The first place she'd ever belonged, how could she just abandon that? But at the same time, how could she stay with things the way they were?

Coulson met her eyes and gave a sad nod.

"So just like that, I can come with you?" Skye asked. "Don't you have to consult the rest of the team?"

"They left the decision up to us." Steve told her. "Right now it's a preliminary offer, you come back with us and we'll work on helping you with your powers and we'll go from there and see if you want to join us."

Skye nodded. She hadn't expected an instant invitation to join the Avengers, but this sounded fair and even if it didn't work out, hopefully she'd be able to control her powers and then… Well, maybe she could come back to Coulson and the team.

"I should get my stuff." She said finally. "And say goodbye to the others."

0

"Keep in touch." Jemma instructed as she hugged Skye goodbye.

"I will." Skye promised, though she had no idea if she'd be able to keep that promise.

This was one of the hardest goodbyes. Jemma was the first real girlfriend she'd ever had.

She'd already said goodbye to the others, except Coulson. There had been no real need for goodbyes with the newer members of the team and with Fitz, it had been weird, but they had just hugged it out.

With May it had been awkward, but sweet as well and Skye knew May wished her well, it was just that her training had made her wary of anyone who could be a threat and right now, that was Skye.

Jemma was the emotional goodbye though. But not as hard as the last one would be.

After Jemma had departed back towards her lab. Skye was suddenly alone with Coulson. The three Avengers were giving them some privacy.

"AC…" Skye began.

"Its ok," he told her, "I'm so proud of you Skye. So proud of the way you've dealt with every challenge and I know that you're going to show the Avengers what you're made of. This good be exactly what you need."

"I wouldn't be here with you," she told him, "you… You were the first person to really believe in me."

He just nodded, but she could see the tears in her eyes.

Skye couldn't stop herself and she crossed the room and gave him a hug. He seemed startled for a moment, but then hugged her back.

"Take care of yourself." He told her. "And Skye, if… If you are every unhappy or if you're in danger, I'm always here."

Skye nodded as she released him. Then she grabbed her lone duffle bag and headed towards the door of Coulson's office, ready to start the next chapter of her journey.