Author's Note: A short chapter because I'm meant to be studying but I promised myself I would update when I reached 150 reviews, so update I did.
Please review, I will update quicker at certain milestones like I did with this one so the more you review the quicker updates might come.
Chapter 20 – A Reason
Phil Coulson was worried, none of the team had seen Skye in almost three days, not since he had given her Ward's file. The team had heard her, she'd sneak down to the kitchen when they were a having a meal or a meeting, Simmons had tried to talk to the hacker but her door was locked and Skye would only give short answers through the door. Natasha had told Coulson about her talk with Skye, he'd known the girl had had feelings for Ward, everyone knew except Skye herself, but Skye had never seemed the type to sleep around to forget a guy. Coulson could believe that she'd gone out drinking to forget her S.O. but going home with some random guy was just a little too farfetched for Coulson to believe. Something had happened, of that Coulson was sure, but wasn't entirely sure what. Whatever had happened Skye didn't think she could talk to the team about it and that was what worried Coulson the most, if there was one thing Skye was good it was talking.
Knocking on the hacker's door Coulson waited for a response. When he didn't get one he knocked again, "Skye?"
Again there was no response, so he knocked again, "Skye, we need to talk," Coulson sighed, "We're worried about you."
This time Coulson heard shuffling behind the door, almost as if Skye had barricaded the door. Coulson smiled when he heard the door unlock and the hacker pocked her head out.
Skye gave a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, "I'm fine, A.C., there's nothing to worry about."
When she went to close the door Coulson put a foot in the way, "You don't look fine." It was true, Skye looked like she hadn't slept in the three days since he'd last seen her and Coulson also got the impression she hadn't showered in that long either.
Pushing the door against Coulson's foot Skye tried to close it, "I told you I'm fine. I just need some time alone."
This time Coulson used his hand to brace the door open, "Is this about the file…"
Anger appeared across Skye's face, "That file was useless, worse than useless. It had nothing. I needed answers so I had to get them somewhere else."
With strength Coulson didn't know she possessed Skye managed to force her door closed, Coulson barely managed to get his hand out of the way in time.
Turning away Coulson sighed, he decided that things could have gone better. Walking up another flight of stairs he knocked on another door. This one opened without pause.
"I take it the talk with Skye didn't go well." Melinda May said in way of greeting.
Again Coulson sighed, "I think she's hacking again, looking for answers on Ward."
May raised an eyebrow, stepping aside to allow Coulson into her room, "What does she'll think she'll find."
Coulson shrugged, "A reason."
"She may not find one."
"Then she'll keep looking," Coulson said, taking a seat on May's bed, "That girl is going to look for something even SHIELD couldn't find. A reason why Grant Ward was HYDRA, even if it takes her another decade."
May walked over to her night stand and pulled out a bottle of vodka, "She's been at it for three days, I don't think she'll last another decade." Pulling two cups out of the night stand she poured both Coulson and herself generous drinks. Passing a cup to Coulson, May sat next to him, "Both you and Skye need to learn that you can't save everyone, especially from themselves."
Coulson took a long drink, "I can try."