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Chapter 46 – Confutation

Simmons was surprised that she managed to get some sleep after the Asgardians had left. She hadn't wanted to but Coulson had ordered the team to try and get some rest, that they would discuss Skye's situation in the morning. So Simmons had helped the hacker to bed and was actually asleep as soon as she hit her own pillow. Simmons wasn't surprised to find Skye gone from her bed, the hacker probably hadn't been able to get a minute of sleep.

The sun was just starting to rise when Simmons left the room she shared with Skye. The rest of the team was already seated around the dining table when she walked into the common area.

Coulson looked up and gave the biochemist a weak smile, "Skye still asleep?"

Panic appeared across Simmons' face as she shook her head, "No. I thought she was already up. She's not in our room."

In almost a single movement the entire team jumped to their feet.

"You didn't get her to bed?" Coulson asked, doing a good job of hiding his fear.

"Of course I did," Simmons snapped. Looking at the clock the biochemist realized it was six in the morning, "But that was almost four hours ago." She turned to May, "You were on guard duty, didn't you see anything?"

May shook her head, "But I was looking for signs of the Asgardians arriving not Skye leaving."

Fitz looked doubtful, "Are you saying Skye left of her own free will? Why would she do that?"

"Hold up," Coulson interrupted, "We don't know for sure that Skye's gone. All we know is that she's not here and she's not in her room. We still have an entire base to check out before we panic." He paused, letting his words sink in, "FitzSimmons, you check the labs. May double check the Bus and I'll check the rest of the base. Trip, you can double check the house."

The team nodded in understanding and hurried to their assigned location. However Fitz, Coulson, May and Simmons had barely reached the stairs when Trip yelled for them to come back. They all sprinted back to the kitchen, hearing the panic in the specialist's voice. When they arrived back in the kitchen Trip was staring out the window, they all hurried to see what he was looking at.

Sif was running through the rain, Skye in her arms.

Coulson was the first to react, running outside to meet Sif as she made her way onto the porch.

"Son of Coul," Sif called, "Your friend requires medical attention."

When Coulson was close enough the Asgardian passed Skye into his arms.

The second Skye was out of Sif's reach May pinned the warrior against the wall, "What did you do?"

"She ran, I followed. Nothing more," Sif insisted, "When I caught up with her she complained of pain. I offered to escort her back here and she collapsed on the way."

"There's more to it than that," May replied, keeping Sif against the wall.

"Much," Sif agreed, "But none of it matters at this moment. Just know I did the girl no harm."

Loosening her grip May nodded, "You'll stay until Skye confirms that."

"Very well," Sif nodded.

During Sif and May's confutation Coulson had carried Skye inside. Noticing the older man was struggling Trip quickly manoeuvred Skye into his arms and carried the hacker into the labs. Coulson walked with him while FitzSimmons ran ahead. May remained upstairs with Sif.

Once inside the lab Trip carefully lowered Skye on to the bench then quickly took a step back as Simmons entered full doctor mode, even Fitz didn't dare interrupt Simmons when she was this focused.

At first Simmons ignored the others as she peeled of Skye's soaking wet clothes, she had to admit that Skye had layered well, meaning she had probably left the house of her own free will. Unwilling to undress Skye completely in front of the others Simmons left the hacker in her shirt and shorts but even hidden beneath multiple layers they were still soaking wet. Rolling Skye's shirt up, revealing Skye's growing stomach, Simmons held her breath when she saw the large black and blue bruise spreading across the hacker's stomach. Trip, Coulson and Fitz also saw the bruise and were less able to hide their response.

Coulson was the first to speak, "What happed?"

"I don't know," Simmons replied, continuing to check Skye over. Suddenly looking up, Simmons looked at Coulson, trying to hide the fear in her eyes, "I need you all to leave. I can't work with you all looking over my shoulder."

Coulson nodded, shooing Trip and Fitz out of the room. He then turned back to Simmons, "Will she be alright?"

Simmons gave a weak nod, "Skye should be fine."

Coulson could read between the lines, "And the baby?"

"I honestly don't know," Simmons replied, "I'll do my best but I can't promise anything."

Coulson nodded, leaving Simmons alone with Skye do her work.

When he made it back upstairs Coulson joined the team in the common area, they were all seated on the lounge, Sif stood against the wall and all of them were silent.

May looked up when Coulson walked in, "How is she?"

Coulson shrugged, "Simmons is doing her best."

"Any idea what's going on?" Trip asked.

Coulson shook his head, "No." He then looked at Sif in the corner of the room, "But I'm going to find out." He walked over to the Asgardian, "What happened?"

"As I told Melinda May the girl ran, shortly after we arrived, I followed her to the river. When I caught up with her we talked for a while," Sif looked slightly guilty at having lied to May before, but continued, "Eventually she complained of pain at which time I offered to escort her back here to medical facilities. However on the trip back she collapsed, so I carried her."

Coulson took a step forward, not caring that Asgardian warrior could easily escape if she chose to, "Did you hurt her?"

"No," Sif replied simply.

"I saw the bruise," Couslon replied, "I don't have a medical degree but my guess is that she took a serious blow to the stomach. Are you saying neither you nor your friends did that?"

"I did not harm the girl," Sif insisted.

"I believe her," Simmons' voice came from behind them.

Coulson span to face the biochemist, before he could speak Simmons held her hands up and spoke first, "She's fine, for now. They're both fine, for now." The looked like they were ready to run down into the labs but Simmons blocked them, "Just let her get some rest," Simmons insisted, "There's still some danger for both Skye and the baby, the more rest she gets the safer they'll both be."

The entire team nodded weakly, settling back on to the lounge.

Sif had remained silent since Simmons arrived but spoke up in the team's silence, "You believe I did not harm the girl?"

Simmons nodded, "I do," She glanced quickly at Coulson before continuing, "Skye told me earlier that the baby was being extra active. Even if he got a light tap to the stomach, say brushing a tree branch or tripping in the rain, the baby's activity could have accelerated any small damage. The baby just had to move a millimetre in the wrong direction."

May turned to Sif, "Looks like you're free to go."

Sif nodded and turned to leave.

"Wait," Simmons called, "You can't take Skye."

The team froze, knowing Simmons was treading in dangerous waters. Sif, however, only looked at Simmons, "We have our orders."

"Odin wants Skye and the baby alive doesn't he?" Simmons asked.

"He does," Sif nodded, slightly confused by Simmons' words.

"Then he's going to have to wait until the baby is born," Simmons replied, "The baby certainly won't survive a trip through your portal and there is a chance Skye wouldn't survive losing the baby." Simmons looked at Sif, determination in her eyes, "If your king wants Skye he's just going to have to wait."

The entire team expected Sif to argue, but she simply nodded, "Very well. I shall inform the others, we shall discuss it."

Before anyone on the team could respond Sif turned and left the house.

Coulson turned to Simmons, "Did you just lie?"

Simmons shook her head, "No. At the moment Skye and the baby would be lucky to survive a trip on the Bus, let alone a trip to another world."

"Is there anything we can do?" Fitz asked weakly.

Simmons shrugged, "Let her rest and when she wakes up try to limit her stress."

Trip nodded, "Can we please see her?"

Simmons nodded, finally stepping out of the way of the team, "Just don't wake her."

The entire team hurried past Simmons into the labs below.

Alone in the common area Simmons pulled out the item she'd found on Skye. Coulson had taken all their phones back at the Playground, so she had to wonder what Skye was doing with one.