So. After what I thought was a great start, tons of followers and favourites I realised. I had NO clue where I was going with this. After many ponderings, a few wonderings and a very good dream I finally thought of an idea. Sorry if it ain't your cup of tea, but I reckon it'll work out well :)

PS, thanks to those reviewers, Ella1847, a guest and bookslover93!

The intervention of the awkward silences, unspoken words and fleeting touches, the gentle jerking away of each other's hands when they accidentally meet, comes a few days later. Skye was in her room, on her laptop after another successful session of dodging questions and light conversation over lunch with Ward and FitzSimmons, now though May was hunkered down in the flight cabin, Coulson in his office and Grant working out in the gym downstairs.

He looked up as two people entered to landed aircraft. A middle aged man, wearing a plain black suit, short, dark cropped hair and a woman of similar age, donning a jacket and knee length skirt. A lack of humanness and complete officialness radiated from their unsmiling faces as they surveyed their surroundings, the two cars, Lola and the jeep, the lab in the background, Ward, sweaty and red faced watching them cautiously.

Wiping his face with a cloth he approached them, "Agent Ward, how can I help?"

The man reached forward and shook hands with him, "Dan Cullen, this is my associate Heather Macdonald, with Child Services, are you in charge here?"

"Child Services? Why?!" Ward asked, mind racing to find a reason for their visit.

"Need to know basis, is your superior available?" Heather asked firmly.

Ward paused, sighing he replied, "This way, please."

They both nodded and followed him up the winding stairway, towards Coulson's office, past the bunks, he could faintly hear music coming from Skye's room. Skye. Ward's already hammering heart quickened, he knew she had spent time in foster homes, but that was all, what had actually occurred there was shrouded in mystery, she had never really spoken of it. A sudden thirst for the knowledge burned through him.

"He's just through that door, excuse me but I have a lot to do," He gestured over to the closed door, before turning and leaving the two alone. As quickly he could walk he approached Skye's room. Tapping his fingers gently on the door he called, "Skye, can I come in?"

There was a paused as the music abruptly ended, "Y-yeah Grant," The door slid open, Skye standing in the new gap, baggy sweat pants, loose singlet and a cargo jacket, hair in a messy bun.

"Hey, what's up?" She asked, unintentionally mirroring her first words to him.

Ward's jaw clenched, "Can I come in?"

"Uh sure," Skye stepped back, sitting cross legged on her unmade bed, laptop screen clearly showing she was halfway through something Ward assumed was probably illegal.

He paused, before leaning against her bedside table, "There's two people here," He slowly stated.

She glanced at her screen, "This, this is nothing, I'm downloading the unreleased season of Scrubs."

"I don't think it's regarding anything like that, they're," He faltered, unable to push away the guilt of blaming her for their arrival, but still unable think of another reason, "They're from Child Services."

Silence. Skye's face froze, Ward briefly thought that a picture spoke a thousand words, her downcast eyes, the slight way she was biting her bottom lip, hands screwed into small fists.

"Skye," Ward beckoned her, the glazed over look in her eyes slipped away, she returned, glancing up at him, embarrassed.

Tucking stray curls from her face she took a quick breath, "Did they say why?"

He shook his head, "They're up with Coulson now."

"And you're here because?"

Ward sighed, "C'mon Skye, Child Services, you've been in the foster system. I'm no idiot."

"Yeah, well that was a long time ago, why would they be here now?" She folded her arms, anger and defiance in her eyes.

"Skye," He sighed, a new serious expression replacing the old mask that hung over his face.

"Look I don't know why they're here, how could I? You're the," She paused, "Specialist or whatever, you figure it out."

Ward was surprised as why she was so defensive, but could see a small spark, a tiny flame, burning for knowledge behind the steely gaze in her eyes. "Well, they're Child Services, are you a parent?"

"What? No!" She slugged him on the arm, smirking though, Grant pleased to see his friend was back.

"Killed anyone?"

"Please."

Ward stopped to think, "They should only be interested in kids, but you're twenty four," Skye broke eye contact, scratching her head nervously, obviously withholding something. "You are that old aren't you?"

"Yes," It came out slow, weak and trembling, her eyes danced in an attempt to stay away from his.

"Skye," Ward warned, frustrated with the lies, half answered questions and arguing.

She folded her arms, then unfolded them, stood then sat, finally opening her mouth when Coulson slammed the door open.

S.H.I.E.L.D

"YOU'RE SEVENTEEN?!" He screeched, red faced, panting from an obvious run down to her room, the two Child Service workers stood awkwardly behind him.

Ward stood taller than he already was, gaze rapidly changing between the clenched jaw of his boss and his friend, "What?" Was all he could ask.

Skye just remained where she was, averting everyone's intense scrutiny, head shaking slightly, biting her bottom lip, enough to draw the blood. It tasted like how she felt. Bitter.

Coulson paused, allowing her to respond. When she didn't he ordered, "My office, now." He stepped aside, not walking away though, waiting for her to leave first.

Skye paused, drawing a quick breath then, whilst still not looking at anyone shuffled out of the cramped bunk room. She felt Coulson put his hand on the small of her back, possibly to guide her, but she guessed so she couldn't bolt. It wasn't like she hadn't tried it before, when she was first taken into custody she had attempted to run almost immediately. Ward had held a small grudge for some time that she had gotten the drop on him and actually managed to get out of his firm grasp. They walked the short distance in silence, passing FitzSimmons who were in the kitchen. They both looked up, questions started to fall from their open mouths, but one glance from Coulson stopped them from being voiced. They entered his office, the door firmly shut. Skye briefly thought of how many times she had been in a similar situation. Door gently but harshly closed. The silence. Eye contact that never reaches the two parties. Being told the family didn't want her. It was happening again.

"AC I-"

"Seventeen. And you were going to tell us when?" He interrupted, watching her reaction carefully from his desk, whilst she slid into the adjacent chair.

She shrugged one shoulder, "When I found out what I needed to know."

"About your parents." It wasn't a question, the statement that she was that easy to read almost hurt.

Skye mumbled something, hands fidgeting, gaze fixated on her lap.

"Speak up Skye," Coulson urged himself to remain calm, to put himself in her situation. It wasn't easy, every sentence came out as ice.

"I need to know!" She cried, tears pooling in her eyes as she met Coulson's gaze.

"Is there any other reason you agreed to work with us other than that!?" He snapped, again cursing inwardly for getting angrier.

Skye paused, breathing still sharp she replied, "At the start? No." Before Coulson could answer she quickly added, "B-but now I love it, I really do! Sure the six in the morning start could do with some adjustments but-"

"Do you want to stay?" He interrupted, she gave him a cautious look, unsure of where he was going with the question.

"There's no where else for me to go," She mumbled sadly, breaking eye contact to look out the window. The grey sky was clearing. She hoped it was a good sign.

His fingers intertwined on the desk, "Child Services were here for a reason."

She didn't reply, the only acknowledgment was a slight hitch in her breathing.

"Scot Dawson, you legal guardian? You're not eighteen and he wants you to go home."

The effect of the name was immediately apparent, her whole posture changed. Back arched, then remained stiffened, jaw clenched then loosened, a flash of pain tore through her tearful eyes. But those eyes didn't leave the window. "It's not my home," She stated coldly.

Coulson watched the charade of emotions flickering behind her eyes carefully, he knew nothing of her past and could tell she wasn't pleased to have to bring it up. "You aren't of a legal age to not live with a legal guardian."

"I'm not going back there."

"Why not?" He answered just as quickly, trying to get Skye to look at him.

She refused, shifting in her seat instead, leaving Couldson to say the words she wouldn't, "Those stories about how foster parents abuse their assigned kids."

"He's one of them," Skye quietly finished.

Coulson nodded sadly, "How bad?"

"Bad enough." Before he could reply she quickly added, their gaze meeting, "And you're sending me back!"

Coulson stood, walking around the desk between them and gently taking her hand in his, refusing to believe that he could feel small bumps from broken bones in them, "I'm not sending you anywhere Skye, we're your family here, you're safe now."

She nodded weakly, he untangled their fingers as he turned to leave her alone to digest what she'd been confronted with. Also he could almost guarantee there was a team of very curious individuals waiting for an explanation.

So, there's the big reveal! Well sort of… Anyways I hope you like the idea, I know that (at least in NZ) that when you're 16 you can leave home with a parent's consent, so I tried to pick an age that made sense.

REVEIW REVIEW REVIEW

-FF xx