Ok so the response I am getting from this fic is amazing! Thank you to everyone who has followed, favourited, reviewed, even read! It means so much to me!
The happenings of this chapter are going to go very much against the ABC version's plot, but hey, it's a fanfic, so that is allowed to happen!
So I'm taking some creative liberties in this fic, but hey I'm allowed to do so!
I'm working on other solutions in my head, any suggestions are greatly appreciated!
Shout out to EmilyMaeWyso, BELLA X STARFIRE7745231, YouKnowWhoIAm Tony STARK ,Misshannah95, Chloee0x0, and VMars lover for reviewing recently, along with guests!
But for now, I give you Chapter Six
Jemma Simmons' first reaction of Scott Dawson's home was that it was undecidedly normal. There was a small, waist high, chicken wire fence, with a letter box and gate in the centre. A cracked concrete path, with weeds growing from between the gaps, led up to two steps, then a thick wooden door. The house was symmetrical, two story, with a window on each side of the door, red bricks for the walls and a dark blue tin roof. The only thing that broke the symmetry was a small metal chimney on the right, with a thin trail of smoke being released from it. There was a dried grassy expanse that lay on either side of the path, with the odd weed dotted around.
It had been three days since Skye had gone missing and somehow ended up back with Dawson. They had located her and Simmons had been chosen to go and talk to her, as they were closest in age, plus Jemma was dying to see her friend.
Approaching the door with apprehension, Simmons' didn't know what to expect; Skye hadn't told her much, but she expected the worse almost naturally. Skye's opinion of someone was nearly always trusted by Jemma, she seemed to have the ability to tell immediately if someone was worth trusting or not, and she obviously did not trust Dawson.
Three sharp knocks later the door opened and Jemma was met with Scott Dawson.
He didn't look angry, as she had expected, having built this image of a constantly furious individual. He looked roughly to be in his late 40's, and was wearing a white t-shirt, that sat loose on his broad frame, dark jeans and thick leather boots finished the look. He had a large jaw that hung below a pointed nose, dark eye brows with equally dark eyes, his hair was shaven close to his scalp. Jemma hated to admit that in a different situation, she may have found him somewhat attractive. Whilst he didn't appear to be violent, there was an obvious strength brewing. In his left hand was a bottle of beer.
"Yeah can I help you?" He asked, the tone more annoyed than genuine.
Simmons' blank face broke into a forced smile, "Yes, my name is Jemma Simmons, I am a friend of Skye and was wondering if-"
Before she could continue Dawson leaned over his shoulder, "Mary! Get out here, someone wants to see you," He took a swig of his beer as he turned and sauntered back inside.
Unsure of if she was meant to follow, Jemma awkwardly stepped inside. It smelt of old carpet and faintly of sour milk. Dawson had walked down a thin hallway, past a kitchen to the right and living room to the left, there was also a door that was kept shut by a large silver padlock. He stopped at another shut door, Jemma noting that there was an attachment that could hold a padlock on it also. Banging roughly on the door, yelling again for her to come out, Jemma quickly intervened.
"I'll just go in, thank you," She leaned in front of Dawson, holding the handle. He shrugged and walked away.
Tapping her knuckles lightly on the door, Jemma gently called out Skye's name as she opened the door. What struck her first was how small the room was. There was a bed to the left, with a bedside table and a lamp. Directly in front of Jemma was a window, it was barred. The wall to her right had holes that ranged in size, but seemed consistent with either a kick or fist. Skye was sitting at a desk in the far right corner, on her laptop. Her hair was pulled into a tight bun and she was wearing sweat pants and a hoodie, even though it was very muggy.
Skye turned to face Jemma, "Woah. It's been three days and you're already here," She seemed genuinely surprised.
Simmons moved and sat on a large pillow that lay less than a metre from Skye, "I had to check up on you, how are you really doing?"
Skye shrugged one shoulder, pulling her knees close to her chest and resting her feet on her hair, arms wrapped around legs she looked away. Biting her lip in frustration she gets up, going to walk past Simmons, who reached out and grabbed her forearm. Skye winced audibly and jerked away from the scientist.
Immediately on her feet, Jemma made a strong eye contact, not wanting the younger woman to look away, "What was that? Are you hurt?"
"No I'm fine," Skye mumbled, not moving and allowing Jemma to pull up her sleeve to her elbow.
Thick welts and dark purple bruises, mimicking a gripped hand, run up and down her forearm. Even lightly tracing the outline on one resulted in Skye tensing.
Jemma looked up from the arm to teary eyes, "Oh Skye, I'm so sorry," She wrapped an arm around her, who appeared smaller than she remembered, more bony and less muscular.
Pulling away from the embrace Simmons asked, "Have you told anyone?"
A shake of Skye's head was her only response.
"Skye! There are people who can help you! Get you out of here!" Simmons could feel that her overall trust for the system was low, but there were strategies that could place Skye elsewhere.
Skye drew away, moving to her laptop. Gesturing to the screen, "I'm fast tracking the next catch up, it's where my worker comes and checks in with me here. It's going to now be in three weeks."
Jemma took a deep breath, "So we have 3 weeks to be approved to adopt someone, then when you're free from Dawson, someone in the team could be offered to adopt you?"
Nodding Skye replied, "Yeah I mean, I would recommend AC and May, they're the best age bracket, plus I can fake them a marriage licence and falsify records easily for them, ya know cheat the system and all."
Simmons smiled, "Send me anymore info that will help we can'"
"Mary! When the hell is dinner? I'm going to the pub soon so hurry up," The loud voice resulted in Skye stiffening her back, and glancing back at Jemma with serious eyes.
Jemma knelt in front of Skye, bringing herself to the girl's level, "Will you be ok here? In all seriousness, if it gets too bad please tell one of us, we can work out a way to get you back."
Skye shook her head, hands forming small fists on her knees, "If I get removed it'll take forever for this to work," She could see Jemma's disappointment that nothing could be done immediately, "Please don't do anything, tell the team I am fine and will contact them soon."
"Mary! Do I have to do everything in this fucking house?!" Dawson's call interrupting any further conversation.
S.H.I.E.L.D
"Is she hurt it any way?" Coulson asked, needing to know with absolute clarity that Skye was safe at Dawson's.
Jemma shook her head, she hated to lie when she knew of Skye's bruised arm, but knew that it was the only way to be able to adopt her, "She is fine sir, anxious to get back here though."
With a nod Coulson replied, "Hopefully that will be soon, did she say anything else major?"
Moving to sit in one of the chairs facing Coulson's desk, she answered, "She is working on fast tracking the next visit from her social worker, she thinks if she can prove with a surprise visit that Dawson shouldn't be a legal guardian then she will be removed from his care."
Holding his hands up in a questioning motion, Coulson asked, "So where does that leave us?"
"Yes, well that is where it gets a bit awkward sir, Skye wants you and Agent May to try to adopt her. She thinks you two are the right age bracket, at she's going to make a fake marriage certificate-"
"She won't need to do that," Coulson interrupted.
Obviously confused the scientist stammered, "Sir, what do you mean?"
"Legally speaking, Agent May and I, we are still married," Coulson said this with the small smirk that tended to play on his expressions when he spreads a secret.
A stunned Simmons was his only reply.
Continuing he told a story of two young agents who fell for each other, got married in secret before trying to live a life together, to start a family. He told of the heartbreak that came with a infertile mother, of how the long wait for adoption gave way to frustration and anger. It was easier to merely take off the ring, as opposed to going through another legal procedure.
"If this is to work, absolute transparency is needed within the team, feel free to tell them everything, that relates immediately to Skye, everything else stays in this room, do you understand?" There was a seriousness in his voice that Jemma didn't want to argue with.
S.H.I.E.L.D
"So she's doing well?" Fitz asked, arms crossed over his chest.
Jemma nodded, "She's working on fast tracking the next catch up with her youth worker, and she said it's down to three weeks. If we have the paper work sorted and Director Coulson and Agent May want to, we can file to'"
"Adopt Skye," Fitz finished, "Still don't get she was the one that got to go see Skye though sir, I totally call shotgun by the way for next time." He muttered quickly under his breath, biting his right hand's nails.
Coulson and May both nodded, thoughts in sync, May continuing the thinking out loud, "So where is the paperwork we need to fill out?"
"Ah, right, well I actually don't know," Jemma replied with an awkward smile.
Speaking up finally Ward sighed, "You didn't even think about that did you?"
"She's been kind of busy as of late," Fitz murmured in Simmons' defence, he opened his mouth to continue but was interrupted by an alarm, it was harsh and very loud.
The monitors started blaring out this repeating noise, before the screens, that had previously been displaying the S.H.I.E.L.D logo to the rest room, went blank.
May leapt onto the computer, "We're being hacked!"
Coulson was immediately by her side, "Can you stop them?"
Eyes narrowing, she replied with determination, "No, but I can shut the system down, it'll prevent them from getting any further."
"Do it."
May nodded and reached around the back of the screen, about to pull out the power cord, before Fitz yelled out to stop her, "Agent May don't!"
All eyes bore into the nervous scientist, "It's just, it's Skye."
Ward rolled his eyes, "Look, Fitz, I'd want to believe that, but c'mon, we have no evidence of that. We can't just let any old hacker break through in the hopes it's Skye."
"PLEASE," Fitz was going with his gut, and his gut was rarely wrong, "There is no such thing as coincidences and that seems far too coincidental for it to logically occur."
"Sir," May urged, hand hovering over the cord.
Coulson thought for a mere second, "Leave it Agent May."
Ward's jaw tensed as they watched the screen crackle, before buzzing and finally coming into vision. It was a black screen, with white letters being typed along the top.
'COME GET ME. HURRY.'
It was blunt and straight to the point, obviously Skye. Without saying anything May got up and ran to the cockpit, it taking only a few moments before the team could hear the cargo bay door open. With the Bus already in the area Coulson and FitzSimmons jumped into one of the black SUV's, whilst May and Ward followed in another vehicle. They knew the way and took moments to arrive, screeching to a stop outside the small house. Once they were all standing outside they paused, to actually think of a plan.
"Ward, you take the back, I'll go through the front for Dawson, Agent May, you find Skye," Coulson ordered, receiving curt head nods in response.
"Sir, what about us?" Fitz asked, Simmons by his side.
Thinking for a moment, Coulson replied, "Fitz; come in and assess the situation after Dawson is under control, Simmons; come in once we have the all clear to give Skye a medical check over."
S.H.I.E.L.D
Ward had seen a lot of things in his life. Weird things, scary things, confusing things, but what he was confronted with was, it was just unnatural. They had gone in thinking that perhaps Dawson had become violent and Skye had barricaded herself in her room to send out the SOS call. Just as Coulson prepared to kick down the front door there was a small tremor, then the ground violently shook, throwing everyone off balance, and Fitz to the ground. A loud cracking noise followed as the house began to crumble, as the shaking continued more and more of the house fell, until it was breaking apart.
Coulson went to run inside a large opening, but was held back by May, "Skye is in there!" He yelled in protest, as the team retreated back to the road, where for some reason the shaking appeared less intense.
Firmly May replied, "Sir, it is a death trap to go in now."
"Stand down Agent May, now!" Coulson was determined to get to Skye.
"No!" Normally May would not openly defy the Director that way, but she had no choice.
Just as Ward appeared from the back of the house, the wall on the left crumbled entirely, creating an imbalance that was swiftly fixed by the roof dropping on that side, crashing to the ground. Dust blew into the air and for a moment the house became invisible, shrouded in the haze. As soon as there was a visible route into the rubble Coulson took it. Dodging broken glass and debris he yelled out for Simmons.
"Which way to Skye's room?!"
Jemma ran over to the doorway, "It was second on the right sir."
Coulson, gun drawn, moved inside, May following closely. The shaking had since subsided and now there was an eery silence. Checking Skye's room cautiously, Coulson's heart dropped when it was empty.
Leaning over his shoulder to May be quietly muttered, "Grab some of her things for when she's back with us," Indicating to Skye's empty duffle bag that lay next to her bed, "But be careful, the walls won't be stable."
Ward had also now entered and glanced in the living room. A beam had fallen from the roof and a small pile of dark, long hair was peeking out from beneath. Bolting to the other side of the room, Ward quickly saw that it was Skye.
"Found her!" He yelled out, assessing the situation immediately. He found that the beam was sitting on her right hip bone and extended diagonally over to her left ribs. Skye was unconscious but breathing, with dust all over her.
FitzSimmons were the first to get to them. Leo standing back to allow the one with the medical training to get closer to Skye. Running a finger tenderly over the younger girl's face, to brush the hair away, Jemma sighed.
"She'll be fine, I'm sure of it."
As May entered Skye stirred, head rolling to one side as her eyes winced, then flicked open. She went to sit up, but gasped in pain, as her movements were trapped by the heavy wooden beam.
Jemma leant over her, holding her shoulders in place. In a soothing tone she caught her attention, "Skye, Skye, listen to me. You are underneath a large supporting beam, don't move."
"Jemma?" The voice was tired and confused, Skye obviously disorientated somewhat.
"I'm here Skye, we're all here," She tried to sound reassuring, but it was difficult to do so when they were in a building that just shook itself over for no apparent reason.
"We have to move the beam, it'll be crushing her," May calmly stated.
Fitz nodded, following with his eyes where the beam went, "I think it should be fine to move on it's on, I don't think that will cause anymore damage to the structure."
Ward and May both positioned themselves at the base of the beam, near where it was touching Skye. Fitz moved to hold Skye's shoulders, planning on pulling her out of the way when the beam was moved.
Making eye contact May slowly counted, "1, 2, 3."
With grunts of effort the beam was moved, Fitz quickly pulling Skye away, who grimaced in pain with the movement.
Ward leant over Skye, reaching one arm under her neck and the other under her knees. He glanced back at her face, who merely nodded approval, gritting her teeth in apprehension. As Ward lifted her she groaned slightly, but didn't say anything. Jemma and Fitz followed out the door.
May glanced around, wondering where Coulson was. She saw there was another door, slightly ajar, with a light coming from inside. There was a padlock hanging open from the latch. Gently swinging the door back, May peered in, having to use the light on her gun to see in. Coulson was already inside, looking through some papers.
"Coulson, we have Skye, let's go," She urged.
"Hydra."
"What? Sir c'mon she is injured, let's go."
Turning to face May, he held up a folder, with an instantly recognisable symbol on it.
A black skull with octopus tentacles.
Hydra.
"It's all files. On O-8-4s."
May's eyes narrowed, "Skye's one isn't she."
Coulson nodded, "Grab all you can, have you got Skye's bag?"
"Yeah; laptop, clothes, a soft toy and some other things." She set about grabbing armfuls of folders and files, or taking photos on her phone of other things.
"Any sign of Dawson?" Coulson asked.
Without looking over her shoulder at him May answered, "No, never saw him. It's like he's just vanished."
They were interrupted by Ward, "Sir, Skye's in the van, we're ready to go," Seeing what was in the room his eyes widened, "What the-"
"One moment Agent Ward," Coulson brought out a vintage lighter with the Captain America logo on it, pressing it against some of the paper, which quickly lit. "Alright let's go."
Sorry that took so long to come out! I hit a MAJOR writer's block and couldn't think of anywhere to take the plot!
Hope the new direction isn't too confusing, more shall be revealed in the next chapter!
REVIEW please, I love reading your thoughts!
Much love