The thing about Skye
She belongs
Skye belongs. With them. With SHIELD. No matter the struggles or hiccups or tremulous times that only seem to get worse, May knows that Skye belongs right where she is. With the team that sometimes (usually) cares more about Skye than Skye cares about herself.
So, when Andrew comes off the plane and wears that look , May has already decided that he doesn't know anything, even though she's the one who asked him to come.
"She shouldn't be here, Lin," he sighs, rubbing a hand over his head.
"Yes, she does."
"Depression, anxiety, abandonment issues, probably PTSD based on the little I've seen and heard, and likely a whole host of other problems I could diagnose with a few more sessions with her, most stemming from her childhood. Physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, she already has a history of self-harm, and a completely avoidant personality that won't let her even confront the traumas causing her such destress. She doesn't belong here. That girl is so messed up, I'm surprised she hasn't broken completely yet. She should be in a calm, stable, environment with a careful routine and three square meals a day- not random shootouts and diving into underground alien cities, living on a day-by-day basis."
May doesn't need a psychology degree to discern all this. She's observed most of that purely by experience, and listening, and paying attention. She doesn't need a diagnosis- doesn't need them named and written down like a death warrant.
"Skye won't break. Nothing can break her."
"Everyone breaks, Lin. With enough pressure, at the right spot, everyone breaks. You did."
May flinches, before repressing the gut instinct and the hurt that wafts over her at the slightest reminder of that day. She's gotten better, though. Because of Coulson being back in her life. And him dragging Skye into it with him. It doesn't sting so sharply.
"Skye stays," May firms her voice like she's talking to a new recruit rather than someone she used to share a bed with.
Andrew's face morphs into something exasperated and riddled with frustration.
"Why did you ask me here, if you're just going to ignore my advice?"
"I want you to help her, not drag her away from the only family she's ever had."
"And that's the problem, Melinda. She's never had a family, and she latched onto the first people who wanted her. This isn't a foster family. You and Coulson aren't mom and dad here, and she is not your kid. Even if she were, you shouldn't want her here. You are constantly putting her in positions where the already shaky foundations keeping her together are tested over and over."
May knows that there is truth to what her ex-husband is saying, but also… wouldn't that be the same as confirming, once again to Skye, that people are going to abandon her? Also, May doesn't want her to go.
Maybe that makes May selfish. Maybe it would be better, for Skye, if she left SHIELD- just for a little while. She'll have to talk to Coulson.
He has a way of putting things into perspective. A way of making things seems not-so-hopeless.
Whatever happens, though, Skye isn't leaving unless she, herself, decides she wants to. Skye is theirs . And she's right where she belongs.
A/N: May feeeeeeeeels. I think I'll do another one next chapter. Then maybe some Jemma fluff. And then some May fluff. And then Daniel shows up for whatever reason, because, why not?
Please review?
~Silver~