The thing about Skye
Expansion off: She is protective
Every one of Skye's survival instincts scream at her. Tell her to run- to get out of there- find some obscure place to hide for a few hours. Her heart beats uncomfortably fast in her chest, but she doesn't move.
Because there is a conflicting instinct in Skye. The only one that seems to be able to override survival. The only one that roots her feet to the floor and doesn't allow her escape.
Everything about Grant Ward, right now, sets her on edge. His body gives off every tell of aggression and explosive anger, and Skye's teeth ache just being in the same room as him. She can't leave, though. Can't leave the two scientists alone with him. It's not safe. Not while whatever is affecting him is affecting him.
Fitz and Simmons can feel it too. The danger. Skye can see it in their tense forms and shaking hands, but it's clear they don't know how to deal with someone like this. That the best thing they can do is make themselves as small and as unnoticed as possible. They think logic can fix it, when there is no logic in rage.
Fitz's shoulders raise nearly to his ears and he flinches backward as Ward towers over him, and as Ward's finger jabs forward threateningly, Skye reaches out and yanks Fitz backwards. Away from Ward and toward her. She gently pushes him at Simmons and angles herself in front of them both.
Skye's heart is in her ears, in her fingertips, in her stomach trying to work its way up her throat.
The only instinct that can override Skye's fear is this one. The one that has her putting herself directly in the line of fire, and drips acid on her numb tongue. Taking the attention. She's good at this, though. At knowing exactly what will get all the scrutiny on her and make them forget their notice was ever on anyone else.
"The memory, was it about your brother?" The transfer is immediate. Fitz and Simmons are forgotten and it's only Skye.
But Ward doesn't explode. He advances and his voice raises and he says very mean things (things that she's heard before- things she's thought about herself before). But he doesn't strike her. His body shakes with an explosive rage, but it doesn't burst. He leaves.
Skye lets out a shuddering breath and doesn't dare remove her eyes from the door lest he decide to return.
"That was just a biochemical reaction." Simmons' voice sounds tight and watery, and it prickles every one of Skye's nerves, demanding her to act. "He didn't mean all that."
"No, I know."
"No explanation necessary."
….
"Daisy!"
Her name rings in her ears moments after the echo of the gunshot, and she blinks dazedly up at the ceiling. She doesn't remember looking up. Or falling.
Daisy blinks several times, and then a face appears above hers as gunshots continue splitting the warehouse. Only then does the pain hit, and her hand rises up blindly to clutch at it. Her fingers slip and slide through blood as she panickedly tries to put pressure on the wound.
More hands join her, pressing down with an unbelievable pressure that has Daisy crying out.
"Damn it, Daisy," May hisses at her, and continues punishing her by bringing Daisy's attention to other pain points in her body by looping her belt around Daisy's thigh and cinching it tight. "Don't ever take a bullet for me again."
"Good thing it was two bullets, then," Daisy gasps.
"Three," May hisses, and then strips her jacket and presses it into Daisy's stomach as well.
Daisy groans in pain, a fire spreading out in numbing heat and stabbing pains over nerves nowhere near the entrance wounds. "I'm f-fine," she grits out.
She didn't even remember making the decision to dive in front when she spotted the extra shooter. One second she saw him appear around the corner of a container, a muzzle aimed at May, and the next she's looking up at the towering ceiling.
"Not when I'm done with you," May snarls, but Daisy isn't too concerned because her SO is still putting pressure on her wounds and spitting into her Comm that a MedEvac is needed. The gunfire has died down by now, and Daisy can see her STIKE team converging on them now from her periphery.
"Any other casualties?" Daisy pants a little breathlessly.
"No," May says shortly.
"You mad?" Daisy asks. She already knows the answer, of course, but she really needs something else to focus on.
"No shit," she scowls. "I know you, and you don't even regret it. Just wait until Simmons gets a hold of you."
Daisy winces, finally feeling a twinge of regret. "Wait, come on, don't tell Simmons. Please? I'll be good- promise."
"Shut up, Daisy. I'm telling her, and you aren't going to restart training again until she gives me the all clear."
Daisy groans miserably.
…
Daisy is in her element. All of her focus, awareness, attention, is on this one thing. There is nothing else.
Her powers buzz around her, strained and stretched. Daisy is aware of every movement, every vibration, and it pings and echoes in a strange way that makes it clear they aren't on Earth. She can feel her team at her back, crowded behind her as they stalk the metal corridors.
Daisy is the only thing standing between them and the aliens trying to suck their insides dry. Her powers hum along her skin, through her bones, and tickle her fingertips. It's at the ready. Everything is.
It's comforting, feeling her team behind her. But they need to find May. They need to go home. Find Fitz. Daisy doesn't know if he's better off wherever he is, but she'd prefer him here. With them. Within her senses where she can be sure.
Daisy is in her element. All of her focus is directed. It has a purpose. The normal intrusive thoughts- the doubt- it's all burned away in these moments. There is nothing else other than moving forward, protecting her team, and finding the lost members.
A/N: Thanks for reading guys, please review!
~Silver~