AN: Have a great October everyone. Please, thank MegaDiary123 from beta-ing this chapter. I know a lot of you have been waiting for this moment and it's finally here! And what I can promise, is that from now on we will see Natasha a lot more than we used to.

All rights go to Marvel

Natasha's POV

I watched the live broadcasting of a girl fighting off the intruder, trying to protect Stark. At first I was not a hundred percent sure whether it actually was Skye or not. I had not seen my surrogate sister for years, but something in my gut told me that this was her. Soon after she went into the racetrack the cameras zoomed in on her face, just as Potts called me over. I heard the CEO talking in the back, giving me instructions but my focus was at the scar on the left eyebrow of the girl.

And this is how there was no doubt in my mind. This was Skye. And on top of everything else she appeared to have gained powers.

Pepper claimed that she wanted to go in there and I immediately agreed. If she had a way of helping Skye out, there was no way I would say no. Because I really wanted to speak with the girl and making the phone call for S.H.I.E.L.D. to come in… well this would not help my plans at all.

I called for Happy and soon turned my attention back on the TV screen. I watched the fight play out, secretly assessing Skye up. She wasn't as sharp as she used to be years ago, but she had kept up with her training, her agility all so present. I felt my stomach twist when she hit the wall and fell to the ground with a *thumb* and the camera didn't turn back to her face, but instead turned to record Stark's fight. Hopefully it meant that she was just knocked out, because I honestly didn't want to think of anything worse.

I had just found out about where she was, there was no way in Hell I could lose her now.

A few hours later I was sitting next to a hospital bed where Skye was laying on top of. Stark and Potts had left to go to the police office where the intruder was held.

I was assigned by Stark to stay by Skye's side at all times and inform him should anything happen. When I was told so, his tone was all so serious and I could see genuine concern in both, Potts and his, eyes. It seemed that Skye had managed to crawl her way into their hearts, in the short amount of time she was around.

I had put two and two together, and Skye finding a new job around the time when Stark Industries security walls grew stronger couldn't be a coincidence.

Potts was the one who appeared to be more concerned about Skye's wellbeing. All the time that she was in the hospital, before leaving for the police department, she was clinging to Skye's hand, her thumb carefully caressing the back of her hand. There was also no surprise on her face when Skye used her powers during the fight, so she must have known. What had Potts that I didn't and she trusted her enough with a secret that even I didn't know about? We were so going to have a talk when she regained consciousness. Maybe I would even feel angry then for keeping such a big part of her life a secret, but the dominant feeling that I had right now, was that of concern.

To my surprise Skye came to earlier than the doctors expected. Like… hours earlier.

I was in the room, of course, with my computer open, filling the latest report to send to the director. I was typing through the events of today's disaster when I heard a ruffle coming from the bed. My computer was instantly switched off and I was by Skye's shoulder, watching her face as she came to. My hand found its way to hers, which was just laying next to her body. I remained silent as her eyes blinked a handful of times, probably because the lights in the room were too bright for her. Turned out, she had a concussion from the head injury. Just as silently I went to turn the lights off and was by her side once more, my fingers wrapped around hers.

The girl was about to move her bandaged arm and I squeezed so that her attention was turned on me.

Really slowly, mainly because of the drugs running through her system, she turned her head and her eyes rested on my form. Her eyebrows furrowed a little bit, as if not sure what was happening. "Nat?", she said with a voice so hoarse, but so small and vulnerable at the same time.

I crouched to her level and brushed a lock of hair gently behind her ear. "Hello little one. How do you feel?", my tone ever so gentle.

"Like I got hit by a truck" she turned back and made a move to lift her left hand on her face, having not realised that it was bandaged up. A hiss escaped her lips from the movement, probably because sharp pain went through her system. Her head turned to search for the reason of pain and her eyes rested on the sling. "What…?"

"Your shoulder got dislocated when you hit the wall. Worse than the first time and because of the short span between one dislocation and the other the doctors wanted to take precautions" I replied not sure how much of what I just said would get processed by her dazed brain.

In my surprise she grasped all the info as if she was wide awake, though she didn't look the part at all. "Let me guess, I also have a concussion and a couple of broken ribs, right?", which was actually everything the doctors had diagnosed. "And I should be up and about tomorrow, taking it easy of course, and that my injuries would still be annoying for about 2 weeks, especially the ribs?" I decided to hide my surprise for the accurate of the information that had just left her mouth and put on my neutral face expression with a simple raised eyebrow. Skye smirked at my reaction and was about to laugh when a wave of coughing hit her and her good hand flew from mine and grasped her tormented ribs, not being able to mask a wince from appearing on her face.

Immediately I reached the nightstand on the side and grabbed the glass of water which was patiently waiting to be used. "Here" I urged, holding the straw to her lips. "Slow and small sips". For once in her life she listened to me, not a really good sign if I were honest.

"Give me half the time the doctors foresaw. I should have fully recovered by then" she spoke after having drank a good portion of the water.

"How do you–"

"I just do, okay?" She interrupted me, in a stronger voice than I expected. I knew that tone… she did not want to talk about it.

I straightened my back, my mask never leaving my face. She didn't want to talk? Fine. We weren't going to talk. "I'm gonna inform Stark and Potts of your awakening, they were really worried for you. They care about you and you obviously share the feeling" I didn't let any emotion slip in my voice. I moved and grabbed a bag that I had brought with me and took out of it a laptop. "It's a standard Stark Industries laptop" I said as I placed the item close to her feet. "It should have any software you may need to erase your tracks from the internet. The live broadcasting should not stand a chance against your skills, should it?" Without looking back, I left the room while placing my phone to my ear, calling the CEO.

"Natasha…" I faintly heard Skye call, but I kept walking until I was out of the building, my emotionless mask not slipping even once.