A Little Like Fate ↬ Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

C H A P T E R 3

Chapter 3: Reflexes

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   S.H.I.E.L.D. was the same in name, but different since I last left it. It had been a few weeks since I arrived and I've attempted to adapt the bets I could. I missed outside more than I thought I would. The team kept me hulled up in the base, wanting to get me comfortable with my abilities before I ventured out.

   They moved me from the containment room to an actual bedroom. My eyes were thankful to finally look at something other than bright white. It was nice to see some familiar faces around the base. Mack was a comfort, we chatted for a bit over some drinks the first night I was cleared to leave the pod.

   Hunter hadn't really changed— I caught him eating a sandwich while half-naked the other night so... once again much hasn't changed.

   Jemma and Leo had been more than helpful with the transitional period. Simmons' kind words were appreciated and Fitz was quite funny to say the least.

   May was a sight for sore eyes. I hadn't seen her in years, so being able to catch up was nice. She even suggested having a weekly sparing sessions since she claimed retirement made me rusty.

   "You've gotten sloppy," she scolded.

   "Retirement means retirement, May. Forgive me if I'm sore, I haven't flipped someone over my shoulder in a few years."

   She took pride in kicking my ass into gear, however; my sore limbs and bruised ego had choice words for her. Coulson had been the saving grace throughout this entire experience. He'd been there both emotionally and physically when it came to my powers. We'd sit in his office and talk for hours about everything that had happened with S.H.I.E.L.D since HYDRA revealed itself.

    Daisy and Lincoln made sure to keeping me on my toes by hosting mandatory training session every other afternoon. I appreciated their insight on how to control my abilities and understand their magnitude. Around day five, Fitzsimmons discovered that I could chemically alter the brains functions and manipulate how people felt. In Lincoln's words, "That's equal interesting as it is terrifying."

   I spent the first few hours of my mornings with Jemma and Fitz in the lab. We ran multiple tests that all conclusively pointed to an energy field circulating around me. It was always there, humming and buzzing with life. It was naked to the eye— clear and molded like gel unless I made it's presence known. The rest of the team and I referred to it as a force field (Mack said I was starting to sound like a poorly wrote science fiction book).

    Of course my shields durability wasn't always the strongest, but with further training Lincoln believed I'd be able to strengthen it at will.

   Daisy said the first few weeks— maybe even months— of training were the most grueling, "Our powers are still constantly shifting and growing. I've had my powers for a little over a year now and I'm still learning new facets everyday. Lincoln too, and he's been inhuman longer than I have. There's always new obstacles to overcome, a new situation after each corner."

   And her words rung true. Just when I thought I have a handle on them, I fall off again. God I hadn't felt this miserable since the Academy. My bones and muscles ache with the pains of training. Lincoln would often remind me to take it easy, "Your body is going through a traumatic experience. It's altered forever, allow it the time it needs to rest and understand it's new abilities."

   I would get really shaky and develop massive migraines. Splitting headaches made it difficult to walk down the hallways sometimes. Coulson would have someone send me food but no one was permitted to enter those days. Heat scorched my skin and itched my palms when the emotions overwhelmed me. Hair would fall out from stress and hives raised on my chest when it all became too much.