“I got to say, I wasn’t expecting to see you down here at this time. I almost expected I would need to go and wake you up.”
Melinda says, smiling as she sees that Skye has placed the mattresses for their training. Hearing her speak, Skye turns around with an eye roll, but she is smiling.
“I’m more surprised I’m the first one down here.”
She replies and this time Melinda rolls her eyes, she can’t stop smiling herself as she walks down the last few steps.
“Did you managed to get any sleep?”
She asks, eyeing Skye as she does, to see her reaction. She can see that the young woman haven’t gotten enough sleep, which is a bit concerning, then again her nightmares is something else.
“A few hours at least, that’s why I’m here so early. Woke up, realised the time and decided it was no use going back to sleep again.”
She explains, which makes Melinda nod her head. She can accept that explanation, and as long as she got a few hours of sleep she should be fine.
“Alright then, let’s begin shall we?”
She says, taking her place, Skye joins on her right. Feeling how there’s still tension in the girl beside her, knowing that she won’t calm down about what ever is making her worried has been dealt with, or at least the parts she wants to talk about.
“How are you holding up?”
Melinda asks, keeping her eyes on the wall in front of them, but from the corner she can see how Skye stops moving for a second, to turn her head before she starts moving again.
“I thought you said no talking during Tai-chi.”
Skye points out, which makes Melinda smile, happy that her training is this hard kept.
“Exceptions can be made, and we both know you won’t relax until whatever is on your heart. I can feel it, so tell me, how are you holding up?”
Hearing how Skye let’s out a deep breath beside her, Melinda knows she has won this battle. And seeing how Skye keeps doing her movements, she doesn’t stop herself.
“I’m scared, seeing how Simmons thought that jumping out of the plane to save the rest of us, it just...”
Skye starts to say, and Melinda had a feeling this would be the main problem. She had been worried herself and was quite happy that Phil decided to have a word with the young biochemist, if she would have to do it, it wouldn’t have ended that good.
“It made me realise that, she’s not the only one I know that would pull a stunt like this. Tash and Clint would do the same thing in a heart beat, and so would you and Phil. Ria an Vic would think it through a second time before doing it...”
Skye fall silent at this, focusing on her movements and keeping her breathing even. Knowing it won’t help either of them if she speaks now, Melinda keeps silent, glancing over to make sure the young woman beside her won’t break down.
“It just scares me that the people around me, the once that means so much would pull something like that and I can’t... I don’t think I could ever handle losing either of you.”
She says after a minute of silence. Feeling the sadness, Melinda lowers her arms slightly, ready to hug the girl. But seeing how Skye doesn’t stop her own Tai Chi, Melinda starts once more.
“Ever since you picked me up at the hospital, my life finally took a turn for the better. Before that moment, I had been moved from one foster family to another. They most have known that they wouldn’t be able to keep me when they took me in, it’s the only reason as to why they would keep me on an arm length distance and act as if I was a bad kid, just so they wouldn’t get attached to me.”
When Skye starts speaking about her past, Melinda turns her head fully to the side, surprised that she is opening up about something like this. It’s the first time she hears any of this.
“When I broke that glass, I was so terrified that you would yell at me or hit me. But, you were so concerned about my wellbeing. To check that I hadn’t hurt myself to badly and made sure my wounds haven’t open up or hurt. It surprised me that someone would do this, and then you let me sleep in your bed, you watching over me to make sure I was alright.”
Seeing Skye smile slightly at the memories that are now returning, Melinda can’t help but to smile, even if the same anger she felt towards the people who would hurt a young girl like that returns too.
“And then you forced Ria to babysit me when you were talking to Fury. I was so scared, seeing you walk away from me, leaving me with someone I didn’t know. She called my name and I got scared, nearly falling of the chair. Ria, with her quick reflexes managed to grab hold of me, and I could see it in her eyes that she realises I didn’t want to be touched. She let go of me once she was sure I wouldn’t fall of the chair, explaining that she was only making sure I was alright… Now that I think about, I guess she was a bit scared that you would be very mad at her if something were to happen o me when she was watching me.”
Skye continues to explain, making Melinda blink a few times. She has heard part of what had happened that day from Maria, what surprises her now more than anything is that Skye is telling her things she is sure the young woman beside her wouldn’t have done when younger.
“She suggested that we should head for the kitchen, she knew where the cookies and ice cream were hidden. She hold out her hand, telling me that it would be faster and I wouldn’t get lost if I hold on to her, but it was all up to me to take it. I remember watching her hand, thinking that you wouldn’t leave me with someone you didn’t trust to keep me safe, so I took her hand. We reached the kitchen, she told me to pick a table as she found what was needed. We eat some cookies in silent when Clint and Tasha showed up.”
Skye growing silent once more, and Melinda guess she is going over the events in her head once more.
“Clint started to complain, quite loudly, that Maria had taken all of his stuff. Saying he was saving it for a special occasion. He didn’t realise I was there, Maria on the other hand tried to make me feel safe, giving Clint a warning. He didn’t see it, but Tash did and I think she elbowed Clint. He realised what was going, starting to call me pipsqueak, and then he started to pull out everything to make a Sunday. Natasha helped out with trying to keep me calm, told me to call Clint bird brain to silent him. He tried to bad talk you, I throw a cookie at his head, Natasha gave me a high five and soon after you returned.”
Skye finished the explanation, and Melinda puts it all to memory, this was part she had not heard about and once she meets Natasha, Clint and Maria once more, there was going to be a few well chosen words and a thank you for doing all they could to make young Skye feel alright around them. This had been the day that the three of them become her babysitters whenever Melinda had to do something else. Having Skye actually trust someone else that wasn’t her, back then that was already a big step forwards.
“And then, then I was moved. Placed to live with Phil.”
Skye’s voice takes on another tone, a tone Melinda can’t fully place. She is quite sure that if things were different between Skye and Phil today, if Phil knows that Skye is Mary, then her tone would be a happy one. She still need to find a way to get Skye to tell him, or to get Phil to realise who she is.
“I was terrified beyond anything, I made sure to keep Mushu with me at all times. I kept close to the walls, making sure he wouldn’t be able to sneak up on me, and I also made sure I had eyes on an exit plan.”
Hearing this, Melinda stops moving. She knew young Skye was afraid, she knew she things hadn’t been easy in the homes before her. The wounds on Skye’s back and the state she was in when Melinda picked her up at the hospital was enough to tell her that much. But the fact that Skye felt the need to make sure there was a way to escape around Phil, it was uncanny. Then again, she knows Phil and she knows he would never hurt a child, he loves children and taking care of a young Skye would make his life.
“Only a few days in, he called for help. I was sitting on the couch with Mushu, making sure I had an exit if something was going down. Phil was staying in the kitchen and then there was a knock on the door. I remember making myself as small as possible. I heard voices in the hallway, at the time I didn’t recognise the voices at the time. But hearing someone move into the room and hearing Clint say pipsqueak, I looked up, seeing him and Tasha rush into the room. Tash reaching me to make sure I’m alright when I said her name.”
Skye says, and Melinda takes a few deep breath, starting her movements once more. Happy that Phil at least realise that he would need help and she is sure that if things had been any different, she would have made the same call.
“Tash decided to take me to the bathroom to make sure I was alright, that my wounds and scars were healing properly. Clint took Phil to the kitchen to have a word. Their conversation ended before Tash wad done, Clint calling out where we were and pointing out he should just keep Mushu since I left him on the couch when I run to Tash...”
Skye continues so tell her, only to grow silent once more, her eyes narrowing slightly and Melinda can see how her mind is working.
“Now that I think about it, Clint must have done that to make Phil take Tash and my side in the conversation, leaving an opening for me to trust the man. He then decided that eating some pizza and watching movies with Tash and Clint is the way to heart, and he was right a out that. And all of a sudden, I had a stable life. Sure, I didn’t have you there beside me, knowing exactly how to make me feel alright after I wake due to nightmare. I guess that drinking hot coco and watching Mulan until sleep claimed me once more.”
She’s not sure, but for some reason, Melinda feels happy to know Skye likes her way of dealing with her nightmares more than Phil’s.
“I had Tash, Clint and Ria around whenever I needed them and Phil had no problems with me continuing on dancing. And then, I was moved again, to live two weeks with Victoria Hand. My first impression with her was the fact that she wasn’t all to happy with her mission. The first thing she did was drop me at the studio, or that was her first plan, Evgenia wouldn’t let that happen all to quickly. But Vic left, going to find more information about me, coming back with a new view. My two weeks with her was fun, I didn’t have any nightmares and she made sure I would spend more time at the studio.”
Skye smiles at the memories, and Melinda adds to the list that she needs to speak with Victoria at one point. Seeing how Skye takes a deep breath as she does the movements as easy as anything else.
“And then, I was placed back in the system, moved to St Agnes orphanage. I wasn’t there for long, two days later I was moved to a foster home. I was scared, but with everything, I tried to be forwards, to try and play along with the other kids. To make sure to keep my fear well hidden along the man, but it was nothing like before. It was neither of you and...”
Skye stops to move once more, which worries Melinda slightly. They have reached a part of Skye’s past that she thinks no one knows about, a part she knows fully well that Skye keeps close to her heart.
“One of the other kids broke one of the mugs and instead of taking the consequences, I was blamed. And I learned why they rather blame one another. I was hit, repeatedly and then left on the floor, bleeding as they left the house. I managed to get myself and my torn Mushu to one of the wardrobes to hide. All I wanted to do was to stay there and hope everything would go away, but I knew that wouldn’t work. Then I heard your voice, followed by Tash and I made the call. Within 20 minutes, Tash was there to pick me up, to take me from that house and to the safe house.”
Anger is shooting through Melinda as she listened to the story, forcing herself to keep the anger from showing. She remembers well what happened last time Skye had seen her angry after all.
“Tash made sure to treat my wound, she placed me in front of the TV with Mulan. At some point I fell asleep and when I woke up, Ria was there. I was told Tash and Clint went to take care of the family, I never ask what they did, I don’t want to know. But they didn’t deserve what was coming their way.”
Skye finish and Melinda can feel how she is shaking, with a deep breath, she gets control over her body. Once she is sure she’s not shaking anymore, she pulls Skye into a tight hug.
“Trust me, what ever your siblings decided to do, it ‘s far from what they deserve. Because I presume they don’t know the story of what happened that day?”
She whispers and she can feel the moment Skye realises what she has been talking about. Making sure to hug the young woman tighter, Melinda can feel how Skye starts to shake.
“It’s alright, I got you. You never deserved that and if I ever learn who those people are, they will be wishing they never learned about your name. Even if I’m beyond angry about what has happened to you, angry at myself mostly, because I should have thought harder to keep you by my side. I’m happy, it warms my heart that even if we have been kept from one another for this long, you still find yourself calm and relaxed enough around me that you don’t even realises that you are giving out information about your past. And Skye...”
Melinda tells her, before taking a small step back so she could see the young woman’s face.
“You are safe now, as long as I‘m around. I will make sure nothing happens to you again. I failed you once, I won’t do it a second time.”
She adds, keeping eye contact with Skye to make the young woman understand she means it. Seeing how tears starts to form in Skye’s eyes, she hugs her once more, letting her cry into her shoulder. Melinda makes a memory for herself that she need to ask Natasha and Clint about what went down that day, to see if she needs to do something herself or not. They stayed like that, Melinda doing everything she can to make Skye feel calm and she soon stops crying.
“How about we stop here for today, go and tack a shower and then rest. It’s been an emotional morning for the two of us.”
Melinda informs her girl and Skye nods her head, rubbing eyes. With a weak smile, Skye heads for the second floor. Taking in a few deep breaths, Melinda takes away the mattresses before she climbs the stairs herself, her sight set for the kitchen.
“Ah, May. Perfect timing, we have been called to the HUB.”
Phil informs her the moment she puts a foot in the kitchen, surprised to see him and Simmons already awake. Seeing how Simmons holds out a cup with tea for her, Melinda takes cup before turning.
A worry starts to grow in her, being called to the HUB is never a good thing. The only good thing she can come up with is that she will be able to speak with Hand, and Skye will be able to see her aunt once more.