"In ancient times, people believed the heavens were filled with gods and monsters and magical worlds. Then, as time passed, those beliefs faded into myth and folklore. But now we know the stories were true. Other worlds, with names like Asgard, do exist. And beings once revered as gods, like Thor, have returned, leaving us with questions and an enormous mess to clean up."
Skye listens to Simmons as she talks, eyes traveling over the pile of garb edge and from distractions after Thor's last visit to earth. Turning her attention towards Melinda, who she makes sure to keep close to at all times.
"Remind me, when I meet with my siblings or run into Stark again, I need to ask for a way to get in contact with Thor, I have a few very well-chosen words for him about how to clean things up after themselves."
She says in a low voice, which earns a smile from Melinda. Hearing how Simmons are still talking, and how Ward, Fitz and Coulson join in from time to time, Skye starts to go through the pile she is standing by.
"I just wish they'd left their alien ship behind."
She mentions, turning her head towards Melinda to see her reaction, which is to roll her eyes.
"So, we can clean that up, too?"
"So, we could go inside, take a peek under the hood, maybe take it for a spin. Come on, you're telling me piloting an alien ship isn't on your bucket list?"
Skye explains, rising up and have her attention towards Melinda, and she can see that Melinda is thinking it over, which makes Skye smile.
"I can't think of a single time when anything alien in human hands ended well."
Coulson suddenly jumps into their conversation, which makes Skye move closer to Melinda out of reaction and she can feel that Melinda takes a step closer to her too.
"Wouldn't mind getting my human hands-on Thor. He's so dreamy."
Skye says, trying to act as normal, from the look Coulson is giving her, the act is working.
"Sure, he's handsome, but --"
Coulson starts to say, only to be silenced by Melinda.
"No. He's dreamy."
She says, as she starts to walk away. Skye smiles happily that Melinda is on her side in even this and she follows Melinda, to make sure she isn't left alone with Coulson. She had told Melinda what had gone down in the HUB, explaining what happened in the room, and not just the things that Melinda had heard. To say Melinda wasn't angry was the understatement of the year and Skye was sure that she would have left the cockpit to handle Coulson in that very moment, if it wasn't for the fact that Skye needed her in that very moment.
She had spent a lot of time in the cockpit from that moment on and only left for food and sleep. She knows that Simmons have been asking for her, and she can feel that the scientist is keeping a closer eye on her of late. Which makes Skye wonder if the other woman is starting to realise something is wrong. Sometime during their cleaning mission, a new one is being sent to them and it was back to the BUS once more.
An attack in Norway made the team split up, Coulson takes Simmons and Ward with him, to scope out the sight, Melinda, Skye and Fitz stays behind in the BUS, Fitz heading down to the Lab to receive the information that is being sent, as she is keeping an eye on the news, checking if anything will catch their eyes. Feeling that Melinda is standing beside her. Finding what she is looking for, she shakes her head.
"Sir, doesn't look like they're hiding."
Skye speaks over the coms, looking at the screen in front of her.
"Sending to your devices now."
Melinda adds, as she takes over the keyboards from Skye, as she keeps her eyes on the screen, watching the news of distraction happening down in Oslo.
"... raiding has left 20 injured, 3 in critical condition. Reports indicate that the group of about a dozen was led by this man and woman, and though their motive was unclear, their message was hauntingly spelled out on the streets of Oslo."
The voice of the female reporter echoes through the room, and Skye can feel a shiver go through her body as she reads, We are Gods in fire.
"Well, I guess we know who they think they are."
Coulson says over the coms, and Skye turns her attention towards Melinda.
"Skye."
"I'll start finding out who they are."
-X-X-X-
She had managed to find out exactly what who they are looking for, just in time for Coulson, Simmons and Ward returns. Coulson heads for the second floor, probably to report in what they have found. Melinda goes with him, leaving Skye with Simmons, Fitz and Ward. Keeping to Simmons, the other woman hits her own shoulder to Skye and gives her a smile, and Skye can read the question in it. With a nod of her head, Skye tells the other woman she is alright.
Ward takes the spot in front of the large screen down in the lab, Skye standing to the side with a tablet to control what is showing.
"Jakob Nystrom, 30. Girlfriend Petra Larsen. Leaders of a Norse Paganist hate group."
"And their numbers are growing, thanks to what happened in Greenwich and thanks to the internet. Yay, internet, she said sarcastically."
Skye jumps in, since she knows the most about all of this than Ward, why he ended up in the lead of this is beyond her.
"Norse Paganist?"
"Obsessed with anything derived from Norse mythology... stories of Asgard."
Skye explains, turning her attention towards Simmons as she speaks, but from the corner of her eyes she can see how Ward lifts up some sort of a 3-D model.
"And now a weapon."
He adds, which makes Skye roll her eyes, but she turns to look at it, hopping to learn more about what they had found in the forest.
"The scan only accounted for one side. Too much damage to the tree for complete reproduction."
Fitz explains since it's half in all directions, at least that's what Skye thinks, hopping the weapons is at least larger than it seems.
"But see here... it's clearly broken on both ends."
"So, there are more pieces?"
"Yeah. Two at least."
Fitz comments, making the group roll their eyes.
"Which means Sid and Nancy may be looking for a complete set. And markings?"
Ward continues, putting them back on track once more. Before either Fitz or Simmons has a chance to answer, the door into the lab opens, Coulson and Melinda enter.
"Asgardian symbolism. Hard to translate with our limited knowledge."
Coulson explains as he walks towards the table where the 3-D model is, which makes Skye take a few steps back, placing herself slightly behind Simmons.
"You should give your buddy the god of thunder a shout. He gets his power from his hammer, right? What if this is his nail to the hammer?"
Skye says, feeling she should try and act as normal as much as possible, just in case.
"I already did. Director Fury told me he's off the grid. And if he has a cell phone, we don't have the number."
Coulson explains, and Skye lowers her head.
"S.H.I.E.L.D.'s investigations are on the trail of Nystrom and his followers."
"We're charged with identifying the object and finding any other pieces before they do."
"They seem to have some advantage. They found this thing in 150 square kilometres of Norwegian forest."
Listening in on the conversation happening, Skye feels the urge to make a comment, but decides to keep it to herself.
"When we first found the hammer in New Mexico, I consulted one of the world's leading experts on Norse mythology – Elliot Randolph, a professor at a university in Seville. We'll leave immediately. Maybe he can tell us more about these markings."
Coulson informs them, turning to leave the lab. Looking towards Melinda, she shakes her head, before heading for the cockpit. Staying in the lab with Simmons and Fitz seems like a good thing at the time. She couldn't stay there for long; Coulson ask for her to try and find out more information about Jakob and Petra and she moves to the main floor.
They landed not long after and Coulson took Fitz and Simmons with him, to look for that professor. Skye can feel how her mind is wandering, losing her concentration multiple times. Closing her eyes, she tries to collect herself, feeling she is far out of it, more so than normal and this isn't good. But the constant fear she's feeling whenever Coulson is around her, makes her tired.
"Did you know there's mount Thor on Baffin Island?"
"I did not."
Hearing Coulson and Ward coming towards her, Skye freezes in her spot, the fear growing stronger and the feeling of needing to take flight is strong. Forcing herself to stay, she turns her attention towards her computer.
"What about you?"
Coulson asks, as he enters the briefing room.
"Nystrom's deep-web message boards are just abuzz with psychos."
Skye says, ignoring the conversation he and Ward had, she doesn't feel the need to talk more to him then needed, at least not if Melinda or Simmons aren't around.
"They believe they're gonna ascend to be the gods of destruction and death. People suck, sir."
"That's your progress? People suck?"
Ward asks and Skye rolls her eyes, of course he would jump in like that.
"These people do. And there's also chatter about going underground."
"Could mean going incognito or..."
"Or searching for the next piece."
"Randolph said to check Viking routes. Find any others?"
"There's some sites along the Volga River in Russia, some in Kiev, and weirdly, here."
Sky says, as she taps a location on the map on the holocom.
"In Seville, Spain?"
"It's a long shot, but Vikings sacked Seville twice."
Skye says, seeing how Melinda enters the room, she relaxes slightly. She knows that Melinda have seen it, so she moves to place herself between Skye and Coulson, which makes Skye relax even more.
"We found one promising location with Viking relics – El Divino Niño. A church built on the ruins of an 8th-century crypt built on Roman ruins from 206 B.C."
"East of a river."
"And lots of bones. Let's see what we can dig up. See what I did there?"
Skye rolls her eyes, she knows the younger version of herself would have laughed at that joke, finding it very funny and if things weren't the way they are now, she would have laughed just to make Coulson feel good about the joke, but she can't.
"Get ready."
Coulson orders as he steps out from the briefing room, Ward following him. Looking after them, Skye get's a feeling she is about to be put out there and she swallows down a large lump. Feeling Melinda's hand on her shoulder, she takes a deep breath.
"I can go if you don't feel like you are up for it."
She says, but Skye shakes her head. She knows she will have to do this, she wanted to join this team, and she knows that Coulson will start asking questions if she start to act to strange in it all.
"No, I will be fine."
She tells Melinda, but the moment she if forced down into the underground tunnels, she isn't so sure anymore.
"How you doing, Agent Ward?"
She can hear Coulson ask over the coms, as she slowly makes her way through the narrowed corridor.
"Wishing I was shorter. Nothing yet. All my readings are normal."
"What about you, Skye? Any luck?"
"Happy that Ward volunteered to take the super-creepy hallway instead of the slightly less-creepy dungeon-room place. I got nothing. Sorry – nada."
Skye replies, looking around herself as she enters yet another chamber. Wishing she could be with Melinda and Simmons right about now.
"Well, there seems to be something moving your way, Skye."
Fitz jumps in, which makes Skye come to a stop, looking around her, she tries to figure out which way the person Fitz is seeing is moving. When seeing nothing, she closes her eyes, listening. Fitz are right, someone is heading her way and she stands her ground. Hearing how the footsteps are coming closer to her, she opens them once more, only to find herself standing face to face with a man she has only seen a photo of.
"I have a wonderful explanation."
The man tells her, and Skye looks down, seeing the bag he is holding and another part of the rod. She should have seen it coming, all on her team should have seen this coming.
"Ran into some unexpected com..."
She starts to say, grabbing for the staff. The moment her fingers closes around the rod, it starts to grow and flashes from when she was young comes rushing back, one memory in particular. Letting out a scream, she falls to the ground, hyperventilating and trying to forget what she is seeing, but the memory is now playing as if on loop in her mind.
She isn't sure for how long she was sitting there, but when hands are placed on her shoulders, she fights them, only to be pulled close to a body. She keeps struggling, both from the person holding on to her and from the memories. When the sound of a soft voice singing in her air reaches her properly, Skye starts to calm down. With a few deep breaths, she opens her eyes to see that Melinda is the one holding on to her.
"You with me Skye?"
She asks and Skye nods her head, to afraid to open her mouth to say anything. But Melinda accepts this way of speaking, and she helps Skye to her feet.
"Come on, let's get you back to the BUS and let Simmons have a look at you."
Melinda orders, and Skye let's her mother lead her out of the underground corridors and towards a waiting car. The drive to the BUS is a silent one and Melinda helps her into the lab, where Simmons are waiting, ready to check up on her. Skye is being placed on a chair and Melinda looks at her once more, just to make sure she is alright.
When Skye nods her head that she is, she leaves, she needs to help Coulson after all and there isn't much she can do for Skye in this moment. Watching how Simmons starts pulling out one object after another, Skye wishes she could just ask to be taken to her bunk, sure that she can sleep this feeling off.
Seeing how Simmons is speaking to herself as she runs one test after another on Skye, she lets her head fall backwards, closing her eyes once more. Only to realise that is a big mistake as the memories of the night she got her scares returns. Feeling the pain in her back, she pulls of what ever stuff Simmons has put on her.
"Hey! No, don't do that I need to..."
Simmons starts to say, but Skye ignores her, leaving the lab and takes the stairs two at the time. Her mind is telling her to go to the cockpit, to lock herself up with Melinda, but her feet walk her to her bunk instead and she locks the door behind her. Falling onto her bed, she closes her eyes once more. Hearing a knock on the door, she ignores it, all she wants to do, is forget everything happening around her and for the pain to go away.
The knocking soon ends, and Skye managed to get some type of sleep in the end. It didn't last long, as she wakes up to someone combing her hair with their hand, the same soft song being singed to her once more. Opening her eyes, they land on Melinda, who is sitting beside her.
"We are about to get the last rod, do you wish to stay here or come with?"
Melinda asks, which makes Skye think. Staying on the ship alone might be for the best, but at the same time. Taking in a deep breath, she sits up. She doesn't want to be left alone, not right now, not when she has Melinda so close by again. Melinda, seeing that Skye has made up her mind to come with them, nods her head and stands up, holding out her hands to help Skye on her feet. With a nod to the small wardrobe in her room, Melinda leaves the bunk to let Skye change her clothes before joining the others. When she comes walking down the stairs, she can feel all eyes on her, but she ignores them as she walks to stand beside Melinda.
The professor leads them to monastery, and Skye makes sure to keep close to Melinda, keeping her head lowered.
"Well, it's been a while. I wonder... Ah, yes. There it is. Still here. Well, the nose isn't quite right, but- "
The professor, who turns out to be Asgardian speaks and Skye lifts her head slightly, to see what he is talking about, seeing the open book.
"That's you?"
"Yeah, they venerated me a bit as a saint."
"They're idiots. Where's the staff?"
"It's upstairs."
They follow and Skye starts to second guess her decision on coming along for the ride.
"It's quiet."
Melinda points out, coming to a sudden stop. Skye barely has time to stop herself so she wouldn't walk right into her.
"Why do you think I trusted them with my secret? They take a vow of silence."
The professor explains, stopping in front of a cabinet of sort and works on opening. Only for a shadow to step towards him, holding onto the rod.
"But when you get them talking... they squeal."
The Norse accent heavy and before anyone has a chance to react, Jakob Nystrom stabs Randolph in the chest with a piece of the staff, the professor falls to the ground.
"If you want to defeat a god, you must become one."
Jakob speaks, seeming quite happy with himself. In the next minute, Ward goes for the staff, pulling it out of Randolph's heart and he and Jakob tumbles for the first floor. Looking down where they are fighting, Skye can feel a surge of energy run through her, but she doesn't want to act on it. Melinda on the other hand heads downstairs, in a try to help Ward and the only thing Skye can do, is follow her.
By the end of that day, Skye isn't sure how it all happened or how she ended up with the whole staff in her hands, but one thing is for sure, she wishes to never get near that thing again. And this time around, she made sure to lock herself up in Melinda's bunk, knowing fully well that she won't be able to sleep in her own and having the smell of Melinda round her, well maybe it can help a bit, if anything, her mother would come down from the cockpit herself, to hug Skye through the night. She can always wish for it at least.