They had won. They had won but they had lost so much. Asia had stumbled, exhausted and blood covered, with May and Lincoln out onto the deck. She had hurt those of her own kind. Skye's mother was dead. Coulson had lost an arm to the Terrigen. The whole flight home, Leo hadn't spoken to her once. They had won, but they had lost so much.
But they had also gained. Asia and Skye both had learned so much about their powers and how to use them. They had become strong and in control, and their powers were only going stronger. They had stopped the crystals from being released on the entire planet. They had gained new allies to join Shield.
Bobbi was alive. Jemma has taken amazing care of her and she was slowly recovering. Emphasis on "slowly," which the woman wasn't too fond of. She wanted to be back in action, she wanted to make sure those she cared for could never be hurt again. Hunter had taken to drinking because he and Bobbi had really split up again. He and Asia spent a lot of time working out together. He understood her silence, her lack of interest in talking, the reason she was avoiding rooms Jemma or Leo were in, just as she understood why he did the same with Bobbi. He had made a pact with Asia to help her find her sister, now that they knew she was alive.
Sheild had moved the precious cargo that was on the boat to the Playground, the one the Inhumans had been so afraid of, keeping it locked away in one of the basement rooms, surrounded by its glass chamber, and then walled in by concrete. Jemma and Leo were to study it, safely of course, and figure out what exactly made it so dangerous. Why had Shield locked it up all those years ago? That was their new mission; find out.
Skye's father had gone through the Tahiti program, after a sincere and sweet goodbye between father and daughter. Skye has said goodbye to him, as he said hello to his new life. It was difficult, but it was for the best. He could finally be at peace. He had a little veterinarians practice and it was going quite well, from what Skye had said. Oh, and she was going by Daisy now, her birth name. It was a change for all of them to get used to, but it would stick, after time.
Coulson has tasked Skye, with Asia to support her, to create a new team, a special force of powered individuals to aid Shield in their various missions. So far, the list only included the two of them, but they had a feeling they would be able to expand that sooner rather than later. After all, there were plenty of Inhumans out there who didn't have a home base anymore. Things would fall into place. They always did.
So that was life now. Work, train, work more. Because of this, Asia found herself in one of basement training rooms, jabbing at a black punching bag, nothing but her and the ballet music she had playing in the background. She found herself doing this a lot, a safe way to preoccupy herself and stop her thoughts from drifting back to Leo, but still keep herself sane, strong, and ready for anything.
Suddenly, there was a sound of a scuffle from behind her. Grabbing the punching bag and stopping the swing she turned around to find Leo there, holding onto some files, trying desperately not to drop them, his face red as he looked back at her. "Sorry to interrupt!" He blurted our awkwardly.
"You're fine, Leo. Do whatever you need to do," she replied, turning back toward the punching bag and swinging a kick out at it. She focused on the bag and the music and tried to tune him out. It was just easier that way, less painful for sure. And then he and Jemma could live out whatever future they were supposed to, and she wouldn't have to think about it.
"Aren't you going to ask?" His words cut through to her suddenly, surprisingly. She hasn't expected him to talk to her again. There had been so much distance this past week.
She stopped the swinging of the bag again, leaning against it for support as she turned back to face him, her heart racing. "Ask you what?" She forced the words out of her mouth and she took a deep breath, trying not to let him see how nervous he made her.
He took a step closer to her, letting the files drop to the ground, paper flying about, his feet making small indents in a the mat below. "Aren't you going to ask me what I said? When Jemma told me...what she told me?"
Asia sighed, shaking her head looking down at her feet. She didn't want to have this conversation, not now, not ever. She didn't need to hear how he chose Jemma over her. And letting herself hope he had said anything was was foolish. "I don't need to know," she said finally, crossing her arms over the black sports bra she as wearing.
"Ask me," he said quietly, taking another step forward, then another, until he was almost an arms length away. "Asia, I want you to ask me."
"Why would I do that?" She asked, throwing her arms up in the air, exasperated. "I don't need to hear about it, don't you get that? I understand. I get it. Jemma is Jemma. I get it! It's why we haven't slept in the same bed in a week. I don't need to hear you say it to understand!"
He stared at her for a moment, watching her chest lift and fall rapidly, the breaths coming quickly, and he knew she was nearing the point of tears. He hated that, that certainly was far from what he wanted. He stepped forward again, and she looked down, away from him. Delicately, he reached out with both hands, cupping either side of her cheek softly and turning her to face him. "Because if you ask, I can tell you," he paused for a moment, looking into her grey eyes, the shine in them ever apparent, "I can tell you that I told her it doesn't matter. That I was in love with someone else. You, Asia, I'm in love with you. Always have been. Since the moment I met you, I couldn't get you out of my mind. Nothing anyone ever tells me could change that."
Nothing else needed to be said. As their lips met desperately, passionately, lovingly, all they could feel was each other, the heat of his touch to the coolness of hers. All they could think of was the possibilities, the future, the idea of living together, traveling together, maybe even growing old together. Because right now, they had absolutely everything they needed.
"Come to dinner. With me," He said suddenly, grabbing her hands between his. "I want to bring you out, on a proper date. Far from all of this. Far from Sheild, from all of this drama. Just you, and me, and...and dinner."
"Yes," Asia's reply was instant, laughing as tears of pure happiness fell down her cheeks as she squeezed his hands. "Yes, yes we can go to dinner."
For a blissful moment, it felt like everything might truly, finally be alright. And it was, up until the moment Jemma got swallowed whole by the alien stone sitting in their basement.
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The sky was so grey. Jemma looked up at it, squinting through the blowing sand as she stumbled down a hill in search of something. Food, water, a life source. The sky didn't give her much hope, gave her little sense of direction. There didn't seem to be a sun. There didn't seem to be much of anything, besides rocks and sand. But Jemma was no fool, she knew precisely how long she could last without food and water, and that time was quickly waning. Not to mention, was warm as it was during the day, it grew quite cold out in desert at night, and Jemma was growing tired of burying herself in the sand at night to stay warm.
At least now she knew why Shield had locked that stupid, bloody rock away for so long. Why it was so dangerous. Who knew how many countless others had made the unfortunate pilgrimage that she was making for herself now. Some, perhaps, by choice. Others, perhaps, by force. And then there were those like herself, by accident. She was certain there were many by accident. But if others had found a way here, they must have had a purpose, must have left something behind, and a way out. God, there had to be away. She begged and pleaded at the Universe for it. She held onto that face, that she knew there had to be a way out.
And, she kept hope that Leo Fitz, her best friend, would find a way in. If at all else failed, she knew this to be true. She knew, she always knew, that she could rely in the undeniable bond between the two of them, and that he would stop at nothing to see her home safe.
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Alrighty my lovely, lovely readers. You've done it! You've made it all the way through and out TWO WHOLE BOOKS of mine! And I absolutely adore you for it. Book three is on its way really soon, Oceans Away! I hope you look forward to it and love it just as much as you have given me love for these two. I love you all, more than I even have words for. The passion and inspiration you provide me with on a daily basis is unfathomable. I never in a million years thought my little love story would take off the way it has, and yet, here we are. Stay tuned, friends, because more is coming.
Always
xx
The Renegade