Work Text:
"She’s fine." May’s voice startles Skye, who almost drops the laptop sitting on her thighs.
She is sitting on top of the turned off holotable, a spot that has become her favorite place to escape to whenever her thoughts are too fuzzy for her to concentrate on anything. She always takes her laptop with her and plays around with codes and firewalls; it distracts her enough so that she can shut her mind down for a while. This time, after barely sleeping for a couple of hours, she found herself up from her bed quite early and hacking into security cameras on the block where Jemma’s apartment is, and it comes as a pleasant surprise that it eases the tightening in her chest a little.
Skye turns her neck to look at May over her shoulder and her S.O. is staring at her with a knowing look. "I wasn’t…" she trails off after May’s brows quirk up in disbelief. "Is it wrong that I want to check on her?"
May enters the room and stands in front of her, her arms crossed. “No, it’s not. It’s good, actually. It means you no longer thinks she abandoned us… you.”
Skye looks down at her laptop, watching Jemma walk to work with a cup of tea and some kind of pastry in her hands. A small smile graces her lips as she watches Jemma happily (or at least pretending to be so) strutting down the streets, like she is actually a normal person and not part of the whole mess involving S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra.
Skye remembers the moment she saw Jemma through the scope of her sniper rifle. Her heart had started pounding so erratically against her ribcage that for a moment she feared Jemma and the guy with her could hear it too. And unlike with Ward, she didn’t think even for a second that Simmons was actually Hydra. It clicked immediately in her brain: Jemma was undercover. Skye will never be able to properly put in words how relieved she felt as she realized Jemma was on their side, and most importantly, that she was okay.
"After I figured out she’s been doing undercover this whole time, I couldn’t hold any grudges anymore… It’d be really stupid of me. Now I feel proud of her for pulling this off for two months so far, but I’m still scared as hell. Worried sick. Her getting a promotion does not mean she’s off their radar, you know, they will always keep an eye on her."
May nods. “So will we. Coulson talks to her regularly, but only when they know for sure it’s safe.”
"I’m afraid they will get to her and brainwash her. The… Asset told me it’s one of their ways of convincing people."
May purses her lips in a thin line. “Which is why you can’t contact her at all.”
Skye groans annoyed. “I know, and that sucks! I could easily find a way to send her an encrypted message or something, but I’m not stupid enough to risk blowing her cover or getting lectured by director Coulson,” Skye says, her shoulders slumping forward. “I just miss her a lot, you know?”
"I know."
Skye looks at May and there’s a ghost of a smile on her face. She raises her eyebrows as if asking “what?”, but May only shakes her head and walks to the door.
"Hey, what was that smile about?" she asks to May’s back.
The S.O. stops by the door, and glances at Skye. “I just recalled something you said to me a few days ago.”
Skye gestures her hands around, still confused. “I say many things.”
"Something about Simmons. Hopefully it won’t take long before you realize the true meaning behind your own words. Good morning, Skye."