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It's the season to be jolly but the problem was Jemma had nothing to be jolly about. Let it be known that Jemma Simmons loves her family . Her father, mother, sister, and younger brother are all to be adored . The only issue was that being a Simmons meant there was more than the immediate family.
So in the festive season, Jemma is standing in a sea of uncles, aunts, and cousins whom she rarely speaks to any longer since joining SHIELD. To be frank, being part of a legacy doesn't make her miss them at all because there are plenty of people that miss them enough. Half of them can be aliens for all she knows ever since the New York incident. She is just a simple girl to them pretending to be a corporate party planner but actually serving a multinational secret government agency.
So Jemma keeps drinking champagne as she makes her way through the ballroom of her parent's new estate. She says her hellos and how are yous to get them out of the way so she can hide in her room.
It isn't until the clock strikes 11pm that things get interesting.
The doorbell rings and Jemma looks to her mother and father who look at each other. Clearly, there is no Simmons late for an event ever. Jemma huffs as they stand there and makes her way to open the door for their late guest.
She swings the door open and standing before her is the most strikingly beautiful woman Jemma has ever seen. Her skin is beautifully tanned and Jemma can pick out the mixture of Asian and Caucasian genetics. Her hair is cropped in crisp short waves that just touches her chin.
She has a bright smile on her face and clearly is dressed for the occasion in a sexy red fitting dress that plunges to reveal a good amount of cleavage that distracts Jemma.
"Hello, Jemma! How are you? It's been so long!" The woman throws her arms around Jemma's neck to pull her into an amiable hug. The accent is American through and through.
How long have I been gone? "I am sorry, who are you?" Jemma asks in confusion as she pulls away.
The woman seems alarmed by Jemma's lack of recognition but just gives her a pat on the shoulder. "I am your Uncle Coulson's niece, Skye? We went to the academy together?" Jemma just stares in confusion, trying to pick her brain from so long ago. "It's okay, it'll come back to you. I have to say hello to everyone and apologize for my lateness."
With that, she brushes by Jemma and heads into the Great Hall to greet everyone amicably. She says her hellos and how are yous as smoothly and politely as Jemma has been doing all night. It bothers Jemma because it’s clear that no one knows this girl but she is so friendly and open and knows how to work the crowd that they've all accepted her presence.
As she keeps moving around the room smoothly, Jemma can't help but keep an eye on her because she can't for the life of her wrack her brain as to who this woman is. She doesn't remember going to the academy with anyone named Skye.
Who is Uncle Coulson? That name sounded familiar.
Jemma is blindsided by her Aunt Carol, who asks her about her relationship status or lack thereof and insists that she finds free time soon. Something about a friend who has a son and he is also single. In a flash of this distraction, Jemma does her best to extricate herself from the conversation.
When she is finally free, she realizes that Skye is missing. She's nowhere in the Great Hall.
Jemma subtly removes herself from the festivities in search of this mysterious woman. As she keeps thinking of her, Jemma feels a sense of familiarity but can't place her. She vaguely remembers her voice, her body, her face, but it isn't clicking.
Jemma is upstairs when she catches a wisp of red turning the corner. Jemma races after it and hears a low click of the door closing.
Jemma makes her way down the hall and realizes that she is standing at her door. She hears the footprints moving back and forth and she pushes her way into the room.
"Excuse me!" Jemma announces her presence quickly. What the hell is going on?
The woman pops her head up on the other side of Jemma's bed with a bright smile on her face and a friendly wave. "Hello!" She responds in the most sincere way as if she wasn't suspicious.
"Who are you? And what are you doing in my room?" Jemma demands this time. She lets the door close behind her.
Skye picks herself off the ground, hands brushing the dust off her dress. "Skye."
Jemma feels the frustrationbubbling. "Skye who?"
"Just Skye." Skye smilss brightly and doesn't further elaborate.
"Okay, just Skye, I am 99% sure you are not part of the family no matter how friendly and chameleon-like you are. So you have about 5 sentences to tell me who you really are or I will take care of you," Jemma finds herself threatening. Despite being a researcher for SHIELD, Skye doesn't know that Jemma isn't a trained agent that can kill. She hopes the stern look on her face and power stance is enough to intimidate her.
Skye simply laughs at Jemma as if she's been tickled by this. She walks around the bed towards Jemma with a sway of her hips. "Jemma, we both know you couldn't hurt a fly." Jemma crosses her arms indignantly. "Honestly, I know you can't because you haven't had the training for it."
Jemma subtly steps back as Skye advances. She doesn't seem threatening but Jemma is smart enough not to let her guard down. "Who are you?"
"You really don't remember me from the academy huh?" Skye asks playfully as she searches Jemma's eyes. Jemma shakes her head. "I mean it's been a few years and we met only during orientation so that's fair enough. You were like the poster child for SciTech."
Jemma furrows her brows. She went to boarding school. There is also only one place refered to as SciTech. "Are you talking about-?"
Skye puts a finger up to her lips to stop her from saying SHIELD. She nods slowly.
An operative in her home? Why is there a SHIELD operative in her home? "What're you doing here?"
"What does it look like?" Skye remarks as she waves her arms around. Jemma glares at her. "I'm undercover, duh."
"Excuse me?"
"Yup! Someone in your family is an alien."
"What?"