Chapter Text
Skye was pacing in the guest room. Why did she just do that? What would they say? What would they do? What if they kicked her out? It was still snowing a little, but she could live with that. She had power on her phone and computer now, so she could find a shelter, but should she wait for them to kick her out or should she just leave now?
Skye jumped when there was a knock on the door. Huh? Quickly looking at the time on her phone, Skye noticed it had been a little over an hour since she had come back in the room, she then heard another knock on the door. Swallowing the lump in her throat, “Yeah?” she asked quietly. The door opened slowly, and Maria came in, shutting the door behind her.
“Hi, can I sit?” Maria gestured to the bed, at Skye’s small nod she went over and sat down, being incredibly careful to not breathe with her nose as to not smell more of Skye’s distressed omega scent than she already had. She was glad that none of the others had come, they would have kicked the door in and jumped Skye, holding her close.
“Did you read what was on the cards?” Skye asked.
“Yes, we did,” Maria answered, watching Skye shifting from foot to foot and fiddling with her hands.
“Why don’t you tell me about the redacted file? Maybe we can help,” Maria asked, Skye gave her a weird look.
“What? Why would you do that?” Skye asked.
“Because I want to help, but how about we make a deal?” Maria said.
“What kind of deal?” Skye asked, wary.
“Well you tell me what it’s about. We think we already know, but we would like to help you, and maybe you could work on our systems. I hear you even got past the security to get in this house, that’s not an easy task,” Maria smirked at Skye.
“Wait, so your deal is that I’ll tell you why I have the file and you will help me, and I could be allowed to take a look at SHIELDs systems?” Skye asked, bewildered.
“Well yes, if you don’t want to help with the systems, that’s fine, but no matter what, we would like to help with whatever you need,” Maria said, knowing, or having an idea, that Skye could pass on the offer to look at SHIELD’s system from the inside.
Skye was quiet for a moment, she had stopped pacing so that was a plus for Maria.
“What do you think the file is about?” Skye asked, and it was noticeably clear for Maria that Skye was testing her.
“Well, if we take the other card into consideration, we think it could be about your parents, or just where you came from,” Maria answered honestly.
Skye sighed, “Yeah it is, or I think it is. I found a note when roaming the CPS servers,” Skye said.
“When you say roaming, you mean hacking?” Maria asked.
“Maybe,” Skye said, “and then I just hacked and hacked until I found the file that the note was talking about,” Skye said. “So, what happens now?” she asked.
“Do you want our help? I can probably have the file tomorrow, if you do, or very soon,” Maria said, Skye nodded.
“Yeah I have been searching for years,” Skye said, both defeated, grateful, and sad that she couldn’t get it herself. She was tempted to say no, but she just couldn’t, she didn’t know why though.
“Okay, I’ll get it for you,” Maria said.
“Thanks, but can you, I mean, won’t you get in trouble or something?” Skye asked, finally sitting down on the bed too.
“Nah, I’m the deputy director, so I shouldn’t be in too much trouble. If I do get into trouble, it would only be an increase of paperwork,” Maria said, smiling at Skye.
“Oh,” Skye said.
“What else?” Skye asked.
“What do you mean?” Maria asked, making the mistake to breathe through her nose, she could smell Skye’s distress had not disappeared. Skye shrugged, not really in the mood to voice her concerns.
Maria frowned at Skye’s sudden 180 turn, taking a chance, she moved to sit right beside Skye, their knees touching, “Talk to me, please, what do you mean with, what else? Please Skye, whatever it is that is bothering you, we can help. All we want to do is make you happy,” Maria said, Skye looked up at Maria, with a skeptical expression on her face.
“I was close to having to restrain Bobbi. She wanted to come in here, to scope you into her arms, and I doubt she would have wanted to let you go any time soon. It was the same with Nat and Mel, they also wanted to come in here, but knew you probably wouldn’t appreciate that,” Maria said, trying to make Skye understand just how serious they were.
Skye looked at Maria, searching for something, after a few moments she sighed, “I messed up, and now they’re mad at me,” Skye said, looking down to the floor.
“What do you mean? No one is mad at you, why would you think that?” Maria was very confused, she just told Skye that all they wanted was to hold her and never let go, so why did she think they were mad?
Skye opened and closed her mouth a few times, “I don’t know, it’s like it always is. I do something that I’m not supposed to do, and people get mad at me,” Skye said quietly.
“What have you done that you weren’t supposed to do?” Maria asked.
“Hacked SHIELD, broke in here, tried to steal stuff, I don’t know,” Skye said, frustrated that she couldn’t explain that she hated the idea of any of the other people in the house being mad at her.
“Do you know how Natasha got into SHIELD?” Maria asked.
“No,” Skye answered confused.
“Ask her sometime and then you’ll know that what you did, is nothing. I don’t know if you know this, but SHIELD tends to recruit people that can get into our systems without us knowing it, and because where the level eight files are, like the one that you found, they are on a different server with a lot of monitoring” Maria said. “And I don’t think that any of us mind that you broke in here, well maybe except Bobbi and I, we would probably have liked it if you broke into our apartment,” Maria tried to joke, she could tell it worked a little because Skye smiled.
“Maria?” Skye said after around five minutes.
“Yeah?” Maria said, looking over at Skye.
“What's really going to happen from now on?” Skye asked, looking very vulnerable.
“I don’t really know, but no matter what, you will have Me, Bobbi, Natasha, and Melinda. You are with us now, and nothing and no one will harm you, ever again,” Maria said, feeling that they already discussed this, but apparently Skye wanted to talk more about it.
Skye’s eyes teared up, “I’m just so confused,” Skye said, and Maria couldn’t just sit there, she wrapped her arms around Skye in a tight hug.
“Shh it’s okay,” Maria comforted, Skye moved closer into Maria’s embrace.
The three Alphas had moved into the kitchen thirty minutes ago, after speaking to Fury. On the way, they had smelt Skye’s distress and were close to running to her but remembered that they should let Maria deal with Skye right now.
Fury had also given Bobbi and Maria the two weeks off and said he would look into the redacted document. Now, he really wanted to meet with Skye and talk about her computer skills, but Natasha had told him that he had to wait until the two weeks were over and if Skye still wanted anything to do with them. They also informed him that she hadn’t been treated right growing up. Fury agreed to whatever Maria and Skye agreed on and had already said he would find an unredacted version of the redacted file and send it to Maria.
“They have been talking for a long time now,” Bobbi said, looking over to the door where the Beta and Omega were behind.
“Yeah, they have, but hopefully they will sort out some things,” Melinda said, Natasha was also looking at the door.
“I can’t take it any longer, I’m going to check on them,” Natasha said walking fast out of the kitchen.
“Nat!” Melinda whispered after her. Bobbi was hot on Natasha’s heels, not to stop her, but to join her.
Melinda cursed, but she really wanted to see what they were doing too. When Natasha knocked softly on the door, they heard Maria’s quiet reply that they could enter. What they saw made Bobbi smile, and Melinda and Natasha looked a little jealous. They saw a sleeping Skye half on top of Maria, holding Maria’s shirt in a death grip.
“Wake her and you’ll all regret it,” Maria whispered with a glare.
“Easy, we just wanted to check on you two,” Natasha whispered back.
“What did Fury say?” Maria asked, still whispering.
“He told us that you would basically be in charge about everything concerning Skye and SHIELD and what’s to happen,” Natasha whispered in answer, Maria nodded.
“Hey, Mel, Nat can we go get those cushions and pillows you have set on the floor in front of the TV, and put them on the floor, so we can sleep in here?” Bobbi asked hopefully.
“Shh” Maria shushed her, Bobbi mouthed sorry.
Melinda and Natasha looked at each other debating. They really wanted to sleep in the same room as Skye, even if it were on the floor, but what would Skye say, when she woke up laying on the bed with a Beta and with three Alphas on the floor.
“Come on, please,” Bobbi asked, the glare Maria sent her for talking too loud again made Bobbi flinch back looking sheepish.
“Okay, but we stay on the floor,” Natasha whispered.
The three Alphas quickly and quietly got the cushions and pillows from the living room, Melinda also got some from the other guest room and the master bedroom. It was a little uncomfortable, but they could manage. Melinda gave Maria a blanket and Skye one too, as they were laying on the covers of the bed and did not want to risk waking Skye.
Melinda and Natasha cuddled up together, with Bobbi beside them, on the floor at the side of the bed where Skye was.
Cough, cough, cough, cough was the sound that woke the three Alphas on the floor and the Beta on the bed, “Are you okay Skye?” Maria asked from beside the coughing Omega.
“Yeah, I just choked on my own saliva,” Skye slurred her words.
“Ah, you sure?” Natasha asked skeptically.
Skye looked over to her, she had not realized that there were others in the room, looking down on the floor. “Did you sleep in here?” Skye asked, her words still slurred and also looking like she was dizzy, after looking down on the floor.
“Yeah, you don’t mind, do you?” Bobbi asked carefully.
“Huh?” Skye asked like she hadn’t heard or understood what Bobbi had said.
The three Alphas and the one Beta shared a look, Skye shivered and tried to pull the blanket someone had laid over her closer, “Can I touch you?” Bobbi asked, Skye just nodded. “Yeah, I think you have a fever,” Bobbi said, after feeling Skye’s forehead and neck.
“No, * cough* I’m * cough* fine , ” Skye said, but no one believed that.
“You are staying under the covers today, I’ll go make you something to eat. Nat can you get the thermometer?” Melinda said, Nat nodded and left.
“I’ll help, Maria will you stay with her?” Bobbi said, Maria nodded.
Skye leaned against Maria, “I’m cold,” Skye mumbled, just then Natasha came back.
“Nat will you help me to get her under the covers?” Maria asked.
“Of course,” Natasha said.
“Okay, Skye, I am going to lift you up now, so we can get you under the covers, so you can get warm, okay?” Maria asked, Skye shivered a little but nodded her okay.
Maria lifted Skye while Natasha pulled the covers back, Maria put Skye back down, and together they pulled the covers over Skye, tucking her in tight.
Bobbi came shortly after with some hot tea, “Here drink this,” Bobbi said, handing over the tea to Maria who helped to bring the mug to Skye’s mouth.
“Guys I’m fine, there is no reason for all of this,” Skye said.
“There is a reason for all of this, you are sick, now open up so we can take your temperature,” Natasha said, bringing the thermometer up to Skye’s mouth. Skye whined but opened her mouth, Melinda came in with some food, when the thermometer beeped.
“What does it say?” Melinda asked.
“39.8° Celsius,” (103.64° Fahrenheit) Natasha said.
“It’s that high?” Maria asked.
“Yes, it is, but as long we keep her warm, hydrated, make sure she eats, and keep an eye on her temperature, she will be fine in a few days, hopefully. I think she has a bad cold, you said she was only wearing a thin jacket for the past few days, which could be the cause,” Bobbi said.
“Okay, what about we move into the living room? There is more room, I don’t think any of us want to be far from her,” Maria said, stroking a half asleep Skye’s hair whose head was laying on her shoulder.
The three Alphas had no problem with that, they quickly moved the cushions and pillows back to the living room. Maria picked Skye up again, still wrapped in the blanket, Skye whined a little at being picked up, Maria walked into the living room and set Skye down on the cushions on the floor as there was more room, and she immediately laid down, groaning, “I’m cold again,” Skye whined, “come back and warm me.” Skye whined again, looking at Maria.
“Okay I’m coming” Maria said smiling, she had barely sat down before Skye was plastered at her side.
The three Alphas who had watched the scene were both amused and jealous. Melinda shook her head, “Here Skye, you need to eat and drink,” she said, handing Maria the plate and the mug of tea.
Skye slowly got the food down, as she was not hungry, but the four women around her insisted; she fell asleep soon after she had gotten it down.
The Next two days were the same. Skye was still sick and changing “body heater” as Skye had called them in her half sleep state, every so often. Melinda, Natasha, Bobbi, and Maria regularly got up to get a snack for Skye, be it a piece of fruit, a granola bar, or some chocolate, she always had something to eat. It was the same with drinks, she always had tea, juice, water, or energy drinks close by.
They had agreed to just watch movies, and let Skye sleep, but they still checked her temperature, even if she was asleep, and had her eat and drink when she was awake.
On the third day Skye woke up between Bobbi and Natasha, with her head under Natasha’s chin, “Good morning Skye, how are you feeling today?” Melinda asked. Skye jumped, she had not seen Melinda sitting in front of her on the floor with Maria beside her. Natasha and Bobbi woke up by Skye’s jump of shock.
“I feel okay today,” Skye said.
“That’s good, let’s just check your temperature, then we can make breakfast,” Melinda said, Skye groaned, while Maria checked her temperature, and Natasha and Bobbi chuckled.
“There is no fever,” Maria said.
“I hate being sick,” Skye mumbled, still laying on top of Natasha.
“What about when you were a child, didn’t you get cuddled?” Bobbi asked.
“No, I remember once, I think I was around eight, I had gotten the chickenpox or measles, I don’t remember, and the family I was living with at the time called my social worker to come and get me, but of course their own child had recovered a few days before from the same thing and they didn’t have time to take care of me,” Skye said, as if it was nothing.
She was suddenly lifted up from on top of Natasha and into a tight hug from Bobbi.
Over the past three days Skye had gotten more comfortable with her soulmates, she could start seeing herself settling down, but she was still worried about them fighting. They were still two soulmate pairs, who had to share her, and just because they worked together and had not fought yet, did not mean they would not.
During breakfast, which was eaten at the table for a change, they still wanted Skye to take it slow until tomorrow. Maria informed Skye that she had the unredacted file for her, “Have you read it?” Skye asked.
“No, I haven’t, none of us have, but our boss, Fury has. He told us to call when you had read it. He also said it might be a good idea that the rest of us read it too, if you say that we can,” Maria said.
“Okay, is it bad or anything? Did he say that?” Skye asked.
“He didn’t answer when I asked him the same thing,” Maria said, Skye nodded and asked where it was and if she could read it, when they were done eating. Her soulmates answered with that she could, and Maria said it was on her tablet.
So now Skye was sitting in the living room on a cushion that was still on the floor, and reading the file she had been searching for, for so long. The more she read, the more upset she got. It was Melinda who got to Skye first when they could smell Skye’s distress. Skye didn’t say anything, she just clung to Melinda and almost shoved the tablet into Maria’s hands. When Maria asked if they could read it, Skye just nodded.
Melinda stayed with Skye. She could get the run down or read it later, right now her Omega needed her. She was glad about the progress there had been for the past few days, she just wished that it hadn’t been because Skye had been sick.
About twenty minutes later the others returned except Maria, “Where’s Maria?” Melinda asked.
“She's calling Fury,” Natasha said looking down at Skye who had fallen asleep.
“Was it bad?” Melinda asked, when Bobbi curled into Skye’s other side and Natasha next to herself.
“Yeah, it was or is, that’s what Maria is trying to figure out with Fury,” Natasha answered.
“But you may have to read it yourself, it’s horrible and sad,” Bobbi said looking at Melinda, who looked to Natasha for confirmation. Natasha nodded once, Melinda sighed and pulled Skye closer to her.
Skye woke up about a half an hour later to the sound of mumbling, opening her eyes she could see Bobbi, Melinda, and Natasha, “Where is Maria?” Skye asked.
“Hey, she’s speaking with our boss about the file,” Natasha said.
“I can’t believe it, my long search, was a disaster. Hundreds, if not thousands, dead,” Skye said sobbing. “I don’t get it though, if I was there, how did I get to the stats, or does it have nothing to do with who I am, but then how did it get connected with my file at CPS? I just don’t get it,” Skye had untangled herself from Melinda and Bobbi and stood up to pace.
“Skye, we will get answers, but you are getting worked up, and it won’t help, especially when you were just sick and still need to rest,” Melinda said, standing in front of Skye to stop her from pacing.
Just then Maria came out of the office, “What did Fury say?” Bobbi asked, directing the focus away from Skye and Melinda.
“He found another document that told CPS to move Skye around, she should never be at a place too long, and if it looked like the foster place she was at wanted to adopt, she was to be moved immediately. It said it was to keep her safe, from what, the document didn’t say,” Maria said. Skye looked troubled, she was trying to speak but nothing came out, her breathing was quick. Melinda pulled Skye to her, and Skye immediately calmed down a little.
“Who ordered it?” Natasha asked in a deadly tone.
“Fury has been looking for the past few days, looking for connections between Skye and the mission in China. He found that it was one of the junior agents that was on the mission in China, she faked the clearance level for the protocol to move Skye around,” Maria said, taking a deep breath.
“Where is she now?” Bobbi asked, also in a deadly tone.
“Dead. All of the agents, whether they were on the main team or the backup team, are dead. The agents on the main team all died during the mission in China, but the backup team all started showing up either tortured or murdered not long after returning from the mission. Linda Avery, one of the junior agents on the backup team, was the last to die. She is the one who dropped Skye off at the orphanage. She had just dropped Skye off there, two days before. There is still one agent out there, Lumley, he was also a junior agent and disappeared shortly after Avery was found dead,” Maria said.
“Does Fury have an idea of what went down?” Melinda asked.
“Yes, he thinks that Skye was born in the village in Hunan and that she was rescued by SHIELD, but when they returned to the US, and started getting tortured and killed, Avery put Skye in the system to protect her from whoever was killing them off. Lumley was the only one to get away,” Maria said.
“So, you and Fury think that someone is looking for Skye, and willing to kill to get to her?” Natasha asked,
“Yes,” Maria nodded.
“What are you not saying, Maria?” Bobbi asked, Maria looked a little nervous.
“You saw that the mission report was in the Hunan province and that it was about an 084,” Maria said.
“Yeah and?” Bobbi asked.
“Fury thinks that Skye could be the 084 or had been exposed to it. He thinks it’s weird that Skye was the only survivor from the village, that she was clearly, and maybe still is, hunted. He checked some of Skye’s old foster homes,” Maria said taking another deep breath, “some of them have been killed in accidents, some have died in house fires, and some have been murdered point blank,” Maria said looking at a very quiet Skye in Melinda’s arms.
“Yeah, that’s it, you are not going anywhere, and we are teaching you how to defend yourself,” Natasha said, determined and demandingly looking at Skye.
“ Natasha ,” Melinda hissed glaring at Natasha.
“What? I know we have a deal, but that was before we knew that there was a psychopath after her,” Natasha said firmly, Natasha and Melinda were staring each other down, while Skye still hadn’t responded to anything.
“ENOUGH, BOTH OF YOU!” Maria yelled, taking Skye from Melinda, and sitting her down on the cushions. Natasha and Melinda finally noticed that Skye was just staring out in thin air.
“Skye, are you okay? Can you hear me?” Maria asked gently, Bobbi was standing between Maria, who was trying to get Skye to respond, and Melinda and Natasha, who both looked guilty or ashamed. Maria made the decision to release soothing pheromones, as the first one of them to ever release any pheromones around Skye. Skye blinked, letting out a whimper, Maria was quick to bring her into a hug.
Melinda, Natasha, and Bobbi stared at Maria when they smelt her pheromones, they had not really talked about when they would start using them around Skye, considering her bad experience around Alphas and pheromones, but considering that Maria was a Beta, it was not as bad. If it had been one of them, they wouldn’t know how she would respond, but Skye seemed to respond positively to Maria, both before and after her pheromones were involved.
It was around ten minutes later, Skye had calmed down and the others had sat down. Bobbi had gone to the kitchen and got some tea and coffee, and a hot chocolate for Skye.
They have been speaking about what Fury told Maria for the past hour, “What is an 084?” Skye asked, finally asking the question, which had been bugging her.
“Uhem it’s an object of unknown origin,” Maria answered, Skye frowned at that.
“And your boss thinks I’m an object?” Skye then asked.
“No, no of course not, he believes that you are connected to an 084, you are no object!” Maria said.
“What do we do now? I am pretty sure that Natasha still won’t let me leave now?” Skye asked.
“Damn straight I won’t,” Natasha said, Melinda glared at Natasha again.
“I’m pretty sure that none of us really want you to leave. I know that you have a deal with Mel and Nat, and that Maria and I have agreed on too, but in light of this new information, we would really like you to stay close. We need to think of something else, I was thinking we get a bigger place, for the five of us. I don’t really see it going well in a few months if Skye decides to stay with us, with the plans on when and where Skye will stay, and moving from us to you, it wouldn’t be right,” Bobbi said.
“I mean we would be four people paying the rent or mortgage,” Natasha started to say but was interrupted by Skye.
“You mean five, if we do this, I’m not going to be a stay-at-home Omega, I will work, got it,” Skye said, and Natasha looked taken aback but nodded rapidly.
“And we wouldn’t want you to be a stay at home Omega,” Melinda said, amused by Natasha’s reaction, “but would you be okay to be with us? I mean it is going to be difficult, not just for you, but for us too. I know you are worried about us tearing each other to pieces, but we will not, we will probably argue, but I know we will do our best not to get forceful with each other,” Melinda said.
“Yeah, I think so. I’m still not in love with the idea, but it's been a good couple of days, even with me being sick. I think I would be okay, living with all of you,” Skye said, she was terrified at the idea of some psychopath looking for her out there.
“So, we are getting a bigger house?” Maria asked.
“Yeah I was thinking, an area for the two of us, an area for Mel and Nat, and an area for Skye, so if she wants to be alone, she can, and a big kitchen,” Bobbi said.
“You know Bob, I like that,” Natasha said, smirking at the reaction she got from Bobbi, being called Bob.
“Before we talk more about house buying, we need to buy some new clothes for Skye. I was thinking about tomorrow?” Melinda said, looking at Skye with her don't argue with me look.
Skye swallowed and nodded.
“Good, should we continue our Harry Potter marathon?” Melinda asked, when the others agreed they put on Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
The next day they went to buy Skye some new clothes. Skye tried to convince them she did not need that much new clothing when they kept throwing things in the basket or showing her to the dressing room to try out whatever they found for her.
After five hours and three different stores, Skye had a brand-new wardrobe, “I think that was everything,” Melinda said.
“Argh finally, I am exhausted!” Skye said, slumping against the car, then there was a rumble sound.
“And hungry I would guess?” Maria asked amused, Skye huffed.
“Come, let’s go get something to eat,” Natasha said, gesturing to a fast-food place beside the parking lot they were in. “Relax Mel, we will work it off, and beside it is only this one time,” Natasha said when Melinda looked about to object to the place.
“Fine,” Melinda said, shaking her head.
Maria slung her arm around Skye’s shoulder as the five of them walked to the fast-food place. They went to stand in line while looking at the menu. When it was their turn, the man behind the counter, who was clearly an Alpha, smiled a welcoming smile, looked them over, stopping at Skye for a short moment, “What will it be?” he asked.
“What would you like?” Natasha asked, looking at Skye so she could order first. The man sneered at Skye but did not say anything.
“Um- I- um,” Skye was clearly intimidated by the man, an Alpha, who looked pleased with himself for intimidating the Omega. Maria moved to behind Skye, so she wouldn’t run out of the place, Bobbi and Melinda moved to stand a little in front of Skye, and Natasha stood closest to the counter.
“Do you have a problem?” Melinda snarled at the man.
“Omegas do not come before an Alpha, they eat what they are told; you don’t ask an Omega you tell them,” the man said back. The other employees looked on, there were a few Omega’s that flinched at the man’s words, the Betas and other Alphas moved between the offending Alpha and their Omega coworkers.
That caused Melinda, Natasha, and Bobbi to growl at him, Natasha even garbed his shirt. “What did you just say?” Natasha growled, most of the other customers who were at the restaurant, were looking at the scene now.
“I am the manager here, what’s going on?” a new man asked.
“Your employee here was acting intimidating towards a customer,” Natasha said, still holding the man and glaring at him. She was both glad and pissed he didn’t try using his pheromones, glad that Skye wouldn’t suffer, but pissed she couldn’t punch him repeatedly.
The manager sighed, “I am terribly sorry, let me take your orders, and your food will be on the house,” the manager said, also an Alpha, and by his tone it was not the first time something like this has happened. Natasha let go of the rude Alpha, the manager told his employee, soon to be ex-employee, to go wait in his office.
“What can I get you all?” the manager asked with a smile. Melinda looked to Skye, who still looked affected, but she managed to order a bacon-cheese burger with some extra crispy french-fries and a coke, the manager smiled, and looked to the others who ordered similar items.
“All right it will be brought to your table as soon as it’s done,” The manager said, giving them a smile and a nod before he walked over to his office.
“Are you okay?” Melinda asked, after they had sat down, with Skye in between herself and Maria, and Natasha and Bobbi across from them.
“Yeah, I’m okay,” Skye said quietly, “it isn’t the first time something like that has happened, just last week it happened. An Alpha basically took all the money I had saved and my van with almost everything I had,” Skye said sadly, taking a small salt pack from the small bowl on the table, and started to play with it.
Melinda pulled Skye into her side and nuzzled the top of her head, a short moment later a worker came with their drinks. Melinda saw Natasha and Maria nodding at each other, knowing they would ask Skye small probing questions, so they could find the Alpha who took everything from her.
“Was it a nice van?” Bobbi asked after they had gotten their food, apparently Bobbi would be helping.
“Not really, it was a big piece of junk, some would say, but it worked, and I loved it. It was a 1983 GMC Conversion. It smelled, but it was my home, and I kind of miss it,” Skye said smiling thinking of her van. “I usually stay in LA in the winter months, but I couldn’t go because my van needed a new tire, and I didn’t have the money until last week,” Skye trailed off.
“What did you do about food, water, and um shower and stuff?” Bobbi asked, the last part was asked a little awkwardly.
“Uh it had a little sink and toilet under the sink; there are a lot of places where you can refill the water tank, and empty what has to be emptied,” Skye said.
Again, Melinda saw Natasha, Maria, and Bobbi, this time, look at each other and nod, knowing that they now knew enough about the van, now they just needed to find out about the place where she had the tire changed.
Shaking her head, “So, Skye, know any good places to eat in LA?” Melinda asked, Skye’s face lit up.
“Yes, I do know this one place, it is a small diner, they let me park in the alleyway just beside them, and the old lady who owns it, usually lets me eat there for free or at a discount. It was of course the food that was close to going bad, or a little burned, but I am fine with that,” Skye said.
“What diner? It sounds like a place we all should visit,” Bobbi said.
“Ruthie's Skillet, and I would love that,” Skye said, smiling at Bobbi.
They ate the rest of their food in silence, the manager apologized again when they were ready to leave, they nodded at him and went back to the car.
The rest of the three Alphas and Betas vacation went amazingly. Skye had said that she wanted to stay with them, they had celebrated it with good food and wine, and vodka for Natasha. Skye tried some of her vodka and wished she had not.
It was the day before they had to go back to work; and Maria asked Skye the day prior if she wanted to come and talk with Fury, Skye had said only if one of them were with her; it was decided that Maria and Melinda would be the ones to accompany her.
“How are you feeling about tomorrow?” Melinda asked, sitting down beside Skye on the couch.
Skye looked up from her computer, “I don’t really know, I am nervous. The rumor online about Fury is that he is, a um dick, and an Alpha,” Skye said, the last part as a nervous mumble.
“Yeah, he can be a dick and he is an Alpha, but he is also our friend and he will not hurt you. We won’t let him. He is impressed by your skills, and he will probably offer you a job,” Melinda said.
“Really?” Skye asked.
“Really, really,” Melinda answered, bringing Skye into her side for a hug.
They had learned that Skye loved to hug or cuddle, once she lowered her guard a little, she was still a little hesitant, but they were working on it; maybe it would be better once, they found a bigger house, and Skye had her own space was contributing to the bills, which she was still insisting she would do.
It was funny, they knew Skye loved and thrived when they took care of her, but she insisted she would not be a burden for them, even when they kept saying that she was not. Hell, they loved it, when she let them take care of her.
“Hey, what are you two doing?” Bobbi asked when she came into the living room and sat down on Skye’s other side.
“Nothing much, just relaxing,” Melinda answered, sending a small glare at Bobbi over Skye’s head.
Skye knew exactly what Melinda was doing, it was both amusing and scary when they got all possessive over her, but until now they had been almost polite towards each other.
“Okay then, so Skye are you feeling okay, about tomorrow?” Bobbi asked, Melinda snorted, very amused that she herself had just asked the same.
“Humph, what was that for?” Melinda asked, when there was a small jab in her side.
“You know why,” Skye said, giving her a pointed look, Melinda just smirked at Skye when she had turned her attention back to Bobbi.
Bobbi looked confused at the interaction, but when Skye turned back to her with a smile, she found that she did not really care.
“Melinda just asked the same, I am nervous, but otherwise I am okay, I think,” Skye said.
“That’s good, you don’t have to worry too much, you will have Maria and Melinda with you, and Natasha and I, will not be far,” Bobbi said. Skye smiled at Bobbi and nodded.
Natasha and Maria came a few minutes later, and sat down, “Are you ready for tomorrow?” Natasha asked. Skye couldn’t contain her laughter, neither could Bobbi, Melinda could deny all she wanted, but Skye heard her chuckle too. Natasha and Maria didn’t have a clue to what was happening in front of them.
The five of them were at the checkpoint in front of the Triskelion, “Commander Hill, welcome back, who is with you in the car?” a woman asked.
“Hi, Hayward, thank you. I have Romanoff, May, Morse, and a guest with me. Her badge should be there, the name is Skye,” Maria said nodding at the woman.
“Ah yes, I can see that, here you go, and have a nice day,” the woman said, handing Maria a badge with a nod.
“Thank you, you too,” Maria said, handing the badge to Natasha beside her and driving off.
“Here Skye, you need to wear this when we get into the building,” Natasha said, handing Skye the badge.
“Okay,” Skye said and put on the badge.
They had parked the car and were on their way to Fury’s office. Natasha and Bobbi said they would be in one of the break rooms nearby; Maria knocked on the door, when they heard an “enter,” they walked in.
“Hill, May, welcome back,” an Alpha male, assumingly Fury, said from behind his desk.
“Hello sir,” Maria said, and May nodded. “Skye this is Nick Fury, our boss, and Nick this is Skye,” Maria said.
Skye did not really know what to do so she waved awkwardly, “Hi,” she said, he gave her a nod back.
“So, I would like to hear a little more about how you got that file and how you got into Romanoff and May’s house,” Fury said.
“Um, I don’t know, not really. I mean it took a while before I found the file, your system is good but, not that good. As to how I got into Nat and Mel’s house that's easy, seriously the panel is outside of the house, well it is only wires, but still, it was easy,” Skye said.
“Our technicians said that only one of the windows was disabled. They did not even know that that could be done, especially when you did not have access to the settings or control systems, so how did you do that?” Fury asked.
“I just did, messing around with the wires and stuff,” Skye answered.
“Messing around,” Fury said, disbelieving in his voice and body language.
“Okay, I would like to offer you a job, but considering who your mates are, we have to keep your identity a secret to most of the organization, as protection, and I don’t think we need to send you to the academy, but a SO will be appointed to you,” Fury said.
“SO?” Skye asked.
“Supervising officer, a trainer you could call it. This person will teach you the rules and protocols we have, but I have a feeling that your mates want to help with your combat training,” Fury said.
“Ah okay, that sounds okay, but I am not really into the big brother company thing,” Skye said.
“That is okay, we have a lot of freelancers and consultants that feel the same way, I even think some of our agents feel like that,” Fury said.
Before Skye made her decision, she looked over to Maria and Melinda in confirmation of what Fury said to be true, both responded with a nod to say he was being truthful.
Skye turned back to Fury, “Okay what would I be doing on a daily basis?” Skye asked.
“Well, first you will have a few weeks with your SO, learn from them, and during that time, I would like to know how you got past the alarm system. I would also like for you to take a look at our cybersecurity and improve it,” Fury said.
“Okay, that doesn't sound so bad,” Skye said.
“Great, but first we have to register you in our database. Only agents that are level 9 or higher can see the real file on you, others will just see a consultant file,” Fury said.
Skye looked nervously at him and then Melinda and Maria, but nodded in acceptance. “So, it will appear that I am only a consultant, but I am really an agent?” Skye asked in confirmation.
“Yes, that’s correct, it is all for your protection,” Fury said, Skye looked to Melinda and Maria again, both of them smiled at her.
“And then when your fill has been processed, and office set up, I would like you to take a look at this, when you have time in between the other tasks you have been given,” Fury said, pulling an absolutely ancient laptop from a drawer in his desk and setting it in front of her. “Your first task will be to crack this. We have had it for years, and no one has been able to get it open. I think maybe you can,” Fury said, her hands itched to get a hold on the old computer, loving the challenge.
“You will have an office in the consultant wing of the teaching department, a few floors down from here, beside Melinda’s department actually, so you will be close to one of your mates,” Fury said.
“When do I start?” Skye asked.
“Hmm, what about today, when we are done here?” Fury asked.
“Fine by me,” Skye said, still eyeing the old computer.
“Do we have to be worried?” Maria asked, nudging Skye.
“What?” Skye asked, looking confused at Maria.
“With the way you are looking at that computer,” Maria explained, Skye scowled at her. Melinda chucked, hugging Skye with one arm.
“Don’t tease her Maria,” Melinda said.
“Fine, fine,” Maria said.
“Can we move this along,” Skye grumbled.
Maria and Melinda walked with Skye, who had the old computer in hand, to the tech department. Skye was told that it would raise suspicions if Melinda were to go with her and Maria, but she would be just across the hall, if Skye needed anything. Melinda said goodbye at the door and also offered to take the old computer with her, she told Skye she could lock it in her desk for her. Skye smiled and looked to Maria for permission, when she got it, Skye gave Melinda the computer.
“And here is your office miss Sutter” Maria said, they had settled for the last name of Sutter for Skye.
“Thanks, it looks a little bare,” Skye said.
“Yes, but on the plus side, consultants can decorate their offices how they want. You also won’t be interrupted as much, since there is a small divider between the full SHIELD employees and the consultants. This end is primarily for the consultants and the other for the full SHIELD employees,” Maria said.
“Cool,” Skye said.
“So, what do you want for your office?” Maria asked.
“Can I have a mini fridge?” Skye asked.
“Yes, what would you like it to be filled with?” Maria said.
“Uhm,” Skye just looked at Maria.
“What about water, soda, and energy drinks,” Maria said more than asked.
“Sure, that would be nice,” Skye answered.
“Then I will put that in, when the other fridges and break rooms are restocked, so will yours be,” Maria said.
Skye chose not to say anything in response to that, but she did ask if she could get a small soft rug and a beanbag. Maria said that wouldn’t be a problem, they also ordered a desk, a chair, and some shelves.
“So what kind of snacks do you want?” Maria asked.
“Umm some kind of trail mix, hummus, peanut butter, pretzels, granola, chips, and jerky,” Skye said, Maria looked at her, before nodding.
“And some fruits,” Maria said.
“And some fruits,” Skye parroted, which earned her a small glare from Maria.
“Why do I get a feeling that you are going to be trouble?” Maria asked/half joked, Skye just smirked.
“And why do I get a feeling that you are going over budget for my office?” Skye asked.
“I’m not going over budget, Fury raised it for your office,” Maria said.
“Ah ha,” Skye exclaimed.
Maria shook her head, “Come on, we have to go meet your SO, she should be in the conference room soon,” Maria said.
“Who is my SO anyway?” Skye asked.
“Her name is Victoria Hand, she is level 8 and will be the next head of the Hub in a few months, so she was the perfect option,” Maria said.
“What is she like?” Skye asked nervously.
“She can be a bitch sometimes, but she is a good person,” Maria answered.
“Does she know about us?” Skye asked.
“No, not yet, but she should, that way she can better train you,” Maria said.
It didn’t take long for them to get back up to the upper floors. Maria opened a door to a conference room and they were greeted by a tall woman with a red streak in her dark brown hair.
“Commander Hill, I was told that I would be assigned a recruit,” Victoria Hand said when they walked into the room.
“Hand, that is correct. Skye, this is Victoria Hand, Hand this is Skye,” Maria said.
“Hi,” Skye waved her hand.
“Hello,” Hand said, putting out her hand to shake Skye’s; Skye took it and shook her hand.
“Let’s sit down so we can talk,” Maria said.
Victoria Hand massaged her head, “So, you and Bobbi share a soulmate, an Omega soulmate, with Romanoff and May? And I will be her SO? She is going to work in IT on floor seven as a consultant, on paper at least, but in reality, she is an agent?” she asked.
“Yes,” Maria said, Hand sighed.
“Okay, but I am still leaving in a few months, how will that work then?” Hand asked.
“We were thinking, remote counseling and a few face-to-face meetings, where either you come here, or Skye comes to you,” Maria said.
“Okay, I am assuming we start today or?” Hand asked.
“Yes, if you could take Skye down to get her badge and ID, and then give her a tour. After that, it is up to you as to what to do,” Maria said, Hand nodded in response.
They all stood from the table and Maria and Hand shook hands. Maria then turned to Skye, “See you later, and don’t worry we are all close by if anything happens,” Maria told her, they hugged and then Maria left.
“Well shall we?” Hand asked.
“Yeah,” Skye answered, together they walked to IT on the ground floor. “So, why are there so many IT departments?” Skye asked.
“The different departments do different things, for example the ones on floor 3 and 9 are the same, they make sure every agent's computers and connections work as they should, they also make sure every piece of tech in the conference and briefing rooms work, along with working closely with some of the mechanics. And the one we are going to now, on the ground floor, makes sure we receive the correct badges, and visitors get the right ID; they work closely with security. The department you will be working in works with security and mission operation. Due to your status as a consultant, people will only see or know you to work on a few projects, but in reality, you will have a few more projects,” Hand answered.
After Skye had gotten her badge, they went to Victoria’s office. Skye became nervous sitting in front of the tall Alpha.
“Relax Skye, I was just checking how you would do under my judgmental look, you did very well. Most of the agents in SHIELD, almost piss their pants. You only looked a little uncomfortable,” when Skye scowled at her, she smiled, “and even glared back, I like you!” Hand said, Skye huffed. Hand stood up and went over to one of the bookcases and took something from it. “Here, I want you to read these,” Hand said, handing Skye three big and heavy binders.
“What are they?” Skye asked.
“The top one it all of SHIELD’S rules, the second is protocols, and the last one is guidelines for consultants,” Hand said.
“When do you want me to read them by?” Skye asked.
“Hmm, as fast as possible, I will quiz you from time to time. Let’s put these in your office, and then go on the tour,” Hand said.
Later, when Maria came and picked her up from her office, Skye was playing on her phone and didn’t hear Maria arrive. Maria just stood by the door for a moment before knocking on the frame, Skye jumped and fell off her chair. “You okay?” Maria asked, rushing to Skye’s side.
“Yeah, you just startled me,” Skye said, accepting Maria’s hand to help her up.
“Remind me to tell Hand to work on your awareness of your surroundings,” Maria said, causing Skye to groan.
“Was it that bad, with Hand?” Maria asked amused.
“No, she’s cool, I just have one question?” Skye said.
“Yeah, what?” Maria said.
“Her judgmental look, is that a thing?” Skye asked, looking around, to see if anyone was looking at them.
“How did you do?” was Maria’s answer.
“So it is a thing!” Skye exclaimed.
“Yes, and you still have the same pants on, as you did earlier, so that’s good,” Maria said, only to have Skye huff.
“She said I did very well,” Skye said.
“I’m glad to hear that,” Maria said, still amused and it showed in her tone.
Skye took the three binders she had been given, and gave them to Maria, and walked out. Maria stood still for a moment, looking between the three heavy binders in her arms and to the door a few times, before running after Skye.
“Hey, these are heavy!” Maria said when she caught up to Skye.
“Why do you think I gave them to you,” Skye said, smirking.
“You are lucky you are cute,” Maria said.
“This way,” Maria said, gesturing to a different way than Skye was heading, Skye gave her a weird look.
“Isn’t the way to the garage, this way?” Skye said, pointing to the direction she wanted to go.
“It is, but we are taking another way, the others are waiting for us,” Maria said, turning and walking in a different direction, looking back to check if Skye was following her, which she was.
A few minutes later Skye saw Natasha, Melinda, and Bobbi.
“So, Maria, why did you change the plan about meeting at the car?” Natasha asked.
“And why are we meeting in a dark corner, where no one ever comes?” Melinda asked, while Maria disposed of the binders in Bobbi’s arms.
“Because we are taking a different route, a route that only Fury and I have had access to, until now,” Maria said, taking her ID-card and just waving it in front of the left corner of the wall, where a door appeared. “Come on,” Maria said.
“Um, Maria why didn’t I know about this?” Bobbi asked.
“You weren’t cleared to,” Maria answered.
“Uh,” was Bobbi replay.
“Don’t worry Bobbi, we didn’t know about this either,” Melinda said.
“You four will from now on, we also have a small private parking garage that also has access to the main one,” Maria said.
“And what are these?” Bobbi asked.
“Skye’s homework from Hand,” Maria said.
“Okay?” Bobbi said, confusedly looking at Skye.
“What? They are heavy, so I gave them to Maria,” Skye said, Melinda gave Skye a wink and took two of the binders and handed one over to Natasha.
“Melinda, Natasha, and Bobbi, I have your new IDs. Skye yours is already equipped with the necessary code,” Maria said.
“Um Maria, not that all this isn’t nice and all, but why?” Skye asked,
“Both Fury and I thought it would be best, as a protection if something should happen, we can all get away fast and undetected. This will also provide us with some privacy when we all walk together. It’ll also protect you Skye, it would be very dangerous for you, if the wrong people learned about you and us. Then there is also the whole 084 business; it will be best too, if people around here didn’t see you with one of us all the time, people would get suspicious,” Maria said, Skye swallowed the lump in her throat, but nodded.
They soon came to an elevator, Maria pressed the button to the lowest level, “On the top floor is a small break room that we can use sometimes,” Maria mumbled. They quickly made their way through the private garage and then to their car.
“Why was it again we only took one car?” Bobbi asked.
“Because we all wanted to drive with Skye on her first day,” Natasha answered.
On the way back to Melinda and Natasha’s house, Maria informed the others that Victoria liked Skye.