Skimmons: Survival

2

At some point Skye and Jemma must have fallen asleep because they woke up in the same position that Jemma last remembered. Her head pillowed on Skye's shoulder and that same arm of Skye's wrapped around Jemma's waist. It was a familiar position for the two of them. Comfort found in the normality.

"Skye, honey. We've landed. It's time to get up." Jemma shook her shoulder gently, only to be wrapped up in Skye's arm and squeezed against her.

"You're the best, you know that?" Skye asked.
"So I've been told." Jemma responded, as Skye let her up. "Come on, babe. We gotta go."
"Finnnnne." she complained.
"I know. It sucks." Jemma patted her back as they changed.
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St. Agnes' was a beautiful old church, Jemma decided, but she could understand why growing up there would suck. It was a little intimidating.

"Sister Estella?!" Skye called when they came in through the giant double doors to the foyer.

"Mary! It's so nice to see you again! You've certainly grown! The last I'd heard, you were seventeen and had run away from another foster family. How old are you now? Are you okay? Are you hungry?" the nun asked, fussing over Skye as though she were still a child.

"I'm 24, Sister Estella, and I'm working for SHIELD now. We've been getting some strange readings from the area and my partner Jemma and I were sent to investigate. Have you noticed anything? May I check the kids' rooms?" Skye asked, smiling at the sister with the sort of love one reserves for their mother.

"So you're the Jemma I've heard so much about. My Mary must love you a whole lot to talk about you so much." Estella said with a wink.

"Mary, huh? I wasn't even aware that Skye wasn't your name. When we get home, you and I are due for a very long talk." Jemma scolded.

"I hate being called Mary and Sister Estella knows it." Skye said with a petulant scowl that Jemma immediately found adorable.

"Sister Prudence is going to be so excited to see you home." Sister Estella said, leaving Skye behind to show Jemma the children's quarters.

"We should hurry before they get back. Sister Estella already noticed that I'm armed I bet." Skye suggested her face falling.

"I can't believe you used to live here." Jemma said, looking around. "Which room was yours?" she asked.

"Third door on the right." Skye mumbled, lifting up the mattress in the first room and looking underneath it. Jemma looked in and for some reason was immensely disappointed that another child had moved in since Skye had left despite the six year or so difference. She couldn't see anything of Skye in the room. Silently Skye joined her and knelt down next to a plain grey wall with a loose stone that only the children of the orphanage could tell was there. She worked at it with a pocket knife and loosed the stone.
"Oh, you must be kidding guys." she laughed and pulled out a blunt. She dropped it on the ground and smushed it with the heel of her boot.

"This one was mine. I wanted to grab it for you." Skye said pulling out a flash drive.

"What's MSP?" Jemma asked.

"My initials. Don't ask because I won't answer. I've never forgiven Prudence for naming me that. It's terrible. I'm not Mary the little lost girl. I'm Skye, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. It's customary to take something and to leave something else behind." she explained as she put an envelope into the hole.

"What's that?" Jemma asked as she put the flash drive in her pocket.

"A letter and around three hundred dollars in cash." Skye said blankly.

Jemma's eyes widened in surprise as they checked the last room, but thankfully she didn't say anything. She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed Skye's cheek.

"You're literally one of the best people that I've ever met. I love you, Skye." Jemma told her.

"I love you too, Jems. Thank you for being so patient." Skye replied, kissing the top of Jemma's forehead.

"Mary!" another nun called and soon they were surrounded by women in habits. Jemma quickly gave up even trying to keep track of their names.

"It was so great seeing all of you. Give my love to Mother Superior and everyone. I'm going to show Jemma the gardens and then we'll go. I'll write again next week. Kiss a baby for me."

"We'll fix you a to-go lunch!" Prudence said and they all bustled away to the kitchens.

"Come on, Jemma. This you need to see." Skye said, and Jemma could see a small sad smile creep up Skye's mouth.

"When I was little I dreamed about bringing my family here. If I ever found one, or made one. This is more than perfect for me." Skye said

Jemma looked at the beautiful flowers and was finally able to picture Skye among them. She could see Skye climbing in the trees and smelling the lilies. She could see Skye hiding behind a rose bush to cry and slowly grow into the woman she saw beside of her today.