[1] Take the Shot | Leo Fitz

49

You wouldn't know it by looking at her but May was worried. Her usually stoic expression remained unchanged and her tone was as emotionless as ever, but she was still consumed with worry.

She didn't like it, the tightening in the chest, the clammy hands and the thoughts she couldn't quite control.

Nina hadn't checked in like she said she would and Melinda May was worried, she absolutely hated it.

"The Trojan horse worked," Skye said as the more experienced agent worked on cleaning up the injuries Trip had gotten from their rendevous at the barbershop, "it gave us access to the system we wanted. Our secret weapon, we now have eyes on their operation right in the palm of my hand."

"We'll need more than eyes to defeat Garrett," Trip grunted as May stepped away from his freshly bandage body. Coulson entered the room at that and she immediately caught the worried look on his face.

"What is it?" May asked, Skye's demeanour also changing when she noticed Coulson's look.

"FitzSimmons' tracker crossed the ocean. It's in New Mexico," Coulson answered, trying to keep his voice even.

"They managed to tag the plane?" Skye asked and Coulson nodded.

"It appears so," Coulson said, mentally preparing himself for the words he was about to say, "but they're not answering. I can't reach Nina either."

"No," Skye said as she took a startled breath. May didn't outwardly react but her chest tightened a little more because Nina not checking in was odd but not the end of the world. However, the young agent had a thing for hierarchy so not taking Coulson's call meant something was very wrong.

"We can't think about that right now. They may have been captured, but Nina-" Coulson started but paused when his words got caught in his throat. May looked away at the admission of emotion and Trip looked down, "they risked everything to put a tracker on that plane for us and we all know Nina would do anything to protect FitzSimmons."

"Who's going to protect her?" Skye whispered, no one heard her but everyone was thinking the same thing.

"We know exactly where Garrett is and Skye can see what he's doing," Coulson continued, "they are alive, they have to be and catching Garrett is our only shot at finding them."

Coulson nodded his head in absolution and gestured for Skye to tell them everything she knows but while she spoke his mind wondered. I'll keep them safe, that's what Nina had promised him and Nina had yet to break a promise.

He wished he'd gotten her to say she'd be safe too because Coulson didn't think he'd be able to tell Tony that his little sister might not be coming home.

*

At the bottom of the ocean, Fitz sat surrounded by stray items that had fallen in the plunge. Nina's head lay supported on his lap while his arm sat in a makeshift sling. His uninjured arm gripped Nina's wrist tightly, he needed to know she was alive and the continual pulse, very weak but still there, was enough to stop the panic from consuming him.

"You looked very peaceful sleeping," Fitz said softly as Simmons stirred and returned to consciousness, "I didn't want to wake you, Nina says it sucks to be woken up after taking a bad hit but I'm glad that you're up now."

"What's happening?" Simmons sat up and rubbed her hand through her hair stopping when she felt something wet. She pulled her hand away and saw red, dried blood belonging to Nina and fresh blood that belonged to her, "is Nina okay?"

"She's...alive," Fitz answered his hand tightening around his dying girlfriend's wrist, "the bleeding has slowed down, I think the blade's clogging it, acting as some sort of plug. She has a pulse, it's weak but it's there."