In the Shadows

Chapter One

Season Two, Episode One: Shadows

My boots made a soft tapping noise on the linoleum floor as I made my way through the base, codenamed the Playground by one of the Koenig siblings. My gaze was downcast, focused on the tablet held in my hands, as I weaved my way through the other agents in the halls. I could feel some of their eyes on me as I passed. I was used to it by now, the constant looks and murmurs whenever I came back on base with Coulson. Although I wasn't entirely sure what the looks and whispers were for, I could only assume it was because of my connection to the man we had locked in the basement or due to my position with Coulson, which left everyone baffled, even Skye. 

"Agent Porter," A voice spoke from behind me, causing me to come to a halt, turning toward the agent who had called my name as I lowered my tablet to my side. "Coulson wants you in the briefing room, Agent Skye is back from her mission." 

"Thank you." I gave the agent a small nod before turning on my heel, keeping my tablet at my side as I made my way to the briefing room. It had been a while since I had seen my friend, given the weeks at a time that Coulson and I spent traveling under the guise of finding new agents to bring into the fold. 

"-he's here? Is Melanie-" I heard Skye's voice as I walked into the room. 

A grin appeared on my face as I cleared my throat, setting my tablet on the table before speaking. "I'm here." 

In a mere second, Skye dropped the bag in her hands, enveloping me in the tightest hug possible. "I didn't know when you'd be back." Her words were muffled as she spoke into my shoulder and her breath tickled the back of my neck.

"I didn't know we were coming back until today, so that makes two of us." A small chuckle left my mouth as we pulled away from one another. My eyes scanned her appearance, she had changed a fair amount in the last few weeks, she had more muscle to her, her hair was lighter and she was now sporting bangs, she also seemed less like the happy-go-lucky Skye that I had grown up knowing. This was, no doubt, partially because of what had happened with the team before we came to the Playground. "How are you holding up?" I questioned after a few moments of silence.

Skye rolled her eyes at my concern before shrugging her shoulders. "Not as bad as you are, but I'm hanging in there." She grabbed my arm, pulling me so that we were away from the other agents. "Have you gone down to see him yet?" I knew exactly who she was talking about and the mere thought of him caused my heart to tug.

"No." I shook my head, my gaze casting down to the floor. "He's been asking to see me but.." My voice trailed off. 

"You're afraid," Skye spoke simply, causing my gaze to go back up to her, my eyes narrowing slightly. "Don't give me that look, Mel. You're afraid to see him and that's not anything to be ashamed about. He suffocated and kidnapped you after y'all did the horizontal tango, it's understandable that you don't want to be around him." 

At the mention of what Ward and I had done, my hand shot out, swatting her in the shoulder but my gaze softened nonetheless. "I am not going to dignify that with a response." 

"Mhm, okay, Mel." 

Skye looked as though she was going to speak again before May came up to us, her eyes focused on me. "Coulson wants you in his office." 

***

I sat in one of the chairs in front of Coulson's desk, my gaze fixated on him as he flicked through the file in his hands. When I first entered, he hadn't said much, only telling me to close the door behind me and take a seat while his eyes remained glued to the file. 

My leg bounces as I sat before him, my entire body feeling restless and anxious in the silence of the room. "May said you wanted to-" 

Coulson held up his finger, halting me from finishing my sentence. The silence remained for a few more moments before he closed the file, finally making eye contact with me as he slid it across the desk before speaking. "Carl Creel, a Hydra asset, crashed the team's mission today."