In the Shadows

Chapter Seven

Season Two, Episode Ten: What They Become

Nearly the entire flight to the city, I could feel Skye's eyes burning into me, barely looking away for even a second. I could hear the grunts of annoyance that came from her every time I spoke and the scoffs whenever Ward and I were standing or sitting near each other. No matter what I did, I couldn't distract myself from the hatred I could feel radiating off of her. Being out of the confines of the small plane was a relief when we finally landed, but there was still no escaping the tension as I lead her through the compound Hydra had taken residence in. 

"So, you're with Hydra now, huh?" Skye questioned, breaking the deafening silence between the two of us as we walked through the hallways. 

I let out a scoff, shaking my head at her words. "As I said on the Bus, I'm not Hydra." 

"Are you sure? Because it looks like you are." She rebutted, going silent for a few moments before speaking again, deciding she wasn't done rubbing salt in my wounds. "You betrayed us, Melanie, for Ward and Hydra. Was it worth it? Was it worth losing the trust of everyone who cared about you? You know what we went through when we found out Ward was Hydra, wh-" 

I stopped in my tracks, my hand shooting out from my side to grab her arm, a cold look forming on my face as I stared at her for a few moments. "I am not Hydra, I did not leave you just for Ward. You're smarter than this, Skye, you should know that's not why I left." The pain on her face caused by my grip caused me to falter, my hand immediately dropping to my side and the anger within me to subside. "I'm not Hydra," I repeated one last time before straightening out and beginning forward again.  

"If you're not Hydra then what are you?"

"I'm an agent and I am completing a mission." My gaze flickered around the halls, all too aware of the Hydra agents that lingered in the halls. 

"Your Hydra mission included you kidnapping me? Yeah, I got that already." She let out a scoff, shaking her head at me.

"No, Skye, you don't understand."

"So explain it to me then, I'd love to hear an excuse for what you did."

My gaze fell to the floor, a wave of sadness rolling over me as a sigh left my mouth. I didn't know how to answer her. No matter how many times I tried to tell her I wasn't Hydra, how many times I tried to subtly clue her in as to what was actually happening, it wasn't getting us anywhere. We were talking in circles. "I don't have an excuse, Skye. You just need to trust that I am not Hydra and I am doing what needs to be done." 

"I don't trust you, Melanie. You betrayed us."

I nodded my head, not bothering to audibly reply. There was nothing more that I could say to her, nothing to explain the reasons for what I had done. I couldn't force her to believe me, nor could I force her to trust me. I was just going to have to hope that she could come to forgive me, that she could see that I hadn't betrayed her because I wanted to but because I had a mission. We came to a stop at the end of the hallway, a large door in front of us and Hydra soldiers behind us as I turned to look at her. "Here we are."

Skye looked up at the door, her brows furrowing with confusion. "Where's here?"

"You'll see. You just need to know that this wasn't my plan, Ward said he made a promise. I'm just here to make sure you don't get hurt," I spoke, my tone becoming cooler as I reached for the handle, opening the door to allow Skye in.

The confusion on her face dropped into a look of what I thought was fear or shock, before she quickly hid it, masking her expression behind a facade of confidence in herself. I could only imagine what Skye was feeling. The first she had heard of her father was from Ward and then we found the carnage he had left behind, there was no doubt in my mind that Skye was either afraid of her father or hated him.