Growing Up S.H.I.E.L.D.

Chapter 3: Knockout

Ciara's POV

Coulson and I walked into the lab.

"Do we have a problem in here?" asked Coulson.

Everyone went silent.

"No sir," said Ward. "Just working on our communication."

I raised an eyebrow. Yeah. Right. We'll go with that.

"Not everyone was prepared for a firefight," said Ward as he looked at Simmons.

"We got out, didn't lose anyone, saved a few of theirs. I'd say we did alright. Anything else?"

Skye raised her hand. "Uh, yeah, I have a small question. Because I've been feeling like the tag-along, hayseed rookie, but now I get the sense that Ward doesn't know which one's Simmons and which one's Fitz, and they've seen even less gunfire than me. And I'm no rocket scientist, but is this your first mission together?"

"No. Of course not," said Simmons. "It's our second."

"I was your first? That's sweet."

"You're amused?" Ward said and asked at the same time.

"I'm terrified. I am in way over my head, but I've been on this team just as long as any of you. I might as well be team captain."

Simmons scoffed and Fitz looked up. Honestly, I think Skye made some good points. Coulson gave Skye a vaguely stern look.

"Just joking," Skye said in a quieter voice. "But maybe that's not a bad idea, because these guys do not like each other much."

"This isn't about that," Ward pitched in, frustrated. "I am a specialist. Today, I could have eliminated the enemy threat myself if I was working alone, but I had non-combat ready agents—"

"Whoa, whoa, wait," interrupted Fitz. "You work alone?"

"It's so typical," continued Simmons. "Who do you think designs your equipment?"

"Or the polymers for your weaponry? People like us do it" said Fitz as Simmons exclaimed "Yeah, well, try going into the field with just your bare bum!"

In the time since Skye had last spoke, she had walked over to where Coulson and I were standing. I was starting to get uncomfortable with all the arguing, but I didn't really want to let that show, so I continued to stand still next to Coulson with my best poker face on. Nothing to see here folks.

"See them proving the point I just made?" said Skye.

"You're not wrong," Coulson said loudly, gaining the attention of everyone in the room. "We still need to iron out the kinks. But, Ward, you can speak six languages. Simmons, you have two PhDs in fields I can't pronounce, and, Fitz, you are a rocket scientist. So work it out," and with that, Coulson turned and left us in the room to our own devices.

"I'm. . . I'm good at stuff too!" Skye called after him, but he didn't turn around. I gave Skye a sad smile. After all, he didn't say anything about me either.

—**—

After everyone had disappeared to go do their own thing, I crawled under a table in the lab and leaned against the wall. Fitz and Simmons are the only other people in here, and I'd rather be with them then with a bunch of strangers.

"Ciara, are you alright?" asked Simmons as Fitz asked "What're you doing?"

Both good questions. I made some vague gesture with my hands that was entirely unhelpful in answering either of them.

Simmons walked over to the table I'm under and kneeled down so we were face-to-face.

"Are you alright?" Simmons asked again, her voice gentle.