X marks the spot

Rewind

"This is my fault, I'm going to take full..." Fitz started to say to defend his friends, only for the lights to flicker again. "...Responsibility." He finished. Looking around, everyone was gone. Everyone apart from one. Aaron. "Fitz?" The boy asked, confused. Fitz didn't answer. The two backed away from their food as if it had eaten them instead. The plates were still there, the food seemed to still be warm.

Sirens blared, the two acknowledging them. But too much in a daze to do anything about them. "Jemma?" Fitz asked. "Daisy?" Aaron followed with. Finally, the two reacted to the sirens. But it was already too late.

"Hands in the air!" A soldier demanded. The two complied. Even though they just went through this before. They were surrounded. Talbot's right-hand woman stormed in, demanding to know where the others were. "We don't know." Aaron answered honestly. Her partner shoved his gun in their faces, Aaron quickly moved in front of his friend. "Get out of the way kid." The man demanded. "Only when I'm dead." He spat back. "Where are the others?" The man yelled, his patience wearing thin. The two were still in a state of shock. Demanding they be let go and to find their friends. But the army sergeants weren't listening.

"Look, kid. We have you on camera. You and your little ragtag group all walk in. Then it's just you two. We know you're inhuman. So, what stunt did you pull?" The male agent asked the boy who sat in the room. Aaron only kept his gaze on the woman in the room, whose gaze held an unreadable look. But, she looked like someone that just wanted an answer. And, was that pity on her face? No, probably not. "Where's Fitz?" Was the question that Aaron kept repeating over and over as a deflection. The man was fed up at this point. Slamming his hand on the table, Aaron not even flinching. He only give him an uncaring look. "I've faced worse than you. People that would follow through with the second part of that." Aaron scoffed.

"Look. We've read what we can find. You're a ghost. And, you seem to be telling the truth. As is Fitz. But..." The woman trailed off, not really knowing where to go from there. Aaron only gave her a look of slight understanding. And, yet, fear was underneath it as well. "Just follow the procedure." He advised; his voice almost devoid of any emotion. "And, what would you know about that?" The man asked, Aaron only kept his eyes on the female as he answered, "Throw me in a cell. And throw away the key. But give Fitz all he needs, that's all I ask for in my homecoming." He finished. The woman looked at her partner. He was considering it. While she was just surprised that he even offered that solution.

The door opened, a woman of higher command walking in. Aaron froze for a moment in genuine fear. He couldn't get out. He'd be shot. But maybe that'd be better off than doing this. Then seeing her again. No. No. No. No.

"Mr Aaron Johnson. Previously known as X-50." Aaron flinched at the name. To the other two, it was probably his reaction to the name. And, they'd be partly right. But only partly. She flicked through his file, going over it with interested eyes. Before she slammed it shut, Aaron even flinched at the simple sound. Then at a chair scrap. And finally, at the folder hitting the table.

Silence came upon the room. Aaron knew what he had to do. He had to look up. He had to see her again. He'd fought against Grant Ward, John Garret, an AI, a serial killer; and a hostile other world. But, this? This was too real. This was going too far back.

He complied with their want though, slowly making his gaze meet hers, "Your friend has a theory as to where your friends are."

Aaron nodded, "Then why am I still here?"

"Where would you rather be?"

"Where would you rather I be? You won. I'm here. I'm back. Let's just get this over with, Hale. Might be more difficult. I'm hard to put six feet under. Not for lack of trying on my part."