Here Comes The Sun

0-8-4

"I hope this isn't the day we get to open that bottle of Haig," Coulson commented as he sat on the plane. "We're going to China, right?"

"Yep," May said, looking out of the window. "Fun. I guess I could've asked for a worse assignment."

"Wait, asked?" Coulson hid his grin. "So you asked for this assignment, huh?" He turned to look at his partner. "Busted. Didn't want the weekend free for quality time with random civilian number 14?"

May rolled her eyes. "Ugh."

Coulson clambered up to the cockpit. "'Ugh'? Wow. You must really like this guy."

She chuckled. "Maybe I'm tired of dating civilians." May flicked a few switches.

"Well... maybe if it doesn't work out with this one, you and I can talk about that... over a drink." Coulson shrugged as May glanced at him.

She laughed. "Chances are high. This guy is really not my type."

"Already start asking questions?" he sympathized.

"Oh, yeah," May sighed. "He's a shrink"

"Yeesh." Coulson chuckled. "Well, tell me if it goes horribly."

"Here's hoping." She stood up and offered him a hand. "It's a long flight ahead of us. Want to play a round of Go Fish?"

"Always," he replied, accepting a hand up.

After a few minutes of silence, May spoke up. "Why didn't Fury send us with a full team?" she asked as she dealt the cards.

Coulson shrugged. "He said he didn't think it was necessary."

"We're locating the source of small unexplained earthquakes. We at least need someone with a science background."

"I have a bachelor's in physics," Coulson offered. He noticed May's surprised look. "What? I'm not all air up there."

"Physics? Really?" She chuckled. "You're a communications kid."

"That was after college. I wanted to be a science teacher. Well, Fury recruited me in high school but I did my bachelor's at the University." He took a card. "What were your pre-SHIELD options?"

"I've always been fighting." May put down a pair. "Though, being a teacher doesn't sound half bad, if I didn't know that the SHIELD recruits now are so..."

"Volatile?" Coulson guessed. May nodded, and he sighed. "I know. But then again, Garrett was pretty bad when we were students."

"But that's Garrett."

"Good point."

-

A couple of hours later, they landed discreetly in a handy forest as the sun shone down on them from clear blue skies.

"Cool mountain," Coulson commented as he and May trudged down to where Fury said the disruption was.

"It's fine," May replied. "What do you think the 084's going to be?"

"If we're lucky? A cool piece of tech that doesn't need any paperwork." Coulson sighed. "If we aren't lucky, it's probably some out-of-control enhanced dude."

They walked down to the village who felt and called in the seismic vibrations that had sent small landslides down the side of the mountain. A man was waiting for them there, probably around 50 or 60 years old.

"Hello there." Coulson glanced at May, who nodded. "We're with SHIELD. Do you speak English?"

The man thought for a moment. "Uh, I no speak English. Uh, you speak, uh, Putonghua? Mandarin?"

May nodded and they started talking. A few minutes later, she caught Coulson up.

"They think it's coming from the abandoned house in the woods," she informed him. "A couple lived there, but apparently they just disappeared one day."

Coulson nodded. "Okay, let's go."

They walked in silence to where May said the villager said to go.

"How's Lola?" May said out of the blue.

Coulson laughed. "Nope."

"Come on, I haven't seen her in ages."

" You're never driving her again." He walked faster. "I think I see the house," he deflected, like a pro. "Come on."

May sighed and jogged to catch up.

The house was indeed there, looking devoid of life. A small noise came from inside and the two were instantly on guard. They glanced at each other and Coulson nodded.

They opened the unlocked door and crept in, looking around as they went. It seemed like the house life was just paused. Dishes were still out, chairs just sitting out, and there were things everywhere.

Just then, a small quake shook the house.

Trying not to lose his balance, Coulson motioned for May to look on one side of the house and he'd do the other. Amid the tremors, he walked into what seemed to be a nursery.

"Oh my god," he breathed.

Though the floors were shaking, the baby girl seemed perfectly fine, eyes closed and unmoving. Coulson couldn't breathe until she let out a small whimper and opened her eyes. He looked into the cradle at her as she stared curiously back, little quakes shaking the crib.

"Coulson!"

He didn't answer, and a second later, May came running in. She stopped at the doorway.

"Is that what I think it is?" she asked. "Is that-"

"It's a baby," he replied. "And I think she's our 084."