Before You Go

Attack

This is where the fun begins

___

Immediately, Jemma dropped the razor. It clattered to the ground as she groped around in the darkness.

Her fingers found the light switch and she tried it a few times to no avail. Opening the bathroom door just bore more darkness. She grit her teeth. Though it had been a few days since waking up for the first time in Fitz's bed, she still didn't trust herself enough to find her way around the base in total darkness.

"Fitz?" She called out tentatively. It was a shot in the dark - no pun intended - but maybe he was close enough to hear. Or perhaps he'd already come looking for her.

Jemma stumbled her way to the door leading out of the bedroom, only stubbing her toe once on the bedpost. Outside, agents were running hurriedly down the emergency-lit hallways. She tried to push down a wave of nausea at the sight of side arms being drawn, loaded and readied. Whatever had happened, it wasn't pretty.

"Simmons!"

Jemma's head jerked the other way, seeing Skye running toward her in tactical gear.

"Skye! Oh, thank goodness. The lights just went out and -"

Skye shoved her back into the room, locking the door behind them. Jemma stumbled back, barely catching herself as Skye flipped on a flashlight.

Before she could open her mouth, Skye threw a black vest at her. Jemma stumbled back the weight of it. "Put this on," she commanded, tapping a button on her gauntlet.

Jemma clamped her mouth shut and did as she was told. The vest was heavy, but she immediately recognized it from her studies - Kevlar. She swallowed around the lump in her throat.

"I found her," Skye barked into her wrist. Then, the turned back to Jemma and passed her a gun. She fumbled it, shaking her head violently.

"No, I don't -"

"Take it," Skye pressed. "You might need it,"

She took it, holding it as if it were a lit bomb. "Okay, and the lights -"

"EMP," Skye muttered, tapping a few things on her gauntlets. "HYDRA, judging from the looks of it,"

Jemma swallowed hard. She hadn't yet seen Skye like this before - analytical, ready. It had all been joy and playfulness so far. She braced her mind for a reality check.

"You mean the ones that," she tapped her head.

"Yeah," Skye breathed. "Listen, Fitz and Lizzie are in Coulson's office. If things go south, it's your job to get SHIELD Intel and your family out of here. Got it?"

Jemma nodded, too stunned to do much more. "And you? You just gave me your only gun, you know,"

Skye smirked at her in the dim light of her flash light. "I've got something much better than a gun, Jem,"

Jemma eyed her warily. "What do you mean?"

Skye grabbed her wrist. "You'll know it when you see it. Just keep close, crouch behind me. I'm getting you to Coulson's office."

Without another word, she kicked the door open and led her into the chaos.

---

There was a tense silence as they moved from corner to nook and back again. Skye wasn't taking any chances with her, meaning every corner had to be scouted before she'd let Jemma around.

In the end, it payed off.

"Duck!" Skye barked, jumping more protectively in front of the scientist.