The Academy

Chapter 2

"Where's the girl?" Fury asked as he landed on the Bus about a month later. "I hear she's woken up."

Coulson looked up at him and smiled happily. "In the lab, sir."

Fury nodded as he sat down in the chair across from Coulson's desk. "You still keeping her on your team?"

Coulson looked shocked. "Of course."

"Figured," Fury muttered under his breath. Coulson was practically picking up civilians off the street and recruiting them now. Fury pointed a finger at Coulson. "She can stay. But," he paused, "absolutely no missions for nine months."

Coulson nearly spit out the coffee he was drinking. "Nine months?! With respect, what the hell, sir?"

"Coulson," Fury was stern, "no arguments. If you really want her to become an agent like you were telling me before she got shot, she's going to need some training."

"Agent Ward is training her."

"She needs to know more than just a few moves. Agent Ward is the best agent we have besides Romanov and Barton, yes, but she's going to need some other experience before I agree to letting her join. Nine months recovery at the Academy, no arguments," Fury finished before storming out of the office and closing the door.

Coulson stared after him, dumbstruck. Skye had just woken up and now he wanted to take her away for nine months? Hell to the no. But then Coulson sighed, Fury did have a very good point. He ran a hand through his already thinning hair and walked down to the lab to deliver the news to the team.

Coulson walked down the spiral staircase and met up with May. "Fury was just here."

May nodded. "I know, I heard him land. What did he want?"

"He's taking Skye away for nine months," Coulson said gloomily.

May furrowed her brow and turned to look at him. "He what?"

"He wants her to take nine months recovery and do a little bit of training at the Academy if she's going to become an agent."

May nodded slowly. "It makes sense."

"Melinda," Coulson said as they watched Ward and FitzSimmons sit by Skye's bed telling her what she had missed over the past month, which wasn't much, but still, "the team was a wreck when she wasn't here for one month, how do you think they're going to take it when she gone for nine months?"

"That's something you're going to have to find out for yourself, boss," she teased as she retreated to the cockpit to fly the plane.

_________________

Skye struggled and lifted the blanket off of herself. She maneuvered to the edge of the bed and swung her legs over the edge. A sudden tapping on the glass window caught her attention. Simmons stood on the other side and sternly said. "No! What did I say?"

Skye sighed as Simmons walked in and helped her back into bed. "Every time. It's like you have a sensor for every time I leave this bed," Skye commented as she sat up.

"Back in it now," Simmons shot her a stern look as she monitored Skye's vitals.

"I just want to stretch my legs," Skye whined.

"Now."

"Look, there's color in my cheeks and I'm breathing without feeling like my whole body's on fire, I'm good," Skye tried to reason with her.

Simmons scoffed. "Good is not the word for this particular situation. You were shot twice, your stomach was perforated, you were in a coma for a month, and you had a breathing tube stuffed down your throat. Better is the more accurate word."

"Not sure how I feel about Dr. Simmons, she's so strict," Skye grumbled as she lay back down in the bed.

"Well patient Skye is unruly and stubborn," Simmons countered.

Skye smiled at her and put all joking aside. "And grateful. I hope you know that."

"I didn't do it alone," Simmons replied.

"Still, I'm the most grateful-est-est person alive," Skye joked.

"That's not even a word," Simmons chuckled as she fiddled with some of Skye's blood work.

There was a knock on the door as Agent Ward appeared. He sent Skye a small smile that made her heart soar. "Hey, is this a bad time?"

"It is if you're here to bust me out," Skye joked with him. She turned towards Simmons and put on a fake British accent. "The warden had extended house arrest."

Simmons rolled her eyes and muttered. "Awful accent," as she left the two alone.

"I must look terrible, Simmons won't even bring me a mirror," Skye said as she tried to cover her face.

"I've seen worse," Ward commented as he leaned against the doorway.

"Wow thanks," she raised an eyebrow.

"I mean you look better than when you were dying," Ward struggled.

"Swinging and missing Ward," Skye laughed as she blushed and looked down, hoping he wouldn't notice it.

"It's great to see you, better."

Skye gave him a small smile and then replaced it with a frown. She shook her head and she looked down at her hands. "It was so stupid to go in there alone."

Ward made his way to the chair beside her bed and he sat down. "Hey, don't do this now, you were brave."

"Still, I should've waited for you," Skye said, realizing how foolish her actions were a month ago.

There was a knock on the door and Coulson appeared. He looked between the two agents and asked. "Am I interrupting?"

Skye chuckled. "Not at all, what's up, AC?"

Coulson rolled his eyes at the nickname but let the corner of his lip twitch upward. He looked at Skye and suddenly seemed to be very nervous. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news..."

Skye raised an eyebrow. "What's happened?"

"Fury was just here and he said that he wants you to take some time off to recover," Coulson explained.

Skye looked a little bummed but she understood. "Makes sense, I suppose. Still sucks though. I thought it was going to be something a lot worse."

"He wants you to recover at the Academy-"

"Awesome!" Skye interrupted him, "I've always wanted to go there! This is going to be so cool," she smiled and commented excitedly.

"For nine months..." Coulson finished.

Skye immediately stopped her celebrating and looked at Coulson in confusion. "What?"

"He says that before you can become an agent he wants you to get a little more training. He figures that you can get some more training as soon as you recover."

"Should I be offended?" Ward asked with a small smirk.

Coulson smirked back at him. "Everyone knows that you're tied with Barton and Romanov for the best scores in the Academy, Ward. I think Fury just wants her to work with more than one person."

Ward nodded slowly and then smiled at Skye. "I'll see you later." He stood up from his chair and then walked out of the room.

Skye gave him a big grin and then turned towards Coulson. "Nine months, huh? Wow."

Coulson nodded and sat down in the chair that Ward had been sitting in. "I'm sorry. I tried to reason with him-"

Skye cut him off by holding up a hand. "It's alright, Coulson, I get it. I want to become an agent more than anything. I'm willing to do what he wants." She whispered quietly to herself, "even if it's stupid."

The small smile on Coulson's face as he left indicated that he had heard her, but at that moment, he was kind of inclined to agree.

Double update to get you started. Let me know what you thought!