Birds of a Feather | | Leo Fitz Book One

Chapter 25

"So yea, that's um, where my dorm used to be at. Very messy, but a nice little place. Very quaint." Leo said as they walked side by side down a set of stairs. "And, erm, over there is the Wall of Valor. Want to check that out?" His voice was so soft, so gentle, he didn't even know the pit Asia's stomach had just dropped into. She didn't blame him of course. One small story about what happened to her family on her first day there? Not exactly memorable.

"Yea, sure, we can do that," Asia mumbled back, rolling her shoulders and straightening her spine. She moved mechanically beside him, every fiber of her being forced to continue forward. When they got there, it was only a few seconds before she found their names. Thomas Monroe, Penelope Monroe, both died for the cause. She found herself reaching out, running her fingertips softly over the engraved marble. And just like that, flashes of memory were back.

Her mother holding her little sister, America, Mer, while she held an ice cream cone out to Asia. Mint chocolate chip, her favourite. Her dad, scooping her up and swinging her around, before covering her forehead in soft kisses. Her parents, gazing at each other with this proud, loving looks. Their home, smelling like cookies and whatever meal her father was stirring up that night. Her mother, her hair smelling like vanilla. Asia felt woozy, as if she were about to faint.

And suddenly, Leo's arms were around her, hugging her, supporting her up. "I'm sorry Asia,it, it completely slipped my mind." His hands rubbed slowly up and down her back, gently applying pressure.

She buried her head in his shoulder, breathing deeply, taking in his spicy scent. "It's okay. I didn't think it would affect me this much." Natasha would shake her head, tell her to pull it together. She was a trained agent, showing emotions in public was a sign of weakness. "Maybe we should get to the lecture hall, so we can get you set up now, yea?" She suggested, pulling away from him.

"Yes, erm, let's go get that taken care of. I've got a seat reserved for you, right up in the front." Leo said with a soft smile, his cheeks slightly tinted pink.

"That's nice of you," she replied back, forcing on a smile, an act which was well practiced. "I'll have the best view in the house."

"Well, wouldn't want my best friend missing out on anything, now would I?" He asked, fidgeting with his tie, making sure it was straight.

Gently, Asia slipped her fingers around the tie and adjusted it for him, then patting it down. "There. Perfectly perfect in every way." Together, they walked off towards the lecture hall. The Wall of Valor, though behind them, was ever present in Asia's mind.

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She wasn't going to lie, it was incredibly amusing to watch Jemma and Leo on stage, and the reactions they got from the crowd. As Agent Weaver announced them, the students around her broke into cheers. As they modestly acknowledge the crowd, Leo looked down at her and waved a tiny wave. Asia couldn't help but smile.

"Thank you, Agent Weaver. It's nice to be back. Unfortunately, it has to be under these circumstances," Jemma replied to Agent Weaver with a modest bow of her head.

"If you don't know the history of S.H.I.E.L.D. by now, there's no excuse...unless you fell asleep in Professor Vaughn's class, that's a perfectly acceptable excuse," Leo said, letting out a low chuckle. The students in the room burst into a laugh. Asia quirked an eyebrow, looking two rows back at Skye, who looked equally confused. Must be a SciTech thing.

"Our instincts as scientists is to move forward, advance quickly, push the envelope," Jemma continued, "But given recent circumstances it makes sense to reflect back on our history." Ah yes. The age old 'reflection' story. Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it. This was a story Asia knew too well, and was part of the reason her past was ever present in her mind. She didn't want to lose people like that again. She leaned back into her seat, listening to her friends' twist on the familiar speech....

"And S.H.I.E.L.D. was founded after the SSR was able to defeat the nearly indomitable force known as Hydra," Leo said, gesturing with his hands.

"We tend to forget that these organizations, Hydra, Centipede, A.I.M., were also made up of extremely brilliant scientists. Men and woman who started with the same unlimited potential as you or I," Jemma continued. This was a lesson all these kids needed to hear.

"Potential can sometimes be dangerous," He glanced down at Asia as if he were speaking directly to her, although she couldn't quite guess why. "Plutonium has the potential to power a city or to be a nuclear bomb."

"Today," Jemma carried on, "we'd like to share a few stories from the field in which we learned this lesson up close and faced consequences when untested technology or biology lands in the wrong hands." Unfortunately, they had plenty.

Suddenly, from behind them, a short haired student started shouting. "Oh God, oh God!" He scrambled up, staring down at his legs, "What is this?" Ice was forming over his feet, crawling up his legs like ivy. Asia's eyes were wide with shock and she whipped her head back to look at Leo, before leaping over the seats to arrive next to the student in trouble.

"Hey! What's happening to me?!? Help me! Help me! Get it off! Can anybody help me?!? Make it stop! Help me get it off! No! Make it stop!" The kid was still screaming, understandably panicked. Leo and Jemma were by his side momentarily.

"Find exposed skin!" Jemma barked out in order, "He needs glucose to raise his body's natural freezing point." She was rummaging through a medical kit nearby.

The exposed skin was quickly becoming less possible to locate. In a matter of seconds, he was completely covered. "I need something to break the ice!" Leo said quickly. Asia whipped out a small penknife from her pocket and handed it to him. "Perfect, thanks," he said, not taking his eyes off of the student as he began to chip away at his neck. "Ready when you are, Jemma."

Jemma was beside Leo and suddenly jabbing a needle into the boy's neck.

"Asia, I need you to find the device." Leo said sternly, "it needs to be in close proximity to be doing this to him."

Ward was leaping down the stairs two and a time, and Skye was looking under benches. "Over there!" Skye said, pointing to a small, can-like glowing device beneath a chair. Asia flipped over a row of seats, slamming her heal down on the glass of the device, cracking it. It began to smoke and hiss.

The brunette looked up back at Leo and the boy. The ice on him was starting to rapidly crack and break free. With a sigh of relief, Asia let her head rest against the arm of a nearby chair for a moment. It was okay. The boy would be okay.