Renegade Rising || Leo Fitz Book Two

Chapter Thirtytwo

As Asia slung her fist, hard, at the punching bag in front of her, her watch beeped loudly. Brushing back loose strands of hair, she looked down at the device on her wrist. She was requested at the Bus, mission time.

Grabbing her duffle bag, she slung it over her shoulder and jogged off to her room to grab her things. When she slipped into her room, Leo was already there, packing a bag of his own, grabbing a few jumpers he had left in her room. Without looking up as she entered, he lifted up his right arm towards her, holding her leather jacket out in her direction, already knowing she would be looking for it.

She grabbed it thankfully, and slipped her arms into the sleeves, zipping it up thankfully. The jacket reminded her she needed to try and get in contact with Nat and Clint again. Both had gone incognito following the fall of SHIELD and as famous as they were, the two agents new damn well how to make sure no one would find them. Wherever they were headed on this mission, Asia would make sure she spent the flight scrolling through their traditional radio frequencies, see if she could pick up any hint of her mentors. They had to be in touch somehow.

Grabbing some of her clothes, she quickly packed them into her bag and zipped it shut. "Shall we?" She turned and smiled at Leo, pushing the thought that this was her first mission after...the change...to the back of her mind. Everything would be fine. It always was. She wondered if far off, in her own room, Skye was trying to convince herself of the same exact thing. She was fairly certain she was, but she also couldn't feel any small rumblings in the building which was a damn good sign. After her bag was packed, she sighed and turned to look at Leo, smiling softly. "Shall we?"

Leo pulled her too him, kissing her forehead gently, and tucking her head under his, breathing in the soft vanilla scent of her hair. He was only the slightest bit worried about Asia going out on a mission. Only slightly. He wanted to make sure she stayed safe, and all the stress they were about to face probably wouldn't be the worlds best situation, but he also knew Asia would not be coddled. She would not sit there and let anyone hold her back from doing her job, from helping others. It was stitched into her DNA, and he couldn't help but love her for it. "I'm ready if you are," was all he could muster, and it was true enough. When she looked up at him and smiled, it pushed whatever worry he had aside. She was happy. Happy to be getting out, to be doing something.

"Let's go then," she said, giving him a quick kiss on the lips and turning away to head for the door, but he grabbed her waist and spun her back to him, pressing his lips against hers once more, this time with more fierceness, with a hunger, a passion that lit up a fire inside of her. She giggled into his kiss, pulling away. "Leopold Fitz, we are going to be late if you keep that up," she said in a breathy tone, cheeks flushed red.

Cheekily, he put one more tender kiss on her lips then pulled away. "Right, right, best get out there then." He walked over and held the door open for her. As he opened the door, they were greeted by Skye, hand raised into a fist, ready to knock.

"Wow," Asia grinned, "That timing, huh?" she pulled her duffel bag over her shoulder and stepped up beside Leo, focusing on Skye. "How are you doing today?" she asked nonchalantly, in case any other team members were lingering in the halls. Of course, what she really meant, was had Skye had any episodes. Or near episodes. Any instances where she felt as if she was going to lose control. Asia knew the feeling all too well, but she had been forcing it off recently, until she was far alone, like when she was in the shower, when she could let all that every explode out of her and freeze the water droplets as they fell out of the shower head. Once on accident, she froze the entire pipe line. But with all the 'issues' going on recently, no one seemed to bat an eye at the occurrence. They were fixed within the day.

Skye rung her hands together and glanced up and down the hall. "Um, not today. Ready for the mission?" she asked, grimacing slightly, looking down at her hands and then back up at her two friends once more. "Cause, uh, I think I am. But I'm a bit...nervous, I guess?" She said timidly, sounding very un-Skye-like. Skye never really like to...showcase her weakness, but that didn't mean that it didn't exist, underneath all the baggage.

"Me too," Asia said quietly. "But it'll be fine. We have each other's backs, right?" She put on a smile, for her friend's sake. Agent Monroe felt as if she needed to always put up that front, always put the feelings of others first, make sure that they were okay. She felt some sort of...urgent need, always, to do that, above all else. So she did it now, even though the same nerves gnawed at her stomach, even though she walked around digging her fingernails into her palms to keep herself under control, she wouldn't show weakness if others couldn't handle it. And today, she knew Skye couldn't handle it. She she grinned and bore it, as she did, and would figure out how to make it through the day later.

"Yea, we do," Skye replied, a small smile slipping over her lips. "I'm probably just...getting worried over nothing." She clapped her hands together. "Shall we go then? To the Bus?"

"Yea, let's, um, let's do that," Leo said, his hand resting warmly on Asia's lower back, urging her forward. "They're probably all expecting us anyways. Best not be late." He adjusted the handle of his own bag in his hand, and then the three of them made their way down the hall, a unit, unified in their difference, in their understanding. Ready to take on whatever was about to come forth.

"So, where are we headed?" Asia asked Coulson as they climbed in the ramp onto the Bus, shrugging off her bag onto one of the shelves attached to the wall, glancing over her shoulder as she asked the question.

"Peru," Coulson replied with a small nod, "Also Agent Monroe, I've become adjusted to your late tendencies, but please, don't let them rub off on your fellow teammates," he glanced over at Leo and Skye as he said this, raising his eyebrows in a gentle accusation.

"Of course not, Sir," Asia replied, giving him a small salute. "I'll make sure to round up the troupes with time to spare next go around." She glanced over at Leo and Skye, giving them each a small smile. She would have liked to have stepped forward, wrapped her hand in Leo's, feel that comforting physical connection, but she didn't. Thought the entire Bus knew they were close again, no one knew about their...relationship. Aside from Skye. And for now, until they sorted everything out. Figured out this whole 'powers' mess. Asia didn't mind, she liked living her life in private anyways. Keeping a clear cut between work and personal life. It was easier that way, except when you lived in the same compound as the people you worked with, people you considered friends. Still, they kept the PDA to a minimum, until they were in private.

"Alright well, go get strapped in. We've got a long ride ahead of us," Coulson gave each of his agents a nod, before climbing up the circular staircase leading out of the cargo bay.

They watched him go, standing in an awkward silence. Asia's eyes drifted down to the Lab, where Jemma was watching them, holding a small beaker of something, protective goggles over her eyes. But even with the goggles, Asia could still see her eyes as they met, then as the scientist quickly looked away. Something hollow in the pit of Asia's stomach throbbed. That used to be all of them, in there, working, laughing. Now, they would all go their separate ways. Skye would probably wind up napping. Leo would work with Mack. Asia would spend her day tucked beside a window, using her tablet to tap into specific radio frequencies, searching for....something. Anything. A sign that Clint and Tasha were looking for her, too.