Renegade Rising || Leo Fitz Book Two

Chapter FiftySix

The touchdown at Base couldn't come soon enough. Coulson marched off the plane, his little merry band of agents following quickly behind, Asia bracing Hunter so he could walk with minimal pain. The blood on his shirt was still ever apparent.

"Let's get you to the med bay before shit really hits the fan," She said to Hunter as they hobbled along. "At least then we can get you patched up before things go down. Don't want you bleeding out on me."

"Yea I'm a big fan of that idea," Hunter affirmed, "Especially if it means getting as far away from Bobbi as possible," he nodded back towards the Bus where Mack and Bobbi were walking down the ramp, chatting in low tones to one another. "I tell ya, Asia, that's the last time I make that mistake. She's done from my life. I'm on to bigger and better birds. Brighter horizons. Say, I hear you got a sister, mind hooking a brother up?"

Asia rolled her eyes. "If you hadn't just been shot I'd be elbowing you in the ribs right now," she muttered to him. "Also my sister is missing. So if you find her, you better let me know." Yea, America was a touchy subject for her, but she knew she could trust Hunter with talking about it. Of course, he didn't know she had lost her baby sister the way she had, he couldn't know how personal it was to her.

As she and Hunter hobled down the halls of their own home, Asia never felt so out of place. People shot looks her way, as if she didn't belong, and without actually turning around to look, she was fairly certain they were being tailed. She wouldn't be surprised. She could tell Gonzales was still afraid of her. Still thought she would bring the whole place down in perverbial flames (ironically the opposite of what she could actually do).

When they reached the med bay, Asia sat with Hunter, watching as a team of doctors worked on stitching him up, making sure his blood levels were still appropriate. She liked the routine of the process. Something about medical procedures also calmed her, even when they were being done to her. It was an art, really, as much as it was a vocation.

"You know, you don't have to stay here with me," Hunter said, glancing down at her as she rested her arms on the cool metal of the table in which he sat. "I'm sure you'd rather go spend your time with your little lover."

"I don't mind staying here with you until you're patched up," Asia sighed, looking up at him. "Besides, things may be a little weird in the Lab right now if I go..." she trailed off, looking over at a row of medical devices hanging on the wall. "Almost forgot about it with all this mess going on."

"Forgot about what, love?" Hunter asked, his face growing concerned as he watched her. Her face had shifted from content to suddenly glum.

"Mmm yea...guess I didn't fill you in on that one. You're not the only one with complicated relationships around here," she took in a deep breath. "Jemma confronted me the other week. Told me she thinks she has feelings for Leo. Was a really peachy conversation." Her face grew darker as she thought back on the conversation. It wasn't a memory she considered fond, or an experience she wanted to live over again.

"Wait wait wait now, she did wha??" Hunter looked down at her, his mouth following into a perfect O shape as he stared at her in disbelief. "That's some bloody low blows, mate, I'm sorry. And angry. That's real real dumb. She and Bobbi deserve each other, don't they?"

Asia laughed, shaking her head. "Maybe they should couple up instead, solve both of our problems." She gazed off, imagining it. She didn't want to fight with Jemma. She didn't want to fight with any of her friends. Especially not about something like this. "But, yea, that's why I'm waiting in here right now. Prolonging the inevitable I suppose." She let out another sigh. "Though I guess hiding from this won't fix the problem."

"Well, if you need me to fight someone for ya, just say the word, Ice Queen. You know I've got your back," Hunter said supportively, giving her a look of solidarity. She smiled up at him greatfully.

"I'll stay, till you're done," Asia affirmed one last time. "And then I'll go." She wouldn't leave him behind. He had taken a bullet for the cause, that was no laughing matter. And so she did, she waited till he was all stitched up and good to go, and until his eyes closed as he fell into a deep nap. Then she left, to go confront her nightmares.

As she was walking down the hall towards the Lab, her watched beeped. She closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath, stealing herself for whatever this message might say. There were only two possible outcomes, and only one of which was preferable. After a beat, she opened her eyes once more and looked down at her watch. To her very pleasant surprise, their team mission was a go. She needed to head to the Bus immediately. Facing Jemma would have to wait until later.

As she waited in the Hangar area, munching on a bagel, when Coulson appeared, everyone else in tow, sans Hunter and, surprisingly enough, Jemma was also with them, carrying a metal suitcase. "Looks like our small team has grown slightly larger," she commented to Coulson as he passed, falling in step behind him, finishing the rest of the pastry food in one quick bite.

"Simmons is coming with to handle medical on site. We aren't entirely sure what we're walking in to, but to have someone there who understands Agent Peterson's specs is going to come in handy," Coulson explained as the climbed in the ramp into the Bus, Asia nodding with understanding After everyone was on board, Coulson pressed a button, closing the aircraft, leaving the six of them standing, facing one another.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, was a whooshing sound, loud, filling all of their ears, and coming from an unknown direction. Instantly, Asia slid so that she was standing defensively in front of Leo, arms out, wristlets clicked so the knives were shining in the light. May instinctively drew her gun, pointing it directly at Ward. There was no sign of where the sound had come from, but if she had to bet, it was the black haired man who had slunk his was back into their team. "On your knees, now," She ordered at him, as he slowly raised his hands, confused look over his rugged face.

"May, whatever that was, it wasn't me," he said slowly, as his backpack slipped off of his shoulder and onto the floor of the plane with a thump. May shook her head once, not lowering the weapon a centimeter.

"Then what was it?" Coulson asked, and as if on queue, there was movement from the banister above. Coulson whirled, drawing his gun as he did so, only to meet Skye at the end of his sites, eyes wide open, staring down at all of them.

Skye. It was Skye, really, truly, this time. In an instant, without a second thought, she sheathed her knives and bolted up the stairs, wrapping her arms tightly around her friend. She was back. She was really back.

Notes:

Anyone interested in a Hunter and Mer fic? ;)