Cut It Out and Restart *Daredevil*Damned*Agents of SHIELD*

4) Fate's a Bitch

Despite Ward's rather sincere apology about his outburst in the lab, Nica couldn't find herself warming up to him fully. Despite Skye's numerous attempts – and wasn't she just endlessly hopeful and positive – Nica didn't befriend her either. Working with May was easy enough; getting the job done, silent mutual understanding exchanged through one look... Nica considered her a salvation.

Coulson appeared to be the toughest one; his ever-present fatherly advices, his support and dedication to his team as if they were his children, his family, which included Nica now, his knowledge of her past... that was making things difficult for her. She found it harder and harder to keep her distance and while she didn't take pride in it, she granted him a glimpse at her inner turmoil once in a while. He gave her no reason not to trust him entirely after all.

Fitz-Simmons, being the odd pair of friends potentially crushing on each other, were the last pieces of the mosaic of the unlikely team. They were much less insistent than Skye, but they tried... sometimes. In Fitz' case, it was mostly calling NIca out on her Ice Queen attitude.

The façade of an Ice Queen did stick. Nica showed emotion as little as possible, leaving them for when in private, and even then, she was pushing them away, not allowing herself to be hurt and weak. She knew that if she lapsed once, she would enter an endless vicious circle of misery, self-pity and... thoughts on the ultimate solution to her problems. She couldn't do that. She simply couldn't.

No one knew apart from Coulson and even him, he didn't know the half of it. For the rest of the team, she was a rather cold and efficient agent, who somehow found her place on the team, yet never really fitted or cared. She didn't allow herself to care, yet she could feel her teammates getting under her skin, crawling into her heart and finding their space in it. The more she felt, the more she hid it on the outside, burying her true feelings in. She tried not to worry about their whispers and Ice Queen remarks and told herself that they didn't bother her.

It worked pretty well. She held her own quite alright she thought, her defences rather solid.

The first break in her walls came unexpectedly. Of course, she couldn't know that beforehand. No one knew what future held – not really – and honestly, Nica wasn't sure what she would do, had she found out about the team-up with another task force ahead. She'd probably jump out of the Bus.

Without a parachute.

-.-.-

"Sir, I don't understand. Are you saying we are going on a mission without you?"

They were all gathered in the debriefing room if they could call it that, staring at Coulson with confusion when he told them the news. It was Jemma who expressed her concerns.

"Exactly."

"Why? We're your team. You're the leader," Skye stated unnecessarily, earning raised eyebrows from Coulson, May, Fitz and Simmons. The corners of Ward's lips twitched as well, while Nica fought to keep a straight face. It wasn't a secret Skye wasn't one to follow orders and respect authority. So that coming from her... then again, Coulson seemed to be a good influence; he truly had a way of bringing out the best in people.

"You'll be working with a task force. Another team. Their commander will be yours as well," Coulson announced and this time everyone stared at him downright baffled. "You know how it goes, two authorities who might end up disagreeing, that's never good."

"What kind of a task force?" May asked dryly.

"STRIKE team. You'll be in good hands, the best hands, to be honest. May, you're second in command."

Nica would swear Ward's breath hitched, while May's eyes widened.

Also, Fitz and Simmons squeaked.