X marks the spot

End of the Beginning

"Guys, I swear, I am fine. How much blood are you going draw before you believe me?" Skye asked as Jemma drew even more blood from her arm. She actually started to get worried that she would run out at this point.

"Your recovery, it's honestly quite unbelievable –"

"Strange." Fitzsimmons said the last part as one. Jemma continued, "We know Coulson had a very different recovery experience. So we understand why he's hesitant about us sharing our findings with others."

"Yeah, but something like this drug. It needs to be studied. Has the potential to save so many lives."

Or end them. Or do something worse.

"We'd like to send a blood sample of yours to some colleagues to do a molecular breakdown. Maybe if you spoke to agent Coulson –"

"Yeah, I don't think that's a good idea." Skye cut in with. Going off the two's puzzled looks, she elaborated, "If Coulson thinks it's important that this stays between us. Then we should trust him. Right bud?" She asked, turning towards Aaron. Who was leant against a table, a little away from the others. Scrolling mindlessly through his phone. At least, to them he was.

He looked up, meeting her gaze first, before moving to Fitzsimmons. He went back to Skye's gaze as he answered, "What happens in Vegas, stays there. So, guess rules should still apply here. Especially with this whole thing."

Fitzsimmons looked between their two friends, noting their behaviour lately. How they seemed to be a trio of their own. At first, the they thought nothing of it. But, now they were starting to believe that there was something behind it.

"So, your saying... That we should obey the rules?" Jemma asked, seemingly testing that theory. Skye slowly nodded, Aaron went back to his phone.

"Who are you both, and what have you done with Skye and Aaron?" Fitz asked, both as a joke and as a serious question. But, before it could be answered. Ward had arrived, asking for Skye to go upstairs. And that "Top Brass" wanted to see her. Skye gave her other friends a look, they all just looked confused. Well, Aaron genuinely did. Fitzsimmons, bless them. Did the best that they could to try and act like it.

Skye got up, starting to walk there, passing by Aaron and giving him a small pat on the arm. "Good luck." He called out.

"Thanks bud." She yelled back as she turned the corner and headed up the stairs.

May soon came down, telling them all to come up as well. Aaron let Fitzsimmons move first. May stayed behind, waiting for the youngest one. He too got up. Giving her a questioning gaze. She gave him an actual smile, "You'll like this." She said cryptically.

That only made him to find out what it was more. He passed her, almost barrelling up the stairs. May's smile grew a little at the childlike innocence that radiated off of him at that moment.

"I told them to come up." May told Skye, who had looked to see her other friends enter. Aaron hung back a little. Leaning against a post. But still held a smile as he noticed a badge in her hand. A SHIELD badge, none the less.

Everyone got back to work. May passed without saying anything, only giving Skye a supportive pat on the arm as she passed. Skye shared separate hugs with both of Fitzsimmons. Aaron kept his eyes on Ward. Seeing a look of fondness. A soft look of love and longing.

He'd only seen that look of genuine affection a few times before.

It was just the two youngest left. The official agent looked at the unofficial one. The boy moved towards her. Holding out his arms. For once initiating the hug. She was quick to wrap her arms around him. The two sharing a long and tight hug.