X marks the spot

One of Us

Aaron had found himself growing kind of fond of the colour pallet of this place. It was a bit more roomy than his old place. This one had lights, and a nice pattern to it. His old place was, from what he saw, a dull grey.

This was a dark grey-ish colour with a honey combed shaped to it.

It was nice.

The door opened, with Phil Coulson walking through the door. He gave him one of his smiles. He gave a tight lipped one in return as he sat up, "Here for another one of our silent sessions? Make sure I'm not dead yet? Guess what? I'm still here, Coulson, you can rest assured. The shit going on in here haven't gotten to me yet."

Coulson was used to his humour to cover up his pain. Fuck, the man May was reaching out to had taught him a thing or two.

He was always good at reading people, just never to this level.

"Brought you some food." He said, holding up a bag.

"Upgrade from HYDRA." There it was again.

It was a cooked meal, "Bobbi and Jemma tried their best. May finished it off, turns out she's not bad." He told him as he sat on the chair opposite him.

"Hm." Was his response as he looked at the pie, they had made for him. He took it out, and the cutlery they had put in the bag for him.

"Smells good." He complimented, takin a bite out of it, "Hm." Coulson wasn't quite sure if that was a good hum or not.

"I want to apologise on the half of everyone else," He cocked an eye brow; it wasn't every day Phil Coulson apologised for something, "For the rest of the team not visiting. It's just, everyone's still recovering from –"

"From me lying to them? Like I told you Coulson, not my first rodeo with lies being found out. The reaction and punishment is less than what I'm used to. But, I'm always open to new things."

The boy still seemed to use those mechanisms. So, Coulson decided to rip the band aid off.

However –

"How's Rebecca?" Aaron had asked this every time Coulson had entered.

"She's treading on eggshells with everyone after her speech. She came to me ready to leave if it came to that. I'm keeping an eye on her, don't worry." Coulson had finally not just skirted around the question with a simple 'good'.

"Good."

Coulson led Bobbi and Rebecca into his office, "I've just been informed of a break-in at Brynmore Psychiatric Facility." He told them.

"Heard of it. Houses criminally insane types. Federal facility." Bobbi said.

"Except for the secret sub-basement under the North Wing. We run that. Mentally unstable people on the Index are housed there." Rebecca rolled her eyes; they probably didn't even try to help them.

"Is that who they were after?" Bobbi asked.

"That's what we're going to find out." Was Coulson's answer.

"I'll prep the Quinjet." Bobbi went to leave when Coulson stopped her.

"Agent Morse, Hunter didn't report in today. I offered him a permanent job. You think that has anything to do with his disappearance?" He enquired.

"Permanent isn't really Hunter's thing. Even the word." Bobbi answered.

"Didn't think he scared so easily," He watched her a moment longer, "Ok, I'll meet you down there."

Now, it was only Coulson and Rebecca left, "Can I help you, agent Sitwell?" He asked in his professional voice.

She thought about it for a moment, before shaking her head, "Nothing, sir."