Chapter 11: Business in Enemy TerritorySummary:Jemma infiltrates Hydra as another field work and meets a familiar face. She has no idea if that's a good thing or a bad thing. But she does appreciate the wacky woman is still unperturbed and unpredictable.
Notes:I'm back. Got the result from the poll. Thank you for that one. :)
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter TextAs Carolus Linnaeus once said, "a practical botanist will distinguish at the first glance the plant of the different quarters of the globe and yet will be at loss to tell by what marks he detects them."
True, practically speaking, Jemma could also distinguish multiple facets of varying types of birds from one another. Human tissue. Bacteria genome and in some sense, regard human relations as well, with intentions then that's a different topic. Intentions are tied down to motivations and it's a more subjective way of seeing things. Much more complicated and much harder to gauge.
Why the topic of intentions? Because she's currently infiltrating HYDRA, and the people working for them have their intentions skewed. Unquestionably questionable!
"Jemma, where are the files for the GGA in vitro samples I gave you yesterday?"
"I just need to make a few modifications and I can put it on your desk before 3, Sir." Jemma looks up from her microscope to see her supervisor frown at her.
Jemma smiled awkwardly as she was just delaying giving the results as the paper was about genetically modifying mutated animals to be infused with human DNA. They are calling it The Halfbeast project and as intriguing as the project is, she was only put on rudimentary data analysis of past trials. Not even the actual and recent data were shared, which was disappointing and a waste of her talent. Although it's still a long for it to be viable enough for an actual test run, the simulation was left to be desired. It's horrific.
Jemma in some sense does have the natural curiosity to see if this would be a breakthrough to newer biology findings but even what HYDRA has in store for the future prospects are inhumanly horrible.
Her supervisor squinted his eyes, trying to see if she was lying to him. Jemma felt her palms sweat. Before she could say anything, he turned around to leave. "I want it at my desk by 1."
Jemma sighed as the door of the lab closed and she was left alone again.
"Hey, Jemma!" Ernie appeared out of nowhere. His greasy blonde hair swayed on his shoulder to grin at her. Jemma wants to roll her eyes but refuses to do so since Ernie's a fellow level 2 scientist who likes to annoy people whenever he has the chance. If she gives in he's going to annoy her more.
The man stood only a foot taller than her but his presence was putting her in a corner, it didn't help that his perfume was too overpowering.
"Hello, Danfold. What do you need from me?" She asked dismissively while changing the slides on her microscope and crinkling up her nose as she could see him getting closer.
"So, I see that you've been part of a lot of projects lately..." Ernie slides beside her, his large hands tiptoeing closer to her arm. "... You must be very tired and all that. Want to go to dinner with me? Don't worry. I'll pay for everything your sweet lovely appetite would want. Or if you're hungry for something else. I'd be more than willing" While wiggling his eye suggestively, he got to her wrist with a tight squeeze that she quickly waved off, her frown getting deeper as she was unable to handle his intrusive behavior.
She barely knows the guy and the only thing she does, has to do with torturing soldiers with poison or half-tested body enhancement serums.
She hid her disgust and smiled politely yet it might have been more of a grimace than a smile. "I'm sorry. I already have plans with someone." She said courtly before going back to her work.
"Oh come on, Jemma. You don't even go out for lunch. How can an uptight person like you, get someone to have an evening with?" Ernie said with a huff, likely throwing a tantrum again.
Jemma did roll her eyes and ignored the jab at her social life. "Well, Danfold, if you must know my personal life does not equate to my working environment. I assure you I have plenty of options to choose from. Just so happens that the position has been filled."
Ernie snorts. "Must be nice just flexing your vagina and practically all men flock, right?"
This time Jemma clenched her hand, trying hard not to make a scene. It's been over four months since she's infiltrated HYDRA as a favor from Coulson. Four months trying to get into a higher platform of the social pariah inside that dragon's nest to be able to extract as much information as she can. But boy does her four months give her all shades of white hair and near heart attacks.
"Well, I don't know about that since she's a woman and let's not be overly be too vicious just because I rejected you. Be a spoiled sport and go back to your team. I'm actually busy with important projects rather than your incomplete and pathetic knockoff super soldier serum. Might as well call it poison if we're being honest here." The last part she mumbled to herself.
"Hey!"
The sound of a door creaking startled the scientists.
"Dr. Danfold, why are you here? Shouldn't you be on the underground floor with Dr. Montaigne?" Both scientist turns to look at a raven-haired woman, tall as a skyscraper, with scary blue eyes, wearing a form-fitting red coat and fierce astute gaze hovering at them.
Ernie's aura couldn't even begin to compare to Agent Morse's cold disposition as she came into the room with eyes piercing his soul. The shaggy blonde man began twitching, a habit Jemma has noticed whenever he's nervous and out of his element.
He took two steps away from Jemma and started heading for the door. "Yes. I-uh-wanted to give some helpful advice to Dr. Simmons. She wanted to have a second opinion on something. Now that I am done. I better go!" The last part was a squeak and bolted out of there, not sparing the Amazon woman a glance.
When the door was shut, it was now her turn to get nervous.
"To what do I owe this visit, Madam Morse?" She appeared calm when this was more pressing than her earlier banter with Ernie.
Morse was a level 5 HYDRA operative who oversaw most of the lower division for any spies within their ranks. At most, she has singled out a hundred spies for the organization and might have killed half of them herself, as rumor would mill around. A total merciless agent. A hound for Whitehall to sniff out and clean up any rats. Jemma happens to be that rat that's why she hopes this visit isn't a last supper situation.
The tall woman surveyed the room, ignoring Jemma as she did so before she noticed a few vials tipped over the table. "Is this something we need to be worried about, Dr. Simmons?"
Jemma looks up and sees violet liquid dripping out of the vial emitting a strong smell and slightly corroding the table's surface. She sighed but wasn't so distraught. "It's okay. It's harmless. It just has a high pH level, close to 14 actually but it needs to be cleaned up or it'll be trouble."
"Very well," Morse said and opened her comms. "We have a clean-up in Lab 23. Have someone come up here and make sure nothing is compromised while they do so."
"Um... it's really fine. I can clean this up."
Morse gave her a pointed look. "You have work to do. Someone else is going to clean this up." Before looking away again with a hard expression.
There was a pause and then the HYDRA agent sported an annoyed face.
"I don't care if they're new or not. I want someone who isn't clumsy and doesn't mind growing another set of hands if they fail to handle undisclosed chemicals. You understand?"
"Well technically speaking, there's nothing in this room that can generate dedifferentiation of existing tissues enough to make another limb an—" Jemma shuts up when the woman glared at her. "I'll go back to my table."
"Send them up as fast as possible," she said covering her nose as the smell was beginning to be a problem.
Morse ended the call, then turned around leaving for the door. "Be sure, this does not happen again, Dr. Simmons. If the whole building is compromised by a contagious substance, it's your head on the line."
"Yes, I will," Jemma said lowly.
When the woman left, she sighed.
Jemma began thinking about how that vial got toppled over and could not think of anything.
When the door opened again, the first thing she saw was the back of a janitor's scrubs. It seems to be a woman, hauling in a large cleaning cart. "Hi, was called in to clean something?"
The woman turned and Jemma could not help getting a pleasant surprise. "Skye?"
"Huh?" The woman muttered and looked confused, then alarmed before she calmed down and nodded. "Okay, I got it. Name tag. I forget sometimes."
"You're not wearing your name tag" Jemma offered as she raised an eyebrow at the woman.
The woman looked the same, although her hair was tamer it still had its fiery curls and a few lighter highlights, her face still had a rough exterior of a wolfish grin while also seeming innocently ignorant.
Skye looked down at her chest and sure enough, there wasn't any tag. She mumbled out a cursed word and started going over her cleaning cart before submerging half her body in the laundry bag, rummaging noises bouncing off the room.
Jemma smiled as she recognized the other woman's innate goofiness still there while shaking her head before walking closer to her. She pulled her out of there before taking the tag that was pinned on her back and properly puts it on her hand.
"Oh hey, that's where that sucker is. Thank you. For some reason, I keep losing it." She said and pinned it on her chest. "That's better. So how do you know me?"
The woman asked but started hauling her cleaning supplies in and looked around the lab for the mess.
"You don't remember?" Jemma frowns. Admittedly it must have been because of the contrasting environment.
"I'm sorry. If I did meet you then I might have been too drunk off my ass or something. Where did we meet exactly?" Skye did look genuinely sorry that she couldn't remember so Jemma easily forgave her.
Jemma leans on the table watching the taller brunette look at the many lab equipment inside.
"It was at a party. I was nervous at the corner repelling anyone around me and you came in holding a glass of Vodka."
"Hmmm. You have to be more specific than that. It sounds like any other parties I've been to." Skye laughed before spotting the broken vial and crinkled her nose from the smell.
"Well. You came in wearing a waiter's uniform"
"It wasn't a waiter's uniform." Skye quickly said before she paused and looked at Jemma, eyes squinting. "Wait a minute... Simmons?"
Jemma smiles. "Dr. Simmons but yes. What are you doing here?"
Jemma had thought that woman was some rich conglomerate even with her choice of clothes, being invited to Quinn's party meant she was someone significant. So it's a bit confusing why she's in HYDRA as a cleaning technician. Or she could have broken into the party just for the free drinks.
Skye began to grab her supplies and started cleaning up the mess. "I needed the job. I had some experience with cleaning gritty stuff from my last company that I was let go and HYDRA needed people to maintain the cleanliness of the gory stuff happening— Believe me they have a lot of cleanup— put two and two together and took my shot. I applied and I got in and here we are now!"
Jemma was wondering if Skye really knew the organization she was working for. Maybe she does with how much she's hinting at the darker aspect of her job. Still, It seems the woman was just here for the sake of it. Not that it's something to frown upon but she could have gotten a better organization to be a part of. Jemma couldn't bad mouth HYDRA though, she wasn't sure if Skye would blabber to anyone within the building. She'd be dead if that were to happen.
"So Dr. Simmons." Jemma could hear the teasing in them. "It's been a while. HYDRA doing you good?"
Jemma could quietly smile at that. "It's really... fulfilling. I've been put under many projects and I can't complain. They do give great incentives to finish quickly, even throwing cautious, ethical, and standard practices out of the door. So... yeah, really great." She forced out her enthusiasm.
Skye put on a mask and started scrubbing. "Hey, what gets yah that promotion, right?"
Jemma couldn't reply back and sat back in her seat to continue her monitoring.
It was a nice kind of quiet. Skye cleaned pretty silently even with all the scrubbing she was doing. She also knows how to get rid of the smell while also how to isolate the chemical from making contact with substances it would be destructive with. Jemma worked without getting distracted as the brunette was done, took off her mask, and began stretching.
"That's done." Skye puts all her things in her rack and slowly walks to her. "Hey, I finished with this one. Just ring me up if you have anything else you want clean."
Jemma was a bit sad the brunette was already leaving but considering who they work for, she should be more anxious about talking to her. "Thank you, Skye. It's nice meeting you again."
"Likewise." Skye smiled softly before dragging the big wheels towards the door.
Jemma heard the wheels squeak and took two inhales before she turned around. "Wait, Skye."
The brunette stops and turns to look at her so innocently. Jemma bit her lip and forced herself not to say anything but her mouth didn't connect right with her head. "Want to eat lunch together? It's been a long time since the party and really I feel like we can talk a bit."
"Sure. You want to eat here or somewhere else maybe?"
"There's a diner close to the company if you want?"
"No probs. We can-"
Her radio buzzed and a low voice sounded. "Cleaner S, needs some cleanup in the boiler room. Prep for 2 disposals. Do you copy?"
Skye brought up a finger to Jemma to wait as she turned on her radio to speak. "Got it, be down in 8 minutes. Copy."
Jemma has some assumptions the disposal is more bio than she thinks. Skye looks back at her a bit apologetic.
"As I was saying, yeah sure. We can have lunch. But you don't mind me being a bit late, do you? It's just harder to estimate how long I can clean up a murder scene without seeing it yet first."
Jemma paled at the words, cleared her throat dramatically, and nodded stiffly.
"Ye-yeah.. it's fine... Fine. I understand... I'll just... get us some seats ready."
"Thanks, Dr. Simmons."
Jemma turned to her Modified DNA culture and thinks to herself how a woman like Skye could still smile with the kind of shitshow she sees every day.
Jemma left the lab close to noon, left her coat, and took her jacket as she made her way down the building.
Jemma saw a group of people huddling at a corner of the hall. Dr. Hall, Dr. Jameson, and Dr. Elmond. They were laughing at each other's words when they saw her and waved a hand as a greeting. All easy smiles.
"If it isn't Dr. Simmons. You finally got out of the lab. Nice to see you once in a while," Dr. Elmond joked as his brown beard moved along with his boisterous laugh.
Jemma looked awkwardly across the three individuals and forced her own smile. "Yes. I had a change of pace today."
She felt a slap on her back, not hard but noticeably firm. Two pats and an encouraging look. A leaner much shorter mam but flamboyant in his display. Red Hawaiian undershirt and neon green jeans. "I know you're dedicated. You're still trying to prove yourself to Dr. Whitehall and to us but you should live a little. If you don't go out much I'd thought you'd be dead and being munched by the lab rats like George was."
All three laughed at the horrible image they put in her mind. She really tried her hard to school her features and just stood there smiling as all three of these sick bastards continued to find some commonality with psychopaths.
"I hate to stay but I need to eat, you know how it is. Please excuse me."
They didn't mind as she power walked out of that hallway, her lips in a tight line and wanting to glare at something.
She didn't remember what happened after that she just realized she was chewing on her chicken when Skye sat in front of her, clothes changed to a comfy jacket and t-shirt while half of her clothes were still her janitor scrubs looped in a firm roll.
"Hey, thanks for saving me a seat." Skye smiled and started looking over the menu with a still-evident jolly beam on her face.
At least there was one of them not having a bad day.
Jemma felt her should slack and demeanor slowly easing as the familiar brunette whistled good naturally under her breath. She smiled back and waved her hand. "Don't mention it. So Skye, how long have you been working for... umm... HYDRA" she whispered the last part while looking around them suspiciously.
Skye chuckled at her before scanning the menu again. "Maybe for about 4-5 months now. Don't really take note of it. What about you?"
"Almost the same. Why HYDRA? Out of all the companies you pick, why them?" Jemma asked, really curious. She's never been one for subtlety and she really thought the brunette wasn't the psycho type to be working under them for loyalties sake.
"Just as you said. They have great benefits," Skye didn't elaborate before the waitress took her order and discussed some of the foods.
Jemma withheld herself from totally raising the alarm that she wasn't as devoted to HYDRA's cause as the next rat agent is, should Skye pose a risk.
"So, Dr. Simmons. How has life been treating you? It was so long ago that I saw you at that douchebag's party." Skye leaned in, thumping her finger on the table.
Jemma thought about it and let herself be truthful, if a bit vague shouldn't hurt herm "Stressful. I don't know how to feel about it these days. One minute I'm anxious, then content, and then spiraling into panic. But I did get my work published to the high ups so there's that." Jemma smiled which sort of looked like a grimace. Skye softly looked empathetic.
"Sorry to hear that." Skye's words were genuine and that made her feel even more bad about her situation, slowly closing in on herself.
"Hey. It's okay." Skye said calmly before chuckling to herself. "Man, I guess you're still as nervous as the day I met you. You should take it as it goes. Overthinking things might get you reeled up even more."
"I'll take that into mind. And you can call me Jemma."
"Really? I don't want to be rude though?" The brunette asked.
Jemma waved her hand. "It's fine. I don't usually want anybody to call me by name because they think they can be chummy with me but most of the time I don't mind if it's friends or decent people."
"Wow. Thanks, Jemma. Am I categorized as a decent person or friend?" Skye grinned at her.
Jemma laughed.
"Decent person." She replied haughtily.
"Ouch," Skye faked hurt while still smiling. Jemma smiled as well.
"It's nice to see you again. Even Better that you're sober."
"Don't bet on it, doc. I'll be well unto my third later." She said with a tingle in her voice.
Jemma tried to see if Skye was lying but pretty much could see her drunk on her ass on a sidewalk, so she humored the woman. "You should let me study your liver. I think there's some miracle properties in there."
Skye laughed.
"Anyways, why did you invite me for lunch? Usually, people would ignore me when I pass by them. Inviting me for lunch seems to be the least they'd do."
She rolled her eyes being reminded about the other staff in the building. "I'm not that close with them. I know I've been here for a while now but I can't seem to get a hang of a connection. I mean work-wise I socialized fine— I think?—but getting to know them is... complicated." Jemma confessed.
All of that was true, though. Coulson had her trained for field work and she was improving. She was so happy to hear that but that was until the incident. Now it was hard for her to be smiling and playing nice with people who were in the same league as Ward who could betray his friends and almost kill Fitz. So yes, it was hard for her to separate that one varying aspect from seeing any HYDRA agents she meets every day from Ward, making her job much more troublesome.
But an exception seems to be sitting in front of her.
"We've met only that one time and you're better to talk to. I think it's because you're just..." She tried to think of a word. "... easygoing?"
"Thank you and I hear ya. Work place is always a hit or miss. You can't really force yourself to connect with people if you're stubborn as a mole about it. But if it's to play nice with co-workers, you can just be amicable."
"How do I do that if I don't even know what to say or do? At this point, I just work." Jemma needs to get some sort of hold with anyone in her workplace. Projects given to her were nothing more than thug-level Intel. If she needed to get anything important to Coulson then she needed to get close to those scientist that has world-ending schemes.
But again. She can't seem to get a footing in the company beyond renditions and small assistance.
"For once don't dismiss them altogether. As much as they may trip you up, getting reeled would not pan out. Ease up those cute crunched-up eyebrows and smile. Stop frowning so much." Skye thanked the waitress for bringing her food and started eating.
"I'm not a broody person. It's just..."
"It's okay, I get it. Hard to fake smiles. But something tells me, it's a must." Skye gave a meaningful look, one that made Jemma hesitate if she figured her out. But Skye only went back to her burgers and she only sighed. "Is this important to you? Connecting with your co-workers?"
"Of course."
"Then swallow whatever pride or anger you have towards them and try to appease their egos and desire."
"Huh? I'm not going to sleep with them, Skye"
Skye choked on her soda the minute she heard her statement and started coughing. "Damn, Jemma. I'm not saying you sleep with them. I'm saying if you need to connect with disagreeable people then ignore the need to antagonize them and just be passive about it. Humor them if you can."
"Passive?"
"Yeah, be passive. Disregard what makes you hate them and just put up with it."
"It's easier said than done."
"I know, I once had a- uh- boss? Or was it supervisor? Anywho, I hated the guy. Really really hate him. But since I was going to get my promotion I put up with his attitude until he had been assigned to another place and I got his position. Wasn't my proudest moment but if it gets me closer to my goal, I would have taken a punch as well."
"Isn't that too much?"
"Is it? I mean, if it's the only way I don't think it is. At best, I was tangoing with an asshole. Also, I set boundaries with myself. Unless he asked me to sleep with him or anything else I don't agree with then I would have put up with any of his shenanigans."
"Let's forget about that for now. I'm just going to stress over it again."
"You're an overthinker, aren't you?"
"Comes with the territory. It pays to think about all options." Jemma sighed frustratedly.
Skye was pondering about it. "If you're so bad at it. How about you go to a party with me? Let me coach ya a bit. You know Paul from human resources?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, he's throwing a small gathering at his place tonight, and I think he also invited some staff and lab scientists that are like level 4 or something. You might get some traction there."
"Wait. Why didn't I know about it?" Jemma sounded offended but after some time to think it through she rolled her eyes and slumped down on the table. "It's like high school again and the popular kids and the teachers didn't invite me to senior prom."
Jemma could hear Skye chuckling as she peeked at her, the brunette's head shaking and seemed to be amused. "Calm down, Jemma. Not everyone was invited. I just overheard about it after cleaning the bathroom and I'm pretty sure Paul doesn't remember all of the Hydra employees to send invitations. It's more of a chain-by-chain thing. Cheer up. Come on, finish your chicken so we can talk about your love life next."
Jemma's mind went quickly to Fitz and she frowned. "I don't have any love life. Or at the very least, it's postponed."
"Hmm. Okay, so that's another checklist we need to cross once we get to that party."
"Skye, I am not looking for any relationships!"
Skye paused before whistling. "Oh, wow. Didn't know you were on to flings. Go player Jemma."
"Also not that!"
"Skye where are you?!" Jemma complains as she taps her heel on the ground, arms crossed, and a phone in hand. She was anxiously waiting for the brunette just outside the building where the party was being held.
She's met about ten co-workers that she was familiar with and even glared as she saw Ernie with some guys in accounting.
She was biting her lip in worry and looking at her watch while her nerves were on edge.
"Sorry, sorry. Pulling up right now."
Jemma gasped as a van parked in front of her, a baby blue van with some decent size to it but lots of scratch marks on the side. The door opens and Skye walks out dressed for the season.
Fitted black jeans, an army jacket with some black undershirt that had Barney Stinson's face in it, and a shiny gold belt that Jemma swears is gleaming under the dark. Jemma is trying to assume if that thing is radioactive or just has some phosphorescence. She hopes it's the latter.
The brunette grinned as she locked her van and jogged up to her, hair done with small braids on the side.
"Hi, sorry. I'm late. They had me disposed of about five bodies at the last moment."
"You have got to stop saying disturbing things with a smile Skye. That's not normal." Jemma grimaced then a small smile to greet her but she did mean it.
Skye shrugged. "Considering who we worked for. I think that's the least disturbing thing. Also, you look good."
Jemma was very self-conscious about what she should wear and opted for a small marooned dress that had some frills on the ends of it, while it exposed her knees and legs pretty nicely. She had a white coat and her hair done to flow on her shoulders. She blushed at the compliment.
"Thank you. You look..." Jemma wanted to scratch her head. "...nice. But that thing worries me." She pointed to the belt.
"What?! This shows I have personality, right?." Skye argued as the two of them slowly made their way into the building.
Skye opened the door for her and she smiled as thanks.
"You know some animals have tells about how dangerous they are. Really eye-catching color, acrid smells, and glowing body parts."
"Then that means they shouldn't mess with me," Skye said with a laugh that Jemma shared with her.
"If you get cancer please tell me."
"Come on. It was a gift and I totally love it. It's like my bling."
"Bling?" Jemma couldn't help snorting. "From who? Marie Curie?"
"Ha. Ha. Of course not. She's dead. I got it from a really nice old man working from an old Vat factory down in Ohio."
"I do hope you hear yourself sometimes, Skye."
"Eh, if it kills me. It kills me."
The two reached the party and they only had to knock, Skye told something to the guy and they were let in.
Jemma had been feeling really good up until she stepped inside. The music was adequate, people were all around, faces she'd seen pass every day in the building while a few ones she hadn't talked to. It help that they didn't have their uniform with HYDRA's emblem on their chest because it's easier for her to forget that these people were dangerous but she still can't help her body going stiff and clinging close to Skye.
Skye was the opposite. Although she didn't know half the people in, she easily walked to the nearest bar stationed on the side and asked for drinks to give to her, waving to some people that garnered her a look and a wink while the brunette playfully accommodated the attention.
"Relax, Jemma. Here, drink a bit so you can loosen up."
Jemma was thankful and took the offered beer bottle. As her eyes scanned the whole room.
The room was a big flat with a glorious glass window that had a great view of the city. Paul must have been paid a lot because it seemed the flat could fit 200 people easily. Dark blue walls, with a monochromatic style of furnishing and low lights that flag the whole room. A nice slow ambiance of a party.
"So... you holding up, okay?" Skye asked her, appreciative that she hadn't run off on her own to leave her behind.
"Yeah. I'm fine. What do I do now?" Jemma asked taking quick sips of her beer. She eyed the alcohol in Skye's hand and was not surprised by her choice. At this point she expected it.
"First thing. You really need to calm down." Skye said patiently as Jemma's shoulders were bunched up. So she huffed indignantly before she slowly slacked down. Calming her nerves at the eyes going down her body.
"Forget about work, forget about the looks, and just go up to someone, and talk to them."
"About what?"
"It depends. People have different tastes in topics but if you already know the person try asking for any hobbies. A good starter is also complimenting them either on how they look or any recent achievements and just engaging with them. No one-liner either. They'll clamp up."
"Okay. Okay." Jemma nodded along. May taught her that gaining a target's attention takes more body than talking, and once you do get their attention go for the sex appeal route as most of their assets tend to be horndogs with violent tendencies. Skye seems more in tune with gaining connections through friendly socialism.
"Come on. Follow me." Skye offered her elbow to her which she was grateful for. Skye steadied her as they walked to a group of people, one of them was Dr. Elmond conversing with four other colleagues.
"Hello, gentlemen, nice to see you guys are having a good evening." Skye suddenly inserted herself out of the blue. Jemma quickly felt panicked as the five people looked at the brunette smiling at them and raising her bottle at them.
"Hello, miss. I have not had the pleasure to meet you before." A strong rigid man said as he looked Skye up and down, face neutral and close off. He had a dapper, military mustache and an evening blazer with a clean-cut look.
His eyes were chary at their entrance. This didn't deter Skye though, who smirked up at him. "I know. You must be Andrie Moltovich. I heard so many things about your last assignment to Guatemala. Not to mention, you are extremely more handsome up close." Skye stared at the man in the eye with a quick tilt of her head, confidence in her posture. "I see the rumors did not do you any justice. You're even more gratifying up close. "
The other four people and Jemma paused for what he will say next but he broke a small smile and offered a hand to Skye. "Lovely to meet you. My lady."
Skye offered her hand which he kissed lightly. "Please call me, Julia."
"Julia. As pretty as it's the owner." Skye thanked him. "And here with me is Dr. Jemma Simmons."
Jemma squeaks as she is put in the spotlight by the other five. Dr. Elmond recognized her and greeted her politely. "It's so good to see you, Dr. Simmons. More surprising that you're here."
Jemma felt Skye's hand on her back as she saw the brunette move her head to respond to Dr. Elmond.
Jemma bites the inside of her cheek and smiles softly. "Yeah. I overheard about it and thought to myself that it really was a waste not to enjoy the evening with other people so I came here."
"That's good! Me and a few buddies of mine had been dying to talk to you outside the confines of the lab, it's not so good to be missing sunlight as much as you." The man said with a wave of his glass.
Jemma was encouraged with the hand on her back, rubbing circles and asking her to continue.
"I know and thanks to your words this morning I realized my mistake. I really should be thinking more than my work. Although I know it's to prove myself, friends should also be nurtured. Am I correct?"
"Certainly. Then let's add you to the festivities in the future. This here is Amelia Burns in section 3. She handles internal disputes between departments. Abraham Drury in Lab 6 is to be thanked for the centipede overall canister structure. Lastly, Ashton Barrows is a level 7 agent. This here is Dr. Jemma Simmons, a lovely addition to group 23 of the MDT group."
Jemma continued to smile as she shook hands with them.
"If Dr. Elmond is this upcoming then you must be an excellent biochemist," Amelia said with a giggle as Dr Elmond nodded his head.
"Of course. Did you know that her renditions to the failed experiment files were so detailed and corrected that we were able to base a correct formulation of Serum 1380, and is in development for the new test agents?"
Jemma stilled at his words as her smile disappeared. What did he say? Serum 1380 was a serum dedicated to a high volume of adrenalin spike and increased in stress capacity. Its goal was to create stronger and long-lasting soldiers in the field. A cracked-induced army of zombie soldiers.
She thought it was scrapped and now they're saying it's in development.
She was reminded of where she was and was starting to close up in her environment. She wanted to leave as the conversation was flying over her head. Mercifully Skye whispered in her ear and she was tethered to the ground quickly gaining control of her emotions. "Take deep breaths, Jemma. It's fine. Worry about the details later, okay?" She was so soft about it that Jemma could hear her heart beating slowly now.
She gave Skye a grateful look as she began registering the group chattering.
Jemma accepted the praises thrown at her as she continued to get nice results while gaining Dr. Elmond's favor.
The two descended to another group, as Skye continued to whisper in her ear. "He's fidgeting, don't talk about his appearance. He seems fond of his kid. Try talking to him about his son."
..
"She's pissy about losing her husband from an affair she had with his best friend. Reassure her that she'll bounce right back up after a few dates."
..
"He got in an accident recently. He's been feeling antsy if anyone speaks about it. He's a man of few words. Just nod to him back and talk about his promotion."
..
"His glaring at you because you keep stealing his date's attention. Tell them you're taken and politely distance one step towards me."
All through the party, Skye has been coaching her about the little details, her co-worker has. What surprised her was how much Skye knew and how much she was able to see the small tells she'd been offering. Word choice and context. She was also learning how to socialize through lying her ass off. Right about now, she's told them, she was a divorcee of two marriages, although is currently in a steady relationship. No kids but is in the process of adoption. Plays softball in her spare time and is relatively interested in piloting a jet.
Lies to engage them to find her more compelling to talk to. While Skye tries to mitigate if she's going too far or is too outright unbelievable for her to proceed.
Overall, Jemma has gotten a hang of it.
Midway through the night, Skye disappeared, saying she needed to go to the bathroom, and Jemma continued to chat with people she knew were under Dr. Whitehall's dream team. She got used to the fake smiles and word vomit compliments that she had forgotten that she was even nervous, to begin with.
She was getting a lot of newer opportunities as she made herself known and by the end of the party, she was waving people goodbyes and laughing.
Only a few people were in the party and Jemma thinks she'd socialized enough and wanted to go home.
"Thank you so much for the competitive conversation but I should leave. Best luck, Micheal. I love the tie by the way."
"Thank you, Dr. Simmons. You look gorgeous as well."
Jemma extracted herself from them and began looking after Skye. She wasn't sure why the brunette didn't come back after an hour but she was getting worried when she hadn't found her in the bathroom.
"Looking for this one," Jemma turned around to see Morse dragging a drunk and limping Skye on her shoulders.
"Skye!" She went to her immediately and began to assess if she was injured.
"She's fine. I found her on the veranda on her six bottle. I think someone challenged her to a drinking game since I also found a guy puking on a pot beside her before fainting as he was going to the bathroom. She should take it easy on the alcohol. She's lucky I noticed her going with you."
"I'm so sorry for this, Agent Morse and I know. She seems to think it's water or something. Thank you." Jemma took Skye from the tall older woman.
Morse stared intensely at her as if contemplating to say something.
"It's a surprise to see you here." Her voice is a tad bit low.
"I hope it's not unwelcomed," Jemma said a bit guarded.
"It's not. Just a nice surprise." Morse turns around to leave the two. "Be careful on your way down, Dr. Simmons. We don't know if anything is waiting to pounce on you." The raven woman gave her one last look and turned to leave.
Jemma had no idea what she meant but ignored it to help her drunk friend.
She slaps Skye's cheek as the brunette's purple eyes come alive. "Huh, where am I?"
"Back from the dead, I see. Come on, Skye. We're done here. Let's go home."
"Owkay.. I'll- I'll drive." She slowly slurred.
"No. You're not. You're sleeping on my coach tonight."
Jemma huffs as she dumps a drunk Skye onto her sofa, who groaned and was half tucked on the cushions, mumbling incoherent things under her breath.
"You are a handful." Jemma blurted out as she wiped her forehead for the sweat that had built up after dragging the brunette along to her apartment.
She sighed as she went to her room to get a pillow, new blankets, and then returned to Skye, who was still half-planking and half-hanging on the sofa.
Jemma regretted offering the brunette her soda since she was harder to coordinate than Fitz was when drunk and the man is stubborn already.
"Come on, Skye. Let me situate you properly!" Jemma frustratingly pulled Skye's arms and body till she was more placed on the furniture. Yet she only crunched up her face and complained something under her breath that Jemma couldn't hear.
"Das't!" Skye hissed after her hand hit her own face accidentally when Jemma tried to rock her head to put the pillow under her.
She wondered curiously what language that was but her intonation kind of felt like it was not a good word.
"I hope you're not cursing me, Skye. I am trying to be hospitable here." After making sure the brunette was okay, she placed the blanket over her and went to her room to take a shower.
The night had gone surprisingly well. Not the brunette getting shitfaced but connecting with Hydra people, as Skye calls them
She was even told to join a demonstration of a new centipede project underway. She didn't even know they were still at it. She thought after blowing up their facility they were gone for good but then again, HYDRA's more persistent than she thought.
She was done taking a shower and was on her bedside reporting to Coulson. A small figure of him appeared in the air. A holographic form.
"Good evening, Jemma. Do you have anything to report to me?" Coulson asked in his usual casualness.
"Yes, Sir. A couple actually..." Jemma went on and on about the thing she found out in just a night. Which was more than the things she had reported over four months.
"Thank you, Jemma. I've already written all of those done and you can send a report file later in the week. This is progress." Jemma smiled cheek to cheek at Coulson's praise.
"Thank you, sir. I've had help recently and I think I'm getting a hang of this secret identity thing. How's the team?" Jemma's tone turned a bit downcast at the end, mostly because he knew as well whom she was asking for.
"We're okay and he's cooping. But he still needs some time. He misses you though."
"Did he say that?" Jemma asked hopeful.
"He doesn't have to. You know Fitz." Coulson smiled softly at her.
"Okay. I—" Their conversation was cut by the slam of the door opening. Jemma's protocol was to keep firearms nearby so when her hand grabbed the pistol under her pillow she was already half a second to pull the trigger when she saw who it was.
"Jemma, where's your bathroom? I think I need to puke." Skye came in the room looking disheveled, with clothes unproperly sticking out, her eyes closed but looking nauseous, and her hand on her stomach.
She opened her eyes to see Coulson, who was in a holographic form, and Jemma's surprised looks but she didn't react as she closed her eyes again and complained.
"I'm going to find it myself." As she started patting the walls since she must be too tired to look for it before she touched a knob to the bathroom and entered.
Seconds after the two heard someone vomiting.
Jemma didn't know if she should sigh in relief that she didn't shoot Skye or be worried that she saw Coulson.
"Who's that?" Coulson peeked at her, his obvious calm demeanor changing that of a worried father.
"The help I was talking about. I'll talk to you later sir." She sighed.
"Please be careful, Agent Simmons. Alert us if you've been compromised."
Jemma went into the bathroom to see a half-asleep brunette on the toilet and leaning in the bathtub nearby. "Ahhhh. Why is the world moving?" She bellows.
Jemma rarely thinks someone's too unhinged, but Skye almost takes the cake being the most likely to die from suffocating in her own vomit.
The smaller woman stared at Skye's clothes wet from the water that she opened unceremoniously with a turn of the tap.
"Skye turned that off." She tried her hardest to sound firm as Skye pouted at her before turning it off and was now drenched on the underside of her sleeves.
"I'm sorry. I wanted to drink something to get rid of the dead smell from my mouth." She sounded so sad that Jemma couldn't continue to stay mad.
She went to get some clothes for Skye to change into because she wasn't a bad host and brought a towel because of how wet she was. "Skye I need you to strip."
The drunkard smirked before chuckling. "I wish I could give you a strip tease, but my legs are jelly at the moment."
Jemma looks affronted by Skye and smacks her face with a towel to which the brunette only laughs. "Be serious with me, Skye. Take off your clothes, you can't sleep in that."
"It's fine. I'm fine. Give me that towel." She took the thing, laid it on the floor, and used it as a pillow. Jemma thought she was joking when Skye suddenly started gently snoring right then and there.
Jemma pinched the bridge of her nose before taking a few deep breathing techniques May taught her to not let irritation take over. She cleaned up after her and was about to start changing Skye's clothes when her hand noticed slight bumps on her collar.
Curious, she touched the collar of her shirt and pulled it down to see scars littering the brunette's body, she was left speechless, her gasp couldn't even be that loud but she put her hand on her mouth.
Suddenly, something caught her wrist and secured her there. Skye's eyes were clear; gone was the hazing hue from being inebriated, replaced by a strong resolve of something she couldn't pinpoint but kind of scared her.
Skye steadily sits up, her grip not letting her go, as alarm bells ring inside Jemma's head, regretting leaving her gun on the bed. "Skye, let go." She pleaded softly, still believing the brunette wouldn't hurt her.
"Jemma." Skye's eyes flickered in clarity as if being snapped from hypnosis as her expression softened and she steadily let her wrist go. "I'm sorry." She muttered before laying back down on the tiled floor and turned her back to Jemma. "I wasn't going to hurt you, Jemma. I'm not a monster."
Jemma could hear a small quiver in her voice a slight tell that she was still very much drunk. She felt bad as she hadn't known she would react that badly to being changed, she should have known though. They've known each other not that long ago, she shouldn't have treated her like she would have with Fitz.
"I'm sorry, Skye. I didn't- you're not a monster." Jemma tentatively rubs Skye's arm, trying to be gentle. "If the floor gets uncomfortable ask me for help to get you to the sofa. I'll leave the clothes here."
She didn't get a response other than a small nod.
Jemma closed the door and headed for her bed, her mind still reeling over what happened. She looked over the door of the bathroom as her mind wandered to Skye's scars and the fear she now recognized in the woman's eyes. It was like a scared animal being cornered.
She took note of how the scars looked like incisions done in an operation. She couldn't see all of it but knew from experience that almost half her body had it.
She didn't want to pry but there must have been reasons for it. Whatever it was, Jemma wasn't ready to ask.
Notes:I've decided to just post one chapter per week. So I can edit it better. The consensus for the poll is 6k - 10k words. Hopefully, there will not be many mistakes when I post it.