𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆
you can forgive yourself now

JIAYING was the first to speak up, "I want to know where you're from. Did you make friends there?"

"At S.H.I.E.L.D.?" Skye questioned which made Jiaying nod her head. "I have only been on The Bus once, and that was when they kidnapped me." The younger of the two chuckled. "But yeah, I talk to them every once in a while, visited me when I ended up in the Hospital twice. So, yeah, I guess you could say that they're like my second family?"

"And your first?" She asked Skye.

"Well, my mom," Skye paused, swallowing thickly. "She is mostly at the Hospital due to us needing more money."

"She works at the Hospital?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "She is mostly first and third shift, depends on what day it is." Ge looked out at the beautiful mountains. "My brother Scott works at the vet clinic; he wants to save up money for a dirt bike." She chuckled breathlessy.

"What about you?" Skye turned to her. "Do you have a job?"

"No." Skye shook her head. "I tried to work at the clinic but it really wasn't my fortay. There was also this one time I worked at a hotdog stand. Let's just say it was the most embarrassing thing I have ever done."

"And... Stiles," she forced out his name. "He was my best friend but something changed. I started having feelings towards him. But then I—"

"You changed?"

Skye nodded, taking in a breath. "I don't know what happened. I know I hurt Stiles again." She turned to Jiaying. "I lost control."

"Do you understand your gift?"

"I... Make things shake?"

Jiaying laughed lightly. "Well, not really. Everything's shaking already, vibrating at its own natural frequency. This stone." They looked at the stone in her hand. "The wood in the trees..." She smiled at Skye. "I believe you can learn to sense those frequencies around you and resonate with them so that not everything is shaking, only what you choose.

"Sense a frequency." Skye made a face, raising a brow. "How do I do that?"

Jiaying let out a breathless chuckle. "I don't know. I'm not the one with the gift. I just work here." She held out her hand, the stone in it.

"You think I can hear the stone?" Jiaying just gave Skye look who sighed and took it. She inhaled deeply, closed her eyes, and clenched her hand around the stone.

Skye then gasped, opening her eyes to stare out at the mountain, a ringing filling her ears, and shaking every cell of her body. "Whoa. You've got to be kidding me." She chuckled loudly.

"Can you hear it?"

Skye shook her head. "No, not the stone. The mountain." She looked to her. "It's the loudest thing here." She laughed gleefully, a smile so bright appeared on her face which made Jiaying smile.

"Well, now take that frequency and see if you can amplify it," She told Skye which made her mood drop.

"The last time I did something like this, I threw a car across a parking lot and destroyed multiple vehicles," she informed her, shaking her head. "And then I hurt my best friend."

"You can't hurt the mountain, and you're not gonna hurt me. Don't be afraid," Jiaying told her calmly.

Skye nodded and released a breath. She held out her hand, palm facing the mountain, and closed her eyes, trying to concentrate on just moving the mountain. When she felt the familiar buzz in her arms stretch out to her hands, and heard the rumble of the mountain, a smile came to her face. She opened her eyes and stared in awe at the avalanche she had caused.

"I moved a mountain," her words came out shocked, almost like it wasn't her saying it.

Jiaying and her both chuckled. "Remember that feeling. It's not something to be afraid of."

"SO, what happens next?" Skye asked jiaying as they walked towards the place that the younger of the two were staying in.

"Eat like crazy, then rest up. This afternoon will be much harder."

"Than the avalanche?" Skye questioned and she nodded, smiling.

"Now I need to take care of something else." Jiaying started to walk away but before she got to far, she turned to face Skye. "I'm very proud of your work today."

"Wow." Skye looked to Lincoln as he approached her after Jiaying had walked away. "Training go that well or that badly?"

Skys looked up at him and tilted her head, smiling. "I caused an avalanche."

He smiled down at her, chuckling. "Is that a good thing?"

She nodded, smiling. "Yeah, it's good."

"You know, it's really impressive for Jiaying to take anyone under her wing," Lincoln told her which had her furrowing her brows.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Lincoln nodded.

"I like her," Skye admitted. "I just... I can't..." She took in a deep breath, "What's her role here?"

"Her role is in charge." Skye frowned at his words. "So really, she must like you."

She looked down at the stiraphome tray he had in his hand. "What kind of contraband you got there?"

He looked down at it as well and smiled sheepishly. "I-I knew you'd be training." He handed it to her and she took it with a smile, smelling the delicious goodness in it. Her heart warmed up at the thought of him knowing her favorite food within just a little while of knowing her.

"Hey, Lincoln?" She asked, confused about one thing.

"Yeah?"

"If she's in charge, how often does she train people?"

He rose his eyebrows. "Since I've been here, let me see..." He fake thought about it before looking up at her, "Never."

"OKAY." Jiaying placed her finger in one of many glass cups before taking it out. "I play a note you hold it."

Skye nodded. "Okay."

She ran her finger around the rimm of the cup, and Skye nodded to herself before holding out her hand to another glass. The water in the glass started but it was making the exact sound she was. She stretched out her thumb and got another glass doing it, and before she knew it, all the glasses were playing notes.

Then they exploded.

"Your gift is quite destructive, but look at the music you can make." Skys frowned at what she did. "That was amazing. So what? We'll drink from wooden cups at dinner." She sighed. "What's wrong?"

'Nothing." Skys then sighed, throwing out her arms. "That's just it. Everything is great here. It feels like home, which... Never ends well."

"Ends?" Jiaying questioned. "We're not going anywhere."

"You sure? 'Cause mistrust of home is my other superpower," Skys told her, running a hand through her long brown hair.

"Where is this coming from?"

"Nothing. It's stupid." Skye saw her face and caved, "I broke a crystal decanter once at a foster family's house, and now the glass, and—"

"They sent you back for that?"

"Well, I tried some of the scotch, too," she admitted, a soft chuckle escaping her. "But, yes, something bad happens every time I feel settled somewhere. I'm seventeen, and I have never spent more than a couple months anywhere. The second I made friends at the orphanage... gone. And God forbid I called a foster family "home." It's "pack your bags". I got the news on my birthday once, which is a complete farce, because I don't even know when I was born," she ranted, the weight on her shoulders dispersing slowly.

"I'm so sorry."

"Melissa and Scott was the closest I ever came to having a family. I belonged there, saw what I could be. Even that ended badly when everything changed. Now, it doesn't feel that much like home," Skye admitted, feeling bad that she was saying that about people who she loves, who loves her, but she can't help the feeling as if it's not home anymore.

"We're not gonna turn on you or abandon you. This is a safe place."

Skys threw out her hand to gesture. "See, you say that, but I know you're not being straight with me. Why do you care if I stay or go, and why are you trea—"

"July 2nd." Skye's turned to Jiaying confused, and she sighed, "You were born on July 2nd." Skye's heart started to tighten as more words started to flow out of her mouth, "It was, um, a hot night, and, for some reason, I decided to clean the house before I woke your father."

"Oh, my God," Skye breathed out, her hand flying to her mouth to cover up the shocked gasp that had escaped.

"Cal..." Jiaying trailed off, "He, uh... He ran over to the neighbor's house to borrow their car but didn't speak any Chinese. So, um... It was a mess."

"It's you," Skys breathed out. "You're my..."

She nodded, tears sliding down her cheeks. "Deep down, I think you knew."

"I was too afraid to hope," Skye's voice wavered before completely crashing.

"I wanted to run to you the second I saw you, wrap you in my arms," She admitted, staring into her brown doe eyes.

"Why didn't you?"

"Because you were forced to change. Joining our people had to be your choice. You deserved that."

Skye took a couple step backs. "At St. Agnes, all the kids pray that their parents are out there, looking for them. You were," she whimpered at the thought.

Jiaying nodded. "For years. After your father pieced me back together, we scoured the Earth. We were ruthless in hunting for you. One morning, I woke up, and I barely recognized myself. Your father was buried in the new, horrible man he had become. He couldn't admit that our baby was gone. I thought I had to accept it."

Her voice broke by the end of her statement, "I'm so sorry." Skye sniffled as she brought her in for a hug. "My sweet angel. I thought if I couldn't find you, maybe I could help protect others, so I came here. I'll make up for all of it. I swear." She pulled back from the hug and smoothed down her daughters hair. "But listen. Right now, this has to be our secret."

"What do you mean, "secret"? Why?" Skys was confused as she took a step back in disbelief by her words.

"Our people have very strict rules, and they could perceive you as a threat."

"ETHAN," Jiaying said as a boy was about to walk passed them. "Hey. I hear you're headed away."

He nodded. "Uh, yeah. Taking some time to backpack. Gordon's dropping me off in Prague, so..."

"Well, have a good trip."

"Thanks." He walked away, smiling.

"There are good people here," She told Skye with a smile. "He hasn't been through the mist yet.

"You don't want to tell them because you're responsible for deciding what to do with me," Skye realized, frowning, her heart clenching at the thought.

"It's complicated." Skye scoffed at her words. "Come with me." They walked off to a place where nobody was around. "I'm responsible for everyone here. Favoritism undermines trust."

"Don't you want to tell people?"

"I don't get that luxury," She spoke firmly which made Skye look down. "My rules must be enforced. People have died when the process for selection and training has been ignored."

"But I already skipped that process," Skye reminded her.

"And I protected you from the swift response that usually brings." She sighed as she saw her daughters crestfallen face. "It's happened before. There was a woman once. She didn't trust my judgment... so she stole a batch of terrigen crystals and fled... got caught up with some criminals in Bahrain." She paused, "Her name was Eva... Russian, strong-willed like you."

"May," Skye realized. " The Cavalry." She nodded. "I know this story. A-an agent went in and... Killed her?"

"I wish it had been that simple." Skye furrowed her eyebrows as she continued, With so much strength, Eva was bound to be noticed out in the world." Skye nodded, following along with the information. "She didn't steal the crystals for herself. She stole them for her daughter, Katya. I saw a darkness in the girl. I didn't think she should go through the mist, but Eva wanted Katya to receive her birthright. She trusted her judgment over mine. Katya had to be stopped, but not by S.H.I.E.L.D. She was my responsibility."

"You made the rules. Now you're afraid they'll think you broke them for me," Skye realized, biting down on her bottom lip.

"Our people know too well what a woman will do for her daughter. So... we keep our secret.

Skye nodded her head. "No one will ever know."

"ARE you sure it's the right thing?" Skye nervously asked as they stood at the door to where her father was staying. "If this is some weird lesson—"

"Its's not a lesson. This is personal... a debt I owe to your father. And if you trust me in this, I'll be eternally grateful."

"He's a monster, though," Skys stated as She remembered everything Coulson had told her about who Cal was, and what he had done.

"He was good once," Jiaying defended him, "Cal lost himself to a promise he made me out of love. Now he's made good."

"That shouldn't mean all is forgiven."

"No." She shook her head. "But he never gave up on you. He deserves something for that. Just one dinner, then you never have to see him again. I'll have him taken away from here."

"You promise?"

She nodded and opened the door revealing Cal who was setting the table.

"Oh." He looked up at them, smiling. "I had wanted so badly to make everything perfect for tonight. And suddenly, it is. Uh," He cleared his throat as he held out a boutique of daisy's. "These are for you."Skye took the daisy's and smiled lightly. "I want to thank you both of you... for giving me another shot. I know that my actions—"

"I learned who my mother was today, and she... taught me things," Skye interrupted him, "I've never had that before."

"That's all I really wanted for you." He looked down at the floor like a kicked puppy which pulled at her heart strings.

"Cal, uh, Skye doesn't know when her birthday is."

He perked up, "I do. July 2nd. It... it was a gorgeous summer night..." He led Skye to the table and helped her into a seat. "Beautiful, big moon in the sky. 1993. Do you know, your mother... she actually cleaned before she told me. You see, there was only one car in the village... And we didn't own it."

He chuckled which made her look over at her mother with raised eyebrows. "So I had to negotiate with the man. He didn't speak English, and my Chinese was terrible." Both of them chuckled.

"Wait," Skye abruptly spoke up, "93?"

"Mm-hmm." Cal nodded.

"I'm 18?" She laughed, shaking her head. "That's so messed up." She chuckled again. "Uh, sorry."

"Uh, to... 18."

"Yes. Here's to 18." They clinked their glasses together and drank their drinks; Skye's being a coke.

"Anyway, once we figured out the car situation... did I tell you it was the year of the dragon? Then we had to get you to the hospital. Your mother was all fine and calm. I, of course, was..."

Everything kinda just blurred, but all Skye knew was that He was actually blissfull for once in her life.

She had finally met her parents. And it was a good day.