[2] An Executioner's Requiem | Leo Fitz

20

When Nina was 10, she'd been obsessed with the stars. She had vivid memories of laying out in the garden, staring up at the sky. Tony was always there with her, laid on the same grass while she rested her head on his shoulder and they pointed to the constellations.

When he realised Nina's obsession, he'd read up on the constellations wanting to teach her all about her favourite stars and the stories behind them. And so for the years leading up to joining SHIELD, the pair lay under the night sky, weekly, looking up at the stars while Tony explained each constellation and Nina hung on to every word. The stars always calmed Nina and having Tony by her side made looking at them extra special.

There wasn't a time where Nina needed the stars more than now but since she was sat in a glass pod, quarantined from the rest of the team, the artificial lights above her were going to have to do.

"If you keep staring at those lights, you're gonna need glasses," an English voice called out to her. 

"I already wear glasses, Amadeus. I don't spend a fortune on contacts for nothing," was her response as she turned her head ever so slightly to see her brother. Her voice was quiet as she spoke and Hunter strained to hear her as he pulled a chair up to the glass of her new room. The Brit held up a bottle of bourbon and a sandwich, at the sight of them Nina rolled her eyes,

"I thought you might want some company so I brought alcohol. Sandwich's from Fitz, prosciutto, mozzarella and pesto aioli. His favourite," he told her. 

Nina tilted her head at that information, not really understanding why the scientist would randomly make her a sandwich. Hunter poured two glasses of bourbon and placed one, along with the sandwich, in the transfer window of the pod. Nina looked at it for a moment, pushing herself into a seated position, before turning back to her brother.

"I have Skye," was her blank response. She didn't turn to look at the sleeping woman in the pod beside her but Hunter did, sparing the hacker a quick glance.

Nina had been unconscious when she'd been brought back to the Playground. She remained in that state for the rest of the day and only woke up a few hours ago. She'd spoken to Skye for a few minutes before the hacker fell asleep, it was very obvious that she was having a nightmare but after waking her up twice already, Nina decided to leave her be.

"And I assumed you both grieve differently."

Hunter watched Nina tense slightly at his words but he didn't say anything, only waiting for her to relax. If he was honest with himself, he didn't truly understand how Nina grieved. When she'd lost her team he was deployed and by the time he'd been released long enough to pay her a visit, she'd been there for a single day before going on her murderous spree.

"Shouldn't you be providing healthier ways of dealing with grief that doesn't include damaging my liver?" she asked monotonously. Hunter shrugged, taking a sip of his drink.

"Probably but you don't like talking about your emotions," Hunter said, "and, drinking alone's kinda sad."

"Bobbi doesn't like when you drink," Nina responded standing up. She went over to the window, pulling out the glass and leaving the sandwich be. She didn't feel like eating anything but still made a mental note to thank Fitz and try it later, before looking down into the brown liquid for a few seconds. She downed the beverage and grimaced slightly as it passed down her bruised throat.

It burned on its way down but she found solace in the pain. It told her she was still here, still alive and still breathing... three things she couldn't say about Trip. 

"Yeah, well," Hunter said, eyes snapping down to the exposed scar on her neck for a moment before gesturing for Nina to set the glass back in the window. Once she did, he filled it back up and she took it, "Bobbi's not here."