[2] An Executioner's Requiem | Leo Fitz

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Nina wasn't the type of person that liked to sit still. Her life had always moved at a pace that even she had a hard time keeping up with but she preferred the speed. That's why it was so hard for her to adjust to her new circumstances, living and breathing in a holding cell of the Bus while she grew familiar with her powers.

It had been a week since her self inflicted isolation and she hadn't spoken to anyone except Skye and Coulson. The director made a point to stop by every day once he gave up trying to convince her to come back to the bunks and Skye called her every night. The hacker said it was to discuss their progress but Nina knew it was simply because she needed to hear a friendly voice that wasn't her boss.

Her days were pretty repetitive as Nina tried her best to stick to a routine. She woke up every morning at 5 and would spend the next 3 hours reading her book of choice then at 8 she'd work out. She couldn't exactly run in the cell and Coulson hadn't approved bringing a treadmill into the small space, so she settled with the basics. Pushups, jumping jacks, burpees, planks... anything really to work up a sweat and make her feel productive.

The hardest part of her day, however, started when she'd washed up after her workout and Coulson brought her breakfast as it was when she practised her powers. Which was what she was doing now.

She sat, back pressed up against a wall, with her hands outstretched in front of her. She flexed her fingers slightly before taking a deep breath, adopting the teachings of May's Tai Chi lessons and the ideals of her old meditation sessions, before focusing on the shadow her lamp produced.

Her jaw clenched slightly in concentration before relaxing when the shadows rose from the floor, swirling in the air before moving towards Nina's pale hand. She smiled softly to see that her veins didn't change colour, nor did she feel any pain as the dark mass moved between the spaces of her fingers.

"Shouldn't you be resting?" a voice echoed through the room and Nina looked away from her hand to see her old friend, "your bruises haven't healed yet."

"They don't hurt anymore," Nina said as she sent Melody's blue-tinted body a small smile. 

Ever since she'd first appeared, the late engineer had become Nina's most common visitor. She would turn up at random times of the day and check on her. A few days ago, Nina had learnt that she could also summon Melody, her thoughts had been filled with the woman's blonde hair and a warmth filled the air before disappearing and leaving Melody in its absence. She'd likened the feeling to opening a door.

"You ruptured your veins," Melody deadpanned as she looked down at Nina, "if you keep this up, you'll make them worse."

"They don't hurt anymore," Nina simply repeated. She moved her hand side to side and watched as the shadows left her fingers, spiralling in the air and mirroring a twirling ribbon. A bright laugh left her mouth at the sight and she looked at Melody with a wide smile.

"You're getting better at that," Melody stated, deciding to leave her concern alone. Nina knew her body the best, she'd stop if she had to... at least Melody hoped she would, "have you managed to summon anyone other than me yet?"

"No," Nina instantly pouted, she squeezed her palm into a tight fist and the shadows surged back towards her hands. Once they were back in her grip she pressed her hand to the floor, allowing the shadows to absorb into it and return to the lamp they'd come from, "I get so close but the moment I go to open the door the handle disappears. It's like my body doesn't want me to let anyone else out."

Melody was well aware of Nina's door analogy for her necromancy so she simply nodded. She had her own thoughts on the restrictions but before she was able to share them, there was a knock at the door. Both females looked towards it before focusing back on each other, Melody saluted playfully to her boss before disappearing in a puff of blue smoke. The late engineer had made a point not to be seen by anyone else until Nina got a handle on her powers, Melody didn't want to play a part in another argument that led to Nina's tears.