Skye couldn't sleep. She missed the hum of the engines on the Bus. The Playground was quiet.

"Too quiet. And now I'm talking to myself." She wandered the halls, looking for somewhere to go. It had only been two days and in the dark the halls all looked the same. And they all looked creepy. The floor was cold beneath her bare feet and now Skye wanted slippers and a sweater and to be back on the Bus.

"Skye?"

She jumped and whipped around to see Coulson coming out of a door behind her.

"Oh my God, Coulson. You scared me. Try warning me before you sneak up on me in a dark hall." She looked at him in the dark. For once he wasn't in a suit but pyjamas. Maybe it was the outfit or the fact that for the first time in weeks HYDRA wasn't about to kill them, but he actually looked relaxed.

"I did," he answered drying. "By saying your name."

"Fair point."

"What are you doing up?"

"I don't know. Looking for the kitchen I guess. Is it in there?" she asked pointing to the door behind him. He shook his head.

"If you're not really hungry come here. I want to show you something." Coulson smiled just a little and that was enough to get Skye smiling for real. He led her down the hall to another door she didn't recognize and held it open. Skye had been hoping for a cool lounge or a great computer but instead was greeted with a grey lab space. "Sit." Coulson gestured towards stool.

The lab wasn't large and there was a long silver counter next to her with six small identical boxes sitting on it. Skye reached out to grab the closest one, but Coulson's hand landed on hers and stopped her. She rolled her eyes and folded her hands in her lap. He laughed and grabbed another stool, sitting next to her. He turned to face her and took a deep sigh before talking.

"You were right, Skye."

"I have to say," Skye said as she felt a smile creep across her fact, "that I like how this conversation has started. Right about what?"

Coulson was smiling too. It was a relief to see him like this. Skye had been so wrapped up with Ward being evil, and kidnapping her and maybe threatening to rape her and FitzSimmons that she hadn't really thought about how draining all of this must have been for Coulson, but of course it was. SHIELD was his life and it was gone. She was gutted by the loss and the betrayals and she'd been an agent for a day. It was different now. In the Playground, with a toolbox and a mission, he was different.

"You were right about SHIELD. All the things you said in the Rising Tide blogs and everything you said when we brought you in. We kept dangerous secrets. We weren't accountable. I think you called us government toolbags."

"Hold on," Skye said, putting her hands out for emphasis, "I called Ward a government toolbag. And Evil. And Faceless." Suddenly, she felt so uncomfortable. She dropped her head to avoid Coulson's eyes. She tried not to bring up Ward and she hadn't yet to Coulson. She didn't know if it would weird him out or upset him. A laugh caused her to look up again.

"You also called him firm."

"Well-" Skye didn't really know where to go with that.

"Skye," Coulson's voice was softer now and Skye held his gaze. "You were right. HYDRA was able to infiltrate us because we kept secrets. We demanded that agents trust the system rather than question things that felt off. You were right and I wish I had listened to you sooner." He reached out and clasped her hands in his. "And now I want to ask something of you."

Skye nodded and maybe a quiet yes slipped out of her mouth. She wasn't even sure.

"I trust you. I trust your judgement." He sat there for a while, not saying anything. He looked down at their hands, still joined together and Skye's eyes followed. There was something else. She could feel fear, Coulson's fear. It made the whole room cold and she shivered.

"That's not a question, Coulson," Skye said, finding her voice.

"Promise me you'll come to me if you see it happening again." He squeezed her hands for emphasis.

"It won't. You won't let it."

"Skye, promise me. I want to create something different but I worry that one day I'll lose sight of it. Promise me if I do you'll break down my door and warn me before it's too late."

"Yeah. I promise. And I'll bring May to kick your ass if you don't listen." They both laughed and Coulson pulled his hands away reaching for one of the mystery boxes on the counter. He handed it to her. "Can I open it?"

"Before you do, I just want to say one thing. Welcome to SHIELD, Agent Skye." Skye's eyes grew wide as she lifted the lid. Inside was a shiny badge. It looked just like the one she had before the uprising. "I'm sorry the last one I gave you didn't last but this one is to keep."

"Coulson," Skye said, her eyes filling with tears. She wanted to say thank you. She wanted to tell him it was an honor. She wanted to hug him. "How did you-?"

"3D printer. Over there against that wall." He pointed to it and Skye suddenly remembered this room from Billy's tour.

"The kitchen is literally across the hall, isn't it?"

He nodded.

"Come one, you look cold. I make a mean cocoa." Coulson stood up and Skye followed suit. She was clutching the box tightly and Coulson placed his hand on her back to guide her. She stopped suddenly and he turned to face her.

"Thank you," she whispered. "It's an honor." Then she reached out and wrapped her arms around him, enveloping him in a tight hug.