Disclaimer: I don't own Agent of SHIELD and all these lovely characters. English is not my first language so please excuse the possible flaws and feel free to point it out.

Yesterday Once More

Rainybamboo

"People are staring." A extremely sullen-looking Agent Melinda May muttered as they forced their way through the crowd.

"Which is totally legitimate considering you're in a really tight suit." Agent Philip Coulson snickered, apparently sharing none of his partner's annoyance.

"NOT helping." May hissed through her teeth while raising one hand to loosen her collar. Tight suit or not, wearing latex under the golden California sun was never enjoyable.

He almost sensed pouting in her voice. He could tell that whichever shield she was using to guard her heart had been cracked a little these days and he got sneak peeks of the old, carefree Melinda May occasionally.

Puzzlingly, May frowned at Coulson's secretive smirk. "Where are we anyway?"

"LA."

"Hilarious. You mean since we just came cross this large signpost..." May remarked dryly, "You know what I mean. What damn universe?"

"Judging by people's outfit? I'd say no more that late 90s."

Oh she hated this calm, almost amused tone of his, especially in a nerve-racking situation like this, not that she didn't take a leaf out of his book sometimes. "And we are in this...this..."

"...temporal disorder..."

"...this temporal disorder thing because?"

"We were caught in a magnetic storm."

"A magnetic storm?" May raised a suspicious eyebrow, which devolved into an accusing growl, "You have no idea why either, aren't you?"

"Not a single clue." Coulson said in such a peaceful manner, which he'd maintained since they landed in this crazy world, but winked his eye just for good measure.

Inevitably, May rolled her eyes, "So where are we heading for?"

"Contacting S.H.I.E.L.D.. I have this feeling that the Hub knows way more than we give it credit for, even with a 20-year gap." It would be a sore spot for both of them, because not only the agency no longer existed in their own world, but also a younger version of them were somewhere in it, living a life that they would never have the privilege to relish again.

Next to him, May let out a barely audible sigh, and he knew the same thought struck her too. However, being Agent May, she just shrugged, "At least convince them to lend us a vehicle."

And that's how they ended up on the street again, with slightly fancier transportation, a 1990 Buick LeSabre, and a not-so-fancy mission to complete. The Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. had accepted their "situation" without showing even a hint of shock. And they had been informed that, yes, they were taken back to the past because of a "time leakage", which was a random but roughly periodical occurrence, and yes they did have a secret setup dealing with those "lost lambs" like them. "Still above your pay grade, Agent May. " The Directer had said pointedly when May didn't even try to hide her glare at the revelation, "You'll be here for a while. Better to make yourself productive."

They got temporary badge, gear-up, a safe house and a guardian mission to kill time with. "Stay put and minimum your exposure. Don't want to bump into the younger you. And we wouldn't confine them even if we could. " the Director had added the last part with evident bitterness, and Coulson couldn't help but wonder what kind of impression he and May had made on their superiors back in their late twenties.

=x=

"No." said May firmly after a critical glance at the black sedan. She then swiftly buckled up in the front passenger seat.

Coulson probably would come up with some smart retort if he didn't a much painful task to focus on. Finding an uptown location based on coordinates without help of GPS was a nightmare he had thought he would never experienced again.

Completely ignoring Coulson's struggle, May opened the mission file to see what precious cargo they were assigned to guard.

"Mary Sue Poots, female, age six. " May read out loud, then swore under her breath, "You MUST be kidding."

By the time they pulled up outside Merryvale Orphanage, May had long finished reading. The rest of drive was in silence. The file wasn't very informative, mainly records of a child being kicked around among foster homes pretty much since her infancy. There were also a few records of her being put in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s temporary custody due to "security concern". Nothing indicated how she ended up in the system. That part of history was still buried deep in the S.H.I.E.L.D. archive jumble.

They showed their badge and transfer document to the perky young man at the front desk.

"Ah, I see you come for Mary Sue. Earlier this year uh? Hope nobody fills in complaints this time. " Coulson thought the clerk had to be unbelievably ignorant to keep rambling like this when someone as scary as May was practically looking daggers at him. "She will be ready in half an hour. Our staff will bring her out. Please wait here."

Exactly thirty-four minutes later, a skinny brunette girl went in dragging a worn half-empty luggage bag along with her. She was in an old baggy T-shirt, a pair of jeans that was two size too large rolled up at the bottom, and her should-length hair was untamed, too. She looked around in a daring manner rare for her age and fixed her big brown eyes at the strange adult questioningly.

"Hello, Mary." Coulson stepped up to greet the little girl, and could hardly keep a straight face when the kid snorted, "My name is Agent Coulson and this is Agent May. You will be staying with us for a while." The girl shrugged. "We are about to leave now. You need some time to say goodbye to your friends?" The girl merely shrugged again. "Ok then." Coulson held out a hand for the girl to take, who mutely declined the offer, using both of her hands to lift her bag instead and followed the agents out.

=x=

The third time May checked up on the girl in the side mirror, they were on the way to the safe house. The kid was wearing a weird, intense look on her face. Her eyes wandered and met May's. For a six-year-old, she did a pretty impressive job at pretending innocence, but a twist of her right confirmed May's suspicion.

"No funny business in the car, kid. " The girl froze at May's quiet but unchallengeable voice and withdrew her hands immediately. Surprised at how the girl actually held up against the warning, May hid the smile behind her poker face, "Go sit in the middle and fasten your seatbelt. Keep your hands where I can see it."

The girl whimpered but obeyed.

The silence went on for another five minutes before the girl finally spoke up. "Are you Catwoman?" She asked in such a tiny tentative voice.

Coulson made a sound like he might be choking on his saliva.

"No, I am not." May answered matter-of-factly.

"Oh." The girl looked down at her lap and showed extra interest in playing with her fingers.

TBC

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