TITLE: Trust

SUMMARY: After finding out that Ward was HYDRA all along; the team realize that Skye has withdrawn deep within herself. Can they manage to be there, and truly help her while still trying to get S.H.I.E.L.D back from HYDRA's control?

Skye's 0-8-4 status is even more dangerous now that they know that Ward is HYDRA; and that he knows that Skye isn't from Earth. How far will HYDRA go to get their hands on Skye? Can Coulson; and the team protect Skye?

RATING: T

CATEGORIES: Friendship/ Family/ Hurt/Comfort/ Drama/ Angst/ Romance/ Humor/ Crime/ Suspense/ Tragedy/ Spiritual

Author's Note: Okay confession time. The last episode that I have seen is S1.E6. Not due to disinterest. But due to having no TV channels at all in my apartment. Plus helping selling a house. Well; the house is finally sold. My apartment is almost packed up – and I should be back to watching TV in about three weeks. Hopefully AOS will be released on Net flicks soon. Or I can find the site where they are still showing free episodes.

Now; I'm a major Skimmons fan. Have been since the very first time the Bus's ramp lowered & Simmons got her very first sight of Skye standing outside. I'm rooting that they actually GET to be together on air.

I love Coulson's relationship with Skye. I love that he's her father figure – and she's his daughter figure. It works. I'm glad they decided to have AOS go in that direction – instead of Coulson being full on serious all the time.

I love Fitzsimmons. They are the best SIBLING relationship on the show.

I'm actually glad they have Ward being a traitor to S.H.I.E.L.D. I knew someone on the team HAD to be; and I'm glad it's him. I truly didn't want Skye to turn out to be a traitor after all. (Remember I currently only have seen the first six episodes here). I think we'll get more character development from Grant Ward with this plot line. Now perhaps we'll see more of the brother relationship between him & Miles. Especially with Ward having feelings for Skye & knowing his brother had slept with her.

Wow; so Skye is an 0-8-4 – I'm not surprised. I knew someone on the team would have an unexplained DNA – I knew Coulson was pretty much brought back from the dead; they all ready had Jemma accidentally get 'powered' up; and, they had Ward and May experience extreme anger with the staff. So the unexplained DNA was between Skye and Fitz. I'm glad they chose Skye – it fits her character the best after all.

So anyway … I have decided to base this story (my first AOS story) to take place right after they learn that Ward is HYDRA. So the cannon of the story may be off in the beginning. I do plan on correcting my mistakes after I watch the rest of the season.

I have decided that this story needs to be told in the POV format. If I wrote third person it would take the emotions that I need to come into play out of the story.

PRELUDE:

AFTERMATH

Coulson POV

You could seriously kill Grant Ward if he was in front of you right now. With your bare hands. You wouldn't even have to think twice about it. You didn't have to think of all the time you had spent with the bastard since he joined your team. How dare he betray you like this? The team like this? S.H.I.E.L.D like this? Skye like this?

You knew that it was on the account of Skye that you could murder Grant Ward. Nothing else mattered too you. Not his betrayal of the team or of S.H.I.E.L.D. Not his betrayal to you. No. The bastard had willing hurt Skye. The daughter whom you always wished you had.

You remember seeing Skye's crushed look when she finally managed to get back to you during the mission. The mission where it turned very personal once Skye was taken. You felt such relief on seeing Skye was alive; and very much unharmed making her way carefully towards you. You didn't have time to even start to process the look of shock; and betrayal on her face – before you had to take another shot. But; the moment that you realized that Ward was with that HYDRA's officer in charge; and that he was helping; and giving orders to attack your team that you knew why Skye was the way she was.

"It's not the end of the world." You hear Hill from behind you. "He's not the first agent to betray us. Won't be the last."

She was right of course. After all Ward wasn't even the only agent whom betrayed S.H.I.E.L.D during HYDRA's current attack. A quarter of the agents that you thought were loyal – were actual betrayals.

But with Ward it was different. He made it different.

"I should never have agreed to allow him on the team." You hear yourself growl.

"He was the only agent whom was available at the time." Hill clipped out. "Even if Ward hadn't been put on your team; Coulson; doesn't mean that someone else wouldn't have betrayed your team now either." She sighed deeply. "We had no idea that HYDRA had gotten to as many agents as they did. We had no idea." Her voice softened at the end.

"I shouldn't have encouraged Skye onto the team. She could have been fine out there on her own. Doing her 'Rising Sun' broadcasting. S.H.I.E.L.D would have just kept a sharper eye on her then."

"Then Miles would have used her that much sooner; once her 0-8-4 status was known." Hill's voice held a hard edge to it. "Sky was meant to be part of S.H.I.E.L.D – after all S.H.I.E.L.D agents died protecting her when she was a baby."

"But; then we lost her." You growled deep in your throat. "Where the hell was the back up to get her out of there after the village was targeted? We always have back up around the agents whom are sent to protect people. Always."

"You know what was going on during that time." Hill replied. "I'm not making what decisions were made back then okay; Phil; I can't. What happened was very shameful. But it happened. Nothing we can do about it. You found Skye once more; you brought her back to S.H.I.E.L.D protection. You won't let her be lost ever again."

You shook your head. "Now she has been shot twice in the stomach – was at the death freaking door due to that – she was injected with the GH-325 specimen."

"Like you were." Hill replied.

Pounding your hand on the oak desk; "She should never have been given that specimen!" Your eye grew close together. "If she wasn't part of my team; then she never would have a need for that specimen to come into play."

Maria knew to keep silent.

"Now Ward has turned out to be a betrayal. Not only to the team; and S.H.I.E.L.D; but to Skye herself." You grow even anger as this thought entered your mind full force once more.

Maria Hill's POV

"You are in love with her aren't you?" You find yourself asking.

His face turns around; and there is such a haunting painful look in his eyes. "I love her. Yes. But not in love with her. I love her as if she was my own precious little girl."

You feel your eyes squint as your hands come across your chest. Hard. "Skye is no longer safe among the team. I feel that a desk job is better for her."

"What desk job!" He slammed his palm on the desk. "What fucking desk job? Do you see any freaking desks that S.H.I.E.L.D is still in control of? Do you see a fucking desk anywhere near your office on the Helicarrier?! " He angry shook his head. "Do you see an fucking S.H.I.E.L.D emblem anywhere around you?" He used his left hand to swing around behind him.

You shake your head silently.

"I'm not going to allow you to take her from me." He said in an low voice. His eyes hard as steel.

"You don't have a say in the matter; Agent Coulson." You voice grew hard in authority. "While Commander Fury is deep under cover to discover the snakes head of this mess – I'm in charge."

"In charge of what Agent Hill?" He shook his head with a self respondent smile. "I trust you with Skye; Maria. Natasha also. Of course I know Steve would protect her. But; with things the way they are right now; I don't feel safe allowing Skye to leave my side." He leaned forward. "I have to make sure there's not another mistake on protecting Skye."

"How do I know," He continued. "that if I allow Skye out of my sight – some one wouldn't put her in the Fridge." The raw fear shone in his eyes.

Jemma's POV

"Just go to her." You hear from behind you.

You shake your head. "If she wanted company; then she wouldn't have locked herself in her room." You move to pace once more.

"Whom said she locked the door." Fitz's voice came out. You turn your face to look at him; standing to the side of the table with his arms crossed against his chest. "What? She doesn't lock her pod door on the BUS; so why would she lock the door here at the safe house?"

You raise your left eye brow.

He raised his own eye brow. "You, Coulson and I are the only ones to know that she never locks her door."

You sighed. "She locked it. I managed to get to the door right when she shut it. I heard the lock." You blink back the tears as they threaten to over brim. "She wants to be alone." Your heart breaks a fresh as you thought of the hurting young woman whom was locked in her room.

He runs his right hand through his hair. He couldn't think of anything to say. Neither can you. That was why you were pacing. This is one of the things in life that you can't find the answer too. You can't go all scientific on this situation; because you knew that you would hurt Skye even more then she all ready is. "Perhaps we can work for Tony Stark." He said.

You glare at him. How insensitive can he be?!

"I mean Iron Man has to be better than the Hulk right? I mean even if we anger Tony he'll just blast us. While we anger Bruce; he turns all Hulk on us; and may stomp us without a thought." Fitz narrowed his eyes. "But; I do hear that Tony does have a lab for Bruce in the Avengers Tower. So we'll be safe if we do work for Bruce – after all Tony would still be around."

"How the hell can you be thinking of where we'll be working next right now?!" You scream.

He calmly looked at you. "I just wanted you to finally let that scream out."

You blink at him.

"She lost her trust in me." You whisper as you felt a tear roll down your cheek.

"No she hasn't." He said gently as he moved forward. "She's just protecting herself right now. As soon as she realized what Grant Ward had truly done to her – she went back to that place that she had learned to go to when she was a child." You felt his warm hand on your arm. "She hasn't given up hope. She'll come back to us."

You couldn't keep the sarcastic laugh from bursting forth. "Now that we know whom Grant Ward;" hate filled you at his name, "truly is – and we know for a fact that he knows Skye's 0-8-4 status. We fully know that he'll tell HYDRA. How much time will pass before they forces their attention on getting their hands on Skye?" I glared into Fitz's eyes. "Do you believe that Ward won't try to harm Skye if she falls into HYDRA's hands?"

You pull away from his hand. "No!" You back away. "He'll be watching as they torture her. He'll be helping them torture her. You can say that they won't torture her – that they just want to study her. But we both know what HYDRA's version of study is. Torture." Tears roll freely down your cheeks. "They'll rape her; Fitz. They won't treat her like the human being that she is. They'll treat her worse than an animal."

Maria Hill's POV

"The Avengers Tower." Your head nod. "S.H.I.E.L.D has no part of the Avengers Tower. Tony Stark has made damn sure of that." You couldn't keep the grim smile from your lips. "Skye will be safe there."

He blinks as he looks into your eyes. "I'm not leaving Skye."

"You don't need too. As of right now you and your team are grounded. Indefinitely." You clasp your hands behind your back. "I'll personally make sure you guys make it safe to the Avengers Tower. I won't leave your side until you are safely in the building."

"What about once we gain control of S.H.I.E.L.D." He questioned.

"That's up to Skye." You nod. "If she is strong enough; and emotionally ready to face the outside world once more – then your team will be air bone once more." You sigh. "This is truly the only way to keep Skye safe. Allow her the time she needs to heal from this betrayal. Allow her the time she needs to know that she can trust you guys."

He slowly nods. "I'll do anything to keep Skye safe." He softly said. "Make it happen, Hill. But, I don't want that many agents to know. I don't know if we can trust any of the agents that have remained. HYDRA may have another coup planned."

You nod. Only I, Hand, Romanoff, and Barton will accompany you to the Avengers Tower." You had thought the same thing as Phil had. "We'll leave at 022 hours." He nods and you leave the room.

END OF PRELUDE

Author's Note: I have decided to forces on one place for the team to recover. I decided on the Avengers Tower because I knew Tony Stark's building wasn't funded by S.H.I.E.L.D. Plus Tony has figured out a way to truly make his building safe against HYDRA being able to rush it. If HYDRA somehow does manage to break into the Avengers Tower – then you know the superheros will fight & use their powers against them.

All the Avengers, plus Pepper and Happy are going to be part of this story. But; the main forces on this story is Skye.