Chapter 1
When a friend pulls a gun on you, at first you think it's a joke but as the seconds tick and the gun doesn't drop a whole new reality comes into play.
Coulson knew Ward was HYDRA. Even when the man put bullets into Lola Coulson had hoped for the young man redemption. However when he had launched FitzSimmons out of a moving plane, Coulson knew would never find his way back to the team.
When Skye's hack gave its first creditable lead it's near midnight and only Coulson was on watch when the computer pinged. He thought about waking the others, or even just May but then he thought about Garrett and Ward and what could happen to the team if they were caught. If Ward was able to literally throw innocent Fitz and Simmons off the Bus, Coulson hated to think about what he was capable of doing to Triplett and May. May would be up at in five hours and the base wasn't that far. If he wasn't back when May got up she would come after him, with or without the others. Placing a quick call to an old friend Phillip Coulson went to face another old friend.
That had been four hours ago. Now that same Phillip Coulson pointed a gun at Grant Ward, who pointed one right back. Coulson knew he couldn't talk Ward down, not after how successful Fitz's and Skye's talks had been. The question wasn't, if someone was going to be shot, it was who was going to get shot first.
Garrett just lounged behind Ward like it was a day at the beach. The look on his face made Coulson seriously contemplate shooting him, even if it meant taking a bullet from Ward. Coulson cursed himself for getting caught, one more hour and the Calvary would arrive, only Coulson didn't have an hour, hell he probably didn't even have a minute. So when the roof exploded and six men in full tactical gear propelled down Coulson almost sank to the ground in relief, almost. Phillip Coulson was too well trained to drop his weapon during combat, unfortunately Grant Ward was just as well trained, he didn't even flinch. When the door exploded Garrett draw his weapon, expecting another team to enter through the remains. Only a team didn't enter, only a single man did. A single man the world thought dead.
"Now cupcakes, let's put the guns down."
Grand Ward Fired.