From Darkness into the Light

Spoilers: All Episodes, mainly focused on the 1x21 "Ragtag" promo

Disclaimer: I don't really own anything here.


He kept hearing Fitz's voice but the stare of Garrett as his hand rested on the button to open the Interrogation Room's roof. Garrett wanted him to eject them and stood waiting as he did so, it was the ultimate test and while he had no loyalty to Coulson's team, he knew their innocence.

"Do it Son, stop being weak and just do it."

Ward's finger touched the switch and he was determined to do it when his own piece of light made herself known. "Grant please, I know you don't want to do this and I've thought about why you're doing it." Skye's voice filtered through the intercom and he paused, her voice reaching the part of him that still ached to have her in his life despite driving her away. "You don't know anything else and because of that you're living in hell again. First with Maynard and now with Garrett, he's bullying you into doing his dirty work just like your brother made you do his dirty work. Don't do it, don't be the boy hurting the people he cares about just because someone told him to. You are good, you weren't born this way…I know you're good."

Garrett's expression turned dark quickly and instantly Ward drew his weapon on the man as he tried to grab for the switch. "Don't touch that switch or I will put a bullet in your head."

"I knew it, she got to you didn't she? I thought it was an act but then I saw what Deathlok saw and I knew exactly what I was looking at. You fell for her, let your emotions get in the way. Well remember what emotions did the first time around, they made you weak and unable to do what had to be done. You failed your brother because you couldn't kill the other…"

Rage filled him at the words and he knew he was being weak, letting a silly hacker turn him away from who he could become. He turned to the panel and switched the audio to where the sound was heard in the Interrogation room and not on the Bus. About ready to flip the switch, his hand ready to release them all to their death he paused. Death, the thought of death and Skye being harmed sent his heart hammering in his chest. He couldn't harm her, he was unable and it angered him because no matter how many times he'd been told to harm her he couldn't. He was weak and unable to do a simple task.

Her smile filled his mind and her laughter all but rang silently in his ears. Her eyes as she told him he was good, the feeling of her lips on his and the life she seemed to breathe into him. She was the only light in his life of darkness, the only good thing he'd ever had to himself but he'd thrown it away for a debt. He'd thrown away his only chance at happiness and lost the only person he'd ever truly loved. There was no getting her back, not for a moment or forever and he owed a debt that had to be paid.

Closing his eyes, he knew he had no choice so he flipped the switch.


"Good job Son, nothing to hold you back anymore." Garrett patted his arm as he lowered the gun and chuckled. "You'll get over her eventually but for now, know you surrounded her with people she cared about when she died."

Ward looked up at the man, defeat in his eyes and spoke softly as a click was heard just a few feet away. "I didn't kill her, I released her…"

Garrett looked to the door to see Skye, Coulson and May with Trip all holding weapons trained on him. Coulson nodded in the direction of Skye and Ward threw the gun at her feet. Garrett quickly pulled of his own but it was knocked out of his grip due to a gunshot to his hand. May shook her head at him. "Don't try it."

"Skye…" Coulson spoke only her name and she pulled handcuffs from her bag, moving over to Ward.

As she neared him he looked at her, "I am so sorry Skye…"

"Hands." It was a complete rotation of what had happened with Miles during their first few months but Skye let her gaze soften as she handcuffed him. "Come on."


She lead him by the arm towards the Common Area while May and Trip both bound Garrett up. Once Garrett was secure in the Interrogation Room in restraints not even an Asgardian could break, May had the plane up in the air and Coulson found Ward and Skye in the Common Area. Both silent and Ward looking like he'd break any moment, as if the years of betrayal had come to haunt him and it seemed to be so.

"With all of HYDRA detained or expelled from the plane, I have only one question to ask you." Coulson found Ward looking up slowly, his eyes held defeat. "What do you deserve more, a bullet or a chance at redemption?"

Both Coulson and Skye watched as he thought about the choice before looking at the lead agent in charge. "A bullet, just do it sir and get it over with but do so without Skye watching. She doesn't need to see you anyone."

Coulson seemed to think about what he'd said and looked at Skye, "your call. I'll give you a few minutes to make the choice."


Skye waited till Coulson left before she touched Ward's hand, which he pulled back from her grasp. "You could have killed us but you didn't, that tells me there is a part of you worth saving. Why are you so willing to die when you have a second chance?"

"Like I said before," he looked up and met her eyes. "I'm not a good man, I've done horrible things and because of that I deserve to die. I should have given Garrett up as soon as I knew he was The Clairvoyant but I didn't, instead I followed his insane plan."

"Exactly…" she tried to take his hand again and held tight as he tried to pull away. "You were practically brainwashed. I told Fitz you were evil after everything but you aren't, you were doing what you thought you had to do. I know you Grant, I know there is good in you and I know that I should have listened to you instead of calling you a Nazi."

Ward shook his head, "no you were right about me."

"No I wasn't." She smiled at him and looked down at his cuffed hands. "You gave me a second chance so I'm giving you one. I know you can be better and right the wrongs you've done, just like you taught me to."

She rose to call Coulson but he rose and took her arm, "please Skye, I need to die…" he looked into her brown eyes. "I deserve it after everything I've done."

Seeing the defeat and pain in his eyes, she placed a hand on his cheek and leaned up to kiss him. She pulled his head down as she kissed him, feeling as he gave in and kissed her just as eagerly back. Pulling back she looked into his eyes and smiled. "You deserved to be loved, that's something you haven't had and that's why I'm doing this. You need to know there is more to life than pain and death, you need life and love."


Hours later, standing before Hill and several men, the team handed Garrett over and Hill started to try to take Ward but Skye stepped in front of her. The former deputy director looked at her with surprise as if a mere former Level 1 agent was trying to stand up to her.

"Move out of the way Miss…"

"I don't have a last name and second, take a step back now former Deputy Director Hill." Skye folded her arms and stared Hill down. "Ward isn't going with you, Garrett brainwashed him since he was a teenager, made him do everything he did without a choice or he would kill him…under most laws that's considered crimes committed under duress and so they fall to Garrett not Ward himself."

Hill looked at Coulson, "let me guess, this is Skye?"

"The one and only." Coulson chuckled and Hill rolled her eyes, preparing to pull the girl by the arm till Skye punched Hill across the face and caused the woman to stumble back.

"I said he isn't going with you, don't make me kick your ass. You aren't the SHIELD Deputy Director anymore so you're not my boss so stay the hell away from him." Skye folded her arms again and everyone waited to see what Hill would do.

She threw her hands up, "well fine, as you so pointed out we aren't SHIELD anymore so technically he's not an agent. Because of that, he's all yours but when he starts killing again don't come asking for my help." The former deputy director shook her head at Coulson, "I don't know where the hell you found her but be happy she has a protection order on her or that move would have cost her a bullet to the head." Turning back to her men, she motioned to Garrett. "Get him in the damn vehicle so we can get him to the CIA, they have a very deep hole waiting for him."

After the vehicles left, Coulson turned to Skye as May escorted Ward back inside to the Interrogation Room. "That was bold, not many could have pulled that off."

"Are you kidding? I think she hates my guts right now."

Fitz nodded at Skye's response. "She decked Maria Hill, that's like decking Fury himself. You're lucky you're not dead, I've heard that lesser things cause her to put a bullet in you."

Coulson chuckled and put a hand on Skye's arm. "It just means she likes you or she would have put a bullet in your head. Now, since you've defended Ward's life, he's your responsibility so here." He handed her a tracking bracelet, "it's ready to program and put on him."


A/N: Can Skye break through to Ward and him earn their trust? Can he ever believe he's worthy of her again or will he believe he can never have Skye because his past makes him too evil for her?

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