Hey guys, this is our new multi-chap fic. It's going to be an AU version of Season 2, and we'll be focusing on both a main story arc, and also on stand alone 'monster of the week' episodes.
Just to clarify - it's set during the fall of SHIELD and the Hydra reveal.
We hope you're going to like it!
My Boy Builds Coffins
Part One
Massachusetts, 1999
It had been a middle aged man wearing a suit and a kind smile that had changed his life forever, which was the absolute last thing he had come to expect. His experience of men in suits consisted of wealthy politicians who told so many lies that it must have been hard for them to keep their own names straight, and equally wealthy lawyers who only ever smiled the kind of smile that a snake preparing to devour its own young might. One thing was certain - in fifteen years he had never met a man like Philip Coulson, who disarmed him of his overtly hostile teenage delinquent attitude so quickly that it was embarrassing.
Throughout the whole meeting, Coulson munched his way through a bag of strawberry bonbons, pausing every so often to offer one to Grant, who dismissed the question each time with a scowl. Coulson never seemed perturbed, continuing to chew and talk and grin and loosen the tie around his neck as though they were two old friends chatting over lunch, as opposed to a government agent and a pre-conviction juvenile offender. The entire thing was perhaps the strangest moment of Grant's life, but also one of the most interesting, dare he admit it.
"Why are you here?" he asked, for what seemed to be the tenth or eleventh successive time. He rolled his wrists around, trying to hide his grimace as the handcuffs dug into his skin.
"You want me to get someone to loosen those?" the man, Agent Coulson as he had presented himself, inquired. He cocked his head often when he spoke, Grant noted, and although there was an undeniable air of danger clinging to him, his voice was pleasantly soft.
"Look, whoever you are, I don't need your help, okay? I can take care of myself," Grant insisted, leaning back in his seat and gripping the edge of the desk as he pointedly avoided the older man's gaze.
Instead of the argument he'd been expecting, Grant watched with curiosity as the man simply shook his head and peered at him so intently that it made him uncomfortable in his own skin.
"Yes, you do, Grant. You're fifteen years old, you're just a kid. Life's dealt you a pretty crappy hand, and I'm here to offer you a new one. But it's all up to you."
Screwing up his nose, the teenager tried desperately to push away his supposed saviour, "And why do you wanna help me, huh? What are you, some middle-aged pervert?"
Coulson laughed, chewing and swallowing the candy in his mouth with a flourish. "Have you heard of S.H.I.E.L.D., Grant?" he asked, pushing a business card across the table. It was adorned with the insignia of an eagle and a long list of words that Grant hadn't the inclination to read.
"No. What is it? Like, boot camp?" he asked, his curiosity aroused somewhat.
Shaking his head, Coulson rummaged into a battered briefcase before he threw down a wallet containing what Grant assumed was an explanation of this S.H.I.E.L.D. organisation.
"We're a government organisation that protects the world from threats of an… unusual nature. I want you to join our academy, Grant."
Grant raised both eyebrows at once, his fingertips teasing the edges of the plastic folder. "Oh, yeah? And why the fuck would you want me?"
"First of all, language!" Coulson scolded with a frown, shaking his head disparagingly, although his demeanour almost instantly softened again. "Look Grant, you're a smart kid. You test way above average in school, you scored in the top three percent in your state in aptitude tests, you've got a natural talent for languages, and… a rage inside you that I can help you learn to control and use for good."
"So… you wanna be like my Yoda?" Grant demanded, shaking his head as though not comprehending why a complete stranger would be offering him such an opportunity. After all, his own mother, the woman who had given him life, had already washed her hands of him.
Smiling at the pop culture reference, Coulson nodded, "Something like that. I believe in second chances, Grant. And I believe you can become a remarkable young man if you want to, you just need a little guidance… and someone to take care of you. So, there it is… what's it gonna be?"
Grant considered the offer for a few moments, head bowed and eyes trained on the folder he had yet to reach for. The sound of the overhead lights humming and a soda can clattering from the vending machine in the corner of the room competed for his attention, but Grant remained focused on the words printed on the cover, his jaw tensing.
"What if I say no?" he suggested, his voice quiet and harbouring a sullen undertone that almost brought a chuckle past Coulson's lips. "What if I refuse? What then? You going to kill me because I know too much?"
Coulson actually did laugh at that, screwing closed the paper bag of candy and jamming them back into the breast pocket of his jacket as he shook his head.
"You like watching movies, huh?" he guessed, not awaiting a response from the boy, who was flushing crimson. "This is completely your choice, Grant. If you say 'no' then I disappear, and everything returns to what accounts to normal for you but… I don't think that's what you really want."
Once again determined to push as many buttons as possible, Grant pushed the folder towards him with a determined shove. "And how do you know what I want? You know shit about me."
Coulson stood up, nodding as if in agreement as he picked up the folder and placed it back into his briefcase. "I know that you're scared and alone… and you just want somewhere to belong… for people to be kind to you. You want what every kid wants. That's not too much to ask for."
Coulson held his gaze for only a moment longer, before he offered Grant his hand, "It was nice to meet you, Grant. Take care of yourself, okay?"
Lingering for a moment in hopes that the boy would change his mind, Coulson took longer than necessary to gather his belongings and begin to walk away from the table.
He'd taken three abnormally slow steps before a voice finally called out after him.
"I want it. I want a second chance."
And in that moment, the course of Grant Ward's life changed forever.
x-x-x
Providence, 2014
The cold was beginning to numb the tips of his fingers, despite the thick gloves he wore, and Grant stamped his feet hard against the packed snow in a bid to send a jolt of warmth through his body. Finally, the grey metal door in front of him began to slide open, albeit painfully slowly.
Taking an anticipatory step forwards, Grant couldn't help the smile that found its way across his lips. There had been more than one moment since he had left for the Fridge during which he had thought he might not make it back to the team, and so to be once again so close to them brought him not only immense relief but also an overwhelming sense of gratitude to whomever might be watching over them. It was a scarcely contemplated topic for Grant but one that he was almost loathed to admit occasionally permeated his thoughts. Sometimes, he couldn't help but wonder if there was someone else responsible for the second chance he had been granted, beyond a kindly S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who hadn't wanted to leave a young and terrified boy behind.
Pushing the thoughts aside, Grant focused his gaze on the receding door, his smile only widening as he spotted Skye standing in the corridor, beginning to bounce up and down on the balls of her feet. No sooner had he crossed the threshold of the doorway than she was propelling herself into his arms, extracting a grunt from him when her body hit him full force.
"I was so worried about you," she mumbled into the folds of his jacket, her face completely buried from view.
"I'm okay," he assured her, hugging her as tightly as the padded confines of his jacket would allow. The feel of her in his arms was something he was still not used to, he thought perhaps he would always feel that way. But being around Skye brought him a sense of joy and contentment that he hadn't known he was missing until the feisty hacker had been bundled out of her van and into his life.
Drawing back he took a moment to look her over, trying to gauge just how well she was coping with the events of the last few days. Though he had been with S.H.I.E.L.D. for over half of his life now, Skye was new to this world, and already it was being ripped out from under her as Hydra crawled out of the shadows.
"How are you doing?" he asked, taking off his gloves hurriedly and caressing her cheek.
"Better now my awesome S.O. is back safe." She beamed up at him, taking him by surprise as she unzipped his jacket so that she could nestle against his chest and wrap her arms around his waist.
Ward's embraced her quickly and easily, and he dropped a kiss onto the crown of her head without even thinking about the action. He was aware of the door sliding closed behind him, shutting out the chill of the snowstorm that continued to rage outside. Ward began to shrug off his jacket before the heat radiating around the inside of the base caused him to break out into a sweat, and he draped the coat over his free arm as he guided Skye towards the end of the corridor.
"I need to speak to Coulson," Ward declared, his hand hovering at the base of Skye's back as he peered down at her. "Things didn't go exactly as he expected with Garrett."
Skye frowned immediately, features darkening at the mention of the agent who had successfully played them all, and almost cost her her life.
"He's locked up, though, right?" she pressed, unaware that she was gnawing on her bottom lip as she regarded Grant, her unease displayed plainly.
"He is," Ward reassured her with a nod, grasping both of her hands in his own, "you don't have to worry about him any more, Skye."
She nodded, although clearly unconvinced on the subject, yet her lips lifted immediately into a smile as Ward craned his head as if to kiss her. Skye closed the remaining distance and hummed in pleasure when their lips finally met, and she stood on tip toe whilst he arched over her.
"I won't let anyone hurt you again," he vowed, nuzzling the warm skin of her neck as he breathed in her scent. Somehow, he immediately felt at peace despite the turmoil of the previous hours.
"I know," she whispered, holding his gaze and stroking her thumb over his jaw before she lifted herself onto her toes again and kissed him one final time. "Go… call A.C. I'll make us a drink. I don't know about you but I sure could use one… or three."
Flashing a final smile, Skye pivoted on her heel and scurried down the corridor in a direction that Ward presumed led towards a kitchen or lounge area. Pausing momentarily, he blew out a breath and took a moment to lean against the wall, one hand massaging his brow. It still frightened him just how close they had all come to losing Skye, and seeing Garrett smiling and gloating over the act that had almost claimed her life had only compounded that fear.
Ward sank to the floor until his back was pressed against the wall, and he rifled in the back pocket of his jeans to retrieve the cellphone that Coulson had left with him. The number was the only one stored in the phone's memory and so Grant accessed it quickly, and allowed the sound of ringing to soothe him. The call was connected within seconds but Grant used the time to centre himself, breathing in deeply in order to stay the shaking in his hands and legs.
"Grant, everything okay?" Coulson demanded, forgoing any kind of greeting. His tone was evidently brimming with concern, and Ward almost smiled at the familiar sound, despite the situation.
"Garrett's in custody," Ward relayed, glad to hear the sigh of relief from his boss and father figure. "But the transfer didn't exactly go as we hoped."
Immediately Coulson sounded concerned, "What do you mean? Did someone get hurt? Has the Fridge been compromised?"
"No, the Fridge is secure," Ward assured him, "but Hand, she gave me a gun. She wanted me to make a choice; kill John or take him in."
The line was silent for a moment. Coulson knew how much anger Ward felt towards his own S.O., and how his betrayal had stung. But the fact he had been instrumental in ordering Skye's shooting at the hand of Ian Quinnn was the final straw for Ward, and the main reason he had volunteered to escort John Garrett into custody.
Coulson knew that Ward was in love with their newest recruit, he'd known it almost from the moment the formidable Specialist and free-spirited hacker had met. Though their relationship broke several S.H.I.E.L.D. codes of conduct, they made each other happy, and Coulson knew that in each of their lives love had been something that had been in fleeting supply.
"What did you do, Ward?" Coulson asked cautiously, unsure just how he'd censure the young agent even if he had pulled the trigger. "When you say Garrett's in custody, is that with or without his pulse?"
"I did the right thing," Ward said simply, "like I was raised to do."
"Okay. Well, good," Coulson acknowledged, all too aware of how hard it must have been not to pull that trigger. "Is Skye okay? How's she doing?"
Ward paused, contemplating the question and the most truthful answer he could possibly offer. Skye was strong and one of the bravest, most determined people that Ward had ever met, but he knew that she often wore a mask, as he had once become accustomed to do before Coulson had found him. Skye had yet to shake the mindset that exhibiting her emotions to the rest of the world was a weakness, and she would somehow be perceived as 'less' by the people around her if she did. It had taken Coulson many years of patience and some rather expensive therapy sessions to break Grant of the same, such were the scars inflicted by his childhood. Grant knew that whilst his own default emotion had been anger, Skye often used her sharp humour to deflect probing gazes or enquiries about her well-being. Since her encounter with Ian Quinn, Ward noted that that tendency had only gotten worse.
Finally, he answered, "Skye's trying her best not to let me in right now."
A small smile was evident in Coulson's voice as he answered, "I used to know a kid like that."
"Cute," Ward replied, rolling his eyes and puffing out a breath. "How do I stop her shutting me out?"
Coulson sighed, as if contemplating the question. It had taken months, perhaps even a year before Ward had begun to trust him, and today they had forged something that was akin to a father/son relationship. As well as being his right-hand man, Ward was the son Coulson had never had. But the road to getting there had been arduous. He assumed Ward was in for a similarly long-haul with Skye.
"Let her know she's safe… that she's loved." Coulson chuckled at the uncomfortable sound that radiated from Grant's throat, "Ward, you and I have had this discussion. I know about you and Skye being uh… together. I'm also pretty sure you two love each other, so I'm willing to look the other way here… but you've got to work at it if it's what you really want, and that goes for both of you."
"It is, Sir. It is what I want. I mean… Skye's what I want," the discomfort levels within Ward's tone of voice grew exponentially by the second, and he imagined he could see the grin he knew would invariably be plastered on Coulson's face in that moment.
"May and I will be back at base by morning, take the evening and relax a little. God knows the last few days have been stressful enough, just take some time off, Agent Ward."
"Not sure I know how to do that, Sir," the idea of 'relaxing' was still somewhat foreign to Grant Ward - in between striving to be the ultimate S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, he still - some 16 years later - felt compelled to prove to Coulson that he was worthy of the second chance he'd been given.
"I'm not suggesting Reiki or meditation, Grant, just… unwind a little, spend time together. Just don't do anything that will make Koenig blush."
Ward actually chuckled as he asked with feigned innocence, "Do Life Model Decoys blush?"
"I feel confident that you and Skye can find out," Coulson replied dryly. There was a shout from the other end of the line and Ward heard Coulson release a sigh that must have rattled his bones.
"I have to go, Grant. We can pick this up again tomorrow, if necessary," he offered, his tone sounding somewhat strained as he covered the receiver and added in a muffled shout, "Fitz… no… you can't… this room is a rental… oh gees…"
An amused smile playing across his lips, Ward replied, "You sound busy. Go, take care of the kids. I'll call if we need anything."
"Goodnight, Ward," Coulson said, somewhat more hurriedly than usual, although he waited for Grant to return the sentiment before he disconnected the call.
Replacing the cell phone into his pocket after ensuring that the screen was locked, Ward slumped back against the wall once again. A hundred niggling aches and pains were beginning to catch up with him after several solid days of fighting, and the temptation was there to down a couple of heavy duty pain killers and crawl into the nearest bed, but Ward was acutely aware of the fact that Skye needed him. If there was one lesson that had been instilled in Grant over the last decade and a half, it was that giving up on someone who needed him was never an option. He had learned it from the best, after all.
x-x-x
Washington, D.C., 1999
The apartment was tiny and bare; a space that someone seeking to be overtly polite might refer to as modest and sparse. Grant, however, was nothing more or less than a sullen teenage boy with a chip on his shoulder, and so he allowed his eyes to rove the open plan living area with obvious disgust. He had been used to the finer things in life, materialistically speaking, and so he might have found it difficult to veil his outrage even if he had been trying to.
"Did you just move in or something?" he demanded, dumping the black garbage bag containing his worldly possessions in the doorway and striding into the apartment.
Coulson paused, eyes sweeping his own cream walls, devoid of any artwork or pictures, before landing on the tower of unpacked cardboard boxes that dominated one corner of the lounge, and then falling upon the reams of paper and files spread out over the coffee table. The amount of abandoned mugs and plates of half eaten food that dotted the room was frankly embarrassing, as was the fact that the couch was half buried beneath a pile of dirty laundry that he hadn't had time to stuff into the washer yet.
"I… actually… I've lived here a while," Coulson stuttered, cheeks flushing somewhat as he closed the door behind them and slid across both the chain and the deadbolt. Grant arched an eyebrow as he watched the man pause by an alarm system that looked so intricate and expensive, he assumed it had cost more than the apartment itself. He was struck by the thought that no burglar in their right mind would be compelled to rob the hovel, and the subsequent curl of his lip must have communicated as much. When Coulson eventually turned to regard the boy, who was wearing his disbelief openly, his own expression grew chagrined.
"I've always lived alone. I guess I have trouble keeping on top of things," Coulson said, tone apologetic, "never really had a reason to before but… we can clean up. Make it homely. You can even have your own room."
"Whatever," Grant declared, striding further into the lounge without any real purpose behind his movements.
Coulson smiled patiently, moving over to the nearest kitchen drawer and rummaging through it for a few seconds. With a triumphant cry, he produced a key which he proceeded to place down onto the counter in front of his young charge.
"This is your home now, Grant," he explained, as if it really were that simple. "But let's just get one thing straight. You can be a pain in the ass, you can be rude, disrespectful, or all of those things at once… but I'm not going to change my mind. If you leave, it'll be your choice."
His expression brightened, and he turned and produced a wad of clearly well used takeout menus. "So, what'll it be? Pizza? Chinese?"
Shooting his new mentor a decidedly withering glare, Ward picked up his trash bags and shuffled towards the hallway where he assumed the bedrooms would be. Moments later Coulson heard a door slam, signifying that their little heart to heart had been brought to an abrupt conclusion.
Leafing through the nearest menu, Coulson sighed resolutely, "Pizza it is."
x-x-x
Providence, 2014
Ward managed to navigate the corridors of Providence with minimal difficulty, mostly thanks to the fact that he encountered Koenig within a few steps. After enduring his rather animated chatter about lanyards and the importance of wearing them at all times, Ward was able to extract Skye's location and directions to get there from the LMD.
He found her seated in a communal lounge, half sprawled on a couch that had seen better days with a tumbler of whiskey clutched in one hand. The bottle rested on the nearby table, alongside a second tumbler that was evidently intended for Ward's use but had yet to be filled.
Skye appeared to sense Ward before she saw him, a warm smile curving her lips upwards, although her eyes remained lightly closed.
"Everything okay with the rest of the team?" Skye queried, swallowing down a generous gulp of whiskey before placing her tumbler on the table. She opened her eyes and straightened up in her seat, twisting her body around so that she could meet Grant's gaze as he strode into the room.
"They'll be back tomorrow," Grant replied, smiling as he seated himself at Skye's side and she immediately sought the warmth of his body, her arms encircling him.
"I was worried about you," she admitted almost shyly, "I know you're like some… freakin' super spy, but… I was scared you wouldn't come back."
Pressing a kiss to the top of her head, Ward drew her closer, "I always keep my promises, Skye. I told you I'd come back to you."
Skye leaned back in his arms, reaching up and placing her palm to his cheek. She scanned his face earnestly, finding only deep affection contained within his brown eyes.
"You're a good man, Grant," she stated, caressing his jaw and allowing her fingers to trail down his neck and into the fine hairs on the nape of his neck.
"No, I'm not… I've done terrible things, Skye" he argued, shaking his head sadly and gazing at her as if he couldn't quite believe anybody like her could or should perhaps ever love him, "things I can never tell you about."
The deeds of his youth still haunted him, and though Coulson had provided stability and kindness, and S.H.I.E.L.D. had given him the purpose he needed, he was still acutely aware that he was the perfect weapon; a killer. Someone who made the tough calls that others could never have lived with.
"Yes, you are," she murmured softly, moving to sit astride his knee and sliding her arms around his neck. She grazed her lips across his cheek and down his jaw, smiling against his skin as he swallowed hard, and his hands gripped her hips to keep her in place. "And there's nowhere else I'd rather be than here, with you."
Ward stroked his fingers down through the ends of her hair, his eyes boring into hers as she moved as if to kiss him. Skye's mouth lingered over his teasingly.
"The rest of the team will be back in the morning," Grant stated, his expression darkening with desire as he sat forward in his seat so that Skye fell further into his arms and he could slide a hand up around the back of her head.
Skye grinned, her eyes fluttering closed and her mouth falling open as he began to drag languid kisses down her neck.
"Then I guess we've got the place to ourselves," she breathed, her sentence ending on a whimper as his tongue lapped at her warm skin.
"Except for Koenig," Ward reminded her, although his actions indicated that he actually cared very little about that fact. One hand trailed upwards to cup her breast as he continued his path of kisses. He groaned against her skin as his fingers massaged the full, heavy globe through the fabric of her shirt and he felt her nipple pebble at his touch.
"I might have forgotten to wear a bra," she whispered teasingly, giggling as he winced at the admission. "But maybe we should move this to a bedroom, before Coulson's cyber buddy walks in on us and his little robot head pops right off? They do have bedrooms here, right?"
"Let's find out," Ward suggested, pausing only momentarily to press a kiss to Skye's lips before seizing her in both arms and climbing to his feet. Skye giggled and shrieked, feigning annoyance with her pout, despite the fact that her arms wound around Grant's neck, securing her in his hold.
"I don't have to wear my lanyard, do I?" Skye queried, cocking her head. Her tone was half playful, half serious, and Ward chuckled at the idea that Koenig might in fact be a lot more insistent about the continual wearing of lanyards at Providence than any of them had given him credit for.
"I'm sure the guy has an off switch somewhere," Ward teased, stifling Skye's snort of laughter when his lips crashed against hers. Instead, she moaned into his mouth, and he continued his quest through the corridors to find a room that they could claim as their own for the night.
"You know, I think… I think maybe I…" Skye stammered, cheeks turning crimson as she peered up into Ward's eyes through a fan of dark lashes that seemed impossibly long.
"Skye, whilst we're young," teased Grant, enjoying it thoroughly when Skye retaliated by nipping at his neck.
"I think…" Skye continued, smile fading, expression growing awed and voice morphing into a breathy whisper, "I think I'm falling in love with you, Grant Ward."
Ward, for his part, only beamed. Perhaps it was best to not yet let her know that he already did love her; totally, completely, with everything he had to give. One day, he hoped, she would be ready to hear it.
Placing her gently on her feet, Ward rummaged in his pocket for his ID card, trying to ignore the fact his jeans had become more than a little uncomfortable.
"Hurry up, Grant," Skye directed, grinning up at him provocatively as she began to tease open the buttons of her shirt.
The door of the mystery room swung open, and the couple's faces fell as they were faced with what looked suspiciously like a science lab and not a bedroom.
"I'm not wholly against the idea," Ward dead-panned, causing Skye to snort in amusement.
"FitzSimmons would have a shit fit!" she speculated, earning herself a smirk from Ward as he shook his head at her use of colourful language.
Chewing thoughtfully on her bottom lip, Skye peered down the hallway and pointed towards a series of doors that appeared to be removed from the rest of the communal spaces.
"How about down there?" she said, laughing against Grant's lips as she suddenly found herself spun around and pressed against the offending laboratory door.
"How about right here?" he retorted, gasping as he pressed his crotch against her core and felt her squirm in response.
"Behave," she scolded him, planting both hands in the centre of his chest and pushing him firmly away.
"Are you sure that's what you want?" Ward asked, and his smile was so wolfish and predatory that Skye felt her heartbeat accelerate right along with her desire to feel the weight of his body on top of her own.
Giggling, Skye danced out of his reach before turning on the balls of her feet and sprinting down the corridor in the direction of the rooms she hoped, almost prayed, were sleeping quarters.
"Nah, where would be the fun in that?" she called out, her shriek echoing along the hallway as Grant grinned and then, in a split second of decision, sped after her.
Coming to a stop in front of another closed door, Skye placed her hands on either side of the door frame.
"Okay, this is a winner, I can feel it…" she said confidently, smiling as his arms slid around her waist and she felt him pressed up against her.
"And I can feel that," she taunted, rolling her hips so the curve of her rear pressed against him wantonly.
Ward grazed his teeth across her exposed shoulder, somehow managing to slide the key card down the lock on the door whilst he also wrangled the grinding, gyrating woman in his arms.
Pushing the door open, the pair breathed a unanimous sigh of relief when a sparse yet roomy bed came into view, covered in dark grey sheets that really gave off more of a prison vibe than the romantic aura they craved.
"Wow, they need to seriously reconsider the décor of this place, because it's…" Skye began, turning around as she heard Ward's booted foot connect with the door, which slammed shut accordingly. Within seconds his lips were on hers and she found herself swept up into his arms. Her back was resting against the too-firm mattress before she'd even had time to process where she was.
"Hey there, T1000… don't want you blowing a fuse too soon," she chided, giggling at his eagerness despite the fact she felt herself growing just as heady with desire.
Ignoring her playfulness, Ward pressed a tender kiss against her lips, his fingertips cresting the line of her cheekbone. He gazed down at her with such a sense of awe and adoration that any further quips died on Skye's tongue.
"Six months," she mused aloud, her tone contemplative suddenly, "you know, I think that's the longest a guy's ever stuck around."
Ward frowned, as if truly bemused by the thought that any man could ever contemplate leaving Skye. There hadn't been a day since they'd clumsily and hesitantly ended up in each other's arms that he didn't thank whatever powers there might be that she was his, and he couldn't imagine not waking up with her each morning.
"Then they were idiots," he reasoned, recalling Coulson's earlier advice about Skye's somewhat skittish behaviour when it came to allowing people to care about her. Ward had started to realise it was because she craved love and affection above anything else, yet it had always been the one thing she had been cruelly and constantly denied from infancy.
"But I'm not going anywhere… you have my word, Skye," he promised her, "no matter what."
The expression she awarded him was analytical to say the least; although she had learned very quickly that she could trust him with her life, trusting him with her heart was another matter entirely. Of course, there was also the fact that she knew nobody had ever wanted it before, or had indeed wanted her on a level that went beyond merely sex or shared goals.
"Okay," she said, as if suddenly coming to a decision, and a beautific smile graced her features that made Grant's heart leap in a way he once would have considered completely embarrassing.
Looping her arms around his neck, Skye sank back into the pillows as they lost themselves to another kiss. For the next few hours, Hydra, Garrett, and the crumbling world around them ceased to exist.