A/N: Hello! first Skyeward fic. I just started writing and then could not stop. I hope you enjoy it and write your reviews, it takes place between the mid-season finale and last week episode so if you haven't seen it yet, don't read this… or do it but it has spoilers :) I hope I can write a sequel so… show some love and leave your opinions!

I DON'T OWN ANY OF THIS CHARACTERS, I wish...

Enjoy!

PROTECTIVE

"Coulson" Everything was fire in front of her, and for a few seconds she feared the worst. Her heart was beating fast and also hurting. Coulson couldn't be dead he was… the closest thing she had ever had to a father, maybe the best man she had ever known. Then a helicopter emerged from the cloud of smoke. They had him. He was alive, and they would get him back.

"Skye"

She heard the soft and scared voice and remembered that they had another problem.

"Where's my dad?"

Skye looked down and swallowed. She hugged the boy again, not knowing what to say and he was already weeping and shaking a little.

"It's ok, it's… Ace, your dad… he's trying to rescue Coulson. He's a hero you know that?" She assured the boy and he nodded, still scared. "You're with me, ok? I'll… until… I won't leave you" Skye hugged him tight, not letting him see the flames and the destruction. Then she heard it.

"I'm hit!"

It was Ward's voice, and he sounded like he was in pain. "Oh God" She took Ace's hand and walked back to her team. Simmons was hugging Fitz, they looked disoriented, and May was talking on her radio.

"How bad is it? Can you walk?" Said the senior agent.

"I…can. I'm getting out of here. What happened to Coulson?" Sounded the voice on the radio. They were not using their comms, just a radio line with Ward. They didn't want the centipede to be able to intercept it.

"We don't know" She frowned just a little, but her face looked as emotionless as always "The wound… is it superficial?"

"It's not that bad but -"

She interrupted him "Fine. Go back to base with Skye and Simmons. HQ's sending back up and I'll wait here with Fitz" Fitzsimmons looked at each other.

"Hey, wait…" Said Skye, but she stopped when May gave her the coldest, scariest look ever.

"May, we can't go, we can't-" Ward continued just to be interrupted again.

"Agent Ward. You have your orders"

"Copied" he replied.

Simmons finally spoke "Agent May, what are we going to do with… " She looked at the scared kid who was glued to Skye.

"Take him. I'll send instructions. We can't say what happened here just yet" May spoke to the younger agents, clearly referring to Mike's situation "We don't know how powerful is he" They all nodded then Melinda spoke again, this time to Skye "You'll have to drive"

Skye took Ace's hand again and they walked to the SUV without saying a word. The least she wanted was seeing May angry again and a little part of her wanted to see Ward and make sure he was fine. "Get in here, handsome. We're going to our base. We have a huge and awesome plane, you like that?"

The boy didn't answer and his eyes made her feel like she just had kicked a puppy. If Mike was really dead how could she tell him? She took the boy's hand trying to reassure him.

"We need to go and get Ward" Simmons was suddenly behind her, making Skye jump a little. "Are you ok?"

Fitz appeared after his partner "Excuse me, ladies. I need my equipment" He took a big black case from the backseat, and then he ran back to May.

"Let's go" said Skye. Jemma sat in the backseat, next to Ace.

They drove to the building were they had left Ward. He was sitting in the floor next to the fire escape and noticeably tired. Skye hit the brake and jumped out of the car. He stood up without her help.

"Grant!... you ok? Where did they shot you?"

"The shoulder. I'm…" He tried to walk to the SUV but the hacker didn't let him go by himself. She took his good arm and wrapped it over her shoulders to help him walk. Grant felt that she was shaking a little and her hands were cold. He could walk without her but couldn't tell her.

"They have Coulson" She said with a knot in her throat, fighting to avoid tears. Before they got in the SUV Ward stopped and grabbed her arms, turning her to face him.

"We're gonna get him back"

"And what about Mike?" She said looking down, not being able to avoid a few tears. Grant didn't say anything. He felt a little awkward, while moving his hands like if he was trying to hug her. He saw Simmons through the glass of the SUV and she nodded and moved her head pointing to Skye. So, the agent finally hugged his rookie. Not that she was his but… whatever. It was new for him to have this team, he didn't want it but now he felt protective. Maybe it was a residual effect from the berserker staff but he wanted to kill all those bastards for taking Coulson, he was his friend… and there was a little boy hugging Simmons not knowing that his father was probably dead, and then Skye… they made her cry. He clenched his jaw and hugged her tighter.

"Grant" she said against his chest. Not that she was complaining… "We… need… to go"

"Sure" He nodded.

Not more than a couple of hours later they were back in the bus. Skye put Ace in her bunk and he finally fell asleep after a few minutes of watching tv. She walked down to the lab to find a shirtless Ward with a bleeding bullet hole in his shoulders. The hacker swallowed…. She wasn't a coward for blood but seeing him hurt made her flinch.

"This may hurt a little" Said Simmons with a pair of tweezers in her hand, making Skye realize that they were not alone in the room.

Ward growled but didn't move a muscle… not any of his many muscles… Skye shook her head. Jemma looked all professional and focused in the wound and taking the bullet out and with the many problems they had right now and all she was doing was ogling her S.O. like a teenager. She cleared her throat.

"How's that going?" said the hacker.

"The bullet did not touch the bone" Jemma answered, still focused on her work "Nor any nerve… We're good" She smiled when she took the bullet out. Ward looked a little grumpy, but that was normal. "A few stitches and he'll be as good as new" The scientist put the bullet on a tray and then continued.

Sky leaned on a desk, next to Ward "You ok, big guy? Don't say that a little bullet can make you cry like a baby"

"You should try it for yourself" He pulled a fake smile while Simmons continued closing the wound.

"Any news from May?" Said Skye looking at both of them.

"Not a word from her… or Fitz" Jemma answered looking a little concerned "Poor thing, he didn't have anything for dinner. He must be starving"

"I think that's not our bigger problem here, Simmons" Ward scolded and Jemma answered with an embarrassed grimace.

"She's fixing you. She can say whatever she wants" Skye struck back.

Gran just sighed, Jemma smiled at Grant, "It's fine. You're right" she said, then talked to Skye "Where's the boy?"

"Asleep. I don't know what to do. How can you… tell a kid that his father just…died, that he's alone" She felt the knot on her throat again.

"We don't know that yet" Ward looked at her. He wanted to grab Skye's hand but she was out of his reach and he would look stupid trying to get closer to her… and they had bigger problems than a sensitive recruit… ha had to be focused… and not… not staring! He moved his gaze to a couple of Agents that were walking directly to the lab. Simmons finished with his wound by the time they arrived.

"As good as… almost new" Said the scientist. But Ward and Skye were facing the two agents.

"Agent Ward. You are in charge right?" The tallest of the agents spoke and nodded "This is Agent Knight and I'm Agent Harper. We're here for the kid"

"Why? Who sent you?" Skye didn't even let Grant answer.

"Is this the hacker?" Said Agent Knight raising an eyebrow at her.

Ward and Simmons walked closer to Skye almost instinctively "She's a recruit and member of this team. Who sent you?" Ward stood between the Agents and Skye.

"Agent Hand" replied Harper "She's on site with Agent May and we have the kid's aunt. She was left unconscious but alive. They are going to a safe house with SHIELD protection"

Ward nodded "Okay… he's upstairs in one of the bunks"

"Ward" Skye pleaded grabbing his arm

"It's ok. It's his aunt. He needs to be with his family now" He finally got the opportunity to touch her, placing his palm over the hand on his own arm.

Later that night the plane was silent. Jemma was in the kitchen, preparing for the return of her partner and making a little something for Skye and Grant. As for them, she was on her bunk and Ward was drinking scotch on the bar, as he always did when he felt frustrated.

The last news they got from May was that they didn't find Mike's body and they had nothing to start searching for Coulson. Apparently Agent Hand and Commander Hill were already involved in the case and the SHIELD headquarters were going crazy. That was unusual, but Grant was fine with it, he would do anything to find Coulson, he deserved it. Simmons distracted him from his thoughts when she appeared with a sandwich.

"You shouldn't be drinking with an empty stomach" She said when Ward looked at her. Jemma was carrying two other sandwiches and drinks. She smiled.

"Thanks. Skye's in her bunk?"

"Indeed, she is. Someone has to take care of you both" She added when Ward looked at the rest of the food she had. Then the scientist left. "Dinner's ready" she said knocking on Skye's door, and then she opened it. "What are you doing?"

"Whatever I can… There must be something; I'm going through all we have about the centipede" The hacker said while tapping on her laptop.

Jemma sat next to her, Skye took one of the sandwiches with gratitude and a quick roar from her stomach. "Where's Ward?" She asked.

"In the bar, drinking, frustrated… maybe needing some company" Jemma gave her a suggestive smirk and Skye almost choked on her food. The scientist giggled, she was taking a leap of fait because she wasn't very sure but Skye's reaction proved that her theory could be right.

"Why are you smiling like that? Seriously… super creepy" Skye blushed a little but tried to keep her cool before Jemma could make any conjecture. "I really don't think that being around the robot when he's upset is a good idea"

"Come on. We are not as close as you two are. I think he needs a hug"

"Then go hug him. I won't tell Fitz" Skye struck back, biting her sandwich again.

"Nice try. But I won't let you change the subject. Look, we're all in a difficult situation, and we just need to support each other"

Skye sighed "I'm pretty sure he…" she paused, then continued "Fine… I'll go and talk to him. But just because we don't need a drunk robot who could kill us all with his pinky. You happy?"

Jemma smiled and nodded and then Skye left to begin her mission. She was still thinking about May's message and all the possibilities they had to follow the centipede. Also there was Mike… he vanished and the fact the whole SHIELD machinery was getting involved made her a little nervous. She liked her team, the rest were just more suits.

"Skye?" Ward interrupted her thought process. She grimaced with forced smile.

"Well, hello Mr. Robot… having some fuel?" Skye tried to break the ice. She noticed the he had not touched his food.

"Do you really think that this is the time for jokes?" He took another sip of his drink while she sat next to him. Skye put an empty glass next to him.

"Hit me"

Grant looked at her, but he obeyed and poured some scotch in her glass.

"I think that this is a really bad time, which is why we need some positive thinking, not alcohol… maybe a little alcohol" she added when she took a sip of her scotch.

"We got… nothing, nothing on them. We don't have Mike, we don't know why did they take Coulson"

"Yeah, but we'll figure it out. They didn't find the body, maybe Mike's alive" She said and Grant sighed, clearly frustrated. She waited for him to say something, but she couldn't stand the silence. "We have a lot of work to do, but we'll find something, right?" And there it was.. the silence again. She pouted and watched him finish his drink. "Guess there won't be morning training tomorrow"

"Skye…" He stopped her without even turning his head to face her. She looked down.

"Sorry… I know you like your silence and your… space. You know I'm here, if you want to say something" He didn't answer. Skye sighed and finally gave up "Maybe you prefer to talk with May" She said in a low voice while walking away. A strong hand grappled her wrist; she turned to face him again.

Her S.O. looked confused, he was frowning and his mouth was slightly open, as is he wanted to ask a question. He didn't, but he finally spoke "Stay. I'm sorry"

"You wanna talk now?"

"I… appreciate what you do. I don't want to be mean with you"

"That would be a nice change. Now eat your sandwich"

"What?" He looked even more confused.

"Simmons made that for you. Stop being so grumpy and drinking your ass off and have some food. You're injured, tired, and probably frustrated because this day went to hell, but we need to stay strong" Grant blinked a few times. He didn't even know where the hell did all that come from or if they were having a real conversation "Sorry, when you give me the chance I have to say the important things really quick before you change your mind" She sat again and the Agent nodded, almost wanting to smile at her reaction.

"This is good stuff" She finished what was left from her glass "But eat your food first"

He finally let his lips curve a little and started eating his sandwich "You're not my S.O."

"Oh, but I should be" She looked at him. "You have a team now, you know? Even if you don't like it. Don't suffer in silence."

After another pause and swallowing a mouthful of food he spoke again "I kind of like it. It grows on you" He looked at her, she was smiling "The team thing"

Her smile grew even wider "How about that? Mr. robot has some feelings"

Ward giggled and shook his head. Yes, she was exasperating, but also kind of contagious, when he let her. He had to admit that it was nice to be with her, no matter how bad things were, she made him feel better.

"Wow, mission accomplished" Skye said "I like to make you laugh" she kind of regretted her tone when the words left her mouth, but before there was another awkward moment of silence she continued "I mean… I kind of care about some S.O. as grumpy as he is. He grows on you too" Way to make things worst. Ward stopped eating and she realized that more than sounding careless, her tone was kind of dirty.

Ward cleared his throat and tried to change the subject "I don't want you to think that I don't trust you"

"I wouldn't judge you" She mocked.

"Everything bad is in the past" He poured more scotch in both glasses and then looked back at her "That night in the hotel. I wasn't myself and I… I could have hurt you" He brought the subject trying to discover if she had seen something. He still wanted to know is Skye suspected something about him and May. For some reason he didn't want her to know more than anyone else, he didn't want her to know.

"It was not the right… I mean things… could"

"You can't stop babbling now. It's ok. I understand… I guess" She patted his back, still smiling. "So… now that we're genuinely bonding. You ok?... I mean in this moment"

"Well, you know everything that's happening"

"Yep. And it sucks. But I have the feeling that there's more" She pouted "I remember what you said when Simmons got the chitauri virus. I guess it's really hard for you just being here… wating"

"It is"

"And…?"

"And what?"

She sighed in frustration "Seriously?" Ward just frowned "I'm gonna take a wild guess here. Are you upset because May is not here? I mean like if she was in danger out there without you. I totally get it bu-"

"Woah…hold on. What the hell are you talking about?" He turned to face her and leaned forward a little, making Skye lean back.

"You just said that you trust me! I'm not telling anybody. Don't know if there's some rule against agents dating… or doing it, which I consider highly inappropriate" she said the last part in a lower voice, then continued with her regular tone "but you can tell me"

Ward's jaw clenched while she continued talking. Skye could tell that he was really angry now. But why? "This is nothing you…" he started talking with a dark, deep tone; he took a breath and then continued "How did you…?"

"I'm not stupid" She turned to the bar and took a sip of her drink, avoiding his gaze "You stopped"

"What?" he pulled her arm, maybe a little too hard, making her face him again.

"That night when I said that May needed to get laid. You totally panicked and stopped moving" She finally looked at him "And I heard you talking earlier today. It was pretty obvious"

"We're not dating. It's just…"

"Sex?.. Shocking" She took another sip of her scotch. "I get it… you don't have to explain anything to me… that's totally cool" her grip on her glass tightened a little and she had to clear her throat to continue "I just want to know why are you so upset… I mean, besides Coulson, and Mike, and the Centipede and…"

"Skye… skye!" Ward interrupted her speech "It's not what you think"

"You see, Grant. That's the problem here. I never know what to think when it comes to all your… things. Whatever creepy stuff you're doing with May is none of my business, really... I don't care. But if you need a friend right now, that I could do"

"A friend" He repeated, but in his mind he was just upset about the fact that he was very careful with his… thing with May and still Skye found out, and now that she knew she didn't give a fuck. "I don't want to keep talking about this"

"And there he is!" She protested.

"Skye…"

"What!"

Ward was about to talk when someone else appeared in the room.

"Briefing room, in 5" It was May, she was like a ghost. None of them noticed her and then she just left, being as cold as always. This time Skye was trying to understand. They had Coulson, and they seemed to be close… as close as someone could be to May… but not like Ward was… damn, she couldn't take that stupid thought off her mind.

The entire team, except by Coulson, was reunited again. Fitz was sure that there was a big chance that Mike was still alive, but their priority was to rescue Coulson and find out why did they take him.

They were all talking about clues, what they had on centipede. Po, Raina, and the Clairvoyant. But there was no light at the end of the tunnel… not until Fitz said something without realizing how important it was.

"They're moving their operation every couple of days. We have nothing on the other soldiers"

"What about the serum? We know that it was developed by AIM, but Aldrich Killian is dead. But there must be something to trace" Ward added.

"They could have gotten the formula long before AIM started to experiment with it, even from its creator" May continued.

"And she's also dead" Simmos added.

"What about the device?" Skye asked.

"What? That scrap of chitauri metal?" Fitz mocked, but the rest of the team looked serious.

"Yeah… exactly" Skye continued, feeling a little excited "We just need a dealer of chitauri illegal… stuff. That's our clue!"

"And I know the guy" Ward nodded.

"Vanchat" May concluded. They all felt relieved, with something to start working on they had hope to find their leader. "In going to contact HQ. We need backup. Find Vanchat" She director her attention to Skye "I want to know where he is and where is he going to be for his next sale" They all nodded as the senior Agent left the room.

Fitzsimmons murmured something before they left the room too. Skye started to work on finding Vanchat.

"You gotta love her when she's all bossy, right?" Skye mocked before Ward could walk out of the room too.

"She's being professional. Don't you want to find Coulson?"

"It was a joke, Mr. Didn't want to hit a nerve there" She was tapping on the digital panel and focused on the wall-mounted screen. She wasn't looking at him but noticed that he crossed his arms and stood there… just staring. "I'm sorry, ok? I didn't mean to push, but you are impossible to crack" Ward just rolled his eyes and started walking away again, and then he stopped.

"You don't have to crack anything"

"Well, May is here and you are still in the crappiest mood ever" she continued talking and working without looking at her S.O. She didn't realize that Ward was walking closer to her. He made her jump a little when he spoke again.

"You want to know why am I so upset?" Skye swallowed and nodded. He was so close she could feel his hot breath on her skin and it was… surprisingly good. "Yes, I feel protective, I want to protect this team like I said the day Simmons almost died" There was something in his eyes… something like what she saw the day he talked about his brothers for the first time. Ward continued "And I want to protect you. We don't have Coulson right know and those Agents who came earlier… they clearly had their eyes on you, they are under Agent Hand's orders and she's taking control of the bus tomorrow and I can't let her…"

"I see" Her heart jumped a little in her chest. Skye didn't need him to finish, she was the one in danger here and the one Ward was trying to protect. "They can say anything. I've been good, I've been following orders"

"I know. And I wont let them take you" He breathed out, feeling a little relieved but still upset. It was confusing. Skye was confusing and he just didn't have the temperament to deal with all that; but she was so close and so… tempting?. He took a step back. "May I and I…" He hated himself for bringing the subject again. Why?

"It's ok. Let's pretend I never say anything about me..knowing... Clearly you are very uncomfortable with this situation and I don't want you to be upset. As for tomorrow, I promise I'll stay in my bunk, being a good girl and won't make a sound"

Ward half smiled, making her heart jump… again. The thought of May and Ward together gave her nightmares, and she kind of hated him, but then he said things like what he had just said and he just wanted to… "Can I hug you?" She said before thinking about something more, something worst.

The agent frowned and felt a little awkward again. Being with Skye was like getting on a roller coaster. The banter was exasperating and in one second they were arguing and then laughing. But still, he wouldn't let his superiors take her away from him. HE opened his arms while rolling his eyes and she hugged him. Her body felt tiny and warm against his… he noticed it this time, and he enjoyed it. He breathed in her scent, it was so sweet it made him want to kiss the top of her head, and he did.

Skye froze in his arms and slowly pulled away from his embrace. Her eyes fixed on his and her palms on his chest. After a few seconds she blinked and spoke again "I think… I'll go and get some rest" She swallowed again. Grant's hand was on hers.

"Skye…" He said.

"What?" She said almost out of breath.

She could see him struggling; it was all in his eyes. He opened his mouth but the words that came out of it were not what she expected "Good night" Now he swallowed.

Skye started breathing again. "Good night, Grant" She smiled and walked away from him. The agent sighed, what was wrong with him? What did he want?. He looked at the monitor, it had all the information they needed about Vanchat and his next meeting with a costumer. He totally forgot about eh mission but Skye probably took 5 minutes to get all what they needed and then just pretended she was still working in order to make him tell the truth. He loved that about his rookie… or liked.