Keep in mind I wrote this before the new episode. (SOME OF IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED)
Warning: Fluffiness and Angst below.
1.
Her birthday always was pretty shitty, but this one was definitely the worst.
Skye's not keen on sharing her birthday date-she isn't even sure if it is the right date-and she's particularly glad she didn't choose to share it with the team.
Coulson is missing; the team shouldn't worry about sugarcoating the day. She's used to shitty birthdays; the only thing that sets her off about this one is that her father figure is missing. She pulls her knees to her chest and lets herself cry. Her eyes are pressed against her kneecaps, and her entire body shivers as she breathes out a loud sob.
Then, there was a knock on the door.
Skye sits up straight, and wipes her eyes quickly. She takes a deep breath, and walks towards the door. She cautiously slides it open to see Ward.
Holding flowers.
Ward smiles awkwardly. He looks down to see where she is staring. His mouth forms an "o" form, and he thrusts the flowers to Skye ungracefully. "Happy birthday?" he says sheepishly.
Skye bites her lip and smiles slightly. "H-how...?"
"You're not the only one who goes through everyone's files." Her lip is quivering, and she nearly breaks. Ward's smile falters, but she takes the flowers and holds them closely to her. He continues, "I thought about getting you a present, but since you didn't tell us about your birthday, I figured you didn't really want..."
"It's fine," she interrupts. "It's more than I was expecting." It's such a simple gesture, but it means so much to her.
Ward nods in understanding. "Are you..." he pauses, "...okay?"
Tears threaten to fall as she shakes her head. "No," she can barely get out.
"Oh, Rookie," he mutters sadly. Then, he pulls her into a hug. She buries her head in his chest as she lets herself break down.
She knows she shouldn't be so weak in front of her SO, but he's kissing her hair and telling her to let it out, and she gives in. Just this once.
2.
Her side's killing her, but Skye really wants to get out of bed. Even if it's only two steps; she just needs to move her legs. She moans constantly at Simmons, and Ward whenever he comes around.
Coming to think of it, Ward comes around a lot.
If she can't walk, at least give her something to do. She's dying of boredom-there's only so much you can do from sitting in a bed without as much as a magazine to read. If only someone brought her tablet.
Now, Skye recalls how Ward seems to bring her something to do. Sure, it's gone as soon as Simmons comes and shoos him away, but at least she gets to watch a movie or listen to a story once a day or so. Or just talking. Just talking also works for her, as long as it isn't about Robot being up and about.
She hears a light knock and the door. She would bother to look up, but she knows its Ward. She smiles to herself, and continues to have her eyes closed.
"Rookie, you're horrible at fake sleeping."
She pouts-Why can't she just try it out?-and she lifts her eyelids.
Her eyebrow raises. "Are those violets?"
Ward nods as he puts the vase full of flowers by her bed. "I figured this is the kind of thing normal people do."
She giggles, but stops when her side begins to hurt. "Usually when the said person is really unwell."
He frowns. "You got shot. You're unwell."
"You said it yourself, I'm better." He sighs, but lets it go. "So, why the flowers?"
He shrugs. "I dunno, it felt right? Like the time I got them for your birthday."
Skye smirks. "So, you're making this our thing now?"
Ward rolls his eyes. "It's just my gesture of gratitude...that you're alive."
"Aw, the Robot has feelings," she teases. "So, why violets? Why not the assortment, like last time, or the generic rose?"
"I can take th-"
"Ward, I like them; they're beautiful. I'm just curious," she clarifies before he panics.
His face softens. "Oh, um, they were pretty. And purple. They reminded me of you, I guess." He pauses. "I thought about the roses, but they're too..." He scrunches his nose.
"Romantic?" she continues for him.
"I was going to say common. Violets are unique, like you."
Skye bites her lip and smiles, flustered. "That's really sweet," she says softly. "Thank you."
Ward just smiles back brightly.
3.
Skye just can't stop crying, and she hates it. She hates him for making her feel like this.
She isn't weak, she shouldn't be crying.
Yet, he's gone.
She's not sure what she feels worse about-the fact that she was prepared to send him to his death or the fact that she has this joyful pit in her stomach saying that he's alive.
Sometimes, Skye wishes she never met him. She imagines where she'd be if she never joined SHIELD, and she also imagines how the team would be if he hadn't ever been a part of it.
She thinks that's what kills her the most. He was everything in her life.
She reaches her bunk and slams the slider to lock herself into. She begins to slide down the door, but she spots it in the corner of her eyes.
A bouquet of roses on her bed.
Skye walks towards the gift, and she knows they can only be from one person. Next to the roses-damn him-there's a letter neatly addressed to her.
She stares at it for a while before she screams. She screams and grab everything she can find and just abuses it.
By the time Coulson runs in and snaps her out of it, her room is trash. Her things are scattered everywhere, tonnes of her clothes are ruined, the letter is ripped in half, and the roses are scattered throughout the room.
A single blood red rose remains untouched on her pillow. She wants to throw it out the window.
It takes her a few hours to enter the room again. The rose remains untouched, and Skye keeps it that way. She carefully goes through the mess to grab the two halves of the letter. With a little tape, she pieces it back together.
Ward's handwriting is jagged-unpracticed. She can barely make it out.
Skye,
I know I may be the last person you want to talk to at the moment, so I'll keep this short:
I'm sorry. I never wanted any of this to happen. Whether or not if you ever have it in your heart to forgive me (which I don't expect, but a man can dream), just know that I will always be there for you.
- GW
P.S. I know we agreed that roses were too common, but they were the only thing I could find on short notice. Maybe a little normal thing is exactly what we need right now.
P.P.S. I guess you're right. Flowers are our "thing".
She's disgusted.
Skye throws the letter onto her bed in frustration. Ward thinks he can gain back her love, but it'll never happen. He lost that chance as soon as he made the choice to drop Fitzsimmons in the ocean.
She eyes the perfect rose, and sighs. Gently picking it up, she finds a cup and fills it with water. When the rose dies, she'll forget him. When the rose dies.
She should've made sure it wasn't made out of plastic and fabric before she made that promise.
Damn florists and their realistic fake flowers.
4.
It's been a while, but Ward does get her flowers again.
It's when Coulson forgives him, and they all decide SHIELD needs as many members as it can get. Skye vouches for him;-he's been leaving them messages to help them out-but Coulson sees through her and knows her real reasoning:
She still loves him.
Sometimes she sits in his room, he notices. He also has asked about the undying rose. At first she looked at it with distaste, but he noticed as she began to look at it hope.
He stops asking.
They're waiting for him to drive up patiently. Skye's tapping her foot impatiently, constantly tapping her foot, and then they hear it.
They hear the sound of a car engine. Coulson notices as Skye briefly smiles, but returns to a straight face to seem more reserved.
The car stops in front of them, and Grant Ward steps out.
Skye quickly runs towards him, throwing her arms around him tightly. He doesn't quite respond right away. He's shocked, but after he feels her turn her face into his neck, he wraps his free arm around her.
"I got you flowers," he says guiltily.
She pulls away carefully, and she takes the flowers from his grip. Their hands brush, and she smiles. "Lilies?"
Ward clears his throat. "Yeah. They symbolize a new beginning. I was hoping..."
"Yes," she says.
"Yes?" he squeaks out. "You want to try again?"
Skye responds by giving him a passionate kiss on the lips.
5.
It's their one year anniversary. He's gotten her flowers here and there, but this is one of the most significant.
He's taking her to a nice restaurant where she can forget about SHIELD for a night. She's grateful for the alone time they're getting-they never seem to get any privacy. They've even snuck down to his previous cell-they were getting desperate-where no one ever went anymore, to get some action. When he was on his knees and pulling down her pants, Coulson decided it was a great moment to deliver a new prisoner. Skye had to pull a lot of strings to ensure that Coulson didn't kill her boyfriend.
When they get to the restaurant, she finds a bouquet of orchids laying on their reserved table. She looks at him knowingly, and he smiles. "Since they represent undying love..."
She kisses him quickly. "Who knew Grant Ward was such a romantic?"
Ward rolls his eyes. "You've known for a while now."
"Yeah, but that was when you were all creepy and stalkerish. Remember? You were trying to kidnap me."
He goes red, and mutters something along the lines of, "Can we pretend that never happened?"
She giggles as they sit down. She inspects the orchids carefully. "Huh." Ward raises an eyebrow at her and sips his drink. She looks up at him. "At that rate, I was expecting to find that engagement ring you bought the other day. That'd be some cheesy way to propose."
He spits out his water.
1.
Skye can't stop crying, but she doesn't bring herself to stop. She doesn't even try.
She holds an assortment of flowers-the undying rose, some violets, a lily, a few orchids, and several other randomly assorted flowers. She was ready.
She approaches it carefully...cautiously...and continues to let herself cry. She's still in shock. Damnit, it's been over a week and she still hasn't stopped crying. She wants to freeze when she sees the words on the stone, but she needs to do this. He sacrificed everything for her; the least she can do is thank him for it.
She kneels down and places the flowers on the dirt. "I'll love you forever," she whispers.
Here lies Grant Ward, beloved husband and friend.
I'm sorry.