"Skye!" Ward cried as the gun went off, his former apprentice crumpling to the ground. Garrett spun on his heel and ran as Ward rushed over to her, kneeling beside her. "Oh, Skye…"

He gently cradled her in his lap and Skye looked up at him with dying eyes, a soft smile forming on her face. "Grant… I knew you weren't evil…"

Fighting back the tears, he forced a smile. "You saved me, Skye. You gave me a new hope." His voice cracked as his eyes trailed down to the bullet wound, and he realized there was no way she would be saved. A bullet to the chest was always fatal.

Weakly, she reached up a hand and rested it against his cheek, Ward pressing into it as he held her closer. "I don't want to go." She sounded scared, and her voice was small.

It broke his heart hearing Skye that way.

"You'll be okay," he assured, before biting his bottom lip to keep from crying. "I promise, you'll be okay."

Skye shook her head slowly, tears pricking her own eyes and sliding down her face as her hand slowly started to slip down from his cheek, blood leaking from her lips. "Kiss it all better, Ward," she whispered, begging him. "I'm not ready to go."

Ward gently pulled her up against his chest, pressing his lips softly against hers, not caring about the blood. "Please don't leave me," he whispered. "Stay with me."

"I wish I could," she whispered. Ward gently stroked her cheek and Skye struggled for air, and he knew her time was coming now.

"I'm so sorry," he rasped. "I'm so sorry… I should've known…"

"It's not your fault, love," Skye replied, voice growing softer and weaker. "You didn't know…"

Her breathing, which had become shallow and watery, was now slowing down greatly, and her barely moving chest finally grew still. Tears streamed down his face as his breath caught in his throat. "Skye…?" He shook her gently, but she wasn't moving, and her hands were so cold against his skin. "Skye!" His chest started heaving as he sobbed, bringing her closer to his body as he cradled her. Raising his head, he glared up at the ceiling, rage boiling inside his chest as his sobs soon quieted down.

Ward looked back at Skye and he gently kissed her lips one last time before resting her limp body on the ground. "Everything will be alright," he whispered softly before his eyes trained onto a fallen weapon.

It was the gun that had killed the love of his life.

The rage already inside him grew, and he gritted his teeth. "I love you, Skye," he told her softly, the tears were no longer falling. He grabbed the gun and stood up, heading in the direction Garrett ran off too. Ward was not going to let the bastard get away with anything any longer; he caused enough damage before, and now he signed his own death certificate.

Ward made sure to keep silent, there was no way he was going to blow it. He had only one chance at killing Garrett. Stopping at the corner and peering around it, he saw his former S.O. walking toward Quinn and shouting orders. Ward couldn't hear him; he couldn't hear anything. All he could hear was the blood roaring in his ears as he raising the gun, aiming it at the back of Garrett where his heart would be, and pulled the trigger.

Garrett fell to the ground, blood starting to pool under his clothes and leak onto the floor. Quinn, who was frightened by the sudden shooting, fled as Ward stalked down the hall toward the fallen HYDRA agent. Garrett rolled onto his back, grunting in pain as he glared up at his former apprentice. "I knew that girl was trouble," he spat, blood bubbling from his lips and spraying into the air.

Ward didn't react, he just continued to glare down at him. He pointed the gun again at Garrett's chest, and fired once more into his heart. Garrett's head hit the ground as blood started to puddle around his body, and Ward knew he was dead.

He felt no regret killing him; Garrett was the man who tore his world apart.

He only felt regret for not protecting Skye.

There was shouting behind him and Ward dropped the gun to the ground, raising his hands above his head as he turned to face the people he once called family. Coulson and May had their weapons pointed to him, but they hid their emotions well. Ward knew they were mad at him; and he didn't blame them. FitzSimmons weren't there with them, and he figured they were searching for Skye. The thought of her suppressed his rage, and he closed his eyes to fight back more tears.

May quickly headed over to him and handcuffed him, and Ward didn't bother putting up a fight. Skye was the reason he starting fighting against HYDRA in the first place, and now she was gone.

He had nothing left to live for.