Fitz watched in horror as chaos unfolded on the screen he clutched tightly in his hands. He knew it was pointless shouting 'no' like a madman and shaking his tablet, but that was all he could do. The Hydra agents swarming his team couldn't hear him and even if they could, they wouldn't even listen to him. Just put a bullet in his head. Helplessly, he witnessed an agent, one he recognized from the academy all those years before, raise his gun and fire. Before Leo could blink, a bullet flew through the air, lodging itself in Tripp's shoulder. The usually untouchable wall of muscle stumbled forward, leaning into Skye to keep himself from tumbling to the ground. His mouth opened and his face contorted into one of pure pain. Even though the security feed didn't have audio, Fitz could hear the other man's cry of pain echoing in his head.

They should've given him a spot on that mission. At least, listened to him when he said it was a trap. But no, don't listen to Fitz, he's damaged. He can't even think clearly.

Leo ran his hands through his hair leaning back in his chair. He racked his brain for a plan, but his mind was so clouded he struggled to formulate coherent sentences let alone a rescue plan. Then it hit him. Ward. He was just two floors beneath him as strong as ever. Leo knew it was risky, border-line stupid and could've gotten him suspended, but he didn't have much of a choice. Besides, Skye's life was hanging in the balance and despite the fog filling his head, Fitz knew for certain that Grant wouldn't risk that.

So he ran as fast as he could down the stairs leading away from the lab and through the common level. Fumbling with the keys, Leo clattered through the door and stumbled into the containment cell, or basement, whatever it was. Hastily, he tapped around on his tablet and the white wall between him and Ward faded away.

"Fitz," Ward said alarmed, the events of their last meeting fresh in his mind. "Where's Skye? Where's Coulson?"

"Hydra," Fitz gasped. "Has the team."

"What?" Grant asked.

"They went on…a-uh-a…a mission and Hydra was waiting for them at the…uh….warehouse. Trip got shot," Fitz sputtered.

"Is Skye okay?" Grant asked rising to his feet, worry inscribed clearly on his face, deep in the wrinkles that had been carved in the last few months making him look far older than he really was.

"She's in bloody danger, Ward," Fitz exclaimed. "Just like every other member of our team."

Fitz could've recovered from that, stuttered into correcting the 'our' and making it a 'my' instead, but he didn't. It wasn't really his team anymore either. Like Ward, he was just as much of an outsider. The only difference was that Grant's isolation was a punishment for horrible choices he made. Though Fitz was still officially a functioning member of SHIELD, no one saw him that way. His seclusion was a matter of unfortunate circumstances that left him damaged.

"Why are you here?"

"Because I can't save them on my own," Fitz said desperately.

Grant was taken aback by Fitz's statement. He was standing in the Bus again, self-hatred boiling in his stomach as he watched Fitz and Simmons pound on the window of the med-pod. Even when he did nothing, they continued to plead with him. Shout at him that he didn't have to do this, that he could come back to the team and everything would be okay. They were so naïve, just kids with innocence twinkling in their eyes. Looking at Fitz, he could see that he had taken that away. For a split second, he wondered about Simmons. Where she was? How she was doing?

Then, the sound of boots tapping on concrete pulled him out of his guilt trip roughly. Fitz looked agitated, standing with his shoulders squared and his arms crossed over his chest. There was no longer that innocent glint in his eyes, instead something cold and empty.

And there it was, the slap in the face reminder that he had stolen Fitz's innocence. He wasn't a little boy anymore, he was forced to grow up. Forced to become as manipulative and bitter as every other SHIELD agent was.

"Well," Fitz was said impatiently. "We don't have all damn day."

"Alright," Grant agreed. "I'll do it, but…"

"God damn, Ward," Fitz said cutting him off. "You're not really in the position to be making conditions here."

"Okay," Ward said.