Hey,... First I need to thank the person or persons who added my stories to the Community. You don't know how freaking happy you've made me. Thank you. Will I get to know who is/are responsible?
Thanks to emmy-kent, Prawn Crackers, Fox, DrawnToDarkness, Wolf's Edge, NCISRookie33, AlwaysCARROn, pronker, Joy Booth, plainmnmemy, Silentpixiee, Jess, SveaR, guest and everyone who had made my last ff a success. I apologise that I could not reply to your reviews personally.
Fox presented me with the idea for this next ff. And Wolf's Edge seconded it. I hope I got their idea right. It was really fun to write it and I enjoyed every moment of it. Happy reading!
Disclaimer : I do not own Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Not one bit.
Summary : I quote this from Fox's request : Ward somehow get's hypnotized (maybe by Simmons or Skye dares him into it) resulting in some interesting effects? Maybe loss of inhibitions or something that makes him act completely out of character for a short period of time. Of course he would never remember/believe it after the fact because he's the great Agent Ward.
xox
"Let me check his pulse."
"He really went down hard. I couldn't catch him."
"Guys, guys, he is coming around."
Opening his eyes at the whispered words, Ward was startled to see Skye and FitzSimmons crowding and looming over him. Fitz had a guilty look on his face. Simmons looked worried and was biting her lips. Skye's expression was of extreme relief.
"What happened?" Ward croaked.
"Water?" Simmons offered.
The specialist nodded and Fitz held his hand out to pull Ward to a sitting position. Skye placed a cup of water in Ward's hand. He was surprised how his throat hurt as he drank it. A few drops dripped onto his bare chest. Looking down, he realized that his shirt was ripped down the front. A long scarf was looped around his neck.
"Are you alright?" Simmons asked before she carefully shone a light in his eyes.
"Yeah. I guess." Ward replied in a hoarse voice.
"Do you remember anything?" Fitz questioned him next as Simmons again checked his pulse.
"No," Ward shook his head. "What happened? Did I miss something?"
Call it premonition or survival instinct but the sudden tingling feeling crawling up his spine surely meant that something bad had happened. That uneasy and dreaded sensation doubled when he looked at his three friends and found one of them registering an unholy grin and has eyes that was full of mischief.
Skye.
He actually cringed when the hacker began grinning like the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland. And if she was grinning like that, it definitely meant something was up. Skye reached out her hand to playfully tug the end of the long scarf and told him words that made his blood ran cold.
"Yes, you may have missed something," she leaned in closer to him. "But we didn't miss a thing, Steve."
"SKYE!" FitzSimmons gasped.
xox
5 hours earlier...
"What is going on in there?"
Ward, who was inspecting and cleaning the weapons that they had used the night before, yelled out his question at the three juniors in the next lab. FitzSimmons and Skye was seated on the floor in a circle in a corner and he could only see the top of their heads from where he was standing. Their chattering was increasing in volume and it had spilled into the other lab where Ward was.
"We are conducting an experiment that involves delving with the physiological attributes..." Fitz answered with much excitement.
"English." They could hear Ward's sigh.
"That's kind of like reprogramming, in your language, Robot." Skye helped.
"Skye, you know that's not true." Simmons playfully smacked her arm before lowering her voice. "You want another round of," she glanced back at Ward before mimicking the SO, "Give me 15 push-ups Rookie."
They all bursts into chuckles and giggles at Simmons' imitation of Ward but stopped immediately when the person in question stood towering over them.
"Seriously, what is going on here?" he repeated his question.
"We are experimenting with hypnotism," Simmons explained. "It is said that under hypnosis a person may able to recall informations that might have escape them when they are conscious."
"It's been proven that details of a scene or lines from a conversation could be retrieved under hypnosis." Fitz added with a nod. "Even some old buried memory."
"Hey, whatever they said." Skye muttered and pointed at the two scientists when her SO looked at her.
"Do any of you know what you are doing?"
"It is just an experiment." Fitz replied evasively.
"Have you all ever thought of the repercussions it might have?"
"We will not be doing anything intensive," Simmons explained. "Just simple things like a memory game. Naming 20 things behind us, maybe? Or how about a song of your favourite from years ago."
"That's right," Skye supported her friend. "You don't have to worry about finding us dancing naked on the wings of the Bus under a full moon, Mr Adult, Sir."
"So, who is the guinea pig in this experiment?" Ward sighed in resignation.
"I am!" Skye raised her hand in enthusiasm.
"Why am I not surprised?" Ward mumbled as his fingers pinched his frown that suddenly developed.
"Just think, Agent SO Sir. What if this is a success and Simmons is able to hypnotize me into doing 30 push-ups with one hand. On my knuckles!"
Ward couldn't believe that he would actually consider the possibility of his Rookies' ridiculous notion.
"Fine," he mumbled as he stood back to witness the session.
"Yes!" Skye hissed and did a little victory dance.
"Alright Skye, I need you to relax." Simmons began.
"Skye? Relax? How about I give her a little tap to the back of her head to help her to, you know," Ward raised his fingers to indicate a quote. "Relax."
He moved away just in time before his Rookie was able to smacked him in the knees.
"I may not do that Agent May meditation thing but contrary to your belief, I can relax."
"Keep still, you mean." Ward rolled his eyes.
"Since when do you learn to speak so much, Robot?"
"Since the day I kidnapped you, Rookie."
"Guys!" Fitz interrupted them. "Could we please do this soon? I need food already!"
Skye stuck her tongue out at Ward before nodding at Simmons.
"Right Skye," Simmons spoked softly to her friend. "Close your eyes and.."
"Wait!"
"What now?" the three agents groaned.
"Don't we need a word ..er...um..or something to..er..activitate my memory or obey your command? I mean like a magic word that will start my recalling what I need to remember or do?" Skye asked as she looked between FitzSimmons. "I mean to snap your fingers is just so lame."
"Oh! That's right!" Simmons agreed. "You choose. But something simple. A name perhaps."
"Thor!" Skye replied as she waggled her eyebrows.
"Oh God! Not that god again." Ward groaned.
"What's wrong with using his name?" asked Skye.
"Nothing, just..." Ward made a face that showed he really had no valid reason to support his disagreement.
"Come on guys. We are stalling." Fitz uttered behind the laptop as he recorded the session. "How about Captain America?"
"That's a mouthful," Simmons replied. "We need something that's monosyllabic. Something simple."
"How about Steve?" Ward suggested. "Captain America is Steve Rogers."
"Ok. Steve is a nice name," Skye nodded. "Thanks Robot."
"I don't believe I am actually agreeing to your shenanigans."
"Not mine. But ours," Skye gestured towards the other two involved. "Besides, shenanigans are nice, right Simmons?"
"Not from Agent Sitwell's point of view." Fitz supplied with a smirk.
They all burst into chuckles after a moment. Ward included.
"Alright let's start." Simmons raised her hands for attention after the laughter died down. "Ready?"
"Yup!" replied the hacker.
"Now, breathe. Good. Close your eyes. But stay awake. Don't fall asleep. Hear yourself breathing. Feel your heart beating. Surrender to the moment. Don't miss a thing. Spent every moment listening to music around you. Remember, you don't want to miss anything.
"Right. At the count of three, you will come back to me. You will sing and impersonate the singer who was your favourite 16 years ago, when I say 'Steve'.
"One, two, three."
Skye opened her eyes.
"How are you feeling?" Simmons asked eagerly.
"Great!"
"Good. Shall we try if it works?"
"Ok." Skye nodded.
Just as Simmons about to utter the name, there was a buzz indicating a call from Coulson. Ward excused himself to answer it in the briefing room above.
"Steve." Simmons said to Skye as soon as Ward disappeared from view.
The hacker frown and shook her head.
"Anything?" Simmons asked.
"No." Skye shook her head. "What was I supposed to do?"
Simmons told her what the command was.
"Sorry. Nothing. I don't think it worked."
"It's alright." Simmons replied with a smile. "Maybe the effect is not immediate."
"Right Ladies," Fitz closed his laptop and offered his arms to his two friends."Shall we proceed to dinner?"
xox
It was Ward's turn to make dinner so he served each of them spaghetti with a generous amount of Marinara sauce. There was cheesecake and fruits for dessert. The scientist and hacker thanked him as they dug into the delicious meal. They immediately started talking about the earlier experiment and Skye got up to get the bottle of Parmesan cheese from the kitchenette.
"So, it didn't work?" Ward asked.
"No." Fitz replied. "But Jemma thinks that the effect is not immediate."
"Or maybe," Simmons continued, "Maybe she needs to be unaware or unsuspecting?"
"How about we try it now? As soon as she gets back?" Fitz suggested.
"Yeah," Ward smirked. "Maybe she'll sing the theme song from Barney, the purple dinosaur."
"Why a kiddie's song?" Fitz asked.
"Skye cannot be more than 24, Fitz. Count back 16 years, she was less then 10 years old."
"Hmmm.." Fitz nodded. "Or maybe Heigh Ho if she had watched Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the orphanage?"
"Shhh...here she comes." Simmons alerted them.
"Hey, did they get a new brand of ..." she asked as she held up a bottle of the powdered cheese.
"Steve." Simmons said.
Skye stood still suddenly and stared at the three who was at the dinner table.
"Do you think it worked?' Fitz whispered.
"Maybe...?" Simmons replied just as quietly.
"Steve?" Skye crunched her nose. "Steve who?"
"We are just trying to..." Simmons started to explain.
"Oh! That Hypno-Abracadabra Steve!" Skye snapped her finger. "Nope. Still nothing. Maybe...Whoa!"
Skye stopped speaking the minute Ward stood in front of her and snatched the bottle off her hands.
"No need to snatch it off my..." Skye hesitated when she saw the intense look in Ward's eyes. "Guys? There is something wrong with Ward."
The scientists quickly got up as Ward fell to his knees and his chin dropped to his chest. Skye quickly reach out to grab his shoulders to keep him from falling forward but was surprised when his left hand started make gestures as in in pain. He twisted his head in a slow manner as if caressing an invisible form.
"Ward..." Skye whispered.
Ward suddenly tossed his head back and brought the bottle to his lips. Then he did something that had all of them paralyzed.
He began to sing.
"I could stay awake just to hear you breathing, Watch you smile while you were sleeping, While you're far away and dreaming...."
"Goodness me. Fitz, I think Ward was hypnotized instead of Skye."
"Skye toss me your phone!" Fitz called out and caught the device when Skye tossed it over. "This is gonna be bloody awesome!"
Ward leaned back and pulled Skye's hand. She would have fallen on him if he hadn't pushed himself forward again as he continued his song using the Parmesan bottle as a microphone.
"I could spend my life in this sweet surrender," Ward released Skye's hand to wrap an arm around her waist. "I could stay lost in this moment forever," he rested the side of his face against her stomach. "Where every moment I spent with you is a moment I treasure..."
"Fitz I hope you are getting all this!" Skye squeaked with excitement.
Ward suddenly let her go and got off his knees. He stood a few steps back and stood in a rocker stance as he reached his hand out to her and blast out the chorus at the top of his voice.
"I don't want to close my eyes, I don't want to fall asleep, Caused I'd miss you baby," he grabbed the front of his shirt as if in frustration.
"Rip it!" Skye urged. "Come on rip the damn thing!"
"Skye!" Simmons scolded.
"What? I'm just helping him along!"
Ripped! Ward tore the front of his shirt in straight down.
"Yeah! Baby Yeah!" Skye clapped with glee.
"You are incorrigible!" Simmons gasped.
"And I don't want to miss a thing..."
"Oh we are not gonna miss this thing either, Buddy!" Fitz chuckled as he recorded the scene on Skye's phone.
Ward took quick steps towards Skye and grabbed the end of the long scarf that was around her neck. He twirled it around his neck as he circled around her, ultimately the soft material was looped loosely around his neck. All the while he belted the chorus that was actually hurting this vocal cord from trying to achieve the right notes.
He repeated the chorus a few times as he moved around the room, lying on the bar top, shaking his head as if he had a long mane, wrapping himself around Skye and curving his body as if in excruciating a pain in tune with the song.
"Caused when I dreamed of you, The sweetest dream will never do," Ward suddenly grabbed the back of Skye's head and brought it close to his face. He continued singing but his voice was suddenly hoarse that he lowered it to husked out the words. "I'd still miss you baby, And I don't want to miss a thing."
He then dropped down to his knees again after that last verse and this time, Skye nor Fitz managed to catch him from falling.
xox
Present...
"SKYE!" FitzSimmons gasped.
"What?" Skye put on a face of innocence.
"You might trigger him again." Simmons told her as the bio-chemist turned to study Ward.
"Nope," Skye said. "Not happening. I think the command will only work if it is from you, Simmons."
"What not happening?" Ward frowned as he tried to understand the situation.
"Well, Agent Ward," Fitz started. "It seemed that Simmons had managed to hypnotized you instead of Skye."
"How the hell did that happened?" Ward would have roared but his throat prevented him from talking even.
"We are not sure. We need to study the session itself to see what went wrong." Fitz replied.
"What happened to me?" Ward looked between the two ladies. "What did I do? What happened to my shirt? And how did your scarf ended up on me?"
"Er.." Simmons looked at Skye nervously. "Maybe we should just show him the video?"
"Let me send it to you two first. Just in case the Robot decided to delete it."
"Let me see that," Ward growled.
Skye quickly sent the video to FitzSimmon's phones before handing it to Ward.
He would have fallen on his firm butt if he hadn't been sitting down in the first place. The expression on his face as he watched himself sang out of tune, pranced around the room doing horrendous moves and wrapping himself around Skye was priceless. There was a flush that crept up his neck as the video came to the end.
"Nooooo." he groaned.
"Ooohhh yes." Skye smirked. "So, how about we negotiate the15 push-ups per minute deal?"
xox
Two days later, the team was surprised when Coulson brought a member of the Avengers on board the Bus. They were all excited to meet their guest except Ward who was told before hand.
The team was introduced one by one to Captain America as he was brought on tour around the Bus. Ward was somewhat on edged during the hero's visit and was relieved when it was time for their guest to leave. That was until the hero approached Simmons and offer his admiration of her jumping off the plane in order to save the team.
"Thank you, Mr Rogers, Sir." Simmons replied shyly.
"Please. Call me Steve," he told Simmons. "I insist."
Ward's eyes widen as he vigorously shook his head upon seeing Skye grinning like the Cheshire Cat again.
THE END
Fox and Wolf'sEdge, I wanted to make Ward do a Captain Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Caribbean) impersonation but I'm not too familiar with that character though. So I choose him to sing I Don't Want To MIss A Thing by Aerosmith (which I don't own, btw) instead. I think Steven Tyler has a really impressionable style and has a cool voice.
Anyway, I hope that was ok. I would love to hear what you and everyone have to say. Thanks!