Author's Note:

In this feels packed and new short story, I will be writing in third person because there will be two characters point of view. Also, there has been a change that I have made for this story. Grant Ward was not found by Agent 13 but rather by Phil Coulson before he had went in search for Skye in the temple. Please enjoy! I love you all!

Phil stood outside of the shielded bunker, his eyes focused on Skye. He didn't know how to tell her that they'd found Ward, bleeding out where she had left him. The Director also didn't know how he was to be tasked with the latter's last request.

It was a letter from Ward but one that might tear the hacker to shreds. As Phil's eyes met hers, he knew he couldn't keep the truth from her. They'd promised long ago to not hold back secrets and it wouldn't be him to break the treaty between them.

Taking a deep breath, he slid out the small compartment that would retract from his hands and to her side of the holding place. He slid the bloodied paper into the compartment and felt the wind that flew after he closed the box. It was in her hands and as she opened it, he could hear the words of a dying man clearly in his mind.

"Make sure she gets this; please."

Turning away, the Head of S.H.I.E.L.D. walked back to the safety of his team. He didn't want to see her tears without knowing he couldn't wipe them away for her. He didn't want to see the look of longing in his eyes that would come from not having a father and him being the best that she could ask for. He didn't want to see how bad she would be damaged.

Skye greedily opened the box, her attention moving up only for a moment to see that her father figure was walking away from her. She then returned her focus back to the paper, noting that fingerprints were on it. She lifted the paper to the light and examined it, finding that the red stains were not dye or a sort of substance that could be found in a lab. It was blood.

She took in the carefully handwriting, finding wrinkles in the page from pressure of the writer. Her mind automatically swirled with a gruff and low voice; it was almost as if he were there behind her, reciting the words in her ear.

Skye,

The simple fact that you're reading this means that I'm dead; either I passed it on or someone found it. The important thing is that it got to you. And even if you aren't grateful to have the letter, I'm glad you have it. It gives me the right to say what you knew but I never said: I love you, Skye. And despite my actions and how I've lied, you and I both know that I mean those three words. I don't just hand that out.

I know you don't want to hear- well, read- anything that I have to say. As I have said many times before, I'm not asking for forgiveness. I know I don't deserve it after what I've done. But I am asking something of you and it is my final request. I want you to understand me.

I know you hate me and it's justified. But no one was supposed to get hurt in my mission. All I was supposed to do is find what helped Coulson come back to life. But I procrastinated; for once in my life, I had other people who cared about me. As selfish as it was, I couldn't let that go. I wanted to keep you, Fitz and Simmons. I wanted Coulson to slap my shoulder in a way that told me that he was proud.

But as always in my life, things don't stay good for long. You and Fitz got hurt because things got complicated. I tried to prevent it, I really did. If I had known that Quinn was going to shoot you, I would've killed him and dealt with Garrett later. As for Fitz, I tried to give him and Simmons a way out. I don't know how they didn't float, Skye. They were supposed to float.

Lastly, I want to say that I'm proud of you. You've learned how to make the hard call because it's right for the team, not necessarily because it's right for everyone. You've grown so strong and it's just another thing I love about you. You've learned how to block out your emotions and take things into your hands because that's what needs to happen.

Though things between us were brief, there isn't much that I would change. Aside from all the bad, there's so much good that is left. At least I died knowing that I was attempting to do the right thing. I'm not the best at it; hell, I'm not even sure I even know what the right thing is, quite frankly.

The main part is that, through everything, from the moment I pulled a sack over your head to whatever moment I died, you've taught me something. You taught me how to be human (or as close as I can be) again. I can never thank you enough for that.

Ward

Before Skye knew it, she was screaming, crying all at once. Bulbs began to break all around her, the Earth was beginning to shake under the force of just her voice.

She had killed him.

It wasn't S.H.I.E.L.D. or Hydra; no, it was her. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she looked to the paper once again. She didn't read it but just looked at the remaining part of him she had left. She had killed him because of a mission.

"Someday, someday, you'll understand."