Chapter One

Despite everything the only thing he could think about was her and the look of hatred on her face the last time he had seen her, the day when he lost her forever.

It had been 6 months since Garrett had been killed and although he believed, for a long time, that Garrett was the most important person in his life, this was no longer true. She had changed everything, she had changed him. As he sat in his dark cell, a prisoner, he never thought about his mentor and father figure- he thought about her.

It was early morning when his cell door swung open and Ward couldn't tell if there was to be another day of interrogation or torture- frankly he had lost track. He didn't fear either. Instead, he displayed emotion for the first time in months when Coulson walked through the door. He stood immediately, his form slightly less imposing than it used to be despite the daily push-ups and sit-ups that kept him sane.

"I don't want to be here Ward." Coulson said flatly, responding to the inquisitive look on Ward's face. Ward's heart tightened when he quickly understood that if Coulson was here it was because something really bad had happened.

"She's been taken Ward. We suspect by your organization." The mention of Hydra made Ward's blood boil. He had never been loyal to them – only to their leader, something he tried to rationalize, to himself, was different.

"How long?" were the only words to escape Ward's mouth as images raced through his mind.

"It's been 16 days."

Ward's eyes shot up to look directly into Coulson's. 16 days! 16 days! Terror was visible all over his face – 16 days was a lifetime.

"Why are you here Coulson?"

"Because we know that despite everything Ward you would do anything for her, anything to protect her. Even from those you were truly loyal to." Coulson could see that his last words punched Ward right where he wanted them to.

"We've tried to find her, but they've taken her underground and if she's still alive we need to get her out now."

The thought that Skye might not be alive grieved Ward. A world without Skye wouldn't be worth living in- even if he wasn't truly living in it anymore.

"I don't have any more intel, Sir. Everything I knew you've already beaten out of me, more than once."

"We're not looking for intel Ward – we're going to trust that you love her."

Confusion washed over Ward's face.

"You do love her, right Ward?" Coulson paused waiting for a response from a stunned Ward.

"I do, Sir."

"Do you love her more than your loyalty to Hydra?"

"I would die for her, Sir."

The two men looked at each other for a moment. Coulson hated that this is what this situation had come down to- trusting a traitor. He wished they had been able to find her themselves but they needed Ward now, needed his expertise.

"We're going to trust you Ward, let you out to find her, bring her back to us. You'll have all the resources you need access to."

Ward looked puzzled.

"How do you know that I'll come back?" Ward asked almost in a whisper.

"Because despite everything Ward, I've come to understand something over the last couple of months. No matter what we do to you, you're doing worst to yourself in your mind. You believe that you deserve to be here. That's what will bring you back."

Coulson turned and walked out of the cell, the door locking behind him. Seconds later Ward wondered if he had imagined the whole scene.

May waited for Coulson in the hallway.

"I don't like this Coulson!"

"Noted." Coulson replied walking past her. "He'll find her May, I don't doubt that for a second."

"Even if he does – will he ever bring her back?"

"I'd bet my life on it." He continued walking to the car waiting outside. May knew better than to argue with him once he had made his mind up. Somehow he always knew the right course of action – even if it was the most bizarre and dangerous one.

20 minutes later Ward's cell door opened again. Still believing he had imagined Coulson's presence earlier he figured that this was his daily interrogation session. Instead clothes were thrown at him along with steel-toe boots.

"Hurry up" the guard yelled and closed the door again.

As he dressed in the clothes that he had worn for most of his adult life he found a renewed purpose- he had to find her, the thought that she was hurt, or being hurt, fuelled him.

He exited the building and the sunlight blinded him. He hadn't seen the sun since the day of his arrest. Slowly his eyes adjusted to the natural light and he noticed a SHIELD truck waiting a few meters away. He opened the door and peered inside. May was sitting in the driver's seat, panic overcame him.

"Get in Ward!" She exclaimed in a tone that made him understand that she did not agree with him being there but that she had instructions. They drove silently back to bus. He could feel May's rage towards him seething through every one of her pores along the route.

Arriving at the bus, Ward exited the vehicle to a waiting Coulson who handed him a file.

"This is everything we know. Every where we've searched, everyone we've interrogated." Coulson's voice was matter of fact. "In your interrogations Ward you always said that you were just a soldier following orders- well these are your orders…bring her back alive- quickly." He handed Ward the keys to the vehicle beside them and informed him that at the nearby airstrip there was a small plane, fully stocked, waiting for him.

"You are not welcome on the bus- FitzSimmons don't know you've been tasked with this mission and we'd like to keep it that way for now."

He didn't wait for Ward to respond before he turned his back and walked back into the plane.