Love. It was only a four letter word. Just a silly label that people tossed around to make themselves feel better. It didn't exist. At least not in Agent Grant Ward's world. In his world the word love was a facade his mother had hid behind as an excuse for why she stayed with the abusive jack-ass that was his father. I can't leave him, I love him. He'll change. In his world the word love was the excuse his older brother gave for being such a bully.You're such a pussy Grant. A big ole pussy. It's only because I love you that I even tolerate that cry baby shit. Toughen up. Nobody wants a cry-baby pussy. In his world love was just a word. Or it had been. Now it wasn't. Now it was that bit of pride he always felt when she helped wrap up a mission. Now it was the lazy grin he couldn't stop from stretching across his lips when she made some ridiculously stupid joke that nobody but her thought was funny. Now it was the fear building in his gut that he would never get to tell her that she meant something to him. He grasped her smaller hand in his larger one. It felt so cold. Almost to cold. If not for the steady bleeping of the monitors next to her bed he would wonder if there was any life left in her. Please don't die. I love you.