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After killing Garrett to save Skye and choosing to turn on Hydra, Ward just shattered. They saw it happen right in front of their eyes and couldn't do anything to stop it. The tears poured down his face and his whole body trembled as he started rocking back and forth. Skye's heart broke for him as she rushed to his side. She sat down next to him. "You okay?"

He shook his head. "I'm sorry."

"I know you are, but now is not the time. Why don't you stand up and May can start up the Bus? You good with that?"

"What are you doing with the body?" Ward looked up at her with red-rimmed eyes.

"Coulson and Trip are taking care of it so you don't have to." Skye grinned at him and waited for him to move.

Ward held out his hand and she grabbed it. "I don't know what's wrong with me, Skye." He really didn't and it was scaring the hell out of him.

"Everything is just crashing down on you at once. I'm not surprised you're finally having a meltdown. But you need to get off the floor. Can you do that for me, please?" She was playing dirty and hated it, but Skye was willing to do anything to get him to comply.

He nodded, and she helped him up as he groaned. As soon as he was out of sight, Coulson and Trip headed over to the body to remove it. They could have done it sooner, but neither wanted to traumatize Ward any more. Skye walked with Ward back to his bedroom and went to go leave, but he stopped her. "Stay with me, please? I don't deserve it, but please."

The way his voice cracked broke her. "Sure. I'm not going anywhere," she promised. Although it was uncomfortable, the two found a way to fit comfortably on the bed.

"Thanks," he murmured.

She ran a hand through his hair. Skye wasn't surprised Ward had finally broken. Given what she had pieced together about his past, it shocked her that it hadn't happened sooner. But Ward had to realize by himself that Garrett had been abusing him just like his brother and parents. Once he figured that out, it had been much easier (but still hard) to turn on him. "Everything will look better in the morning."

"I don't believe you."

"Yeah, I didn't buy that either." But much to her surprise, he body shook his laughter. "We really need to find somewhere more comfortable. I'd suggest the floor, but I don't think that's going to work."

"I'm okay here." He felt like he was going to start crying again at any minute (he really hated feeling this way) and wanted to fall asleep before it could happen.

Skye figured he was about to fall apart again and pulled him into her arms to cuddle. "Don't complain about being the little spoon. Shut up and deal with it."

He was confused, but agreeable. "We'll figure out a way to do this the other way soon," he promised. Ward hated that she felt like she had to take care of him. Skye was clearly only doing this out of obligation and it wasn't fair to her. And fuck, there were the tears again. He choked back a sob and bit his lip to try and stop from crying.

Skye felt like she was about to burst into tears herself. "Grant, please don't hold it in. It's okay to let it out."

"I can't." Damn it, he was a grown man. He shouldn't be acting like a whiny little baby.

She wiped a tear off his face with her thumb. "Grant Ward, you are not a whiny little baby. You are someone who's been through way too much shit and broke."

Tears slid down Ward's cheeks and he buried his face in her chest. Skye started rubbing his back to soothe him – if they hadn't been in such a small space, she might have started rocking Ward. It probably would have added to his unwarranted embarrassment, but no one else had to know. "Don't leave me," he begged. He hated that he was being so needy, but was too exhausted right now to care that much about it.

"I won't. Shhh." Eventually he cried himself to sleep and her mind raced all night. Skye had to figure out a way to get him back on his feet. His family and Garrett had fucked him up in ways that might not be fixable, but she was determined to try.

When Ward woke up in the morning, he stared blankly at nothing. His behavior worried everyone, but they couldn't figure out how to help him. "He's lost now, but we can bring him back," May assured them.

Coulson nodded in agreement. "This isn't going to be permanent, Skye. I know you're worried about him, but I'm pretty sure we got to him in time. Garrett didn't screw him up forever."

Skye stared at him and wondered what he was thinking about. It couldn't be anything good since Ward had checked out. She snapped her fingers and he seemed to snap out of it. "What's going on?"

Skye and Coulson exchanged a worried glance. "Nothing. You want to eat something? I can make some toast. Or a sandwich," she offered.

"Not hungry, but thank you." How did he even still have a place on Coulson's team? He had betrayed everyone and they had already seemed to forgive him. Ward didn't understand why. How were they not pissed off? This didn't make any sense.

"You should eat something. Keep up your energy," Coulson offered.

Ward shook his head. "I said I'm not hungry." He spun around the chair and then turned around and walked away.

"I'll go after him. I think I'm the only one Ward opens up to." Skye smiled at him and then took off after the man she loved. When she got to his room, he was sitting on the bed and looking down at the floor.

He looked up at her with glassy eyes. "I need to be alone."

"Not happening," she declared immediately.

"Because you don't trust me," Ward deduced.

Skye shook her head. "Nope, I trust you. You've scared me a few times lately, but you chose the right side in the end. I love you, Grant Ward. Fell in love with you a long time ago and never stopped, even after I realized you were working for Hydra."

Ward's voice broke when he replied. "You shouldn't. Why would you love someone like me? I lied to all of you for months."

"Because I know that you're a good person. Because you fought back against your abuser, Grant, and won. Not many people can say that, but you're a survivor. Your life was – or is – a living hell – and you're still here. I don't know how you've managed to stay this strong, but you are."

"I don't feel strong. I feel like a baby."

"Well, you aren't. You're a man who has had to endure way too much in his thirty years of life. I am so proud of you."

Ward leaned into her and sighed. "I love you too, Skye."

She grinned. "Good to know. You want to come out and eat for me, please? I won't bother you anymore if you eat something." That was a lie, but he didn't need to find that out. And he had probably already figured it out anyway.

"Sure." He stood up and followed her back out. He nibbled on some toast that Skye made for him, and she was just pleased Ward had something in his stomach.

Grant Ward had shattered, but he wouldn't be broken forever. He had a family to lean on for support, one who had given him a second chance he honestly didn't deserve. He was going to make the most of it and prove to them that they had made the right decision.