Skye had a habit. One that her team did not understand, especially in winter. She'd done it for the last year, no matter how hard her friends had tried to help her out. That's why Simmons and May knew exactly where to find her when they realised that she'd been absent from the Playground for a while.
It took them 10 minutes to get wrapped up in warm clothes, gloves and to grab a thick, woolen blanket before they walked down the road together in silence, knowing what they'd find, even though it still hurt.
Skye was leaning against a large stone with familiar engravings in it.
Here lies Grant Ward
7th January 1983 - 10th November 2014
"Skye.." Simmons whispered and stepped ahead of May, closing the distance between herself and Skye. "You need to come back, you'll get ill." She told her calmly and held her hand out to take the blanket from May.
"I don't care." Skye said in the faintest whisper. "I deserve it. I'm the reason he's gone."
May shook her head to Simmons as she held the blanket out, watching as the scientist wrapped it around their friend. Ward had been killed by Hydra after he'd tried to save Skye from getting killed on a mission he did not plan. He had taken a bullet to the chest for her, causing a big enough distraction for everyone to take out the enemy, while Skye had just sat with him, crying and screaming over his body.
"He wouldn't want this, you know that, he saved you and would certainly not approve of you freezing to death because you wanted to sit with him. If you want to do this, this time of year you need to keep warm." She whispered and wrapped her arm around her friend. "Please, Skye?" She whispered and got a nod in response.
She wrapped her arms around herself to keep the blanket against her shoulders and whispered something, that the other two couldn't hear, to the grave stone and held her hand on it for a moment. She nodded and bit her lip before walking past the two, on her way back to the base. That's when May could finally take in what she was wearing, leggings and a baggy top, Ward's top, her usual sleeping attire.
The older women caught up with her and wrapped her arm around her shoulders. "Tell me next time you want to leave? I don't want you to get sick." This was the usual conversation they had. She never listened.
Once they arrived back May tried leading her to her room but she silently went past it towards the Director's office, Coulson was stood against his desk. As soon as he saw her he walked closer and enveloped her in a tight hug, his hand coming up to cradle the back of her. He was about to speak when he heard her quiet sob against his suit. He kissed the top of her head and sighed quietly as he looked over at May, who was stood by the door. "C'mon, let's get you to bed." He said under his breath before reaching down for her hand. "You can talk to me about it when you've warmed up."
The pattern was always the same.
I honestly don't know where this came from but I wanted to write it. Thanks for reading.