Disclaimer: I don't own Agents of SHIELD or any of it's characters, although I wish I owned a monkey...and the Fitz that comes with it

"Skye. Skye get up or your dad will kill you when he realizes you aren't ready to greet the new guy."

Skye grumbled. She was not a morning person. Growing up in her small town didn't help. Most families like hers were farmers, which meant that summer was filled with awakenings at dawn. And those damn roosters outside didn't help. Her dad always laughed at her when she'd storm downstairs, swearing and cursing like a sailor, saying she was going to grab his gun and shoot them all.

When it was clear to Jemma that her best friend was not going to get out of bed, she decided to take extreme measures, knowing that, with Skye, it was necessary. She grabbed the vase of flowers from Skye's nightstand, a gift from her dad for her recent 17th birthday. She went to tip it over Skye's face when Skye's hand shot out before a drop was spilled.

"I'm up. I'm up. Gosh, girl. You're worse than the roosters."

"You're dad put me in charge of getting you up to show the new farm hand around," Jemma said.

"Why can't you do it?" she asked, flopping back onto her pillows, staring up at the ceiling.

"Because I don't live here. You do. I'm just the best friend," she replied, setting down the vase.

This was true. When her dad told her 10 years ago that a British family had moved to town and taken over McKinley's only supermarket Skye didn't think she'd like them very much. Then again, she'd never been very far outside of McKinley so her image of any English person was mainly full of tea and crumpets and overall stuck-upness. But their friendship quickly blossomed and they stuck together for a whole decade. On Skye's 17th birthday they made a toast: to ten years and counting.

Skye wriggled out of bed. "I just don't see why he had to come so early," she grumbled.

"Hey, cheer up," Jemma began, "he's new, which so rarely happens in McKinley. He's our age, so when school starts back up again the 2 months he'll be in our grade. And, I have high hopes that he'll be cute."

"Yeah, yeah. Positive attitude. We have the universe in our corner," Skye said sarcastically as she held up two shirts in each of her hands. "Now, turquoise or violet?"

Jemma grinned. "Well, if he is cute, which he will be, we've got to dress to impress. I always thought you looked best in purple."

/\/\/\/\/\

Jemma was wrong. He wasn't cute. He was hot.

He pulled up in a shiney black sedan, a car much too pretty for a farm town. Oddly, Skye realized, she could say the same thing about him. He was the most handsome young man she'd ever seen that wasn't on the television.

"Oh. My. God," Jemma said quietly enough so only Skye would hear her. "Dibs!"

Skye cursed under her breath. But when he was close enough Skye realized she should probably greet him, not just stand there looking dumbfounded.

"Hi there," she said with a smile even though she mentally smacked herself. Hi there? Really?

"Hello," was all he said giving the girls a curt nod.

"Umm...remind me again of your name?" said Skye, feeling stupid for suddenly forgetting.

"Grant Ward. Most everyone calls me Ward," he said.

"Well Ward, I'm Skye. Welcome to Coulson farm. My dad, Phil, is in the field at the moment and told me to show you around."

He gave a small grin, which was the most emotion he had openly showed since he arrived.

Jemma nudged Skye's shoulder with her own, silently telling her something.

"Oh, and this is my best friend Jemma. You'll see a lot of her around here," Skye quickly added.

Jemma beamed at him and gave a small, friendly wave.

He extended one of his hands toward her. Jemma took it and as they shook hands he said, "It's nice to meet you."

The three of them stood there for a moment of awkward silence in front of the white farmhouse. Jemma cleared her throat.

"So, um, the hens are in this direction, right Skye?"

Suddenly brought out of her daze she nodded and said, "Yes, right this way."

She walked away so quickly that she only vaguely heard Ward asking Jemma about her accent as they rushed after her.

"What's a Brit doing in McKinley, Kansas?" he inquired.

She explained to him why she had moved here, something she didn't like doing very much because she had to do it so often.

Skye proceeded to show him the chicken coop, an area which he would not be spending very much time in seeing as how, besides the early morning wake-ups, Skye really liked the chickens and she was the one who took care of them the most.

"Here on the farm we grow three different crops. There's wheat, corn, and my personal favorite: sunflowers," Skye told him. "Now, can you operate a tractor, backhoe, or anything along those lines?"

"Uh, no," Grant replied.

"Alright city slicker, time to learn something new," Skye said as Jemma rolled her eyes.

They were approaching Skye's old, green John Deere tractor when Ward noticed something odd.

"Is there a cowbell attached to your tractor?" he asked, slight laughter in his tone.

"There is indeed. This is Bessie," Skye said with a mischievous grin, patting the side of the old machine.

She taught him how to start it up and drive it properly. As a practice run she had him drive himself, Skye, and Jemma (who were both hanging on for dear life) down to the corn fields where Skye's dad Phil was watching the irrigation system water the rows and rows of corn.

When Phil saw the three of them advancing down the road he grinned and yelled in a surprised tone, "He can drive that thing? He's a New Yorker!"

That sparked Skye's interest. He was from New York. Or maybe even better yet, Manhattan. But Skye stayed quiet. That was a secret only Jemma knew.

"He does now!" Skye said when they were stopped. She leaned forward to tug the key out of the ignition, her shoulder touching Ward's. He suddenly went still and wouldn't look at her until she jumped down from where she'd been hanging on from and walked over to her father.

"Did you show him around?" Phil asked.

"You bet! He's been acquainted with the hens and the goats, he's seen the corn and wheat fields, now all that's left are the sunflowers."

Skye's dad's gaze fell upon Jemma. "How'd you get the mummy out of her tomb?"

Ugh, dad jokes. Skye thought.

"I used the best threat possible. Water," Jemma replied.

Skye heard a snicker behind her, presumably from Ward.

Just great, Skye thought, He has an attitude.

"Well, Ward, I hope you like it here. You'll be responsible for…" Phil's voice trailed off as he and Ward walked away from the girls.

"Ummm...Bye?" Skye said as the boys walked off without saying farewell. Skye's dad turned back and waved and Ward did another one of his nods and Skye could swear she saw him wink at her. Even the thought of it made her blush.

"This is going to be an interesting development," Jemma said.

"Development of what?"

"Oh, please. Don't think I didn't see that wink too. Oh, and the crimson color of your cheeks!'

Skye sighed and they both giggled and hopped back onto Bessie.

Hey guys! I hope you enjoyed this new story of mine, and I will still be continuing The Truth Serum. Favorite, follow, and review because they make my day! See you next time!