"The capacity for friendship is God's way of apologizing for our families."
― Jay McInerney
It was like an ethereal experience. One moment Ward was discussing a new device with Fitz and Trip, the next moment it was like someone had sucker punched him in the gut, making it hard for him to breathe.
Lance and Mack had come back from a quick trip to the supermarket, which was a great two hours from their new base, and entered the common room in a rush, a labrador dog in Lance's arms.
Mack seemed to be telling everyone to move out of the way, and Ward unconsciously moved, stepping on Skye's foot, a haunted look on his face. It couldn't be him. It had been almost ten years ago. Buddy was gone. He had watched as the last breath slipped out of his four legged companion as he threw dirt over his furry body; Garrett telling him over and over again how one day that weakness would put him down. As Trip passed by them, the commotion around him got louder.
"Ward?" Skye touched his elbow bringing him back to the present.
"Buddy?" Ward mumbled, his voice hoarse due the emotions coursing through his body.
"Who is-" Skye started to ask, but Ward's legs had already taken him straight to the lab. Skye, Fitz and Trip followed their teammate as he jogged to find Lance and Mac.
Inside Lance and Mack threw phrases at Simmons, who was trying, but failing, to understand Hunter's intense rogue britishness and Mackenzie's loud voice, gibberish together.
"Stop, both of you!" Simmons exclaimed.
"I can't understand any of what you just said. Mack or Lance, one of you explain what happened." the bio-chemist begged, sounding frustrated with the two men.
"We were just passing through the farm-" started Lance, just to be cut by Mack's voice.
"That wasn't a farm it was more like a corn field."
"Whateve's. We heard a shot, we decided to stop and that poor darling was on the ground." Lance said petting the dog's ear gently.
"We just couldn't let him there, I mean, look at the poor thing, looks like a puppy." Mack said sadness in his tone.
"Probably, doesn't have a year yet." Lance chimed in.
A breathless and distressed Ward entered the lab managing to burst out, "Is he gonna be okay? Can you save him Jemma?"
"I'm not sure. I'm not a vet, you know?" she stated as if that was the most obvious thing in the world.
"No; you're a bio-chemist, get to work!" Skye exclaimed getting closer to the dog.
"You seem a bit off mate, what's up?" Lance questioned Ward who indeed seemed a bit paler than usual.
"I, It's just that, I," Ward tried but the words were escaping him.
"He had a dog when Garrett abandoned him in the woods, right Grant?" Skye asked touching him.
"I, yeah. He was. He looked like, like him." he said, finding strength from Skye's gentle fingers wrapped around his wrist.
"Even if I save him, you know we can't have -"
"I'm aware we can't keep an animal on the base Simmons, it's not secure. Also, what would be the point? We are always busy, a puppy needs love and attention," Ward told her, his eyes never leaving the small pup laying on the metal bed.
"Okay. I need to work and I need you and everyone, except Fitz, to leave the lab at this instant." She shoved them with her hands, after a tug from Skye's hand Ward left the lab, sparing a glance before closing the door.
"Come on Mack. We should pick the things on the car before Coulson or May come barking orders on us." Lance called, his face lacking the usual mercenary humor.
"I'll go help." Trip volunteered, Skye gave them a smile and laced her fingers with Ward.
"Come on, it's late. I'm sure Jemma is gonna be able to help the dog and you need sleep Grant." Her voice was quiet, but sweet, calming his nerves. He knew that she was right, he had had a long mission three days before, that miraculously, he had managed to return safe and sound. However, he was having nightmares again. The last two nights was a mix of no sleep for both of them. Either they were too busy reacquainting themselves with each others bodies or searching for each others warmth to keep the nightmares at bay.
Skye knew Ward would be restless today with that old memory biting them on their asses. She also knew that her ex-SO, turned Hydra, turned boyfriend, still had trust issues. Sam - their therapist - had mentioned once or twice that having a pet would be good for the team, especially Ward and Fitz.
Skye laid down with him, knowing neither would sleep so easily. She was surprised when Ward kissed her lips and then pulled her in close, tucking his nose into her neck, taking in her scent. She was used to this, sometimes he just held her in his arms, afraid that if he let her go, he might lose her. Skye ran her fingers through his hair, as he let his guard down, his tears wetting her blouse.
"Shh, I got you. It's alright." She murmured kissing the crown of his head. For a big guy such as Grant, it was impressive how he could snuggle his body into Skye's, he would rest his head over her heart encasing her safely within his arms.
"I wish, I could have saved him." He told her, truthfully.
"I know, hun. Relax now, okay? He'll be fine in the morning." Skye said, resting her chin over his head, her lips finding it's way to his forehead, kissing it gently.
Tiredness finally succumbed into the older specialist. His body relaxed completely and Skye managed to slide without much effort out of bed. She tiptoed out of their conjoined room and into the corridor, closing the door softly behind her. She needed to find Coulson and May, and convince them that the puppy, that was currently sleeping in the science lab under the watchful eyes of FitzSimmons, had to stay.
She knocked on the Director's office door lightly, and to her amazement Mack was the one to open the door.
"Hey tiny hacker, what's up?"
Skye could also see Trip and Lance inside the room. Coulson was sitting at his desk while May was standing, staring at the boys.
"I suppose, you are here as well, because of the puppy these two found on their way back?" Coulson questioned unfazed.
"Yes, sir. It would be -" Skye began saying.
"It can stay." Coulson stated.
"Yes sir, I know it's not allowed - wait - what?" She had totally prepared this whole speech in her mind, while calming Grant down. She had read about therapy dogs and how important they were, even if the patients were already 'better'. Skye was ready to take a whole fight down to keep the pup in, except her ears told her it wasn't really necessary. The Director had already made his decision.
"I said he can stay, but, all of you are responsible for him. Mostly Ward, if he chooses to adopt the puppy." Coulson told her and Skye simply nodded, leaving his office with her teammates in tow.
"Let me guess." She finally said, when they reached the common room. "Lance got in there with his sweet talking about how the poor doggie needed a home.."
"Actually, I entered first and said how we totally needed a pet, and that our therapist had told me to get a cat…" Trip started. "then I gave them this million dollar smile of mine, just as Mack here entered to tell-"
"That I couldn't keep up with Fitz and his wishes of having a monkey anymore, that if I had to go through another three hour explanation about how a specific species is cuter than the other, I was gonna steal a monkey and give it to him with a damned bowtie."
Skye tries not to grin, as she purses her lips together.
"Well, I thought that wasn't enough. So, I went with the whole Buddy story. I even cried a bit." Lance smile,d feeling way too smug with himself.
"Aww boys. I really love you three. The brothers I never knew I needed, until you came along." Skye said, pulling them into a group hug.
"Yeah girl, we love you too." Trip told her.
They parted ways, and found sleep much easier then they predicted. In the morning, as Ward got his coffee, and Skye rubbed her eyes, attempting to cast the sleepiness away, FitzSimmons entered the kitchen room, bright smiles on theirs faces.
"Ward! Guess what?!" Fitz asked, elbowing his friend. In his excitement, he failed to notice Ward was holding a mug, but, well, Ward wasn't a specialist over nothing.
"Is the puppy okay?"
"Oh yeah. He's gonna be just fine. And we get to keep him." Fitz assured him, patting his shoulder.
"We do?" Ward's face lit up, like a kid on Christmas morning.
"Yeah, we do. I don't know how or why but we do! Isn't it awesome? Oh Ward we can go buy him a little house and a collar, Simmons said he needs clothes too, you know, gals." Fitz was excited, making plans and speaking rapidly, "I know he's not a monkey, but, oh gosh, he is so darn cute. Specially when he looks at you with those tiny brown soulful eyes."
"Ugh, Fitz! Stop it. Let Ward breathe, and we can go see our little Doc." Simmons said proudly, squeezing Fitz upper arm.
"I'm sorry, what?" Skye almost spit her coffee, as she looked dumbly at the science duo.
"We named him The Doctor."
"Oh, no, you didn't." Trip said, looking flabbergasted.
"Why not? I totally vouch for it."
"Shut up Lance, that's horrible! You can name a cute little dog 'the doctor'." Mack said, slapping Lance's head playfully.
"I think, you guys should call him, Captain." Coulson showed his interest, as he too, picked up a coffee mug.
"Coulson. Please, I'm sure Skye and Simmons would agree with me, if we named him, Thor." May added as Coulson gave her, her own mug.
"Guys," Mack said exasperatingly. "It has to be something manly. Strong like the little fella. Something like Terminator."
"And who is stronger than Thor, himself?" May retorted arching an eyebrow in defiance.
"Someone shoot me please." Skye murmured rolling her eyes but everyone ended up hearing it giving her alarmed glances.
"I thought the dog was suppose to be Ward's and Fitz's, so they should pick a name,"
"It's alright, sweetie. If Fitz picked up Doctor, I'm fine with it…" Ward chimed in drawing circles behind Skye's lower back.
"Actually, that was Simmons idea, and I didn't like any of the other ideas. He is cute. He has to have a cute name." Fitz said, pouting in wonder, before spewing his idea, too pleased to contain it any longer.
"Like Prosci."
"Come with that again?" Lance and Mack said together, completely confused.
"I'm sure, the puppy doesn't wanna be named after food, Fitz." Ward said arching an eyebrow for emphasis.
"We could just call him Cookie."
"Skye, honey, that's a food name too." Lance said, as Simmons added in her matter of fact voice, "Dogs are friends not food, Skye."
"Oh, I know. Disney names. How about, Abu?" Skye clapped her hands, smiling.
"No! That's a monkey's name. Honestly Skye, gather your facts right, woman." Fitz exploded at her.
"How about Mishka?" Ward asked, a smile on his face.
"Mishka? That's Russian for bear, am I right?" Skye questioned, intrigued.
"Yeah, Skye. You're quite correct. I see what you did there, Grant. I like that. You remembered." Fitz said, grinning broadly at Ward.
"Of course, I did, thanks to the 'little bear' over there, we got moving in our mission in Ossetia." Ward told them, happily.
"Alright then! What are we waiting for? Let's go check on Mishka!" Skye jumped from her stool, leaving her empty mug over the table.
Without much thinking, Ward and the others followed her. Coulson and May exchanged glances with one another, a silent communication going on between them. When Coulson was sure none of their teammates were in hearing range, he added, "This will be good for them, Melinda."
"Yes. I agree. Might be good for all of us. Let's get to work." May answered, refilling her coffee mug and leaving the kitchenette behind. Coulson sighed, left his mug in the sink and followed his second in command.
Meanwhile Ward and Fitz are circling Mishka, that has come out of the anesthesia provided by Simmons for the pain hours prior.
The puppy was alert and clearly curious, but shy as well. Ward started talking with him, and Fitz nodded encouraging the action, Lance and Mack watched the interaction with fondness, as Simmons busied herself with blood samples and which vaccines she should be buying for the Mishka's perfect healthy. Skye and Trip were far too engrossed buying supplies on the internet, there was a moment Skye squealed in delight calling everyone's attention, making the young puppy tilt his head in their direction, looking confused with all of the fuss.
"Look at this cute Halloween costume for pets! It's a Captain America one!"
"He must have it!" They all said in unison.
"It's okay, I'm adding it to the shopping cart." Skye answered, smugly.
"Check out for a Thor outfit too Skye." Murmured May blinking at her and Trip as she passed them.
Coulson would forever regret the moment he accepted a dog on his base; the noise, the mess, and everything else involved in caring for a pet was tiring. But, if his teammates smiles were anything to go by, he sure would have accepted a hundred more.