Summary: A presence of another human being is always a shock. This time, though, it's completely earth shattering.


Saibh Aislin*

Chapter One


"You can't go in there!" Koenig's risen voice wakes him.

Light sears through slits in his eyelids. Is it time for breakfast?

"I can go in there and I will," says another voice. That voice...

That voice haunts his dreams.

Ward bolts awake and up. He stands in the middle of the cell at attention, just like Coulson demands. Just like Garrett would want.

That voice.

That figure.

Thin, arms slanted, hands waving restlessly. The hair, is it shorter? Not curly like it used to be. Brow furrowed, face... He remembers that face, brows high, then; eyes wide, pleading. "We're friends, we had laughs together."

This face is different.

Eyes glare, dimmed.

"You have to come with me," voice says but is it the voice of this person?

Ward closes his eyes and tries to listen.

"We need help, damn it!" Voice screams. In the background Koenig mutters something or maybe shouts, stomps back and forth, Coulson, I'll call Coulson, but Ward only waits for that voice to speak.

"I have to get him out!"

"You won't open the energy barrier without authorization anyway."

"Then authorize... Do it!"

"I do not have the authorization. Only Director Coulson does."

"I'll open it myself. You can go. Go away!"

Steps. Something snaps open with a metallic clank. Curses. Fist slamming against the wall, more curses.

"You can't..."

"I can! I can, I could, I was doing that with my... with my... yes, eyes! Closed! I can... again. I'm getting better. Yes. Yes, I'm almost there. Yes."

Something chirps and a whiff of air brushes against Ward's face. He still stands in the middle of his room, motionless, eyes closed.

"Come!" voice commands.

Ward opens his eyes.

It is Fitz.

He's alive.

He knew Fitz was alive but he didn't know anything about the... damage.

"Are you coming? We have to go, they went in the wrong... in the... yes, direction. Wrong direction." He waves his arms, then scratches the side of his head. "I checked. Yes, twice! Gave them the wrong... before. We have to go."

"Where?" Ward asks, ignoring Koenig, who keeps shaking his head and is all flustered. Koenig doesn't matter. He doesn't exist, Ward killed him, he can still feel the weight of Koenig's dead body as he leaned against him, strangled. He can still remember how warm his blood was on his hands.

Fitz looks at him, blinking. Points a finger at the wall.

"To help Jemma."

Ward shakes his head and shrugs. He doesn't think he's in any position to help anybody. He's been in this cell... He doesn't even know how long. Measured days by the meals but it's entirely possible they were messing with him. There were no sunrises and no sunsets in this cell.

"We have to help Jemma," Fitz repeats. "Donnie... he has her. Yes, Gill, Donnie Gill, remember? I don't remember." He bows his head and scratches behind his ear. "What? Yeah, I do. I remember." Waves his hands again. "He has Jemma." Ward still glares at him. "No, not this Jemma, the real Jemma. We have to go."

And what was that?

"Real Jemma?" escapes Ward's lips.

"Yes. Not her, she's just in my head. But they think she's in the... in the... they think. And they gone, but she's in the lab actually and I can't jump after her like I did back then, from the plane. Like you did. I did?" He hits the ball of his palm against the side of his head. "Did it happen twice? I thought I saved her." He's whole body is shaking.

"Couldn't you just call Coulson and tell them to take a detour?" Koenig supplies, uncertainly, and Ward kind of agrees but he's kind of startled by Fitz's behavior. What is expected of him?

"Stop!" Fitz screams and holds his head in both his hands. "Just stop, this is the best plan, why can't you understand? Ward has to save her, because he can save her!"

And just like that, Ward knows what he's supposed to do.


A/N: Please, don't hold it against me if I don't develop this story. I have a plot for it, I just don't know if it can happen. For emotional reasons. Gads, I'm a mess...

* it was supposed to mean "Sweet Dream" in Irish. But I guess it may also mean "Sawdust Dream". If anyone knows Irish and you see it's all wrong - feel free to correct me.

Thanks for reading.