The mission went without further complications.
They did find a base, but it was not abandoned. They found a few hydra soldiers that were no threat for the team.
They found intel, documents, everything seemed just so…easy.
Coulson was starting to suspect. They were working as allies to the US government, sending their prissoners to them since the military was worried about other organisations being infiltrated by hydra.
They had something to start with, and Tony Stark was trying his best in the congress to defend SHIELD. It still was a long road ahead before they could restore the organization.
While the new director was bussy in his office, May was keeping guard on him. He was acting like nothing happened, he was ignoring his situation and the symbols.
"I think we should talk to Fury" Melinda said after she set the automatic pilot course back to the playground.
"We just talked to him a few weeks ago" Coulson said without moving his gaze from the documents he was reading.
"About your situation" May added.
"You said we had to find Raina. Let's do that. If we're going to have that son of a bitch in my bus, put him to good use. Tell Skye we need to-"
"Phil" Melinda grabbed his arm, making him look up to her.
"I'm ok"
"You're ignoring the situation"
"I'm not ignoring the situation. I just can't focus in one thing. I have an organisation to build back from the ashes"He made a pause, talking Melinda's hand in his "We don't know what those symbols mean, there's nothing we can do now…except, trying to be proactive"
He sounded calm, but there was something in his eyes. He continued talking "And I don't want to worry Skye. She may think that this is going to happen to her too"
"But it could"
"It won't" Phil smiled "She'll be fine. We can't make her worry abut this"
Melinda frowned.
"I worry" She said
"I know. We're going to be ok. Trust me, I know"
On her way back to the cockpit May saw Tripp in the living area. He was keeping guard of the cell. He had an Icer close to him.
"He's not going anywhere"
"I prefer to be sure" The agent smiled, there was something about him that was just contagious, He always tried to be positive.
"Even if he could get out of there he won't"
"Why?" Tripp asked.
"Skye" May raised an eyebrow "He doesn't want to disappoint her"
Tripp sighed "You mean more…disappoint her more, right?"
May almost chuckled
"Still, I have this baby here not just because Ward could get out…I have it just because of Ward. I wouldn't mind firing a few rounds on that bastard, let him wake, and start over"
"Couldn't agree more"
"Hey!"Skye's voice interrupted their conversation "That's not very nice"
"Tell that to Simmons, or Fitz"Tripp replied
"If he wakes up"May added.
"He will"Skye scolded, then sighed "Look, I know that it was kind of stupid to bring him here with us but I know that there's something he's not telling me, I just…feel like I need to know"
"And once you know, then what?"May asked.
"Then we send him back to jail"Skye avoided May's eyes. The senior agent noticed that she had a change of clothes with her.
"You're giving him clothes again"May changed the subject.
"The fact that he is a prisoner doesn't mean that he has to live like an animal"
"The US government won't be that kind"Tripp added.
Skye didn't answer. She knew it was stupid, she knew it made no sense to care about him, she knew it was wrong to feel sad every time she looked at his empty eyes. He didn't care about the beatings, or the clothes, or the food. He didn't care if he was locked up for the rest of his life. But she had to remind herself that Fitz was fighting for his life back at the playground because of him.
"Then he'll get what he deserves once we're done here"Skye said in a low voice before she walked to the cell.
May sighed and continued to the cockpit without a word.
When Skye opened the door, he was sitting in his little bed, his eyes focused on an imaginary point, and as empty as always.
"Why am I here?"He said without looking at her.
"Because there's something you're not telling me yet"This time she sat next to him, keeping a considerable amount of space between them, but still, this was the closest he had been to her in weeks. She gave him a black t-shirt. He hesitated before taking it.
"It's yours"She felt stupid again. They had Ward's stuff in boxes, back in the base, but she had kept one of his t-shirts. She felt pathetic, and weak, so she had tossed it in the last drawer in her bunk, trying to ignore how much a stupid piece of fabric made her remember him. She couldn't be weak; she had to keep her feelings at bay.
But it was too much, she still cared about him too damn much…just as much as she wanted to hurt him, to see him suffer, and that was killing her.
"Thanks"He wanted to ask why she had it. She had given him a couple of new, shield t-shirts before, but never one of his. He didn't know if his personal effects were still in the bus.
"So, are you going to tell me?"
"I already t-"
"Stop"Skye sounded angrier than she wanted to sound "just stop lying ok? I know there's more"
"So, if I tell you you're seeing me back?"He asked, looking at her, trying to find something in her eyes, maybe a hint of forgiveness, or just…something more than just hate.
"Are you going to play that card on me? so, you just want to hit a new low?"She stood up.
The distance again, he couldn't stand it anymore, she was walking away.
Grant grabbed her wrist without thinking, but she pulled away immediately.
"I'm sorry"He said trying not to move. He didn't want to scare her "I'm really sorry, I don't want to play any card, Skye. I just want to…"He sighed, "I don't want to hurt you"
"It's too late for that"
Grant frowned "I'm sorry"
"Sure you are"She felt a tear rolling down her check. It was too much, she tried not to cry in front of him for weeks, but she couldn't fight it anymore. "And just so you know it, yes. I'm sending you back. No matter what, you're going back to whatever hell hole they put you in, and that's the last of Grant Ward"she sobbed "so, if you want to do something good with what's left of your miserable life, you could at least tell me the whole truth"
"I won't"He avoided her eyes. He couldn't see her crying. He wouldn't resist the urge to hug her.
"Why!"She demanded.
"I can't"He swallowed. He had to protect her from the truth, she never had to learn about her parents, she was too good for that.
She closed her eyes "Fuck you, Ward, just tell me!"she yelled
He shook his head, and something snapped in her. She took him by his t-shirt and pushed him against the wall, violently. He didn't even fight her.
"TELL ME"she closed her hand into a fist, ready to punch him in the face, but stopped in midair. She couldn't do it. She closed her eyes instead and let go of him.
"I deserve it"He muttered. He actually wanted her to punch him, he wanted her to physically hurt him, maybe that way he could feel something, maybe that way he could show her how sorry he was, maybe that way she could forgive him.
"What's wrong with you"She wiped away her tears
"Do you really want to know?"He asked.
"Yes, I do. If that could help us understand this, I do, I don't care if it will hurt me"
"Ok, but you tell me something first"
Skye frowned "What?"
"Is there a chance, that someday…even if I don't see you again, Is there a chance you could forgive me?"
She just stared at him, asking herself the same question. Could she?. Maybe she could forgive his betrayal, but she could never forget what he did to Fitzsimmons, or Eric. She just couldn't.
She shook her head. Ward hooded, and his eyes finally showed an emotion, and it was pure sadness.
"It's about your parents…"
But before he could continue there was a turbulence the threw Skye off her balance. The whole plane jumped and, in blink, Ward was next to her. But he didn't have to courage to touch her.
"You ok?"
"Yes…what was that?"She frowned "I have to check"
"Who's in the plane?"He asked, and she hesitated, but finally talked.
"Just May, Tripp and…Coulson"She said his name in a different tone, and it don't go unnoticed.
"Is there something wrong?"
"Nothing"she said, standing up "I'll be back"
She left the room before he could say something else, but outside, the situation didn't look good.
Skye found Tripp's unconscious body. The familiar blue shadow on his chest and his ICER gone. The last time she saw May she was going to the cockpit.
Then another turbulence.
She ran back to the cell to find a very concerned Ward. He wasn't on his bed looking like a zombie, he was in full fighting mode, waiting for her.
"What's wrong?"
"Ok, you wanted to know why we need to know more about the symbols…It's not about me, it's about Coulson"
"He was the one who sent you…you said…"
She interrupted him "Yes…he was, because he's writing in that…whatever it is. It stared a few weeks ago, and he has been having these… episodes, I don't know. Sometimes he seems fine, but then he goes all crazy and asking-"
"For you"He closed his hands in tight fists
"Yes"she said looking at his hands, his while body seemed tense "You can't hurt him. We need to help him"
"He's not going to stop. I saw Garret talking about you"
"He will if we find a way"
"Where's May? and Tripp?"
"I don't know…I guess he shot Tripp with an icer…"
Ward sighed, "Stay here"
"What? No…we need to find May"
"May can handle it. Believe me. You'll be safe here, with me. We wait here"
Skye sighed, frustrated "Maybe she already…handled it. The plane is moving steady"
"I prefer we wait"
"I prefer I go to check on my team. That's what you do when you care about people, you want to make sure they're fine"
"And that's exactly what I'm doing"
At least that was true. He wasn't lying when he talked about protecting her, and Skye knew it.
"Then come with me"She said with a very low voice, almost a whisper, but he heard her. "Just to make sure everything is fine. Don't make me regret it"
He just nodded
"May's gonna kill me"she sighed when they got out of the cell. Everything was silent. Tripp was still unconscious in the same place.
"What happened"Ward mumbled looking at Tripp
"I'm sorry, I had a little bit of trouble adjusting the auto pilot"
They heard Coulson's voice behind them. She had his gun aimed at them. His real gun, not an ICER.
In a split second, Skye was standing in front of Grant, protecting him. Coulson cursed, and she saw him moving his gun up a little. She wasn't tall enough.
"What did you do? Where's May?"Skye asked.
"She'll be fine. I'm sorry I can't say the same about everyone here. Move, Skye"He had his gun ready to shot Ward in the head, but he needed a clear shot. He couldn't risk her, she was too important.
"What are you doing?"Skye asked, almost begging him to stop with her voice. Ward grabbed her arm.
"I can handle this"He said to her.
"You can't"Coulson interrupted. "You know she won't let you hurt me"
"Coulson, please. Come back, this is the drug talking"
"No, Skye, this is the truth"He smiled."I can see it, I can see you"
His lip was bleeding a little, clearly May didn't go down without a fight, Phil continued, "Get away from her, or I'll have to take a chance I don't want to take"
"He'll kill me, Skye, let me…"Grant continued asking for her permission "Just give me the order"
Skye frowned. Where was May? Tripp had to wake up, she needed help, and she needed a plan. Coulson put his finger on the trigger; she knew her boss could make the shot.
"Skye!"Grant insisted.
"NOOO"She yelled and it was like something snapped in Ward's brain. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her down when they heard the first gunshot.
She tried to see if he was bleeding, he wasn't. Grant moved quickly, faster than Skye couldn't even process. They stumbled towards the stairs, he moved her in front of him, to let her go first. They heard the second gunshot while they were running.
"There's nowhere to go"They heard the calm voice of the director. He wasn't even bothering to run after them.
"He's right"Skye said. She was still processing her shock. She didn't know what to do.
"He's not"Grant pulled a lever and the cargo ramp started lowering.
"What are you doing"She said when he took a parachute.
"Skye, listen to me"He tried to explain, but they were interrupted by the sound of yet another gunshot. This time it didn't miss.
Grant cursed out loud. The bullet hit his arm, and blood started coming out.
There was no time to explain anything. She barely registered Coulson lifting his gun again when a strong arm wrapped around her waist. The next second she was flying out of the plane, clenching for her life.
Of course she was scared, terrified in fact. May, Tripp…they were in the plane. Grant's arm was bleeding, Coulson was going crazy and there she was, falling out of a freaking plane…again.
He put on the parachute using his injured arm, and never loosing his grasp on her with the other.
Skye felt sick. Everything happened so fast.
He finally managed to get control of their fall and pulled the cord to activate the parachute.
They landed in the middle of the woods; of course Skye had no idea where they were. She was in shock, she didn't want to see his face, and she didn't want to hear him. She walked away from him while he was picking and folding the parachute, struggling with his injured arm. Of all people, she was in the middle of nowhere with a murderer, the one man that had betrayed her in the worst way, the one man that had broken her heart.
"Skye, are you ok?"
"What kind of question is that?! of course I'm not! How could I be ok! Why did you do that! Why did you-" Skye kept yelling until he interrupted her.
"I had to!"He said, "It was either getting out of there or killing him"
"Wow... I don't know what I'm still surprised every time you say something like that"
Grant sighed, "I'm sorry"
"Yeah, you're always sorry. You keep putting me and everybody through your shit and you're just sorry"
"He was going to kill me! Would you have preferred that?!" He walked closer to her
"Maybe I would! That man up there means more to me than you could ever imagine, he's my family, and he would never hurt me like you did! So yeah, I would have preferred that" She pushed him with all her strength and walked away. She couldn't let him see her crying, she couldn't let him see her weakness.
She didn't mean that, she couldn't. Grant wanted to say something but everything he had said until now just made things worst. How could he fix that? Maybe she did mean what she said, maybe he was still hoping for something that was not there, not anymore, not after what he did. Maybe she really hated him.
Skye sat on a rock, she was breathing heavily. She wouldn't face him and it just hurt even more. His entire life, he never felt like someone cared about him, not even Garrett; until he met Skye. And he had lost that too.
"What can I do?" He said in a low voice "I would do whatever you say, what can I do to make it-"
"Just shut up, please" Skye sobbed, "Stop talking"
Grant looked around, they were in the middle of the woods and even in the summer, it was starting to get cold. He assumed they were somewhere in the north of the country. They had to move.
"I'll take you back to the team"
She didn't respond.
"Skye, where's the base?"
"I'm not telling you that" She stood up and faced him. "I can get us back. So, you'll shut up and start walking. It's getting dark and we have to find a road"
Skye walked past him. "What are you waiting for?"
He just nodded and followed her, covering his arm with his hand.
Please leave your opinions. And Thank you for your awesome feedback on the first episode. As I do in all my stories, I have to remind you that my native language is not English and there could be some mistakes. Sorry for that.
