From Darkness into the Light
Spoilers: All Episodes, mainly focused on the 1x21 "Ragtag" promo
Disclaimer: I don't really own anything here.
Grant Ward looked up as the door to the Interrogation Room opened, he'd been there for close to a week closed in with only a bed and a table with a few essentials. No electronics and no view of the outside world, a prisoner when he should be dead. Escorted to the bathroom by May or Coulson three times daily to use the toilet and shower before being taken back to his cell.
His eyes drifted to the door and found Skye holding a box in one hand and a plate of food in the other. Not moving from the bed he sat on, Ward watched her set the plate on the table and remove a bottle of water from under her left arm. She looked at him and gave him a small sad smile that was sincere before moving over to him and sat on the side of the bed.
"Hey, how are your ribs? Simmons said when May restrained you yesterday that you re-cracked them."
He ignored her and looked down at the bed, his mind telling him that he had no right to look at something so pure and good. She was a light in the darkness but she was also too good to be touched by someone like him. His love for her too strong to endanger her or hurt her so he refrained from interacting with her. He'd lost her forever and he had painfully accepted that his mistakes cost him the chance to be with her.
"They're fine." It was all he said before becoming quiet again.
"Okay, so I spoke with the team and everyone agrees that despite everything you deserve a second chance." She opened the box in her hand and Ward saw the tracking bracelet out of the corner of his eye. "I thought silver was too girly for you so I managed to convince Coulson to give me the black one. It's set to a specific phrase and can't come off until I speak the phrase. It's like mine was but different, it allows you access to the plane except for the cockpit, armory, lab and command room. Electronic restriction is at maximum so you'll have to use tech under supervision and it'll go off if you go into any bunk but your own." She took his arm and placed the bracelet on his wrist, closing it so it beeped. "It also has a proximity alarm to the Bus and the vehicles so if you try to leave, it'll alert us."
Removing his arm from her grip, Ward looked at the bracelet. "How long do I have to keep it on?"
"Until you earn everyone's trust and we've agreed that they have to tell me they trust you. You're my responsibility Grant, Coulson said because I stood up to Hill for you than it falls on me." She smiled at him, "but I don't mind, returning the favor I guess for when you were my SO. So eat in here or outside, I think Fitz is planning a movie night tonight and I'm mandating you be there."
She reached over and squeezed his hand, leaning in once she was standing to kiss him. His hand escaped to her neck and held her as he kissed her back. Pulling back he stared into her brown eyes to see no fear or sadness. "Why are you doing this Skye, I'm not worth saving."
"You are to me, you said I'd understand one day and I finally do."
He watched her leave the room and instead of closing the door, it was left wide open. Closing his eyes, Ward rested his head against the wall and allowed himself to soak in her presence as each time she touched him it was like being touched by sunlight. He yearned for every touch despite not wanting her to touch him, he didn't want her infected by his evil nature. Her kisses were perhaps the thing he ached for most as he could touch her freely and allow himself to love her in those few moments their lips touched. It was when he could forget he was evil as she touched him, kissed him without hesitance or acting fake.
Standing, he left the food on the table and stepped out of the room. Making his way towards the living area he paused at seeing Skye laughing as Fitz and Simmons drove the DWARVES around the living area. Stopping Ward watched as Skye laughed, trying to get away from Fitzsimmon's assault on her. It brought a smile to his face that hadn't been there for what seemed like weeks.
"Still want that bullet?" He turned to see Coulson standing beside him starring at Skye. "Or do you want a chance to earn our trust and protect her again in the field?"
"SHIELD was disbanded, there is no more field work sir." He paused and sighed, "not that it matters for me, I'll be under surveillance for the rest of my life. I know you could never trust me again, not like you did with Skye."
Coulson shrugged, "Hill and Stark created 'Strategic World Operations and Response Division' in SHIELD's place and with Stark's funding and it being considered a private company, the government can't touch it. We've been recruited into it as have half the SHIELD agents that remain alive. For now, we just patrol until an issue comes up. Stark bought the SHIELD satellite and bureaucracy can't do anything about it so we're effectively SHIELD again except by a different name."
"SWORD…Stark is known for his irrational sense of humor." Ward looked back at Skye to see Fitz teaching her how to control one of the flying robots. "Why are you trusting me with this information sir?"
"You're part of the team, you deserve to know who you're working for. So, see you at movie night? I believe tonight is Lord of the Rings."
Ward nodded, "Skye has mandated that I attend and socialize."
"Good for her." Coulson patted his shoulder and moved past the three 'kids' as they played with the tiny robots. "Don't break the tech playing with it."
"We won't sir." Simmons cheerfully spoke as she went back to her panel.
Ward watched as one of the DWARVES landed on Skye's head and she shrieked, moving quickly over to him and hid behind him. Shaking his head at her childish antics, he realized she was using him for a cover against the assault. It was hard to make the right call of either moving or staying there for her to hide behind. One would make him seem detached like before but the other would make him seems strange.
"I dare you!" Skye spoke as she pulled her head from behind him, pointing at Fitzsimmons. The wonder twins shared a look and Ward knew immediately there would be an assault on both himself and Skye so he looked at the woman behind him.
"You better run, they're about to launch an assault on you."
Skye looked between him and the scientists, watching as they aimed the DWARVES at her. "Oh shit." She instantly scurried to her bunk and shut the door, making the two scientists whine at her for being childish.
Dinner was interesting as Ward expected to eat alone so he made his own dinner and sat at the table to eat long before the team usually ate dinner. He looked up when he heard Fitzsimmons in the kitchen getting cans of soup and Skye making a sandwich. He started to get up and leave till he heard Simmons' voice.
"You're not going to eat with us?"
He turned back to them with his soup in hand to see all three looking at him. Fitz seemed to be scrutinizing him before shrugging. "Skye said we should make an effort to include you in all normal activities…if you wanted. We saw you eating alone and thought we'd join you."
Looking to Skye, Ward found her looking at him and as soon as his eyes met hers she smiled slightly at him. Sighing he sat down at the table and was soon joined by his former rookie, sitting next to him if not practically on top of him despite being in another chair.
"So Fitz has chosen Lord of the Rings for movie night but I persuaded him to go for Harry Potter instead. Have you seen Harry Potter?"
Ward looked at his soup, "which one, there were eight movies made."
She leaned back and looked at him, "oh my God, you actually know something about modern culture." Skye put a hand to her chest and smiled widely, "I feel like this should have been recorded."
Fitzsimmons joined them and instantly launched into a debate over magic versus science. Ward shook his head as he listened to the two bicker, it was a comfort despite being annoying and having Skye smile at his little known culture reference made all the difference. "According to what Thor told Jane Foster, magic is just another type of science yet to be discovered." Both scientists looked at him instantly and he shrugged. "I just read a report."
"That is actually a brilliant concept." Simmons smiled and took a sip of her water. "Now, I much prefer the books to films but to each their own."
Skye chuckled, "go on Simmons, admit you're a huge Twilight fan."
"I certainly am not!" The scientist seemed appalled and saw all the looks pointed at her. "Alright, fine but only because Rob Patterson is quite lovely to look at." She put a hand up as if to dismiss them. "It's not like you don't have a celebrity fancy Skye."
"No I don't, I haven't had time to do that. Between the Rising Tide, SHIELD and now SWORD…when could I take the time to develop a crush?"
Ward looked at her, "what about that one time outside Stark Tower?"
She punched his arm with eyes wide while Fitzsimmons seemed to put her under a microscope at that comment. "I was ignorant and stupid at the time…"
"Uh huh." He took a sip of water and Skye stared at him. "I mean, if you go for that sort of thing and he's your type, you know the hacker type."
Skye's face fell and he turned to see her eyes dull, going to the remains of her sandwich before she left the table. He clutched his jaw and internally punched himself for being stupid. She'd been happy till he attempted to joke with her but instead he practically stated that Stark was her type of person.
"Are you bloody insensitive as well as brainwashed?" Simmons stared at him, "she's stood up to Hill and Coulson both to defend you because she cares for you…"
"Deeply!" Fitz shook his head, "I thought I was the only one stupid in that department but you proved me wrong. She thinks she can make a difference and you're bloody well trying to imply she should go for Stark."
Ward looked at them confused, "what?"
"Oh my Lord," Simmons shook her head and put a hand to her temple. "Do we have to lay it out for you, Skye is in love with despite you being ex-HYDRA and all the things you did while brainwashed by Garrett. She's trying redeem both your soul and a relationship with you but you're practically pushing her away."
Fitz stood and pointed, "you swore to Coulson and May both that you could never hurt Skye even when Garrett ordered you to. Well, you've been given a second chance with Skye so don't waste it being stupid." The scientist walked away shaking his head, "bloody idiot."
"You have kitchen duty tonight, we were going to help but since you upset Skye we'll leave you to working alone." Simmons stood up and left the table, dishes and all.
A/N: Well Ward is on 'Bus-Arrest' and has learned from Fitzsimmons the reason why Skye is saving him. We also see them trying to act as if he is not a traitor who tried to kill them.
Also now they are part of SWORD under Stark Industries (not the same SWORD that Marvel created!).
Next, Ward must start Skye's training again as she isn't cleared for the field by Hill's standards and wants to go into the field.
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