I have not updated this story in forever and I'm sorry. Life got in the way. Anyways, here is another chapter. I wrote it pretty quickly, within an hour or two so its probs not that good, but I hope you guys like it anyway! COMMENT DOWN BELOW. I ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU GUYS!
The thing about split second decisions, is that you only have a fraction of a second to think everything through. At best, two outcomes will pop into your head, one where everything turns out alright and one where everything goes to shit. And because split second decisions most often occur in high adrenaline situations where you really are not thinking clearly and often don't have a lot to lose, you embrace your split second decision and cling to the fact that although probably a very small chance, one possible outcome is that everything turns out alright.
Ward is a master at split second decisions -every SHIELD agent is. Within the time that any average person would be able to formulate a plan and contemplate the two possible opposite outcomes, Ward would have already thought of three different methods with twelve different outcomes- all within that same second. It is what he has been trained to do.
Skye on the other hand has not.
And Skye is impulsive.
So as her heart started beating faster, while Ward squeezed her hand in empty reassurance, as the guard counted down, as ideas of what they could do to her on the other side of those doors filled her head, when she heard that last number just barely pierce the air, she made a split second decision.
The guard had yelled "THREE" and in that moment, Skye had quickly turned around and grabbed the gun that only a second before had been trained on the back of her head. She grabbed and tugged and the weapon was ripped from his hands and was now in hers.
And for a split second it had seemed that maybe her plan was actually working, she had gotten the gun, but that feeling of hope was violently and painfully ripped away as a shot rang out and Skye crumpled to the floor.
Her split second decision had not accounted for the other guard- a rookie mistake.
The gun dropped from Skye's hands as she fell to the floor grabbing hold of her right thigh where the bullet had pierced.
It all had happened so quickly that Ward had not even had time to move. He still stood with his back to the guards still as a statue, trying to not make the situation any worse. Ward peered down to his right where Skye was lying in agony on the floor, blood pouring from her thigh. His hands clenched into fists as he looked at her. He was furious- they had hurt her again. Even worse, he had failed to protect her again.
As the disarmed guard reached down to retrieve his gun, the other forcefully pushed his own against Ward's bare back.
"PICK HER UP AND GO. THROUGH. THE. DOORS." Obviously the guard was done with all the shenanigans.
Ward wanted badly to just kill both of them and run away with Skye, but he knew that right now was probably not the best moment to put up a fight and so he complied.
He slowly bent down next to Skye who was lying on the floor, fiercely trying not to cry, as she clenched her thigh where she had been hit. Ward gently brushed her hair away from her forehead trying to calm her down.
That was something people did right? Brush a person's forehead to soothe them? It seemed right.
"Skye, I got to pick you up ok?"
Skye didn't make any acknowledgment of hearing what he said. Her eyes where fixated on some spot on the ceiling and not on Ward who was hovering above her.
"Skye look at me." Her eyes wandered over to Ward. When she looked at him, his heart ached. Her eyes were filled with just pure fear and pure pain.
"GET A MOVE ON!" one of the guards yelled.
"Skye this is going to hurt ok?" Skye bit her lip and quickly nodded her head as Ward snaked his arms under her legs and back. Without any further warning, he hosted her up into his arms and Skye let out something of a small pained scream.
It had hurt her and Ward hated himself for causing it.
Now standing with Skye in his arms, he stood in front of the guards glaring at them.
Motioning with their guns, the guards in unison sternly yelled a "GO," but Ward just stood there contemplating the situation.
The guards wouldn't kill them. If they were allowed to shoot to kill, Skye would be dead in his arms right now. The guard had clearly fired a shot to maim not kill. If he had wanted Skye dead, he had the opportunity to, but did not take it.
If he brought Skye through those doors, she could very well die. She was already losing a lot of blood and her previous beating was not helping her situation. She wouldn't last another round.
But he couldn't stand there forever. Ward wished he could stay in this limbo between death and not, but the guards would not allow it.
"MOVE!" one of the men yelled.
He looked down at Skye who was nestling her head into his bare chest. She was giving her head little shakes as she whispered "no, no, no, no" over and over again.
Ward wanted so desperately to fight. He wanted to do what he was trained to do, but he couldn't. He was trained to be the whole solution because it would always have just been him alone. Skye was an added variable that he wasn't trained for. He couldn't risk losing her because he wanted to flex his muscles and try to be a superhero and break them out. He wouldn't do that, so the only other option was to go through the doors.
And that's exactly what he did. He slowly stepped backward pushing the metal double doors open with his back. It seemed like the right decision, but when Ward turned around, taking in the full view of the room, he wished he had never gone through those doors.