Title: The Bodyguard
Chapter 06: Grant
Author: snarkysweetness
Rating: R
Characters: Skye, Grant, Melinda, Phil, Trip, Kate Bishop, Donnie, Fitz, Jemma, Maria Hill, Marcus Daniels, Ian Quinn, Clint Barton, Sharon Carter, & America Chavez; Skye/Grant, Melinda/Phil, Fitz/Simmons/Trip, & implied America/Kate
Summary: When Coulson assigns Agent Grant Ward to bodyguard duty he isn't happy about it. He's even less thrilled when he discovers he's assigned to Coulson's daughter, his old Academy frenemy turned international pop star. With an obsessive fan threatening Skye's life and a world tour filled with shenanigans our two heroes are in for a whirlwind of adventure, romance, and secrets.
Warnings: Swearing, typical AOS-type violence, very mild sexual content.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Author's Notes: Contrary to popular belief this is not a sequel to The Academy. There will be a sequel to that and it's going to be evil. Also, I hope finally updating this helps fix the fact that I broke Annie. There will be another update shortly as the next chapter goes with this one but I knew Annie couldn't wait any longer so here you all go. Enjoy the adorable cuteness.

"I can carry my own bags you know," Skye informed him, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

Grant shrugged and grabbed their bags from the trunk. "It's not a big deal. Besides, sweetheart, didn't you tell me this was a part of my job?"

Now she was smiling and she shook her head. "Fine, weirdo," she muttered, leaning up to kiss his cheek quickly before leaving his side to help Donnie. His cheek burned where her lips had touched it and he chuckled at how stupid he was; twenty-five years old and all it took to turn him into a sappy mess was being close to her.

He was an idiot.

At least Skye seemed to be in a better mood since waking in his arms. He hadn't wanted to wake her so he'd carefully carried her from the jet to the limo and allowed her to keep sleeping until they reached Heathrow. However, a bump in the road had jolted her awake ten minutes before they reached the airport. At least she'd still gotten a good half hour of sleep, which he suspected was the most she'd slept in days.

"Here, I got that Donnie," Grant offered, grabbing one of the heavier looking equipment cases.

"I am capable of doing this, you know."

Grant smirked. "Donnie, my man; let me show off for the pretty girl, will you?"

Skye grinned as she threw a bag over her shoulder. "So, you think I'm pretty?" She teased while leaning into him and taking hold of his shirt with her fingers. His throat went dry at the contact and he mentally kicked himself. A second later he caught her glimpsing to the left briefly before returning her attention solely to him with a knowing flutter of her eyes. So they were already being watched; time to perform.

Grant grabbed hold of her waist, pulling her closer. He leaned down to press a quick kiss to her forehead before resting his own against hers, giving her a goofy smile. "You know it, sweetheart."

Skye's smile faltered for a brief moment but then she was right back to performing. It seemed he wasn't the only one having a hard time with this. Of course, his problem was that he wanted to be doing these things for real, no matter how hard he tried to deny it, but her…

Grant was relieved when she released him and stepped back. "We have a plane to catch," she reminded and he nodded. He spotted a lone paparazzo lurking nearby and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He didn't know how she could live like this; he'd go insane.

He finished loading their carts and slammed the trunk closed. Their driver, another agent gave him a nod and he nodded in return, knowing Coulson would be expecting him to check in soon. He'd find a way for him and Skye to be alone to make the call once they were on the plane.

Grant reached for Skye's hand and the moment they touched he had her pinned to the limo.

"Grant!" Skye cried, terrified. Good, she needed to be.

"What the hell, Skye?" He growled, maintaining eye-contact. Not ten yards from them was Ian Quinn and he was heading right this way. She searched his eyes and he motioned in Quinn's direction. "What is he doing here?" He knew full well S.H.I.E.L.D. knew he was Hydra, they'd been trying to bring him in for years but he was good at covering his tracks; too good.

"Quinn? He's my…he owns the label, Grant."

He blinked in surprise. "What?"

"Yeah, Quinn Worldwide owns Q Records; it's in the files."

He moved his hands to her sides and leaned in so they wouldn't be overheard. "He's Hydra, Skye," he whispered and he felt her freeze in his hands.

Skye met his eyes with a scoff in her tone. "He's a smarmy douche, sure, but Hydra?" She chuckled. "He may be a tool but he's not stupid enough to throw his hat in with that lot."

Guilt welled up in his chest before settling in his stomach. He didn't like to think of the circumstances of his joining S.H.I.E.L.D., especially not now, not after how far he'd come. It was weird, Skye had no idea but she was the reason he hadn't been sucked into Hydra. Sure, he'd fallen for John's tricks and some small part of him still felt indebted to him for saving him but it was really Coulson who had raised him up and they would have never met if Skye hadn't been rooming in the same building as him their first year at The Academy. Meeting Phil Coulson had saved his life and she was the reason that happened.

He owed her so much more than she would ever know and he was terrified of her knowing the truth, that he'd been a part of that, even if briefly. He'd fed S.H.I.E.L.D. as much information as he could as a double agent but…she didn't need to know about that part of his life. It was safer for her if she didn't and he wasn't sure he could handle seeing the loathing in her eyes if she ever did.

Quinn was a problem. Not only was Skye not safe with him around but while John was now long dead Grant had met Quinn before, as Hydra Agent Grant Ward working under Garrett, and this could blow his cover.

"I'm a level seven agent, Skye, and I am telling you he's been on our radar for years."

"I know," she muttered in Mandarin and before he could ask her how she met his eyes and slid her hands up his chest, sending butterflies fluttering through his body. "Kiss me," she whispered breathily.

He blinked in surprise. "What?" He stammered, still stunned by her request and slightly turned on by her tone of voice. How was she so…Jesus, this was not the time for this. This was why his life had been easier being far away from her. He didn't enjoy being reduced to the mentality of a hormonal teenager because she was pretty and smelled nice and he wanted her badly.

"We've been pinned to this limo for the past ninety seconds angrily whispering at each other. It looks bad. You don't want to come off like some asshole so lean in, say something to me, I'll smile, and then we're going to kiss and we're going to make it believable. We're undercover, remember? We can discuss Quinn later; when we're alone." Translation: Hydra and the paparazzi are everywhere.

Grant swallowed and nodded nervously.

"As you wish, princess," he replied, trying to find his bravado.

Skye cocked her head to the side and watched him for a moment before shaking her head in amusement. She grabbed his shirt collar with one hand and wrapped the other around the back of his neck, pulling him closer.

Grant stared down at her, knowing this was trouble.

Why had he agreed to do this?

He was still…

He took her face in his hands with gusto (afraid if he didn't he'd cower out of this), dipped his head, and captured her lips with his own. It was meant to be a quick kiss but as he gently caressed her cheeks with the tips of his fingers he found himself deepening the kiss and sighing into her mouth when she returned it.

Grant knew then that there was no way he was coming out of this unscathed; but he was here to keep her safe and he wasn't going to let her down.

He knew he should break the kiss, because if he didn't…well, fuck, he was already gone; again. She had an effect on him that drove him insane; it was why he tried to stay away but now…

Grant held her tighter and took her tongue between his lips desperately. Skye gripped the back of his neck and moaned quietly into his mouth, the reverberation going straight to his dick. Skye slid one hand along his neck as he pressed himself further into her, moaning as she sucked on his lower lip.

She wanted to kill him and he was okay with it; what a way to go.

Donnie cleared his throat a moment later and they finally came up for air, their faces flushed with desire.

Grant kept his hold on her as he stared down at her, half-gone with lust and something else he wasn't ready to admit to himself yet. "I…" he began, not sure if he should apologize. She'd asked for it, right? And she wasn't embarrassed enough to blush, in fact she didn't look embarrassed at all. "Skye?" He asked, needing her to say something.

But Skye was too dazed to do anything but blink back at him. Her chest heaved as she stared back at him intensely. "Wow," she finally whispered a minute later. His heart swelled. Had she felt it too? "You're good," she said quietly. "I almost believed that myself."

Her words stung like a blade.

Right, he reminded himself, none of this was real.

He was a fucking idiot. It never had been for her, why would it be now?

When would he learn?

"Great, you've got a new security head for five minutes and you're already fucking him."

Grant already wanted to punch him.

He held Skye at his side protectively, wanting Quinn nowhere near his gi-his charge.

Skye put on a winning smile and as good as it was Grant knew her well enough to see how full of shit she was. She held a hand on his chest playfully and leaned into him. "Oh Quinn, Grant's more than just a bodyguard-"

"I know, I read his file before we hired him; never figured you for being into the soldier of fortune type, Skye. Especially this one; what's it like being the disgraced son of a Senator?"

Grant tensed but Skye took his hand as if to calm him. "Well, you clearly don't know me very well, Ian."

"Clearly," Quinn said coolly as he eyed Grant warily. "Tell me, Ward, have we met? You seem familiar-"

"My father and brother are senators, sir, you've probably seen my picture-"

"No, you haven't been seen in public since you were a kid; it's in your file." Quinn eyed him once more before a smirk tugged on his lips. Grant's stomach fell, he'd figured it out. "Weren't you one of John's-"

"Donnie! Do you need help with that cart? Oh, Grant, be a dear will you?" She said with a smile as she led him towards Donnie who didn't need help but Grant knew what she was up to and he was grateful. He hoped she didn't bring it up later but knowing Skye, he would have to mentally prepare himself for a fight later.

"Stay by my side, will you? I'm here to keep you safe not keep Donnie from pulling a muscle; his body is not my concern, yours is."

"I bet it is," Quinn muttered and Grant flared with jealously. Was that asshole into Skye or something? She wasn't stupid enough to go there, right? And Skye was too good to sleep with someone for a record deal. At least the Skye he'd known was. Of course the Skye he remembered would never have abandoned S.H.I.E.L.D. either so maybe he didn't know a damn thing about her.

He remained glued to her side, eying Quinn warily as they went, wondering why the hell he had to be here. And he had left his sanctuary in Malta. Couldn't they arrest him for something? He didn't care for what; he just wanted to keep him away from Skye.

Skye signed a few autographs as they went and after an excruciating amount of time they were finally boarded. Grant had forgotten how much he hated airports; he was used to flying with S.H.I.E.L.D. jets or the bus or on private charter planes. He hated the crowds and the waiting; it was such a goddamn waste of time.

"Get that scowl off of your face, we're supposed to be in love, remember?" Skye hissed under her breath. He glanced over to find her smiling down at her book which she wasn't reading. He sighed and wrapped an arm around her and pulled her flush against his side.

"I don't want him near you," he whispered, still watching Quinn.

He could hear her rolling her eyes. "What part of 'later' do you not understand?"

"Skye-"

"Anyway, it doesn't matter he's not coming with us," she said sweetly as she finally glanced up at him. He wanted to say something but couldn't without giving her more of a reason to be smug over his attitude so he just huffed and returned to surveying their surroundings. She chuckled and patted his knee with a shake of her head. "Oh, Grant…"

He withheld a sigh: this was going to be a long plane ride.