Valerie waited.

She didn't know exactly why but she felt stuck, no, torn between what she should do. A voice told her to leave the facility just seconds before it blew up.

Valerie repeated the actions over and over in her head, remembering running down the hall and passing a bunch of agents. Never did she think to warn anyone and tell them to evacuate as well. She just rushed out of there as fast as she could because that was what Grant Ward had told her to do.

She left with nothing but her gym clothes on and didn't think to grab her phone, ear piece, or any other device in order to alert Coulson. He left with his main team out to some country that he didn't bother to tell anyone about. Valerie didn't know if that was worse for her situation or better knowing that the director made it out alive. The cards kept piling up against her as she considered herself a traitor to SHIELD.

It's been hours since the explosion and the first response team were still on site, which meant that Coulson knew and wouldn't come back anytime soon. Valerie watched from one of the neighboring buildings as it looked like the whole department was out there shoveling through the rubble. She folded herself up into a little ball as she watched them poke and poke at the gravel and even brought up a few workers in body bags. A pang of guilt shook her just as much as the bomb did, tears welling up in her eyes. She could've saved them, Valerie could've warned them.

A tear ran down her cheek as she let the cold freeze it to her skin.

Her father and brothers would be furious if they knew what she had done. Daniel was probably rolling over in his grave right about now.

"Pity Coulson wasn't in there"

Valerie gasped and spun around, "Ward?"

He smirked, "The one and only"

"Wh- What are you doing here?" Valerie looked around as if someone would come and help her.

"Just came by to see if you got my message" Grant said, "Glad you did"

"Why did you do it?" then another question popped up, "Why did you spare me?"

Grant stopped and looked to her, "Because I like you, Valerie. You actually sat there and listened to me for the first time in three and a half weeks, I had someone to talk to"

Grant stepped into the light where she noticed that he cut his hair to a very short crop and had shaved off his beard. He looked unrecognizable in ordinary clothes as he took a couple of steps to her. Valerie glanced back over to the first responders as she contemplated alerting them to her position.

"Why are you even waiting around here?" Grant asked, "I thought you would be miles away by now"

Valerie swallowed, "I was waiting for Coulson"

"Coulson?" Grant asked, "You mean the man who might pin this on you?"

"You don't know that-"

"Yes, I do" Grant said, "I was on his team way longer than you"

"I shouldn't listen to you-"

"But you are" Grant interrupted before smiling, "See? I can pick up on subtle hints too"

Valerie started again, "Why did you plant the bomb?"

"Why wouldn't I? They weren't going to stop until I was dead" Grant said, "All of them would but you"

Valerie glared at him, "You don't know me"

"I think we know each other more than we want to" Grant admitted, "But I'm willing to set aside our differences and have that talk in a cafe, what do you think?"

Valerie gave him a peculiar look, "Are you flirting with me?"

Grant didn't say anything, he didn't even have to, it was right there in the open for her to take. Valerie gawked before turning around and running her hands through her hair, not knowing what to do with this information. So that was why he spared her life; he liked her. She should be grateful but now standing between the destroyed SHIELD and Grant Ward the Traitor, she didn't know what to do.

"I know you like me too" Grant said, "I read your body language"

"Using sex appeal to get answers is also a tactic, Ward, don't mix it up" Valerie stated.

"I'm not" Grant took a step toward her, "And neither were you at the time"

Valerie stared at him as Grant breathed out, "Look, I promise you that if you come with me, you'll remain in the shadows. SHIELD won't even know you're alive and you'll be safe"

"You want me to join Hydra?!" Valerie let out a little bit too loudly.

"No, I want you to join me" Grant said, "Be whatever I want, just to have you to come home to-"

"I can't believe I'm hearing this!" Valerie cupped her ears as if to block the words out.

She wanted this to be a dream, to wake up in her bed and know that she didn't kill everyone in the Playground. Valerie even tried to will herself to open her eyes but the burnt smell of everything seemed to stay in her nostrils. She looked to Grant Ward who was looking at her patiently but with his hand stretched out making her drop hers to her sides. Her eyes zeroed in one his hand, knowing that if she took it, it'll be the first time she ever touched Ward. Valerie looked up into his eyes as he stared at her in the same pleading way.

He said gently, "You know you're as good as dead the moment Coulson touches down"

"I'm trying to save you" Grant urged.

"I won't belong to Hydra?" Valerie asked.

"No" Grant shook his head, "You'll be whoever you want to be"

Valerie McKenna looked down to his hand before looking back up at him, her arm slowly reached out and touched the warm, rough, calloused hand of Grant Ward.