Grant Ward had actually kept his promise.
She didn't know what he was doing half of the time but she didn't really care to know. The nauseous feeling in her stomach hasn't really gone away since they left on his motorcycle.
The first night was the worst, she had a dream of being in an interrogation room with her father standing over her, lecturing her about SHIELD's priorities. He would then go down the list of family members, all men, who had served for SHIELD and went back to his argument of having his daughter, the first female in the family, to join. He kept banging the table and getting in her face saying she was a disappointment and disgrace to the family.
When she woke up, she was in a cold sweat before slipping on shoes, a jacket, and Grant's keys before turning and looking at him. What surprised her was when Grant Ward got the hotel, he asked for two beds instead of one. He slept at the farther one with his back to her but she could see him sleeping peacefully, trusting she won't run and alert Coulson that he was alive. Her mind went back to how nervous he acted when he heard his brother was on his way to pick him up and wondered what other horrible things his eldest brother did.
So that is why she stayed, Valerie stayed because no one else wanted to with Grant Ward by their side. Sure she was intrigued and wanted to know more and more about him but the reality was she was growing fond of him. She was smart enough to know that he was playing any tricks on her, hasn't been for a while which makes her wonder if he feels the same way. Some days he would leave early in the morning and come back in the evening but with food in hand and not tell her a damn thing. Valerie thought that if she stayed cooped up in the hotel room and out of the public's eye, she would be safe.
But what she didn't think would happen, is her getting bored.
"Where were you today?" Valerie asked.
"What?" Grant questioned as he put down food, "Just out and about, checking my sources to know if Coulson's on our tail"
Valerie's heart skipped a beat, "Is he?"
"Of course, he is" Grant said nonchalantly, "But he's on my tail, he's not thinking that you're with me"
"Oh…" Valerie glanced down to the table"
"Good"
"What?" Valerie looked back up to him.
"Usually Oh is followed with good in this kind of situation" Grant Ward explained.
Valerie slowly nodded as Grant started to unbutton and take off his shirt, she slightly blushed when she saw his rock hard abs as he slowly took another shirt to put on. Grant saw her fidget from the corner of his eye and smirked as he pulled the other shirt back on.
"You are being careful, right?" Valerie asked.
"Of course" Grant answered, "No one is going to come looking for you"
"I meant for your sake" Valerie corrected, "You're being careful so you wouldn't get caught by SHIELD, right?"
"I am" Grant nodded, "Thanks for caring"
Valerie squinted her eyes at him, "Why do you think I wouldn't care?"
"Not everyone falls for a maniac as how my old team would put it" Grant sighed.
"You're not a maniac" Valerie scoffed.
"Psychopath?"
"No"
Grant continued, "Traitor?"
She turned and glared at him before getting up and walking away from the table as he slightly smirked. Valerie doesn't like that word anymore because now she believes that it targets her in the same category. Grant decided to change the subject as he slowly made his way to her.
"It's been four days since you've left this room" Grant said.
Valerie turned and looked to him, "I can leave?"
"Yes" Grant gave her a peculiar look, "You're not a prisoner here, you're free to go whenever you wish"
"I never thought you would let me go because I knew it was you who destroyed SHIELD" Valerie commented.
"I had many reasons to blow that facility up" Grant said, "One was so they would know that I know where their secret base is, Two was to settle a score, and Three was to set you free"
Valerie asked, "Should I say thank you or something?"
"You should say that you'll go to that cafe with me" Grant told her, "So we can get to know each other more in the way that you like"
Valerie struggled to look at him as he was full on staring at her, waiting for her to answer to his request. She knows he's been wanting to bring it up several times now but hasn't gotten around to ask her. For four days, she's been sitting in this hotel and ordering room service, waiting for him to return, and flipping through the channels she already knows by heart. Valerie was slowly losing her mind in this room and couldn't stand it anymore.
"I think that would be nice" Valerie nodded to him.
Grant blinked, "Really? You actually do want to have a date"
"Beats sitting around here" Valerie sighed as she looked around the room, "I practically wanted someone to kick down the door just to fight me"
Grant smiled, "You're not too good with being an idle undercover, are you?"
"Wasn't really my strongest suit" Valerie admitted, "I preferred to swing in, beat up some bad guys, get what I wanted and get the hell out of there"
"Like Romanoff" Grant seemed impressed"
"But not as subtle as her" Valerie gave a short laugh, "She fooled Tony Stark for months remember"
Grant nodded, "She was a jack-of-all trades kind of girl, so you want to have that drink tomorrow?"
The next day came by a lot faster than she thought, the moment she felt the cold crisp air on her skin, it felt like she was breathing for the first time. The morning rush of people running by to get to work, running errands, or just walking their dogs seemed almost normal for her. They sat outside but away from the front of the door and off to the side, typical for a spy on the run. Grant seemed at ease as they both drank their warm cup of coffee, Valerie smiling at the taste of carmel in hers. She didn't realize how bad hotel coffee was until the warm liquid hit her lips.
"I feel like it's been forever since I felt the sun on my face" Valerie closed her eyes and craned her neck.
She could hear Grant huff out a laugh, "Well, now you can; you're considered one of the loyal and fallen of SHIELD"
Valerie looked up to him, "How do you know that?"
"Because I was watching your brother, James' apartment for a while and saw Coulson and Skye giving condolences"
Valerie breathed out as she thought of how the news would affect her mother.
"How did he take it?" Valerie asked.
Grant shrugged, "Didn't really show much emotion; hours later he just went out hunting like he always did"
Valerie huffed, "Typical… who are you watching?"
Grant blinked, "What?"
"You keep looking over my shoulder and back to me every 15 seconds, it's clever but I can tell the person is behind me" Valerie said, "You're watching someone, aren't you?"
Grant sighed as he leaned in, "I'm just watching someone who can get me to the military base, he's the only one I can pass as and need him alone so I can subdue him… I'm sorry, I know you probably wanted to-"
"I'm in"
"Wait, what?" Grant looked at her, confused.
"You heard me" Valerie said, "I'm in… whose the target?"
