A.N: I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack. As promised... I'm sorry it's taken so long for me to come back to this story. Honestly, I just needed to find my love for Coulson again. I've decided to ignore season 2-3 Coulson. Hell, I'm ignoring back half of season 1 Coulson. I'm sticking with the character that we were first introduced to in the films and early season 1. The fact that I'm really enjoying the new Agents of SHIELD comic has really helped me get that love back for this character. I hope this was worth the wait though. If it wasn't, I'm really sorry to have let you down... But if it was, please let me know in the comments below. Kudos and comments are what motivates us to keep writing so it's definitely greatly appreciated. Hope you like it! =]

He walked into the house with his gun drawn and a few Hydra foot soldiers behind him. Raina had sent him to a beachfront property in Miami because she believed it to be where Coulson and his team were hiding.

He stopped in the living room and lowered his gun when he knew the place had been abandoned. Speaking into his earpiece, he tried to hide the smile in his voice. "Place is empty, Raina. They're not here."

"Sir," one of the men that had come with him called out. "We found something in the bathroom."

Ward followed him to the back of the house and looked inside the waste basket another solder was holding with a frown. "You found trash?"

"There's a pregnancy test."

The color drained from Ward's face. He cleared his throat with a frown. "It's probably nothing…"

"We should take it back to Raina so she can find out if it's nothing."

Ward forced a tight smile. "Good idea."

The drive back to base was quiet for Ward. He silently watched their findings be handed over to Raina and Cal. He hoped it was nothing but a feeling in his gut told them that they'd just handed over the Holy Grail.

It was a few hours before Raina had gotten back the results for the tests she'd run on the pregnancy test and only minutes before she compared it to Skye's DNA on the hard drive he'd stolen. The triumphant look she'd given him confirmed all his fears: the test was Skye's.

He was in his bunk when two of Hydra's super soldiers walked in. They crossed their arms, stepping aside to let Raina through.

"You know," she started slowly. "I thought about the time frame."

"About what?"

"Skye's pregnancy," she continued. "When you brought me the hard drive that kind of information would have been on there if she were already with child. But it wasn't which would mean that she got pregnant after Hydra's coming out party. And that made me wonder… who was the father?"

Ward silently watched her pace his room before she turned to him with a knowing smile.

"And then it hit me," she told him. "I mean, at first I thought she'd moved on with Garrett's other protégé… seems that she has a type after all… but I don't think that's the case. You'd be more upset that she's moved on."

When he tried to open his mouth to speak, she put her hand up to stop him.

"Please do not insult me by presuming to think that I do not know you that well."

"Then there's New York." She smirked. "We have a confirmed sighting that she was there. And you did not deny running into her. You also let her get away when she got the upper hand… at least that's what you told us happened. Or maybe you let her get away because of an entirely different reason."

Ward gave her a smug grin, crossing his own arms. "You think I'm the father? I mean, I'm flattered but even if I wanted to sleep with an alien, Skye wouldn't go near me. Not with how we left things. She detests me…. Thinks I'm a monster..."

"Are you? Or is that what Garrett made you?" Raina smirked. "Okay then… if you're not the father then this next part will be easy for you."

Ward glanced at the two guards in the room who started toward him.

"You'll be the bait," Raina explained when the two super soldiers apprehended him. "You see, I do believe you are the father… and I believe she will come for you. And when she does, we'll have her and that abomination of a baby."

Cal casually strolled into the room. "What makes you think she'll come for this one?"

"Because," Raina turned back toward Ward with a sultry smile. "It's love."

A needle pricked Ward's neck.

"Raina…" he tried but his vision blurred and then everything went black.

Skye was cleaning the guns in front of her just as Ward had taught her in one of his earlier lessons. She was glaring at Fury who was talking to Coulson a few feet away.

"You do know who that man is, right?" Trip asked as he sat down next to her, picking up one of the guns to examine it. "Not bad…. He taught you well."

"Thanks," she smiled softly. "And of course I know who he is… doesn't mean I like him though."

"I get it," Trip nodded. "What he did… it's pretty unforgivable. But he had his reasons, Skye. We owe it to him to let him explain what they are."

"He thought I was a weapon and he wanted S.H.I.E.L.D. to have the upper hand, that's all it was."

"Maybe… but at least he trusted Ward with this mission."

"Ward was just a pawn in his war, Trip. So was I. We all were."

Trip frowned before placing a hand on her shoulder. "We're getting him back. And then you guys can have a really long talk. I think you need it."

Skye smiled. "I know… thank you."

He leaned in to kiss the crown of her head and stood up. "I got your back. I'll always have your back."

Skye smiled softly, watching him walk away when Coulson sat down across from her.

Skye turned back toward him with an eye roll, nodding toward Fury. "What did he want?"

"He can't spare any resources to get Ward."

"Shocker," Skye growled giving Coulson a fake smile.

He shook his head at her. "People have to go on believing he's dead. So we're on our own."

"Of course we are…" she put the gun down and crossed her arms in front of her.

"But," Coulson smiled softly, leaning forward to fold his hands. "He promises that if we do pull this off, he will make sure that Ward is exonerated. He'll be a free man in more ways than one."

"And me?"

"I told him he couldn't have you." Coulson continued. "That was a deal breaker. You're not S.H.I.E.L.D.'s secret warrior or weapon and neither is your child. You'd be left alone for the most part… under my supervision of course. It'd be like nothing's changed. Except…"

Skye sat up straighter.

"Ward will no longer be S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, Skye."

"But you just said he was going to exonerate him."

"Yes, but Ward's committed a lot of crimes that a lot of agents won't be able to forgive."

"Hand's alive, Coulson. And Fury knows where she is."

"Yes, but Victoria has to also stay dead to the world for her own protection."

"So that's it?" Skye asked. "We save Ward and he's just on his own."

"I'm sorry, Skye."

"While I'm stuck here being watched…."

"Not necessarily," Coulson continued. "I told Fury that I would take responsibility for you but that doesn't mean you have to stay here. I figured you'd want to be with him so May and I have procured a safe house for you both…. It's not much… just a small cabin in the middle of nowhere oomph-"

Skye had thrown herself at him, hugging him tightly. She pulled away with a watery smile. "Thank you… Thank you… Thank you…." She hugged him again. Coulson looked over her shoulder to find May watching the exchange. With a swift nod at him, she continued walking so she wouldn't interrupt.

Skye pulled back and put her hand on her belly. "When do we leave?"

"This next part is my condition…."

"Coulson…"

"He wouldn't want me to take you on this mission, Skye, especially now that you're pregnant. So you'll be running comms here with Fitz and Simmons."

She nodded in understanding. "Fine. But bring him home… please."

"I promise," Coulson told her. "We'll bring him back."