In the Event…
Chapter 10
When Grant woke the next morning he could hardly believe that it had been over a week since he had gotten the call from Kara saying that she needed his help with a Ghost Wind incident. As he softly stroked the hair of the one woman that he had always loved away from her face, he could hardly believe that Daisy was hear with him right now. At times it still felt like he was in a dream and that at any moment he would wake and be back in his cabin next to the lake in New Zealand.
Grant had not said anything to Daisy yesterday but he could tell with the way that she was looking at him after her appointment with Jemma that soon enough things were going to come to a close between them. He was not looking forward to it as he had yet to decide what he was going to do after this was all done. Perhaps Kebo would have a few jobs that he needed help with that his new 'talents' could be of use with. After all, now that he had finished 'transitioning' as Lincoln had put it, Grant felt he had the best control over himself and his gifts that he had since he got them. With thoughts of his gifts in mind Grant detangled himself from Daisy and stood to dress before heading outside to the dock so that he could work with his gifts until she woke up. That was how Daisy found him a half hour latter. Her with a coffee in hand and him with a fire ball the size of a basket ball.
"Is it starting to feel easier now that Lincoln has worked on you?" Daisy asked as she handed him the black coffee that she was holding.
"Yes, thank you." He said nodding at the coffee before drinking most of it in one go. "I'm sure that if I was to ask that I could get a long winded explanation out of Lincoln or Jemma as to exactly what the transitioner did, but to be honest I'm not sure that I would understand it even then. All I know is that I feel more like myself then I ever have in my whole life. If that makes any sense."
"You would be surprised at the number of times that I have herd someone say that, or something like it. I think in a way that all In-humans feel there was something missing from ourselves before we under went the change. I know that in my case I tried filling the void with computers and hacking. I suspect that is part of why you pushed yourself so hard to be one of the best Specialist out there. For each of us we tried to fill that hole with different things. Now however that your gift has been awakened and your body is settled into it you should find that the urge to push yourself will taper off a bit." Grant could just imagine with the number of people that she and S.H.E.I.L.D. had been sent after in the last year and a half, just how many that she had helped that all had a similar story to tell her that was like his. To say that he was prepared or expecting to change like he had would have been a lie. After all, wouldn't Raina have told him if she suspected that he was like her and Daisy and that he also had a genetic destiny.
"So what did you have planed for today?"
"I thought maybe we could do some sparing a little latter and maybe play a game." Grant was not sure if he should mention the board games as he had not played anything like that with Daisy since they had been on the bus together. The last thing that he wanted to do was make her feel uncomfortable or bring up any bad memories.
"I thing the sparing would be good once we are done having breakfast. Did you want me to cook today?" at the frightened look that crossed Grants face, Daisy laughed and shook her head at him. "I'll have you know I am getting a lot better at cooking since Jemma and Coulson took over teaching me how to do so."
"Alright if your sure that we are not going to need Simmons medical care after words then you make breakfast and I will get cleaned up." Grant could only hope that he would not end up regretting the decision to let Daisy cook, as she had never been any good at it when they had been living together before as a team.
When Grant was done his shower he was surprised to see that the food that Daisy had made for them not only smelled appetizing but also looked it too. Sitting down to eat he could see that Daisy was waiting for him to take the first bight and appraise what she had made for them. So with a steadying breath and the intention of smiling no matter how it tasted he dug into the meal and after chewing the first bit of scrambled eggs his eyes widened in genuine surprise as he smiled and gave her a thumbs up as he continued to eat.
Grant watched as Daisy gradually became more and more un responsive to his attempts at striking up conversation and knew that this was it. This was the moment that would set the stage for everything and anything that might come of them as a potential couple from this moment on ward. He knew this conversation was coming. With everything that was changing between them, he knew it had to happen. He had not however pictured it happening at the dinning table with helpings of pancakes and eggs between them. But he supposed that any time was as good as another. It still would not change the outcome of what would be said.
"I want you to tell me about your past. You know growing up, and then what happened with him."
Grant didn't need her to say Garrets name for him to know whom it was she was talking about.
"Why?" He was dodging. He knew it. But he also needed to know what her reason was behind asking.
"Because with this," Daisy said waving her hands around them. "After this," Again she stopped and he waited. Needed to see what she would say. Needed to know if she felt it too. The change happening between them. "You said one day I would understand. Well, I need to understand because if there is ever going to be anything after this," She was staring intently at her hands. He could tell she was afraid.
He tried to breath past the lump now in his throat, tried to calm his racing heart. But she was right. If there was ever going to be anything after this, then he had to explain. She had to know what happened to make him who he was now, why he did what he did. Perhaps that was what had changed the most. He had told her some of this before but back then she had not wanted to hear it. So after taking a large gulp of his water and an even larger calming breath to steady his nerves he began.
All the way back to the beginning, going to a time in his life that should have been filled with the encouraging words and love filled hugs of parents and family but weren't. To a time when brothers should have looked out for each other instead of causing each other pain. To occasions where miss deeds found you in dark closets and meals were sometimes inconsistent. To a time when the threat of military school was seen as a welcome reprieve from the hell that was your home. And latter when the miss guided actions of a messed up youth end you in juvie and you felt that your life was now over.
Threw it all Daisy sat and listened and range the paper napkin in her hands until it shredded. Grant almost wished that she would say something, ask questions, maybe even yell a bit, but he knew that if she did he might not have the nerve to continue. When she gave no indication of interrupting him, he moved on.
To his time with Garret and what the man who was more father then his own father had taught him. About being alone, but being strong. About survival, and how trust didn't exist, and feelings were a weakness, and becoming attached to anything would get you or them killed. He gave a brief description of his time in the academy and the different things he had done as a Specialist afterward. He told her about defining moments that cemented Johns need of his help in his young mind and how even though as miss guided as it had been it made him feel important and part of something. He told her how it had never been about Hydra and what they wanted, it had always been about John. He explained his original reason for being on the Bus and with the team.
"Our time on the Bus, I think it was the first time I ever let my guard down, even just a little. What we had as a team back then, I think was also the only time I have ever felt anything close to what it would feel like to be part of a proper family. But in the end, John needed me. And after all that time of helping him, and doing for him, and lying for him, I couldn't give it up. Even if I had wanted to." Ward paused to re gather his thoughts. "Next thing I know he's dead and I'm in a cell. Everything that meant anything to me had gone to shit and none of you wanted to hear any of it." Ward heaved out with a bitter chuckle. He felt like his heart had been ripped from his chest, grinded up and laid bare for her on the table that was between them. Like his whole body was now a raw nerve that if struck would never heal. And still Daisy said nothing. But when he looked at her, he could see the silent tears that were tracking down her face. And so he continued.
He told her of his escape when the team had tried to give him over to his older brother and his meeting up with Whitehall, as he tried to make himself feel needed again. About finding her father and WHY it had been so important for him to keep his promise to her about them meeting each other. He told Daisy about Kara and how them saving each other after San Juan had once again given him a way to feel important. He confesses the real reason why he had abandoned Kara with S.H.I.E.L.D. About how he had been too broken and lost himself to be able to properly help her anymore. Grant told her about his travels over the last year and how being on his own had forced him to see himself for just what he really was and for the first time in his life it also forced him to choose his own path.
"There are many, many things that I have come to regret in my life but even threw it all I'm not sure if I would change any of it now if I could do it again." Ward told her in closing.
"And why is that?" Daisy asks, speaking for the first time in over an hour.
"Because everything I have done, the good, what little of it there is, the bad and everything in between has all led to this. This moment. This chance."
"And what do you want now?"
"What I want, what I have always wanted, is to stay hear with you and imagine that the world outside doesn't exist." He watched as Daisy stared at him as if searching his very sole for something only she knew what. What ever it was she must have found it as she nodded at him once and stood, coming slowly around the table to stand in front of him.
"And what I want," she started in a calm yet confident voice. "Is for you, to make love to me."
Grant almost felt the need to pinch himself to make sure that he was not dreaming but could see the truth of her statement in her eyes. Somewhere over the course of the week she had started to feel for him what he had always felt for her, even if he had tried to ignore it at one point. He didn't even care that he probably had the biggest shit eating grin on his face that the world had ever seen. All he cared about was that this gloriously beautiful woman wanted him, for all the right reasons and he would give her what ever she wanted for as long as she needed it. Not because he needed to be useful but because he truly wanted to out of his love for her.
Standing from the chair Grant took Daisy's hand in his and slowly led her towards the bed. This time there was no need to rush. She had just given him permission to go as slowly and thoroughly as he wanted and that was exactly what he was going to do. After getting her to take her t-shirt and shorts off he directed her to lean back on the bed. He started the massage at her feet and almost painfully slowly made his way up her body. Making sure not to miss any spot on her skin. With her withering and panting his first name, he gave into her needs and joined her on the bed.
He licked and nipped, kissed and stroked, and in every action he took tried to convey with out words just how much she meant to him. How much he loved her. And after they were done and both of them spent, sweaty and sore in all the right places he gathered Daisy into his arms with her back to his front he stroked her hair until she had fallen asleep. Only then did he let himself whisper out loud what he wanted to scream from mountain tops.
"I love you."
In story word count: 2430