Author Note

Warning. There is a scene of sexual content in this chapter.
I was strong armed into writing it. No, really, I completely was.
However, I am totally okay with it here.
readers I apologize, I included a nonsexual summary.

The latest hotel room was a bit nicer than the others. Actually no, hotel did it no justice in Fitz's opinion, the place was a loft. Full carpeted living room in some beige color, expensive looking furniture, a huge dining area, complex kitchen, and that was not even going into the size of the bedroom. Ward said that he found a stash of funds at the Hydra Hub while they were cleaning the place out but Fitz never asked how much it was. Considering the lifestyle they were living in before had not been 'squalor' or anything, the Scot was starting to wonder. The ability to write down a list of parts he needed and have Ward go fetch them really did wonders for setting up what he wanted. That in this case being a lab to work with. It was a very good thing that roomservice in these places took a 'Do Not Disturb' sign seriously. Management would have some questions about the equipment taking up the greater part of a glossy wooden dining table. They might have especially questioned the half-built circuit boards haphazardly tossed around and soldering iron marks strewn into the countertop. A maid would assume he was building a bomb; not that he couldn't with these parts.

All of that was on hold now though as Fitz sat at the counter and typed one-handed on his new, brutally expensive yet still-not-SHIELD-quality laptop, "This feels like putting a bat signal in the sky. Well, considering who it is, I guess a giant flower symbol in the sky would be better." It was bizarre really to be typing words carefully backwards on a screen that displayed absolutely nothing. Several times Fitz checked the power light just to ensure the computer was even still on. Ward had assured him the program actually did work, the specialist doing the first few messages before passing it over to Leo, but as of yet no response. Three days, no reply, and he was getting tired of the exercise in frustration every two hours. Clearly, she was ignoring them.

Fitz turned to look over his shoulder at Ward and my, this was a far more enjoyable.

The first two weeks they spent together the scientist found it completely inhuman. What sane person woke up at the crack of dawn, without an alarm, and immediately launched into a rigorous workout routine? The sun had not even risen outside the enormous windows of the living area and there was Ward, doing a handstand on one hand, lifting himself up and down rhythmically with his other arm and legs straight up. Completely unnatural, he barely even sweated while doing it, as if the exertion were not something that would kill Fitz. Granted waking up when the agent did had nearly killed him at first. Now that he was accustomed to the early hours - the sight of the workout almost did. Every morning, for his personal viewing pleasure, Fitz got thirty minutes of Ward in just a pair of boxers doing his whole routine. It was ideal, really.

After watching a moment Fitz, wetting his lips, spoke, "Are we really sure she is getting these?"

Ward did not break his rhythm. The man flowed from handstand into a push-up position, bouncing up and down as he switched arms between each motion, and still had the breath to reply, "She will check it. Raina thrives on information. She and I are the only ones left with access to the server." Fitz nodded but Ward did not see, head in perfect posture facing the ground, and after an incredibly fast pace hundred (always exactly a hundred, Fitz counted), the agent bounced to his feet. The scientist did not bother hiding the fact he watched. At first he had, embarrassed to be caught, but at this point Fitz was over it. Hard to be embarrassed when he was absolutely wearing a pair of Ward's sweat pants since they were 'more comfortable than his'. Waking up when Ward moved his arm from over his waist and got out of bed helped too. SHIELD probably had protocol against the whole 'handler sleeping with agent' aspect going on here. Not that they were doing that, sleeping together, at least not in the carnal sense. Just in the literary sense. Something Ward did not pressure and Fitz berated himself mentally about at least twice a day. He felt stupid for it really. Dreams, or at least shower fantasies, come true and all that. His tall, dark haired agent would be up for it Fitz suspected. It was all on the scientist and his insecurities that maybe his condition would make it not quite as … workable … as expected.

"Fitz."

Considering his thoughts Fitz's undignified, "Hhhnhn…" was probably not the appropriate reply. He flushed, speaking still did the trick, before sputtering out, "Oh. Sorry. Lost in my head again. Umm. Yes?" and they both knew what he had been thinking about. Ward's lip curled back into that confident smirk and not for the first time the Scot cursed his skin's ability to go fully crimson.

Raising his hands palms up; Ward made a 'come here' motion. Fantasy fuel there. Unfortunately, Fitz knew it for what it was, and the scientist groaned internally as he put his laptop aside and moved to the specialist. Another part of their odd morning routine. Standing in front of Ward, looking up at him, Fitz automatically went into the position. One arm above his head, his good one, while the bad one he thrust out to the side and shakily head it in the air unsupported. Grant mirroring him, taking the exact same position as they both pushed their left leg out behind them and lowered closer to the floor, helped mitigate the awkward. The first few times had been incredibly frustrating to struggle holding the pose, arms and legs screaming at him while Ward stayed stock still, but it started to get better. Now after doing it for awhile, Fitz only wobbled marginally as he held the position and focused on his breathing. In, out, in, out, each inhale and exhale controlled on a rythme. Not once in his life had the scientist ever considered yoga as an acceptable part of his routine and yet here he was, doing it, somewhat enjoying it. At least until Ward changed the routine up by shifting, Fitz mirroring his movements as best he could, and suddenly Fitz found his left hand (the 'bad one) hovering over Ward's.

"Squeeze my hand and pull."

Fitz automatically went to do it but halted, hand closed over Ward's, as a spasm went through his fingers at the movement, "I don't know if I...I mean, it doesn't hurt yet, but…" He had the mental image of the agent pulling back and both of them toppling over onto the coffee table.

Ward shook his head and pushed his hand up further into the scientist's palm, "Do it. You'll be able to hold on and even if not, I can keep us both up." That stung a little really, deep down inside Fitz's floundering ego. He did it because while the scientist may not have trusted himself, he did trust Ward. His grip was better than he expected though not quite stable as Ward reached forward with the other hand and pushed on his chest. The position should have been impossible, good arm still straight above his head as he held onto Ward while the other man pushed him back further and further until Fitz was closer than he ever expected to be to doing a front-back split. Leo's body definitely did not agree with the position as the burn in his legs increased tenfold and the arm connected to Ward trembled with strain. Keeping track of breathing (in, out, in, out) was all he could do as his hand desperately clung to the other man's. He lost count of exactly how long they stayed like that until Ward's hand shifted out of his grip and around his wrist. Without warning Fitz was pulled right again, nearly flush against the man, and his breathing control went out the window with huge gasps of air as his forehead bumped Ward's chest.

"Hgg...How long?"

Ward patted him on the back, "Three minutes."

"You're ly...lying, that is not,"

But no, he was telling the truth, and Fitz gaped at the clock above the television as Ward chuckled. Three minutes, in that position? Fitz felt a surge of pride at himself before the follow up burst of panic. When the scientist went to apologize, hastily remembering that Ward did not lie to him, the specialist waved it off, "I'm honestly impressed. You are really taking to this for someone who claims to have 'zero flexibility'. Partner positions are some of the most advanced movements." A compliment from Ward meant more to Fitz then he felt it maybe should. No, actually, it was amazing, as Grant Ward was hardly the type of man to hand them out. Definitely amazing; almost as much as having his body pressed up against Grant's even if being against that sometimes made Fitz feel as though he were built of play-doh and needed countable abs.

Really nice in fact.

"We should take a break and let your heart rate lower-"

Fitz cut the other man off by kissing him. Considering Grant had been mid-speech and Fitz had to stretch it was a tad awkward as first. The agent, ready for any situation, recovered quickly and put his own into it. It was greedy as Fitz surprised himself; deepening it with tongue and Grant met him step for step, letting the shorter man lead as he pushed them back. It took longer than it should have to cross three feet to the tan sofa. While Grant's hands were around his lower back, one definitely splayed across his ass, Fitz's roamed the other man in a very up close and personal game of 'count the abs'. The game ended when the man's knees hit the couch and Fitz reached up, planning to push him...only to find himself pushed instead in one lightning fast turn. Suddenly seated, Ward standing in front of him between his legs, it made him dizzy. Not enough to keep him from reaching out his hands, left on Ward's hip while the right hooked itself in the waistline of Ward's dark blue boxers. With them sharing a bed as they did Fitz had of course felt it before, spooning made it impossible not to, but despite the close quarters had never seen-

Before the scientist could start to tug down the agent's hand caught his and held it in place.

"How far?"

Fitz asked, "What?" without looking up, fingers tugging a bit and snapping the waistband, but when Ward did not let go he finally did look up. Oh, the man was not smiling nor smirking, his face was serious despite the situation. Fitz asked again, this time his fingers stilled and his own grin evaporated, "What do you mean how far? If you mean...oh, you do. I...I...I umm..." Of course his ability to communicate would short out now when the object of many a dream stood right in front of him waiting. This is why he...no, he wanted. Fitz fumbled to articulate his point as Ward watched him. The other man, as always, did not help and at last Leo came up with, "...This?"

Grant nodded, watching a moment longer, smirk gaining ground, "I could blow you if you prefer."

Something inside of the scientist's brain promptly exploded. Likely the area that contained every sexual fantasy in his life bundled into one package. For a moment he stared at Ward agape at what just left the other man's mouth before. Eventually, with great struggle, Leo managed to restart his brain enough to snap his jaw shut...and shake his head, "Nnnn...No. Not me. I mean, that is, I would rather you. I'm not...I mean, that is...I'm not sure I…" Nothing was coming out and Fitz watched, before his very eyes, as Ward seemed to second guess what they were doing. That wasn't happening and at once Fitz knuckled his finger back into the agent's waistband, "Not me. Not...right now, I want to do this and you're going to let me, agent. Oh...Okay?"

Fitz realized too late about the 'Agent' slipping out. Something inside of him promptly died and came back to life as Ward, very smirky now, clipped off a, "Yes Sir." His heart could not handle it as it threatened to beat from his chest with that comment. When Ward put his arms up, tucking them behind his head, something inside of Fitz broke that he probably never needed to start with.

=== Sorry dear readers. This is the fade to black. Sexual content starts here. ===

Summary: FItz attempts oral sex. Does not even begin before he's told by Ward to breath. Too into it, too focused, somewhat panicking.
Ward instead takes a step back and lets Fitz 'tell him what to do' in that way. The words 'Sir' and 'Agent' are thrown around.
Ends with Fitz taking care of Ward...err...handily. Is not even okay with summaries? I never know to be honest.

=== Sorry dear readers. This is the fade back. Sexual content end here. ===

Ward, after a bit, lifted his head from where it had landed on Fitz shoulder, "Move over so I …"

The man paused, head cocked back, and Fitz leaned up over the back of the couch right as the man above him muttered, "Her timing is terrible." The scientist understood why when he looked. Across the room from them his laptop, half facing away from them, was flashing a myriad of colors as the previously blank screen lit up. Each color formed a shape; blue triangle, red square, purple triangle, and in some of the shapes a single white flower pulsed against the blackness. It looked like a screensaver had Fitz not disabled the feature to watch for this very occurrence. Both of them observed for a moment until the blank screen returned.

Ward sighed, "I was going to suggest we shower together but that message will start again in ten minutes." The specialist leaned up, half on Fitz's lap and half off the couch, before pausing. Despite what they'd just done his face was somewhat somber as he laid a hand on Fitz's shoulder, "Everything is still good, right? You...wanted that?" It was bizarre to the scot to even be asked but he took a moment, actually thinking about the question, before nodding. Ward did not move off of him. Instead the man somewhat tilted his head as if waiting until Fitz finally leaned forward, wrapping his arms around the man's torso, and spoke into Ward's stomach.

"Absolutely. If I did not need a shower; I'd want it aa...again, now."

That seemed to appease the agent as he stood, helping Fitz up with one strong armed tug, and nodded, "We can see about that later then. Go shower, I'll see what Raina has to say."

Fitz planned on a quick shower - he actually was very curious about what the 'Flower Lady' had to say. It turned into a longer one, steadily so, as he spent several minutes gloating to an imaginary world over what had just happened. Sex with Ward, even if no actual penetrative sex had occurred, was the new highlight of his achievements. Up there with creating the seven dwarves and disarming earthquaker devices for sure. It nearly beat out the time he dropped an awesome one-liner and nearly killed the head of a Hydra sect with an EMP. That of course brought on an immense and powerful freak out about what-if this were all an act, though he trusted it wasn't, and it took Fitz a good ten minutes sitting on the shower floor to get himself under any semblance of control. A surprisingly long time; it was usually easier in private. Panic attack aside, the scientist still counted this as an overall marvelous day as he toweled off.

It was still hard to actually look at Ward without either a goofy grin or flushed as Fitz left the bedroom. The Agent, his Agent, had apparently found the boxers and put them back on for now. Which was good, really, Fitz was not sure he could have a coherent conversation with a nude Grant Ward in his lifetime. Especially not after...no, not really the time, and Fitz wasn't sure exactly where they were so instead of wrapping his arms around Ward from behind he instead settled onto the counter stool beside him. The specialist waved with his fingers but did not look away from the screen as the colored shapes flashed on. Fitz, despite not knowing exactly what they meant, recognized patterns enough to know it was the same 'message' as before.

When the screen flashed back Ward sighed and glanced over, "Your phone should be untrackable now right?" Fitz bristled a bit at that, it was his project, of course the burner was undetectable now if he said it was. The agent did not seem to notice as he stared at the blank screen, seemingly deep in thought, until the scientist handed over the burner. He flipped the phone open quick enough that Fitz actually worried for it before rapid fire dialing a number. Fitz immediately went on guard at whatever set Ward from a great mood to annoyed or even pissed.

The scientist poked the other man's shoulder, "Grant, what is-"

"Hold on." Short, clipped, and Fitz jerked his poking-finger back. Ward realized quickly and glanced over, the 'sorry' written in his look, before someone picked up. The clipped quality remained with the person on the other line; presumably Raina, "Where are you?" A moment later he mimed writing and Fitz rushed to the table and back with a sharpie. Ward, considering the soldering marks were already there, wrote it on the countertop, "Is it a confirmed safe location?" A pause, he circled the location '26 Talbot St' a few times, "I did not ask if you were comfortable. I asked if it is safe. Are you being monitored?" A moment later Ward put a finger to his lips for quiet and wrote 'Hydra + SHIELD' on the counter while looking over. Fitz mouth "Both?" and the agent nodded, still not saying anything. Fitz chewed at his lip as he considered it. SHIELD monitoring worried him more than Hydra though technically; it shouldn't have. Coulson did not really have the manpower for a full detail but Hydra would be out in force if they were watching her. Actually, that was a question in itself, why had they not just grabbed her already if she really did have the 0-8-4 or access to it? Fitz ran a hand through his hair as he thought about it and Ward just sat there, waiting, watching him for his decision, and that should have been so nerve wracking but it kept Fitz from outright panicking as he thought it over. In the end the scientist-slash-handler sighed quietly and mouthed, "We have to do it."

Ward nodded, "I'm close. Assume either a Hydra agent or Skye tapped your phone line. They will not be able to hear my side but they may have heard yours. Repeat after me, 'Dinner sounds lovely.' and then name a restaurant for," Ward glanced at the clock on the wall for a moment before continuing, ", eight o'clock. Good, now say that you look forward to meeting me. If you're still using nonprofits as a contact point, say something about it now." The woman apparently did so seeing as Ward looked pleased, "I will see you then. And remember Raina, if you double-cross me I will kill you." He said it nonchalantly, the same way one would say 'Goodbye', before hanging up the phone. The man seemed nonplussed at Fitz's shocked expression, "Trust me on this one. If I had not threatened her there is a very real chance she would have sold us out. Raina is an opportunist. She might be afraid of me but if someone else scares her more…"

Fitz nodded though, honestly, he was not sure about the mechanics behind 'fear tactics' yet. As Ward stood to go shower the scientist reached out and snagged his bicep with a hand.

"Where am I going to meet her?"

The argument began immediately.

XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX

A convincing cover created over several days was an intricate process. One created over a handful of hours was a desperate race. Every minute spent in a moving vehicle had Fitz glued to his laptop hastily constructing a social media profile for his identity. It was not Skye quality work, this was not his forte, but Academy had stressed the efficiency of a versatile skill set. Thankfully the only caveat Raina set was mentioning a recently restored painting by some artist Fitz had, up until a Wikipedia search, never even heard of. A few times Ward had to hold him back from going too far. It seemed a convincing cover attested to spacious detail but a lack of absolutes so as to survive surface scrutinizing. Too detailed would draw attention and so, when Fitz suggested during another suit fitting that his new identity, Harold Finch, be involved in a scandal concerning adultery, Ward shot him down. Grant also shot down 'Harold' having a limp (too hard to act), being a retired IT developer (no technology, could lead to Fitz), and being a recluse (everyone suspected recluses of devious behaviour), and so in the end Fitz's first real 'cover identity' was nothing more than a mild mannered, high ranking insurance agent of a Chicago based firm. His only interest in the 'restored painting' was for an insurance policy to be enacted.

The Scot would never admit it to Ward but he had hoped for more James Bond cover. Martinis and debonaire; not a tweed suit and coke bottle glasses. It helped aid the sting of boredom that in the end, at the very last second, Ward passed him a cane. 'Just in case you need a weapon' had been the reason but really, somewhere deep down inside, Fitz liked to think it due to wanting it.

Raina, as Ward briefed him on the ride upstate, had upscale taste. Fitz always kind of suspected that. What sane woman ran around in ridiculous flower dresses? The restaurant she chose was a korean place, G-something, on the top floor of a building in Manhattan. Ward had to drop him off a few blocks over and have Fitz cab the rest of the way so no one could possibly see them together. It was strange really, to be in public without Ward, and at least twice Fitz almost broke down in the cab. The driver just watched him in the rearview but did not say anything, did not interrupt, as Fitz checked his breathing and stretched his anxiety out as best he could. Moving was difficult, the suit hastily starched rather than dry cleaned, and every action he took found distinctly uncomfortable and stiff. In a way, it aided his 'disguise' as Fitz stepped out of the cab and leaned a bit on his new cane. No one stared, no one looked suspicious, and at the go ahead, Fitz walked into the high-rise, got in the elevator, and made his way to the restaurant. The 'go ahead' in this case was the tiny, somewhat statically voice of Ward in his ear from a bluetooth tethered to his phone. Hardly perfect, far below SHIELD standard, but workable.

"Remember, do not tell her anything you do not have to. She wants us to help her."

Ward's voice in his ear was a comfort as Fitz approached the hostess, "Excuse me. Harold Finch, party of two? I believe my friend should already be here?" He grinned at the dark haired girl working the stand as she checked a tablet. The expression was glued to his face. It persisted as the girl announced, "Ah yes, right this was Mr. Harold.", as a server said, "Good Evening." as they passed, and even managed to hold up under the cheerful way that Raina's hair bounced as she turned in her seat, tonight in a high collared, eastern style red dress patterned after the flowers that served as her motif, and caught sight of him. Fitz was hardly a good judge of undercover work, despite his apparent new passion for it, but she was good. The woman's eyes never widened, her face gave nothing away if she were shocked at all, and when Fitz took his seat the woman was all smiles and grace. Fitz, internally, was screaming now that he was actually faced with the bizarre woman, but managed to contain it as he ordered just a water 'for now'. Raina, of course, overshot him by requesting a bottle of sake he never heard of.

Things truly began when their server moved away. Raina leaned forward, elbows on the table with her fingers clasp, chin rested delicately on them, "It really is such an unexpected pleasure to hear from you again Harold. Honestly, I thought we said our last during the trying times between our companies." Fitz kept grinning at her, forced as it may be, as internally he thought of throwing something at her for risking Jemma's life. 'Trying times' did not seem the appropriate way of, 'After I almost killed your friend'. Then again, they had not spoken either when Coulson met with the woman. Fitz was saved from answering by the server returning with their drinks. He took a sip of his water as Raina took two small cups from the tray and poured them both a drink.

Ward's voice still hummed into his ear, "Don't tell her anything about splitting from SHIELD."

"I like to keep up with people.", was what came out of Fitz's mouth and even to him, it barely sounded like an answer. In fact, it made him sound like some sort of stalker. Raina seemed to get the idea as the woman's lip quirked and she sipped her sake. Ward had warned him that their entire conversation would be in code and momentarily, Leo scrambled for the appropriate way to say what he was thinking. They left out those sort of difficulties in the movies, "Besides, our mutual friend did not come to any harm. She seemed to like the change of occupation really." There was a sound in his ear from Grant, a grunt of displeasure it seemed like, but the man said nothing. His sour attitude was part the conversation and part Fitz convincing him that the scientist handle the meeting. Something real-Grant and fake-Grant shared, both hated losing.

Raina's smile, as it had every time Fitz laid eyes on her in pictures or on video, always seemed so genuine. This was especially true as the woman put a hand to her chest as if to swear on her heart, eyes crested, "I'm glad to hear that. No one seemed to believe me but I had hopes that business meeting would go differently." The Scot did not even need Ward's quiet, "Truth." in his ear to hear it for what it was. He started to thank her for her concern which would have been an appropriate response in their coded conversation but Raina beat him, her words issuing forth first, and brought him to a cold stop, "I'm also glad to see you recovered from the accident." She waved at his cane with the loose hand not holding her tiny sake cup, "I had heard it was quite severe. He never said anything but my old partner seemed quite concerned. It must be so strange to be working with him again, no?" The phrase 'working with' she seemed to stress as almost a question and for a moment, Fitz had no answers. Instead he stared at her, eyes somewhat widened behind his coke bottle glasses, at something of a loss for words.

"Fitz. She's needling you. Just ask her about the painting-"

"He seemed concerned?"

It came out, unbidden, and Fitz regretted it both for being said to the woman and for Ward's curse into his ear. On one hand the scientist had his agent telling him to ignore everything she said across the line. On the other, Raina had leaned forward once more with a blissful look as if she were sharing the latest gossip, "Absolutely. Hidden away of course. Your friend does seem to like hiding bits and pieces of himself. Though I suspect you know more about that than I?" Fitz was not sure what gave him away; maybe nothing at all had and she just stabbed blindly into the dark. The flush was impossible to stop and instead he tried to hide it, burying his attention into the menu before him, realizing too late that in itself was an answer. 'Smug' was not quite the word her for expression as the woman leaned back into her seat. 'Cat and canary' would be a better description; especially considering Ward's earlier argument of, 'She'll eat you alive.'

"Damnit, I should have just been the one to meet with her."

"I'm okay." Fitz muttered it, both to Ward and to himself, though Raina looked on with a slightly lifted eyebrow as well. The scientist snapped his menu closed and pushed it aside, "We...we need to talk about the painting. My company will need-" Fitz stopped when the server appeared back at their table. Raina, quietly laughing at him, pushed aside her own menu as well.

Their tall, blonde haired server was clearly charmed with the flower woman, almost as if Raina had the girl under a spell, "Such a silly man, my Harold. He signalled you too early dear. Though, if I may?" She looked to Fitz and he nodded, blankly, confused by what was going on for the most part. His agent had warned him the woman threw people off course but the extent to which she did so honestly surprised him. Another surprise was the breadth of her order as the flowery woman named off a multitude of dishes, mostly small appetizer plates, all with flawless enunciation of the names. Not only the order, the chemist also dictated an order to how each dish should come out and two teas to be served alongside certain items. Even Ward must have been shocked into silence by the display as nothing came across Fitz's earpiece. When she finally stopped, the server having written everything down hastily, Raina turned back to Fitz.

"Anything you would like to add, Harold?"

He showed all his social grace by stammering out, "Nn...No. I'm...I'm fine, thank you." He probably deserved the judging look the girl gave him as she moved away. Apparently, he made for a piss-poor date for the flower woman. Anyone could see that though. Thankfully, he was taken, or at least liked to think of himself as such. Fitz shook his head to try and physically clear out the thoughts about earlier, about what it may have meant, and focus on the task at hand.

Part of him had started to suspect being around Raina this way truly was a mistake.

"So, about the painting-"

She cut him off, nonchalantly, a nail tapping on the table, "The same one everyone else wants?"

"Tell her to speak clearly or you'll leav- No, wait, stay put for now." Ward's line went silent.

Now alone, seeing as Ward had just hung up their line, Fitz had no idea what to do. The flower woman surely knew it as well when she lifted her sake cup for a toast, "Join me, Harold? You need to release some of that tension. I'm harmless, really.", and that was a lie, Fitz knew it was false, but he still clinked his cup to her's and drank. The sake burned his mouth, throat, and any desire he ever had to drink it again, and Fitz coughed into his hand while Raina delicately sad the glass back down. She made not a peep over the drink. Instead she allowed him time to recover before, "Why do you want the painting, Harold? I know your former employer does but why you?"

"Why do you think I'm not with...the same company?" His spy skills needed work, Fitz came merely a second from saying SHIELD in public, and the scientist felt as though the patron at every table around them was staring at him. This had been a mistake. His logic had been sound before; Ward needed to be free to act, Raina would not expect him, and the scientist (though he had not told Ward this part) wanted to feel more useful. Perhaps the agent had already known. Now though, in the moment alone, his panic surged. A woman two tables over was definitely looking straight at him now and all Fitz could think was, 'Hydra, Hydra, Hydra' over and over. The red head looked away when he caught her staring but it did not matter. That just meant he caught her. They would probably storm the place any minute. For all he knew Ward-

Suddenly there was a small, feminine hand on top of his, and a nail dug into his hand. Raina practically clawed him back to sanity and casually, "You are still unwell. Why did he send you?"

Ward said to tell her nothing but Fitz could not stop himself, "I… I needed to."

She stared at him a moment, an 'Ah' sound on her lips as she took in something. Fitz understood then why so many people found her discomforting. It was the same sensation Coulson claimed to have around the woman when she memory-played him. Something about Raina felt comfortable, accepting, and Fitz recoiled his hand back from her as it clicked in his head. She did not seem to mind that both of his hands were now in his lap, off the table, and the red-dressed woman mimic'd the gesture. The scientist in him recognized the look she had as analytical; he was a puzzle and she was determined to solve it. He...did not want her to.

"Do...Do you or do you not have-"

She cut him off, "It is tragic what has been done to you." Stunned, Fitz tried to ask his question again but something in the way she looked at him gave pause. Her eyes were sad, "I studied a great deal of your work after Ward brought me that drive." Apparently they were past the point of cover and the sudden transition threw him. Fitz removed the glasses, rubbing at his eyes, as she swept on to some unknown conclusion, "Truly inspirational. I confess that engineering has never been my forte but the things you aspire to achieve, your vision. I had hoped to, when you were brought before Garrett, have you under my employ. That of course did not work out as-"

"I can still do those things … I'm not broken." Fitz spoke quietly, eyes down, not at her.

Raina's expression never changed, "You can not said to be whole either, no?"

He could not face the woman's praise and pronouncement - not her. Ward, surely, and possibly Mack or Jemma, but not Raina. Not the 'Flower Woman' who had a hand in the explosion that scarred Mike Peterson. The woman who turned men into unwilling centipede soldiers. The woman who had nearly caused Jemma's murder in order to simply have Skye meet her father. The woman who...who...Fitz looked up at last, eyes tight, frown set, "You...you do not have any idea where it is do you? The Obelisk? Ba...Bakshi lied. You don't have it." Her expression may not have changed in the slightest but Fitz knew he was correct. This was a waste of time. It had been a gamble in the first place but now he knew they were wrong. He went for the burner in his pocket. Ward had to know this whole thing, operation, whatever, was a bust, now.

"I may not have it but I know who does."

Fitz hit the speed-dial, hand still in his pocket, "That doesn't…if you can't tell us who…"

"Skye's father."

There was a click from the bluetooth in Fitz's ear, "She doesn't have it-"

Ward cut him off, his voice sounding a degree of anxious Fitz had not heard in ages, "Leo, I need you to listen to me. Calmly get up from your seat and leave the restaurant. Take Raina with you." A sound in the background caught the scientist's attention until he realized what it was - Grant was running. That more than anything made Fitz want to leap from his seat and full on sprint out of the restaurant and whatever situation they were in. Across from him, Raina had a look fixed on her face, calm and considering, as she waited for the verdict of what Ward said.

It was impressive that when Fitz looked at her and stated, in the closest mimicry of calm he could, "He said we have to go, now." that her expression did not change. There was not a hint of the panic he felt as she waved a hand to summon their server, apologized, and offered up a card to pay for the meal they did not have time to enjoy. They even had a short banter back and forth about how boxing it up was not worth the trouble, there would be no time to eat it, and Fitz had to restrain himself from jumping up and pulling the woman from her seat. Apparently they had an 'emergency' and Raina would return for the card later. The server was incredibly understanding. Fitz wasn't; the scientist was chewing at a nail as Raina grabbed her clutch and stood.

The redhead who worried him earlier definitely watched them leave, that sped up his pace.

Raina caught his arm as the scot pressed the elevator call...and rolled her eyes at him, "Never take the elevator. Do not trust variables out of your control." She did not pull him away so much as walked, Fitz following naturally, to the stairwell across the way.

"I...I wasn't...they never trained me for, well, this."

The woman gave him a look as he pushed open the stairwell for them.

"They never do." As they trotted down the carpeted stairwell she kept her arm wrapped around Fitz's, closely, and he wanted to push her away. As with everything else about the woman it seemed overly close, overly intimate. She whispered to him as they moved with the occasional person passing them between floors, "Most organizations like their scientists to stay out of the way. Our brains are assets too valuable to lose or risk damaging." The latter part of that statement felt loaded enough that Fitz went to pull away but Raina clung harder. Her fingers wrapped around his forearm and squeezed lightly, "Do not look away from what is true. You were damaged, now you are repairing." She had no scientific basis for that and Fitz knew it. Disgruntled, he accepted it, and let her remain close as they went down yet another floor. The further down they went the less people there were. With all the entertainment and restaurants higher up the middle floors allowed for businesses that closed at the late hour. It was more private, secluded, and opposed to making Fitz feel more comfortable it instead made him nervous. Whatever had spooked Ward could be waiting on them further down below or coming after them from above. Raina said nothing as he ducked into the alcove to the fourteenth floor.

"We...we're out of the restaurant. Where do you want to...?"

He had not heard from Grant since the restaurant. Fitz fished the phone from his pocket and checked to see if they were still connected. His heart sank to realize the connection was still live.

"Gra...Ward, I need to...are you okay? Ppp...Please reply before I-"

"Leo."

The relief must have been visible on his face. Raina looked curious as she moved in closer.

"Thank...I was worried, are you okay?"

Ward's voice came through under a barrage of static, "I'm fine. Leo, I need you to listen to me carefully." Fitz nodded, though the man was not there to see it. "Hydra is here. Just a retrieval squad but they usually run five man teams and I only got two. They must be after her. Ask Raina if she is armed." Fitz followed the order and when Raina shook her head, he informed Ward of it, "Damn...I'm going to meet you on the second floor. There is a skyway to the building next door. Make your way there." His agent paused as Fitz and Raina resumed their decent, though when the man did speak again his voice sounded strained, "Be careful. Something is not right here."

Something about hearing Ward sound worried, even if it was his safety, almost made Fitz trip down the stairs. Thankfully the bizarre woman at his side righted his balance first, "Wha...What do you mean something's not...right? None of this is right." The Scot was never going into the field again. Then again, he somehow doubted Grant would let him again. His agent had been opposed to the idea enough in the first place that additional complications would only cement it.

Raina's words about 'valuable assets' also rattled in his head uncomfortably.

It took time for Ward to answer and when he finally did, Fitz had convinced himself the man would not, "Assuming there are five, I took down two. I also found the body of one. It wasn't an ICER." A third party then. Someone not with Hydra. No ICER probably meant no SHIELD either. Then again, Fitz suspected that May did not always use the devices in field. It could be her. That would be the worst option actually. If she got to him before he got to Ward then...no, he'd die. Absolutely die. Even worse was if the Cavalry got to Ward first. Fitz pulled Raina along faster, a walking pace bordering on a sprint, and the woman kept up despite her dress and heels. Her breathing did not even seem hectic unlike Fitz whom drew each shuddering breath by thought alone after walking down way too many flights. He was practically panting when they reached the second floor he pointed at the door. Raina caught on quickly and stepped ahead of him to pull open the door and slip through, tugging him along with her without a moment to rest.

Ward wasn't there to greet them. Just an empty hallway with dark glass windowed offices and plaques by every door. Raina, having been told nothing, rounded on him as he quietly closed the door behind them, "Is this where we are meeting your friend?" Something in the way she said 'friend' made Fitz wonder, not for the first time, if the woman had bizarre psychic powers. This was neither the time nor the place to go into depths exploring that concept though.

He nodded, breathing in and out carefully, suppressing his panic, "He should be here. There is a skywalk here to the next building. We should...we...he'll meet us there." His missing agent worried him and Fitz raged inside about the janky communications. He would have killed for a SHIELD issue comm device so they could stay in contact. The breaks in and out, Ward's long silences, were racking his nerves. Having to go it alone with a woman he definitely did not trust did nothing to aid his calm. The lack of good lighting did not help his situation either. All at once Fitz paused, mid-step, as it clicked in his head that the only lights were from the glassed off offices, the overheads in the hallway off, which made no sense in a busy building like...

Raina tugged him along with their linked arms, "You are beginning to catch on." She spoke quietly, more in his ear than the air around them, as they moved. "Hydra would be watching this exit. We can only hope your friend is there and not them." It was not as reassuring as she may have hoped it to be. The overwhelming sense of dread he felt only intensified as they crossed the stretch of the floor, following signs as they appeared, expecting any moment to be set upon.

...and it all came crashing down as they turned one last corner and set foot into the skywalk.

Three things made themselves immediately apparent even in the low lighting of the windows on either side of the walkway. One, a bulky man in a black suit lay on the ground at an impossible angle. His face, angled away from Fitz and Raina, pressed heavily into a spider-webbed panel of glass. Likely, his skull had been what cracked it in the first place. Two, the red headed woman from the restaurant was there mere feet from the downed man. She still had on her smooth white dress, the dangling silver earrings, and everything that had made her stand out before in a crowded restaurant. Clearly she had taken the elevator down instead of the stairs. Something about her felt familiar but Fitz could not place it - just as he could not when he saw her earlier.

The third and most important thing, the fact that pushed Fitz's heart into his throat and set him to full-on panic mode, was Grant Ward. His agent was not standing tall and ready to save them. The man was on the ground, one of the arms Fitz had been so acquainted with earlier clutched to his chest as if in pain, only a few feet from the redhead and the pistol (Ward's gun) she trained on him. All it would take was one bullet and Fitz would lose an agent. Grant Ward, beaten to the floor, seemed impossible, and Fitz was only restrained from rushing to the man by Raina pulling him back. For the first in the short time he had come to know her, Fitz got to see the woman look worried...even if it was only a slight widening of her eyes and a bated breath.

"There should not be any reason...unless…"

In one smooth gesture the red headed woman ejected the clip from Ward's gun. She tossed them individually to the floor while advancing on the scientists before dropping the gun as well. While Raina carefully slid her way behind Fitz, her human shield, the scot made no move to protect himself. Instead he just stared at Ward whom, noticing the red-head move away, tilted his head back on the floor and made eye contact with Fitz. There was surely a message in that look be it to run, fight, or just surrender peacefully. The choice was made for the scientist when the woman took one careful step into his field of vision, blocking Ward from his view, and extended her right hand. The left, Fitz noticed distantly, she raised palm up as if to say 'empty'.

"You must be Leopold Fitz."

He nodded, perhaps dumbly, and shook her hand only after the woman stood there for a time. The handshake was entirely on her side. The scientist barely even flexed his hand.

"Natasha Romanova. Coulson asked me to ensure your safety."

Fitz felt his jaw drop as he blinked at her once, twice, his brain struggling to catch up.

Behind him, in a voice even quieter than normal, he heard Raina mutter, "My...you are an asset."

Author Note

I struggled with this chapter so.
I kept wanting to build more and more onto it.
In the end I decided to trim it down, avoid a big chase or confrontation just yet.
And yes, I did just introduce Natasha Romanova.
Stay tuned to see how big a part she may or may not play.