Awakening the Heart
Spoilers: All of Season 1 and 2 (up to the mid-season finale)
Disclaimer: I own nothing really...
The sound of Skye laughing made Ward smile as he looked up from making his lunch, fully expecting to see his girlfriend laughing at something on her tablet as she walked in about to beg for something extremely unhealthy to eat. However he found Skye walking in with Lincoln, laughing as they talked and spoke in whispers. He watched as they sat at the table and bent over Skye's tablet, sharing whispers as they spoke.
Setting his jaw he decided to ignore the two, knowing that assuming things with Skye was one way to make her rage-filled in less than a second. Deciding to get her attention he did the only thing he knew would. "Are you hungry?"
She looked up at him and shook her head, "no but thanks."
"You sure? I have the stuff out for grilled cheese and tomato." He motioned slightly with his hand and she shook her head.
"Nope, thanks though." Instantly she turned back to the Inhuman beside her and spoke. "I was thinking about this."
The fact that Skye had turned down something she usually begged him to make for her meant she was absorbed in something else entirely. Putting the food up, he grabbed his plate and headed out of the kitchen without a single word to Skye.
"You know on second thought." She turned to look at him as he made it to the doorway. "Grilled cheese and tomato sounds great."
Setting his jaw he calmed himself before speaking. "I already put the food up, you'll have to fix it yourself." With that he walked off, not bothering to see her expression or hear her comment.
During the middle of a basketball game with Hunter, Fitz and Mack, with Bobbi refereeing from the sidelines as she held her two month old son, the cargo bay's door opened and the quinjet flew in. It meant their ballgame had to end and they had to help May and Coulson, both of whom had been on an intel gathering mission.
"Rematch tomorrow!" Hunter pointed at Ward and the man shook his head. "You cheated mate, the fact that you and Mack are on the same team and taller than both of us just gives you an unfair advantage."
"Unbelievable!" Mack shook his head and crossed his arms. "You're challenging someone based on height, full discrimination is that that is and all in front of your son. The boy is going to have some serious social issues if you don't stop being Mr. Macho in front of him."
"Hate to break up the lecture but," Coulson walked down the ramp and nodded to the inside. "Two captures, so Ward and Hunter…"
Both moved over and each took a man as May stood them up, both defiantly silent and head held high as the bags were removed from their heads. "Haven't said a word."
"I expect they listened to every word you said." Ward looked at both me. "Good HYDRA soldiers, doing what you can to get information even in enemy hands. However, I assure you that when you leave, if you even do, you won't be loyal to HYDRA anymore."
"Vault D and B." Coulson spoke as he looked at his tablet.
Hunter and Ward tightened their grip on the men they held and walked them out of the cargo bay and towards their new homes in the Vaults. Skye and Lincoln walked past them and both paused to see the men being taken away. Just as soon as they saw her, they paused in their steps and stared at Skye as if she was some miracle taking place.
"Captures I assume?"
Hunter nodded, "whom we're going to have some fun with." He punched the guy he held in the side. "Eyes on the ground, she isn't some bloody spectacle to look at. You stare anymore and I guarantee you that he'll slit your throat before you can talk so take my warning."
Both men continued to stare even as they were walked down the hall, their heads turning over their shoulders. It was if they couldn't look away from her. Ward and Hunter were forced to hold their heads in place to prevent the men from looking down the hall at Skye.
"Well that was weird." Skye shook her head and continued on. "So I think that…" The conversation with Lincoln continued down the hall in the opposite direction of the men and prisoners.
Two days of silence from the prisoners, not responding to anything given to them from bribes of better treatment to the physical torture that May seemed to be able to inflict with very little effort. Ward was told to stay far from them, he contained his urge to harm by a thin thread at times so everyone deemed it better he stay away.
During the entire time Ward seemed to be silent and on edge but no one could figure out why. Skye tried to talk to him but he politely requested time to himself and she left him alone. Maya even attempted but was physically pushed out of his bunk much to the surprise of everyone. Coulson had basically grounded the two specialists, stating that until both were functioning normally they wouldn't be going into the field. Basically it meant that until Ward had his attitude back to normal and could properly communicate with society, he was stuck. It was a far cry from nearly two years before when they accepted missions in exchange for pay, shelter and food without attachments. Yet since Skye had woken up, they'd become a part of SHIELD, a part of the team that was family.
Of course, it didn't take long for everyone to realize what the hell was going on with the specialist and most would see it as a step forwards despite its hilarity. No one expected to find out that what had Grant Ward on edge was jealously, much less that he was capable of it given his closed off personality.
Skye stood in the hallway outside her quarters talking with Lincoln, he'd become a good friend in the short time and despite his attempts at making a move on her, Skye had shut him down politely citing she was with someone. He'd only smiled and tried to guess who it was before the game turned into an even playing field with Skye telling him all about Simmons. The man seemed awestruck with the scientist.
"Thanks, that training session was great." Skye smirked, "we make a good team."
"That we do." Lincoln smiled and patted her arm. "Sleep well Skye."
He left and Skye when into her room, shutting the door behind her and started getting things ready to take a hot shower after an hour long training session centered on her abilities. Hands were on her before she realized it and her back met the bathroom door with Ward looking down at her, his hands possessively holding her in place. It had to be the first time she could ever recall him not being gentle with her, even when he was HYDRA.
"Grant, what…" she was cut off by him crashing his lips to hers.
He deepened the kiss and picked her up, moving across the room to the bed. Skye pulled away as she hit the mattress, him leaning over her with a hungry look in his eyes. "You're mine." He said it sternly, meaning it without budging and it sounded like he was making a claim.
"No, you don't own me." She made it clear in her statement but when his mouth hit her throat, his beard tickling her skin she groaned and allowed her head to fall back. "Wait, Neutralizer…"
"Doesn't matter!" He crawled over her and grabbed the hem of her shirt, pulling it up.
Bobbi sat at the kitchen table with Charlie in her arms asleep, Hunter making sandwiches for the both of them and Lincoln talking to May about the recent ability exercises he'd been undergoing with Skye. Slight tremors shook the ground and everyone seemed to pause, Hunter putting his hands out as if he could magically make them stop. Coulson appeared in the doorway with Simmons as the tremors grew in strength, bordering on a small earthquake.
"Where's Skye?"
Lincoln stood as did May and Bobbi, the assassin holding her son close in her arms. "I left her at her room, we'd just finished training."
"Don't go down Hall D." Mack entered the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of tequila from a high shelf along with a shot glass. "Trust me, you will regret it with your life and then probably after." He downed the shot and took another. "Seems like we solved the biggest problem to date."
Maya groaned as she entered the kitchen and grabbed the bottle from Mack. "I thought I could handle anything. Murdering, massacres, even HYDRA creeps checking me out but I swear all of that is normal compared to what I just heard."
"You heard it too?" Mack looked at her, "I'm getting drunk tonight."
"I'll join you." She shivered slightly dramatically, "sounds like two animals going at it and the earthquake just confirms it."
"Bloody hell!" Hunter's mouth dropped open. "You mean they're…" he pointed at the wall that was one of many before getting to Hall D."
"Yep!" Maya nodded and shrugged, "I guess he's over his jealously because they sure aren't fighting. I know what their fighting sounds like and it isn't that."
Coulson put up his hands, "everyone stop talking in code, what exactly are you all talking about."
May rolled her eyes and walked past him, "Ward and Skye are having sex."
"I DON'T NEED TO KNOW THAT!" He practically screeched and looked horrified. "I mean it's bad enough Hunter and Bobbi have defiled every vehicle but Lola, which is a saving grace. I don't need to know that Ward and Skye are about to do the same thing!"
Hunter put up a hand, "just in our defense, the vehicles are soundproofed unlike the bunks and she's a screamer."
"Hunter shut up!" It came from mostly everyone, Bobbi's included a glare that would have him dead if her glares could kill.
Mack raised his hand, "I say we all get drunk and forget about it!"
Various agreements could be heard but May excused herself, stating she had to attempt another interrogation. She invited Bobbi, the assassin taking time only to put her son in the crib that was in the lab, where Fitz was working.
"So Ward was jealous?" Bobbi asked as they neared Vault D.
"It wasn't hard to figure out." May stated bluntly. "Skye has been working with Lincoln for the last few weeks to master her abilities. Ward is used to her constant attention and like any man, when the woman they're dating is in the company of another man…"
Bobbi nodded, "the jealous green giant comes out. It's more the other way around with Hunter and I but I understand. He doesn't call me a demonic hell beast for nothing."
Skye found herself laying on her floor surrounded by her comforter and Ward beside her, equally trying to catch his breath. Turning over she looked down at him as she allowed herself to rest against his chest. She felt his hand glide through her damp hair and down her sweat layered back.
"Okay so next time Neutralizer because I felt the earthquake and I know you did to." She rested her chin on her arms and smiled. "Other than that, I think the fact we created our own earthquake was pretty awesome. I understand why they call you a specialist now because the things you do with your hands…" she shook her head as she watched him take in her bunk. The wreck they'd caused by getting to know one another on almost every flat surface.
After some silence he spoke, "I'm sorry if I hurt you."
"Hurt me?" Skye snorted, "babe, there is a whole new reason I'm going to call you Turbo now."
He pushed her back slightly and leaned over her, gently kissing her head. "I was out of control, I let my jealousy build till it erupted and I was forceful with you. I swore I'd never hurt you…"
Placing a hand on his cheek she shook her head. "Grant you didn't hurt me, you were forceful but I promise you it made it a bit more fun. You should have told me you were jealous." Her eyes narrowed. "Wait, why were you jealous?"
"You've been spending most of your time in Vault A with Lincoln and despite knowing nothing was going on…" he sighed and took her hand, kissing her palm. "I'm sorry."
She started laughing and shook her head, pushing him back till he sat up and she wrapped her arms around his neck. "You have nothing to be sorry about. I should have made time for you but learning about my abilities became so cool that I forgot about a lot of things. I shouldn't have forgotten about you so I'm sorry." Running one hand down his chest till it rested over his heart she smiled. "But you have nothing to worry about. I'm yours and you're mine and Lincoln is infatuated with Simmons, most of the time when we aren't training or talking about training he's asking me about her."
"He's infatuated with Simmons?" Ward looked skeptical, "how is she taking it?"
"Blushing, asking me about him and making comments like 'and much more charming' or 'he is perfectly symmetrical, I wonder how far the symmetry goes' and trust me," she waved a hand in the air. "That's not the worst of it so needless to say, she likes him."
That got a smirk from the specialist, he leaned in and kissed her. "Let them come together, don't go playing matchmaker." Brushing her growing bangs back, Ward cupped her cheek gently. "Better they be themselves than let masks and history pave their way."
"Speaking from experience?"
The nod was soft, barely discernible if she'd hadn't been looking at him. "The difference between then and now is that I let myself get to know the real Skye, not the one I thought you were. I was infatuated with a stubborn girl but I fell in love with a lethal woman."
"Same here, except opposite sex." She chuckled and leaned back till he guided her to the comforter. "I'm thinking that shower I was going to take earlier sounds wonderful right now."
"I'll join you." Ward stood and gently picked her up, carrying her to the bathroom despite her protests.
Coulson sat in his office and watched the monitors that held footage from the Vaults. The door opened and he found May, in her hands was a bottle of bourbon and a tablet. She put the bourbon on his desk and sat down across from him, removing pens from one cup and poured before pushing it to him.
"You're going to want that when I get done telling you what I just found out."
"Don't tell me Ward is actually a traitor."
She shook her head, "yes but not the Ward we know. HYDRA got ahold of Thomas Ward, Ward's younger brother and guess what," she put the tablet on his desk and Coulson picked it up.
He looked between the tablet and her several times. "You're sure?"
"Simmons even tested his DNA," she pushed the mug of bourbon forwards. "Thomas Ward, currently brainwashed by HYDRA to cooperate, is sitting in Vault D. He has no idea his brother is alive, believes both are dead because that's what he has been told and despite showing him Ward's picture he believes we're lying and trying to convert him to our side. His words not mine."
Coulson grabbed the mug and took a drink, "I assume Simmons is starting the process?"
"She's prepping and will start in the morning. I figure I'll let Ward be blissfully unaware till morning, technically he's earned it despite the manner he went about everything."
"I don't want to discuss it." With that Coulson downed the rest of the alcohol. "I don't want to know anything, just tell them to be discreet and use the damn Neutralizer next time!"
A/N: Okay so THAT happened! Thomas Ward showing up as HYDRA and apparently everyone on base is now scarred by what Skye and Ward did. However the upside is that Ward isn't jealous anymore but given what's coming he maybe a little edgy.
Next...Stay tuned if you want to know.
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