WARD POV

I meet everyone at the hangar. Anxious to see with my own eyes that everyone is ok.

Coulson asks me if all the other teams have checked in or have arrived. I update him and he asks me to follow him and I don't have a chance to see Skye come off the Zephyr.

Fitz is going over date and Simmons is taking over all those hurt when Giyera took over the plane.

Coulson orders men to get Malick off the plane and into an interrogation room. He turns to me and I know what he's going to ask. He wants me to do the interrogation.

"Sir, with all due respect, I think May should do the interrogating. I'm too close to that situation." I speak before he has the opportunity to ask. "I'd really like to get to Skye and her team. It's time I work on these powers. I hate feeling useless."

Coulson thinks about this and finally nods his agreement. "Fine. Talk to Skye and Lincoln. I'm sure Elena and Joey would like to help." He turns his attention back to May. "I'll do this myself. Get to the infirmary."

I turn to look at May and I'm surprised to find her bleeding. "May, are you ok?"

"I've had worse." She answers me and turns back to Coulson. "I can interrogate Mallick."

But both Coulson and I see her wince as she holds herself up.

"That was an order, Agent May." Director Coulson instructs.

May gives him a look that gives me chills and walks off. I follow, not wanting to push Coulson.

I find the four of my fellow Inhumans in the locker room. I instantly feel my body reacting to each of them. My pulse quickens, my body trembles, I feel a warmness and I can feel energy surrounding me. I take a deep breath and let my body feel the differences. It causes me pain if I try to fight the reactions.

"Hey." I greet.

Skye smiles at me and turns to Joey and Elena. "Ward here just got his powers a couple of days ago. He wasn't able to join us because he can't control his powers yet."

"Ooff. Pobre." Elena says to Joey. (Poor thing).

"Deberiamos decirle que esto es una maldicion." Joey threw his jacket in his locket. (We should tell him this is a curse).

"Maldicion?" Elena questions. (A curse?).

Joey doesn't respond but looks down at his hands.

I turn from him to Elena. "Elena, muchas gracias por tu simpatia pero estoy bien." I smile as she smiles back at me. (Elena, thank you for your sympathy but I'm fine.)

"Hablas muy bien en espanol." Elena compliments me. "Pero me puedes llamar Yo-yo." (You speak Spanish very well. You can call me Yo-yo.)

"I'm sorry. I need to get some air." Joey says as he gets up from his seat and walks out of the room. I look after him and look back to Skye.

"He's fine." She assures me but she's watching him go as if she doesn't believe her own words. "Lincoln checked out some things that he needs to check back in. Why don't you see if Yo-yo can help you for a bit and we'll be right back."

Lincoln looks like he wants to say something but holds his tongue. He grabs his bag and walks out of the room with Skye at his heels.

"Y eso?" Yo-yo watches them go. (What's that about?)

I shrug and ask her if she's willing to help me.

"Of course, but how can I help you?" She asks me in English.

I explain my power to her and she looks interested. I decide to do this in the gym and she follows me.

When we arrive, we sit on the mats and I ask her how her power works.

She explains that everything in a room slows down and she just runs. I try not to roll my eyes at that because it's really not explaining anything. I ask her more specific questions and she answers them as best she can. We talk for about an hour before she tells me that she's going to try to show me.

"Cierra tus ojos y relajate." (Close your eyes and relax).

I take a deep breath and do what she instructs me to do.

After a couple of minutes, she finally spoke again. "Siente el espacio entre los latidos de tu corazon. Los sientes?" Her voice was calm and strong all at the same time. (Feel the space between your heartbeats. Can you feel it?)

I focused on my heart beats and continued my breathing. It took me a couple of minutes before I understood what she meant and when I finally did, it pulled me in. I could feel the beat of my heart but the once quick beat that followed was now empty. There was a space and for a minute, I thought my heart wouldn't beat again. It was like life had stood sill and I felt the air around me get colder.

I opened my eyes, focusing on my heart beat still. Yo-yo was smiling at me.

"It will become easier as you practice." She stands and pulls me up. "Now, do it again but this time run."

I matched her smile and continued to focus on my heartbeat. It was back. I could feel the lapses between them now. It was so clear. It felt like I'd been feeling them all my life.

I took a short breath and ran. Everything around me seemed to slow down. People in the hall were moving like slugs. I noticed all the details in their clothing.

An agent was standing at the end of the hall holding a tablet. I ran to him and grabbed the tablet just as my next heartbeat was starting. Instantly, I was back in the room with Yo-yo.

She laughed at the tablet in my hands. "You might want to give that back."

I did and was back in a flash.

We practiced a little longer and talked. Yo-yo, I learned, loved her powers. She saw them as gifts from God and wanted to use them to do good in the world.

It wasn't long before Joey found us. He asked what we were doing and I explained to him about my powers. He looked impressed.

He walked over to a table in the corner and said, "Melt it."

"You have to tell me how your powers work before I can do it." I explained.

He smiled. "Ward, you will not always have that. What if you're facing an opponent with powers? How will you defend yourself? Will you ask them for lessons too?" Joey was baiting me.

"Porque eres asi? Seguro que tu mama te quizo como bebe?" Yo-yo laughed. (Why are you like this? Are you sure your mother loved you as a child?)

He had a point. I closed my eyes and concentrated.

I could feel power coming form Yo-yo and the calmness that came from her powers. I pushed that aside and felt around the room. It didn't take me long to feel the warmness coming from Joey. It was like I could feel heat coming from him. I concentrated on that heat and all of a sudden, I could feel things in the room. I could feel the coldness in items in the room. They felt foreign to me. The table in the corner by Joey, was another story. I could feel the shape of it. Its temperature hummed at me.

That same warmness filled my body now. I found I could change the temperature in the object. I moved toward the table and raised my hand, focused on raising the temperature of it and just like that, the table melted on the side.

Joey looked shocked that I'd actually done it. He looked from the table to me and back at the table. "You are a quick learner. Daisy told me about you." Joey shook his head. "Do you know how long it took me to learn to control my powers? Or how long it took for me to actually learned how to use them?

Yo-yo laughed with Joey. "Very impressive."

"Ward, I'm sorry. I know you want to practice but do you think I can talk to Elena for a minute?" Joey's demeaner had changed and I couldn't understand the quickness of it.

"Yea. Thank you both." I exited the room feeling a little smug. I'd just learned how to use two different powers in under an hour.

I head off, looking for Coulson to tell them about the leap I've made.

I stop an agent and ask him where Coulson is. Surprise, surprise, he's in his office.

I walk in to Simons saying, "Lucio's body had some abnormal readings. Maybe we can start there?"

Fitz, Simmons, Mack and Coulson all stop what they are doing and turn to me. There are images of Lucio and other bodies on the big screen.

This is serious. By their body language, I can see I'm not welcomed to the party. "What's going on? I ask as I close the door behind me and look to each of them.

Fitz continues, "It could help us confirm whether Malick's full of it."

Mack and Simmons turn back to Coulson but they look a little weary, like I shouldn't be here.

Thankfully, Coulson continues, "Get me proof. If this is real, any one of them could have been turned or all of them. I need a test," he tells Fitzsimmons and turns to me, "and then a cure.

"That's a hell of a gamble." Mack stands.

"It's our best shot. We keep everyone contained to the base. If anyone's infected, they came for a reason. We monitor them, let them show their hand."

Were they talking about Skye's team?

"They saved our lives and now we can't trust the lot of them." Fitz expression said how powerless he felt.

"What is going on?" I demand.

Mack sat back down.

"We believe the creature, Hive, has the power to mind control Inhumans. Anyone of them could be infected. They were in his base."

I am at a loss for words. Mind control. "Like Lorelei?"

"Stronger, I think. Malick said Hive becomes a part of them." Coulson answers, looking away. We never spoke about that. It came up with my therapy sessions with Andrew but I'd never mentioned it to Coulson.

I pushed the thoughts of Lorelei and what she made me do when I was under her control, out of my head and focus on what's going on now.

"I need you to go to your room and do not come out until everything is under control." Coulson tells me and just then, the door opens.

"S-sorry." It's Skye. "I came when I saw the base was on lockdown. What's up?" She looks around at us in the room and she looks suspiciously at us.

"It's a security precaution while Malick's in custody." Coulson explains, stepping closer to her.

"Right." Skye looks like she understands and she's back to normal. "Did we get any info on Zombie-Roberts?"

"Not yet but I'm confident we will." Coulson answers.

"Good. If we get any intel let me know. I'd like my team to get another shot at him. Um but you should know, Joey crossed off Lucio. I'm not sure he was ready for that already—to be back in the field after it."

It surprised me that I was feeling the vibrations in the room almost as if Skye was instructing me on what to look for. I could feel her right next to me and the vibrations of her body, as well as everything in this room—in this building.

"I'll check in on him." Coulson said.

I had to get Skye out of here. The longer she stayed in the room. The longer she had to start asking questions. She'd ask why the team was in here without her and Lincoln.

Without closing my eyes, I focused on the vibrations under our feet and let my bod hum to them. It was like I was singing or playing an instrument. I pushed the vibration to quicken around us but didn't push it too hard. I didn't want to bring this base crashing down.

Everyone, instantly grabbed for something.

I looked down at my hands in horror.

"Ward, go to your room. Now." Coulson demanded. "Make sure you stay in there and away from the other Inhumans." He turned to Skye. "Make sure he makes it to his room. See if you can counteract what he's doing."

Skye nodded and followed me out the room. I hurry down the hall and try to make it look like I'm trying to make the shaking stop.

"I'm sorry. I wish I could help. Maybe—"

"It's ok. I'll talk to Lincoln later." I dismiss Skye. It's killing me that I can't talk to her honestly. Was she infected? Was she under this creature Hive's control? Would I be able to tell?

"Grant, please. Stop. I want to help. I—"

I quickened the vibrations under our feet and step away from Skye. "Do you think I want you to see me like this? I can't control these damn powers. The team needed me and I couldn't help! You had to go in by yourself."

Skye's face fills with sympathy. "I wasn't alone. My team did great. And you will help in the future. You will get control over your powers, I promise. We can—"

"We can what, Skye. I can't be around anyone with powers because my body goes insane. All I want is to be around you." I stop myself. I'm working myself up for no reason. I was trying to take her attention away from what was going on in Coulson's office and that is now done. So, why am I still talking? "I know you're with Lincoln. He's not a bad guy. Look, I'm just going to go to my room now. I'll see you later."

Without another word, I leave her in the hall and finish the walk to my room on my own.

I hate keeping Skye out of the loop. I'd promised not to lie to her. All that time undercover didn't help matters and now that she's talking to me again, I'm doing it again.

The room's door closes behind me and I feel defeated once more. I sit and wait for a report from Coulson.

I try to pass the time by reading but it's not working well, especially when the room shakes and I hear what I know is a bomb from up above.

I immediately go to the door and tap to open it but it stays closed. I hit the door and then an Agent appears in the keypad.

"I'm sorry, sir. Director's orders. You are to stay in the room."

My hands ball into fists and my jaw clenches. "That was an explosion. What are you standing around here for? Go help. I'll stay in the damn room."

The keypad cuts off and I hear movement outside my door. I try to work the keypad but I have no idea what I'm doing. I can't take it off the door because it'll trigger an alarm and distract the team.

How many times is this? How many times have I been useless to my team? Who knows what's going? If the Inhumans found out they were infected, there's no way of knowing how they'd react. What if more than one was infected? One alone was dangerous but two.

I paced the room for how long, I don't know. I have a million questions burning through me and absolutely no answers for any of them.

I hope the team can come up with answers and help Skye, Lincoln, Joey and Elena. My thoughts turn to the infected and what that means.

I've lost all track of time so when Coulson's voice suddenly comes up in my room, it takes me by surprised. "Ward. We need you to stay in your room for a while longer. We have Lincoln. He killed Malick." Coulson hesitates. "They're all in quarantine until Simmons can find a test and a cure. We don't know how it works so it's been decided you'll all stay in your rooms. I'm sorry."

I shake my head. He doesn't need to apologize. It was Lincoln. "Sir, was anybody else hurt? I heard an explosion."

"That was him covering up how Malick died. I'll have some books and food delivered to you soon. We'll talk to Lincoln and see if he'll tell us anything. Get some sleep."

True to his word, about half an hour later, two agents came into my room. One of them held a box full of books and some playing cards and the other held a tray of food. They set everything down on the small table and left.

I stayed in my bed. I wasn't hungry or in the mood to read.

Later, as I was falling asleep, I was surprised to see my doors open. Skye walked into my room.

"Skye, what's wrong? What are you doing in here? You're supposed to be in your room?" I scanned her body, making sure she wasn't hurt.

"Ward, come with me." Skye gives me a small smile and offers her hand for me to take it.

I'm confused. Go with her where? "Skye, what are you talking about?"

"We don't have much time. I just need you to take my hand and come with me." She was begging me with her eyes.

I felt a chill run up my spine. She was infected. "Come with you where?"

She takes a deep breath and smiled again. "Home."

"Home? Skye, we are home." I get off the bed and step closer to her. "Are all of you under his control?"

She looks offended. "It's not control, it's a bond. I want you to share that bond with me, Ward. Hive—he's what's been missing from our life. You and I, we've always been different. There was something that set us apart. We've been missing something. He is that something." She searches my eyes to see if she's convinced me.

"Skye, we found that here, with SHIELD. I found it in this team. I found it in you. Hive is not what's missing. It's the same as Lorelei. Remember her? I betrayed the team for her, Skye." She's stepping back from me. "Skye,"

"No." She shakes her head. She's got tears on her eyes and I can see I've made her mad. "That was different. That woman—she abused you. She—you'll see. He's different, Ward. He just wants to bond with you. We are a part of him. He won't hurt us."

"I'm not going anywhere. And neither are you." I use the vibrations in the room to slam her against the wall.

But because I was so worried of truly injuring her, I didn't use enough power to knock her out so now she's pissed. She aims her hands back and me I try to block her power but she's stronger. She surprises me by dropping her hands and rushing at me.

I only just catch her and she knees me in the gut and swings at my face. I only just get out of her way. This isn't like in the gym when we're training. This fight is very real. I don't pull any punches. I battle with her like I do with May. It's hard to see Skye's face while I fight her but I know it's needed. I can't let her go and because of Hive's mind control, she would probably kill me.

We're evenly matched now. All her hours in the gym and training with May have made her one strong opponent.

I'm able to get her on the ground. She rolls away from me and when she's facing me, I'm surprised to find an icer in her hand.

"You could have been a part of us." She says before she shoots.

I feel it hit me and then I feel nothing.

When I wake up, I'm in the medical bay. Simmons is administering fluids to me. She gives me a sad smile when she sees I'm awake.

"Hey there. I was wondering when you were going to wake up. How are you feeling?" She looks upset but trying to hide it.

"What did she do? How bad is it?" I ask. I block all emotion from showing.

"She shut down our base. Lincoln is working on electrical. The hanger doors are broken so we can't leave and there were some injuries from the quake she formed. No deaths." Simmons turns away. "Your injuries are minor but you were iced four times and need some medications to be fully recovered. Stay in bed until these bags are drained." She points to the medical bags handing over my bed. "I'm serious, Ward."

"Can I speak to Coulson or May?"

"I'll get them for you. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go run some tests on Joey, Lincoln and Yo-yo." Simmons leaves.

I glance around and notice all the rubble on the floor for the first time. There's glass on the floor, probably from something falling over. I look up at the ceiling and notice all the cracks.

It's May, not Coulson that comes to see me.

"May, what's the plan? Are we going after Skye?" I sit up.

"Not at the moment. She made sure we couldn't follow. We have agents all over the base working on what's broken. It'll be a couple of hours before we can even be in the air. Right now, Coulson wants to make sure the rest of Daisy's team isn't infected. We'll move them until we can find a cure." May takes a chance to look over me as she talks.

"I'm fine. No broken bones?" I assure her. "I want in. I don't care what it is. Once Coulson is ready to go, I want in."

She gives me one nod. "I'll tell the Director."

It's more than a couple hours. It's over half the day before I'm done with all the medications. Lincoln has all electricity back up and the Inhumans are off to another base. Neither Joey or Elena are infected.

I make myself useful and help where I can. Coulson and the team aren't set to leave for another couple of hours so I have time to kill.

When it's time to go, I grab my gear and meet everyone in the Zephyr. Coulson decides to split the team. Fitzsimmons are going with Mack to find a scientist by the name of Radcliffe. He might have the answers to a cure.

We're going to Alicia, another Inhuman who's been in a safe house under Coulson's guard. She has the power to multiply herself but Andrew or Lash rather, killed one of her copies. She's been recuperating according to Coulson.

When we're told agents are going to get Alicia, Lincoln gets upset. He feels he should be the one to get Alicia because they know each other.

Coulson thinks that Skye could have told Hive where Alicia was or they might be going there. So, Coulson doesn't want either of us in the field.

"So, why let us come?" I ask, irritated with Coulson.

"Hive can show up and sway you both?" Coulson reasons.

"Alicia trusts me. We've known each other for a very long time. She would take it better from me. If you have agents surround her like they did to us on base, it will be a repeat of what happened there. I am the best choice for this." Lincoln argues.

May, I noticed, is silent.

"If you go, you wear this." Coulson pulls up a vest.

He explains what it is. The vest is lined up with explosives.

I can't help my reaction. Coulson wants Lincoln to wear this?!

"You want me to wear a suicide vest?" Lincoln can't believe it either.

"Suicide implies you have the control." Coulson clarifies to my horror.

"So, it's a murder vest?" Lincoln grabs the vest from Coulson.

"Nobody is going to make you do something you're not willing to do. If you want in the field, this is the way you do it." Coulson argues.

"Get me one too." If Coulson is going through with this insane idea, I'm going to do what I can to keep everyone safe.

"You aren't going." Coulson looks like he's about to lose it. "You haven't been cleared. Your powers aren't stable or controlled."

"Do you see me electrocuting anyone?" I try to calm my voice and not show the anger I'm feeling. "I finally figured out how to maneuver my powers. You gave Lincoln the power to clear me." I turn my back on Coulson and face Lincoln, "You want to clear me?"

Lincoln meets my eyes and an understanding passes through us. "You're ready?" He asks.

I just nod.

"He's cleared." Lincoln walks off, still holding the vest.

"Just like that?" May calls after him.

"I'm ready." I assure May. I can still feel Lincoln's power in my body. I can feel all the energy from electrons in my body. I use that to bring the energy through my hands. Electricity crackles through my fingers.

Both Coulson and May watch as I manipulate the power and stare after Lincoln. He's out of the room but his power has lingered in my body.

"How long can you hold it once one of them is out of distance?" May asks still looking at my hand.

I shrug. "I haven't tested that part yet." I turn to Coulson. "He needs backup. I can do that. I don't know all that happened back at the base but I gather it didn't go well. Lincoln has a better chance of bringing Alicia in safely. I'll put the murder vest on too."

That last sentence brings Coulson's look back to my face.

I know why he's doing it. Skye is like a daughter to him. There's nothing he wouldn't do to keep her safe and I understand that.

Lincoln and I both get ready and get in a vehicle with May and Coulson.

We make our way to Alicia's building while Coulson and May stay behind to chat. I believe May is pissed off at Coulson but doesn't want witnesses when she gives him a verbal lashing.

I let Lincoln lead the way and he tells me to stay behind as he approaches the elevator. It's our luck as Alicia is coming into the parking structure.

She's surprised to see Lincoln there. He asks her if she's seen Skye and while they talk, I stay in my corner.

I must have not been paying attention to their conversation, because Lincoln suddenly calls my name and ducks behind a vehicle.

He calls for May as back up and I emerge from my corner. I focus on the energy around me and instantly feel Alicia in my surroundings. Now that my body isn't fighting everyone's external energy, it's easier to tap into their powers.

I can feel the cells in my body duplicate and divide and draw from that. Even though I can feel the power, it still takes me by surprise when another me emerges from behind.

"Holy shit." I say shocked and the other me smiles and goes toward one of the Alicia's.

May gets here surprisingly fast. She must have already been on her way.

I'm surprised that Alicia can hold her own when it comes to fighting but she's still no match for me and I have her down in minutes.

Lincoln is fighting another one and out of nowhere, another Alicia attacks me.

As I'm fighting Alicia, I see Lincoln holding another one. He's fully powered up, threatening to kill her. Another is holding a gun toward him.

"Where is Daisy?" He yells. "I just want—I need her back! Tell me!"

Even from here, I can see the rage in Lincoln. He's barely controlling his powers.

I can't do much but fight the Alicia I'm with. I change tactics and draw from Lincolns powers instead. Instantly, the other me merges with me again and I fill with electricity.

I use the power to throw Alicia against a wall and a shot rings in the air. I turn to see the Alicia that Lincoln is holding, fall to the ground with a bullet wound to the head.

The Alicia holding the gun aims the gun at May when another shot rings out and she falls to the floor. I look to see Coulson in the corner.

I turn to the one I just threw against the wall. She gives me an angry look and disappears. She must have gone to the real Alicia.

Lincoln is holding the dead Alicia in his arms, saying something I can't make out.

Coulson calls in agents and has the bodies take in as we board back on the Zephyr. Lincoln and I are quick to take off the vests.

Before we land back at base we meet with May and Coulson.

Lincoln can't come to terms with why Alicia shot one of her duplicates. He explains that she feels their pain.

"Hive made her do it." Lincoln realizes it. "His sway is that strong."

Nobody says anything for a minute.

"I'm pulling both of you from the field." Coulson surprises me by saying.

"What?!" Both Lincoln and I move forward.

"Hive's power goes deeper than what we knew. Alicia killed herself for this thing. It's not safe. I can't lose any more of you to that thing." Coulson explains.

"The danger was always there." Lincoln reminds him. "What's different?"

"Knowing how far someone will go for It." Coulson doesn't back down. "This thing goes deeper than we knew. I'm not putting you in the field again. When we get Daisy back, I think she'll appreciate that I kept you out of his way."

Lincoln stalks off.

I turn back to Coulson. "I just came back on the field."

"And now you can step back down."

I shake my head, looking away from him. I'm not going to get anywhere by talking to him when I'm angry. "I'll be in my room."