Chapter 21: Homes Not A Place
Grant's POV- Whereabouts: "Gramsy's House."
Notes- This is unbeta-ed any mistakes are my own. Feel free to point them out and I'll fix them ASAP. Blah Blah Blah you know this by now.
Here's a nice long chapter for you guys. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. This is probably the longest chapter yet. The next chapter is the one everyone's been waiting for. You'll find out all about the 0-8-4! Your questions will be answers and even more will be raised. I know I'm a horrible person lol. We're taking a walk down memory lane so be prepares it's not all daisy chains and jam sandwiches, its going so be…um I don't even know how to describe it. Mm I think that's bad.
He stood rooted to the spot, Skye still outstretched like an aeroplane in his arms.
"Ah! Grant!?" Tommy exclaimed, bouncing off his back and slipping on the wet grass.
Tommy's shout brought him back to reality. Grant scanned the area, he couldn't see a shooter, but that didn't mean anything. He quickly shifted Skye, clutching her protectively against his chest in the hopes of keeping her from harm. He grabbed Tommy, by his soaked t-shirt to steady him.
He quickly pulled Tommy low, dragging him over to the steps were his phone was. He could hear voices coming from the front of the house. Grabbing his phone, he shoved it and Skye into Tommy's arms. "Go to the shed. Don't come out unless I tell you to. Understand?" He asked quickly, scanning the side of the house again making sure no one snuck up on them. The voices were getting louder and there was more than one by his count. He could distinguish at last four people's voices. If he had to guess, he'd say a team of six, maybe more.
"W-what? What's happening? Grant! What's going on? Why do we need to go to the shed?" Tommy asked alarmed, pocketing the phone and shifting Skye to his hip.
"Because…I think HYDRA found us." He said, trying to shove his brother and Skye towards the shed.
Skye whimpered hearing HYDRA mentioned and clutched Tommy's soaking wet shirt tightly in her fist. "Call Coulson and he'll send back up. Don't come out unless I tell you. Thomas please, I need you to keep Skye safe." He pleaded, letting his agent mode slip for a moment so he could get through to his brother.
Thomas' POV
He didn't understand exactly what was going on, but his brother was pleading with him so he didn't ask any more questions. He just nodded and ran with Skye towards the garden shed.
He hurriedly shut the door behind them, trying not to slam the door in his haste. He pulled out the phone, looking through Grant's contacts. He dialled Coulson's number; the boss man picked up on the second ring.
"I was just about to ring you with an update Ward." Coulson greeted him.
Thomas swallowed. "Um…it's not Grant." He whispered into the phone.
"With whom am I speaking to then?" Coulson asked, sounding uneasy.
"Sorry. It is Ward, just not that one. It's Thomas Ward. I probably should have started with that. Grant just shoved me and Skye into the garden shed because HYDRA is here so I'm kinda a little scattered. It's not every day your big brother shoves his baby rookie and a mobile phone into your hands and tells you to hide in a garden shed because crazy spies are after them!" He ranted, trying to not shout in his panic as he explained the situation to his brother's spy boss.
"Whoa Thomas, calm down. So Skye is with you and safe? How did that happen? Where's Agent Ward now?"Coulson asked rapidly firing off his own questions, trying to gather all the information.
He cleared his throat. "Yes, Skye is with me and we're both as safe as we can be at the moment." He said, giving Skye a reassuring squeeze. "I dunno about my brother. I think he was heading for the house. We were outside when Grant heard something and stopped suddenly. He grabbed me, handed me Skye and this phone and told me to stay in the shed until he comes back for us. Grant said to call you and you'll send him back up. HYDRA was around the front of the house from the direction Grant took off in." He said calmly, explaining the situation is a hushed voice.
"Thomas, we're heading to your location now. Our ETA is 20 minutes. Don't move from your location with Skye under any circumstances, unless your brother says. Do I make myself clear?" Coulson ordered him.
"Yes. I'll keep Skye safe, I promised Grant. Just hurry, I don't know how many there are." He said anxiously, worried about his brother's safety.
Grant might be trained for this sort of thing, but he wasn't invincible. Coulson assured him they were making top speed and would be there ASAP to assist before he hanging up.
● - - ҉ - -S∞W- -○- - ●
He and Skye had been sitting behind Gramsy work bench for the last fifteen minute. Skye whimpered at each crash or bang. He thought he heard something explode at one point. Another gun shot, another whimper from Skye. Tears were just streaming down her little cheeks.
"It's ok Skye, Grant will be back soon. I'm sure of it." He assured her, feeling like an ass for even saying it. The words felt hollow and empty.
"Bad men are making things go bang. There's only one Grant." Skye said frighten, bottom lip quivering.
He was cut of reassuring her again when there was a much louder noise that made Skye cover her ears and clutch his still saturated t-shirt tighter. Skye buried her face in his chest, trying to drawn the sound out.
Grant's POV
He was in desperate need of some back up right about now. He'd had to raid his stash, hidden under the stairs but he was down to his last three bullets. He fired one more shot, hitting his target squarely in the chest. He quickly ducked behind Gramsy's arm chair as bullets rained down on his location.
May and Coulson bursting in though the backdoor, causing him to spin around and point his gun at them. Coulson ICED two HYDRA Agents then ducked behind the couch. May took out a third guy. She left them to deal with the last guy so she could check there weren't any more surprises upstairs.
Still crouched behind the armchair, he called over to Coulson. "Glad you guys showed up. I had to raid my stash." He told his boss.
"A little birdy told us you needed a hand." Coulson said, shooting the last remaining intruder as May come down the stairs giving the all clear.
He breathed a sigh of relief and slumped back against the remains of Gramsy's armchair. "Gramsy's gunna be pissed. This is her favourite chair. She's never going to leave me at home alone with the kids again." He groaned, running a hand through his dishevelled hair. Coulson chuckled and May smirked.
He jumped up, panic flooding him. "Skye and Tommy! There still safe in the shed, right?" He asked them. He didn't wait for their answer and ran out of the room to make sure, leaving Coulson and May to follow.
Grant flung open the shed door, quickly having to duck as has brother swung a garden shovel at him.
"GRANT?!" Tommy exclaimed, lowering his impromptu weapon.
He was relieved to see his brother was fine but he needed to see Skye just to make sure she was really fine. Looking around he couldn't see her anywhere and panic was rising in his chest. Suddenly she peeked around Gramsy's work bench. Seeing it was him she launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his waist.
"I'm ok, baby." Grant assured her, picking her up to hug her tight. He gave his brother a reassuring pat on the back. He took the shovel off him, setting it down on the work bench where it belonged.
Skye leaned back to get a better look at him. "You got the bad kinda red on you." She said worried, finger pointing to an abrasion on his right deltoid.
"It's just a scratch, nothing to worry about." He assured her, hugging her tighter.
"Why are you all wet?" Fitz asked him, poking his head into the shed to see what was going on.
"FITZY!" Skye screamed, wiggling out of his arms. She ran over to Fitz, arms out stretched wanting to be picking up for a hug.
"Skye, I've missed you." Fitz told her, resting her on his hip. He furrowed his brows. "Back to my original question. Why are you all wet?" He asked curiously, looking between the pair of them.
Grant groaned. "Can we please get out of this shed?" He asked impatiently, throwing his hands up in the air.
"I second that, it's getting rather cramped in here." Thomas agreed, nodding his head.
"Who are you?" Fitz asked the stranger, holding Skye a little tighter.
"Thomas Ward, I already know who you are. Can we do official introductions in a minute?" Thomas said, gesturing to the shed door for them to move outside.
"You have a brother?"- "Why wasn't I told about this?"- "Did I forget to mention that?" Fitz, May and Coulson all said at once.
Skye clamped her hands over her ears at the outburst. "I'll explain once we are out of this damn shed." Grant insisted, grabbing Skye from Fitz's arms and heading towards the exit.
They were able to step out the door when Simmons blocked their path. "What's going on in here? Are we having a team meeting? Oh, hello Skye, Ward. Who are you?" She asked, looking past him in Thomas' direction.
He was losing his patience. He'd explain in a minute, if they'd only let him get out of this shed.
Skye suddenly burst into tears, the days event's getting too much for her.
He rubbed a hand over his face in frustration. He rocked Skye, shushing her. He took a deep breath and counted to ten to calm himself. "Can we please take this outside? This is upsetting Skye." He said though gritted teeth.
"Yeah."-"Yep."-"Sounds good."-"Let's get out of here." The team agreed. Simmons finally moved out of the doorway allowing them to leave.
Finally. He thought, still jigging Skye.
He moved towards the back steps as he continued to quieten Skye, he waited for the team to assemble. "Shh baby, you're ok. There aren't any more HYDRA guys here. You're safe now." He told her, running his fingers through her wet hair to untangling it.
He turned to the team. "Can we do this when we're in clean, dry clothes? Skye's dripping wet and scared." He said, not waiting for an answer as he headed into the partly destroyed house with Tommy trailing behind him.
May and Coulson followed, they needed to secure the HYDRA agents before they woke up.
Thomas' POV
The scary silent women and Coulson removed the intruders and put them in the cellar. He spotted Gramsy's chair and groaned. "Gramsy's gunna be pissed, Grant. I don't even think being her favourites going to help you this time. That was her favourite chair." He said pointing to the mess of what remained of Gramsy's chair.
"I know. I dunno how I'm gunna explain this one when she gets back. I'm just thankful she wasn't here." Grant sighed, stepping over the remains of the side table and heading for dry clothes with his hand covering Skye's eyes so she didn't see the HYDRA Agents left on the floor.
He grabbed a couple of towels from the bathroom and headed for his room. He sat Skye down on the floor and wrapped her in a towel. "Can you strip and get dry while I find some dry clothes for you?" He asked, turning his back to give her some privacy. Skye didn't answer making him turn around and check on her.
Skye was just staring at her towel like she wasn't sure what she was meant to do with it. "Baby?" He said, trying to get her attention.
Skye blinked a couple of times and dropped her towel in surprise. "They hurt you." She exclaimed, quickly grabbing up her towel and rushing up to him trying to reach his wound with her towel.
"It's just a little scratch. I'm fine, I promise." He assured her. He'd had worse; this scratch didn't even rate on the scale.
Skye glared at him. "You got bad red on you, you not fine. I can't reach." She growled at him, shoving him so he'd sit down on the bed. She scrambled up next to him, kneeling so she could look at his cut.
He was a little shocked at her growling at him. He wasn't going to tell her that it was a bullet that narrowly missed him. She'd never let him out of her sight again. Skye was peering unhappily at his cut. She seemed unsure what to do but wanted to do something to help him. Her concern warmed his heart but he didn't want her to worry about him.
He took her towel off her and picked her up, setting her down on his knee facing him. "Skye, I'm tough. You don't need to worry." He insisted, brushing her wild curls back behind her ear.
Skye huffed at him again, obviously not agreeing. "You worry bout me. So I can worry bout you." She told him, crossing her arms over her chest daring him to disagree.
It just wasn't the same thing at all. This wasn't getting them anywhere. It certainly wasn't getting them into clean, drying clothes. "Baby, I'll clean my cut up while you get changed. How about that?" He suggested to her.
She furrowed her brows considering, then nodded happy he was going to fix the issue.
"That's my girl. I'll grab your clothes for you." He said lifting her up, setting her down so he could get dry.
He placed her clothes on the end on the bed and grabbed his own so he could change in the bathroom after dressing his cut. Skye seemed to have calmed down now he'd agreed to look after himself. Skye was yanking her bather top over her head as he was heading towards the bathroom.
● - - ҉ - -S∞W- -○- - ●
Clean and dry,he braced himself as he walked through the backdoor to join the team. "So…what do you want to know?" He asked them, sitting Skye on his knee. Tommy took a seat beside him on the step.
It took a while to answer all the team's questions, but they knew everything now. Well, almost everything. "So now you know." He told them, subconsciously running his fingers through Skye's hair.
He heard a car approaching and reached for his gun, on high alert. He held Skye close and stuck his head around the corner of the house. He saw Gramsy's car pulling up much to his relief.
A million thoughts were running through his head. Shit, Gramsy! How the hell do I explain this? Thank god, she's ok. He put his gun away. The damn thing only had two bullets left anyway, a lot of good it was going to be if HYDRA had turned up.
Gramsy's POV
Gramsy stepped out of her car to face the silent group of people standing before her. "Does somebody wanna tell me what the hell's going on here?" She asked them, looking for the three faces she desperately wanted to see safe among the group.
She spotted her kids and relief flooded her. Grant opened his mouth then shut it again, seeming unsure where to start.
"Um, about that Gramsy…" He trailed off.
She looked from her grandsons to each member of the team. "Suit and tie, you must be Agent Coulson, Grant's boss. Aviators, badass outfit, pilot Melinda May. I guess you two have to be Fitzsimmons." She said smiling at their stunned expressions.
"Grant's given me a pretty good run down. When I ask what the hell's going on. I mean what happens now? Are we just going to stand in my front yard all day or what?" She asked incredulously, waiting for somebody to speak up.
Thomas' POV
"Grant destroyed your favourite chair by using it as cover to avoid gunfire." He blurted out suddenly, causing everyone to turn and look at him. He couldn't take anymore silence, the tension was killing him.
"Thanks brother." Grant said, shaking his head.
"What? I can't help it. Gramsy just has that effect on me. I cave." Thomas defended himself, as everyone laughed.
"It's ok, Tommy. I was going to tell Gramsy. I just wouldn't have been so…ah blunt." Grant said smirking.
Coulson's POV
He thought it was time to move this along. "We probably should get moving. We don't know if HYDRA is sending a secondary team after losing contact." He explained, looking at Gramsy a little unsure of her reaction to this next piece of information. "It's probably best if you pack a bag and come with us. We can't guarantee your safety here, since this location has obviously been compromised." He explained to her.
Gramsy's POV
She nodded, she'd expected this. "You're running the show. I don't care as long as my boys are safe. The house is only possessions, it's not like you can take them with you if you're dead." She told Coulson.
"Um right…well then, let's get moving. Ward, Thomas, go pack your bags." Coulson instructed them. He turned back to Ward's Grandmother apologetically. "Sorry, I'm not sure whether to call you Gramsy or…" He trailed off uncertainly.
Gramsy chuckled. "Only the Grandkids and Skye call me Gramsy. It's Elizabeth, eithers fine." She said smiling. "Shall we get going?" She suggested, heading towards the remains of her house.
Coulson POV
He watched as Thomas Ward followed Elizabeth into the house. He turned to Ward who still hadn't moved. Ward still had Skye wrapped up in his arms protectively and he didn't look like he wanted to let her go. "I can take her while you get packed, it might be easier with two hands." He offered. Skye had fallen asleep during all the explaining and likely wouldn't wake up till they were back on The Bus.
Ward shifted uneasily as he debated his decision, still jigging Skye and looked over towards the front door.
He turned to address Fitzsimmons giving Ward a little more time to decide. "You two can help the Ward's get their things together. We don't want to be here when HYDRA come looking for their missing Agents." He told them. He understood Ward's unease but they needed to get moving. "She'll be fine with May and I here to protect her." He assured him, holding his arms out.
Ward passed Skye over to him reluctantly and headed inside with Fitzsimmons to get packed. He sat on the garden swing with Skye while May circled the perimeter. He was anxious about the briefing that was to follow this fiasco. Skye must have sensed the unease in his body because she jerked awake. She obviously recognised she wasn't still with Ward because she went ridged in his arms.
He wasn't sure how Skye knew he wasn't Ward but she wasn't happy about it, tears streamed down her cheeks. "It's ok, Skye. Ward will be back soon." He assured her, hoping once she recognised his voice she'd calm down, but no such luck.
He was usually fairly good with kids, as an adult he'd been able to calm Skye's fears but nothing he seemed to do was working. "You're ok Skye. No need to cry." He told her, rubbing her back.
"W-want G-Grannttt." She wailed, crying louder.
He was worried she'd hyperventilate soon if he didn't calm her down, so he swallowed his pride and went in search of Ward. "May, I'm heading inside with Skye." He said activating his comm link.
"Copy that." May acknowledge.
Coulson only just reached the second story, when Ward rushed onto the landing looking concerned. He'd obviously heard Skye crying and was coming to investigate or give hell to whoever upset her.
"What wrong? Why's she so upset?" Ward demanded, instantly taking Skye from him as she reached her arms out.
He didn't like being overthrown for Ward, but apparently Skye felt more secure with the Specialist at the moment. Something about that didn't sit well with him. His fatherly instincts were on red alert as he watched Ward interact with Skye. He was allowed to be disgruntled and protective; Skye was practically his daughter.
"Skye woke up and started crying that she wanted you." He begrudgingly explained.
Ward didn't look surprised by this, Coulson noticed. Perhaps May was right about their bond being more than SO and Rookie.
Skye immediately stopped crying and latched her arms around Ward's neck tightly, burying her face in his chest. He expected Ward to shy away from Skye's snuggling but he just tightened his hold on her and automatically starting to jig her. Ward updated him on the situation like he didn't have Skye clinging to him like a koala bear.
Grant's POV
"We've nearly got everything packed. Simmons is helping Gramsy. Tommy was almost finished when I sent Fitz in to help him. I hadn't really unpacked much of mine or Skye's things, so we're practically good to go." He explained to his boss as Tommy and Fitz come out to join them, each carrying a backpack and a box of knick-knacks.
Coulsonturned to the younger pair. "If you're packed, I'll have Agent May take you to The Bus. You can wait out front. I'll tell her to meet you there." Coulson said. May's voice sounded in his ear, confirming she'd heard and would escort them to The Bus immediately.
"Yeah, I'm all packed." Thomas confirmed. "Fitzy here got me organised, didn't you mate." He clapped Fitz on the shoulder, before they headed down the stairs.
Coulson shook his head. "Your brother's been spending too much time with Skye, if he's calling Fitz 'Fitzy'." He chuckled.
Gramsy and Simmons appeared on the landing. "Were all packed too. Jemma is a rather organised young lady, with some impressive folding skills." Gramsy informed them.
Skye spoke up. "She plats hair too." She told them proudly, making Simmons blush.
"How about I help you get these bags to The Bus." Simmons suggested to Gramsy.
He left Coulson to shepard them out to The Bus. "I'll grab our bags sir and meet you on The Bus." He said disappearing into his childhood bedroom, most likely for the last time.
He set Skye down on his bed, while he slung his duffle bag over his shoulder. He picked up two more bags and Skye's backpack full of supplies and set them down on the bed next to her.
"You think you can carry this one, baby?" He asked her, helping her put on her little Thomas the Tank Engine backpack .Tommy had bought it for her as a surprise the day he and Gramsy had gone to lunch.
"Why you look sad?" She asked worried.
He frowned, unsure how to explain. "Well, we probably won't come back here again. This is home. I have lots of good memories here that I'm leaving behind." He told her.
"I thought our castle was home?" She asked, confused.
"It is, baby. You can have more than one. This one is my childhood home. The Beach House is our safe home, just for us." He was trying to explain it as simply as possible. He knew she was struggling to understand, like him she'd never really had a home.
"Oh, so we can have more than one? Do we have to find a new home now?" She asked him, sadly.
"The Bus is our home too. Don't worry, baby." He picked Skye up, setting her on his hip then grabbed their other two bags. "We better go." He said quietly, heading for the door.
He'd miss it here. He had lots of safe places but this was home. None of them were home. The Beach House was close, but that was only because Skye lived there with him. Her socks on the floor, drawings on his fridge and tooth brush next to his.
Maybe homes not a place. Maybe it's Skye or Family or both. He thought, walking towards The Bus.
He only looked back once he'd reached the top of the cargo ramp. The Bus might not have the same memories that Gramsy's House had, but now it had his family, and that was all that mattered. With one last glance at Gramsy's House he hit the button to raise the cargo door. "Let's find the others, Skye." He headed up the stairs towards the lounge.
"Because were home now?" She asked him in a small voice.
He paused, observing his family sitting in the lounge. Tommy was seating on the couch having an animated conversation with Fitzsimmons. Gramsy was with May and Coulson talking at the Bar.
"That's right, baby, were home again." He told her, kissing her head.
Home was wherever his family was. It didn't matter if it was Gramsy's House, The Beach House or The Bus. It could be on the damn moon for all he cared. As long as he had the people he loved with him, he'd be home.