Chapter Twenty-One (Best is Yet to Come)

"Afraid it won't come 'round again. Afraid to move on. Wishing I could go back when everything was easier and meaningful to me. Wanting all we left behind, like it's the answer. An hour glass we can't rewind. Holding back the life that I've denied for so long."

Coulson eventually got the entire base settled. It took a while for the team to really believe that there was no threat to the base and that they would all be okay. Of course, they asked about the beast. But all Coulson said was that it had disappeared and that there was no sign of it whatsoever.

He told them to wait in the common room, for there was something really important that he had to tell them. It was just that he had to do something real quick. And that something was to go and get Ward and bring him back to the common room.

Coulson led Ward and Skye towards the common room, emotions high. Ward didn't know what on Earth could possibly happen once he stepped into that room. Either everyone would faint, or her would get shot. He feared the latter.

Coulson stopped right outside of the common room, "Wait here for just a second, Ward." he said quietly. "I want to take this slowly. Very slowly."

Ward gulped and nodded briefly. He held his breath as Coulson stepped inside of the room.

"So what do you want?" a British voice asked in annoyance. Ward figured that was Hunter. "You gonna keep us waiting all day?"

"No, I am not." Coulson stated. "Something, well, important has come up. Something that everyone needs to see. It's something that's not going to be taken lightly, I fear. I ask that everyone stays calm."

Triplett raised an eyebrow, "What's going on?" he asked.

"Yeah, Coulson, sounds like someone is dying again. Or we've got another prisoner on the base." Bobbi added in.

"Please tell me no one's dying!" Fitz exclaimed.

Coulson shook his head, "Actually, it's far from that." he said. "Excuse me." He stuck his head out the doorway briefly as the team exchanged nervous glances with one another.

Coulson's head reappeared, and so did two other people. Skye, and one person that made all of their stomachs freeze up. Ward.

They all stood to their feet quickly.

"What the bloody hell?!" Hunter exclaimed. "What?! How?!"

Simmons and Triplett looked and each other and then to Ward, "How?" Simmons asked. "Ward, I watched you die. H-How are you here?"

Ward shrugged, "I really don't know." he said quietly. "I don't remember much."

"What do you mean?" Mack asked.

"I remember the island, then random patches, then nothing." Ward responded. "It's all a blur. Then I woke up in the morgue, completely naked. Then I heard Skye scream."

Fitz frowned, "So you were the one that 'tied up' her father?" he asked. "It wasn't the monster."

Ward nodded, "Somehow, I have basic control over my abilities. I was able to protect her and deal with him. Then I ran off, because I was afraid of what was going to happen to me next. I didn't know what to do."

"But it's you." Simmons said. "Totally you. There's nothing else?"

Ward shrugged once more, "I guess not. I feel like myself. Other than that I'm really tired and don't feel that well."

The team exchanged glances once more, still unsure to what to say to the man who was pretty much back from the dead.

"Well, you were dead for two days." Simmons continued. "You should expect that."

"I'm still confused." Bobbi said.

"Yeah, me too." Mack added in.

Skye took a breath, "Look, I really don't know what really happened." she said. "But he's alive and pretty much well. Let's just look at that."

Coulson nodded, looked briefly at May, and then to Ward and Skye, "Skye, if you will, May and I need to talk to the team about something. Can you take Ward somewhere else for the time being?" he asked. "It's about him. Don't want him being in here. I'll let you know when you can come back."

Skye nodded and started to pull on Ward's arm, "Come on big guy, let's get something to eat."

"Fine." Ward muttered, following her out of the room.

Coulson turned back to the team, whose mouths were all still agape.

"How?" Hunter asked again.

"I don't know." Coulson said. "But I've been thinking. And I talked with May briefly about this. I've been thinking about letting Ward stay."

"What?!" they all exclaimed.

"No offense, sir." Simmons said. "But he's dangerous and he's still considered a criminal. He tried to kill us. He probably should be locked up still, even for just a little while."

"I think he's gotten enough punishment with his brush with death." Coulson said. "I know he still may be dangerous with whatever is inside of him, but we can keep an eye on him. And if the time comes, we'll deal with him. But I honestly think he really wants to help.

He wanted to help when he got slapped with that curse of a monster. Then he wasn't able to. But Whitehall was taken down, even though he's dead. And Ward did protect Skye twice from being kidnapped by her own father. And now her father is in our custody, and apparently he knows a great deal about the island. Ward's helped us, even if it wasn't in the greatest way. Let's just give him one, small chance. If he blows it, he's back in the Vault."

The team once again exchanged hesitant glance with one another. They weren't sure of what to say. They didn't know how to feel towards Coulson's decision.

"I guess I'm fine with it." Fitz finally muttered. "As long as he doesn't try to, um, hurt us again."

"Yeah, that." Hunter and Triplett both said.

"Three yes's." Coulson said. "Bobbi?"

"I guess, as long as he helps."

"Simmons?"

"Just this one time."

"Mack?"

"Whatever they say, I really don't know the guy from other than what you've told me."

"May?"

"I really don't care as long as he doesn't stab us in the back again."

"And I already know that Skye will say yes." Coulson said. 'Good, seems like everyone is on board. I know it'll be a long road, but we'll all watch him. I just hope that I won't regret this decision."

"Can I find my way to you? And after all that we've been through. And after all we left in pieces, I still believe that our lives have just begun. Cause now the past can be outrun. And I know you are the reason. I still believe the best is yet to come."

Coulson found Skye and Ward in the kitchen area eating.

"You know, this is the first real food I've had in over a week." Ward said, eating a sandwich. "I don't think that I really even ate during everything."

"I can make you another sandwich if you want." Skye said.

Ward shook his head, "No, I don't think that I need to eat too much. Not right now." He noticed Coulson in the room and stood, "Sir, what's up?" he asked.

"I have a proposition for you." Coulson said, coming over.

"Like what?" Ward asked.

"Well, the team and I talked. And they hesitantly agreed to my decision to let you stay here at the base."

"Hesitantly?"

"They said as long as you don't hurt them again." Coulson replied. "And if everyone agrees to keep an eye on you and your powers for a little while. But they all pretty much said yes. So, how about it? Will you stay?" he asked.

Ward took a breath and looked to Skye, who was giving him a warm smile. He looked back to Coulson, "I guess so, sir. I don't have anywhere else to go and I'm in no shape to be leaving for a long while. I have nothing else to do."

Coulson smiled, "Good. If you mess up, even once, you know what will happen." he said. "Do you understand? I'll tell you my rules for you later. Don't make me regret this decision."

"I promise I won't, sir." Ward replied with a nod.

Coulson held his hand out to Ward, "Good. Then let me be the first one to say welcome back."

Ward shook Coulson's hand, "Thank you, sir."

"The best is yet to come…"

Author's Note:I don't own AoS, Marvel does. Song is 'Best is Yet to Come' by Red. So the team finds that Ward's alive is Ward's to stay at the base, conditionally. One heartfelt chapter left! It's been one hell of a ride! Keep reading and please favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.