Hope for the Lost
Spoilers: All of Season 1 but especially the season finale!
Disclaimer: I own nothing except maybe Huang.
Grant Ward stood in the den of lions and Skye had been right, the beings in front of him beside Raina were dripping in blood and looked nothing like the girl he knew. They looked like humans but there was definitely something alien about them. Raina had found him like he'd expected, showing up to one of Cybertek's offices had done the trick but he hadn't known Dalton reported he'd sided with SHIELD. So he sat in a metal chair basically chained and his mind kept telling him that there was extraction plan and no way out. He'd die among the enemy and he was sure there'd be nothing left of him when he was over.
His mind went to Skye and the little time he had with her, allowing himself to know he hadn't lost her despite everything. Better to die knowing he'd had her in his life than not having had her at all. His heart ached at the realization that part of her heart would be broken and his death having caused that pain. He swore never to hurt her and he ultimately would, that hurt more than anything they could do to him.
"You will help us." The female moved over to him and practically put her face near him, inhaling him. She paused and looked at the male, "I can smell her on you."
Ward merely looked at the monstrosity in front of him, somehow trying to imagine how Skye could have been born to it. "Why do you want her? I doubt it's because you care about her because if you did, you would leave her here and let her be happy."
"With the likes of you," the female hissed and got in his face, blood dripping from every pore of her body. "This world has made her weak and docile, she doesn't know the taste of war or blood and she will. She will know her heritage and when she bathes in blood for the first time she will know happiness."
He looked at the female and shook her head, "no you want that for her but that's not why you hunted for her when she was an infant. You want her for a different reason," she took a step back and he nodded. "She's a threat to you, she's something that makes your existence a threat." For the first time in hours he smirked at the monsters in front of him. "If Skye's a threat to you then no matter what you do to me, I will never give her to you."
The male walked over and smirked at him, "we will peel the skin from your weak bones and bathe in your blood. You can save yourself if you give her location."
"Kill me then." He looked straight into the eyes of evil and knew that if his death gave Skye a chance to destroy these monsters he'd gladly walk into death himself. He was knocked upside the head second later and his last thought was of Skye's smile.
Coulson looked at May as the woman came to him with a tablet, she placed it on his desk and he saw Ward's bio readouts at dangerous levels. It'd been two weeks and they hadn't heard from the man and Skye merely stated coldly that all they could do is wait until his heart flat lines because he was in the hands on the enemy.
"We've been watching them for hours, signs of torture and pain." May looked Coulson in the eye as she spoke. "Skye had barricaded herself in his room and won't open the door, she's watching his bio readouts waiting for that moment. We could go and get him, take them out…"
"We don't know what they want Skye for," Coulson looked at the tablet. "You know as well as I do without information it's too big a risk to move in. Ward wouldn't want any of us there, not if it means keeping Skye safe."
May nodded, "even if it means letting her watch him slip away slowly, alone like he has been all his life. Skye put everything into saving him and you're letting her watch him die. Phil she loves him, there isn't a return from this if he dies and you know it. She'll take one of two routes and we know from experience they are either closing herself off or becoming recklessly dangerous."
Coulson sat down and sighed, "Ward told me before he left that if he didn't come back himself than not to come after him." He met her eyes, "he said coming after him would lead them straight to Skye and he'd rather be dead than put her in danger. You and I both know how much he valued her safety."
Everyone was aware of how much he valued her safety, a threat to Skye was an easy target because Ward would take out the threat. His love for Skye drove him to put her safety first and happiness second, a rarity that only rivaled Romanoff and Barton. He'd give up his own happiness if it meant the rookie agent stayed safe and alive.
May found Romanoff and Barton with Hill talking over drinks, she closed the door to the room they were in and all three looked up. "I have a mission that goes against Coulson but Ward's on the verge of death and his own stubborn behavior in protecting Skye is going to kill him. I'm not ordering but I'm asking if you'll help. I know he's done…"
Romanoff cut her off, "Barton and I are in, when do we leave?"
"Immediately," May looked at Hill and the woman, who had recently been appointed the new deputy director yet again, smirked.
"I guess if things go wrong I can smooth them over, he may have pissed me off with his actions relating to HYDRA but I'm partial to Skye. If he makes her happy…"
Barton shorted, "I don't know anyone who isn't partial to Skye."
"Lucas Drake, he gave her a vote of dismissal." Hill stood up and shook her head, "He won't be leaving admin for at least a year."
As they headed to the door, they found Skye on the other side, she had a look of no argument on her face. "I'm coming with you."
"Skye…"
She closed her eyes quickly before opening them and stared May down. "He's my partner and yes I've been compromised and yes I know you all want me safe. I just think it's time I face my parents and tell them that they can go to Hell because taking him was the last straw. I'm not playing nice anymore."
"If you're going, we need to get out of here before Coulson figures out we left."
"I recruited a few people." Skye smiled as they moved into the hall to see Fitzsimmons and Trip.
A/N: So Mobile Command 616 (Coulson's team), Strike Team Delta and Hill are all going to rescue Ward or at least try.
Next chapter something happens and the stakes are raised higher. Oh and we meet Skye's mom, brings a whole new meaning to Evil Mother!
If you haven't yet, check out my new fic His Happy Ending, it's a sort of redemption story for Ward from Skye's point of view.
Please read and review...