Author's note

Some lines are taken from episode 9 'Repairs'

Chapter 25

Forty-five minutes later found Ward and Skye sitting across from Coulson at his desk.

"Skye has an idea for what to tell Garrett about May," Ward said after they had explained what had happened the night before, including the nightmare that sent him to Skye's door.

"Hmm?" Coulson raised a questioning eyebrow.

"I think he should pretend he's sleeping with her," Skye blurted.

Coulson had been pleased when Skye came to him that morning and said the two of them needed to talk to him. He had assumed it was about Hydra and he was glad that Ward had decided to let Skye in - even if it was as the result of a nightmare – as she would be good for the specialist, so this idea surprised him. They had told him that they were going to try something together, get to know each other better and explore what was between them, but that they were taking it slowly, not wanting to rush in and ruin it before it had a chance. And from just what he had seen in the past few minutes he could see that the closeness between them had already developed more. He hoped that this pretence wouldn't do anything to hurt that growing bond between the two.

"Explain," Coulson said, needing to understand where this was coming from.

Skye looked to Ward to offer explanations as she didn't know how much she should say.

Ward decided telling Coulson everything was the way to go so he explained the open door and clear offer from Agent May in the hotel the night before. "Even as I walked into my room last night I thought that it was the exact kind of situation Garrett would expect me to take advantage of, and then Skye suggested pretending a sexual relationship between us. He would definitely buy it and if it was for real it's something that would probably work."

"You're right," Coulson agreed. "It's a good idea Skye. Will you both be okay with the pretence? You will know that it's all for show, but it will have to seem real and I just want to make sure it's not going to affect anything between you."

"It won't," Skye replied confidently. "I've thought about it AC, and I trust Ward. And this is the best solution, we all know it."

"There is one other thing," Ward said hesitantly. He wasn't sure if he should mention the exchange with May in the hall that morning, but he knew that he needed to mention it now, so Coulson knew all the facts. "I bumped into May in the hall this morning when I left Skye's room." They had already told Coulson that after they talked they had both fallen asleep in Skye's room, leaving out the bit where it was intentional. "Given the state I was in when I went to her room earlier, I wasn't exactly completely dressed. I was minus shirt and shoes, and May seemed read more into it than what actually happened," he continued feeling awkward about this. He didn't want to say the next bit in front of Skye but knew he didn't have much choice. "She said I was making a mistake, that I shouldn't trust Skye because she would betray us again and that she could never understand me because she 'wasn't like us'."

"What?" Skye asked in a hurt voice. "I wouldn't betray you again! I promise. You have to-"

"I know," Ward interrupted, grabbing one of her hands and squeezing it. "And I told her as much. That I disagreed with what she was saying and that if I wanted her opinion I would ask for it." He flicked his eyes over to Coulson, finding him watching them with an indulgent look on his face. "I'm not really sure why she said it or what it was supposed to accomplish, but I thought you should know everything sir."

"I'd say she sounds jealous, but I'm not sure that May's capable of feeling such a human emotion," Skye muttered, causing Ward to have to try extra hard to suppress a smile.

"I don't think it's that she's jealous as much as nobody likes to be rejected. Not even May," Coulson said, doing his best to suppress his own amusement at Skye's words.

"That makes sense I suppose. May just doesn't seem like the type to get upset over something like that," Ward said. "I just thought you should know before we talk to her about everything."

"Yeah telling me was the right way to go about it. Once we've sorted out what's going on in Utah we will sit down with May and tell her about everything going on," Coulson said, receiving an agreeing nod from Ward. "I think it would be best if just Ward and I spoke to her to explain everything, Skye," he continued, looking at the hacker.

"That's cool AC. I'd prefer not to have to be there when you tell her. I have a feeling she won't have anything nice to say about me knowing," she replied with a frown.

Neither of the men really knew what to say to that, since she was probably right. Eventually Coulson spoke, changing the subject. "So the mission…" and he filled Ward in on what they knew.

"I just don't understand her at all," Skye said about May from her spot on the bench beside Ward. "Everything to her is just 'target acquired; threat eliminated'."

"Well," Ward said as he moved over to the other counter. "She's a specialist, it's how she's trained."

"In one thing! You can catch a lot more flies with honey than with napalm," she said leaning her head back. "Just saying."

"Hand me the lettuce," he said as he put his sandwich together.

"She says I need to stay away," Skye continued as she hopped down and passed him the bowl. "But you know what I think? I think she really does need to get laid. Maybe if you hadn't turned her down she wouldn't be so uptight."

Ward paused in what he was doing and turned to look at her. "Maybe you should try being a little less confrontational with her?" he suggested, knowing he couldn't respond to that last sentence without getting himself in trouble.

"Nice deflection there Agent Ward," she said with a smile as he turned back to his sandwich. "But I'm not scared of her. Well," she said, reconsidering, "I am, but just because the Cavalry shot a hundred guys on horseback doesn't mean she knows how people work."

"Wait," he said turning around to face her again. "Horseback?" he questioned. "Where'd you hear that?"

"FitzSimmons," she replied.

"Were they messing with you?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. The look on his face made her realise that they probably were. "The story gets bigger every year. It wasn't a hundred guys, it was twenty," he continued. Realising that FitzSimmons were probably messing with her for a reason he decided to embellish the story a bit too. "Trained assassins. May crossed 'em off with one pistol, no support."

"She rescued a bunch of agents?" Skye asked.

Ward nodded. "And there definitely wasn't a horse," he said while turning back to his sandwich.

"Well if it went so well why's she acting like this?" Skye asked.

"That, I don't know. But don't let it get to you," Ward said comfortingly.

"Hmm. You don't think it's because of what she thinks she saw this morning do you?" she asked hesitantly.

"May's a professional. I don't think she would let that interfere with a case. And I really don't see her being jealous like that anyway," Ward replied.

"Okay," she said easily.

"Now what'd I do with that knife?" Ward said to himself as he went to cut his sandwich.

"I dunno," Skye said looking over his shoulder. "But that sandwich looks pretty good. Don't suppose you'd be interested in sharing?" she asked with a big grin.

He grabbed another knife out of a drawer and cut the sandwich in half, offering Skye half with a shake of his head.

"Ward!" Skye exclaimed when the lights went out and the plane tilted. "What's going on?"

"Feels like we're going down. I better go see if May needs help in the cockpit," he answered quickly. "Strap in just in case," he said to her as he turned to head for the cockpit.

"I can't stay here by myself," she said slightly hysterically.

When he saw the genuine fear on her face he grabbed her hand and dragged her with him. May was just entering the cockpit when they reached the door.

"Ward, you certified?" May asked briskly as she climbed into the pilot seat.

The two of them managed to land the plane with minimal damage, although it was difficult. Ward had checked on Skye as she strapped in to make sure she was okay and was glad she seemed calmer than she had in the lounge, even managing a small smile at him.

As soon as the plane stopped moving in what was definitely a rough landing, Ward unbuckled and turned to Skye. "You okay?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah," she replied at the same volume. "I'm glad we don't have landings like that very often."

He gave her a smile and noticed her hands were shaking too much to unbuckle her belt so he reached out and did it for her, kissing her temple at the same time.

"We need to get to the others," May said coldly as she walked past them and out of the cockpit.

"Come on," Ward said gently. "We should make sure everyone else is okay." He grabbed her hand again and they left the cockpit and headed to the control room.

"Wait, childish," Skye said to herself as Fitz and Simmons argued. "This guy is childish," she said louder, getting everyone's attention.

"What're you getting at?" Coulson asked.

"He wanted her to notice him. Why would he file a complaint to her office when there was nothing wrong and then cause an actual safety issue himself?" Skye tried to explain where her mind was going.

"To get her fired?" Simmons suggested, not sure what Skye was getting at.

"To get her attention!" Skye answered.

"He's pulling her pigtails on the playground," Ward mumbled, seeing where Skye was going with this. He looked over to see everyone giving him strange looks. "What? I remember what little boys did to get little girls' attention! Don't look at me like that!"

Skye smiled at his awkwardness before responding. "Robot's right. He's trying to get her to notice him. Think about it. He scared the guy at the gas station that was harassing her; he nearly hit you guys with a cop car."

"He's not trying to hurt her," Ward interjected. "He's-"

"Trying to protect her," Coulson interrupted, finally seeing what they were trying to explain.

"He likes her," Skye said quietly.

"We need to get there and stop him hurting anyone else, or May hurting him," Coulson said. "Guys, release the golden retrievers," he directed FitzSimmons.