A/N: Somebody asked for an AU sequel for 'State of Grace'. Well, here you go :)
Mine
Flash forward and we're taking on the world together,
And there's a drawer of my things at your place.
You learn my secrets and you figure out why I'm guarded,
You say we'll never make my parents' mistakes.
The things that follow are nasty. He comes clean to Coulson – Skye, as she promised, stays with, gripping his hand as their commanding officer rages on (he's never seen Coulson rage before). Then, when he finally calms down, the planning starts.
That is the moment when his life changes irreversibly.
From then on, it's a shadow war. First, they are trying to unveil and keep under watch as many HYDRA officials as they can – it's a tricky game, because even Grant knows only a few of them, so they can't trust anybody, and they have to move without alerting the beast.
Then one day it catches scent, and everything goes to hell.
Many die.
S.H.I.E.L.D. falls.
They are forced underground.
(But they don't give up.)
And, surprisingly enough, in the middle of this storm, he finds himself to be happy.
As inappropriately timed as it is, he's in love – deeply, stupidly in love.
When they move their base of operations to a secret base provided by Fury, he and Skye bunk together – it's exciting and maddening and amazing. They share, and it's something he's never done before willingly.
They share a chest of drawers – they have their designated drawers, and yet her underwear somehow always finds its way into his drawers, while his soft, worn T-shirts find their way into hers (he doesn't even mind a bit).
They share a bed – Skye curls up in her sleep and hogs the blankets, so he learns how to sleep pressed up to her, and that if he draws her close and lets her use his chest as a pillow, she'll sleep easier after a difficult day (he sleeps better, too, if she's close).
They share feelings, fears and memories – some days, she'll sit with her leg crossed on the bed, and will draw his head into her lap, playing with his hair and caressing his scalp while he talks and she listens, or she talks and he listens. They talk about the past, the present, even the uncertain future. About his parents' abuse, about her missing ones, about heartache, trauma, brokenness.
They slowly work their way under the other's armor.
They like what they see.
Then they share promises – promises of standing by the other, of not making the same mistakes their parents did. Of staying together. Of protecting each other. Of taking care of each other. Of treasuring each other. Of a brighter future. Of fulfilled dreams.
And, most importantly, they share love.
And this is what keeps him fighting. Because HYDRA be damned – he let them hollow him out, use him up, broke him, but he would sooner die than let them take her away from him.
A/N: I believe, this way or another, S.H.I.E.L.D. was destined to fall – it had to fall, so, like a phoenix, it could rise from its ashes. In the big scheme of things, it wouldn't have mattered if Grant came clean early on – sooner or later HYDRA would have sniffed it out, and came out of the shadows anyway. But at least he'd have had a chance at personal happiness.
