After half an hour of the sound of keys tapping, Skye spoke "Simmons is now in her room at this playground place, reading a book and drinking a nice cup of tea," she said in a horrible British accent "Or at least there's footage playing of her doing that," she whipped her head up and asked Ward, appalled, "Why the hell does this place have cameras in the bedrooms anyway?"
"Don't ask me. Probably a security protocol." He told her.
"They didn't tell us about them when we moved in?" She seemed shocked.
Shit. Ward forgot he was supposed to have been living there with them, in the actual rooms and not in the vault he had been put in.
"Yeah," he coughed, struggling to come up with a lie "Coulson said the place had been used during the nineties, the bedrooms we're in now used to be conference rooms and storage facilities things like that." He spoke out of his ass, not even believing himself.
"Oh," she frowned but suddenly scoffed, "That was why it was so easy to hack. Nineties technology is a walk in the park."
He felt himself relax, having not nearly blown it like an idiot and tried to distract her from follow up questions.
"Have you sent her our location?"
"Doing it now, Mr impatient."
He ignored the comment and closed his eyes, feeling guilty for rushing her but needing her mind on other things.
"Weird," she mumbled, tearing open a packet of Reece's peanut butter cups.
"What is?" Ward asked, eyes still closed.
"The date on this laptop is screwed. It's set to next year."
His eyes flew open and he jumped to his feet in a blur.
He snatched the laptop, knocking the chocolates out of Skye's hands sending them all over the bed and confirmed what she had said, cursing whoever had invented timekeeping.
"What the hell?" She snapped, hands in the air from when he took the laptop, looking around at the sudden mess surrounding her.
"Have you finished? Did you send it?" He asked quickly, near desperately.
"Yes! Chill!" Her eyes were wide and bewildered "It's sent. Does this place have a spa you can take advantage of while we're here? Cause you really need to relax Ward."
Her nose scrunched "On second thought, stay edgy. If a place like this had a spa you'd be coming out of it with more than a facial." She fake gagged.
"Ok. Good. I'll tell Coulson." Leaving the door open so he could see Skye he knocked on Coulson's door.
Coulson opened it revealing Fitz and Hunter behind him.
"It's done. Skye set up the video loop and sent our location." He told them.
"Good," he searched his former specialists face and saw that he seemed unsettled.
"What is it?" Coulson asked.
Ward looked back at skye who was still sitting on the bed trying to collect the little chocolates but was very much within hearing distance.
"Fitz can you go stay with Skye for a minute?" He asked, still looking at Coulson as he knew the younger agent didn't like when he made eye contact with him.
He couldn't blame him.
Fitz walked out of the room wordlessly, most likely because he didn't want to say anything to Ward ever again.
Hunter followed him and Ward shut the door behind the two agents.
"What is it?" Coulson repeated.
Ward rubbed his hand along his stubble and sighed "She saw the date on the laptop."
"What?" Coulson stilled, half relieved that he wouldn't have to lie to her again but half worried about the other problems that came with her knowing.
"She doesn't know. She thinks it was just a fault with the computer settings," he lifted the laptop "I took it from her so she can't google anything and see that it wasn't just the laptop."
Coulson hated how that sounded but knew it had to be done.
"Ok. She doesn't have her phone either she must have lost it at some point," he looked back at Ward "We can't hide the laptop she'll ask for it back."
"I know she will." He swung the laptop and hit it against the wall, the screen smashing.
Coulson nodded, not liking any of this but knowing it was marginally better than her suddenly regaining her powers and levelling whatever town they were in.
Which brought him to his next problem.
"Skye is an 084." He jumped straight to the punchline, getting the pleasure of seeing Ward show a genuine emotion: shock. The first one he'd seen the man display in months that he could honestly swear was real and not a manipulation.
"What?" He muttered quietly "How?" He demanded answers, voice firmer now.
He retold the story he had spoken of to Fitz and Hunter, leaving out the part where on that same trip May had informed him of the nocturnal activities she and Ward had been taking part in.
"So," Ward tried to connect the puzzle pieces "What made them give her the status of 084? Skye hasn't ever even hinted at having powers."
Coulson thought back to the shattered glass in his command centre at the playground. That was a slight hint. But of course Ward hadn't been there for that.
"No, she hasn't," he lied smoothly "But Strucker and List have access to shields database, including Skye's status. Naturally, they think she has or could develop powers so they want her." He wouldn't tell him that Skye had fully fledged abilities. He didn't trust Ward as far as he could throw him. And even if the man wasn't lying about his feelings for Skye, this information was something he could use either way.
If he was lying and only wanted to destroy what was left of shield, he could use it.
If he wasn't lying and wanted to manipulate Skye into leaving with him, he could use it.
So no. He wasn't disclosing that piece of information unless it was absolutely necessary.
Wards jaw clenched "Then we get to them before they get to Skye." He spoke confidently, determinedly. The same determination that Skye had spoken with when he told her of the gifteds that had been taken.
He couldn't ignore how similar the two were yet how different. They were both reflections of each other yet opposites. Though he knew in his heart that Skye wouldn't ever be like Ward. Not in the ways that mattered.
"That's the plan. She's being hunted and they won't stop until they have accomplished what they set out to do. So we stop them first."
Ward nodded.
"But let's make one thing clear Ward," Coulson's voice became dark "You're only here because you're useful. You're a member of hydra and can get us access to them. That, and Skye still thinks you're part of this team. The second you put a foot out of line I end you. You don't get to betray us a second time."
Ward felt that burning cold feeling of the emotional cocktail that was regret, shame, anger and longing make its way through his body.
He didn't want this. This animosity and hatred he had caused. He wished he knew what he knew now when he had to make the biggest decision of his life. The same one that kept him up at night: Garrett or the team.
But he didn't have time to dwell on the 'woulda, shoulda, coulda' as Skye would call it. She was being hunted down and he needed to focus on keeping her safe. Even if it meant bending to meet every order, request and whim of Coulson, no matter what.
He was going to do this right this time.
"Have you told Skye. Does she know?" Ward asked.
"She knows she's an 084 yes. But I haven't told her about list and Strucker chasing her. She knew before the memory loss. And it wasn't only hydra it was Gonzales' agents too," Coulson grew angry at the memory "He sent them after her, gave them orders to shoot."
Coulson saw the agression building on his former team mates face and in his posture and he wondered just how much of the berserker staff was still in affect in his bloodstream.
A selfish part of him hoped it was still strongly attached to him, making him a useful weapon in fighting these different factions they were about to face.
Though he remembered the rage the asgardian artefact had brought out in him and felt guilty for even thinking it.
Then he remembered everything the bastard in front of him had done and felt angry at being guilty.
This was an emotional rollercoaster.
One that he wanted to get off.
He watched the emotions play out on the younger mans face and a thought occurred to him. A question he needed to ask.
"Skye shot you. A lot." Coulson felt the need to add.
"So why are you here? Why would you want to protect her after that?"
Wards gaze found the ground briefly then locked again with Coulsons "I deserved it. You and I both know I've done worse to her. She nearly died because of me, hell, she was dead." The resentment towards himself was clear in Ward's words.
"But you didn't pull the trigger." He reasoned, for whatever reason knowing that was something Ward would never do.
"Might as well have." He was the one that got attached, he was the one that had reported how close Skye and Coulson were to Garret. If he hadn't then Garrett never would have used Skye to find the miracle drug.
So yeah. He could take a few bullets.
He realised how unhealthy and wrong this whole situation had been. Ever since he had killed Hand and the other agents on that plane it had all gone to shit.
But he couldn't take back his actions. All he could do was try to outweigh the bad ones with the good.
Coulson knew that was the end of that conversation judging from the distant look in Wards eyes.
"Now we wait for Simmons to show up. May sent a coded message that she managed to get out unnoticed. Should take her about three hours by car."
He nodded "Does she know I'm here?" He asked hesitantly, hands on his hips which Coulson had come to realise over the last year was the mans defensive pose.
He felt uncomfortable.
Good, he thought.
"No. She'll find out when she gets here."
"Maybe I shouldn't be here for this."
"No. I'll have to tell Simmons about Skye before she sees her just in case she thinks we shouldn't let her know about the amount of time she's lost. And if she thinks it best we don't tell her then you need to be there or Skye will start asking questions."
Ward nodded again, carefully hidden worry in his posture. But he could still see it.
"She still thinks you shit rainbows remember?" Coulson twisted the knife that Ward had put there by his own hand as he walked out of the room to the one the other agents were occupying.
He heard Ward's sudden intake of breath behind him and a large part of him felt relieved that something could affect him.
It was a lot easier to control someone who had strings.
--
"I spy with my little eye, something beginning with T." Skye drawled as she lay starfished on the bed, Fitz sitting beside her.
All the agents scanned the small room, Fitz enthusiastically, Hunter with the same enthusiasm if a little repressed, Coulson out of sheer boredom and Ward questioning why he was doing it in the first place.
"Tiles?" Coulson asked, looking through into the bathroom.
"Nope."
"Turf?" Hunter asked pointing at the grass outside the window.
"Pfft no."
"Table?" Ward threw in, still questioning what for.
"Not even close."
"All right then what is it?" Fitz asked petulantly.
Coulson was relieved that Skye's old personality had helped calm the engineer down despite the presence of Ward in the tiny space.
"Tetanus." She finally said.
"Oh come on!" Fitz argued "You can't see tetanus. Not without a microscope at least."
"You can when there's this much of it." Skye argued right back.
"Absolutely not, no, not fair. Pick something else, you don't win that round." Fitz said, getting heated.
"Fine," she gave in "I spy with my little eye something beginning with-"
"We've seen everything there is to see in this room." Ward pointed out.
"Well if someone hadn't broken my laptop then we could have entertained ourselves with that but no, King Kong over here likes to smash things." She glared at him.
"I told you I'm sorry about that." He sighed but would happily take her being mad at him about the laptop over her seeing the real date, getting her memory back and being mad at him about the really bad things he'd done.
"Really Ward, first the hair now this? It's like you're trying to make me hate you." She joked, still actually pissed about the hair though.
He stilled, feeling suddenly lightheaded and as though he couldn't get enough oxygen into his lungs.
She was joking, she doesn't remember that she actually does hate you, he tried to tell himself, to calm down.
"Ward?" Her voice brought him back out of whatever the hell was happening to him and found that all the agents eyes were on him. Watching.
"Are you sure you're ok?" She asked again "You know I'm kidding right?" Her eyebrows came down, looking worried "I don't actually hate you, though you managed to come close with the hair not gonna lie." She smirked.
"Yeah." He managed to smile dully "I know."
Skye looked to Coulson, worried about her supervising officer but Coulson just shrugged.
"Ok then. How about you spy with your little eye Mr super spy." She tried to change the subject and return to the lighthearted atmosphere they had before.
"Fine," he smiled at her "But we really have seen everything. Ok, S."
"S what?" Skye asked.
"What do you mean? The thing starts with S," he said, confused.
"You can't just say the letter you have to say the rhyme."
He sighed a long suffering sigh "I spy with my little eye something beginning with S."
"Scumbag." Fitz said looking directly at Ward.
He stared back at him, seeing the pain and betrayal under his anger.
"This whole place is probably filled with scumbags." Skye added, unaware of who Fitz had made that comment for.
"Stitching?" Skye asked, pointing at the bedsheets.
"No."
"Ceiling?" She asked.
"That's a c."
"Not if you're playing phonetically."
"Still no."
"Simmons?"
"She's not here yet."
"No, I mean Simmons," she ran to the window "She's here."
Coulson moved to the door but turned to Skye "Stay here."
"But-"
"Remember the no buts agreement?"
"Fine," She mumbled and he left.
He found Simmons in front of the building, holding a bag which he guessed had medical supplies.
"Coulson," she said with a sigh of relief and a smile "I thought I had interpreted the address wrong. This place is certainly...charming," she settled on a euphemism of the word she wanted to use.
"Isn't it?"
"How is she?"
"Physically? She seems fine, mentally is a whole other ball park. She can't remember the last year. Thinks it's about two days after Ward came back from being under Lorelei's spell."
"Oh god." She brought her hand to her mouth.
"My thoughts exactly. I haven't told her yet, I wanted to check that it was safe to do so because we cant afford for her to lose it especially if she can't control her powers."
She nodded "I understand. If it weren't for the special circumstances of her powers I would suggest telling her of course but she does have abilities that could put others at risk," At Coulsons tense expression she tried to cheer him up "We could be worrying for nothing. These cases often resolve themselves within 24-72 hours it really can't be determined."
"So she could remember on her own?" He hoped that would be the case.
"Yes. But it can also take weeks, months," she looked distressed "Sometimes even years."
"But you don't think we should tell her straight away?"
"No. As much as the ethical implications of not telling her are disturbing me we have to think of the threat made by her abilities. For both her benefit and others. I'll examine her and see if she's sustained any physical trauma and we'll go from there. I brought one of the dwarves so if she needs treatment for any fractures we'll know."
"Thank you Simmons." He told her earnestly.
She nodded and started to walk to the door but he stopped her before she could go further.
"I'm going to need one more favour."
"Anything," She said casually.
"It's not going to be that easy," he winced "Ward is here." At her horrified expression he rushed to explain.
"I had to use him to get access to Strucker and List and when we found Skye without her memory she believed he's the same Ward as before, obviously not knowing whether I should have told her or not we've had to continue the charade of him still being on the team."
He took in her reaction, her face losing colour and her whole body tensing as if readying herself for either outcomes of the fight or flight response.
"I don't want to be anywhere near that-that," she stumbled "Monster!"
He sighed, expecting this.
"Skye's pretty attached to him and as much as I would like to I can't do anything about that right now."
She started pacing.
"Jemma," he tried to get her attention "I know this is a lot to ask. More than a lot. But Skye is in there and we need to make sure she's ok. Fitz is in there too."
She whipped her head around.
"Fitz? You left him in there with Ward?" She asked, voice raising in shock and anger.
"No. Hunter is there too. He wouldn't let Ward do anything to Fitz."
She relaxed slightly but not enough.
"He seems fine. Obviously he doesn't like having Ward here but Skye's old demeanour seems to be keeping him calm. Hasn't stuttered or forgotten anything once since we got here."
Simmons smiled slightly, always happy to hear of his progress.
"Can you do this?" Coulson asked, needing to make sure she was comfortable. He wasn't sure what he would do if she said no but he would find a way.
"Yes. But I'll have to keep the conversation to a minimum. I can't lie well enough to act like I can stand Ward."
He sighed in relief "I know what you mean. I've been having trouble myself."
He showed her through to the room they had all gathered in.
"Simmons!" Skye jumped off the bed and crossed the room, throwing her arms around the scientist.
"Hey Skye." Simmons wrapped the arm that wasn't holding the supplies bag around her friend.
"You shouldn't be moving that fast with a head injury." She reprimanded her.
"Great. I haven't been healed for five minutes after Quinn and I already get the pleasure of bossy Doctor Simmons again." She rolled her eyes.
Simmons faulted, knowing where Skye's memories were currently at but not prepared to see the affect of her memory loss.
It took her a moment but she picked herself back up.
"Of course. Never a day off for Doctor Simmons. Now sit." She demanded, pointing to the bed.
"Ugh, fine." Skye sat down on the edge of the bed and Simmons took out a torch, shined it in Skye's eyes then asked Skye to follow her finger.
"Your pupils are reacting appropriately and your tracking capabilities are in tact," she smiled "So your concussion hasn't affected those, however I'm putting your concussion level at a grade two: You lost consciousness and obviously have no memory of previous events. I would like to check for any other signs of trauma as well." She brought out a container and opened it to reveal one of the dwarves.
The little robot started flying around Skye's head, hovering at her side to which she gave it a bemused look and then finally returned back to its case.
Simmons looked at the readings displayed on her tablet and frowned.
"Have you been feeling any nausea?" She asked Skye.
"No. Well, yeah," she amended "But only for like half an hour after I woke up. Then it went away. Then it came back and is here now. So uh yeah."
Simmons sent Skye an unimpressed look "With anyone else I would be worried about the rambling but you always have rambled sporadically."
"Hey!" She protested but Simmons continued her analysis.
"And you haven't forgotten any skills like your hacking for example as you obviously sent me the encoded address." She mumbled to herself.
"Dizziness? Trouble walking?" She turned to ask Coulson "Has she had trouble walking?
"No, not that I've noticed." Coulson frowned as well "Why? Simmons what's wrong?"
"Nothing unexpected. The brain scan shows that the area affected and therefore causing the amnesia is the temporal lobe so that must have been where you hit your head. Very common but there is a tad chance of seizures so I'll give you some phenytoin tablets to prevent them." She brought some tablets out of the black bag and put them on the bed.
"You also appear to have a cut that will need a few stitches just below your ear so I'll do that now."
"Probably from this guy going all Edward Scissor hands on me." Skye joked, pointing to her hair but knowing it was from her head injury.
Simmons paused, holding a needle she had just removed from sterile packaging and turned on Ward.
"He did what? What did you do to her?" She started to yell at Ward but Coulson stopped her.
"He didn't hurt her, she's joking. Ward cut Skye's hair. That's why it's shorter than she remembers it." Coulson widened his eyes and tried to convey to Simmons to act like the past year hadn't happened and Ward wasn't a threat to them.
"Oh. Quite. Of course I'm joking," she lowered the scissors she had unknowingly picked up and turned to face a shocked Skye.
"I just know how much you love your hair and thought it would be funny if I reacted disproportionately to the situation." She tried to smile but it was more of a grimace.
Skye laughed, looking between a stunned Ward and Simmons "We really need to work on your humour. You too robot." She gestured to Ward.
"Yes, well." She coughed awkwardly "I'll just start the stitches." She applied some numbing cream to the cut and after the time needed for it to kick in she began sewing.
"All done." She smiled and addressed the room.
"I'm going to have to return to the playground or they'll know I've been gone. But someone will have to stay with Skye overnight and for the rest of the 24 hours since she woke up. Just as a precaution though. The risk of serious brain injury passes around four hours after the initial trauma and it's been," she checked her watch "About five. So I'd recommend resting but don't avoid light activity as it will help you recover faster."
"Not a problem." Coulson let her know "So she's ok?"
"Yes," she told Coulson then reassured Skye "We'll just have to wait to see if your memory comes back. But it should be within 72 hours though."
A sharp intake of breath was heard in the otherwise quiet room and everyone turned to see a very tense Ward.
Coulson wasn't shocked as he assumed the former agent wouldn't be too fond of the possibility of Skye's memory returning quickly.
He was shocked, however, that he had shown it.
He honestly looked devastated.
"Ward? You ok?" Skye asked him, concerned.
"Yeah," he grounded himself and thought of an excuse for his outburst "Just yawning. Been a long day." He tried to take the attention away from him and brought his hand to his mouth, mimicking a yawn.
He needed to keep it together.
Yes, he knew logically that it wouldn't be long before her memories came back but he hadn't allowed himself long to think about it.
And if she really would hate him again sometime within the next 72 hours he needed to spend as much time with her as he could, seize this temporary second chance with both hands.
Skye nodded at him, though the worry stayed on her face.
She smiled at Simmons and told her earnestly "Thanks for coming Jemma. You know, one day I might be coordinated enough to give you a break from tending to my injuries."
Simmons chuckled though found it strained with Ward in the room "One day. But for now I want you to rest and to contact me if anything happens." She checked her watch "I have to get going. When will you be back Coulson?"
"When Gonzales calls off his dogs." He sighed bitterly.
"I don't think that will be anytime soon," she said dejectedly "He wants what's in the toolbox sir. Desperately."
"And he wants me out of the picture," he added and for Skye's benefit told her "He thinks I'm a danger because of the GH-325 and I'm in no state to be a replacement for Fury."
"What? Is he serious? But you're fine, we both are. There's been no side effects from it except, you know, living." She said exasperatedly.
"I know that, you know that. But clearly he doesn't. Be safe and ask May to let us know when you're back." He ordered Jemma.
"I will. Thank you sir. Fitz can I speak with you before I go?"
Fitz stood from the bed he had been sitting on next to Skye and nodded "Yeah, uh, of course."
He followed her out of the room.
"I'm so glad you're alright. Has Ward tried anything?"
"No," he shook his head "In fact, I had to be pulled off of him." He told her somewhat proudly "Hunter had to restrain me when I attacked him."
"Really?" Simmons said, sounding impressed.
"Yeah he's lucky really. If Hunter hadn't been there, there would have been quite some damage done." He shrugged casually.
"Well try not attack him again. At least while Skye can't remember the reasons for why you would."
"Yeah. Oh, and thanks for the sandwich by the way. Really that should have been a clue to Ward being evil all along. On our mission together he threw away my sandwich. Can you believe it? Someone capable of that kind of act can't be trusted." He shook his head, wistfully.
"As well as the murder of multiple shield agents along with our own attempted murder you mean?"
"Well yeah that too." He agreed as an afterthought.
After a moment of silence fitz asked "Do you think he really is?"
"Who really is what?"
"Ward. Do you really think he's evil?"
"Are you really asking me this?" She reared back, disgusted.
"I mean do you think he's past redemption?" He clarified "It can't all have been a lie. It just can't have. You can't be with someone for that long, them saving your life and getting to know you without some of it being real."
"I don't know fitz!" She exhaled, exhausted as she herself had asked the very same question for many weeks after his betrayal. "Even if some of it was real, it's gone. He, and he alone, made the decision to throw away anything we had. All we can do now is be careful until Coulson has used him to help the gifted individuals taken by hydra and Skye has her memories back. Ok?"
"Yeah, ok." He said sadly, knowing the facts but wanting, no needing, to believe that some part of Ward was good. That some part of him wanted to be good.
"Actually," Simmons paused in thought then reached into the bag she had brought with her "We can do more than be careful."
Pulling out a gun and handing it to Fitz she explained what to do then zipped the bag, ready to leave.
"I'll see you soon. And remember be careful."
"Bye Jemma. See you soon." He hugged her and she left the motel, Fitz having the restrain the urge to run after her.
An: Hello and good day, just a quick disclaimer: I know Jack lickity split about medical stuff so don't take my word for any of the things said about amnesia. If you, or anyone you know, gets amnesia then go to a hospital obvs. But I suppose if you have no memory then you won't remember reading this so can't base your next steps off of this anyway.
And another thing! I couldn't remember if Ward had found out about Skye being an 084 or not so I guess just go with it, please and thank you. Love ya, see ya.
