/I can't begin to thank you guys. I...god, every single comment, like, favourite, PM, everything. It meant so much to me. I did cry reading them and I know that you guys honestly did help me and stop me from doing something. Just...thank you so much. I hope you guys have an amazing Christmas and New Year, you deserve it so much. Thank you again, I seriously love you guys./

Ward pushed the door open, his stomach twisting and the walls closing in on him as he looked at the woman...girl on the bed. She looked absolutely tiny, swathed in blankets, tubes in her arms.

Guilt hit him like a ton of bricks and rushed to the trash can in the corner of the room, hovering over it because he thought he might actually be sick.

He should have done something, should have stopped her. Talked to her. Told her about his own struggles, about his dark past and his problems with not only anxiety, but depression.

It was on him.

Not only was he her SO, he was her friend and well...maybe he wanted to be a little more than that.

"Grant, I know you're beating yourself up over there, I can literally hear you thinking. Come here." Skye said quietly, her voice hoarse.

She looked exhausted, dark circles accentuated by the sheer paleness of her face, her cheekbones prominent.

But she sounded so much like the 'old' Skye, his heart hurt a little.

He did go over, sitting down in the chair. He watched her, taking in every little thing. The curl of her hair around her forehead, the dryness of her lips, the pain in her eyes.

The bandages covering each arm.

"Grant. Ward?" Skye muttered, wincing as she tried to sit up. He finally moved then, pushing her gently back. "Don't move."

He glanced to the bedside table and realized that there was a little pitcher of water there. He poured it but stopped when he picked it up. She hadn't realized yet that she..well, tied to the bed.

"Here, I'll do it, so you don't hurt your arms." he said quietly, lifting the cup to her mouth.

Skye said nothing, just lowered her gaze and drank.

"Slowly, you don't want to be sick." he murmured, placing the cup back down.

It was the look on her face that made him take her hand, leaning his elbows on the side of the bed, her hand cradled between his own.

Skye then seemed to notice that he was at an awkward angle and he could almost hear the fear coming off of her.

"It's okay. Skye, Skye it's okay. They were just a precaution, I'll take them off."

She'd been tortured once, right in front of him. Ever since, she;d been terrified of being strapped down or being in any tight spaces. She didn't like wearing jewellery or belts unless she had to.

Ward gently removed the straps from her arms and ankles, swallowing back the lump in his throat.

"I'm sorry Skye." he said quietly, his brows furrowed. "I'm so sorry." his voice cracked and he shut up before anything more than that could happen.

"Sorry?" the hacker murmured, tired and confused. "Why? This was my decision, Grant. To go out my way. My time. It all hurts, it's too much, okay? I need it to stop and I-"

"Skye." his voice broke. "Skye stop, please. Let me help. I will...do anything I can to help please. I love you."

/The torture part is referring to a previous fanfic I wrote called Broken. This is...depressing for Christmas but because of that, I gathered up my energy and wrote a mushy, slightly cracky Christmas fic. It's called AoS Family Christmas. The next chapter will be put up tomorrow. Please go read! Thank you- Sophie xxxx/