Chapter 8: Greatest Fears part 4
Grant's POV- Status: The Bus. Whereabouts: "Compromised"
His vision cleared enough for him to see the HYDRA agent facing Skye in the doorway.
"Well, who do we have here?" The HYDRA agent asked the room, looking at Skye with interest. She took an unsteady breath and looked over to Grant, scared.
Grant snarled, pushing himself up quickly. The HYDRA agent turned back to him with a smirk, knowing that he was in the way. He couldn't get to Skye. She had already figured this out by the time he looked at her and she tried to get to him but didn't want to get any closer to the agent. Grateful, Grant turned most of his attention to the man and tried to keep him distracted.
"So is S.H.I.E.L.D that desperate for agents that it's training them this young" HYDRA guy nodded at Skye "or is she more significant" he queried, taunting him as he took a step closer to Skye.
"I said, stay away from her." Grant spat, his tone warning the agent that he was going to pay for his remarks. However, he didn't want to act rashly in anger, jeopardising both Skye's safety and his position as a capable specialist. Balling up his fists, he tried to redirect some of that anger, and breathing slowly would hurt his ribs less. He worried that he wouldn't be able to go another round with him – the guy was built and knew how to handle himself.
"You're a pretty little thing." The man continued, talking to Skye now and enjoying the effect he was having. "But I highly doubt S.H.I.E.L.D.'s training you this young, so is she more significant?" Then, with an exaggerated gasp of realisation he faced Grant with mock surprise. "Is she your little girl? Is it bring your kid to work day?"
Skye was shaking with fright, and he could see that she was crying. 'Enough'. "You take one more step near her and I'll break both your legs." When the agent merely blinked at the threat, he tried a different tactic. "Why do you want the 0-8-4 anyway?" He asked, aiming for distraction while taking a step closer to Skye.
"That's for me to know and you not to find out. And don't think I didn't notice that step – I'll have her before you make it halfway."
Grant stayed still, not wanting the agent to figure out his next step, but the other man grabbed Skye before he could move. She squealed in fright as he dragged her to him.
"SKYE! Let her go!" Grant shouted, shaking with rage and fear. "She's just a little girl; she has nothing to do with this!" At the very least, he hoped someone would hear.
"Oh, but she does." The smirk on the agent's face turned into a full blown grin. "She's now my bargaining chip. I get what I want; you get your little girl back." Roughly, he pulled Skye further away from Grant.
Furious, Grant lunged forward, ready to rip his head off. "Ah, ah, not so fast! I may have enjoyed close-quarter combat, but that doesn't mean I don't have other methods." And with that, he pulled out a handgun and pressed the barrel to Skye's head.
Coulson's POV
He heard Ward shout from above as he climbed the stairs from the lab after tying up the unconscious HYDRA agents. Getting closer he heard a voice he didn't recognise – which was never pulled his ICER out and stuck his head around the corner to get a look into the lounge. 'No wonder Ward shouted' he thought, anger bubbling up inside him at the sight of Skye being held hostage. 'Not an ICER' he noted, swallowing hard.
Grant's POV
Skye looked terrified she tried to squirm out of the HYDRA agent's reach, reaching for him. "Stop moving, you little bitch." The man snapped angrily, twisting Skye's arm behind her back and making her scream in pain. The sound pierced him like a knife.
"Hey! Stop hurting her, she's only a baby! She hasn't done anything!" He begged. "If you want to hurt someone, hurt me." Frustrated, Grant hadn't felt so helpless in years. He couldn't risk Skye getting a broken arm or worse.
The HYDRA agent sneered at him. "Oh…am I hurting your baby?" He asked with mock innocence, pulling on Skye's arm a little more, making her whimper through her tears. "I don't need to hurt you. Give me the 0-8-4 or I'll put a bullet in your little baby girl's head. I think that's pretty simple." He finished conversationally.
White hot anger burned in Grant's veins as the agent spoke in such a matter-of-fact tone. He barely managed to keep it contained. The only thing stopping him from combusting was the fact that he had too much to lose and losing wasn't an option. "Don't hurt her. She's only little." He didn't know what else to say. He couldn't give up either the 0-8-4 or Skye.
The agent sighed. "Is that all you're going to say? 'Don't hurt her. She's only little.'" He mimicked, rolling his eyes. "I want the 0-8-4!" He shouted. "Where is the briefcase?" Frustrated, he yanked on Skye's arm with more force.
"Don't!" Grant panicked. "Baby, look at me, baby!" He focused on Skye, trying to reassure her with his eyes. But all he could see was the stark terror in hers, and it only made him more determined to get her away from the danger so he could hold her in his arms and never let her go.
Impatient, the man flicked the safety off. "Where. Is. The briefcase. Hidden? Because I will shoot her." He stated chillingly, pressing the gun to Skye's temple and digging in for emphasis.
Coulson's POV
He decided to make his presences known. This had gone on long enough. He trained his ICER on the HYDRA agent's head and pulled the trigger. Skye screamed as the HYDRA agent collapsed onto the floor behind her. Ward rushed forwards gathering her to him tightly, holding her as she shook and cried into his combat vest uncontrollably. Ward was trying to calm her down, whispering soothing words as he stroked her hair. "Shh, baby, I've got you. You're safe now. That bad man can't hurt you anymore"
Grant's POV- Status: The Bus. Whereabouts: "Secure"
He couldn't even look at Coulson. He just held Skye close and picked her up, heading towards the lounge, trying to put as much distance between them and HYDRA. 'This is exactly what I didn't want to happen' he thought bitterly as he sat down on the far end of the couch, Skye still trembling in his arms.
His tactical vest couldn't be comfortable for her, as tightly curled up against him as she was, so he tried to shift her to take it off. She immediately panicked and started dragging in ragged breaths. Hurriedly, he discarded the vest and pulled her back into his arms.
"Skye, baby, I need you to breath with me." He said calmly, but he was worried that she was hyperventilating. Rubbing her back soothingly, he repeated, "In…out…in…out…" It took them nearly ten minutes but eventually her breathing was matching his. "That's it, baby." He said, brushing her hair behind her ear so he could see her face. Seeing tears sliding down her cheeks, he gently wiped them off, watching her eyes finally close with exhaustion. "Sleep, baby, you're safe now." He murmured, softly placing a kiss on top of her head, breathing in her calming baby smell to reassure himself that she was safe.
Coulson's POV
He walked into the lounge and sat on the couch opposite where Ward was sitting, Skye curled up against his chest and sleeping peacefully. "How is she?" He asked quietly, not wanting to wake her, and fearing the answer.
Ward met his gaze angrily. "Terrified, exhausted and scared to close her eyes." He hissed in a low tone.
Coulson couldn't blame him for being angry. He was angry at himself and HYDRA for Skye's ordeal. He didn't want anything else like that happening again, but he wasn't stupid. His job was dangerous and unpredictable, and there were no guarantees with safety. They just had to hope they could protect her as best they could.
Grant's POV
'"This is exactly what I didn't want to happen." He stated more calmly. He knew he shouldn't speak like that to his boss, no matter how angry he was. Skye stirred restlessly in her sleep, whimpering, he tightened his arms around her. She settled.
"I've spoken to Fury, and he thinks some time off is in order." Coulson replied, sounding like he wasn't offended. "May will set course for anywhere in the world, Simmons can organise a safe hotel, and Fitz has already decided jam sandwiches are an excellent travel food." He smiled comfortingly at the specialist. "Just give us a location, Ward. The team's going to continue doing what it does while we look for a way to turn Skye back into the adult she started as."
Grant didn't know if this was their best move or not but at least if they were in a safe house, he could keep her away from danger. He looked down at her, her expression as peaceful and innocent as ever. He wanted her to stay that way, so without taking his eyes off the girl in his arms, he spoke flatly.
"Thirty-eight, nineteen point six seven one degrees south, one hundred and forty-four, nineteen point five one four degrees east."
Notes-Thanks you to EmmaJMcGhee for all your help I really appreciate all the advice and suggestions:)
