Chapter 24: Darkness Isn't My Friend
Notes- This is unbeta-ed any mistakes are my own. Feel free to point them out and I'll fix them ASAP. Blah! Blah! Blah!
I'm gunna be totally honest I like the next chapter a lot better. It'll be a mixture of cute and horrible from a few people's POVs. A bit more of Skye's past is uncovered.
In the next chapter we are going to 'see' Skye's favourite pirate. Coulson and Grant clash over what's best for their girl. May attempts to stop Coulson going all stalker Daddy. Gramsy even has a heart to heart with Fitz.
I just want to thank you guys for your reviews. It just really makes my day and encourages me to get more chapters up.
Grant's POV- Status: The Bus. Whereabouts: "On Route."
He was well aware that the team was eye-balling them as they finished their dinner. They'd clearly notice that Skye didn't want him out of her sight and she was back to only answering in baby talk.
He wasn't hungry. "Baby, why don't you go and get ready for bed while I help do the dishes." He suggested, hoping he might be able to clear a few unspoken questions up, without her little ears listening.
Skye look up at him panicked. "I no wanna." She wailed, tears already shining brightly.
"I know baby. I won't take long and then I'll tuck you in." He assured her.
Thomas' POV
Skye looked on the verge of a full blown melt down. His brother didn't look like he was far behind her. Their negotiation weren't getting them anywhere, neither willing to compromise.
"Skye, why don't I come with you? We can do our teeth together and I'll help you get ready for bed." He suggested, coming to his brothers rescue.
Skye looked from him to Grant and back again, obviously realising Grant wasn't going to cave this time she nodded her head, chin trembling and holding back tears.
Grant POV
He sent Tommy a grateful look. He lifted Skye up until she stood standing on her chair at his eye level. "You go brush your teeth with Tommy and get ready for bed. I won't be long and then I'll tuck you in." He told her, trying to put as much resolve into his voice as possible.
Skye looked like she was going to cry any second now and that would be the end of him. "I'll be as fast as I can." He promised. "You be a good girl and get ready for bed." He said quickly giving her a kiss on the temple, picking her up and handing her over to Tommy before he changed his mind or she started crying.
Thomas POV
He had only taken two steps out of the kitchen, cutting off Skye's view of Grant, when she burst into tears. "Shh, come on sweet pea it'll be ok." He said, rocking her and smoothing down her hair as he made his way to the bathroom. "Let's get our teeth brushed and show Grant what a big girl you are." He suggested, hoping that would stop her crying; it didn't.
Grant's POV
He hadn't moved or spoken since handing Skye over to Thomas. He could hear her crying as they headed towards the bathroom.
Gramsy spoke up breaking the silence. "Honey, tell us what you needed to so you can get back to her." She suggested, bring him out of his catatonic state.
"Right, yeah." He cleared his throat. He told them everything that Skye had revealed in the SUV earlier. His eye kept flicking towards where Tommy has disappeared with Skye, he couldn't hear her cries anymore so he hoped that was a good sign.
Thomas' POV
He had managed to calm Skye down enough to brush her teeth, but Pyjamas where a different story. She wouldn't wear anything he picked out.
"Iron Man?" He held up her footsy jammies.
She shook her head.
"Captain America?" He held up another pair with a shield on the front.
"No. No. No." She cried hysterically, rubbing at her eyes tiredly.
He knelt down in front of her and wiped her tears away. "Ok Skye, can you find me something that you want to wear?" He asked her, patiently. He expected more hysterics, Skye just stood with her arms crossed in the middle of Grant's bunk then turned on her heels heading for Grant's dresser.
Her clothes are still in her Thomas backpack. What's she looking for? He wondered confused. He watched Skye pull out the bottom draw of Grant's dresser and stand on the edge precariously so she could reach the third draw and pull it open. She rummaged around for a minute then drew back holding an old t-shirt of Grant's.
He was surprised Grant still had it. "You wanna wear that to bed? Huh, ok than." He said taking it from Skye, examining it; the t-shirt had defiantly seen better days.
Grant's POV
"Do you think the 0-8-4 will turn her back now that she's open up about her past? Does that mean she's faced her demons?" He asked Fitzsimmons hopefully.
Simmons shook her head. "Just because Skye's opened up about what that dreadful man made her do and what he did to her doesn't mean she's dealt with it Ward. Talking about your past is one thing, accepting it and moving on from it, is quite another." She told him, glancing at Fitz meaningfully.
"I think more time is needed. Skye's not ready yet Ward." Fitz said, cautiously.
He still didn't have a handle on all his demons, so how could he expect Skye to be ready to accept her demons and move on when he wasn't and in such little amount of time. His thoughts were interrupted by a throat being cleared, obviously Tommy alerting them he was bring Skye back into the room. He straightened up and took a deep breath, calming himself.
"Grant." Skye said tiredly.
He lifted his head turning towards her. "Baby, where'd you find that?" He asked her, chuckling as he took her from Tommy.
Tommy ruffled Skye's hair. "In the third draw of your dresser. I didn't realise you were sentimental Grant. You big softie." He teased.
The team looked up to see Ward's reaction at being called a sentimental softie, then they caught sight of the t-shirt Skye was wearing. It was light grey featuring a mug shot of a dog captioned with 'The Dog Ate My Homework'.
"I gave this to you, what, nearly 20 years ago?" Tommy asked, sounding amazed.
"I gotta say, it looks better on Skye than it ever did on me." He joked, giving himself more time to come up with an excuse, he didn't have one. "Ok fine, I'm a sentimental softie! I couldn't part with that stupid shirt. It reminded me of you and Gramsy and I missed you guys. Happy now? I'm a softie!" He exclaimed, somewhere between exasperated and horrified at the thought.
Everyone was so stunned by his sudden outburst that they were silent.
"But you're my softie because you love me." Skye sated, breaking the silence.
Everyone seemed to be holding their breath, the fraise you could have hear a pin drop came to him mind.
He smiled down at Skye. "You're right as usual, baby. I'm only a softie with you because I love you." He confessed, realising just how true it was, he probably still wouldn't get rid of that t-shirt just because Skye'd taken a liking to it.
The team's eyes widen, their mouths dropping open.
I'm never going to live this one down, it's worse than 'short bus.' He sighed resigned to the fact.
"I'm never going to live this one down. You guys will use this against me every chance you get." He said more to himself than the team. Skye looked guilty, her eyes worried. He was about to reassure her that that wasn't a bad thing when the team started laughing hysterically.
"We're defiantly going to use this against you, Ward. It's about bloody time." Fitz told him, smirking happily.
"No! No, d'at HYDRA man will hurt him if you do d'at." Skye shouted at Fitz, causing the room to go very quiet. Skye took a shaky breath, grabbing hold of his t-shirt with white knuckles.
He held Skye a little tighter, giving her a reassuring squeeze. "Baby, the bad guys aren't going to hurt me. Fitz would never tell anyone who'd use you against me. Fitz was only teasing." He told her, reaching up to unclench her little fist from his t-shirt.
"No. No. No." Skye repeated upset, pushing his hand away and clenching her little fists tighter.
"Baby, Fitzy was teasing! He won't tell anyone. I'm sure he'll promise you, if you want." He offered her as a last ditch effort to calm her.
Skye lifted her head, eyeing Fitzy intently. "You'll promise? Right Fitzy? You no tell." She said tiredly.
Fitz looked stunned, not expecting Skye's outburst. "Yeah, Skye, I won't tell. I promise." He told her, sincerely.
Once satisfied Skye snuggled back into his chest and unclenched her fists, popping her thumb in her mouth sleepily.
"Come on baby, let's get you into bed. It's been a long day." He ran his fingers through her hair.
"No. No. No. I no wanna sweep! It's dark in dare." Skye exclaimed, trying to get down.
"Baby stop." He told her gently, holding on to her so she couldn't get away but she kept struggling. "Skye!" He said more firmly, holding her more securely against his chest.
Skye stopped struggling and collapsed against him sobbing tiredly.
He just held Skye close, looking up he saw the worry on everyone's faces. "I'm going to put her to bed." He said, walking towards his bunk. Skye stiffened as soon as the lighting changed from the lounge to his darker bunk.
He flicked on his lamp as fast as he could. "How about I leave this light on so it's not dark in here? Do you think you'll be able to sleep?" He asked, worried.
She couldn't possibly think Fitz would tell bad guys about them. He sighed, she was obviously so tired she couldn't take a joke anymore.
Skye shook her head no, thumb still in her mouth. "Stay wif me, snuggle?" She demanded, one arm reaching for him.
"Ok baby, move over." He scooped her up and over a little.
Skye snuggled into his chest, eyes finally fluttering closed.
He stayed with her for a while after she'd fallen asleep just watching over her. He extracted himself from Skye, leaving the light on for her. He noticed his maroon hoodie on the floor near her dirty clothes. He picked it up. "Were you so tired you forget to put this back on?" He murmured, draping it over her. He gave her a kiss on the forehead before exiting his bunk.
"Did she get to sleep alright?" Gramsy asked him.
He turned towards her voice. "Yeah, once she finally closed her eyes." He sighed, sitting down next to her on the couch. "I think she's just over tired. She's scared to close her eyes again, bringing up her past is upsetting her Gramsy." He said worriedly, leaning forward on his knees with his head in his hand.
Gramsy squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. "You're doing everything you can. You can only be there for Skye when she needed you, you can't force it; you know that better than anyone." She told him, giving his shoulder another squeeze.
He did know better than anyone, it was easy for somebody to tell you it wasn't your fault but believing it is a whole different story. "I know. I just can't stand to see her so upset. Skye's scared to be on her own. She frighten of the dark because some bastard locked her in a cupboard after smacking her around. Who knows what else he did to her." He said angrily, standing up. "I'm going to do some training." He muttered, leaving the lounge.
● - - ҉ - -S∞W- -○- - ●
He was so focused on beating the crap out of the punching bag, he didn't hear Tommy call him.
"GRANT!" Tommy shouted.
"WHAT THOMAS!" He yelled back, still focused on the bag. Tommy didn't answer. He spun around angrily, still reeling from his working out. "WHAT!" He snapped, annoyed.
Tommy wasn't looking at him, he was looking down at Skye, half hidden behind him with tears rolling down her cheeks. She'd put on his maroon hoodie so he guessed she'd had a nightmare. Un-wrapping his hands he kept an eye on Skye, she was taking in unsteady breaths from where she was hiding behind Tommy. Tommy just looked pissed off.
Skye made no move to come any closer to him. I probably scared her, great. He sighed, annoyed at himself. Now un-wrapping his left hand, he looked up at Tommy. "She have a nightmare." He stated, already knowing the answer.
Thomas's POV
He met Grant's eyes angrily. "She woke up screaming and couldn't find you. I heard her and brought her down here. I didn't realise you were beating the crap out of the punching bag or I wouldn't have bothered." He said coolly. He picked Skye up and gave her a hug, trying to calm her.
Grant's POV
He just ignored his brother comment, focusing on Skye instead. "You ok now, baby?" He asked her, shifting his hoodie back from her face so he could see her better.
Skye didn't answer; instead she reached for him.
"You're ok, baby." He told her, taking her from Tommy.
He buried his face in her hair and inhaled her baby sent, calming himself as much as Skye. He ran his fingers through her hair. "You're ok." He repeated, noticing that as he said it her breathing slowed just a little bit more.
He lifted his face from her hair but still kept her close, he met Tommy's annoyed gaze. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. I shouldn't be taking this out on you." He apologised.
Thomas' POV
He was still annoyed but not at Grant, at the situation. He felt just as helpless as Grant, only Grant seemed to know what to do.
"I'm sorry too, I just panicked." He admitted, looking at his feet. "I didn't know what to do." He confessed. "She wanted you and you weren't there. I'm sorry." He apologised. His brother was just worried about Skye and trying to keep it together himself.
Grant's POV
He sighed heavily. "Tommy breath, I'm not angry at you. I should have been there for Skye, not down here beating up the bag. Skye comes first. I should have been there for her. So I'm sorry." He apologised, giving Skye a squeeze.
"But you're trying to deal with stuff…Skye might come first, but I shouldn't be making it harder on you." Tommy said, brushing Skye's hair out of her eyes as she snuggled into him.
"You're not making it harder." He assured his brother. "How about we go put a movie on?" He suggested. "I think she'll fall asleep easier if she's not in the dark." He whispered to Tommy, heading up the stairs to the lounge.
