Chapter 18

Ward walks into the cafeteria at lunch, he looks around for Skye. She's not in sight. Ward bites his tongue, seeing the table where Skye usually sits with Simmons, Fitz, Mack and Triplett. Today she's not there though. Ward sighs and walks up to the table, not really wanting to interact with these people.

"Do you know where Skye is?" Ward asks awkwardly, interrupting some debate about whether or not dark or white chocolate was better. They all stop talking when Ward is within hearing distance.

"She was in her morning classes." Simmons explains. "Though she looked quite pale." Simmons gives a nice glare to Ward. "Is that your fault, Grant Ward?"

"Pardon?" Ward says, unsure what Simmons was getting at.

Mack continues for her. "What Simmons means is that Skye ran out yesterday of Science class… with you, and we never saw her at dinner." Mack crosses his arms. "I think you should stay away, S.O or not."

Ward frowns.

These people knew nothing of Skye's pain, and had only known her for about a week and yet they were defending her? No one had ever done that for him.

Ward doesn't bother answering and turns around to walk away, but Skye was there standing. She frowns.

"Skye." Simmons greets. "We were just asking Ward to leave."

"Why?" Skye asks. "He hasn't done anything?" She admits.

"What do you mean he hasn't done anything?" Trip wonders out loud.

"Yesterday you ran out of Variety Science with him, and we didn't see you all day." Mack says. "We thought something bad happened."

Skye shook her head. "Oh no, that's not it." Skye goes to take a seat at the table. "If anything I should be thanking Ward. He helped me." Skye breathes out. "I have this small fear of needles, so I wasn't comfortable giving blood. Ward noticed how nervous I was and took me to the nurse. Simple as that. Because of a headache I just ended up not coming back to class."

Ward was in shock. Skye had just defended him. Saying that he helped her? Had he?

"Oh.. well… sorry for the misunderstanding." Simmons says. Skye smiles.

Ward is about to walk away, but Skye grabs his hand. "Sit with us." She offers. Ward doesn't look ready to take the offer. "Please." He frowns, but after a second nods. He takes the empty seat beside Skye.

A bit of awkward small talk to start, eventually the group gets back into another debate that Ward simply doesn't bother putting an input in for. All Ward could focus on was Skye, and how her face looked quite pale, and her eyes had bags under them.

When the bell rings, the group gets up to throw their garbage away and head to class. Ward grabs Skye's arm as she's walking away.

"You think I didn't notice how pale you were." He remarks. Skye avoids eye contact. "Did you even eat anything today?" Ward asks. Skye doesn't answer. "When was the last time you ate Skye?" Skye avoids Ward's eyes. "Skye!" Ward says in a controlling tone.

"I had a bit of an apple for dinner last night." She admits.

"You can't just do this to yourself." Ward confirms. "You need to eat something." Skye looks at Ward. Her eyes hiding all sorts of pain.

"Skye last night, did you….." Skye lowers her head. "Oh Skye, I told you, you could come to me."

"It was only a bad dream." Skye tries to convince herself, and Ward. "I'm fine." Skye kicks the ground. "Besides you wouldn't be able to help anyway." Skye looks up. "But thanks for the offer, I need to get to class."

Ward watches her leave. He wants to follow her badly, but knows that he has other matters to deal with.

Ward heads to Coulson's office. He doesn't bother knocking as he opens the door. Coulson was just hanging up his phone. "Thanks for knocking." Coulson says sarcastically. "Now if you excuse me, as headmaster I have a lot of things I need to catch up on."

Ward puts his hand on Coulson's desk. "Skye." He says.

"What about her?"

"She's not doing well, Coulson, she's…." Ward stops. "She told me yesterday, what she is. How she was at a facility…." Ward pictures her scars. "She told me she's been having panic attacks more often than not."

"And?" Coulson says.

"And? Well we need to do something to help her? She must be scared out of her mind each night?" Ward says in concern for Skye. "Can't we do something, I mean she isn't even eating right."

Coulson sighs. "I assigned you as her S.O, because I hoped it would help her grow close to a student, and help you as her S.O develop emotions all the same." Ward blinks.

"I don't understand."

"Ward if anyone can help Skye adjust, and forget her awful past it would be you." Coulson says. "She's opened up to you; maybe it's time you opened up to her." Coulson says.

"Just because I don't have panic attacks, doesn't mean I don't remember every day." Ward mumbles.

"Yes, but when I first brought you here Ward you were alone, refused to eat, talk, really do anything. You had given up on living, in a much worse state than Skye." Coulson fixes his tie. "You can help Skye see the light, you can help Skye see what she wants. Make her forget the memories of her past, and replace them with the future." Coulson stands up. "If anyone can do it Ward, it's you."

"She'll see me differently." Ward admits.

"And she wasn't scared of the same thing." Coulson says. "If you want to help Skye Ward, you're first going to need to be willing to open up about yourself. Maybe it's best if you tell her your past, to help her forget about her own."

Ward looks away. "I…"

"Now Ward if you don't mind leaving I have a lot of work to catch up on." Ward nods, leaving Coulson office with more questions about himself, than answers on how to help Skye.

Just why did he care so much?

Okay so lots of positive reviews on the last chapter, so another chapter on Skye's past coming soon. Some Ward moments here, with him worried about Skye. Next chapter is sort of about everyone, I'm introducing Mockingbird as well, since she seems pretty cool in the show so far. Please review :D