Every night I try my best to dream
Tomorrow makes it better
And I wake up to the cold reality
And not a thing is changed
It was the first day out of the cage.
Grant Ward was a free man again.
Of course ,he was under SHIELD's strict custody, with an electronic bracelet on his wrist that informed Coulson of his every move, but he was out of the vault and it was enough.
They had given to him a small room deep in the corridor: a bed, a small bathroom, a window. Until then he had never imagined he really wanted to have a window.
The world out there, the trees, the fresh air. Things were so unnecessary, yet so damn essential.
He had struggled to fall asleep that night.
He was too used to the absolute silence and utter darkness of his cell.
Every little noise woke him up. He had heard Fitzsimmons talking excitedly about something, as they were returning to their rooms after another evening spent late in the lab . He had heard LanceSNORING on the other side of the wall, Mack and Tripp arguing about their last game of Call of Duty. Coulson, May and Bobbi discuss the next mission as they passed in front of his door.
And then he heard her.
His room was in the midst of the Lance's and Skye's rooms.
And if at one part he could HunterSNORING like he was using a chainsaw, Skye was even too quiet.
He felt as she sat on the bed with a thud, like the music of some video game kept going even though it was past midnight, he heard lamp being turned off and a single whisper.
That whisper that had accompanied him throughout all the night.
"Good night Grant"
It was barely noticeable. A normal ear wouldn't hear it.
"Good night, my love" he said.
The next morning he didn't know what to do. The news of his return as an active part of the team had received conflicting opinions.
Christian Ward turned out to be a huge asshole, and Grant wasn't totally surprised about it. He knew him for 32 years, he would be surprised otherwise.
Desperate needs, desperate measures. Coulson used him as a desperate last trick up in his sleeve. And with that, he had earned his freedom.
But not everyoneSHARED this opinion.
It was proved when he stepped in the cafeteria. They were all awake, talking to each other as they ate their breakfast
The boys was occuping a table and talking about sports, Coulson and May were preparing coffee for themselfs, and Fitz Simmons went after him, but didn't even deign him a look.
They seemed to ignore him, and Grant accepted it without going down.
"Grant it's just the first day" he told himself.
Eggs and bacon was the first breakfast he chose for his first day as a free man. He still remebered the crappy food they gave him and how many times he could smell bacon from his cell.
He sat in the farthest corner of a café table, noting that virtually no one had agreed with his presence.
All but one person.
Skye was sitting at a table, even her alone. Too busy writing on her computer to see it.
Fitz and Simmons were preparing their breakfast (eggs, bacon and toasts for Fitz, a bowl of fresh fruit, cereal and yogurt for Simmons, along with a cup of tea for both of them) when they noticed the scene.
"Come on, Skye's table was free. I have absolutely no desire for another discussion about what is best between soccer and football. "Fitz said.
"Yes, but where is Skye?" Said Simmons.
They were too busy to discuss, once again, that Fitz should eat more fruits and his reluctance to do so in theFUTURE that they hadn't noticed it at all.
But Skye hadn't gone away.
"Can I sit here?" Asked a familiar voice, all too familiar. Looking up, Grant saw a smiling Skye. She kept the computer as if it was a tray and she managed to balance a cup of coffee and two capecakes
"Sure, you can sit wherever you want" said Grant.
"Maybe we should sit down with them" said Fitz hesitanting.
"Are you sure about it Leo?" Said Simmons.
"Yeah, i think i am" said Leo "It's his first day" and so saying, he moved to the table.
"Is it free here?" Simmons asked, sitting between Ward and Skye.
"Good morning Ward" said Fitz, with a broad smile.
"Morning Fitz" said Ward surprised.
"Okay, so we need a third opinion" was heard Mack say from the guys table.
"Ward! Quick question! Who is better? Soccer or football? "Asked Lance.
"I don't know" said Grant caught off guard "I prefer football, but I was the captain of the soccer team when I was in the Academy, so I don't know what to choose"
"Captain of the football team?" Tripp said, "Dude, I was the quarterback of the football team! I didn't know "
"I did the audition for it, but apparently they had already taked you" said Grant.
"Good morning Ward," said May, passing in front of them as if nothing had happened.
"Morning Ward" Bobbi said, shaking his hand, "Bobbi Morse. It's a pleasure to meet you"
"Agent Morse, It's a pleasure too" said Ward surprised.
"Your colleagues have talked me a lot about you" Bobbi said, "I hope that all the stories they told me are true. Asgardian Anger? I'm impressed "
"Bobbi, don't monopolize Ward" shouted Lance "Sorry mate, when she begins to speak, no one can stop her"
"Didn't you had a very serius discussion with the guys?" asked angrily Bobbi to her ex-husband before she left.
"Ward, as soon as you're done, I want you in my office to discuss your situation," Coulson said, without even looking up from his tablet.
"Yes sir" said Ward immediately.
"Oh Ward, you have to try the new icer that we are planning," Fitz said excitedly.
"We assure the total absence of 30 unnecessary pounds" Simmons said with a smile.
"Ok, I will come to the lab later" Ward said with a smile.
"Welcome back home, Grant" said Skye, when everyone was distracted, giving him a smile over the screen of her laptop.
Maybe it wasn't much, maybe it meant nothing.
It was just a spark, but it was enough to keep him going.
A/N: The promo of 2x06 leads to these things. I seriously hope that this is what will happen! I want my baby boy out of that cell and I want him now !
The title is from the son "Last Hope" by Paramore, and it's perfect for him.