The square of an old abandoned factory is certainly not the place where you would find your boyfriend.
The building was dilapidated, and Skye wasn't surprised by the fact that Ward had just picked that place to hide. It was isolated, away from prying eyes.
She and the rest of the team had seen him go in there with his brother, but it didn't seemed like a happy family reunion.
The Ward family had nothing cheerful.
Skye knew the story. It was difficult for her to let him go, and she was almost happy when he escaped.
She had a strange feeling in the pit of the stomach from the moment when she had seen him leave.
Revenge.
This was the only thing screaming in his eyes. If revenge is what he wanted, Skye wouldn't have been certain the one to stop him.
But the rest of the team didn't think so.
Coulson went on, overcoming all of them.
"I'll go by myself" he said.
"No, let me come with you" Skye said "He would never hurt me"
"Me and him have an outstanding question " said Coulson.
"How long do we wait before taking action?" said May, while the rest of the team was taking place.
"I hope you wouldn't have to do it" Coulson said, coming out of the shadows where they were hiding.
Grant was there, in the middle of the room.
Senator Ward was behind him, standing. He hadn't even bothered to tie him, it looks like a normal discussion among brothers.
Except that the older one was a psychopath who had reduced their brother Thomas on a wheelchair, and the younger wasn't much better.
"Grant Ward" Coulson called, his voice echoing in the practically empty block.
"You sure needed your time" Christian said, not at all frightened by the presence of his deadly brother.
"I'm not here for you Senator" Coulson said "I'm here for him"
"It seems a bit 'late to take an interest in me, Director" said Grant.
Something in his voice was completely different. Skye couldn't hardly recognize him.
He had is old strength, he didn't looked like the frightened child she had seen in that cell anymore.
"What do you mean Grant?" Asked Coulson "I'm here to help you"
"It's late, sir" Grant said with a bitter laugh, "You had six months for help me"
Coulson let him talk, despite the Asgardian anger had returned to visit Grant and he seemed unstoppable.
"Explain to me" he said "I'm here to listen"
"Listen to me?" Grant said, looking incredulous "You didn't lissen to me for all of those months and now you want to do it. You were the man of the second chances, but apparently you gave it to everyone except me "
"I'm sorry for what I did Grant" Coulson said, "I just want to know what are you doing"
"A Comparison" Grant said, "I just want a confrontation"
"With me?" Asked Coulson.
"With both" said Grant.
Skye was holding herself back with her whole being. Every fiber of her body was cut in half. A small part of her wanted to run into Grant's arms and never let him go, but the other part just wanted to take away the confidence with which Senator Ward was watching his brother.
She didn't believe a single word of what Coulson had told her. Grant had told a completely different story, a story in which Christian was the big bad wolf, and she believed it.
An Asgardian scepter was able to show you your worst memory, and he had seen this.
"What did you tell him?" Grant said to his brother "What the heck of a lie you said this time?"
"I don't know what you're talking about Grant" Christian said, still looking at him defiantly.
"I don't believe you" Grant said, "I know you too well"
"He told me about the incident of the well Grant" Coulson said, "He told me that you made up everything and the reality was that you was the one who have abused your brother Thomas"
"You never change, do you?" Grant said his brother "Blaming me is your specialty"
"I only said what I saw Grant" Christian said.
"What is he talking about?" Skye said "Now I go in there and lie him down with a fist"
"Stay where you are" May said, "We don't want other people involved"
"I'm already involved" said Skye.
"Do you really believe in what he said?" Asked Grant.
"By now I don't know who to believe Grant" Coulson said.
"You know what?" Grant said, "I'm tired. To fight, to not be believed, to escape. I'm tired of being a fugitive, I'm tired of the fact that for any effort I make, Christian will always win over me. I'm tired of everything "
"It's not my fault you're a worthless loser little brother" Christian said "I was always the winner"
"No, you have always been dad's favorite because you were the first-born" Grant said "I was the middle child, the one that nobody cares. Tommy has always been too weak to defend himselves. I'm just glad that Rosie was sent to boarding school before she could enjoy all this "
"You're just a pathetic coward" Christian said crossing his arms over his chest, "Don't you see where we are now? I am a senator and you a fugitive. Stop blaming me for any shit you've ever done and become a man! Face your responsibilities. "
Grant looked down to the ground without reply.
"Grant, don't listen to him" Skye yelled out from the shadows.
"Skye I told you to stay with the others" said Coulson.
"I can take care of myself" said Skye "And then Grant would never hurt me, isn't it?" she added, smiling slightly.
"I would never do it" said Grant.
"Listen, my dear Senator" said Skye, approaching Christian "I don't care what you are, or if you have legal powers. You have ruined Grant's life, and I don't accept it. Not only you did that for your entire childhood, but you continues to do so even now. Don't you realize how lucky you are to have scared him when he was a kid. Now he is the most lethal soldier I know,he could kill you in less than two minutes, and we would let him do it, rooting for him "
"Why this girl is threatening me?" Asked Christian, "Listen, little flower, I don't care who you are or if you fuck with my brother. I treat my brother as I please "
"Say sorry to her" Grant said, without even looking.
"Absolutely not" said Christian.
"I told you to apologize" roared Grant.
"Or else what you would do?" Christian asked, "You haven't been able to save our brother and for sure you will not be able to protect her"
"Who you believe now, A.C.?" Asked Skye.
"Grant" Coulson said "I have to admit, Senator, and as a politician you are not too bad. You had managed to deceive me for good "
"We have found some one even more dushbag than Grant" said Skye.
Grant looked at them without saying a word.
"And now?" Asked Christian "I am a senator, I'm untouchable. You are a terrorist organization and of course you can't arrest me for a crime I have committed more than 20 years ago "
"No" said Coulson "But if you brother wants his revenge, my team and I certainly will not be the ones to stop him"
"I think I'd help him" Skye said with a grin.
"And now?" Grant asked "What will you do with me?"
"You know Grant" Coulson said, "As Fury give me the direction of the SHIELD, I had promised myself that my SHIELD would be free from all forms of torture, but you were the first with whom I haven't kept my promise. You said i'm the man of the second chances, well, Do you want to earn yours? "
"More than anything else" said Grant.
"Well. Senator Ward, the prisoner Ward is back under our custody. And you'd better not talk about this meeting, or I think the president would be very pleased to receive news of your taking bribes, "said Coulson.
"Bribes? Just a full-blown political "said Skye.
"This means that I have to go back to my cell?" Asked Grant.
"Who said anything about a cell?" Said Coulson.
The team never saw Senator Ward again, except on television. Of course, Grant would be perfect for a career in politics, but had his second chance and certainly didn't want to waste it.
A/N: Fic came from my physical need to see a comparison between Coulson and Ward. "You'll never see Skye agina" Coulson, I think you should know more about your much beloved "daughter"
I don't know if it was understood that i hate Christian Ward with every fiber of my being and I can not wait to see him unmasked for the shit that he really is.
I think I will rejoice when that happens
the song is of course "Sweet Dreams" by Eurythmics