AN: Here I am with another chapter of the story. Hope you didn't wait too long. I appreciate all your support and hope you continue to do so. If you have any questions as per usual you can PM me. Of course if you would like to share an opinion about the chapter or story good or bad feel free to review. Anyways moving on...

Disclaimer: Yeah like I own anything of SHIELD (obvious sarcasm is obvious).

Chapter 6

They were lounging after another mission when Coulson arrived. The stern lines could not be ignored and in the next moment he had everyone's attention. It didn't hurt that his presence demanded respect and Fitz felt it. Coulson only took a moment before starting the debriefing.

"For the past couple of months we had tried to make a dent in Centipedes plan's and structure. We had managed to intercept and take down a large number of facilities they were stationed at. In them we found all kinds of experiments that were conducted on the human participants"

He remembered it well, all those cases piling up, one after another. The sick nature that once more reminded him of the lengths people would go for power and progress. Still, he remembered the rush when a discovery was just beyond his grasp and he wondered. Would he do the same? Be the same monster Coulson was describing right now.

He had come to HYDRA to discover how far he could push the boundaries of science and maybe discover whatever it is that he was searching for. The odd thing was that he felt more at peace at Shield, didn't feel so uncomfortable or under pressure and he had friends. A tight group of friends that he would be proud to call family. He felt as if he spaced out for too long and only caught the last snippet of Coulson's speech.

"-that is why I have requested the help of one John Garrett."

That name sounded somewhat familiar to Fitz but he couldn't exactly place it. That was until Coulson filled in the gap.

"I am sure you'll be glad to see your SO agent Ward."

That was something he didn't know. Maybe it was just some elaborate backstory Ward had come up with but suddenly he felt a wave of unease in him and couldn't help but wonder if things were going to get complicated.

He glanced at Ward and saw the man slightly smile at Coulson and nod at in agreement. Skye on the other hand seemed much more curious as was he. Fitz didn't know much about Ward, more importantly what Ward didn't want to share and this looked like one of those things.

Somehow this in Fitz's mind was a vital piece of information, a sign of things moving in what direction he didn't know but he sensed nothing good could come of it. Skye was, as always, the one without any social boundaries and asked what they all wanted to know.

"So Ward had an SO. We all thought you were engineered for greatness. You know, straight out of box kind of thing."

He only glanced at her, the slow frown building on his face.

"Come on, as my SO you are obligated to share."

Ward still remained as unaffected as ever, even though if you looked closer you could see the amusement underneath, watching Skye plead with him. As Fitz said before he wasn't the only one affected here.

"He is the man who helped me become what I am today."

Fitz could only imagine what that meant and before he could ask anything, Skye went to place some jabs of her own.

"So he didn't have to do much."

Fitz couldn't help but smiled at the ever energetic brunette. If anyone could get Ward out of his comfort zone it sure was her.

"Yeah Ward, considering that you are still evolved as your average primate."

Skye joined in laughter as they shared their common goal, annoying Ward to death. He in turn, only went along with it. As much as he hated them for cracking jokes at him, he never got angry. Always just stood there and let them have it.

"Yeah you both talk mighty, but how about we talk about your upbringing?""

That quickly set the silence in motion as both he and Skye clammed up. That was the door better left unopened.

"Fine we will let you go. You are relieved. This time."

Fitz made a dramatic motion of dismissal and left the small gathering. It wasn't like he was being rude or anything. It was now time for Coulson and May to hash out the plans and he just wasn't necessary, at least not at the moment. In the meantime he could be of bigger use in the lab. That Jemma was there had no effect on him whatsoever. No sir. He was an impenetrable force and when she looked up from her study, his impenetrable force plummeted like a deck of cards.

He was a wuss.

"Hey Fitz."

Sure it's not like he lost the ability to speak when she was near him. No it is more that he tends to turn into a babbling idiot.

"Jemma, I didn't know you'd be here. Thought you'd be up there, at the gathering. You know listening at plans and stuff. I mean, uh, hey you."

Brilliant. The hole just couldn't be big enough to swallow him.

"Come help me out Fitz."

Even though he was shaking his head, his feet took him beside her. Like he didn't know that would happen.

"Sure, why not."

What could possibly go wrong.

The fact that he was spending time with Jemma was never a bad thing but if his rather poor detective skills don't deceive him he may think she was trying to pry information from him, about him or something else, he couldn't tell.

"So Wards SO is coming to help us out, probably good, because we need all hands on deck on this matter. All those people being used and experimented on, such a horrible thing."

Horrible as it sounded, he couldn't say if he would've done differently than them. As a scientist he tried to keep an open mind and liked to think he wouldn't do some things but the curiosity of discovery was just too big to be ignored sometimes. Maybe he would fall in that trap.

"It sure is, but on some level I understand them. The need to push forward and discover what it all means, it is tempting."

She looked up from her little experiment and regarded him for a moment, then shook her head.

"No I don't think so. You are just not that type of person Fitz."

The confidence of that statement brought him out of the loop. He knew they all had gotten closer but for her to analyze and understand his behavior so quickly was something he was surprised by.

"You really think so?"

This time she was focused on her task, tinkering with the small scalpel on a piece of tissue.

"Yes I am, I believe you are hiding something, but that something has nothing to do with pursuit of power and general lack of morals. There is more to you than meets the eye but that is just not it."

Once more he was there gaping like a fish and unable to process how she could read all that from him. He thought he was being extra careful but obviously he was just kidding himself.

"I can see you are struggling with something Fitz and I am here to help if you need it."

His breath was caught in his lungs, forming words was beyond him at this moment. A couple of failed attempts to dry swallow and get some coherent thought in his head were stampeded by the ringing in his ears.

On the other hand she seemed oblivious to what he said and just continues her little though process.

"Also I could never see myself doing those kinds of things. I specialize in biochemistry but still I know what boundaries to push and when to leave it alone. There is a difference between doing good and just being plain ignorant of the damage you are creating now for some bigger cause later. That is nothing but an excuse."

She gave up on her study and turned her attention to him fully.

"A good scientist knows that one life is as valuable as all the others. The precious complexity was always there and we just read its maps. The permissions we give to ourselves do deform and defy the parameters of said maps is what creates a mad and irresponsible scientists instead of the ones that respect the subject and the science."

There it was. One thing he just couldn't reason with himself. How far was he willing to go and here she saw through it and made the same conclusion he always debated with himself. That he doesn't stand what Centipede or even HYDRA stands for. The end justifies the means. A simple fact - he wasn't one of them. Maybe at first, but not anymore and definitely not after the time he had spent with Shield.

"Perhaps you are right Jemma. I tried to make a distinction but sometimes I am just not able to. I don't know if it was the place or the people but I always made myself believe I should be one of those. Like the ones who go to the end, no matter the consequences."

She understood him; the sympathy so clear in her eyes as his was when he was examining the carnage that organization like Centipede left behind. Finally, he had someone who understood.

"I know that you are not like them Fitz. You are brilliant and you know that we can find an answer on our own without putting everything we stand for in question. Centipede just doesn't want to."

The comfort he felt was palpable and it wrapped around him like a safe blanket. He had found friends and family here at Shield. Now, standing before Jemma he came to realize that he found something more.

"I know, and together we can overcome anything. Am I right Jemma?"

She smiled, full and bright at him and he couldn't help but wonder where she was all his life. She would've been the one to lead him out of the darkness, before he made the mistake of joining HYDRA and before he began to question who he was. Maybe it wasn't too late. Looking at her he couldn't help but wish it so.

In the last couple of months he was here undercover with Ward, they had managed to secure a back door to Shields information grid and inform them of any development when it came to dealing with Centipede and the benefits of experiments they were conducting. HYDRA only wanted to see if they can exploit the technology for themselves. By then he had realized that he was on the wrong side.

"You bet. We are going to be the backbone of this entire operation and we will make sure things like that don't happen to anyone."

The silent agreement made him feel like he was finally where he belonged and it made him determined what he planned to do next. Before he had a chance to say anything more Jemma spoke.

"I do wonder about what kinds of stories Wards SO will share. Some funny ones I do hope, so we can nag him about it. Ward is always so serious and I do hope that when his mentor arrives he will be more at ease."

Jemma's good intentions brought Fitz back to reality. The thing was, he didn't know much about Ward's younger days. They were more companions through the misery of HYDRA program more then anything. They bonded over the coldness and detachment that the organization was built under. How nobody dared to step out of their predicted box and that even though Fitz liked to share about his humble beginnings in science Ward was reluctant to sympathize or over share anything he didn't want to.

As good of an agent Ward was he couldn't help but wonder if he planned all of this, from recruiting him under his wing to them working together on the infiltration of Shield. Maybe he knew Fitz would crack under the pressure and wanted someone to drag him to the other side. Now he was growing paranoid but it also didn't stop him from what he was about to do.

"Let's hope you are right Jemma. I got to go, but I will talk to you later."

She seemed a bit disappointed about him leaving but she nodded a second later.

"There is something else you are hiding Fitz, but I do hope it doesn't burden you for much longer."

He could only nod at her, before saying, "Hopefully soon, I will tell you everything. If to anyone I will confide in you Jemma. You have become someone very important to me."

She smiled at him and he couldn't help but return it.

"As you have to me Fitz."

With that he left, as much as he didn't want to. He knew now was not the time, because if he ever managed to gather the courage to tell her how he really felt then he didn't want any lies between them.

His footsteps led him to the lower deck of the plane where he quickly connected to the main server and searched for the back door he created to feed the information with his modified chip to HYDRA. He knew that with arrival of Garrett things were probably moving up the table and he couldn't in good conscience let that happen.

Ward may be fine with it but he wasn't. He hadn't discussed anything with him, but he figured that the sooner he stopped this at least the damage they deal won't be as big as it could be. His fingers flew over the keys and before he could stop it he heard footsteps behind him.

"What are you doing?"

-oo-

He let out a shaky breath and turned towards the voice. Ward was standing, casually leaning on the far wall. The claws of fear slowly gripped Fitz but he refused to back down.

"Nothing much."

Ward only raised an eyebrow and motioned at the servers terminal.

"Really? Because it looked like you were trying to close the backdoor we specifically made for our mission Fitz."

Before he could tangle himself into a bigger lie, he decided to admit it. HYDRA was evil and he couldn't be on their side anymore.

"It is. I mean it was what I was doing. HYDRA is not the organization we want to be working for Ward."

His face was just a blank canvas, nothing to read how he felt about it.

"Have you read the reports, things they care about and want to do? Nothing in it fits the things I wanted to do. I wanted to help protect the world not dominate it."

Soon his thoughts jumbled and he rushed his explanation at non responsiveness of his friend.

"We have to make this right Ward. The damage we dealt is already huge and we should help salvage what we can. We don't want these people dead. Ward. This is not what we signed up for."

In the next moment he was pushed against the wall, his throat squeezed by Ward's elbow as he slowly pressed tighter and felt the nausea and dizziness take over his vision. Ward kept his cool as he spoke.

"This is what we signed up for. What did you think we were doing here Fitz? Now, Garrett is coming soon on board and we will commence the second stage of the operation. You will not screw this up for me."

While his vision was slowly fading he moved his other hand towards the station, not even trying to break free from Wards hold. He looked at his emotionless face and just knew that this is where they paths divided. Still, he was his friend and he wanted to get through to him.

"You want to see the people who you shared everything with, uh, die. Not just faceless individuals, friends, colleges… People on this plane, uh, Coulson, May, Simmons. The ones you care for."

Ward only kept tightening his hold, the darkness was slowly coming. He felt disoriented and ready to vomit. Still, he concentrated on the couple of more keys before he finished his order.

"What about Skye, Ward? Want her to die?"

In the small window of opportunity Ward lessened his grip and it was enough for Fitz to stretch his hand to the station and confirm his code. The emergency lights went on and Ward looked at him with rage just simmering under surface.

"What did you do!?"

He just chuckled and took a small pleasure in outsmarting Ward.

"I closed the backdoor and alerted Shield of HYDRA presence in their systems. Also the list of all the operatives I know is just being uploaded to their network. Say hi for me."

The anger was palpable and before he knew what was going on there was a blinding pain to the side of his head and then the darkness followed.

-oo-