Disclaimer: See chapter 1.

-oo-

Chapter 8

The cuffs felt stiff around his wrist, but he ignored it as he lay on a rather uncomfortable bed. It was still awkward knowing that he was being watched from the camera and looking at the interrogation table just reminded him how they saw him as a criminal.

He presumes it's been about a week since he was locked up in this entrapment and it left him as sluggish and exhausted as ever. Lies were sure to catch up with you sooner or later. Sooner was what life had in store for him it seemed.

For the past couple of days he had tried explaining himself to Coulson, May and even Ward once more but it was all for naught. Now he almost felt resigned to just be in this small little space and not do anything of any sort. That was before he felt the tremors of the plane and was quickly tossed over to the side with the mirror.

He really wasn't enjoying his stay here. His body was aching in all the wrong ways and he had trouble keeping himself upright. His hand was stuck on the bed post but his body was splayed all the way to the mirror. He groaned at the obvious discomfort. He really has had enough. Quickly maneuvering himself back and making quick motion with his wrist and pressing down with his palms he felt the mechanism strain and release. He rubbed his sour wrist and looked around. He didn't want to do so he would give further evidence that he was a traitor but now he felt no choice.

Another tremor and he was struck at how no one came in here to check on him and his release from his restraints, but still nothing. Soon he heard the door slowly open and a surprising guest came in. Thick with emotion his voice spoke but soon he saw they were followed by Ward.

"You will be here until we arrive at our destination. No funny business or else…"

He left them with him.

"God, he is a bastard. I can't believe we ever trusted that guy."

Skye and Jemma were in their little tirade that they actually forgot that he was in this little prison. Their back stiffened and he figured it finally crossed their minds. Turning around and seeing him, they looked at him like trapped animals. Really, does he give off an aura of a man who can do damage? Ward always laughed at his intimidation skill. The next thing they noticed was that he was free of the cuffs and was now staring at them from the bed where he had leaned back and was waiting for all this commotion to stop.

They were cautiously moving towards the interrogation table where they sat on and kept vigilant watch on him. He scoffed at the ridiculousness of the situation.

"Oh come on, really? Am I that intimidating? What can I possible do now?"

They looked at each other, startled by his admission and after a moment Jemma spoke up.

"You are HYDRA. You are always looking for a way in, to carnage and destroy. You are the bad guys."

Skye nodded along her little speech. All Fitz could do was roll his eyes at them.

"Really so I am HYDRA, biggest evil out there."

The two of them nodded and went silent.

"So what happened out there?"

This time it was Skye who spoke up.

"We discovered Garrett was also clairvoyant aka the person members of Centipede answer to, but also he revealed himself to be HYDRA. I assume you know all this as you are one of them. Ward was the one trained by him so before we could capture him, he switched sides and attacked us unawares."

Fitz could only listen. He had imagined he'd be here for a long time but it seemed HYDRA time table was moving forward because of some unknown reason.

"Yeah we got to Garrett because he was starting to act really strange and one thing led to another… but it surprised us that he was HYDRA. I mean he was a longtime friend of Coulson's. Then again we thought you and Ward were ours."

The bitter voice and hurt were enough to drive the guilt at the forefront, but he soon said what was on his mind.

"I am your friend. I mean did you think if I was with them that I'd be locked up here still. I tried to stop all this."

As they listen he could see the uncertainty in their eyes.

"Maybe you just want to infiltrate further and get the rest of information, whatever's left."

He stood up angrily and they grew tense.

"Really, you think that. I was that big of scumbag? I thought you guys know me better than that. I was the one who tried to stop but Ward interfered."

He saw that they doubted everything he said and he figured it was time to be straight with them about everything.

"Make no mistake. I was HYDRA."

The fear was back in their eyes but also curiosity and he figured he should just go on.

"We had a simple task, infiltrate Coulson's team and gather information. That was our job and we did it well."

He went back to sit on the bed all the while keeping his attention on them as they did the same with him.

"You guys know me, the awkward persona doesn't come as a cover. In HYDRA I never fit in so that was why Ward chose me as someone who stood out of sea of white coats. It all changed during my time here and I found friends and a place where I belonged. I wanted to do the right thing when I saw what HYDRA really stood for, but as you see I was too late."

They still didn't say anything, so he turned his attention to Jemma.

"You said I was hiding something, well that is it. I went to Shield academy and we shared a couple of classes together and I was the kid that got expelled because I was conducting unauthorized experiments."

Recognition struck her face and soon she stood to meet him in the middle and he realized that maybe he did the right thing.

"I knew I met you before. You were the one with crazy ideas and understanding of engineering way ahead of anyone there. I know you Fitz."

She was searching something in him and as he meet her gaze he hoped she would find it.

"You know me Jemma."

In the next moment she turned to Skye who was still looking doubtful but when she looked at Jemma she relented.

"Fine, I guess we can let him tag along."

Skye pulled a small device and after she pressed a button a hissing sound was heard and the door opened. He looked more lost than ever. She saw how confused he was.

"Saw them do a similar thing to a van. I stole this from Ward when he led us here."

Now he was even more confused. They were just evaluating to see if he would betray them. Also, the more confusing thing was that he knew Ward and stealing something from that man without him noticing was practically impossible.

Something strange was going on here. Jemma pulled him out of his thoughts.

"Come on Fitz, let's go."

With that he followed them out.

-00-

They tiptoed through the small area hoping to avoid any detection but as they made their way it was obvious it was going to be a difficult task. Now, all Fitz knew was that a distress signal or a clear message to the Shield HQ was going to be the only way they can find some footing in this mess.

The same mess he helped create, but for now he was just not going to think about it. A long list of reasons why they shouldn't be doing this had been formed and abruptly ignored in his head. Now was not the time for caution and slow approach.

First things first, there were a couple of HYDRA operatives stationed here and they needed them gone. He looked at the other two with a question clear on his face. How were they going to do this? Where were Coulson and May? But before he could dwell on it any further he saw Skye open a hidden compartment by ted or and pull out a tazer gun.

Jemma on the other hand opted for a bottle of brandy and he just couldn't help but roll his eyes at their unorthodox methods before grabbing a bottle himself. Then Skye launched her attack while he hit the other one with the bottle over the head. The shock quickly disposed of one and his target also fell from shock. When he moved to stand up Jemma walked up beside him and smashed her bottle over the man's head.

"What was that?"

She only shrugged and said "Never hurts to make sure."

He nodded in agreement and they quickly started to scavenge for a computer that could help them send a distress signal or a message. Jemma seemed to read his mind as she added "Even if we manage to send a distress signal it won't do us much good. The HYDRA has infested so deep into Shield's infrastructure that all Coulson managed to do was disband what was left of Shield in that small window and send them into hiding."

Fitz knew that HYDRA had managed a lot but this he never believed, that it was so severe and that they had practically managed to take down an organization like Shield.

"What are we going to do now?"

Jemma only gave him a compassionate smile before saying what they were all thinking.

"We are on our own."

Skye came with the bag holding the weapons from the two men and gave one to Jemma and kept one for herself. She gave him the tazer gun.

At his questioning look she explained, "I don't fully trust you, even though Jemma does and is willing to give you a chance. This way, if you try to taze one of us, the other can just shoot you in return."

He figured he was on shaky ground with Skye, especially after what happened with Ward. She was closer to him and look what happened. He understood that but still she gave him more than he thought he deserved. When this was all over and he somehow managed to make it on the other side there'd be a cell with his name on it waiting. Of that much he was sure.

Better that then be a psychopathic murderer who helped an age old organization establish its dominance in the world.

"I can live with that."

Skye moved away and after a sweep of the small area they found nothing that could help them along. There was one thing that still bugged him. He turned to Jemma.

"Where are Coulson and May?"

She paid little attention to what he said, but answered anyway.

"He and May managed to leave before all this mess started, they escaped before the plane took off the ground. They went to find Providence and get some sort of back up is all we know."

He nodded having never heard of that base, he figured it must have been top secret and was not to be reached easily. Hopefully they find it in time, because here they had little chance of making a successful escape.

The moment they came into the cargo area Skye, Jemma and him following, they were attacked. Before they could react Ward had taken the gun from Skye, kicked the other one from Jemma's hand and all Fitz could do was point his at Ward's head. Before he could think of firing he placed his gun on Skye's temple, his intention clear.

"If you want to get out of this alive Fitz, lower the gun and kick it slowly away from you."

The moment he did that they were gone, so he had to place his trust in his instinct.

"You wouldn't hurt Skye, Ward. We both know that."

Ward's face remained stoic, but he did let a small sigh before pointing his gun at Jemma.

"You are right Fitz I wouldn't hurt Skye, but we both know that Jemma is a different matter to you."

Before he was even aware of what he was doing on he had his gun kicked away. It was really asking too much for him to hold his ground and escape this place. Lady luck had come to an end. In the next moment Skye had elbowed Ward and as he was being disoriented she yelled, "Run guys."

He and Jemma didn't need to be told twice and they took off. Fitz glanced back and saw that before Skye could flee Ward had her knocked unconscious. So much for never hurting Skye. Then he was coming after them. Ward was going to catch up to them and they needed a way out and soon. A thought came to him and he led Jemma down the corridor.

"Quickly, this way!"

She followed him and soon they unlocked the panned from one of the storage pods. He moved her inside as he heard the approaching footsteps. Quickly he followed inside and manually locked the pod just in time to see Ward bang his fist on the door in outrage.

"Damn it Fitz!"

The frustration on his face clearly indicated that he was losing his patience about this entire mission. He figured he should try to reason, he was his friend.

"Ward you are not seeing things clearly. You can't think this is the right way."

The stone mask was ever present and he just couldn't seem to get through to him. The radio sounded Garrett's voice and just hearing the man made him angry. The man who made Ward into this monster. He was sure of it.

"I heard there were complications. Ward, tell me you have the situation under control. I believe we have more important matters to attend."

Ward snapped out of his staring contest with the two of them and answered.

"It's being handled sir. Skye had been neutralized, only have the other two left."

The sound of static followed before an order came through.

"They are like rats always searching their way out of a maze. Reina said we needed Skye, get rid of those two. No more complications Ward."

The sound of static was loud in his ears before Ward spoke up.

"You should've just given up Fitz. You'd be in that cell but alive for another day. I gave you plenty of opportunities to not mess it up but you constantly did. Now, you are out of time."

With that he started activating the panel and soon the pod was starting to make hissing noise as it was being readied to eject. He was really going to do it.

"Ward don't do it! Do you understand where we are, if you drop us of we will die, no way can we make the drop. I thought you were better than this!"

He felt Jemma tremble beside him in fear and felt his anger rise. All of it was for nothing, he had managed to change nothing. The panel made the accepting noise and he knew that all he needed to do was press a button and they were gone. He was still contemplating something.

"I have tried to do the right thing, but I was weak, started to see things differently. Made all that effort I put in when I was younger count for nothing. We are who we are and now it is time to eradicate that weakness, so I never have to doubt myself again. In the end all of it was for nothing Fitz."

The disbelief was clear on his face, because the things he was saying just didn't belong to a man who had basically showed him a way out of monotone and boring corporate system. They were a team and now all of it was in shambles.

"All of that was for nothing Ward? Everything we came through, what we did was for nothing? Now you can't even look me in the eyes as you betray everything we valued and wanted to protect. I may be the traitor but you are the one who has betrayed everything!"

He was startled as Ward met his gaze, the emotionless mask still in place as he answered his tirade.

"End of the line Fitz."

With that confirming click was heard and the force propelled the container out. He quickly grasped Jemma's hand as he saw her panicked look, he felt his own rise and squeezed hers in return. With that he felt weightless for a split second before the force crashed him to the other side. He took the rope that was lying and before the container hit the ground he strapped the securely around the backboard. When he was about to finish he felt the impact and a searing pain.

The impact pushed the air from his lungs and then there was nothing.