Hey,... Just something short and light.

Disclaimer : I do not own Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D

Summary : Ward came home with a present.

xox

"Ward will be home soon."

A round of squeals erupted in the lounge as soon as Coulson announced Ward's coming home. The undercover Agent had been gone for six months since he was supposedly arrested so as to make his betrayal to S.H.I.E.L.D real and convincing, even after Garrett's death. Under Fury's orders, eventhough, Coulson has been made Director, they needed Ward to still be posing as a Hydra operative in order to bring the evil organisation down completely.

Skye was the first on the list of the team members that was warned against looking for Ward in anyway. Hydra had to be convinced that Ward has been deserted and expelled by his team for his 'betrayal'. In order to keep him safe, no one on the team were to make any kind of contact with him.

It was hard for the team especially Skye and FitzSimmons to not have any contact with Ward. Hence the reason why as soon as Coulson announced that Ward will be arriving at the Playground in five minutes, the three young Agents almost trampled their leader as they rushed towards the entrance. Only a warning for Fitz to control himself under all circumstances, stopped the three in their tracks.

"What do you mean?" Fitz asked. His face suddenly paled.

"Sir, why are you telling Fitz that?" Simmons' question arise next.

"AC? What are you not telling us?" Skye's voice shook with fear.

"I'm just - " Coulson managed to say before the sound of the garage door opening and the screech of tires signaled Ward's arrival.

The three friends dismissed the Director, rushed towards the garage and halted upon seeing Ward exiting the vehicle. Tears suddenly sprung in each of their eyes as they saw their team member and friend. Only his upper body was visible from where they stood. But they could see that he walked with a limp after alighting from the vehicle. What was more disheartening was that he was looking down towards the floor as he limped slowly and was talking in whispers. Gone was the man who walked with his head held high in confidence.

"What have they done to him?" Skye questioned as tears clouded her eyes.

"Nothing." Coulson replied as he stood behind the three.

"But - " Fitz murmured.

"He limps." Simmons finished.

"And he is talking to himself." Skye said in disbelieve. "What's wrong with him AC?"

"Nothing." Coulson said again and raised his hand at Ward who was still partly hidden by the vehicle as he took his bag out.

"Sir." He nodded as he hitched his duffle bag over his shoulder. "Hey guys! What are you all doing just standing there? No hugs for me?" he asked with a smirk as he finally emerged from the back of the vehicle to stand clearly in full view of them. "Why are you all crying?"

All eyes took him in as the Specialist stood before them. A movement on his left leg diverted their attention from his face to his limb. A smile appeared on Ward's face as he saw their reaction. Dropping his bag on the floor, he slowly bend down and picked up the little monkey that was clinging on to his leg. Though the monkey was small, Ward took precaution of not scaring or alarming it that it might panic, lose its grip on Ward's leg and drop to the floor, which resulted in his walking with a limp. Cuddling it in his arm a moment before the creature clambered on to his shoulder, Ward patted its little body as he pointed towards Fitz.

"You see that man over there, Little Fitzy? The one with his jaw on the floor? Yeah, well he is going to take really good care of you. He is Big Fitz. He has been waiting for you for so long.

"The sweet looking girl on his right, is his girlfriend, Simmons. She is a doctor and pokey at times but she will never hurt you. And that beautiful girl over there in that damn sexy short skirt?" Ward said as he winked at Skye. "She is mine.

"You are going to be safe here Little Fitzy. We don't believe in hurting anyone we love here." Ward told the little Capuchin that he had rescued from a Hydra lab before opening his arms to the surprised group. "Group hug?"

"Monkey!"

xox

Half an hour later, Ward sat propped against a mountain of pillows. After being treated for his most recent fractured rib and scratches on his forehead, Ward was pushed onto the sofa to nurse his pain. Squeezing themselves along Ward's stretched legs, Skye and FitzSimmons were crowding the sofa to fuss over Little Fitzy. Occasionally Skye would pat Ward's chest as a gesture of comfort as any girlfriend would as she leaned against his hip. But her attention was otherwise on the monkey.

Ward had anticipated his team's delight upon seeing what he had brought home and he was happy to see the surprise and grins that was plastered on their faces. He had had a long chat with Coulson and Agent Koenig before Little Fitzy's fate was decided. Even if he had to suffer a fracture rib, scratches and being ignored at that moment, the joy that lighted up their faces, especially Fitz, was worth the pain.

The group hug earlier was more of a tackle and pile-up on him as they yelled for him and the creature in unison. With Ward trying to calm Little Fitzy down at the sudden rush by the Skye and FitzSimmons, he had lost his balance. They had all landed on him in a heap. Fitz was excitedly trying to grasp his new pet that was clinging to Ward's hair. Skye was squeezing the breath out of him with her hug as soon as she landed on him. Simmons was on top of Skye as she was also trying to hug Ward and help Fitz with the monkey as he partly lay on Simmons' back and scrambling up to reach for his new pet. Little Fitzy was desperately clinging on to Ward's head and screeching as a monkey should.

A plate of cake came into Ward's line of vision as he sat watching Skye and FitzSimmons argue if they should dress Little Fitzy in just pants or shirt. Or just a tiny tie and mini blazer. Glancing up, he saw Coulson handing him the plate with a fork.

"Thank you Sir." Ward accepted the offering. "What's the occasion?"

"You missed Father's Day celebration yesterday. I saved that piece for you."

"You didn't have to. You didn't know I was coming home till this morning."

"I would still have saved it for you. Even if it has to sit in the freezer for God knows how long."

At Ward's affected smile, Coulson patted his shoulder before standing to join the little group to give them new ground rules in relation to Fitz's new pet.

"Ward?"

"Yes Sir?"

"Welcome home, Son."

THE END

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