Hey there! So I didn't quite meet my goal of finishing before the premiere, but I will try to get out the rest of the final chapters before next week's episode! Enjoy!
The instant the door clicked shut, Skye rounded on Ward. "If this is some last-minute ploy to get me to side with you, it's not going to work! I'm so d–"
"No," Ward interrupted. "I get it, okay? It took a few more bullet wounds than I was willing to handle, but I got the message. You want nothing to do with me, and now you're getting your wish."
Skye looked at him, surprised. "So, what's with the secrecy?"
"I need a favor."
Skye scoffed. "You have got to be kidding me."
"Skye, please. When I'm living on this island, I'm not going to have access to my banking account..."
"Really?" Skye laughed "You're concerned about money? Unbelievable. You know, I really shouldn't be surprised, because –"
"Listen to me!" Ward shouted, and Skye froze, the humor leaving her face. Ward took a deep breath, trying to control his temper. "Once a month, I need you to draw $10,000 from my account, and send a check to this address." Ward handed Skye a slip of paper that read: Lemma Mental Care Hospital. "Skye, please."
"Ward, what's going on?" Skye asked, in an annoyed tone. "You're trying to trick me aren't you? This is some secret organization that's going to come pick you up if I do this, right?"
"Skye, I said I'd never lie to you. I promise, sending this money is for the benefit of one person, and one person only. And it isn't me."
"Tell me, then." Skye demanded. She looked at her watch, "You have 30 seconds, and then I'm leaving."
"Fine," Ward said, avoiding her gaze. "That's where Tommy is staying."
"Your brother?"
"Yeah. He's turning 30 next week, but can't even tie his shoes or form a complete sentence. At least, he couldn't the last time I visited him."
"And when was that?" Skye asked softly.
"After Garrett took me in. Garrett wouldn't let me see Tommy anymore…he said if anyone found out about him, they could try to use him against me."
Skye shook her head sadly. "I can't believe you ever followed Garrett. God, Ward, your life could've been so different."
Ignoring her comment, Ward continued, saying "After my parents…died…I was left Tommy's only supporter…an anonymous friend, they call me."
Skye just stared at him, silent. How is it possible for this to be the same Grant Ward who trained me? There's so much I never knew about him…and a lot that I never wanted to. She noticed that Ward was watching her intently, and suddenly she didn't want to be in the room with him any longer.
"Fine," she said, walking to the door. "But I'm not doing it for you…I'm doing it for Tommy, because he's innocent."
"Thank you," Ward sighed, the relief evident in his voice. "Skye," he called, right before she reached the door. "I just have one more question."
Skye rolled her eyes, and keeping her hand on the doorknob asked "What?"
"What would've happened with us if I hadn't been Hydra? Do you think we would've worked?"
Skye sighed heavily. "It doesn't matter, Ward. Goodbye."
"Wait!" Ward shouted. He took a deep breath to calm himself, then continued in a softer voice, "Please. I'm never going to see you again, so just give me something to go off of. I'm good at manipulating my thoughts…I can convince myself that things might've been different. Please."
"Fine," Skye snapped. She spoke quickly, like she couldn't get the words out fast enough, "I liked you, Ward, I really did. And I trusted you, more than I'd trusted anyone I'd ever been with. I doubt we would've ended up married or anything, but I think I could've loved you." As she said those last words, she opened the door, and ran through it, not looking back.
Ward leaned back against the bed with his eyes closed. She could've loved me, he thought to himself. I can live with that.
May cleared her throat pointedly. "Let's go," she commanded. "You've been a problem long enough."
Ward nodded, opening his eyes. May unclipped his handcuffs from the bed, and lead him down the hall. They stepped into the sunlight, onto the sand of the island's shore. May pulled the key to Ward's handcuffs out of her pocket, and threw it towards the center of the island. "You can go look for it after we leave," she told him.
Ward nodded. "I guess this is goodbye, then"
"Let's hope so," May replied, "If not, you're going to wish you never saved my life."
May turned her back on him, and marched back onto the Bus. The door closed behind her, and the plane rose off of the ground. Ward craned his neck back and watched as the last glimpse of his former friends and lovers disappeared into the sky.
Hello, a quick note to those who left comments saying they didn't want Ward to leave the team: I promise, I did take your thoughts into consideration, and I'm really sorry to disappoint you, but I decided that Ward needs to spend a bit of time away from the team in order to develop everyone else as characters independent from Ward's manipulations. Don't worry though, you have not seen the last of Agent Grant Ward :)