Matter of Importance

Spoilers: Season 2 promo

Disclaimer: I own nothing, Marvel owns it all!

Skye removed her headphones and turned her chair slightly when a knock arrived on her office door. She pressed a button on her computer and found the camera outside the door revealed Ward, he looked clean-shaven and seemed to hold himself differently. She hadn't seen him since their fight five weeks before, she'd handed over his training to Hunter and rescheduled her solo training for a different time.

"What do you want Ward?" She spoke as she pressed the intercom. "I'm busy right now."

He looked up at the camera, "I have an appointment with Nixon in ten minutes…"

"Woohoo, I'll mark my calendar as today being a monumental moment."

"I was wondering if you'd join me today. She told me I could bring someone to the next session and I trust you not telling everyone my personal history." He shifted his weight, "if you don't want to come that's fine, I was just asking."

He started to leave and Skye watched him go, her finger leaving the intercom button. She sat back in her chair and watched the former specialist move down the hall as if he hadn't just asked something personal. She couldn't remember the last time he'd asked something personal. Biting her lip she sighed and stood up, grabbing her lanyard as she started towards the door.

Halfway down the hall she found May and Hunter speaking, the new specialist smiled at her. "Hey Fireworks, just got this awesome mission and I get to pick my team members. Wanna come?"

She paused before smiling, "maybe next time, I have something important to do right now."

"Like what?" May seemed interested and the hacker shrugged.

"Ward politely asked that I join him in therapy today. I figured since its making him go and he asked politely, I should accommodate."

Hunter chuckled, "well while you talk to the shrink, I'm going to go help hunt down some lost diamonds that could be funding HYDRA."

"Don't get shot." She sarcastically replied and started down the hall.

Arriving at the door to the shrink's office, Skye knocked and the door opened a few moments later. Sylvia Nixon looked at her for a moment, "can I help you Skye?"

"Has Grant's session started yet? He asked that I join him today and well, I'm here." She smiled as she shrugged her shoulders.

She opened the door and let Skye in, Ward sat on the couch with his hands in his lap. He looked up at her as she sat beside him on the couch, her legs under her bottom and a slight smile on her face. "You came?"

"When was the last time you asked something of me politely?" That got a slightly bigger smile and he nodded. "Besides, you're here aren't you? That is a miracle after all."

He looked down at his hands, "I've been coming three to four times a week since the day we fought. I realized, at least later on, that I made a mistake about changing. It wasn't that I couldn't change, it was that I didn't know how."

Neither noticed Nixon sit down as Skye put her hand on his arm. "Your family and Garrett all had a hand in screwing up your life so I understand why you didn't know how. I guess you're so used to just wearing covers and identities that you forgot how to be just Grant Ward." He looked up to meet her eyes, "I do know one thing though about Grant Ward."

"What do you know Skye? I told you lies and made you see someone who wasn't there."

The sound of her soft laughter escaped and it brought a slight smile to his face. "Maybe with anyone else but you were him with me. You told me things you didn't tell anyone else, about your brothers and how you like board games. I know you have this strange affinity of making the perfect sandwich and secretly sneak chocolate chip ice cream when you think no one is looking."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have gotten angry at you."

She shrugged, "what relationship doesn't have its bumps? Besides, I've missed training with you and I'm looking forward to kicking your ass again."

"Like that'll happen."

Laughter seemed to erupt from Skye, she didn't even have to try with him because it felt natural. The smile on his face seemed to make her smile as she calmed, her eyes bright and full of life. It was at that moment that their bubble was burst when Nixon spoke up.

"I have to say you two would make a counselor want to throw up their hands." Both turned to look at the woman as she leaned forward. "I've never had to sit through a session where my patients work things out for themselves." Grabbing her pad, the shrink opened it to a blank page and took a pen from the side table. "Do you want to talk today Grant or would you prefer to leave because it's your choice? You know what today's topic is so I'll give you an out just this once."

Ward twisted his fingers together till Skye's hand ran down his arm to his fingers, entwining with his own. He looked at her and brown eyes met brown eyes, understanding in their depths as she silently encouraged him. After a few moments he looked at Nixon, "it started when I made a mistake on my first op. He, Garrett I mean, beat me till I could barely stand. It'd been years since I'd been hit but I remembered the feeling…"

He continued on for what seemed like forever despite it being an hour. Skye found herself partially horrified at the extent of abuse Garrett had physically inflicted on Ward. She held his hand the entire time, not allowing him to pull away even when he wanted to. As the past started falling away and present came into view, Skye pulled away and left the room without a word.

It was later in the day when Ward found Skye, she was sitting at his usual table in the cafeteria with a tub of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. Ward sat down and Skye held out a second spoon, allowing him to scoop some out.

"Sorry I left."

"I didn't expect you to sit there as long as you did." Ward met her eyes, "I know listening to that was unbearable for you."

Skye shoved her spoon in the tub and sat back with her arms folded, "I never realized how much damage he did. I thought it was all psychological but it was more than that." Leaning forward she reached out to touch his arm. "You could have told me."

"When would you have listened?" He looked down at the table. "I betrayed you, I was a prisoner till I saved your team."

Silence seemed to stretch on while they ate ice cream before Ward reached over to wipe away ice cream that had been left on the hacker's nose. Skye reached up to wipe her nose but smeared it on her cheek. Ward chuckled and Skye gave a look of astonishment. "How can you sit there and laugh? Get me a napkin."

"Because you're adorable." He stood and moved over to the main table to grab one of the cloth napkins. Walking over, he bent down in front of the hacker and gently began wiping the ice cream off her cheek and nose. "Better but still beautiful."

Skye smiled and looked down as she blushed. "You're the first one to call me that. I've been called hot or cute and every adjective to describe an agent but no one has called me beautiful."

"You are beautiful."

"I'm the daughter of a monster, a literal monster and I'm not human." Skye sighed and met his eyes, "but you already knew that didn't you?"

Standing he moved to his seat and sat down, "Raina suggested but that doesn't change you Skye, it doesn't change who you are." He waited till she was looking at him to finish. "Doesn't change how I feel or what I feel for you. You're Skye and that's enough." His hand caught her own and gently his fingers rubbed her knuckles.

"Spar session?" Skye grinned as she asked and he nodded. "Great, I'll put the ice cream up and meet you in the training room in thirty."

"It's a date." He started to stand and paused, "I just mean…"

"It's a date." Skye smiled and grabbed the ice cream to put it up.

A/N: Okay so sorry I'm late updating. So can anyone guess what could go wrong in the next chapter because something does go wrong. The relationship between Skye and Ward right now is a combination of deep love, hope yet anger and pain so it won't be smooth sailing in the least.

Next...can you guess?

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