Ward woke up suddenly to the sound of a phone ringing. He sat bolt upright at that factor and a second. There was a human body next to him. His breath caught as the other figure moved. At least it wasn't a corpse. The larger blonde man shook himself awake and picked up the phone.

"Hello?" Caleb answered giving Grant a smile.

How had he ended up here? Grant tried to recall. Last night? Oh. Last night. He frowned a bit.

"Oh thank God."

Grant jerked his head around. Caleb had his hand to his mouth and his eyes were watery.

"That's excellent. Thank you so much."

There was a pause.

"I will and you as well." Caleb smiled broadly and hung up the phone.

The broad hands set down the phone and swiped at his blue eyes. Grant became conscious of the fact that he didn't have a shirt on and neither did the now pleased fellow before him.

"What's the good news?" Grant asked trying to distract himself.

"Jessica and Kyle They showed up at the shelter last night a little battered but they made it."

"Those two kids from before." Grant sat up straighter. "Battered? What do you mean?"

"I could see right through them." Caleb said solemnly. "There eyes said it all."

Grant looked at his blue eyes confused. "Eyes?"

Caleb nodded. "I have a talent for reading eyes. Theirs told me of pain." He looked away from Grant's gaze. "They told me about a home life they couldn't stand. Of parents who didn't care for them. Of abuse. Of parents who hit them. Beat them."

Grant's eyes widened.

"There eyes said help. I tried to help. Their eyes said care and I did what I could."

"You read eyes a lot?" Grant leaned forward.

The blonde's head turned and Grant felt like he was being torn through like a book. "I read everyone's eyes. It helps a lot of people when I do."

"It certainly helped them." Grant said. "Do you … Did you … read mine?"

Caleb blinked. "I did. Your eyes told me a story unlike anything I've ever heard."

Grant looked away. Two fingers slid under his chin tipping his head back to look at his captor.

"Your eyes said I don't want help … I need it."

Grant swallowed hard.

"They showed me a man who has seen more in his short life than normal men will see ten times over. The darkness is a person who has hunted and has been hunted. Someone who defends with every ounce of strength. Someone who lost someone very close and keeps everyone else away even when they want to be closer. A fighter who can't sleep. That's your story. I've only seen one other like it."

Grant shook a bit. It was terrifying having your life laid bare before someone. He was also good at reading eyes and Caleb's held no condemnation, no fear, no hatred, no pity. He just simply seemed to accept and nothing more. The blonde then smiled at him and let go of his chin.

"Breakfast time." He stood to his full height. "You like pancakes?"

Grant nodded. He didn't particularly care for the griddle food but it would do.

"Don't do that to me."

Grant turned about confused. "What did I do?"

"You're lying." Caleb crossed his arms.

"I didn't say anything." Grant defended.

"Don't tell me yes if you don't want something." Caleb said severely. "It won't make me happier so don't lie. French Toast?"

"That's fine." Grant said warily.

The huge blonde blocked the door.

"I think you're stuck Agent Ward." Why did Skye have to be the one monitoring right now? "I'd just fess up."

Grant met the cool blue eyes. He was fighting with someone over breakfast food for God's sakes. What exactly was he afraid of? Caleb just stood there impassively. What did he usually have for breakfast? Toast. Did he like toast? Grant thought about that. Yeah, he guessed he did.

"I'm not a fan of breakfast food. I think. I think toast is OK."

Caleb swept his eyes carefully. "How often do people make you think what you want?"

Grant just gave him a confused looked.

"All right then." The blonde shook his head and sighed. "There's a shower down the hall, you're welcome to use it."

The agent did as was suggested.

"How are you feeling today Agent Ward?" Coulson asked as he was drying off. This earpiece was really starting to annoy him.

Grant assessed himself. "Everything seems to be well rested and ready for orders. My mind feels clearer than it has in ages."

There was silence.

"And." Simmons prompted.

Grant paused. "And what?"

"Oh come ON. You are so dense." Skye said from the background. "We want to know what happened. You just kind of stopped answering?"

"I apologize." Grant said.

There was silence.

"Ok. You're sorry, so what happened? Too steamy to get into?" The female inquired.

"Uh." Grant thought. "Does it matter?"

"Not particularly." Coulson interjected before Skye could speak again. "Just be careful Ward."

"Too late. You should have pulled me when you got the chance." Grant responded simply, walking into the kitchen where he couldn't respond to them anymore.

Caleb was there looking at his mail. There were various bills, hand addressed cards, and a few magazines. The one he was flipping through was Time magazine.

"Toast?" Caleb held out a plate.

Grant just had to snicker. There were eight different half slices of bread and each one had a different spread. Butter, Jelly, Peanut Butter, other things that Grant had never seen on toast before in his life. The blonde grinned happily just at the fact that Grant was amused.

"What's your pleasure?"

Grant looked the plate over. Caleb laughed heartily and set the plate down.

"The ayes, your eyes have it." The blonde grinned. "Go for it."

Grant looked up then back down. The dark haired agent went about taking a bite from each piece of toast. Caleb chewed up his own breakfast of cold cereal and watched the other fellow eat. It would have been funny if it wasn't obvious that Grant hadn't really experienced a level of care like this. It sunk Caleb's heart right to his stomach. He cared for Grant, secret held in his eyes and all.