Well you guys are getting a short update due to me being sick since Tuesday. Please let me know what you think.

Hunter watched Lincoln. He couldn't get a reaf on the guy. Was he truly one of them or did he still hold close ties to the people of Afterlife? Hunter watched as Lincoln played with a few sparks absent-mindedly.

"Might want to pay attention while doing that," Hunter continued to eye Lincoln.

"I am always paying attention. Like for the fact that you have been watching me most of the flight. What's on your mind Hunter?"

" Skye."

"What about her?"

" You have something for her? Is she the only reason that you stayed with S.H.I.E.L.D?"

Coulson eyed both men but decided that weighing in on this conversation was not needed at this point.

"I helped her transition."

"Transition?"

"When you have gone through the mist, it can be unsettling to some. Many have years of preparation before giing theough the mist. Skye didn't. She was also afraid to use her powers for fear of being judged."

"Well, it was a lot to take in. I'm not used to dealing with someone that can throw mw like a bloody rag doll whenever she gets upset."

"Skye didn't even want her powers," Coulson decided it was tine to weigh in.

"She told me as much in Afterlife. She wanted to be fixed. She thought that was what we did in Afterlife, fix people."

"Wait, so you're telling me that Skye will never be normal again?" Hunter looked like he had swallowed a lemon.

"Skye is normal, end of story," Coulson walked to the cockpit.

Ward watched Skye as she slept.

"Is she ok?" Jacob's voice was shaky.

"She will be. How about you? Are you ok?" Ward never took his eyes off Skye.

"Why did S.H.I.E.L.D shoot her?"

"They want her just like they want you. She was one of theirs. They turned on her once she gained her abilities, they feared her. They wanted to lock her aeay because they didn't understand her," Ward ground out.

"I can't believe that they would turn on someone who worked for them," Jacob shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Well that is where Hydra and S.H.I.E.L.D differ. We embrace you. S.H.I.E.L.D locks you away until they can use you or destroy you. I used to be a part of S.H.I.E.L.D once. Hell, I was Skye's SO at one point. I chose to follow a mad man that almost cost me Skye. I ended up leaving with Hydra and lost Skye. Until a few weeks ago when I got ger back. She is still somewhat loyal to S.H.I.E.L.D but after today, I don't think that loyalty will last. I love her. Deep down, I sort of always knew," Ward kissed Skye's forehead.

"I guess I'll go and see Clarissa now. She wants to dig inside my brain for a minute or thirty," Jacob rubbed the back of his neck.

"Clarissa is good at what she does. Trust her," Ward smiled up at Jacob.

Ward watched as Jacob left, closing the door behind him.

"So, was that the truth?"

"Skye, you're awake," Ward kissed her on the lips.

"Been awake for a bit. Trying to let the headache subside," Skye slowly sat up and scooted back against the wall.

"I thought that I lost you, I was thankful that they were only using icers," Ward scooted Skye over so that he could sit beside her.

"Did you mean what you said? About loving me?"

"Yes, every word. Part of me was trying to be the good agent that Garrett wanted me to be. The zero contact guy who observed. But then we ran our first mission that needed up with a Rising Tide hacker in the cell for questioning. You distracted me intentionally by taking your vest off."

"Then, I betrayed all of you by sneaking over Miles's place. I remember the look on your face. I felt like I was the worst person ever. I felt that I was going to be thrown from the plane."

" Well, as far as betrayala go, I think I have you beat by a very long shot," Ward half smiled.

"Well, I have a confession."

"What's that?"

"Do you remember the operation where you had to wear the eye glasses that made you act like you were Akeila?"

"Yes."

"Well, afterwards on the bus, you and Fitz were playing poker. Well, I was sort of going to help him out. I was wearing those glasses."

"And you used them to see my cards. That's wrong."

"Well I reminded him that I would be able to see him naked and that's why he folded. So, I turned them on."

"You used the glasses to see me naked?"

Skye sheepishly nodded.

"Well, as long as we're confessing. I accidentally saw you naked."

"When?"

"When you were showering right after our first encounter with Ian Quinn. I went to talk to Fitz about the night night gun-"

"Wait, you and Fitz wouldntalk while one of you were in the shower?"

"You, May, and Simmons all went to the bathroom together any time we all went out to eat. What's the difference?"

"Girls go in numbers because we compare notes and because we trust each other to be honest of how we look."

"Well, you were opening the shower and I saw you naked."

"Wait, that's the night I mentioned that I thought that the bus was haunted."

"Yep."

"Wait, so you're the reason I showered all the rest of the time wesring a swim suit?"

"Yep."

"Well, that was mean. Why didn't you say anything about seeing me naked?"

"Trust me, the fantasies that I was having about us in your bunk were better. So I kept trying to catch you naked."

"You, sir, are very dirty minded," Skye kissed Ward.

"Skye, I want to get something else off my chest," Ward sat up more.

"What's that?"

"I almost lost you when Quinn shot you. Lost you for a while when I betrayed the team. And I thought I was losing you again today. I don't want to lose you. I really don't want to think what I would do," Ward looked down at his hands.

"Ward, I don't think that I plan on leaving anytime soon," Skye folded her hands infto his.

"I'm glad you said that, because I have to tell you something."

"What?" Skye waited for the proverbial other shoe to drop.

"I want you to marry me."

"What?"

"I know that it is sudden, and that this is probably not the ideal setting, but I love you and I don't want to go through life with the woulda and should ofs haunting me. I want to be with you and make you happy."

"Yes."

"You mean?"

"Yes, I want to be Mrs. Skye Ward."

See what I did theP? Pun so intended.