Ch. 5
I headed to my room, breathing hard, my heart racing. I tried to shake off what May said, but I couldn't. Whatever my feelings were, Ward hadn't given me any real indication that he had any romantic feelings towards me, the "beautiful" comment under the truth serum notwithstanding.
On the other hand, being flat out told that there was absolutely no possible future between me and Ward threw me for a loop. I had been on this plane for months and ever since the whole debacle with Miles, I have to admit that Ward had been the closest thing to a crush. Leo and Jemma were a matched pair, so my options were limited, but there could be a million guys around and Ward would still stand out. He was beyond handsome, walking around like an airbrushed billboard for men's cologne. He was so very brave and protective that I always felt safe around him.
Ever since he'd lashed out at us after the berserker incident, I'd felt skittish around him, scared that I'd do or say something that would set him off. He'd calmed down considerably since then, but I'd seen him swallow his anger more than once, bite his tongue almost to bleeding so as not to snap at us again. He didn't want to be that man, the one that used his anger to wound others.
I opened my laptop, fully intending to get started on my on-line academy work, but before I knew it, I had delved into the password-protected S.H.I.E.L.D. database, searching for the exact regulations regarding fraternization. I swallowed the lump in my throat when I found the rules spelled out just as May had said. I took a deep breath. There had to be an exception. There was always an exception.
Then I found this little gem: As per code 21.489.32, two married operatives may be assigned to the same mission given the consent of the acting commanding officer.
Great. Easy peasy. Ward and I just needed to get married and have Coulson sign off on it. How hard could that be?
There could be no courtship, no prolonged engagement. Just immediate marriage to circumvent the S.H.I.E.L.D. regulations.
Well, I could have an elaborate costume party and have a priest marry us in front of a bunch of guests. I remembered that ship captains could marry people over international waters. Maybe Agent May could officiate the wedding for us while flying over the Atlantic Ocean. Another option was Vegas. I had watched enough movies and T.V. shows to know that all you had to do is get within fifty miles of Vegas and somehow you ended up married.
I dissolved into a fit of giggles as one outlandish scenario after another floated through my brain. I clearly had watched too many sitcoms growing up. I knew I was wasting time that I should be devoting to my on-line studies. Getting kicked off the plane for washing out of the academy program would make all of my Ward problems moot.