Ch. 3

Jemma tried to remain calm in the face of overwhelming circumstances as she reviewed Ward's medical data. She'd disagreed with Coulson, quite vehemently in fact, over what he'd wanted to do to Ward. She'd overseen Cal's mind wipe and it had been relatively straightforward. She'd just had to erase all about his former life - his wife, his child, his quest for revenge, and then create a completely new background. She'd kept his medical skills, though, redirecting them into a veterinary environment.

Ward's case was a lot trickier. If Cal's transformation was like an organ transplant, taking out a diseased body part and replacing it with a healthy one, Ward's wipe was like removing tumors. Coulson wanted his basic backstory to remain the same, the Academy, his operative skills, his initial relationship with the team. She had been instructed to manipulate certain memories and experiences, to reshape his personality. Gone was his abusive family, his twisted relationship with Garrett, his murderous betrayals, his entanglement with Hydra.

Jemma permitted herself a bitter smile. She'd promised herself, more than a year, that she'd kill Ward. And, in a way, she had. The Ward that had existed before had been removed, excised like a cancerous lump. It seemed only fitting after what he did to her and her husband.

00000

Ward looked over at Simmons as she stared at her tablet. She seemed skittish around him, avoiding all eye contact. She barely glanced at him, her fingers trembling slightly.

The operatives seemed out of place as well. He'd been hurt on a mission and taken a sabbatical to heal up. For some reason, he couldn't quite remember all the details of the assignment, but the scar at his throat was an indicator that he was lucky to be alive.

"So, will I live, doc?" Ward asked, trying to lighten the mood. The tension came off of Simmons in waves and it made him twitchier than he'd care to admit.

She gave him a practiced smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Your kind always does."

"My kind?"

Her smile broadened. "Skilled operatives."

"Oh," he replied, slightly mollified. "So, I'm free to go?"

"Yes," she said in a clipped tone.

"What's up with the babysitters?" He gestured to the armed guards staring at him.

"You were attacked and hit with an alien virus, Agent Ward. One that wiped out your memory and nearly killed you. That's why you were sent on sabbatical. To rest and recover."

"Oh . . . . that's why it's a bit Swiss cheese up there," he said, waving to his head.

"Yes," she replied. "You should expect some nightmares. Some of them might not return at all."

"Really?" The thought chilled him to the bone.

"Well, not all memories are pleasant." She sighed. "It's best to just focus on the present."

Ward hopped off of the examination table. He noted that Simmons hastily stepped back, keeping a good amount of distance between them. "Will do." He replied. "I . . . I can't remember where my bunk is," he admitted.

"Agent Garza will show you. You should rest. You'll be debriefed tomorrow."

"Thanks," he said.

Simmons hesitated for a moment. "You're welcome, Agent Ward. You just focus on getting better."

He nodded briefly and headed out of the lab, following the lead agent, a mountain of a man with a shaved head and goatee. The rest of the operatives trailed behind them, following behind them like ducklings. Ward couldn't help but notice that their hands were hovering over their weapons at all times.

They turned a corner and Ward noticed the rest of his team at the end of the hall, Coulson, May, Skye, and Fitz all staring at him, their arms crossed, their manner defensive. Something felt off, like there was a piece of the puzzle missing.

He couldn't help but stop and stare at Skye for a moment. Her hair was shorter than he'd remembered it. Perhaps she'd gotten a haircut while he was at Tahiti. For a moment, he'd experienced a flash of a memory. Holding her in his arms. Sweet words of understanding flowing from her lips. He shook his head at the errant thought. They'd never had anything more than a working relationship. He wasn't blind. She was a gorgeous woman. But, that was the extent of it.

Something else tugged at him. More a memory of a feeling than anything else. A feeling of devotion, of obsession, of longing when he looked at her. A feeling of being split open inside and having everything unravel. It was disturbing and exhilarating at the same time.

Ward swallowed hard. There was something he'd forgotten Something important. Oh, well, he thought. I'm sure it'll come back to me sooner or later.

Author's Note- I'm glad you enjoyed this short story. Thanks for all of the encouraging reviews. I'm going to mark it complete for the moment. I may return to it some time in the future and expand on this idea.

And, yes, I made FitzSimmons a married couple. We deserved it after the Season 2 finale.