Hi everybody!
Here is the new chapter of Lost Children in the Dark... You were waiting for Skye to finally confront Ward? This is it. The big day.
I would like to thank you first for all your support and all the views I get.
Here you are, enjoy the chap!
Sif let her hands slowly brush the symbols carved on the ceiling and those written on papers, trying to recognize words. It was a familiar sequence of drawings but even if she knew the letters, she wasn't able to read most of them.
She couldn't understand why May was worried. They were everywhere. It seemed that the girl had been in such a state of focus on these runes that she had felt compelled to put them on any surface. The warrior regretted not being able to do more about that than just reading a couple of signs among the multitude of them.
"Do you recognize anything?"
"This is 'stone'."
That was one of the only signs she knew, as it was part of her name. For the Kree, she was the War Goddess with the Heart of Stone. The look on May's face was quite priceless, as she didn't understand why the Hell, stone was a recurring word in the madness her 'daughter' carved everywhere.
"Stone?"
"Yeah. And there is something about war too. But I don't understand the whole sentence. It's something like 'stone hand and fall end of Nine war.'"
"It doesn't make any sense!"
"No. It doesn't."
"Do you see something else? Anything?"
Sif had seen something else. But she had to investigate it before telling anything to MAy. She couldn't let the woman know something that huge and that terrifying without searching about it. What she had seen was utterly horrifying because it could prepare for the End. The Ragnarok. She didn't know how to say it in another language than hers. The Ragnarok.
But she shook her head and explained she didn't know anything else. She had to go back to Asgard quickly, to talk with the sorcerers and holders of legends about it. And she had to explain it to Thor first. She hoped he would take it seriously. They didn't have time for petty quarrels.
"Do you have news from the operation?"
She asked May, to keep her from wondering too much about her new state of mind.
"No. But I trust Carter."
"Not Skye?"
"She is blinded by her history with Ward. It was a bad idea to let her go on that mission."
Sif sighed. She understood May's worries, but she had always thought an aching heart was the best fuel on a battle. That's what she had been told by her master. Fight with your heart but not with your anger. And Skye's heart was not full of anger.
He heard footsteps. He knew people were attacking them. He had heard it. And now somebody was coming to get him. Surely to shoot him right in the chest while his back was turned. Crossing him off once and for all, leaving SHIELD with one less problem. And just Hella to catch. He thought they wanted to kill her too but couldn't, since she was Asgard's jurisdiction. The footsteps stopped. But the bullet never came.
"Hello Ward. Missed me?"
Skye was standing there with a gun aimed at his chest. She was more beautiful than ever. Her long dark brown hair were tucked up in a high ponytail, the tactical suit fitting her well. She was looking at him right in the eyes, deadly. But he was glad to see her. If somebody had to kill him, he was glad it was her.
"You don't have any idea!"
"Oh yeah... I do..."
She approached and punched him square in the jaw. He felt his lip splitting and blood bubbling on the surface. It hurt.
"Ouch! Why did you hit me?"
"Because you deserve it!"
She hissed furiously.
"What did I do now? " He said hurt,"I came back to you!"
He didn't understand. Why was she so angry with him? Well apart from the Hydra thing and all the deaths behind him.
"Yeah. You came back. But you didn't wonder if I wanted you to come back?"
"I have to take that risk"
"So I took the risk to be part of that termination team."
"Termination? "
"We are here for you, Ward. You understand what that means?"
He knew. They were here to terminate him. He was going to die. By her hand. She never lowered her gun. He had a sad smile. At least she would be the one to end his life.
"I do"
"Why are you smiling, then?"
"I'll die, but you will be the last thing I'll see, that gives me peace"
"I am the one who is going to kill you. You see what you made me become? A murderer!"
"I'm sorry. "
He answered almost crying, standing up in front of her, holding up his hands. She looked so ruthless. For a moment he forgot the cuts on his torso, but the sudden movement opened his wounds again making him moan in pain.
"Ward?"
She asked, trying not to sound so worried. He couldn't see she was worried, she was there to kill him.
"Nothing."
She looked at him, not saying anything else. Before she approached. Close.
"How many?"
"What?"
"How many wounds to you have?"
"Too many"
The re-opened wound was bleeding. It was one of the last ones, the most recent. His t-shirt was starting to get dark red and humid.
"Who did this to you?" He doesn't answer "Ward!, who did this?"
"Hella"
Skye was scared, why did this girl have to hurt him? He worked for her! What the hell was going on with her? Maybe… Maybe he wasn't so guilty after all. Maybe it was Hella… No, no she couldn't think that. She couldn't.
"Why?"
"Because I'm too outspoken for her. And because I care. Because I don't want to make people suffer."
"Ward..."
He couldn't stand the look in her eyes, the pity. He hated it.
"No, please! Don't look at me like that, please, don't be sorry for me "
"I'm not. I'm not sorry for you."
"Good. Gonna kill me now?"
"You could have disarmed me."
"I'm not going to do that"
She looked at him like he was crazy.
"Why? Doesn't living matter to you?"
"No, I deserve this, I killed so many good people, I hurt my friends, my family... I hurt you Skye, and you'll never forgive me for that. "
"It's true. I will never forgive you. Ever. What you did... But you don't deserve to be hurt by anyone but me."
"Just kill me! And tell Torunn she was right"
He reached for her gun, driving her hand to his head. He felt the barrel on his temple and it was shaking slightly. Would she shoot? She would. He was sure. He closed his eyes after taking in one deep breath.
"Right about what?"
He opened his eyes, surprised. Why was she asking that? She was there to kill. Not to chat with him.
Skye heard her com buzzing and the voice of Carter resounded in her ear. The woman explained the change of orders quickly to a half-crestfallen half-relieved young agent. But she wanted to know what the Asgardian had told him. She couldn't admit she was a little bit jealous of the link between the two of them.
"That's not important. Do it."
"Ward. Right about what?"
"I'm not a monster, but I deserve to die like one, "
He closed his eyes again. Her face was behind his eyelids, in his brain. She was the last thing he'd see before dying, the first he saw when he started to live for himself. She woke up a weakness inside him, for the first time in his whole life he wanted something for himself. He sighed.
"She said that?"
"Do you want me to do it myself? You don't seem to have the nerve of doing it yourself."
"Ward..."
Under his hand, her skin was so warm, so familiar to him... He was ready to die, if only he could hug her for a moment, just for a moment, if only… He wrapped his finger around hers, since she couldn't do it. He'd do it.
"Don't do that."
"What?"
She had new orders. She couldn't let himself kill him. He looked at her. What was she doing? Why was she saying that? SHIELD wanted him dead.
"You'd do better in custody than dead. You could be interrogated."
"Are you going to interrogate me?"
She almost smiled. Almost. He still didn't understand but he could try and get some humor in the party. It could not be worse. He saw her eyes twinkling and fraction of second before going back to a more serious face.
"You wish!"
"Skye."
"Shut up."
She put her gun back in her holster. He frowned. She took his wrist and turned his arm behind his back. Quite forcefully, making him gasp because of the sudden pain. He was surprised.
"What the?"
She cuffed him. He felt the metal closing around his wrists. Tight. Oh she was not going to let him go that easily. She knew about what he could do to escape. But he didn't say anything, not a sound. He deserved every bad treatment he get. She guided him, pushing him in the back so he was in front of him and she could see his hands.
All this walk through the corridors of where he was in, he heard her exchanging with her team leader. Headquarters didn't trust her enough to put her on the head, uh? They were right on this time. Never let someone with a clouded judgement to lead a termination team. Or any team.
"Target securised. Going back to extraction point. Over.…. Agent 13? 13? You copy?"
One moment of silence. Before a sigh of relief from Skye.
"What do you mean an agent is down?"
"That means he's injured or dead, Skye."
"You there, shut up and walk."
Then, he saw her. Hella. The reflection of the mirror showed her face, with that sadistic grin on the half of her mouth not covered by any metal. She was behind Skye, with her sword clear and risen in the air, ready to strike. His heart stopped for a second. Just the time it took his brain to figure out what he was going to do. Ward turned quickly, offering his own back to the blade. Hella didn't have the time to redirect the blow. It cut him, there was blood and a scream escaped him. The pain rushed through his nerves, setting his brain on fire. He couldn't think.
"Ward!"
"Feelings caused your end, warrior!"
Skye can't help but scream. He was on the floor, too much blood coming from his back. She knew Hella was still there, and reacted immediately. She turned, took her gun and shoot. Hella roared in pain.
"You mortal!"
The bullet had gone through her arm. But Skye didn't look at her anymore. She called for back-up, took Ward with her. He didn't walk steadily. He was bleeding heavily. He was a dead weight on her shoulder but she was strong enough. She just needed everything to be ready when she came to the extraction point.
"Target is harmed. Need medical support right now. Second target injured, on the loose. Two gun wounds, right arm. Over."
She shouted in her earpiece. He felt the burn of his whole back. He had never taken a sword wound that important before. It hurt. Maybe even more than a bullet. It was all over his brain, the blinding pain, he couldn't think about anything else and he felt the strength running away from his body.
"Don't you dare to die on me Ward!"
"I can't make you any promises, but I'll try. You were supposed to be the one to kill me."
He whispered. She almost smiled again. He was so weak, it made her feel bad for wishing his death. No, no. He was still a douchebag.
"I'll be. Now walk, big idiot."
"Yes, ma'am"
Their tones were almost tender to each other, hers in particular. They walked slowly when the lack of blood made him weak and dizzy, shaking on his feet.
When they finally arrived to the van where Simmons was with the med gear, Skye almost had to fight against her to make her take care of the bleeding prisoner. The girl stayed by his side all the time, unconsciously, she couldn't let him go again. He screamed when the antiseptic burned his back, biting down on a gag to keep from biting his tongue to blood. She stayed, even if all the blood made her want to throw up, when she saw the torn flesh. He was awake all the time, never letting go of any bit of consciousness he could.
She told him what had happened with the team when he was away. He asked about Torunn of course, and she told him how fast the link between Fitz and her had turned the awkward scientist into the girl's bodyguard. He laughed, coughed and moaned in pain as a result. She felt guilty but he just shook his head at her and told her it was ok.
They started their journey back to the base. She hated to see him stiffen every time the car would move abruptly. He fell asleep after a while and she hated herself. Because she couldn't help but smile when seeing his features all relaxed. Because she let his head end on her shoulder, then on her lap when he slept. Because she couldn't push him away. And when he groaned in pain in his sleep, her hands stroked his face lightly. And she noted he had shaven his beard since the battle, since the last time she saw him but it had grown back a little into a light scruffy stubble. She didn't really like it.
She was angry with him, but now, seeing him so vulnerable, hurt... She remembered Torunn's words... that damn girl was right. He could have fled, but he stayed. He was basically begging her to being killed and he ended saving her life... It only let two options. He was either totally crazy or he loved her... and both options scared her out of her wits.
Thank you for reading!
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Until next time,
The Queen of Heart