Coulson, Ward and Skye were gathered in Coulson's apartment. It was 8:40, ten minutes later than when Trip told Skye he'd be there. Coulson and Ward weren't bothered but Skye was panicking.

"When will he be here?" She asked, for the third time that minute.

"I'm sure it will be soon." Coulson said, casually, collecting the glasses from the table.

Ward was unsure why he had been invited here. Sure when FitzSimmons were out the next apartment they tended to spend time in was Coulson's but normally when Ward wanted to hang out he just turned up. Coulson never formally invited someone over so when Coulson had asked him to come Ward assumed there was something happening but so far it had been pretty normal. Soon Trip would be here to take Skye on their date so it would just be him and Coulson anyway.

Meanwhile Trip was hurrying down the stairs after rushing to clean himself up and get dressed. He was trying desperately to make himself look presentable after a 7 hour shift. It was halfway through his shift that he realised he hadn't told Skye yet that he wouldn't be there by half past eight but she hadn't picked up the phone so instead he just had to rush home from the hospital and sprint down stairs to Skye's apartment.

When he reached her and FitzSimmons' floor he quickly spotted a large A4 sheet sellotaped to her door. When he got closer he noticed his name on the top.

Mack,

Went down to Coulson and May's. If I'm not back by the time we need to leave, come pick me up from there.

Sighing, Mack rushed back downstairs. He was slightly disappointed. People who were properly preparing for a date didn't spend the time before the date in someone else's apartment.

When the time hit 8:45 Skye couldn't take it. As Ward opened another can of beer and Coulson rolled his eyes Skye walked over to the front door, intending to go up to Trip's apartment and asked what was taking him so long but three sharp knocks rang throughout the apartment. Skye stopped where she was, almost rethinking her entire elaborate plan.

"Should I get that?" Coulson asked, noticing Skye suddenly stopping.

"No, I got it." Skye said, coming back to Earth and rushing to the door.

Trip was rather embarrassed by what his first thought was when he saw Skye but in truth it wasn't really anything. She looked… 'fine'. He was kind of upset though. It didn't look like she'd made a huge amount of effort, she looked same as always. She didn't seem to look at him for very long before turning around and looking back at Coulson and Ward.

"Hey." Trip Said, rather awkward and trying to pass over all of what he was thinking because he knew it wasn't really something you should think on the first date.

"Hey," Skye said, just as awkward, turning back to look at him, then she said, in a forced amazed tone, "Wow! Trip you look incredible."

Trip looked down and what he had haphazardly rushed on in fifteen minutes. Before he could make any polite comment on how she looked her lips were on his for far longer than should have been at the start of a date. At this moment Trip started to realise what was going on.

A few minutes after Trip and Skye had left Coulson's apartment Ward decided that he really wanted to know why he was here so he asked.

"I just thought we could hang out." Coulson replied.

"We do that all the time. I probably would have come down anyway." Coulson didn't reply to that although he thought a lot of thoughts in his head. Like how stupid Ward was for not noticing that Skye liked him, or at least not noticing that she didn't like Trip.

Ward, slightly annoyed at Coulson's lack of response, stood up, told Coulson bye, and left his apartment.

Skye sat eating her main meal as Trip rambled on about what he'd done in his job that day. She wasn't really listening, instead she was thinking about Ward and also, a little about how stupid she was being. She began to feel really sorry for Trip who seemed to be enjoying the date. What was she going to have to tell him? Skye had no feelings for Trip. Sure he looked fine, great really, but it was Ward she really wanted, and it was Ward who was paying her absolutely no attention. Oh God! What had she gotten herself into.

"Skye!" Trip's voice saying her name seemed to bring her back to earth.

"Yeah?"

"I seem to have been doing most of the talking on this date, why don't you go?"

"Er… okay," Skye was feeling very awkward, "Well I grew up in lots of different families through foster care because I have no family and then I got a terrible job and then I got a better one here, with Fitz and Simmons."

"That's it?" Trip asked, slightly amused; Skye was normally one of the most talkative out of the group. Skye nodded, "Well then I guess I'm going to have to ask questions in order to get you to reveal anything about yourself." Skye tried not to show her utter dislike of this idea. "First question: Why don't you have the courage to ask Ward out?"

Skye, who had been looking down at her meal, looked up shocked. "What- I mean- What on earth are you talking about?"

Trip smiled, "You like Ward and you invited me out in a desperate attempt to make Ward jealous because you don't have the courage to ask him out. Correct me if I'm wrong."

Before Skye had time to get embarrassed she got annoyed at the one person she had told about her plan. "Coulson told you, didn't he, I knew I shouldn't have trusted him!"

Trip sighed, "No it's just obvious is all!" Skye suddenly felt a lot more awkward and went almost as red as Fitz did when he got embarrassed. "It's okay, really, but if you like Ward so much then why haven't you asked him out yet?"

Skye took a few moments to contemplate her response. "I guess that I want him to want to ask me out so I don't have to do it, or at least so I can guarantee he'll say yes if I ask him."

"I know Ward comes across as a little scary but he's not that bad, the worst he'll do is say no."

"I guess…" Skye muttered, but she wasn't convinced.

"Granted I haven't had the best time tonight but I'm sure on a proper date you're the wonderful, bright, bubbly Skye we all know. Anyone would love to go on a date with you."

"Thanks Trip." Skye smiled, "You're a great friend."

"Happy to help."

"Oh god is this the worst date ever or what?!" Skye smiled and giggled a little bit.

"Does this classify as a date?"

"Well I did ask you out so…"

"Then yes, worst date ever." Skye and Trip shared some stifled laughter, "It may have been a bad date, but as a night out with a friend, it hasn't been too bad."

"Really?"

"Why don't we order some desert and enjoy being two friends having a wonderfully expensive meal at a ridiculously romantic restaurant?"

"Let's do it!"