"True. I rather see sparkles of laughter in them. Maybe an occasional gleam of mischief even." Sister Augustus agreed with a chuckle. The elderly Sister wiped Skye's tears away and took her hand. "Are you alright, Dear?"

Skye couldn't form any answer as she stared at Grant Ward standing two feet from her. He had let his hair grow to graze the top of his shoulders. There was a scar across his right cheek that disappeared into the hairline near his temple. His shadowy stubble completed his dangerous, rugged and scruffy look that was a far change from what she was used to. Gone was the neat and clean cut man that she used to know.

But his eyes.

In them, she saw the same sadness as the day he said goodbye.

"Skye, I would like you to meet Mr Robert Cloud. He supplies story books for the children and takes the older children on camping trips once a month." Sister Auguster broke the silence by introducing them to one another. "Mr Cloud, this is Skye."

"Hello, Skye," Ward stepped forward and held out his hand.

Skye's hand shook as she slipped her hand into his and felt his slight squeeze before releasing hers. The short contact brought her to the time when when they were sitting in that cosy room in Providence. She had captured his hand when she told him that he was a good man. He had squeezed her hand momentarily before releasing it to cup the back of her head and claimed her lips.

The contact was the last one that they shared before her whole world turn upside down. No doubt that he had touched her many times after that. But it was all fake. Unless what he said about his feelings for her were true, it was her who was faking it.

Looking into his eyes, Skye could see how he was valiantly trying to control the emotions that was stirring in him, much as she was trying not to breakdown upon seeing him. There was uncertainty and fear. Yet there was a longing for forgiveness and yearning for her that he couldn't hide.

The touch of their hands was a catalyst that proved just how much she missed having his arms around her. Skye wanted so much to just wrap her arms around his waist and bury her face in his chest. To hear his heart beating. To prove that Grant Ward is really a man in front of her and not just a figment of her imagination.

"How about we go inside and have some coffee?" The Sister suggested.

"What?" Skye was shaken by the question but quickly added, "No. Thank you but I have to go."

"Me too." Ward told the Sister as he took a few steps back and opened the door to let the two ladies enter the house. Skye was the second to walk towards the door. When she was level with Ward, he leaned down and whispered in her ear.

"Can we talk?"

Making a quick decision, Skye nodded and walked towards the Sister. After some goodbyes and promises to visit again, Skye and Ward walked quietly to their vehicles.

Standing between his truck and her car under a shady tree, they faced each other with only the dim light of a street lamp illuminating their features.

Words escaped them. Both not knowing how to start.

Only their eyes showed their true feelings. The two pairs of brown orbs were both shimmering with held back tears. Eyebrows creased to a frown in trying to not let their tears fall.

Skye's lips quivered with the words she wanted to say.

Ward couldn't stand seeing the pain in her eyes any longer. Fury had told him that the team knew of his undercover mission. But Ward had not known how the team had taken that information. Ward hoped that the tears in her eyes are the same tears of love as his. He decided to take a chance.

"I'm sorry Skye. For everything. I never meant to hurt you. I never want to hurt you. You are the only constant in my life that believed in me. But I had to betray you. You became personal when it shouldn't be. You don't know how it kills me everyday to know what I have done to you. I regret about many things in my life. But I never and will never regret loving you."

Slowly holding out his hand towards her, he said the words that would decide his destiny.

"Forgive me for being the weak man that I am?"

Skye couldn't stand seeing the pain in his eyes any longer. She closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around his waist, holding him closer than she ever dared. Her heart exploded into a million pieces from the warm pleasure when he enveloped her in his arms and leaned down to bury his face at the side of her neck.

"If loving me makes you weak, then it makes me weak too, for loving you."

Her words broken by her sobs made his heart soared and held her tighter in his arms.

His someday had come.

To be continued...

Thank you for all your reviews and feedbacks. Yes, I will be continuing this ff because there are many questions left unanswered. There are so many angles to this story and I hope I choose the right one, to make this a pleasurable ff for you. Stay with me ok?

The song that Skye sang was Hurt by Christina Aguilera. And I do not own it.

HUgs Everyone! And remember, Ward Loves Skye!