AN: The song in this fic is super pointless and just like depressing fluff haha and I realize that but you know me…there is plot though but it's a long chapter soo…

Enjoy!

Song is Need You Now by Lady Antebellum

One year later

She made her way down the cargo ramp towards her van parked where she left it on the S.H.I.E.L.D. airfield parking lot. She held her box of belongings tighter to her chest and tried to keep a hold of it while grabbing one of the straps of her backpack to hoist it higher on her back.

Skye could feel Coulson's eyes staring holes into her back but she had resolved before walking out of her bunk that she would not look back.

At least not for a while.

It had been a year of restless nights and never ending days since the Hydra reveal and she couldn't take it anymore. It was becoming more and more evident of the danger she was putting the team in now that her 0-8-4 status was spreading around the remaining factions with each attack on the team. The attacks had grown more violent recently and she was not willing to put the progress Leo had made with his recovery in jeopardy.

She had to leave. She had to disappear—again— or everyone she loved would be in danger.

Disappearing again wouldn't be a problem considering how many time's she has erased information about her from existence. She had tried to do so with her 0-8-4 files but with Raina still out there moving from place to place it was impossible to completely wipe clean.

She'd made the decision to leave a month ago and had everything she needed set up to go at a moment's notice, only having to wait for them to touch down back at the airfield to make her move. Having long since hacked the bus' navigation system as well as communications, Skye knew as soon as May put in coordinates and communicated with the control center that the time was soon approaching.

Leaving would be different this time and would feel a lot worse than she's ever been used to. Not having a family or ties to anyone was part of what kept her on the road with her van before this whole S.H.I.E.L.D. fiasco, and now she actually had both.

She planned not to tell FitzSimmons and hoped she would not have to come in contact with Tripp or May before making her escape, however, she decided she would tell Coulson. She was not ignorant of the father and daughter bond that they had developed and considering how much he's done for her and fought for her knew she had to at least explain to him.

That conversation led them to her hauling her things into her van, still refusing to look back. The explanation hadn't gone well but it hadn't necessarily gone bad either. He obviously objected to her leaving and told her how much they all cared for her and that they could figure out the danger part later but she silenced his arguments.

"I came to S.H.I.E.L.D. to find my parents so that I could maybe find people who cared about me. Nowhere did I sign up to lose them after I got them."

Skye knew that Coulson would take it as a hint to the ex-agent whose presence was a dark void that everyone had tip toed around for too long, but she didn't care. To be honest, he was the majority of the reason she had wanted to leave, the danger to the team was just the icing on the cake.

She started up her van and put both hands on the steering wheel bringing her forehead to touch it. She took a couple deep breaths in order to calm her nerves and her heart ache before throwing the vehicle in drive and driving away.

Four months later

She sat on the edge of the floorboards of her van with the sliding door opened and her legs propped up on the concrete outside. She had made it all the way to the east coast just pulling into Georgia before the sun rose.

She'd been up north plenty of times to places like New York and Pennsylvania, but had never really ventured down to the Deep South having avoided it due to what a tourist in New York City had once told her of the humidity. After watching the sun rise over the Atlantic Ocean she figured the view was a good tradeoff to the frizz that would be her hair some days.

The sound of her stomach rumbling elicited a groan from Skye. It was only 6am and having being new to the area obviously she had no idea who or what would be open.

She scooted back on her butt a little to reach into the driver's seat to pull out the box of cereal she had been munching on the majority of the trip. It would hold her over until she figured it was a reasonable time to go scavenging for food. Some trucker at the last stop had told her to find a Waffle House and his description had made her more excited than she should be.

She sat crossed legged on the floorboards of her van once more as she leaned against the back of the passenger seat and after releasing a heavy sigh she leaned her head back and closed her eyes.

She wouldn't lie.

The only reason she found herself this far east is because she had picked up the signal of his phone about two weeks ago and she followed it nonstop only to have it disappear about an hour after crossing into Alabama.

She had decided not to waste time trying to find it again so she kept driving to at least get herself where she last picked it up so that if she found it again there was no way she'd be that far away from him.

There were pictures all scattered around her that she'd been looking at on and off over the past few weeks. She missed him and the pictures at least gave her somewhat of a motivation.

She leaned forward and ran her fingers over the scattered photos spreading them even farther along the floor.

They were various pictures, some from where she had forced him to take a picture and others from the bus's camera feed that she had screenshot just to catch him be himself when he didn't think anyone was watching. She chuckled to herself as she remembered trying to tell Jemma about the candid photos with the sole intent on actually showing her one of Fitz looking at her, but they got stuck on one of Grant and it took a while for her to convince the doctor she wasn't a stalker.

Picture perfect memories scattered all around the floor.

A sad smile crept on to her face at the memories the photos stirred up. He had promised her he'd come find her again one day. So where was he?

Reaching for the phone 'cause I can't fight it anymore.

She fished her phone out of her hoodies front pouch and tried to locate his signal again only to be met with the same response she'd been getting.

'Cannot locate signal.'

This isn't her forgiving him for all he had done before, and she wouldn't deny the fact he's a criminal who should have probably been tried for treason…But...well…she wasn't really sure why the need to find him was so strong.

After all he did say that HE would find ME.

The reason she had been going with to this point was that he made a promise to her and she's salty it had taken him so long.

Did he still remember his promise though?

And I wonder if I ever cross your mind?

Did he even miss her?

For me it happens all the time.

She let out a sigh and picked up one of the pictures that she had made him take with her one day after training. It was after she had asked him to actually spar with her to see how she could handle herself, and he was too focused on being careful not to hurt her resulting in her actually winning, so obviously she wanted to document the said occasion.

Sure it was a selfie, but it was the way they were posed that made her heart flutter even today.

She had her lips puckered in a smirk as she held the camera above their heads, she had to account for his height, and had her head tilted slightly towards his face causing her lips to be close to his own. He had his head turned so he was looking to the side behind her head in an attempt to avoid the picture all together but one of his hands was gripping her waist, and the other on her shoulder.

It's a quarter after one, I'm all alone and I need you now.

She let the photo drop to the ground and she brought her knees up and hugged them to her chest. She rested her head on her knees in an attempt to comfort herself as the emotions came up to the surface all at once.

Said I wouldn't call but I've lost all control and I need you now.

Skye told herself long ago when she still harbored a good amount of anger towards him, that she would not put her life on hold just to wait to see if he did come back. Yet, here she was sitting in her van blinking back tears in her eyes on the south east coast mad at herself for even being a tad upset.

And I don't know how I can do without.

At this point though, she could admit to herself that she craved the comfort that only he provided to her whenever they were on the bus. She needed someone to tell her she wasn't a danger to society who should be put in a cell…someone who would stay with her.

She hoped that now that he was technically on the run too, they could work on the problems of the past and could be what the other needed.

I just need you now.

Grant...

He sat in an armchair with the only light in the room coming from the lamp on the table beside him. One hand was propped up by an elbow on the arm of the chair and raised to his mouth where he pressed his knuckles to his lips in thought as he stared blankly farther into the room. His other arms lay on the other side of the chair with his fingers dangling a glass as his hand hung limp.

Another shot of whiskey, can't stop looking at the door.

This has seemed to grow into routine for the special ops agent for the past year if he let his thoughts wander too long.

It was always the same thing though. He'd always lose himself in the thoughts of her.
Her hair.
Her lips.
Her eyes.

Absentmindedly he brought the glass up to his lips and took a sip of the auburn liquid as a ghostly vision of Skye laughed at him calling him a robot, before it began to drift across the room.

Wishing you'd come sweeping in the way you did before.

He closed his eyes at the painful memories when the canine at his feet let out a yawn before sitting up to take a protective stance at his feet but relaxed when Grant lowered the hand pressed against his mouth to scratch the Doberman behind its' ear. He watched the dogs ears perk up before looking back to his master with his tongue hanging out of his mouth resulting in what could be seen as a goofy smile.

Skye would love this dog.

A streak of pain went straight through his heart before he cursed to himself at his own ignorance

And I wonder if I ever cross your mind

He lived in a small beachfront condo—too big for a bachelor but too small for a family—on Ocean Isle Beach. The North Carolina weather at first seemed too warm for the Massachusetts native but he grew accustomed to it after a few months and would now probably settle for nothing less.

She'd love the view of the ocean.

"Dammit."

For me it happens all the time

He pushed himself up and rose quickly and threw the half empty glass against the wall in front of him staggering a bit before catching his footing as he watched it shatter and smear the contents on the wall and floor.

He brought his hands up to run his fingers through his hair as he took deep breaths trying to steady himself.

Why did he keep doing that to himself? He tormented himself in a way as such that made him not only miss her more, but almost punish him for leaving her in the first place.

It's a quarter after one, I'm a little drunk and I need you now.

He wanted nothing more than to go find her—had tried to go find her months ago, only to be stopped and forced to tend to other pressing needs.

The detours are what led him to this small condo in the first place after he was told to remain there until further notice. The island was small and remote and not a huge tourist attraction since it attracted the older crowd and families.

Said I wouldn't call but I've lost all control and I need you now.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw his companion sitting in the doorway of the kitchen, thankfully out of harm's way, and Grant's eyes softened as he walked away from the dog towards the bedrooms, the aftermath he was still dealing with from the Berserker staff slowly fading.

He was losing control quicker these days, and he made no guesses as to why. He was always a thousand times calmer around her and knew he could control it….now though…he wasn't so sure of himself.

And I don't know how I can do without,

He couldn't let her go on through life thinking he lied to her. He meant what he said to her; the promise he made. But, he knew he had to get rid of the demons chasing him first before he could protect her.

How foolish of him though.

I just need you now

They would never stop coming for him.

His fist connected with the wall as he passed through his bedroom door.

It was his way of dealing with the pain of finally allowing himself love, only to take it away as a form of punishment for his crimes.

Guess I'd rather hurt than feel nothing at all.

He let himself collapse on the bed in an attempt to relax.
Did she even miss him?

And I don't know how I can do without

Did she even still want him to come back for her?

I just need you now.

A nap. That's what he needed—a nap. That would clear all these thoughts swirling around his head.

He threw an arm over his eyes to block out the light filtering in through the window begging to let sleep take him.

Grant found himself drifting in and out of sleep when he heard barking. He threw his arm back down beside him grumbling to himself.

"Shut up Captain."

There was a loud pounding sound in his head and he wondered if he had a headache in the works as he tried once more to drift off. The barking continued as the pounding started to get louder.

Okay, not a headache in the biological sense, however a headache in the 'I have a neighbor who always comes over with pies and brings her son to play with my dog' sense.

Oh he was definitely ignoring this.

Captain continued to bark until suddenly Grant's training kicked in when he heard the sound of the door knob being jostled. He strained to hear over the barking as he sat up and planted his feet on the hard wood floor reaching over into the side drawer to retrieve his pistol. He quickly checked to make sure it was loaded before slowly standing up and making his way to his bedroom door trying to spread his weight evenly with each step to avoid a creaky board.

The sound of the door opening caused him to jump to the wall beside the doorway before going completely rigid at the whimper his dog made before a thud was heard.

Obviously not pie lady.

He flipped the safety off before he crept into the hallway with his hands level with his eyes ready to shoot. The front door creaked as it swung shut and he heard footsteps walking around the living room making noise with every step on the wooden floor.

Whoever this was apparently had little concern for stealth, thus causing further confusion on his part.

Grant waited for the foot falls to cease before he began to count and after reaching thirty seconds he steeled himself in preparation of confronting the intruder. Once he took a couple deep breaths, he gripped his gun tighter, before rounding the curve in one quick motion quickly pointing his gun in preparation of making a fatal shot.

He was not prepared for what he found.

There was an average height and build man in his living room, bald, in a suit, hands in his pockets, with his back turned to Grant as he looked over the various items that decorated the entertainment center in the room.

He didn't need to see his face to know immediately who it was and without lowering his weapon he glanced towards the front door quickly and saw his dog laying on his side too far away from him to notice if he was breathing or not. Grant turned his attention back to the man as he crept closer to him.

"Coulson."

If he heard him, the man made no indication. He watched as Coulson brought a hand out of his pocket to lightly finger the tiny object that currently held his attention, "Is this real?"

Grant stood dumbfounded.

He broke into his home— judging by the icer he had holstered on his side—incapacitated his dog, and now he was looking through Grant's things and wondering if something was real?

"No way is this real, it doesn't look like it…but then again I've never seen one."

Grant still had his pistol raised ready to shoot. If anything, he'd shoot the man for being insane.

His thoughts were interrupted as the agent turned around to face him but kept his attention on the object that he now had in his hand, "where did you get this?"

The object in question came from Mexico City from one of the sites of the Aztec ruins. A local grateful of help he provided gave him one as a symbol of good luck.

He'd have to remember to throw it out later…obviously it doesn't work.

"Coulson."

The older man still did not turn his attention to Grant, however he turned around to place the figurine back onto the entertainment center.

"Fury finally dropped the ball on the little secret you two have been sharing," Coulson's gaze rotated around the room taking in his surroundings before coming to settle on the shattered glass from earlier, "Told me what all you had been up to the last year."

A couple months after he had killed Garrett and left Skye, he went on the run with the mission of doing everything in his power to remove the remaining threat and help some of who he wronged. For being on his own, his limited successes were miracles, but he knew in the back of his mind that one day he'd have to answer for his crimes.

That day came when Maria Hill found him walking away from the debris of what was, the day before, a Hydra military base.

He froze in place when he heard her clear her throat and after a minute of silence, Grant dropped his weapons on the ground and held both hands up in surrender. He had told her if she was going to arrest him to get it over with. However her plans, as she revealed with a sarcastic attitude, were to bring him to Fury where he would work with a secret team in eliminating the remaining threats. She made sure he knew it was not redemption in any form, merely just an alternative sentencing.

He of course agreed with no questions asked and despite his team being under orders to eliminate Grant under any indication he was defecting back towards Hydra, together with Fury, eliminated a good portion of the influence Hydra still had.

Though, one incident in particular was bigger than any of them had predicted resulting in a quick extraction and regrouping to come up with a better strategy. It appeared as if Hydra had some crutches still in Germany and the one they had attempted to eradicate was one of the strong holds. The second attempt at the base didn't happen when they realized they had up and moved the location.

Fury feared that one of the Hydra soldiers could have possibly identified Grant and could be spreading the word of his betrayal and ordered him to lay low until the word was given, ending any attempt he hoped at searching for a certain woman.

"I have to say I'm impressed at your progress," Ward finally lowered his weapon, but still had both hands gripping the gun tightly, "but also a little disappointed you got off without a few good hits from May."

Grant rolled his eyes as he reached behind him to put his gun in the waistband of his black jeans.

"Not gonna lie, I was looking forward to some of the things she mentioned.

Grant put his hands on his hips shaking his head as he looked at Captain on the floor once more, "I don't know what you want me to say sir—"

"Woah," Coulson put a hand up interrupting him, "first off, I'm not your boss anymore that's for sure, so drop the sir act." He dropped his hand back down and put them both back in his pockets. "I'm just here to ask for a favor," Grant opened his mouth to object before he cut him off once more, "a favor you are in no position to refuse."

Grant reeled in his anger as he tried to keep control of the situation, "You broke into my house to ask me a favor?"

"Hey, at least I didn't break the door down?"

He gave the man an incredulous look, "You shot my dog!"

Coulson's gaze shifted to the dog still lying on the carpet before shrugging, "I thought he was going to bite me", he looked back up to make eye contact, "and I iced him—he'll be fine. Anyway back to the favor."

A little relieved to find out his dog was in fact not dead, he crossed his arms as he waited to find out what on earth Coulson could want him of all people for.

"I need you to make sure Skye's okay."

Okay that's not what he was expecting at all and wait…hold up…

"What do you mean make sure she's okay?"

The worst of any situation instantly packed down his brain with horrible images. Was she kidnapped? Did Raina have her?

Oh God.

His face must have revealed the emotions waging war in his subconscious when he realized Coulson was dismissing his suspicions with a nonchalant wave of his hand, "Yeah, no—she wasn't kidnapped or anything."

That was a relief.

"She left about a year ago and I kept up with her for a while but here in the past few weeks she's completely disappeared off my radar."

Grant's brain stopped at the first part of the sentence and didn't hear the rest of it as he processed the new information.

She left a year ago?

Apparently Coulson didn't notice Grant's lack of response and was still explaining, "I know she's good at this sort of thing—making it impossible for people to find her—but I mean… "

Grant watched him struggle with words before stopping him, "Coulson, I get it…but I have no idea where to even begin to look for her." He put on hand on his hip and ran the other through his hair as he started to pace around the room.

"I can't tell you how many times I've set out to go find her only to be stopped in the first step," He stopped pacing and shaking his head he looked back to the older man. "I don't know half the technology she uses…" he let out a sigh he sat down in the arm chair and clasped his hands between his legs, "I wouldn't even know where to start looking."

He heard his old boss laugh as he watched him make his way to the door, and after turning the knob and opening it part way he turned back around to look at Grant.

"I wouldn't worry too much about that…I'm sure she will find you first."

The door closed behind him but Grant's vision did not divert away from the door until he heard movement from Captain who seemed to be dreaming now.

His back hit the soft padding of the chair when he leaned back and brought his hands up to rub his face, feeling the stubble growing on his chin from his lack of shaving.

Well…that just happened.

A knock on the window by the door brought him back to the present as he glanced to see if it was Coulson again. He groaned in agony when he saw his neighbor standing in the window holding a pie up for him to see with a smile so big he thought the muscles in her face would surely rip.

Her high pitched voice made him cringe and he watched as Captain suddenly came to and wobbled a little as he rose to his feet. He watched the dog look at the window in suspicion before his tail went between his legs and he ran into the bedroom with a whimper.

"Thanks a lot buddy."

He's always thought Fury put her there himself to serve as punishment.

AN: Did you make it through without falling asleep! Lol I'll probably be writing more tonight. I have a ton of ideas for one shots and I just wanted to get this one out of the way first because you guys are blowing up my email with following notifications annnnnnnnnnnnnnnd it kinda makes me SUPER HAPPY.

Love ya'll!