Author's Note: See End of chapter

Chapter 4 – The Last Note

Time passed quickly for Grant Ward. For all he knew months could have passed outside his white walls. The man was either practising, training, eating or sleeping. Ever so slowly Ward was learning to talk with his hands, it was difficult to learn from books alone, every so often a new set of books was delivered with his meal or received notes requesting the return of the old ones. Ward worked hard to master each book before its return was requested. For a man who had spent a good portion of his life killing with hands, he took great joy in creating words with them. Every so often a novel was slipped in with the sign language books Ward was being sent, Ward ignored them, the reminded him of the books Garrett had 'suggested' he read. Soon the novels disappeared and Ward noticed that other countries' sign languages were being added to his collection. There was Australian, Irish and even Russian. Whoever was outside sending Ward the books wanted him to converse with more than just them. It was moments like this that made Ward doubt the promise of freedom was genuine, if it was they would have helped Ward ASL and sent him out into the world. The fact he was learning languages other than English suggested that whoever was behind this wanted more than just information on HYDRA. Ward wasn't sure he wanted to be someone else's puppet again, Coulson had suggested he try to find out who he was without Garrett which meant finding out who he could be without having someone telling him what to do. Ward needed to find out who he could be on his own.

Ward also began to work out his body. If someone else wanted to manipulate him he wanted to be ready. He did whatever exercise he could in his cell, push ups, sit up even the endurance bridges he had detested as a rookie. Whatever was coming Grant Ward was going to face it head on. This time he wasn't going to be a patsy for a drug crazed psychopath.

Instead of counting days Ward counted meals. He worked on the theory that he was receiving three meals a day. On his 270th meal Ward knew he had been in the white room long enough, he figured he had been without human contact for three months. Even his time in the woods hadn't been this bad, at least there he could move more three metres, he had had Buddy and if he truly wanted he could have. Not that Ward didn't like the solitude, he had had time to think for himself, he had taken the time to learn and finally he was ready. Ward wasn't entirely sure how some people lasted years in prison, he figured it was because they had at least some human interaction. Ward was tired of being alone, it was time to what lay outside the white room.

Looking at the camera in the corner of the room Grand Ward smiled, waved and then sent a single message:

I think it's time we talked, don't you?

The next meal came with more than just food, for a second Ward wondered why they would trust him with sharp implements, but the truth was the only person he could hurt is himself and if he did; how sad, too bad. Ward actually smiled at what he hoped would be the last note he would receive in this cell;

Cut your hair and loose the beard.

Then we can talk

It took Ward six more meals to do what the note asked him to, one last act of defiance. Using the small mirror provided Ward rid himself of the beard that he had grown during his stay in the white room. The hair was a more difficult job, Ward liked to think he was a flexible man but even je had trouble cutting the hair at the back of his head without cutting himself.

The second he put the scissors down the flap on his door opened and a fresh set of clothes was pushed in. Ward smiled, the clothes he was currently wearing were the only set he had and for the past 276 meals they had only ever been washed by hand, in the small sink in the corner of his cell. Ward quickly pulled the fresh clothes on, he doubted he had ever been happier to change his clothes in his life. They'd even given him shoes, Ward had almost forgotten what it felt like not to have bare feet, surprisingly the shoes hurt the foot May had put a couple of nails through but it was a dull ache and if it meant freedom Grant Ward would tolerate it. As he tired the lace on his second shoe the door to his cell slid open. Standing, Ward actually smiled to himself, he was either going to walk out of this building a free man or he was going out in a body bag and Ward didn't care which. However just to be on the safe side he palmed the pair of scissors he had received to deal with his hair.

Ward entered the hallway outside his room, there was only one way to go, the open door right at the very end of the hallway. He walked along slowly, weary of any ambushes or guards that might try to jump him. At the open door Ward stopped, nothing had prepared him for the sight before him. A single man sat at a table in the middle of the room, a man Ward, and the rest of the world, thought dead. To be fair it was exactly the same Nick Fury sitting at the table that Ward remembered, there was no eye patch, no black clothes, hell the man looked like he had slept on a park bench.

"If we are going to have this conversation, you'll need to put the scissors down."

Ward was actually shocked at the sight of the deal man that he let the only weapon he had clatter to the floor.

Fury nodded, "That's better, "He gestured to another seat across from himself, "Why don't you have a seat, son."

Don't call me son, my last boss did that and I'm starting to hate the man, Warn signed angrily.

Fury held up is hands, "Well the man did go a little crazy in the end."

He was crazy from the start, Ward signed, sitting down, I just didn't see it.

"And that's way I'm giving you a chance to undo some of Garrett's mistakes, and in turn some of yours."

Ward actually smiled, You're an idiot if you think you can trust me, if you think I'll be loyal to you. I'm not a puppet, not anymore.

"And that's what I'm counting on," Fury lent forward onto the table, "I won't make you do anything you don't want to do, I'm here to give you a choice."

Ward was suspicious by nature, but curiosity got the better of him, Choice?

"I can let you go. You can go back to HYDRA, beg Coulson's forgiveness, hell you can heard cattle in the Australian outback for all I care."

Ward wasn't convinced, Or?

Fury actually smiled, "Or you can earn the redemption that you desperately want, you can earn Coulson's forgiveness and you can earn your freedom."

Ward gave a doubtful smile, How?

"By working for me, by doing the one thing you actually want to do."

Ward raised an eyebrow, And what's that?

Fury gave Ward a knowing look, "Protecting that girl of yours."

Ward sat forward, I'm listening.

Author's Note: I'm just going to point out that I am Australian so my knowledge of ASL is limited at best so I apologize if some of what is signed in this story isn't possible. If you don't like it then you don't have to read it.