Chapter 24 – Happily Ever After

Alone in the bathroom Ward finally got a good look at the damage Sir had done. The bruising around his face was already starting to fade to an ugly yellow, one of the perks of being hit in the face so many times was the fact that he didn't bruise easily and when he did it healed fast. Pulling his shirt back off Ward looked at the bruises along his stomach, they too were still visible but fading. The bruises on his chest were hidden beneath a bandage that he guessed were holding his ribs in place. There was still some ugly bruises on one shoulder, Ward remembered something about dislocating it at some point but apparently Skye had gotten it back into place without damaging it completely. In fact, looking himself over, Ward decided that Skye had done an excellent job of taking care of him. He could barely remember the condition he had been in after his fight with Sir, but from what Ward did remember it had been bad.

Thinking about it, Ward remembered an inability to breathe properly and the agony walking caused. The more he thought about it the more Ward realized how bad his situation had been, how bad it should still be. He distinctly remembered a rib pressing dangerously close to a lung but as Ward unwrapped the bandage around his chest he realized the rib wasn't broken, it was probably barely fractured.

The agony Ward had felt when walking through the London streets had suggested to him that his foot or ankle had been broken, most likely in more than one place and yet Ward had been able to walk the length of Skye's room with barely a limp. In fact if Ward had truly broken his foot he shouldn't be standing in it, but standing in front of the bathroom mirror Ward realized he was evenly weighted on both feet, he wasn't even favouring one.

Pulling the lid down Ward used the toilet as a seat, resting his injured ankle on the other knee. He inspected it for damage, there was slight bruising, maybe a little swealing, the usual indications of a sprain but nothing seemed to indicate that the ankle, or the foot for that matter, had ever been broken.

Something was defiantly wrong, he shouldn't be healing this fast. In the condition Ward had been in he should have needed a hospital, with IV's and pain medication, a lot of pain medication. He should have needed round the clock care from trained medical professionals and even then it should have been touch and go. Instead Ward had ended up with barely a scratch after spending only four days passed out in a bed with no professional help. From injures he remembered it should have taken Ward weeks to wake up. If he woke up at all.

Sighting Ward stood up and stripped off the rest of his clothes. Turning the shower on Ward stepped inside, he had a sudden need to feel clean. He sensed Sir's hand in his rapid healing, the man had somehow healed his voice after all. And Ward felt the urge to scrub any last trace of the man away.

Stepping out of the shower Ward felt ten times better than he had stepping in. Quickly drying himself Ward pulled his clothes back on. Unfortunately now Ward had no idea what to do, he'd come into the bathroom to escape Skye and to leave the 'secret' base he would have to go past her and Ward doubted Skye would let him pass. He wanted desperately to believe he could have a future, that even the white picket fence was a possibility. But happily ever after wasn't in his future, it never had been, even before Garrett had entered his life. From the second he understood the world around him Grant Ward had known there would never be a happily ever after, he had accepted it and moved on, until he met Skye. Skye had made him hope for the fairy tale ending, but then HYDRA had come out of the shadows and Garrett had asked him to betray the team, with that order the last thread of hope had disappeared.

Now here Skye was, telling him a future was possible. Ward desperately wanted to believe that she loved him as much as he loved her but deep down he knew that she didn't, that she couldn't. He was a monster, he always had been and no matter how much he tried to redeem himself, he always would be. Ward could dream of the happily ever after all he wanted, that didn't mean it was coming and it defiantly didn't mean he deserved it.

Ward told him that the reason Skye wanted to be close to him now was pity, she had read the notebook, she had seen the broken man that he truly was. Skye pitied him, he was a wounded animal, something to be fixed and let go, not something to love. This made part of Ward angry, how dare she feel sorry for him. The other part of Ward wanted to take what little love he could get, for however long it lasted. But Ward didn't want tonight with Skye, he wanted tonight, tomorrow and the day after, he didn't want her pity now, he wanted her love forever. And if Ward wanted to get even close to forever he would have to tell her the truth. The whole truth. Starting with how he ended up unconscious on her bedroom floor.

Sighing Ward pulled open the bathroom door and came face to face with Skye sitting on the edge of the bed. Her face wasn't filled with anger or hurt at his sudden departure, only understanding. Ward also noticed there wasn't a trace of pity either.

Skye smiled when he walked out, she held up a couple of muesli bars, "Thought you might be hungry," She then shifted so there was space for Ward to sit down next to her.

"Thanks," Ward gave a half smile, taking both the food and the seat.

When he didn't start eating right away Skye gave him a worried look, "Are you okay?"

Ward looked at Skye, gathering the courage to have this conversation with the hacker, "We need to talk?"

Skye gave a half smile, "About?"

"Everything."

Skye laughed, "That may take a while. Where do you want to start?"

Ward took a deep breath, knowing a storm would soon follow, "I should be dead and I think your father was the one who saved me." He paused, then added, "After he tried to kill me."

Author's Note: The title lied, I'm evil that way.

Please review. I've finally finished my exams so if you review I might update quicker.