Author's Note: As promised an extra-long chapter

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Chapter 45 – Another Option

Ward reached for his gun, only to realize the one he usually kept close by was currently in the mud outside and all the others were out of reach. He put a protective arm around Skye, there was no way he was letting her be taken.

Sif held her hands up, showing Ward she was unarmed, "I come in peace."

"You're here to take Skye, armed or not you do not come in peace," Ward snapped.

"I am not here for the girl," Sif promised, "However I do wish to discuss her future."

"The girl is right here and she has a name," Skye snapped, still protected in Ward's embrace.

"Forgive my rudeness," Sif answered, bowing her head, "I meant no offence."

Skye sat up, pulling herself from Ward's lap and settling on the back seat, arms still wrapped around her stomach, "If you're not here for me, why are you here?"

"I have already told you I am here to discuss your future," Sif answered.

Skye looked doubtful, "Are you saying there's another option that doesn't involve me being taken against my will to another world?"

"Perhaps," Sif nodded, although her tone suggested that she was still trying to that other option, "Odin has ordered the Warriors Three return you to Asgard. My orders, however, are more open to interpretation."

Ward shifted so he was sitting against the back of the seat instead of the door, "You joined them after they received their orders? So you were never explicitly ordered t bring Skye back to Asgard."

Sif nodded, "I doubted Thor would want the friend of his friend forced to do anything."

"Do your friends know you joined them so you could undermine their orders?" Ward asked.

"I believe they asked me to join them because I can undermine their orders," Sif answered shifting in her seat, "They don't like their orders any more than I do."

"If they don't like their orders why follow them?" Skye asked.

"We follow our king," Sif replied, "Wherever he may lead."

Suddenly Skye felt the baby move again and barely managed to get the car door open in time to empty last night's dinner into the mud outside. Ward was behind her in an instant, holding her hair out of her face and protecting the hacker from the worst of the rain. When there was nothing left for her to throw up Skye pulled herself back inside the car, groaning as she leant back into the seat.

"Are you okay?" Ward asked as he reached into the back of the car pulled out a box of tissues, passing them to Skye.

"No," Skye groaned, using one hand to use the tissues to clean her face and the other hand to rub her stomach, "This baby of yours keeps using my organs as punching bags."

Sif had remained silent throughout Skye's ordeal but at the hacker's comment she looked at Ward was surprise, "You are the child's father?"

Ward glared but nodded, his attention returning to Skye. He pulled her into a hug rewrapping the blanket around Skye, "Maybe we should talk about this another time. Both of you need rest."

"You don't get to tell me what to do, Grant," Skye replied, resting her head against Ward's chest. She turned her head to face Sif, "I need to know what's going on. Why does Odin want me on Asgard? Why now?"

Sif sighed, "That's a lot of questions I'm not sure I have the answers to."

"Try," Skye replied, still resting her head against Ward's chest.

Sif gave a brief nod, "You either heard what Volstagg and I told your team mates or they informed of the conversation themselves. So you already know why we are here."

Skye gave a weak nod, "Something about my blood, about Sir and being an Air."

"It's called an Eir," Sif corrected, "And your team denied knowing anything about Sir."

"They don't," Was all Skye said.

"You've met him?" Sif asked.

Skye shook her head but let Ward answer, "I have."

"And you survived?" Sif looked doubtful.

"Barely," Ward replied, "He beat within an inch of my life…"

"And then healed you," Sif concluded, "He mixed his blood with yours and your wounds healed faster than was natural?"

Ward sat straighter, still keeping Skye's head against his chest, "How did you know? I mean I didn't know it was his blood that healed me, only that everything was healing faster than it should have."

"It's the Eir's gift," Sif replied, "Their blood can be used to heal most external injuries, even some internal one."

"That's why Odin wants me and my baby," Skye concluded, "Because our blood can be used to heal?"

"Yes," Sif answered simply.

"But it doesn't," Skye argued, "I was shot, I almost died. My blood didn't help me then, except the fact that it was spilled all over the floor."

Sif shook her head, "Your blood cannot heal you, only others."

"Isn't that helpful," Skye snapped, finally pulling herself off Ward's chest. Although she let him keep an arm around her as she leant back against the seat. "Sorry," Skye sighed, rubbing a hand across her stomach, "Today had not been a good day."

"Your child's been active?" Sif asked.

"Yes," Skye groaned, "Ever since you guys arrived. Simmons told me that it shouldn't be this active this soon but if you're telling me I'm part alien maybe things are different."

Sif nodded, "Vanir pregnancies are slightly different to human ones. As half and half I believe you will receive bits of both, in the later stages anyway."

"Back up," Skye said, rubbing her head trying to rid herself of the headache that was forming, "Before you said I was an Eir, now you're saying I'm a Vanir, which is it?" Skye's annoyance was rising, "I just want to know what is going on. You've told me why Odin wants me on Asgard but you still haven't told me why now, why not when you were tracking Lorelei down? And why are you willing to defy your leader by not taking me back? Something tells me it's not just for Thor or Coulson's sake."

"We did not know who you were on my last visit however in his search for you your father has drawn attention," Sif replied, "We were aware that Sigourney, Sir, had a child in the region you call China twenty or so years ago. We thought she perished with the village. We did not know it was you until your father began moving for the first time since he ran from China all those years ago."

Before Skye could respond Ward did, "So the why now has nothing to do with the baby?"

Sif shook her head, "Heimdell only informed us of your condition shortly before we left. I am not sure if he informed the All Father of it or not."

Before Ward could interrupt again Skye spoke again, "You're getting off topic again. Why are you willing to defy Odin?"

"Odin hasn't been the same since the convergence," Sif replied, shifting in the front seat, she looked uncomfortable in the confined space of the car, "There are a few of us dedicated to monitoring his actions, intervening if necessary. Keep him from making rash decisions after the loss of his wife."

"Kidnapping me is a rash decision?" Skye cried, finally pulling herself from Ward's embrace.

"We have seen the cost of trying to take an Eir against their will before," Sif sighed, "Those of us who wish to protect Asgard do not want a repeat of our last attempt. Your father has remained neutral in his exile, taking you could change that neutrality and not in our favour."

"So my child and I are bargaining chips," Skye replied, unsure whether to feel angry or annoyed.

Ward put a hand on Skye' shoulder, "Calm down, Skye. Stress isn't good for either of you."

"Oh, Shut up, Ward," Skye snapped, "We're dealing with my issues at the moment, not yours."

Ward held his hands up in defeat, not wishing to anger the hacker further. He turned to Sif, "How exactly are you planning to keep Skye out of Asgard?"

Sif shrugged, "I am not sure, not yet. I hoped Phillip and his team would help. I did not think you would be in separate groups or that the girl would run so soon."

"Your friend gave me a day and a half to join you or you'd come get me," Skye snapped, "I wanted as big a head start as I could get."

"Running is not an option," Sif replied, "Odin will order you hunted down."

"So what are my options, be a prisoner or a fugitive," Skye cried, letting Ward pull her back into his embrace.

"Give me a day to find another option," Sif responded, "There will be a time to run, I promise you that, it's just not today. When the time for you to run does come I will help the best I can, as will those with which I stand against Odin with."

"You're playing a dangerous game," Ward warned, "Take it from someone who knows."

"It's only dangerous if I lose," Sif shrugged, "And I don't plan on losing."

"No one does," Ward replied, "You're playing with my family's lives here. I hope you know what you're doing."

"I've been doing this far longer than you've been alive, Grant Ward," Sif replied, "And I am yet to betray my friends, unlike you."

Ward was about to reply when he realized Skye hadn't interrupted them. Looking down at the hacker he saw her entirely focused on her stomach, her face pale, "Skye, what's wrong?"

Skye was trembling as she wrapped her arms around herself, "Something's wrong," She flinched, "It hurts."

Skye now had Ward's full attention, "The baby moving again?"

Skye shook her head, her panic and pain showing on her face, "No." Suddenly she cried out in pain, wrapping her arms tighter around her stomach, "Something's wrong, Grant," Skye couldn't hold back the tears.

Ward pushed the door open, ignoring the rain, "I'm getting you back to Simmons."

Skye gripped his shirt, "What about hiding from the team?" Cringing as another wave of pain spread across her stomach.

Stepping out of the car Ward pulled Skye into his arms, "Not if it means putting you in danger."

"I'll take her," Sif interjected, having joined Ward in the rain. Before Ward could object the warrior continued, "I'm faster than you and if I understand your current situation correctly your team mates may react violently before seeking answers."

With Skye's weak nod of approval Ward passed her into Sif arms. Pulling Skye's jacket out of the car he covered her as best he could. Ward also pressed one of his burner phones into the hacker's hand, "My number's already in there, let me know what's going on. I can't lose either of you, not now."

Skye nodded weakly in Sif's arms, trying to hide the pain on her face, "About time you gave me your number."

Giving Skye a kiss on the forehead Ward gave a weak smile, he hadn't seen Skye that pale since she was shot, "I love you." He didn't wait for Skye to respond, he looked at Sif, "Get her to Simmons, she needs help now."

"I will," Sif replied, "And I will do my best to find another option."

Ward had barely nodded in response before Sif disappeared into the rain. He stood there for a long time praying to whoever would listen that Skye and the baby were alright. It wasn't until he got back into the car that Ward realized Sif hadn't answered all of Skye's questions, she had called Skye an Eir but had also mentioned the Vanir in passing, just as Sir had. He wasn't sure if Sif had ignored the question or just forgotten to answer it. Ward needed answers about Skye's past but more importantly he wanted answers about her future.

As the sun was rising he grabbed a heavy rain jacket and his phone, ignoring the lightning Ward climbed to one of his lookout points, he would stand watch until he knew both the woman he loved and their child were okay.