Author's Note: A short chapter, sorry. However it is really important so please read and review. The number of reviews seems to be falling and I am beginning to fell unloved.

However I do wish to say a special thank you to Marvel-Tolkien Fangirl and mylove24 who do review every chapter, I have noticed and THANK YOU.

PLEASE REVIEW

Chapter 48 – Messages

I'll let u know

Ward looked down at the phone in his hand, he honestly didn't know how to respond. Ward thought that Skye would ask him to come back to the team again and at this point is she had asked he would have come running. So when Skye didn't ask he was slightly disappointed but was sure the hacker had her reasons. It took him a while but Ward sent back the only response he could think of:

I'll let u get some rest.

Ward smiled weakly at Skye's response, Miss u 2

Pocketing the phone Ward climbed down from the lookout point he had spent the entire day at. He had barely moved since Sif had taken Skye back to the team, the rain had cleared around midday but Ward hadn't even moved to get dry clothes. There wasn't much to see from his perch, the team had spent the entire day inside the house while the Asgardians had set up camp and stayed there but sill Ward hadn't wanted to move until he was sure Skye and the baby were okay.

Finally back on solid ground Ward made his way back to his camp. It had been flooded during the night, the downside of camping near the river so there was a lot of work to do cleaning up. Ward was glad he had packed up his tent before moving into the car because there was now a rather large branch where his tent used to be. Ward figured there was no point setting up his tent again, it looked like it might rain again later and Ward was willing to spend another night in his car if it meant he wasn't crushed by a tree.

After finally changing out of his wet clothes Ward felt a lot better, especially after retrieving his gun from the mud outside the car. Taking a sear in the car, leaving the door open, Ward began to clean the mud from the gun. Ward was almost finished when he heard the sound he had dreaded hearing since Paris, the phone Sir had given Ward was ringing.

Ward picked up the phone, carefully revealing its hiding place, "Hello?"

"I hear you have some visitors," Sir's voice came out of the phone.

"How did…? Never mind," Ward asked, "I'm dealing with it."

"How?"

"Do you really care?" Ward asked, not even trying to hide the contempt in his voice.

"I wouldn't be calling you if I didn't," Sir replied, his contempt obvious even over the phone.

"You don't care about Skye," Ward snapped, "You only care about the idea of her. You want to protect the idea of your family, that's all."

"How dare you." Sire growled.

"How dare I? How dare you," Ward almost yelled down the phone, "You're using your own daughter as a bargaining chip. You're not neutral, you just want everyone else to this you are."

"I was once," Sir sighed, the sound echoing down the phone, "Times change."

There was silence for a moment and Ward wondered if Sir expected a response, if he did he wasn't getting one.

Sir spoke again, breaking the awkward silence, "If you know about my neutrality then you must have spoken to the Asgardians."

Ward could have kicked himself for slipping up but still responded, "One of them."

"Why?"

"I was trying to save your daughter," Not a complete lie from Ward.

"By discussing terms with her enemies?" Sir hissed.

"They're your enemies not hers," Ward replied, trying to keep his voice even, "They wouldn't even be after her if it wasn't for you."

"She's my daughter, my blood. She wouldn't even exist without me," Sir spat.

Ward rolled his eyes at Sir's words but his anger didn't evaporate, "The Asgardians thought she was dead and if you hadn't blundered around looking for her they still would."

"Are you blaming me for this?" Sir yelled over the phone.

"Who else should I blame?" Ward yelled back, "Because it sure as hell isn't my fault."

"Blame those who wish to do me harm," Sir replied.

"So you admit this is about you?" Ward asked, "I've worked for men like you before, never again. I will protect Skye because I want to, because I need to not because you asked me to."

"You're playing a dangerous game, Ward," Sir growled, "If you test me I will come and take my daughter from your protection."

"I'd like to see you try," Ward smirked, fully aware that Sir couldn't see him, "Someone recently told me that the game is only dangerous if you lose and I'm not going to lose. I'm going to protect Skye or I'm going to be dead, it's that simple. I'm dealing with the Asgardians so Skye is still safe here and as long as she is safe I will not let you take her."

"You don't seem to understand my position," Sir growled.

"I understand completely," Ward growled back, "You don't understand mine. You will get Skye over my dead body."

"If that is what is required then that is what will happen."

The line went dead and Ward threw the phone across the clearing shattering it against a tree. Good, Ward thought, one less person to deal with.

Pulling his other phone out of his pocket Ward sent a quick message:

We have a problem.