There was a lot of noise as people crowded around Ward to help him. Skye, however was still sat in her chair and was laughing. Tilly, when Ward fell, moved over to the side where Skye was sat.
As it emerged, a rather long and strong tie wrap had been looped through Ward's trousers and then looped around the uprights on the back of the chair. Romanov pulled a knife out, Coulson didn't want to know where she hid it, and she cut Ward free. Between her and Hawkeye they pulled Ward to his feet. His face was beetroot red. Anabelle handed him a glass of water which he sipped gratefully.
"I think you should be grateful you have no belt loops. That could have easily been you!" Tilly whispered in Skye's ear as she bent down, pretending to alter the straps on her shoes.
When Ward's face had returned to its usual colour the registrar shepherded people back into their seats.
"I am going to conclude this ceremony by presenting the bride and groom with their marriage certificates. We are now going to go back inside and we will instruct the relevant people required for photographs. Please find confetti located on the ends of each aisle. Feel free to throw it."
The registrar made a gesture to Ward and Skye to head down the aisle. Ward took Skye's hand and together they walked down the aisle, followed by Simmons and Fitz, Tilly and Rob and Coulson and Sue.
The confetti went everywhere. Skye even noticed some going down her cleavage. She thought some of her friends were aiming there on purpose. When they reached the end of the aisle they were greeted with a glass of Champagne that had a raspberry in the bottom of it. They saw Anabelle and made their way over to her.
"Congratulations. That was eventful wasn't it?" she asked.
"Just a little!" Ward told her, the top of his ears still burning with embarrassment.
"We are now going to take the photographs. I believe the photographer has a list?"
Skye nodded in agreement.
The next two hours were spent taking photographs of Ward and Skye, the team, Sue, Rob, Tilly, Romanov and Hawkeye in varying combinations. They also got a few shots of all of the guests.
When the guests had gone inside to take their seats Skye walked back down to the gazebo. She stood with her hands on the back of it and overlooked the lake (which she hadn't noticed before!) She could feel Ward creep up behind her and put his arms around her. She leant back into his embrace.
"You look beautiful" he told her.
"You seem to have scrubbed up well yourself!"
They stood looking out over the lake in the mid afternoon sun, until Ward straightened up.
"What do you need Anabelle?" he asked, letting go of Skye and turning to face her.
"Damn, I forgot you were spies. We're ready for you both at the breakfast."
Skye groaned. She had been enjoying the small amount of intimacy that they had salvaged from a very public day.
Ward laughed, took her hand and led her back towards the building. He ran his thumb over the cut on her hand again, but he couldn't feel it, so he pulled her hand up so he could see the cut, but it was gone. He suspected they had managed to knock the scab off at some point, revealing the fresh skin underneath.
"Wait here until I announce you." Anabelle told them, heading through a door.
Skye's grip on Ward's hand tightened.
"You ok?" he asked, squeezing her hand back in reassurance.
"I'm fine"
"At least you don't have to give a speech!" Ward pointed out.
This made Skye laugh and release her death grip, even though she didn't let go of his hand.
Ward gave her a quick kiss before hearing Anabelle's voice clearly introduce them as Mr and Mrs Ward. He gave Skye a quick tug and led her into the room. When they made it through the door they were faced with all of their guests clapping and cheering as they made their way to their seats at the top table.
When they got there Skye stumbled in her shoes and Ward caught her. He pulled her chair out from underneath the table and as she sat down he pushed it ever so gently underneath her.
"You could take them off." Ward told her, taking his seat.
"Not yet". Skye responded.
A waiter suddenly appeared behind them. He removed their napkins from their place setting and placed them on their laps.
"You look good Simmons." Ward told her, as she was sat next to him.
"Thanks Ward. This place is perfect. Is this one that Amber found?"
"Yeah. She showed it to us last. I think she was hoping we would choose it."
"He made me think of three reasons to choose it though."
"And what were they?" Simmons asked with a smile.
She was sure that Ward would have made her come up with logical reasons rather than emotional ones.
"The bath tub we have tonight." Ward said affectionately
"The second is that Anabelle would be able and more importantly willing to organise everything we wanted." Skye prompted.
"And the third?" Simmons asked.
Ward looked at Skye and they silently agreed they couldn't tell her yet. Coulson was too close.
"Take a look at the side I landed on after dinner and I will tell you." Ward bargained, nodding in Coulson's direction.
Simmons looked at Coulson.
"Deal."
Another waiter arrived behind Ward and Skye.
"Would you like white or red wine?" he asked Skye.
"White please." The waiter poured her a glass one handed before turning to Ward.
"And you, Sir?"
"White please."
The waiter then moved onto Fitz, and then Sue and Rob. Another waiter had served Simmons and Coulson. They had invited May to join them at the top table, but she had flat out refused, preferring to sit with the interns, Romanov, Hawkeye,Tilly, Maria and Director Fury.
Before they knew it they had been served their starters. Sitting in a line made it difficult for Ward and Skye to talk to anyone other than Fitz or Simmons, but no one seemed to mind.
Their starter plates were cleared to be quickly replaced by their main courses. Ward had not noticed before, but a waiter stood behind him and Skye, one behind Fitz and Sue, one behind Simmons and Coulson and one stood behind Rob. When they were all in position they served the plates at exactly the same time.
When they had finished their main courses they were cleared away the waiters brought around the wine again. There was a planned gap between the main course and the dessert course so that Ward and Skye could mingle with their guests, however Ward and Simmons disappeared into the kitchen (Anabelle gave them special permission so that Simmons could inspect Ward's side.) and Skye went to talk to some of her friends.
"Wow. This is some graze." Simmons told Ward as she dabbed at it with a wipe.
"Tell me about it. It stings like crazy." Ward replied.
"So what was the final reason." Simmons asked.
"It may be the push Coulson and May need to get over themselves."
"Ooo. I like it. I take it there is a plan?"
"Oh, you know. The usual!"
"Winging it. Sounds about right. I'm going to put a dressing on this, just to stop the blood oozing out of it and staining your shirt."
"Skye! You look amazing!"
"Thanks Nadia. I didn't expect you to come."
"I nearly didn't, but then I figured I simply had to meet your other half. He is gorgeous by the way."
"Isn't he just!"
"A bit of a ladies' man I assume." One of Skye's other friends from her hacking life said.
"Why would you say that?"
"He headed out of the room with your maid of honour."
"So?"
"That doesn't bother you?"
"No, why should it?"
"He's disappeared off with another woman and has been gone for the best part of half an hour."
"Still doesn't bother me." Skye shrugged.
"Are you sure this isn't just a marriage of convenience?" Nadia asked.
"What?" Skye asked, feeling like all of the air had been knocked out of her lungs.
"Well, the two of you don't seem to be intimate, and you don't seem to mind that he's gone off somewhere with your maid of honour. He also had his arms wrapped around that other bridesmaid. So it makes sense that you have married this guy out of convenience rather than love."
The rest of Skye's friends looked on. It was clear on their faces that they agreed with what Nadia had said.
"If that's what you think then the door is there. Just because we aren't all over each other all of the time doesn't mean we aren't in love. We keep our intimacy private as we are both very private people. And I don't mind that my husband has 'gone off' somewhere with Jemma because she is our team medic. He got hurt when the 'other' bridesmaid, who happens to be his sister, tied him to a chair. So they are currently making sure he's not going to bleed through his suit." Skye told them, anger that they were attacking her on, what was supposed to be the happiest day of her life, flaring up.
Skye spun on her heels and stalked out of the room and towards the door that would lead back outside and down to the lake. She didn't make it very far before Ward caught up with her.
"You do know you're far too late to run, right?" he asked her.
"I just needed some air." Skye told him, struggling to keep the tears out of her eyes and emotion out of her voice.
"What happened?" he asked.
"My so called friends think I married you out of convenience."