"Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen. I would first like to thank you all for coming today and helping to make Grant and Skye's wedding such a memorable and special occasion. Personally, I wish you'd all stayed at home and relieved me of my pre-public speaking anxiety.
When it came to writing this speech I wasn't short of material. Although most of it I've had to edit, throw away, burn or hand over to the police to help them with their enquiries. So this is what's left over.
Skye, in agreeing to marry Grant, has reinforced what I've always thought and lived by. That stalking, harassment and general unpleasantness will eventually pay off.
Grant's a great friend and always looking out for me. I mean, the reason he choose me as best man was to improve my chances with the bridesmaids. He also instructed me not to speak for more than three minutes - so you see, he's looking after your interests too.
One of my first observations about Grant was how trim he looked, as I'm sure you'll all agree he still does. This is down to the 50 push-ups he does each day. None of them intentional, mind - he just falls down a lot, as anyone will discover if they follow him down the stairs, especially when Skye is following him."
Fitz was forced to pause as a laughter filled the room after this last remark. He glanced at Ward who was smiling. Fitz swallowed hard. He was going to pay for that comment later, but what the hell?
"I think the hardest thing I have had to do for Grant in recent times is explain to Skye, why I brought him home with a face full of lip prints in varying shades of lipstick. Amusingly it was Jemma that had the bigger problem with it.
Oops. I wasn't supposed to say any of that.
Anyway, before I give the go ahead for the disco to start, I'd like to say a few words about our gorgeous bride. You're a lovely person Skye and you will make an excellent partner for Grant, as you clearly make up for all the qualities he lacks in himself. Such as tact, humour and a conscience."
Fitz paused again at the look of sheer horror on Skye's face before rounding his speech off with the toast.
"I would like to make another toast to the happy couple.
Grant and Skye."
A shout of 'Grant and Skye' nearly blew the door off its hinges amid a sea of champagne glasses.
Once everyone had calmed down after the speeches the cake was moved from the side of the room to the centre so that Skye and Ward could cut it.
Anabelle arranged the guests in a semi circle so that they could all see the cake, and Skye and Ward were positioned in the best place for people to watch them. Anabelle presented them with a knife which Ward took. He passed it to Skye and wrapped his arms around her, enclosing her hands (which were still holding the knife) in his and directed them towards the cake. They were instructed by the photographer to pose which they did, and then they sliced into the beautiful cake Tilly had made for them.
There was a round of applause, whoops and wolf whistles and Anabelle started shepherding them all into the bar so that they could rearrange the room for the evening banquet.
Skye, not wanting more accusations from her friends pulled Ward into a side room. She unbuttoned his jacket, waistcoat and then his shirt. She wanted to see the wound to his ribs.
She saw the gauze covering it and slowly pulled it back. When she revealed the minor wound. She reached out to run her hand over it. He had clearly landed hard on the ground as the area around it was now turning blue.
"Skye, it's fine. I've had worse. Hell you've given me worse." Ward told her softly, putting the strand of hair that had come loose behind her ear, swiping her face with his thumb in the process. He tilted her head up to look at him and leant down to connect his lips to hers. Just as he was about to kiss her the door was opened and Nadia walked in.
Seeing Ward in a state of undress and the position that they were stood in, Nadia winked at Skye and made her excuses to leave.
Realising all of their guests probably assumed they were consummating their marriage, Skye helped Ward button his shirt up, straighten his tie and button his waistcoat. Together they made their way back to the bar where the rest of their guests were.
They spent the next half hour talking to their guests. Skye was careful to avoid hers that had accused her of having a sham marriage.
It was a relief when Anabelle came out of the room and told them it was ready. When Skye and Ward entered their breath was taken away. The room had transformed from a sit down dinner to a magical grotto with a dance floor. Twinkling lights were strung up at the windows and the lights had been dimmed, which meant that most of the light was coming from the hundreds of flickering candles dotted around the room.
"This is perfect!" Skye whispered to Ward, pulling him around the room.
Ward, being the more observant of the two saw Fury lead Tilly out into the garden.
Ward stood with his arms around Skye's waist. To the casual observer, they were stood, as husband and wife, simply peering through the window. To the well trained eye they were up to something.
"So I have been told you are having doubts?" Fury asked Tilly
"A few." Tilly admitted.
"What are they?" Fury probed.
"Well, I don't want to have to live up to Grant or Nat's reputation. I have a feeling even the teachers would have an issue with it."
"We can change your name." Fury told her.
"But I don't want to change my name. I may not like it, but it's who I am."
"So what if we drop the Ward? Sign you up as Matilda Grace?" Fury suggested.
Tilly eyed Fury up with curiosity. She had never told Fury her middle name, but he was the director of a mulit-national secret agency, so she let it slide.
"It would also make things easier for me too. It makes it easy to differenciate between you in paperwork. What else is there?" Fury continued.
"Well, I'm concerned that I will miss my science background."
"We can add science classes to your schedule. It will require you to attend evening classes as well as normal ones through the day."
"Ok." Tilly agreed, looking out towards the darkening gazebo.
"What else is there?"
"I was taught what I know to defend myself. I just don't think I could kill someone." Tilly told Fury.
This was her biggest issue. The other two she could compensate for, but she was not the sort of person that could take another person's life in cold blood.
"Not everyone can. It takes a special kind of crazy to become an assassin. You could always go down the espionage route, just like your brother and Natasha."
"But they are both assassins?" Tilly asked, slightly shocked. She knew they weren't, but it was fun to pull on Fury chain. When he opened his mouth to make a smart remark Tilly burst into fits of giggles.
"Matilda. I think you would be an excellent asset for S.H.I.E.L.D and I have gone out of my way to recruit you. Whatever you need to make you feel like you have made the right decision I will give you, within reason." Fury told her.
"I guess I will see you in September." Tilly said to him with a small smile.
A noise from inside put a halt to their conversation and they headed back inside.
Ward and Skye had moved themselves into a better position to listen to Fury' and Tilly's conversation. When they realised that the conversation was coming to a close, Ward and Skye made to move.
As Ward stepped back from the window, letting go of Skye in the process, a waiter passed by clearing some of the empty glasses that had been left lying around and he walked straight into Ward's back, sending the glasses flying everywhere.
Ward sent a look of panic to Romanov,(he couldn't let Tilly catch him evesdropping again). Skye went to get them both a drink (she was not good with broken glass, she tended to cut herself) and Ward helped clean up the mess on the floor. Anabelle snaked over and shooed Ward away. He went to find Skye and took his drink off her. By the time Tilly had come back into the room Ward was stood at the other side of it and was laughing with one of the Agents that he had invited.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, If you would like to clear the floor, it's time for the bride and groom to share their first dance as man and wife." The DJ suddenly announced.