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After Ward had been brought back to the Cage, Skye headed down to the lab to visit Simmons.
"Oh, hello, Skye." Simmons greeted her cheerily, bustling around Fitz's pod. "I'm just doing some checkups on Fitz's brain activity and blood pressure."
Skye glanced down at the pod containing the engineer and quickly looked up again, "Ugh, I don't know how you can stand to look at him like that every day. It kind of gives me the creeps."
Simmons spared Skye a look before focusing down on the monitor again and said in a wry voice, "Now you know how we felt when you were in there. Anyway, Doctor Cavaco figures that we can move Fitz into a hospital bed today. His vitals are stable and in no danger of changing. He should be able to handle the air pressure from the plane now."
"That's great, Simmons! Where is said doctor anyway?"
Simmons shrugged, "He's resting somewhere. He's got a room in the back."
Skye plopped herself down on Fitz's desk chair and picked up the toy monkey that was always present. "Don't worry, I'll put it back," She said hastily at Simmons' pointed look, "So, I saw Ward today," Skye said with a forced casual tone.
"Oh really? And what happened?" Simmons asked in an equally fake offhand tone.
"It was so bizarre… Like, he told us everything. It's the most truthful I've even seen him. He was totally normal too, like it was any other mission and he was the one briefing us. I mean, does he feel any remorse for those people that he just gave up? Or maybe he's just used to flipping on people."
Simmons busied herself with the various test tubes on the island table, "I think you judge him a little too harshly." Catching Skye's incredulous look, Simmons rolled her eyes and continued in a matter-of-fact manner, "Oh, come on Skye. You weren't there to see it but Ward was just as upset as everyone else when you were shot! I think he blamed himself."
"You think I had a part in that? I would never hurt you. You know how I feel about you…"
"Simmons, you said yourself that Ward was evil!" Skye blurted, trying to erase the image of Ward's eyes gazing searchingly into her own.
"Yes, but that was before I talked to him. He's just broken Skye. Sure, what he did isn't completely forgivable, but Garret warped him into his evil lapdog when Ward's mind was the most impressionable."
"Oh, so you're a psychologist now?" Skye could feel her face getting flushed with anger that she didn't bother containing. She couldn't believe how much the team was standing up for Ward.
"No, I'm just saying he deserves a second chance. I think he really does care about you, Skye. Besides, you should understand more about second chances than anyone else here." Simmons reasoned evenly.
Skye carefully put down Fitz's toy monkey, "I don't know if I'm ready for that. I put all my trust into him, and it's been a long time since I've been able to let myself go like that, to let someone else takes care of me."
The British woman strolled over to the Holotable and picked up a touch remote for the screen, "Of course, you're not ready, but if you don't go now, you'll never be ready."
And that's how Skye ended up outside of the Cage, trying to understand Grant Ward's side of the story. It wasn't long before the conversation became heated. She still couldn't understand how he could have betrayed the team so easily, fed her all those likes about loyalty, serving SHIELD, being a good agent.
Simmons found Skye back in her bunk, hours later, her things scattered around the floor and bed.
"You missed dinner. We saved you a plate."
"I'm not hungry. I just want to sleep." Skye mumbled numbly, curled up on the bed.
Simmons bent down to pick up the hacktivist's laptop and placed it on the small table in the bunk, "What happened here?" She asked gently.
"I needed to throw something. Are you here to just defend Ward again?"
"Actually, I came here to tell you that we moved Fitz into the hospital room that you used." Simmons' voice brightened and it was all Skye could do to not let her current mood bring down the biochemist.
"Great. I'll go see him tomorrow I think."Skye plastered on a smile for the benefit of Simmons.
"Isn't it?" Simmons all but squealed, "I better get back. The first hour is very crucial."
The door hadn't slid shut all the way before it was opened again.
"She was right, you know," a quiet voice said. The young woman jumped and turned to face May.
"As if that's not creepy. What was she right about?" Skye asked, not able to contain her curiosity.
May pursed her lips before continuing, "Ward really did care about you. Lorelei told me, and there's no way Ward was able to lie to her. Simmons was wrong about one part though. Ward didn't entirely blame himself when you were shot. He blamed Garrett. It was clear that he had no idea that it was going to happen. He was really upset."
Skye looked at the senior agent doubtfully, "He told you that? And how did you hear-?"
" I was conversing with Cavaco when you were down there. Ward as good as told me he blamed someone else. Skye, Ward is a really good agent, but when it comes to his personal life and character, he is the weakest. You and Ward are similar in the way that you both have had insecure childhoods, causing you to be less trusting of people. The difference between the two of you is that while you acted to change that and learn to trust, Ward hasn't even bothered."
Skye gaped at May; it was the most she had ever heard her talk. And everything that came out of her mouth was pretty damn good. But the senior agent wasn't done.
"You're scared confront Ward and believe his words because he taught you almost everything you know about SHEILD and about being a good agent. He was your SO and you're scared that you almost became him but that's not going to happen. Just remember, all great lies are built on a foundation of truths."
Long after May left, Skye's face was still scrunched up, trying to process everything that Melinda May had said and the fact that the Cavalry had observed so much about her and Ward. Skye spent a lot of time thinking after that. After holding back all the thoughts about Ward and trying to forget everything that had happened, she was having a hard time sorting through everything. It all came flooding back, as if a dam just broke in her head and questions, speculations, memories swirled together, giving her one heck of a headache. It was painful at first, but soon it just became confusing. Who was Ward really? And May was right… if he instilled all those qualities into her as her SO, then who was she?
"Skye?" There was a light knocking on her door, "Have you been to see Fitz?"
"Hey, AC. Not yet! I was just… just thinking. Give me two seconds and I'll come see him." Forgetting that she still had her pajamas on, Skye came out of her bunk. Coulson regarded her choice of clothing silently before leading the way down to the lab.
"Sooo what have you been up to?" Skye asked
"I've been tied up in phone calls all day and night. It hasn't been pleasant but we're slowing getting back on track."
Once they reached the makeshift hospital room in the storage area of the plane, Skye saw that Trip was already in there with Simmons.
Fitz's expression was peaceful, he would have looked like he was napping if it weren't for the breathing tube obscuring half is face and the numerous tubes and wires protruding out of his body. His curly hair was starting to get long, making him look years younger. Skye felt a pang in her chest. She missed hearing his Scottish accent, going on about technology that she only half understood. She missed hearing him crunch on his pretzels as he watched Ward with a mix of fascination and satisfaction, knowing that he was the one who designed all the weapons used by the field agents.
Ward. Skye missed the comfort that he provided with his solid stance, missed knowing that he was always there to protect the team at all costs. Missed smelling his scent that made her feel secure but at the same time, gave a swooping sensation in her stomach the second her nose picked up a faint whiff.
"I'll be back," Skye muttered, slipping behind Coulson to exit the room. There was only one way she could think of to determine if things could ever return to being the same again. On the way out, Skye nearly bumped into May and the older woman nodded once, as if she knew where Skye was going. Come to think of it, Skye was pretty sure May did know.
Upon reaching the second level of the plane, Skye threw open the door of the Cage and burst in. She took one look at Ward, who was balanced on his arms, legs propped up on a chair and she knew there was something that needed to be done first. The petite 5'4" woman flew at the well-built man as he got to his feet. She didn't even wait for him to say hello, or ask what she was doing there before she slapped him across the face. Hand stinging, Skye watched her former SO put a hand to his cheek, clearly stunned before she grabbed the front of his shirt and yanked his mouth down onto hers. As soon as their lips made contact, Skye's head as good as exploded. His smell overpowered her, making her weak at the knees, and the way he kissed her-
Dear God . She thought. Her dreams most definitely could not hold a candle up to the real thing. For a few seconds, she forgot that Grant Ward was Hydra, and she was transported back to the Hub where she first kissed him. She wanted him so badly. There was nothing more in the world that she wanted than to just be with him. As soon as his tongue met hers, she gripped his arm to keep herself upright. His muscles flexed under her fingers and she felt herself beginning to slip…and she wanted to. Skye didn't want to go back to reality, where the world as she knew it was in shambles, where Fitz was slowly deteriorating in his hospital bed all because of the very man that she was kissing. Where Ward was a monster.
But she had to.
Skye bit down on his lip a little harder than she intended then pushed him away. Giving his ruffled hair and slightly wrinkled shirt a once over, she willed herself to leave the room without actually running out.
God, she was such a wreck.
The next morning, Skye was back in the lab with Simmons, watching Trip have a go at Ward's old punching bag.
"How's the new drug? The Night-Night serum?" Skye asked as she slowly wrapped the tape around her hands. Trip had offered to pick up Skye's training. As must as it made sense for Skye to continue training, she dreaded it. Having the team's new specialist as her trainer ( she refused to use the term "SO") only reminded her what she was training for and why it was so important for her to do so. Thankfully, Trip couldn't be any more different than her previous SO, so the danger of things being familiar and transporting her back to the "old times" was very unlikely.
"Good question. I haven't checked his vitals lately." Simmons dropped the protective goggles she was cleaning.
"His vitals? You're not talking about Ward, are you? Is he hooked up?" Skye asked slowly, trying not to panic.
Simmons waved her hands unconcernedly, "He's just got a few gadgets hooked up to him. They're new, Fitz had just finished them before-." Simmons broke off, her expression confused before starting again with faked brightness, "They're new. Let's check, shall we?"
Picking up a tablet, the British woman scrolled down on the screen while Skye dug her nails into her arms, trying to look as nonchalant as possible.
"Wow, it looks like his heart rate and blood pressure skyrocketed sometime last night! How peculiar…I wonder what caused it?" Simmons then proceeded to being blathering about the ingredients in the serum and possibilities of what might have caused Ward to become so agitated but all Skye wanted to know was where those monitoring gadgets hand been on Ward. She hadn't felt anything on him last night…
"Maybe it's just chemistry, Simmons," Skye burst out, starting to get nervous. She was never the best had lying to people, especially those she was close to.
"Of course it's chemistry Skye-,"
"Simmons," Skye said weakly, unable to keep quiet anymore.
"It's probably the glyciderine crystals, those have been getting old…"
"Simmons it was me." Skye said loudly at the same time Trip walked into the lab.
The biochemist peered puzzedly at Skye, "Sorry?"
Trip glanced between the two young women, "Am I interrupting something?"
Skye looked away from Simmons "Ward and I…" she took a breath, unable to continue.
"I can come back," Trip offered a little awkwardly but he was ignored again.
Simmons covered her mouth, eyes wide as the realization dawned on her, "Oh my god, did you guys shag?" She whispered the last part.
"No!" The hacktivist's head snapped back to the other woman, "No we did not sh-. No. We…kissed. Intensely." She was getting flustered. Determines not to look at Trip, she watched Simmons beseechingly. She really needed advice.
"Well, yes, I do suppose that makes sense. The spike only last a couple minutes-." The biochemist reasoned, full scientist mode.
"Take them off him Jemma." Skye deadpanned, "and stop reading so much into those two minutes!"
"Hot damn, Skye. If Coulson found out-." Trip made himself comfortable against the wall of the lab.
Skye glared at him and said pointedly, "Which he won't. I thought you were leaving?"
"Nah, I think I'm good here."
"Oh, Skye, what did you do?" Simmons asked in a motherly tone.
"I don't know! After talking to him and seeing Fitz I just cracked. Well, I slapped him first, then… It seemed like a good idea at the time." She said defensively.
Simmons finished cleaning the goggles and returned them to their rightful shelf, "Coulson probably already knows. He's got that monitor in his office, remember?"
"Shit."
The biochemist dropped her voice conspiratorially, "How was it?"
Skye threw her head back, "Oh it was amazing!"
"But you hate him," Trip pointed out which earned him death glares from both women.
"Have you forgiven him?" Simmons asked eagerly. Skye shrugged. It was definitely an option now.
"There's still a lot of talking that needs-." Suddenly, she was interrupted by a tablet on the Holotable that began to beep erratically. Simmons rushed to it, picked it up and shrieked.
Skye and Trip instinctively scanned the area for potential dangers before rushing to Simmons. Trip got there just in time to catch the tablet as Simmons dropped it and raced to the back. Glancing down at the screen, Trip looked up at Skye, alarm written all over his face.
"He's waking up."
Whew that was a long chapter! As always, thanks for reading… now, a question: Do you guys prefer longer chapters or shorter ones? Keep in mind, shorter chapters will (hopefully) result in quicker updates. Let me know =)