Disclaimer: I am not a mental health professional, and I don't endorse that Ward is properly labeled a sociopath, but I am using canon for this piece, wherein he is labeled as such.

A.N.: And hopefully what I do with canon shows I don't think he's the villain they portrayed him as.

Cal glared at Coulson over the hood of the SUV. "This won't hold me for long, Phil." He grunted and started to push back as Coulson shoved the ram into place.

"It'll hold you long enough," the director replied, hitting the remote to activate it. "The hangar's been emptied, locked down." Phil straightened his suit jacket. "It's just us, Cal, to have a little chat..."

Cal lunged at Phil. "When I get free, I will rip your voice box out of your throat!"

The director ducked out of reach. "...and try to come to our senses. Either we walk out of here together, or not at all. You got it? We both want the same thing."

"What I want is to snap your spine like celery," Cal growled.

Coulson shook his head. "See, I don't think you really do."

"Well, let's test your hypothesis," Cal hissed.

"Oh, I think you're willing to, but want is a different thing. What we both want is to protect your daughter." Coulson paused as Cal struggled against his barricade again. "You're a family man."

"Who is sick of you sticking your nose in our business," Skye's father ground out.

The director continued. "It was your devotion to them that made you willing to do those terrible things all those years ago, wasn't it?"

Cal clenched his jaw. "Shut up."

"Nightmarish acts of violence that you didn't want to commit, did you?" Coulson persisted. "Your wife made you do it."

Cal ripped the hood from the SUV and flung it in Coulson's direction. "You don't know her!" He grunted and lunged for Coulson's throat again. "You don't know anything! Say one more word, and I'll -"

"I'm not saying your wife is a monster, Cal." Coulson stood calmly as Cal pounded on the SUV. "I think you already know she's a monster. What I'm saying is...you're not." He paused while Skye's father absorbed his statement. "I know you've thought so for a long time. But deep down, you're a good man."

Cal scoffed at him, subsiding against the wall.

"I believe that. I do," Coulson insisted. "You've got a big heart full of love."

Cal dropped his head. "Stop."

"You wear it on your sleeve," the director persisted. "Skye got that from you."

"No." Cal shook his head violently.

"That's right," the director continued.

"No, stop! Stop!" Cal covered his ears against Coulson's truths.

"You were just trying to save her, trying to please your wife," Phil supplied.

Cal growled, shaking his head. "No, I was trying to put my family back together!" He slammed his fists on the car with the last three words. Subsiding again, he took a deep breath and whispered to Phil. "I...I reassembled her...piece by piece...sewed her back up...but she was never the same."

"She was out for blood," Coulson murmured.

"Before Whitehall, an elder would sacrifice themselves every few decades so she could live on, carry on tradition," Cal explained. "She would weep, scream, beg them not to." He took a deep breath. "She had a good heart, Phil. She did. It was just...torn out," he whispered, heaving another sigh. "And she needs to take lives to heal."

Coulson gazed steadily at him as his theory was confirmed. "So you supplied them."

"Yes, a village of them," Cal agreed. "But it was never enough. She didn't care about human life anymore." He sighed. "Even I had to change myself to be worthy in her eyes. I thought I could fix her if I could just make good on my promise." His gaze on Coulson's pleaded for understanding. "I promised to protect our daughter."

"Does that include protecting your daughter from her?" the director asked quietly.

Cal growled.

"You know Skye now - her compassion," Coulson continued.

Cal grunted and struggled towards Phil again.

"Jiaying's out for blood, and there's no way in hell Skye will go along with that," Coulson said flatly. "Think about the danger that puts her in." He stood his ground as Cal let out a yell and shoved the SUV away. "She's not my daughter, but she's as close to family as I've got, and I will save her, no matter what the cost," he promised.

Cal growled and took Phil by the lapels, hoisting him off his feet. "Please...let me help you."

Skye struggled against the bars in the cell, rattling her cuffs against the metal. She glanced outside, seeing a guard at the door. "You want to lend me a hand getting these things off?" she called. That doesn't seem to be working..."Or a face?" she added darkly. She caught her breath as the window let her see that same guard getting knocked out. Get me out of here...whoever you are. She watched anxiously as the door opened, then smiled. "Mack? Thank God. Who's with you?"

"Just you and me, tremors." He unlocked the cell. "Your people just took over the ship. About 100 or so prisoners. The rest are dead. Guess they're not as harmless as you say."

My people. Who are my people now? "I swear, I never meant for any of this to happen," Skye responded.

"Well, we need to stop them," Mack interjected. "But if you're in here, I'm guessing you figured that out already."

I wish I hadn't. Skye pursed her lips. "It's my mother. She's manipulating them," she explained. "Not all of these people are bad."

"They're using their powers to kill SHIELD agents, so I don't give a damn about intentions right now," the engineer replied. "I came here because I need your skills."

Skye frowned. "I can't use my powers. They locked these inhibitors on me."

"Not the skills I'm looking for," he countered. He unzipped his pack and pulled out a laptop. "Heard you have a history of hacking into SHIELD."

Skye looked at him with a small smile. "I do, yeah..."

Mack nodded. "Good. Get us the security feed for this boat."

She blew out a breath. Right. Gather intel. Be a SHIELD agent, Skye. She cracked her knuckles and set her fingers to the keys. "Who would've thought I'd still be hacking SHIELD from the inside?" she muttered.

He snorted a laugh. "There's a lot of 'who woulda thought' going on today."

Skye gave a tight smile as she worked her way through firewalls. "Yeah, there is. What happened to everyone?"

Mack frowned. "Best I can figure is your magic carpet ride decided to bring extra passengers. And they're not looking to take the tour."

Skye sighed as her fingers flew along the keys. "Yeah, that much I figured." She glanced at him. "Coulson?"

Mack shrugged. "Hoping someone got a signal out, but everything happened so fast I don't know."

Skye grimaced. "Well, I'll tackle that next. Here's our first hurdle." She spun the screen so he could see. "Command Deck. Not looking great."

Mack swore softly as he saw Jiaying pacing around prisoners. "This ain't gonna go well."

Skye shook her head. "No. It's not." She paused as Lincoln ran in. What's burning his ass?

"We have a problem," Lincoln called out. "I disabled the communication systems, but an emergency beacon was sent out to Coulson's base. It's hard-wired, and there's no way to cancel it without the proper code."

Mack and Skye exchanged a look. "One thing down," the engineer muttered.

"Do one of you have the code?" Jiaying asked of her captives.

"I suggest you surrender peacefully," Weaver said haughtily. "When Coulson gets the message, he'll come at you with everything he has."

"Coulson's being dealt with," Jiaying dismissed.

Dealt with? Skye frowned. How would - Dad. Oh my God, no...

"Expand the beacon. Invite them all," Jiaying ordered.

Lincoln looked at her incredulously. "You want them to know we're here?"

"We have to show them what we're capable of," she explained. "It's the only way they'll ever leave us alone."

"We don't know what you're planning, but we'll play no part in it," their captive declared.

Jiaying nodded to one of her guards to grab him and toss him into the control booth.

"Hands off, you freak!"

Skye winced. That choice of words doesn't help at all...

"Let him go!" Weaver demanded.

"Do you like rare gems?" Jiaying said, holding a modified Terrigen crystal carefully.

Weaver gave her a condescending look. "You don't think you can bribe me."

"It's not a bribe. It's an incentive." Jiaying passed the crystal to one of her men, who tossed it into the room and shut the door.

No...please, tell me it's not - not that...Skye watched with horror as the Diviner metal turned them to stone.

"Expand the beacon, or there will be more," Jiaying assured Weaver.

Mack shook his head. "If we don't cut that beacon, it'll bring every available agent racing here."

"And she plans to do that to all of them," Skye confirmed. She probably used one on Gonzalez...what about Coulson?

Mack frowned. "The problem is, it's hard-wired, clear on the other side of the ship, with a dozen ginger ninjas and god knows what standing in the way."

"But we're still gonna try," Skye declared.

Mack looked at her approvingly. "Hell yeah."

Closure.

The word has been on my mind all day. It's so close I can taste it, feel it. Kara deserves this, deserves justice. It is justice, after what Morse did to her. She calls me a traitor, but I did follow a cause, a man. She just sacrificed an agent, didn't once try to stop it when she saw what Kara was going through. Kara didn't break easily, and no rescue came.

So no rescue today.

Closure.

Ward sighed as he watched their surveillance footage. "There he is, poor sap ... not a clue what he's walking into." I know how that feels...

Kara pursed her lips. "I didn't think May would be with him. She could screw the whole thing up for us."

"Well, we'll make sure Hunter and Bobbi get their reunion - by taking the rest out one by one," Grant assured her. "Don't worry about May. I'll take care of her. I owe her that."

I do. I know I do. I'm taking their labels, I'm taking their rage, I'm accepting it as real, whether I agree with it or not. I owe May for betraying her trust, for betraying our team. I've known that. And now we can clear that slate, and finish that fight.

Closure. Like I said.

Skye and Mack took the passageways carefully, watching for any movement.

"This is crazy," Skye muttered. And that's saying a lot at this point.

Mack scoffed. "Crazy is the normal state of being around here, why do you think I'm trying to get out?"

Skye eyed him. "You're leaving SHIELD?"

He rolled his eyes in return. "Damn near had when the sirens started going. Gotta say, seeing Weaver and Coulson debating whether to blow everything up gives me a newfound respect for that man."

"Weaver wanted to blow us up?" Skye spat. I knew I didn't trust her.

"I think she called it a 'strong show of force' or something antiseptic like that," Mack countered. "But yeah, that was pretty much what I took from it."

"But now that she's the one being threatened, she's not exactly pulling the self-destruct, is she," Skye muttered.

Mack shrugged. "Don't look at me, I'm just here 'cause I was too slow to get out of your mama's way."

Once upon a time, all I wanted was to be with her. Skye barked a laugh. "You and me both."

Watching Kara get closer to closure makes me think about my own. My family has been dealt with, Garrett is long gone, and SHIELD...well, I know what they think of me now. No one is willing to believe I could be anything other than their sociopath, their rabid dog. I can take it, I can carry that weight, knowing that at least Skye is all right, or better than all right, if that display was any indication. She's strong now, independent and still as wickedly sarcastic as -

But she's May's protege now, I'm sure they say she finally has a real SO. I just hope they haven't turned her into the drone they tried to make me. I hope that spark of hers survives the life she's chosen now.

That's one bit of closure I'm never going to get - Skye. She made her decision, she painted me with the same brush. Maybe she even told Simmons to go ahead. But if there's one thing I know about betrayal, it's that the pain forges a core of steel in people like us.

Tempered by fire. May she be the stronger for it.

The SHIELD agent lowered his gun, cautiously approaching the long-haired woman with her back to him. "Agent May?"

"Not really," Kara replied as she turned, knocking him down the stairs and snatching his radio. She ducked away as May and another agent fired down the hall.

May watched as Kara disappeared. "Agent Walker took the South corner, right? He still radio silent?" The agent next to her nodded. May took up the radio. "All agents converge on the South corner. I'll meet you there. Do not lower your guard until you see my face."

The agent with her frowned. "Hunter's the only agent left."

May gave a tight smile. "She doesn't know that."

Skye held her breath as she peered around the next corner. "I don't understand how you're just walking around like nothing," she hissed. Have I lost my nerve already?

Mack shrugged. "Because at this point, I'm pretty sure I know the search grid they're taking from the schematics I studied, and it's not the most efficient one, lucky for us." He nodded them to the next turn. "Besides, if I'm wrong? I'll fight 'em and you run your ass straight down that hall, at least you can get there faster."

Skye gave a light chuckle "I guess that's something, right?" Even a mental advantage is an advantage. Look at the damn silver lining, Skye.

He smirked. "Best I've got at the moment, yeah."

"Still better than the best I've got," she muttered. "It feels like someone is playing the steel drums in my skull." But at least it keeps me from thinking too much...

Taking too long again, Ward froze as his ear caught a footstep. May. He left the room, the agent he'd taken out laying on the floor. Time to see who the better agent is, once and for all. He pressed his gun to her rib cage, three shots perforating her diaphragm and lungs. You of all people should have understood me...

May grunted and gasped, reaching for him. "Baby..."

Baby? Grant froze as the word and the ease of his kill suddenly made sense. Not May, not May, no...He caught her as his heart broke. "No...Kara? No, no. Kara, no. Kara, look at me. Look at me!" She gasped desperately for air before her eyes went glassy and distant, the nanomask shutting down to reveal her natural scars. "No, no, no, no! No, Kara! Look at me, baby. Come on...It's...It's..."

This isn't how it was supposed to end. Anything but this. There was no contingency plan for this. There was no failsafe, no fallback. I may not have thought about what happens after, but I never dreamed we wouldn't actually finish this. Damn them all...

Kara…

Grant hugged her tightly to his chest. I'm so sorry, baby. I'm so sorry...He stood and looked around, taking the radio from Kara's belt. This reeks of May. She'll be coming. He leaned down to kiss Kara one more time. I'll get our closure, baby. I will.

"She just killed them - all of them - didn't even think about it," Skye murmured. And that capacity is in me, too, to write people off like that, to shut them out...how far beyond that is killing them?

"Yeah, I thought my mom was bad when she started watching Fox News," Mack replied.

"And I fell for the whole act," Skye said angrily. I was so desperate to be loved, to be part of a family...

"Look, you had to choose between two -" Mack took Skye's arm. "This way. This way. You had to choose between two sides that both mean something. I get it. You make the best choice you can. Sometimes, it works out. Sometimes -"

"It didn't," Skye said flatly.

"It did not," Mack agreed emphatically. He pointed. "Beacon's in the sat room down to the left. Go get started. Try to hack the code and turn it off."

Skye frowned as he turned back down the hall. "Wait. Where are you going?"

"To find a power saw in case you can't," he replied, and left her to her own devices.

Awesome. Skye checked to see if anyone was approaching and opened the door.

Ward took off down the hallway, listening on the radio for movement. If May sent Kara this way, she can't be far behind. He stepped over an agent Kara had gotten to, stripping his vest and sidearm. I know better than to think getting out of here will be easy. Even alone...His chest tightened and he clenched his jaw. Not now. He struggled to stifle his rage and grief, locking it down ruthlessly. Time to go. He waited until the sentry rounded the corner and sprinted for his Quinjet. The agent on the ramp was taken down after a short scuffle, the other in the cockpit reinstalling the GPS tracker even easier to overcome. Grant tossed them and the stolen radio off of the ramp, gazing back towards the compound. I couldn't even take her with me... Kara...baby, I'm so sorry...this isn't how it was going to be...With one last venomous look at the other jet, he slammed his hand on the controls and shut the door behind him.

Skye picked the lock into the control room, skimming her hand along panels and scanning for the beacon. Come on, come on, where are you...She caught sight of a screen on the opposite side of the room, running for it. Let's see what we have...

"How did you get out?" Lincoln's voice came from behind her.

She whirled. "Lincoln," she gasped. "I-I can explain."

"Don't bother," he spat, charging his hands and flinging arcs of electricity towards her.

Skye cried out as she hit the wall. I probably deserved that somehow...She panted for air. "You've got this wrong...very wrong. Listen, please -"

"I just found you trying to reach out to your SHIELD friends," he retorted. "You planning the next assault?"

Skye sat up, holding up her hands. "That attack didn't happen, Lincoln. Jiaying staged the whole thing. She murdered Gonzales, then shot herself to frame SHIELD so we'd follow her to war."

"Do you even hear how crazy that sounds? Shot herself?" Lincoln mocked.

"She's already healed, hasn't she?" Skye pointed out. "I'd tell you to ask Raina - she can see the future - but she's not here, is she?" Skye grunted and stood. "She's not here because she had a vision of what happened, what's going to happen. And Jiaying couldn't risk her talking, so she cut her throat."

"Why are you doing this - trying to turn us against her?" Lincoln demanded.

"You saw what she did with those crystals - killed unarmed agents." Come on, Lincoln, you can't be this blind...Skye stifled a scream of frustration."Okay, think. Why would she want the rest of SHIELD to come here? It's - it's not to hug it out. She wants to execute them."

Lincoln sighed.

Thank goodness. Skye pressed the advantage. "We can stop this. Please, just tell me where she took the crystals."

Lincoln exhaled heavily. "The fan room...where the ship's air circu-" His reply cut off abruptly, a heavy thud the only warning as he sank to the ground.

"Found a saw," Mack remarked, examining the butt of the impromptu weapon.

"I was getting through to him," Skye protested.

"Right now, I'm in a 'crack heads first, ask questions later' frame of mind," Mack dismissed. "Here." He passed her the saw. "Hack that beacon or just cut it. I'm gonna make sure those crystals don't hurt anyone else."

Skye paused. "Mack, you know what happens if one breaks near a vent, near you." Near Trip...

"That's why they won't," Mack replied evenly, leaving Skye behind.

Grant fought the fire and rage burning through him, setting a course for his safe house. Not now, can't now, can't afford to lose control. His fingers itched to change course, to head back to the compound and blow it from the face of the Earth. That won't bring me back, her voice whispered.

Kara...I'm so sorry.

May frowned at Coulson. "I'd like to formally voice my doubts about bringing him on this mission."

"I understand your concerns, May, but Cal's lived with the Inhumans. He knows what we're getting ourselves into. We do not," Coulson reminded her.

"He's a loose cannon," May challenged.

The director looked behind them and lowered his voice as he responded. "Worse comes to worst, we let the cannon loose. Any distraction might help us take that boat." He sighed. "Look, Cal's erratic, but if there's one constant, it's his concern for Skye."

"Sir, something's happening with the S.O.S. signal from the boat," Fitz interrupted. "I thought it was breaking up, like someone cutting the line."

"Radio interference?" Coulson questioned.

"No, but there's, um, uh, a pattern to it, like a code," Fitz remarked.

"It's Skye," the director realized. "What's she saying?"

Fitz sighed. "That it's a trap."

Coulson took the radio. "This is SHIELD 218 ordering all other forces to fall back. Repeat. Fall back."

"And what about us?" May questioned.

"We're gonna finish this," Coulson confirmed.

There was never a contingency plan for this. I'm a specialist, I'm supposed to think of every possibility, but this...I didn't ever contemplate this.

She was never supposed to die...

And yet here I am, alone, no closure, no partner, nothing but my thoughts. My fickle, dangerous thoughts...

Order. I need to restore order to my universe. And order only comes from pain.

I need names. I need someone to fight.

I need someone to kill.

"We don't know the size of the force we're up against, but priority one is saving the crew of the ship," Coulson instructed his agents. "Find them. Free them. May, head to operations. Take control of the ship's functionality."

"Sir, um, Skye's last message came through," Fitz interjected. "It reads, 'modified crystals lethal - HVAC room'."

Coulson frowned. "Does she mean the Terrigen crystals that release the mist?"

"Yeah," Fitz confirmed. "But 'modified' and 'lethal'."

"And the HVAC room controls the ship's ventilation," May concluded.

"Ah! So that's what this little mutiny's all about," Cal remarked. "Gas them all. See what shakes loose."

"Not if I get to her first," the director countered.

"Oh, no, no. Not you, Phil," Cal corrected. "This is a family matter. My wife, my responsibility. You just find those crystals and leave her to me."

Coulson looked at May as he considered.

May scoffed. "You brought him."

This would never have happened if Coulson hadn't chosen me, if HYDRA had never existed. If Garrett had never been compromised, I would have been a model agent and nothing else. I would've been that Grant Ward from that dossier. I could have, anyway. But that wasn't my fate.

And Kara...her choice was taken from her, beaten and tortured away. So for her, for closure, HYDRA needs to be gone. Finished. Order from chaos, through pain.

Jiaying turned to one of her redheads. "I want you to remain behind," she instructed as the trunk with the rest of the crystals was locked up. "Gather anyone who makes it through the mist alive."

"What are you doing with those?" Skye demanded, stalking into the control room. Just don't look into that booth...

"What I've always done," her mother replied. "There are descendants everywhere. I'm going to find them and build them a better world, where they're not hunted, not afraid."

"And kill anyone in your way," Skye finished, shaking her head

"Only if they're in our way," Jiaying clarified, looking steadily at Skye. "Goodbye, Daisy." She turned and walked away.

"No, wait!" Skye moved to follow as the aptly dubbed ginger ninja cloned herself into a team of five.

I may not have my powers, but I have trained with two of the best. Skye dropped into a fighting stance and waited for the attack.

"Hiya, honey," Cal greeted Jiaying from down the hall. "What you been up to?"

"You came back here...with them?" Jiaying questioned.

"I know. I know what you're thinking," he replied. "But I've been thinking some thoughts of my own, like... maybe we both kind of lost our heads."

Jiaying stepped towards him. "Get out of the way, Cal."

"No. You need to stop this," her husband hissed. "This isn't about us or them. This is about our daughter. Think of what you are doing to Daisy."

"I'm trying to protect her from the cruelty of this world...like you swore to," Jiaying said sharply.

"I know. I failed you. I failed you both," he conceded. "But we can turn this around. It is not too late."

"For you...it is." Jiaying gestured to her guards.

"Where's Daisy?!" Cal yelled as Jiaying's minions locked him in a cell. "What did you do?! Where's Daisy?! Where's Daisy?!"

Ward landed the Quinjet in the barn near the safehouse. I may have missed some contingencies, but stashing a Quinjet is one we thought of. We. He blew out a breath as he powered down and exited the jet. Damn it. He moved to the window, picking up the plant he'd bought Kara what felt like ages ago. He stroked a fingertip over a leaf and threw it across the barn.

Skye used every bit of training she had to knock out the clones, but found herself outnumbered. She groaned as three of them stomped her into the floor.

"Hey!" Lincoln called out from the doorway, shooting electricity at the attackers to shock them unconscious.

Skye gasped for air as May held out a hand. May...She took it, gratefully getting to her feet as she gave her SO an apologetic look.

May granted Skye a small smirk. "My head still hurts," she conceded.

That's as close to a compliment as I'm likely to get in this scenario...Skye bit her lip. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"You didn't know," May confirmed. "But now we have to stop Jiaying."

"Might help if we lose these," Lincoln offered, using his powers on Skye's inhibitors.

Skye struggled to catch her breath. "Hurry. There will be more redheads coming." Believe me I know. She shook out her arms as the cuffs dropped away. "I'll go after her."

May shook her head. "Skye, I'll do it. I've done it before."

"No," Skye protested.

May frowned at her. "You have to be willing to -"

"I won't hesitate," Skye interrupted. Not anymore. Not after what I've seen. She ignored Lincoln's gaze and focused on May's eyes. "Whatever it takes."

The three of them turned as the door opened, a redhead entering the room as expected.

"Go," May called out, moving to intercept as Skye took off in the other direction.

Anything but alone. Grant looked around the barn and swallowed a scream. Kara...He shook himself. No. I won't lose myself again. He looked around and saw the heavy bag he'd trained Kara on still hanging in the corner. I need something to hit. I need to get my head on straight. Order. Order through pain.

Skye burst onto the flight deck. "Mom! Stop! You can't do this!" Please, don't do this. Don't make me do this.

Jiaying held back her guards from advancing on Skye, nodding towards the crate of crystals. "No, put them on the jet and get ready for takeoff."

"I can't let you leave with those crystals," Skye said quietly. If you force me to choose, I have to stand against you.

"You can," her mother protested, "and you should. It's the only way to protect our people."

"It's not," Skye corrected. "There are other ways." Maybe I didn't always believe that myself, but I know that now.

"Whose ways? SHIELD?" Jiaying scoffed. "No. Their way is what got us here."

"You started this war," Skye insisted. Can't you see that? Isn't it worth thinking about it for just a second?

"This war started decades ago, when SHIELD was founded to guard the world against people like us," Jiaying insisted. "And it will never end," she declared. "But you and I together...think of how powerful we could be," her mother suggested, stepping towards her. "We could launch a revolution...side by side."

Skye shook her head. "I don't want your revolution, because this isn't about protecting me or your people. This is about hate." Maybe it started out differently, but now...

"No, you're wrong," Jiaying denied.

"It's consumed you," Skye continued. "You can't even tell right from wrong. I can't let you destroy any more lives." Is this what I was like when I thought SHIELD was the demon with all the answers?

"My daughter." Jiaying advanced to arm's reach of her daughter. "So beautiful," she whispered, stroking a hand down Skye's cheek. "So strong." Jiaying clasped Skye's neck in her hands and activated her powers.

Skye gasped as her life force was drained away. "Mom, what are you..." She struggled to breathe.

"I always believed the reason I endured all that torture and pain was for you, that you were my true gift," her mother said softly. "But you're not. This is," Jiaying declared, pulling more from her daughter.

"Don't...do this," Skye managed breathlessly.

"You made your choice," her mother persisted. "I'm sorry."

You made yours too. Skye struggled to summon her powers, clenching her fist and sending vibrations towards the Quinjet on the runway.

"No!" Jiaying released Skye, running towards the jet.

I can't let you have those crystals, I can't let you kill anyone else...Skye shoved the jet over the side and into the ocean.

Jiaying turned back to Skye, grabbing her by the face, this time with rage in her eyes.

Skye managed to get her hand on Jiaying's shoulder, sending her own shockwaves through her mother. I won't let you hurt anyone else...

"Please, stop," Cal's voice came from behind them.

Skye struggled to look at her father.

Cal stepped towards them, looking at Jiaying. "You don't have to do this," he insisted. He looked to his daughter, placing his hand carefully on Jiaying's neck. "You don't have to live with that pain," he assured Skye. "I will." He flicked his wrist and Skye heard an ominous crack as she was flung to the flight deck.

Jiaying struggled for breath. "Oh...Cal...what are you doing?" she gasped.

Cal cupped her head gently. "Keeping my promise," he replied. He wrapped his arms around his wife and squeezed with superhuman strength, holding her as she took her last breath.

Skye watched her father weeping as he sank to the floor with her mother's body still in his arms. All I ever wanted was to know my parents...And this is the price. She lowered her head to the concrete and cried.

Order through pain. Grant kept punching the heavy bag, ignoring his bleeding knuckles. I need someone to hit me back...He kicked the bag hard and leaned in for the ricochet. Pain. Order. It's all I have left. He let out a grunt when the bag hit him, something loosening inside him at the feeling. He threw another combo and waited for the rebound to hit him again.

"Skye?" May ran onto the deck, gun drawn. "Skye?" She froze as she saw the three of them, Cal still cradling Jiaying's broken body while Skye cried her eyes out beside them. She holstered her weapon and ran to take Skye into her arms. "Skye. Are you all right."

Skye sank into May's embrace. "No," she whispered. "No, I'm not, and I don't know how I will ever be okay again," she managed.

May hugged her tightly. "Time," she murmured. "We're all going to need some time." She urged Skye to her feet. "Can you walk?"

Cal spoke up from his seat on the floor. "Jiaying's powers. She can - could - she could drain the lifeforce from other living things to heal herself," he murmured. "Daisy will need electrolytes and protein as quickly as she can get it. Maybe an IV would be best."

May blinked at Skye and forced an arm around her. "Skye. I can go get Simmons and -"

Skye shook her off, swallowing hard. "No. I - I want to get as far away from this place as fast as I can," she whispered.

May frowned and gave a short nod. "Cal. I - I'm sorry."

Cal laughed lightly. "The Butcher of Bahrain, apologizing to me. She would be so amused..." He stood, cradling Jiaying to him. "I need you both to let me do one thing."

Skye looked at her father and blew out a breath. Oh. Of course. "May. Can you - can you give us a minute? And can you not mention -"

May looked between the two of them and sighed as she realized what they intended. "I can give you that much." She released Skye and gave Cal a stern look. "Five minutes or they'll wonder why I haven't brought you in yet."

Skye nodded gratefully. "Thank you, May." She turned to her father and gestured to the side of the carrier. "Do we need to do anything else?"

Cal stroked her mother's cheek and shook his head. "I made sure to sever the spinal cord, she wouldn't be able to move or activate her powers."

Skye swallowed hard. "Dad -"

Cal shook his head again. "No. No, Daisy, I didn't want you to carry this burden. I was the one who brought her back years ago, and she was never the same. I shouldn't have tried to play God, not like that. I just wanted her and you - our family - back, so badly." He pressed a kiss to Jiaying's lips and blew out a breath. "But she was gone. The woman I loved never came back."

Skye squeezed his shoulder. "That's not your fault, you know."

Cal looked down at her gratefully. "No, it's not." He chuckled. "I hate to say it, but it's that Coulson of yours who helped me see that. And he's the one who pointed out that keeping my promise to protect you might mean having to choose." He took a deep breath and let Jiaying's body fall out of his arms and into the waiting ocean. "But I know one thing for sure," Cal said softly. "I would make that same choice over and over again."

Skye let out a small sob and threw her arms around him. "Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you."

Cal kissed her temple. "I would never wish that pain for you, Daisy, never. You are the best of the both of us, flawed and misguided as we were. And I will treasure that, forever. I may have made every wrong decision, every wrong choice you could, but creating you, loving you - that will always be the right one."

If I hadn't gone along with Garrett's schemes...Grant let out a flurry of punches, grunting as the bag hit him again. If I hadn't just waited for him in the woods...He kicked the bag hard, leaning in for the ricochet. I need something to fight, something to kill...Give me names, point me in their direction. I'm a specialist, and pain is why you bring me along. To inflict it, to prevent it, but always pain.

Pain...Kara's face as she told him about being brainwashed by Bakshi, of the horror and the pain when she realized what she had done flashed in his mind's eye.

Pain...Kara's anguish when she saw Morse wasn't going to apologize, much less beg for mercy was clear on her face.

Pain...Kara gasped and reached for him as her eyes went glassy and dull.

Grant let out a roar of rage, turning away from the bag to launch a fist at the walls he and Kara had reinforced. He hissed at the sting to his already abraded skin. Pain. He hit it again, taking a sharp breath as he heard a crunch. Pain. Yes. This. I can't have anything else, I can't understand anything else, but pain means order. And order comes from pain.

Two weeks later...

"You convinced Mack not to quit," Andrew remarked to Phil.

"Yeah, well, he kind of owed me after cutting off my hand without asking," the director retorted.

"He respects you," Andrew continued. "But he still holds a deep distrust of all the alien artifacts you've encountered."

"That's why I put him in charge of them." Coulson allowed himself a smile. "So, May asked for some time off for the first time in the history of ever. Does that have anything to do with you being around these last few days?"

"Now, you know I can't discuss personal matters with patients," Andrew chastised.

Coulson raised a brow. "I'm your patient now? I wasn't your patient the other night when you and your ex-wife snuck into my office and drank up half my scotch."

Andrew smiled. "Ah, it's time May rediscovered the world outside of SHIELD, don't you think?" He handed Coulson a thick file.

"That your report?" the director asked.

"No, no, these are my recommendations for the new program," Andrew explained. "You bringing other people in on this yet?"

"Slowly," Coulson confirmed. "I've got Fitz working on these designs. We'll need to be mobile."

"Yeah." Andrew eyed him.

"Thank you," Phil said honestly. "I'm glad you think Skye's ready for this."

Andrew gave a small smile. "At this point, I think she's ready for anything."

Grant sat in the car he and Kara had liberated a month ago now, staring at the dashboard. A dolphin air freshener and a hula girl. She had to ask for those. He clenched his fists on the steering wheel. And I saw it as a sign to start over. He turned the car on and gunned it in reverse, speeding down the dirt road towards civilization for the first time in weeks. He yanked the air freshener and the hula girl and tossed them out the window once he was far enough away from the safehouse.

Ward glanced around the parking lot while he wiped down the car he'd arrived in. There'll definitely be a number of nondescript cars to choose from later. He put the real license plate back on the rear and tossed the other in a dumpster on his way to the bar. If all goes well, I won't need four wheels for my next destination. He looked around and stepped inside, putting a smirk on his face as he took a seat. Hopefully all I'll need is a gun.

Or maybe not even that.

Cal turned and took a deep breath to face Skye. "This is so long...for now." He shrugged. "After all I've done, I'd be a fool to think I'd get a Hollywood ending. Came close." He smiled at her. "I found you and got to -" He sighed. "You know, you're better than I imagined, and I imagined you perfect." He chuckled as he considered her. "You're way more interesting than that."

Skye gave a teary laugh in return. "I wonder where I get that from." Please let me be more like him than like her...

Cal heaved another sigh. "Ah. It's paradoxical, isn't it - my love for my family is what drove me mad." He lowered his voice, a serious look on his face. "I know I'm going away for good, but I was hoping...you might come visit...once in a while?"

Skye nodded as sobs threatened to escape. "I will. I promise." She sniffled. Whether you know it or not...

Cal smiled. "That would be -"

"Let me guess," Skye interrupted with a chuckle. "'The best day ever'?" They both laughed. "You have a lot of those," she continued.

"No. Just one," he countered softly. "July 2, 1988." He smiled even as tears rolled down his cheeks.

Skye hugged her father hard, crying unashamedly. If finding my parents lead me to find him, to save him...It was worthwhile. She exhaled shakily as she let him go. Bye, Dad.

Grant took another drink as he stared at Kara's picture. I can do this. I can find closure for us both. But not like that, not with those reminders. Closure, and the end.

The bartender nodded towards the picture. "Looks like you're having trouble letting go - hate to see that, my friend." He raised a brow. "Did she walk out on you?"

Ward looked up, his entire face a warning. "She drowned when her lungs filled up with blood," he answered flatly. He took another drink as his contacts arrived. Finally. He took the piece of paper Kebo offered to him. "These are all the names you could drum up?"

"You're lucky we found this many," his informant scoffed. "Whitehall, Strucker, List - the leadership is gone, man. Usually, a head grows back, but not this time." Kebo shook his head. "The organization - pfft - disintegrated."

Pain. Order. Closure. "I want more names," Ward growled.

Kebo laughed. "And I want to marry into money." He leaned towards Ward. "Do you speak English? No leadership means nobody giving orders, and that sure as hell includes you," he finished, pointing a finger in Ward's face.

Ward finished his drink, slamming the glass and Kebo's face down on the bartop. He tossed the unconscious informant onto the floor and stood as one of Kebo's men stepped forward. "Do you understand who you work for now?" The three remaining men nodded. "Good. I'm done flying solo," he continued. "I miss having a team around me," he explained. My team. My terms. He looked at each of them. "I want more names."

"Hail HYDRA to that," Kebo's second in command replied. "What's the plan, sir? Chaos?"

Grant turned to look at Kara's picture on the bar, surrounded by shattered glass. "Closure."

Skye checked the address and walked up slowly, watching a familiar face fuss outside the animal clinic.

"Oh! Hey, there, little funny face. You coming to see me today, hmm?" Cal reached out to pet the golden retriever. "You come inside. We'll get you a treat. Come on." He waved them in and turned. "Can I help you?"

Skye smiled. "Just passing by," she managed. "Nice place."

"Oh, thanks. Well, we're just getting up and running. It's gonna be a magical place once we get totally moved in."

You deserve some magic in your life, the good kind. She smiled.

"You know, we already have adoption days every Saturday. Tell your friends. Free spaying and neutering, too. Just ask for Dr. Winslow," her father said. "I'm sorry. And you are..."

"Daisy." Skye watched his face, searching for any sign of recognition. Your Daisy, once upon a time. Best day ever.

"That's a lovely name," he remarked. "Remember, a house is not a home without a pet!"

She smiled and waved as she walked back to the red Corvette and sighed. "Thank you for doing that for him. I know aspects of the TAHITI program don't sit well with you." But I also think this was worthwhile.

"This does," Coulson assured her. "He has a lot to give...and now a way to give it." He raised a brow. "And what about you? Are you ready to refocus your energies?"

"A team centered around people with powers?" People like me? She nodded towards the folio. "How many on the list?"

"Right now, just you." The director smiled. "We'll take it slow."

"I've thought a lot about it," Skye replied.

"And?" he queried.

"And my mother was right about one thing - people like me need to be kept a secret, not like the Avengers, out in the open," she explained. "If we do this, we need to be -"

"Anonymous. That's the idea. But it's not if we do this. We have to do this. We don't have a choice. It may feel like things have cooled down right now, but this -" Phil hoisted his sling. "This is my permanent reminder...that we'll always be paying the price, that we'll never get ahead of the consequences that I, that you, that SHIELD have set in motion. Like a ripple in the water. But this ripple won't fade. It'll grow and grow until it's a tidal wave."

Skye smirked. Like the rising tide, huh? She gave him a look. "Good thing we're going to be there, huh, AC?"

Coulson smiled. "Good thing."

Grand Ward stood in Whitehall's office, shaking his head. "That was almost too easy."

Kebo cracked his knuckles. "Sorry, boss. Next time I'll leave you more idiots to kill."

Ward snorted and sat down at the desk. I could get used to this. He looked up at Kebo. "Try finding me names now."

Kebo shrugged. "We can narrow down half the people in this building at least. They're pretty dead."

Ward nodded. "Feel free to take pictures if you think other offshoots will need motivation to come back to the fold. It's not HYDRA anymore, but anyone looking for HYDRA can come see me."

Kebo nodded and backed out of the room.

Grant looked around at what SHIELD had left behind. They think they're so smart. He stroked the arms of Whitehall's desk chair until he felt the catch he was looking for. I may not have known him directly, but Garrett was kind enough to share what he knew...He clicked the switch and chuckled as a tiny portion of the armrest lifted. Grant reached in and extracted the data chip. Sorry Kebo, can't trust anyone anymore.

Ward loaded the chip onto his phone and stood, crossing to the windows. He looked at the peaceful world below him. You all have no idea...He picked up the decanter of Scotch still resting on the windowsill and took a long drink. My arrogance, my anger, look what May did to us...Kara...baby, I'm so sorry. But I'm going to make this right. I'm going to get closure for both of us, and I'm going to bring the hammer down on HYDRA for what they stole from us.

And then I'll do the same for SHIELD.

A.N. I hope you enjoyed my alternate take on the eps - sorry this one took so long! I got mildly sidetracked with a plot bunny for what could be in store for these guys - not developed enough to write, but enough to divert me for a bit. Let's just say I'm digging that leather jacket Grant's been sporting...

Anyway, thanks for reading!