A/N: Aaaaand yet more clues as to what Skye suffered before finding Kara and Grant. This one's more about Grant comforting Skye than with Kara being the support :) Hope you like!

Thank you to Maddison1803 and icewitch73 for your reviews! As always, I would love to read more :3

DISCLAIMER: I only own this story.

Grant jumped to his feet, immediately making his way over to the terrified woman. What he didn't expect was her reaction.

"NO! KEEP AWAY FROM ME!" Skye screamed, straining to get further away from both Grant and Kara. The wild, panicked look in her eyes as she glanced between the two confused and worried faces in front of her kept the specialists at bay.

"Skye–" Grant began gently, reaching forwards with his right hand. Skye's bottom lip was trembling as she looked at his hand and back up at him, repulsion and fear rife in her gaze.

"No! You're only here to finish me off! You're working with Simmons!" she cried.

"Simmons?" Kara echoed, utterly lost by Skye's outburst. She shared a horrified look with Grant as they contemplated the horrors that the S.H.I.E.L.D. scientist had put Skye through. "Skye, I've never even met her!"

"And I haven't seen her since she threatened to kill me." Grant added calmly.

Looking more panicked than ever, Skye's hand crept up to hold the sides of her head, tears spilling down her cheeks. "But-but you did. You…you had syringes and were glaring and–" she broke herself off to take a shuddery breath, barely taking in the shocked and concerned faces that were slowly coming into better focus. "And you," she looked right at Grant now. "You don't love me! You said you didn't! I-I…" she seemed unable to finish her sentence, shaking her head.

"Skye. Listen to me." Grant commanded, but kept his voice soft. "I never said I didn't love you. You were having a nightmare. You were thrashing in your bed."

"T-then why didn't you wake me?" Skye sobbed, nearly in hysterics.

"You needed to sleep. You still do." Grant's imploring look became the focal point for Skye to calm down. Slowly, her hands dancing back upwards every so often, she lowered her arms.

"I was dreaming…" she whispered, the wild look taming somewhat, but still lurking in the shadows.

"That's right, Skye." Grant whispered back.

"It wasn't real."

"No, it wasn't real." Grant smiled a little, still haunted by whatever monster Jemma Simmons had created to destroy this woman.

"Do–" she began, then stopped. "Can I get a hug?"

"Of course you can, Skye." Grant moved forwards again, but slowly this time. Taking hold of her hands, he gently pulled Skye to her feet and tucked her in against his body. She collapsed into his embrace, her body shaking and Grant instinctively held her tighter. "Do you want to try sleeping again?"

"No." the single word, filled with every meaning of dread, rattled around in Grant's head.

"I'll be right there with you. I'll protect you. Will you be okay with that?"

After Skye nodded, not looking up, Grant swept his left arm under her legs to carry her bridal style. Striding to the bed, he pulled off his shoes using the heel-toe method and laid her down carefully, following suit. As soon as he was settled with his back on the mattress, Skye snuggled into his side, her breathing evening out quickly as she drifted off to sleep.