A/N: So, six days - I'm getting better at shortening the sporadic gaps between updates! Hope you guys like this one.
Thank you to changingdestiny40 and guest for your reviews! :)
Guest - Thanks :3 and good to be back.
Skye remained alert until Grant pulled up in front of a Bed & Breakfast hotel at half past seven that evening. Her fear of reliving the absolute betrayal of everyone at S.H.I.E.L.D. kept her from nodding off, and the bags under her eyes grew in size as the day wore on. Not even promises and encouragement from both Kara and Grant could get her to rest. She insisted she was fine, muttering about how they were behaving like mother hens.
As Skye got out of the sedan, refusing help from either one of them, Grant decided enough was enough.
"Kara, here," he started, pulling his wallet out of his back pocket and handing it to her. "Get a room for us, I'll take her up."
"Okay." She nodded, casting one last worried glance at Skye before making her way inside.
"Grant, really, I'm fine!" Skye snapped at him once Kara was out of earshot. She glared at him stubbornly. "You don't need to baby me!"
"I'm not babying you, Skye." he replied in a tart tone, stepping forward and crowding her against the car. "You're the one who's refusing to allow us to help you. And for what? You want to face what they did to you on your own?"
She remained silent, angry tears leaking out of her eyes.
"Skye." he said, exasperated.
"I don't want to think about it." She muttered, casting her gaze at the ground.
"So think about something else." Grant shrugged, trying to make eye contact. "But for God's sake, don't push us away." When she didn't answer, he huffed in tired annoyance and pulled her chin up. "Skye–"
"Can we drop it?" she snapped, looking directly at him with her jaw set in a clench.
"That'd be great. But you need to stop trying to bite our heads off."
She sighed and dropped her head to rest it on his chest. Automatically, Grant brought his arms up and wrapped them around her torso, dropping his own head to rest it on hers.
"I'm sorry." She mumbled, her face pressed into his chest, making it difficult to understand her words.
"Sorry, what was that?" Grant teased, gently tickling her sides as he peppered kisses on the side of her face. Skye shrieked a little and giggled, pushing her face into Grant's neck. Laughing with her, he rocked from side to side, steadily gaining distance from the car. "You okay now?" he asked, adopting a casual tone.
"Yeah." She breathed out, giggles fading. "Better, anyway."
"Yeah, you need to rest." He replied. Then on an impulse, swept her feet from under her and carried her towards the hotel entrance. She shrieked louder this time, laughing loudly while Grant grinned mischievously, a hint of a smirk in his expression.