Maybe I'm Not Built For Love
''Skye you need to wake up''. Grant gets the response he was expecting, her pulling the covers over her head and ignoring him. He stands at the foot of their bed, hands on his hips. ''Do you really want to do pull ups again? You're already ten minutes late for training''. ''Go away''. Over the past few weeks she has gotten better in training with him, she's faster, harder, he can see how determined she is to become an agent Coulson would be proud of.
Grant still can't help but worry about her, just last week they were on a mission to take in one of Coulson's old agents. Grant knew exactly who she was, the camera in her eye, all of it. John has a plan for those, but that's beside the point. The point is that Skye, Fitz and Simmons almost got run off the side of the road and Grant was powerless to stop it.
It's his job to keep them safe, to protect Skye at all costs. Ward stops. It's his job to save Garrett at all costs, not Skye. Those lines in the sand are starting to get washed away and Grant finds himself being pulled in Skye's direction more often that not. He keeps it all in check, John is counting on him, he won't let him down. It's not in his nature.
''Come on, I let you sleep until five thirty''. She groans and he dodges the pillow aimed for his face. Skye glares at him as she brushes her hair and puts on a pair of work out pants and a tank top. ''May should have been my SO''. She grumbles as she passes him. ''I'm a lot nicer than May, trust me''. He kisses her cheek and meets her downstairs, the punching bag, the cargo hold is like a second home to them.
Later in the afternoon when she's fully awake and had coffee, she begs him to join her in a game of Battleship and he complies. How can he not when she looks at him like that? This was one of Skye's favorite past times at their apartment when they first started living together. For Grant is was strategic, he got to know a lot about Skye through her decision making when playing said game.
For Skye it revelaed a side of Ward that she found amusing, how concentrated he was, how he was bound and determined to get something right even if he lost in the process. And he was also lighter when the game turned out to be fun, smiled more at her. She brings out that side of him, the playful one he didn't know existed until she walked through his door.
''Say it Ward, say it''. He lifts his eyes from the board game. ''You sank my battleship''. She laughs and he finds himself laughing along with her, that glint in her eye that seems to make him forget about the darkness inside him. Kebo had been right all along when he first met her, Skye was good for him, made the parts of him Garrett and his family took away come back together.
They get word that a man with powers has gone missing, and Skye finds out about the Index. She's honestly disgusted that there's a list like that out there, that these people are tagged like dogs by the governement to keep an eye on them. When she glances at her boyfriend she can tell he feels the same way, but doesn't voice his opinion like her.
That's what a good Shield agent does, keeps their mouths shut despite the methods used by the organization, even if they don't agree. Skye starts on her work to find out who sold out the man with powers to whoever took him. What she finds makes her freeze, she works through her emotions like Ward taught her to get the job done. Miles. It was Miles.
Skye tries to hide her nerves from Grant but he sees right through it, when they set a course for Austin Texas he pulls her into their bunk and she puts her phone in her back pocket. ''What's wrong?'' Skye smiles at him, ''nothing I'm fine. What makes you think something is wrong?'' ''Because I know you, why are you nervous?'' Because her past is colliding with her future and Miles is the only person on earth who knows why she's with Shield.
And Skye has a bad feeling that this is going to go wrong. That if Shield catches Miles he's going to tell them all of her secrets. Part of her knows Miles won't actually do that, the last time they spoke before she met Grant, he admitted he still had feelings for her. She's on edge, Grant can't know, not ever. Or at least not until she works up the nerve to tell him.
''I'm not nervous. I'm good, I promise''. She uses her best distraction on him and it works, she kisses him until the back of her knees hit the mattress and he's lowering her onto the bed. Forgets about her worries when his mouth is hot on her neck and his hands are in her hair.
They land in Austin and Skye being who she is, sends a warning text to Miles. She's his friend above everything and he deserves at least a heads up. So while Coulson and Ward are chasing him Skye slips away undetected and into her ex-boyfriend's apartment, waits for him to come racing back. She knows this is wrong and that Grant is going to be pissed if he finds out it was her who compromised the mission.
Miles walks in a few minutes later, locks his door quickly and turns around. Puts his keys on the coffee table and stops, spots Skye in his living room. It's odd being here again, she observes. So many memories in between the walls of who she used to be. Miles taught her everything she knows about hacking, he took her in when no one else would. Once upon a time he meant everything to her, but that was before Grant and Shield.
''Are you sure they're not following you?'' She asks, spots the blanket she gave him one Christmas many years ago still on his couch. ''Yeah had to pull out all the stops though, thanks for the text. Wait are you mad?'' ''Are you kidding me? I don't have much time, who did you leak those files to?'' Her phone vibrates in her hand and she ignores Grant.
''Wait a second what? Good to see you too Miles. I released them into the world where they belong''- ''They'll keep hunting you unless they have someone else to look for and why the hell would you hack Shield?'' He's looking at her like he doesn't know her, which she supposes he doesn't. Not anymore.
''Because that's what we do''. ''Not when I'm on the inside, you could have ruined everything you dumb ass''. Because of him she could have lost her parents, Grant, all of it. ''Looks like you handled it''. ''I've gone too far for you to just''- She stops when she notices his smile, the one he used to give her when it was late and they couldn't sleep. ''Why are you looking at me like that?''
''Did you just call me dumb ass?'' A moment passes between them of old times, what they once had that still lingers in the couch and in picture frames. ''Stop smiling, I'm serious''. He comes to stand in front of her. ''Because I taught you everything you know so what does that make you?'' ''No you didn't''. She can't help but smile in response because they both know he's right.
They talk for a few minutes and Skye can tell he's dancing around the subject of Shield. ''I'm sorry I can't help it. I've been missing you like crazy''. Before she can respond his lips are on her's and it's wrong. Skye pulls away, guilt ripping into her chest. Miles gives her a questioning look. ''I'm with someone now, I'm sorry''.
''What the hell is going on here?'' What neither of them noticed was Ward and May standing over the threshold of the apartment, and Skye jumps away from Miles like he's burned her. It's like everything happens in slow motion, she can tell that May is somehow holding Grant back, and Miles stands next to her with his hand on her back.
This isn't happening. This cannot be real. What is Grant even doing here? How did they find her? Skye sees that he is controlling his facial expression very well, but she's not an idiot. She can tell that there's rage and jealousy boiling beneath the surface. ''Grant I can explain''- She walks closer to him but he refuses to even look at her, his white hot iron gaze drilled into Miles.
He comes further into the apartment, taking command of the situation not as her boyfriend but as a Shield agent. He tells Miles to sit down and cuffs him, it's all very professional and if she didn't know Grant so well, she wouldn't be able to tell how upset and hurt he is. When he approaches her on the couch she stands, takes his face in her hands.
''Please just let me explain, I promise this is not what it looks like, okay? Grant you have to believe me, please''. As gently as he can he removes her grip from his cheek bones and sits her back down on the couch. ''Hands''. ''You're going to cuff me? Grant please I didn't''- The look he gives her sends chills down her back. ''Hands. Now''. When she's secure he pulls her from the room and into a Shield vehicle.
''Grant we have to talk about this, you can't just ignore me''. She says from the backseat, Miles is next to her and doesn't comment on the desperation in her voice. ''You can't act like nothing happened''. ''I'm not''. His voice is controlled, careful and calcualted. She's never heard it so closed off before and it makes her more nervous than anything. ''So talk to me, please I never meant''-
He looks back at her, his face still stone. ''Right now you're under Shield investigation, this has nothing to do with you and I. We'll deal with that later''. And Skye can tell that when Grant fixes a murderous glare at Miles, Miles is very very intimidated.
''How long have you two been in contact?'' Coulson, Skye and Ward are in the cargo hold, May took Miles into the interrogation room and she's to follow as soon as Coulson is done. Grant won't even look at her, his hold on her wrist isn't firm, but it's not soft either. ''I contacted him once the day I joined to tell him I was okay. And once earlier today''.
Ward sighs angrily, clenches his fist. ''When you tipped off an active suspect''. ''It's not like that Coulson, Miles and I we met when we were both a little screwed up. Scratch that he was a little screwed up I was a lot. But we looked after one another, that's why I warned him not because we're working together''. Coulson glances at Ward.
''Judging by how pissed off you look right now, I'm going to assume she didn't tell you about him''. ''No Sir, she didn't''. Skye presses into Grant's side until he looks at her. ''I know what you saw but I promise Miles means nothing to me, okay? Not anymore not since I met you, what happened between he and I happened a long time ago''. Grant ignores her, asks Coulson if he's done questioning her.
''Almost. If Mr. Lydon isn't working with you, then who?'' ''No one he's an idealist, believes in freedom of information''. ''That information costs a man his freedom and you sabotaged our attempts to remedy that''. ''No I came here to find what Miles knows about Chan''. Grant finally meets her eye. ''Was that before or after he kissed you?'' ''Grant I''- ''Agent Ward, take her to the interrogation room''.
On the way there Skye keeps trying to explain herself, but he's not having it. He stops at the door and runs a hand over his face. ''Grant please just listen to me, please. You know me, you know I would never do anything to''- ''Do I? Do I really know you? Thought I did, hell you've been sleeping in my bed for months and I thought I knew all about you. Turns out I was wrong and someone else was right''.
She doesn't have to ask who he's talking about. The unspoken name stings, John Garrett was right about whatever he said to Grant about her. Ward is silent as he cuffs her to the table across from Miles, he leaves the room and Skye can't help but feel helpless. If Grant ends things because of this, she doesn't know what she'll do.
''So I'm just going to point out the obvious here, that someone you're involved with, that him? Agent Ward?'' Skye nods, tries to get her emotions under control but fails. ''And he saw me kiss you, he's going to try and kill me isn't he?'' ''Can you shut up Miles? God''. Skye can't help as the tears run down her face, she may have just ruined everything between them.
''Skye don't cry, it's going to be fine. I'll just tell them it was me, that I kidnapped you or tricked you into coming to my apartment''. ''There are cameras in here you idiot, they just heard you say that. Besides I already told Coulson what happened''. ''What'd you do that for?'' Skye wipes her face. ''Because they deserve the truth''.
Ward is fuming. He stands in front of the punching bag but finds no release. Fighting every single urge to storm into that room and punch Miles in his face. Skye lied to him, to the team. She could have just jeopardized this entire operation him and John have been working on. Doesn't she realize that there's more at stake here than just their realtionship? One wrong move and Garrett could die.
Grant could be arrested for treason, or shot. Why doesn't she see that? He already knows, because she doesn't think like him. He sees the entire picture and every single variable at play, while she just carries on and goes with the flow. Not that their relationship doesn't matter, he's pissed about that too. She didn't tell him about Miles, if she did he could have planned this out so Shield didn't know a thing.
But she didn't, she hid an important part of her life from him that's effected him in ways he didn't know could. He's jealous, angry, hurt. How dare that prick think he even had the right to touch her, but logically Ward knows at one point in time, he did. He realizes that he's not only mad about her betrayal to Shield, but to him, to Garrett.
Ward and Skye do not lie to each other, Grant thought he made that pretty clear when he told her about his past, and in turn he thought she told him everything about her. He was wrong. ''You can't trust anyone Grant, especially a woman and especially the one living with you. They make you weak, and Skye has you so wrapped around her finger you can't see straight''.
Grant has always listened to Garrett, never questioned him in the slightest. Until Skye came along. Garrett was right like he is on everything else. Grant beats the punching bag senseless until sweat is pouring out of him and his hands ache. ''Agent Ward, can you handle questioing Skye and Miles?'' Coulson asks him when Ward is changing his shirt. ''Yes Sir''.
The Team is watching as Grant enters the room, the expression on his face neutral as he looks at both Skye and Miles.
Skye sits up when Grant walks in, remembers that she can't wipe her face so he sees the fresh tears on her face. No reaction. ''Grant I'm sorry''. ''Skye's been defending you, saying you're a stand up guy''. He only knows this because Coulson told him on his way up here. ''So I'm gonna give you a chance. You want to tell her, or should I?'' Ward would love nothing more than to tell Skye what her friend has done, to paint him as the bad guy.
But he doesn't. Because deep down Ward knows who the real bad guy in this room is, and it's not Miles. At least he didn't plan on it until Miles was an idiot and decided to try and play it tough. ''There goes your chance''. He looks at Skye and refuses to allow the emotions travel on his face when he sees that she's been crying.
''Your boyfriend here made a few deposits in the days following the leak, all said it's about a million dollars''. ''Grant he's not my boyfriend. Miles what is he talking about?'' ''Real stand up guy, right Skye?'' ''Skye I can explain-'' ''Did you sell information? Miles, yes or no?'' ''Yes but I can explain''- Skye fights against her restraints so she can hit him, but it doesn't work and Ward places a hand on her shoulder to sit her back down.
''You are so dead! What the hell were you thinking?'' ''It was a million dollars! It would change my life, it would change our lives''. Grant stiffens at that, his mind going down a very dark road. If he had hope for Skye, had she been in contact with him more often than she told Coulson? ''There is no us Miles! I told you when I left you that we were done. Why can't you see that?''
''Because he loves you''. Ward states, let's the words hang in the air, watches as Skye absorbs the information, and Miles doesn't deny it. She shakes her head and looks up at Grant. ''I didn't know, you have to believe me''. ''I do. Which is why you and Miles are going to help us track down Chan''. He releases her from the cuffs and she takes that opportunity to put her free hands on his chest.
''Grant I am so sorry''. ''We'll talk about it later''. ''Don't be mad at me''. He says nothing, just leaves the room for them to follow. Grant knows exactly where Chan is, what's happening to him. But he can't exactly voice that. John wants the facility to be destroyed, to wipe out all traces of it because the serum is failing again. So that's exactly what Ward does.
When all is said and done he still can't help the jealousy that courses through him as he watches Skye said goodbye to Miles. ''I'm sorry Skye, for everything''. ''By everything you mean selling information and causing a man to burn? And for kissing me in front of my boyfriend? Thanks for that, by the way''. ''I didn't exactly know he was there, and I wouldn't of done it if I knew about him''.
Skye glances behind her to find Ward watching them, an angry set in his jaw. ''So you really plan to stay?'' Miles asks her and she nods. ''I hope you find what you're looking for''. He tells her as she walks away, she doesn't look back. Skye goes up to Ward with caution, and as she opens her mouth Coulson calls her into his office. Ward's face in unreadable as she climbs up the stairs.
She breaks. Tells Coulson why she's really here, and only a small part of her actually joined Shield for Grant. Skye informs him about her parents and how she's spent years trying to find them, that she believes Shield has more information on them. Much to her surprise Coulson agrees to help her, and if he hasn't forgiven her when she leaves the room, he's on his way to.
May, Fitz and Simmons give her the cold shoulder, not that she was expecting any less. She finds Ward in the lounge, drink in hand. She takes a seat on the bar stool next to him, pours her own drink. ''Grant we need to''- ''You lied to me''. ''I did, but it's for a good reason. Okay that sounded bad but I was afraid to tell you, but I'm not anymore. I came here because''- ''I don't want to hear it''.
He stands and finishes the rest of his drink. ''You have to let me explain myself''. ''No I don't. You compromised my mission today, put everyone on this entire team in danger to sneak off and warn your friend that we were hunting him. You kissed him Skye, you'd be pissed too if you were in my shoes''. ''Look I get why you're upset, but for the record he kissed me. He means nothing to me Grant''.
He doesn't believe her. ''You're upset about something else entirely and it has nothing to do with Shield''. They both know what she's talking about and he tenses. She's said the wrong thing, there's fire in his eyes. He bends low in her ear. ''If you want me to keep you safe, you will never say anything like that again''. He leaves her in the lounge and goes back to the punching bag.
That night she sleeps alone, her eyes puffy and wet. Grant sleeps on the couch, his mind reeling. Is this it? Is this where thier relationship ends? Does he want it to? Of course not. But the better question is, can he forgive her for this? And what did she mean when she said the real reason she came here? It wasn't just for him?
What else is Skye hiding?