It Was A Flood That Wrecked This
Grant sits numbly in a chair, the Shield hospital quiet and cold. They brought Skye in hours ago and they've heard nothing. There's a a flurry of movement and Ward looks up, sees Kebo enter in the waiting room. Barely contained fear and panic on his face. ''Why are you here?'' Coulson asks, but Kebo doesn't answer him, instead walks up to Ward and takes a seat beside him. Puts a hand on his shoulder.
''What happened?'' In all the years Kebo has known Ward he has never heard him cry, not once. Not even when they were being tortured in a basement somewhere in Taiwan and Ward was getting water boarded and bamboo slips shoved up his nails. He's never seen his friend break, but right now, he can Ward is holding on by a string. His lips are drawn into a thin line, his body strung tightly and tense.
''She was shot''. ''By who?'' ''Ian Quinn''. The two men share a look. ''Let's go take a walk mate''. Grant shakes his head, ''I'm not leaving her''. May speaks up, ''the doctors said we wouldn't know anything for a while, go talk a walk agent Ward. Clear your head''. Simmons and Fitz back her up, and just to get them to stop talking he leaves the room with Kebo. ''You've got blood on your hands''.
Grant glances down at his palms and there it is, Skye's blood in the cracks that line his skin. Mechanically he washes them in the bathroom, bites the inside of his cheek to keep his emotions locked down. Pretends that this is someone else's blood, he's done this a hundred times before this is no different. It's all different. She could be dead.
When he walks back in that waiting room her life could be over, twenty four years old is too young, she has barely scraped the surface of living and loving. It should have been him, if anyone on the Bus deserved to be shot twice, it's him. Skye is good and warm and innocent, every darkness inside of him shrunk back when she smiled at him, she's light. His compass.
Everything before her was a tangle of meaningless nights and women he's already forgotten, missions and bullets that are a blur. Orders that are just words to his ears now, they mean nothing. Skye completes him, parts of her have been ingrained into his skin and there's no way he could lose her. Life is not fair, he knows this, he can attest to it.
But if she dies, that will be the end of it. The end of all the goodness he's ever felt.
Kebo watches Ward exit the bathroom, doesn't like the look on his face. ''She'll make it out of this Ward''. Ward walks aimlessly around the hall, paces and paces his hand over his mouth. Kebo broaches the subject on both of their minds with caution, the waters inside of Grant are testy, hostile. Dangerous. Everything about the Specialist is on edge.
''We both know who Ian Quinn is answering to''. Grant doesn't look at him. ''I'm not saying the man didn't act alone on this one instant, because it's possible. But you know how Garrett feels about Skye''- Kebo stops in his tracks when Ward glares up at him. ''Don't. Don't even say that, John would never do that to her, or me''. Denial. Kebo knows he's in denial.
''He would if he was desperate enough''. Kebo doesn't have time to block Ward's fist before it's in his face, knocking him against the hard wall. ''I know you're upset so I'm gonna forgive you for that''. He tells Ward, wiping the blood from his nose. ''John didn't do this''. ''If you say so''. Grant refuses to process that information, seals it tight in a box to reflect on later.
He can't afford to think about that, right now Skye needs him. They walk back into the waiting room just as a nurse is walking out the sliding doors. The team all huddles around her, bracing themselves. ''How is she?'' Coulson asks. Ward knows the look in the woman's eyes and he deflates. ''Not good. The shots perforated her stomach and penetrated the large and small intestines, we resected what we could but there's been too much damage''.
''So what's next?'' ''We can keep her comfortable but you'll need to make a decision on whether or not you want to keep her on life support''. ''You're saying there's nothing to be done?'' ''I'm saying you need to call her family, get them here as soon as possible''. ''We're her family''. ''In that case I'm very sorry''. Grant backs away from them, the breath falling out of his lungs.
He loses his footing and Kebo braces him, Grant is shaking his head back and forth, running his hands down his face. ''Ward''. ''Grant''. ''Agent Ward''- He breaks a window. Just swings his fist back and breaks it, the glass shattering around the small waiting room, blood breaking through his knuckles and onto the floor.
That. That is unacceptable. Nothing they can do? Make her comfortable? What the hell is that? Fury saved Coulson and he was dead for days, why can't they do the same for Skye? Don't they understand how much she means to him? To the team? They are her family, Grant is nothing without her. There has to be a way. There has to. Failure is not an option.
A nurse with blonde hair patches up his hand, tells him how sorry she is for his loss. ''She's not dead''. He answers, his teeth clenched and everything about him screams danger she walks out of the room in silence. Kebo leans against the wall, wipes his nose. ''Ward you heard what the nurse said there's nothing they can do''. Ward rises from the chair and goes back into the waiting room.
Sees the look on May's face, violent, angry as she leaves the hospital. Coulson notices too. They follow her onto the Bus and Grant has no intention of stopping her as they watch her punch Quinn in the face over and over again. Coulson does, ''May! Outside, now. Agent Ward I need you to put that away''. Coulson glances down at the gun in Grant's hands, he doesn't remember pulling it out.
''He needs to die''. ''That's not what we do. You know that, I know how much you care about Skye but don't stoop to his level. He's not worth it, he's a murderer, you aren't''. Ward could laugh, Phil has no idea who he's talking to. Doesn't know that this is exactly what Ward does, and Skye is going to die and he'll be damned if Ian Quinn doesn't suffer for that.
''Put the gun down mate, you don't want to do this''. No one noticed Kebo sneak on the Bus but he's suddenly beside Ward. ''I'm going to''. ''Skye wouldn't want you to, and you know that''. May and Coulson watch as Grant holsters his weapon, his face a mask, his hands shaking. Kebo drags him away from the interrogation room and sets him down on the couch in the lounge.
''I can't lose her Kebo''. ''I know''. ''She can't die, we've barely even''- Grant cuts himself off, there's a lump in his throat that won't go away. He hasn't experienced loss like this before, it's slicing inside of his chest cutting out his heart. ''Skye is the most important person in my life, and she can't just leave''. Kebo puts a hand on his shoulder. ''I am so sorry''.
May and Coulson come into the lounge, ''I need you to pilot the plane''. ''You heard what the doctors said''. ''She said there was nothing more they could do for her, but there are doctors who brought me back from the dead. If they can do that I'm betting they can save Skye''. At last, Coulson and Ward are on the same wave length. ''We'll get her back Ward, I can promise you that''.
They load Skye onto the Bus in a med pod, she looks so helpless and fragile. Grant watches her from behind the glass, her chest rise and fall. Knows that a machine is doing it for her, that she is very far away from him now. Somewhere else, possibly in another universe entirely. ''HQ has ordered we hand over Quinn, so they can take him to the fridge''.
Coulson tells him. ''I am not letting that son of a bitch take one step off this plane''. ''I agree with you Agent Ward. He stays in our custody until I say otherwise. How are you holding up?'' ''Fine''. Horrible. Terrible. It hurts to blink or move. ''We're here for you Ward if you want to''- The older agent stops when he sees the look in Ward's eye.
Someone from Shield is sent to pick up Ian Quinn since Coulson failed to deliever him. With a sick feeling in his gut Kebo know exactly who that Shield agent is. John Garrett himself. Grant may or may not believe that he had anything to do with shooting Skye, but Kebo isn't blind like Ward is when it comes to Garrett. The man is going insane with trying to find a way to save himself.
Shoot Skye and trick Coulson into rushing to find the miracle drug that worked for him to use on Skye, and in turn keep Garrett from dying. And Garrett wins at every scenerio here because he also gets to destroy Ward's happiness, to eliminate the ''distraction'' in his life. John is invinsible here. He's got it all wrapped up in a nice pink bow.
Grant hasn't moved from his spot since they brought Skye in, standing guard, not shifting his weight or changing his breathing patterns. Tuning everything out but the machines keeping Skye alive and the beat of his own heart. So when he hears Garrett's voice nearby, he cracks. That small sliver of doubt feels like a knife in his back.
''You are to immediately turn Ian Quinn over for transport to the Fridge''. Kebo meets his eye from across the room. Neither of them are letting that happen, and when Agent Tripplet walks by Grant to exactly that, Ward reacts. Let's all of the emotions he's had pent up out. Tripp never stood a chance. ''Agent Ward stand down!''
Kebo has taken Ward's place in front of Skye's med pod, Coulson and Garrett walk in and frown at both of them. Grant releases Tripp, passing a glance over at Skye. ''Agent Garrett and I have come to an agreement, he convinced HQ he could interrogate Quinn here on our plane''. Grant finally looks at Garrett and the two exchange a knowing glance.
''Well I am a bit of a sweet talker when I need to be, you wouldn't believe what I could talk this son of a gun into. Good seeing you son''. ''You too Sir''. Garrett shakes Ward's hand, too hard and rough. No one notices but Kebo. ''What's wrong with you?'' Garrett asks, knowing full well why Grant has shadows under his eyes and fear in his cheekbones. And Ward believes the honest concern in his old SO's face.
''It was Skye who was shot''. Kebo informs him from across the room, and John turns to look at him. ''Kebo? What are you doing here?'' ''Your golden boy needed me, and Skye is my friend''. There's an edge to Kebo's tone that no one picks up on except for John and Ward. ''Skye was shot?'' That's when Ward knows that Garrett had nothing to do with it, that Quinn acted on his own.
There's too much sadness on his face to fake, worry so deep in his eyes all of Ward's previous doubts are erased. Garrett puts a hand on Ward's shoulder, grips it tight. ''You know Skye?'' Coulson asks. ''Of course, we're very close Phil, like a daughter to me. Ward I promise you I will do everything in my power to save her''. Grant believes him, Kebo does not and his hands are clenched so hard he breaks a pinky.
''You sure you want to do this mate?'' Ward and Kebo haven't moved from their spots in watching Skye. Garrett has gone to get answers from Quinn that he already knows. ''If finding the doctors who saved Coulson and put that drug in him is what it takes to save Skye, then yes. I'm sure''. ''Isn't that what could''- The rest of the sentence is implied and Ward nods.
It's the same drug that could possibly save Garrett. ''And you don't find that oddly coincidental? At all? Skye is shot and we know a way to save both him and her''. ''Kebo I believe him, alright? He didn't know, he had nothing to do with what happened''. ''You know Ward I never pegged you for an idiot, but right now you are the biggest one on this damn plane''.
The flight is a long one when they finally get the location of the facility where Coulson was treated. Grant uses this oppurtunity to slip into the med pod, he can't stand one more minute outside of that door without her. He takes a nearby chair and drags it to her bedside, takes both of her freezing hands in his. It's so quiet and every beep in the room reminds him just how close he is to losing her.
''Skye''. He holds her hands up to his face, lightly kissing each of her fingers. ''I need you to be okay. You are not allowed to die on me, I can't live in a world you don't exist''. He takes one hand and runs it through her hair, keeps it there. ''I've never had anyone in my life that cared about me, not like you. You saved me Skye from a life that was going to kill me eventually''.
He takes a deep breath, not bothering to fight the emotions raging a war inside. ''It's my fault, all of this. You're in here because of me, because I couldn't protect you, and I am so sorry. For everything, for putting you in a position you had no business being in. But I need you to live, you are too young to leave, to leave me. I can't''- He hangs his head, his tears falling onto the sheets.
Unaware that upstairs the team and Garrett are watching him break, the video monitor in the lab attracting all of their attention.
''I love you''. He cups her face lightly, so pale and cool. ''And I should have told you that a long time ago, I've loved you since the moment I first saw you. You mean more to me than anyone else, so I need you to wake up, to be Skye again. I promise you if you want, I'll get out. I will give all of this up for you, but in return you need to live. Live for you, for me because I don't want to be apart of a world you aren't in''.
He lighty strokes her knuckles with his thumb. ''I know I'm not that guy, I'm too locked down, I've seen too much to be anything but. I'm not the type to settle down with a white picket fence and a dog, but for you I would. I will do anything you want, I just need you to stay alive, okay? Please baby, please please please come back to me, don't leave me. Stay, just stay with me''.
He hides his face in the space between her leg and the scratchy blanket covering her, and cries. His shoulders shaking, everything flowing out of him too fast for his control to reign in. Upstairs Simmons and Fitz are crying with him, even Kebo and Trip, no one notices the expression on Garrett's face. The black rage that swallows him up.
It isn't until Ward takes a break intrusting Kebo to watch over Skye while he's gone, that Garrett corners him. Grant is in the back of the plane, hiding from the rest of the team, John really, so they don't see him like this. ''What the hell are you doing?'' Ward looks up and freezes, for just a moment. ''John I''- ''You've known this girl for how long? A year? And you're willing to give up everything we've worked for because she opened her legs for you?''
''I didn't mean to''- He's cut off by Garrett's fist in his jaw. He grabs Ward by the back of the neck, ''I am too damn close to finding what we've been working for for years. You are not going throw all of that away for her, are you? Because if you're even thinking about it I will tear your spine from your back''. Ward is shaking his head, not even fighting his hold.
''I would never give up on you, you know that''. ''You better not, or I will go into that med pod and finish what Quinn started. Get your head in the game Grant, or once I'm done with her I'll put a bullet in your head too''. John leaves him with a swift kick to the ribs and Ward spitting blood out onto the floor.
They find a way to save her in a drug called GH-325, and they raid the entire wearhouse called the Guest House for it. It's a dangerous mission one that almost cost all of them their lives, but when Grant races back up to Simmons, he deems it was worth it. He crowds inside the med pod and elbows his way to Skye's side just as Simmons in injecting her with it.
''Don't give it to her!'' Everyone looks up just as Simmons is taking the needle out of Skye's vein. ''Coulson what's wrong?'' Ward demands, his hand reaching once more for Skye's. ''I was losing her anyway what harm can it do?'' Ward's heart stops, and in that second, so does Skye's. She seizes, arches off the bed with a strangled sound and Ward screams her name.
Kebo holds him back as they watch her start and stop, start and stop. Ward slumps, his knees giving out if this was for nothing if she dies- Suddenly the heart monitor springs to life. A steady sound throughout the Bus. ''Her heartbeat, she's stabilizing, Ward she's alright, it's alright''. Simmons tells him, grabs his arm and leads him back to her side.
''Can someone tell me what we just saw?'' Trip answers Kebo with a smile, ''girl's a fighter''. ''Did you hear that mate? She's going to fine, she's going to live''. Kebo claps Ward on the back who gives out a sigh of relief. Leans over Skye, takes her face in his hands and kisses her forehead. She's alright, she's coming back to him. His moon and suns can set again.
When things settle down Garrett leaves with a warning glance to Ward, who is sitting in the med pod, Skye's hands in his. Tripp follows, Kebo stays behind, also watching over Skye. ''You did it, you saved her''. Grant smiles at his friend, brushes his thumb across Skye's eyebrow. ''Yeah, she's going to be alright''. ''And Quinn?'' Something all too familiar to Kebo flashes across Ward's face.
''I'm going to make sure he pays''. ''Even though Garrett needs him?'' ''Ian Quinn won't get away with this''. ''We're walking a very thin line here Ward. Are you switching sides?'' Ward shakes his head, ''no. But Quinn doesn't get to get off free from this, I'm going to kill him''. ''Well, he better enjoy his pathetic life while he still can. By the way, I'm guessing that pretty bruise on your face didn't come from the mission today''.
Grant looks up from Skye's face. ''Not here, don't start''. Simmons and Fitz come in, putting a hold on a conversation Ward refuses to have. Now that he knows Skye is fine, he can focus all of his energy back on Garrett. He took the GH-325 serum and needs Raina to help him with it, Ward is still going to save him.
Because John Garrett needs him and in turn Grant needs him as well, there's too much between them now to give up. He saved Skye and Garrett will be fine.
That dream she had about both of them dying? Didn't come true. Grant places a soft kiss on her nose. He saved them both. And that's all he cares about.