Solider Keep On Marching On
Skye watches Grant sleep silently beside her, his head resting by her arm. According to Kebo he has not left her side since they transported her onto the Bus two days ago. Skye awoke to her body not aching, no bruises of any sort covering her. She feels fine, not one hundred percent but more like she's recovering from the flu. Not from getting shot.
She remembers it all, every single second. How it felt when Quinn put two bullets in her, what he whispered to her when she was hanging on by strings.
''A message from the Clairvoyant, love is a weakness''.
Ian Quinn may have pulled the trigger, but John Garrett loaded the gun. He's responsible for this, for Skye almost dying. And whatever they put inside her is the same drug they gave to Coulson after the battle of New York. When Coulson told her that a sick feeling spread through her, and Grant held her hair as she vomited into a nearby basin.
Because she knew in that moment, as she wiped her mouth and glanced at Kebo, that John did this on purpose. What better way to motivate Coulson, Ward than to shoot her and have them scour the planet for some miracle drug that can not only save her, but could possibly save Garrett as well? His plan was fool proof.
But there's only one problem, if he was secure enough to tell Skye how much of a weakness she is to Grant, John didn't think she would survive. He wouldn't of exposed himself, knowing what Skye knows, to play with information like that. John had every intention of her dying in that basement. And since she didn't?
Skye hasn't closed her eyes for hours, afraid that Garrett has another plan up his sleeve. He isn't a fan of lose ends and she most definitely is one. All the power is in her hands right now, she could expose them all. Just one whisper to Coulson and it's all over, and Skye would be lying if she said she hadn't thought about it. The only reason she kept silent is because of Grant, she doesn't want him to get hurt.
''You think he's really asleep?'' Kebo asks from his place on the wall, Skye nods. ''Fitz told me he hasn't slept since I was shot, he was bound to crash soon enough''. She runs her hands through Grant's hair softly, traces his skin with her finger tips. What would have happened to him if she didn't come through? What would he have done?
She wants to ask Kebo every detail that passed between Garrett and Ward when he came aboard, but these words are dangerous, too dangerous to speak her so she'll have to wait. Skye knows how much Grant cares about her, he's proven that time and time again. But she's also aware how he wants to save John, how Ward will do anything and everything for him.
Did Grant know about his plans? Did he just sit back and watch her bleed out?
''What happened to Quinn?'' ''Garrett took him to the Fridge''. She gives Kebo a look that says, 'are you sure about that?' To which he shakes his head. Simmons comes in and takes a few samples of her blood, and Grant stirs awake. Skye watches him as he lifts his head, his eyes seeking and searching her face. ''How are you feeling? Do you need anything?'' ''I'm fine''.
Over the next few days as she's recovering she notices small changes in Ward. How it makes him uncomfortable if she's away from him for too long, he's always got his hand connected to hers somehow. She understands, he thought she was going to die and he's afraid to let her go again. His nightmares are becoming more frequent as of late, Skye will wake in the middle of the night to Grant groaning into his pillow.
It's late afternoon two weeks after Skye has been shot, her and Fitz are in the lab when Coulson pops his head in. ''Agent Hand and Agent Garrett are boarding the Bus''. Skye's veins chill. ''Why?'' All she sees is Quinn's face and his lips as he told her the Clairvoyant's message. Love is a weakness. ''He was attacked, we think it might have been the Clairvoyant''. She bites her tongue and meets them out in the lounge.
Grant is wating for her, wraps an arm around her waist. It has been bothering her for weeks if he knew, if he was apart of John's plan. Kebo told her before he left that she needed answers, that she deserved them. But honestly, Skye is too afraid to know the truth. If Ward let her go into the mansion knowing she wouldn't come out the same, then she really has underestimated just how far he'll go.
Victoria Hand is her usual business self, barely casting a glance at Skye, her only foucs on the problem before them. Trip hugs Skye lightly and tells her he's glad she didn't die, to which Skye smiles at. John has this look on his face every time he sees her, false happiness, fake smile. ''I'm so happy you're alright''. Garrett tells her, pulling her from Grant into his embrace.
It feels like snakes around her back, and he's holding her too tight like she just walked into a venus fly trap. ''Good to see you again John''. She wiggles out of his hold and back to Ward, who shakes his old SO's hand. ''How are you feeling? Are you sure you're okay?'' Why? Disappointed that I'm not dead? She longs to say the words out loud but refrains. The way both him and Grant are watching her, she keeps her mouth shut.
Coulson, Hand, Garrett and a few other Shield agents spend a few minutes talking about the Clairvoyant, how dangerous he is. And all Skye can think about is how much of a load of crap it all is. The man they are looking for is standing right in front of them drinking coffee like he hasn't got a care on the planet. Like nothing can bring him down. It's disgusting.
Grant sensing her foul mood pulls her to the side and brushes a kiss across her temple. ''What's wrong?'' She shakes her head, buries herself deeper in his chest. ''Skye, you can tell me''. He runs his hands across her back. No, no she can't. She can't tell him that she's afraid he had something to do with her being shot, she can't say that the person he looks up to the most tried to kill her.
And she's caught in the middle of a very old war between Shield and Hydra she never thought she'd be in. A part of her, a very small part is angry at Grant for putting her in the place that he did, if he never told her about his past, about him being a spy, maybe none of this would have ever happened. She isn't blaming him, none of this is his fault.
It's Garrett's. She doesn't know when or where but someday, she's going to make him pay for it all.
''It's nothing''. She tells Grant, ''don't worry about it''. She stands on her toes to kiss him, wraps her arms around him. Hundreds and thousands of things have changed since Shield found her in L.A. but the one thing that hasn't? Is how she feels in his arms, safe, warm, like nothing and no one can touch her when he's holding her. ''Hey Lovebirds break it up, Skye honey we need you''.
If Ward feels her tense, he doesn't question her on it.
Skye waks back up and stands beside Coulson, goes over the details of the missoion at hand to the other agents. Even though it's futile, she still has a role to play. And she can tell on the expression Jonh is wearing, she's doing it marvelously. ''I like how you think, I like how she thinks''. John tells Ward, and Skye has to bite her lip to reign the words that want to spill out of her.
''One question how am I supposed to access all the classified files files without someone in the room? I don't have clearance''. ''Now you do''. She looks down at Coulson's hand, and sees a Shield badge, shiny and bright being held out to her. ''Welcome to Shield Skye''. For a moment it's everything she's ever wanted. Fitz and Simmons hug her, Coulson tells her how proud he is.
''You've earned this Skye''. John winks at her, ''hell you took two in the gut, that's more than Sigwell here has ever done''. Skye blances, he's throwing it in her face at this point and it makes her want to spit. It takes everything in her not to grab the gun strapped to May and end Garrett's horrible miserable life.
It isn't until Garrett gives her his trademark sinister grin that Skye remembers. It's a lie. This badge her place on the team, the Bus. It's all part of a big fake story that she started to believe in. She wanted this, to be apart of Shield and it takes Garrett clapping her on the shoulder to realize she'll never be apart of it. He will kill her if she even entertains the idea of abandoning him.
She knows too much, she's a liability. Which is why he had Quinn shoot her. She comes face to face with Grant and he's so good at being someone he's not, so perfect at lying, so amazing at acting like this isn't all a trick. For the first time, she's starting to question it all. Like he actually cares, like he actually believes she'll have that badge forever, he pulls her to him, kisses her.
''I'm no Clairvoyant, but I do believe some things are meant to be''. Skye holds onto him like her life depends on it, waves of doubt are crashing into her like they never have before. All this time she knew who he was, why him and Garrett were really at Shield, if she was as half as loyal to Shield as she wanted to be, she would have said something.
''I couldn't of done it without a great and very patient SO''. ''Yeah you could of''. The doubt in her brain shrinks back when she sees how open and honest he is. Grant wishes this could be her future, he wants her to be happy, to live her life the way she wants. But it's just not in the cards, not with eveything he's told her. And if he didn't already hate himself enough, he does when he sees that proud smile smear off her face.
He did that. She has something she fought for bled for in the palm of her hands, and thanks to him she can't have it. Her entire life she's spent finding a family, and now that she has one, it's going to end. He's a selfish man, Ward never should have told her a thing. But it's too late now, and the leaves are starting to fall.
Unfortunately her genius plan comes with consequences, meaning she has to brief Agent Garrett on his mission, alone, in the interrogation room. Right before she walks in, she has a choice to make, with a deep breath she pulls her phone out of her pocket. ''Agent Garrett I trust you've already been informed somewhat on your job''. She tells him, tossing the phone he's to use on the table.
Her tone is not at all friendly, her arms are crossed over her chest, and Garrett raises an eyebrow at her. ''You alright honey? What's got you so pissed off? Did Ward do something?'' With a few strokes across her keyboard, the cameras in the room go out. And her body language changes, she sits straighter, there's steel in her voice.
''I turned the cameras off John. We're alone, it's just you and me''. ''Look sweetheart you're Ward''- ''I know what you did you sick son of a bitch''. He pauses at that, cocks his head to the side, offers up that smile of his. ''And what did I do exactly?'' ''You told Quinn to shoot me, so you could save yourself. You must be really stupid to tell Quinn to give me a message as I'm lying there on the ground, bleeding out. I bet you're pissed I'm sitting here right now. And when Grant finds out''-
She's cut off by his laughter. ''You're brave, I'll give you that. When Grant finds out, what? What do you think he's going to do? Save you? Rush in and kill me to defend your honor? He won't. Ward won't do a damn thing, and I have every intention of telling him myself that I told Ian to shoot you. Because you and I both know that Ward cares about me far more than he ever will about you''.
''It's sad that you believe that''. There's a glint in his eye that has her leaning away from the table. ''I made Ward, I built him into the perfect solider, he owes me everything. He's loyal to me and no one else'''. ''Are you trying to convince me or yourself of that?'' ''Listen to me very carefully. I've been here long before you and I'll be here when he grows tired of you and throws you out like the trash''.
''He wouldn't. He loves me''. Every night since she got out of the med pod, Grant has been curled around her like ivory, whispering promising into her skin how much he loves her. He'd never told her that and the first time he said it, he looked up at her with big eyes and so much fear on his face she couldn't stand it. He kissed her when she cried and told him, ''I love you too. I always have''.
John waves it off, ''Grant doesn't understand the concept of love''. ''Neither do you. Monsters don't know how''. Garrett cracks his knuckles. ''I figure we have only a few more minutes before Ward comes in here to check and see if everything is alright, so''- Skye slams her phone on the table. ''I could tell them, Coulson, who you really are, why you're here. That you're Hydra''.
Her words put a small dent in his armor. He clenches his jaw. ''Sure you could, you could be a good little Shield agent and tell the truth. But you won't. Because of the same reason you turned off the cameras so we could have this conversation. If I go down I'm taking Ward with me, and you'd do anything to protect him. Whatever leverage you hoped to pull out of this is dead''.
He won. They both know it. Garrett's plans his ideas, are bullet proof. Shield doesn't stand a chance against Hydra and they both know it. ''So why don't you be a good girl and turn those cameras back on? We can act like this mission is going to bring us closer the Clairvoyant but it won't. We all have parts to play Skye, and yours is one of the important ones. So get it together, and if you can't, then Ward will suffer for it''.
''What the hell is wrong with you? Grant doesn't''- The door opens and Ward himself walks in, looks between them. ''Cameras are down, just wanted to make sure everything was okay''. ''Everything is fine son. Skye?'' She turns the cameras back on and shoves out of the room. Garrett's attitude shouldn't surprise her, she's know the kind of man he is for a long time.
''Everything okay?'' May asks her as Skye enters the cock pit. ''I'm fine, just want to this to be over you know? I want the Clairvoyant to reveal himself''. ''We'll get him Skye, I promise you that''. Be careful what you wish for.
They don't find the Clairvoyant in John Garrett or anyone else on Skye's list, in an effort to throw Shield off his tracks Garrett frames an old man for it. And Skye is watching it all unfold on a video monitor, not believing that John is actually going to get away with it. ''You're the Clairvoyant?'' ''I'm Thomas Nash, Mr. Poe gave me that other name''.
Ward, Garrett, Coulson and May are all surrounding the man, guns up. Skye has no idea how this is going to play out, who's going to die in that small dark room. ''You had him lead us here, why?'' Coulson asks. ''So I could see you with my own eyes instead of his, now I understand why I couldn't see you after you died. Because you yourself could not see, you were simply a broken man who did not know he was broken''.
''Can somebody please tell me how we turn that stupid voice thing off?'' ''I will join Raina in your prison agent Coulson, but I will see you wherever you go, just as I saw you holding Skye in your arms bleeding, dying knowing it was all your fault''. The team and Skye both pay attention to Ward's reaction, his finger twitches on the trigger of his gun, his spine goes rigid.
Skye herself blinks back tears, fighting back against that moment she felt so weak, so helpless. And it wasn't Coulson's fault, she wishes she could tell him that. ''You're going away, we're going to stick you in a little box where no one will ever hear you again''. Thomas Nash seems to no longer foucs on Coulson, but instead turns to Ward.
''Agent Ward tell me, how did it feel to watch Skye dying right before your eyes? To watch her bleed out, knowing there was nothing you could do to save her? When the doctors told you there was no hope for her, did you cry? Did you realize then how much you truly love her, only to know deep inside yourself you won't ever have her?''
''Don't listen to him son''. Skye is holding her breath, waiting for Ward to do something. He doesn't, not yet. ''There is no way she could ever love a man like you, she'd be teriffied if she knew about all of your ghosts, all the red in your ledger, all of your betrayals. A greater force is coming for the woman you love and for Agent Coulson. She has something we want and she will die giving it to us''.
Skye feels like she's been shot all over again, her body turns cold and her eyes are glued to Garrett and Ward. Is this another threat? Is he telling her he's going to try to kill her again? What does she have that he wants? There's only one thing she can think of, Grant.
Suddenly and without warning a single shot goes off and Skye jumps, before looking at Ward. Stone faced and ready, not blinking or moving or showing any signs of emotion. And Thomas Nash eyes open, dead to the world. ''What did you do?'' Ward flicks his eyes to the camera in the room, at Skye, and she knows. He let the emotions get the best of him, he wanted Thomas Nash to be Ian Quinn.
She jumps out of the Shield vehicle and waits for Coulson and Ward to come out. Bright against the afternoon sun they walk out of the building, Ward has been stripped of his weapons. She walks over to her boyfriend, puts her hands on his chest. ''What did you do?'' She searches his face, but it's a blank mask.
''John what's going to happen to him?'' She asks as Ward is loaded into a Shield car, the windows are down and he can't keep his eyes off Skye. ''He'll go to HQ for debrief and then a review board''. ''Negative, I want to talk to him before all that''. Coulson says. As they walk in the direction of the Bus, Garrett pulls her back, out of ear shot. ''We are all on thin ice here, and Ward just saved both our asses. Don't screw it up''.
She rips herself out of his grip with disgust and races to the Bus, waiting until Coulson is done questioning him.
Ward sits in the interrogation room, quiet, controlling his breathing. This was all part of Garrett's plan, the end is coming soon. He shot Nash on Garrett's order, to make Shield believe it was all over with, that they were okay. To throw them off John's scent. And if he's being honest he wanted Nash to be Quinn, someone was going to pay for what happened to Skye.
The door opens and she walks in, the only light to his darkness. ''Hey''. ''Hey''. She hands him a water bottle and takes the seat across from him. ''What the hell is going on?'' He takes her hand. ''Why'd you do it?'' ''I lost it, I got angry. He pushed all the right buttons''. ''About me, you got angry over what he said about me''. Ward nods. ''I promised you I'd make things right, that's what I'm trying to do''.
''By shooting an innocent man?'' Grant gives her a look. ''He was the Clairvoyant, not innocent''. ''We don't know that for sure, May and Coulson have their suspicions that you shot the wrong man''. He lowers his voice, squeezes her fingers. ''Everything is about to fall apart, and I need to protect you when that happens''. ''How long do we have?'' He shrugs, ''I don't know. But no matter what happens I need you to know that I love you, I won't let anything happen to you Skye''.
''I love you too''. If she could kiss him she would, but now seems to be a very inappropriate time. ''I don't regret what I've done, not if it means you're safe''. He tells her as she's walking out of the room, she gives him a small smile and exits quietly. And that is when everything falls to hell. Coulson suspects May of turning on them, which is not true in any form but Skye can't exactly voice that.
Meanwhile Grant Ward sits in the interrogation room, waiting for a signal, a sign from John. The game is about to draw to a close, and the players are going to meet an end they did not suspect.