Ward/Delaney
“Stay away from her, you son of a bitch!”
Ward froze in his tracks, mere feet away from Skye, his Skye. He turned towards the woman who said his soulwords, almost disappointed to see that she was wearing a medic’s uniform. She was pretty enough to suit his tastes, but he’d have to see to retraining her. “Then I’ll take you instead. You’re the one who’s meant to be mine anyway, it seems.”
Her eyes narrowed, shifting from fear to untempered hatred. “I know all about you, Grant Ward. You must be insane if you believe I could ever care for you,” she spat.
Ward stepped closer to Skye’s unconscious form, a small curl catching on the corner of his lips. “You’ve been mine for the past twenty-two years,” he countered. “In time, you will understand that. You were made for me and no one else can have you.”
“No. I was meant for the Grant Ward who rose above his terrible beginnings, who didn’t choose to perpetuate the cycle of abuse,” she said as she advanced towards him. “In fact, Daisy’s told me all about you. She told me - no, showed me - how much of a monster you are.”
“You are mine, I know you are. I just need you to understand. Please, give me a chance,” Ward begged. He could remember vividly the day she was born. His mother had beat him mercilessly when she saw the words spanning across his shoulder blades.
His soulmate laughed, but it wasn’t a happy sound. It was a cold, mirthless laugh, vacant and haunting. “Can you even hear yourself? People aren’t property.”
Ward took a step back as his soulmate pulled a gun from its holster and aimed it steadily at him. “You’re not going to shoot me. You can’t. We’re meant for each other.” He took a breath, holding up his hands in a non-threatening gesture. “If you kill me, you have no one.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Ward. I have Daisy, I have SHIELD. I don’t need or want you,” she said. Though her words were brave, the gun was shaking in her hands. “I have everything and you have nothing. It’s you that’s alone."
It was then when Ward took his chance.
~~~~~~~~~~
When Daisy opened her eyes, she could only watch in horror as Ward disarmed Delaney and grappled with her. “Delaney!” she screamed, seeing Ward had her pinned and struggling. Barely thinking, Daisy flung out her hand and the vibrations sent Ward flying.
Her heart was stuck in her throat as Delaney grabbed her gun and approached Ward’s barely conscious form. Daisy’s scream died in her throat as Ward lunged for Delaney and earned a bullet in his forehead. Delaney holstered her gun before rushing to Daisy’s side. “Come on, we gotta get out of here,” she said as she helped Daisy up.
~~~~~~~~~~
Delaney couldn’t help a glance over her shoulder at her soulmate’s dead body. Hope you’re in hell, you bastard. Once she and Daisy got to the door of the containment pod, she pressed a button on the device Ward had used to lock the three of them in and the rest of the SHIELD team out. The door immediately opened and rushed in their team.
Delaney could barely hear them though, as her soulmark burned away, the pain became too much.
When she woke, Delaney opened her eyes to Jemma hovering over her. “Delaney!” she said. “Oh thank God you’re awake! Skye’s worried sick.”
Daisy, she wanted to correct but managed to hold her tongue. “Where is she?” Delaney asked, her voice hoarse.
“I’m right here,” came the familiar voice beside her. Delaney turned her head, reaching out for Daisy’s hand. “There’s something you both should know,” Jemma said. “When you were examined, I found that you both have soulmarks. They match.”
It was then when Delaney noticed the words scrawled across the palm of her hand: I’m right here. She didn’t even notice as Jemma slipped out of the room quietly.
Delaney couldn’t help her giggle when Daisy said: “I’ll show you mine when you’re cleared to leave.”