Grant wakes to an empty house, the living room is quiet there's no one banging on the bedroom door to wake up. The space beside him is empty and long cold, a brief glance at the alarm clock informs him it's nine in the morning. Sunlight fans out across the wood floors and onto the white sheets his wife insisted upon buying against his wishes. There's already a stain on the right corner by her pillow, blooming red against the bright.
It's either wine or fruit punch, if he had to guess he'd go with option two. It's rare Skye and their daughter are ever awake before him but he got in late last night after a long mission, even sleeping in he still only managed four hours. There's fresh coffee in the kitchen though and if Skye were here he'd kiss her for it. It's the little things that still surprise him even after being married for two years.
After everything that happened with Garrett all those years ago he never thought Shield would ever let him back into the fold. Never in a million years would have dreamed those bonds he built on the Bus would come back to him again, but they did. He's a Specialist for the organization again but hardly goes on undercover missions these days, if he does it can be no longer than two weeks. His family comes first now.
Ward still wakes up every day thinking this life is a dream. Because a man like him doesn't deserve a beautiful wife like Skye or the most perfect daughter he could ever ask for. His baby is five years old and she's the light of his life. Ward hasn't known love before it took him a long time to accept that Skye loved him. But his daughter came into the world and he loves her like he's never loved anyone before.
Elizabeth Rose (Ellie for short) is an exact copy of Skye, but she has his cheekbones. Skye always jokes she's going to be a heart breaker with a face like that. She has a dry sense of humor like her father too and while it doesn't work for him it's adorable on her.
Grant walks through the house and cleans up the mess Skye has left behind, washes their dishes from breakfast. Vacuums up the cereal off the carpet in the living room even though he's always telling his two girls not to eat in here. After Ward brushes his teeth and takes a shower, wishing Skye would have woken him up anyway because his favorite part of the day is taking Ellie to school.
Her first day of school was one of the toughest days of his life. And that's saying something. Skye had her all dressed up in overalls and Ellie was so excited but Ward was a nervous wreck. He was afraid she would be hurt and no one would be there to protect her, what if something happened and he couldn't get to her in time? The entire ride to the school building was spent with knots in his stomach.
Ellie kissed them goodybe and while Skye was a little misty eyed she seemed fine. Grant however kept calling her back to him and checking to see if she had everything, he'd ask her to recite the rules he'd set in stone. Don't go off with a stranger, if someone is mean to you tell a teacher, things like that. He tried not to cry he really did but the second Skye made him release her and she walked into her classroom he lost it.
Cried into Skye's hair while she rubbed his back. Letting Ellie go into school is a lot easier now but he still worries, there are Shield agents constantly monitoring the place anyway courtesy of Grandpa Coulson. Between Phil, Mack, Ward and May, no one would dare try to harm her anyhow. Everyone loves Ellie but how can they not? She's perfect. Ward is drinking coffee and reading the paper when his phone rings.
Knowing it's not Skye who is more than likely deep into a mission herself at the Playground, Ward answers it on the second ring. He realizes after saying hello it's Ellie's school and he's already putting on his shoes and jacket.
''Is Skye there?''
''No but this is her husband is everything alright?''
''Oh Mr. Ward we need you to come in right away''.
''Is Ellie alright?''
''She's fine sir but we need you and your wife for an emergency meeting. I'm afraid Ms. Rose found herself into some trouble today''.
This gives Ward pause, that doesn't sound like his daughter, she is slow to anger, calm and steady like Grant. She has her mother's temper alright but can hide it easily. ''Is she hurt?'' ''No sir''.
Twenty minutes later after calling Skye who can't leave the Playground, he pulls into the parking lot and heads straight for the office. The second he walks in he's searching for his daughter and finds her amoungst a sea of copiers and khaki pants. Sitting on a large bench in the corner of the room her feet swinging back and forth. Her bright yellow shirt has an unmistakeable stain of blood on it, the jeans May bought one of the knees is covered in dirt.
Panic is building up inside his chest as he checks her over for injuries, when he finds none he relaxes a little. He can tell as he approaches her she's been crying and his first instinct is to punch whoever the hell put his little angel in such an upset state. If he thought his over protective nature was bad with Skye, it's nothing compared to his daughter. He'd walk through hell a thousand times over just to make her smile.
If some little shit boy did this to her, his father is going to have a storm coming. Ellie lifts her head as Ward reaches her and despite the situation, her whole face lights up. ''Daddy!'' He didn't get a chance to see her last night, it's been nearly seventeen hours since he's seen her. Ward has to keep his emotions at bay because he wants to cry, always does every time he comes home and she's so happy to see him.
Grant crouches down in front of the bench just as she flings herself into his arms. Her small arms wrapping around his neck her face buried in his neck. He feels moisture on his skin, knows she's started to cry again. After a few moments Ward leans back, brushes the dark hair away from her face. Large brown eyes stare up at him, her bottom lip quivers breaking his heart. ''I missed you Daddy''. He smiles, wipes the tears from her cheeks.
''I missed you too baby. Want to tell me what happened? Are you okay?'' He sets his hands on her shoulders, she sniffles but soon matches the serious look on his face. ''I'm fine Daddy. Where's Mommy?''
''She got stuck at work baby''. Before he can ask any more questions the Principal comes out of her office beckoning Ward inside. ''I want to wait for Mommy''. Ellie cries, stamping her foot and refusing to take Grant's out stretched hand.
''Ellie Mommy and Grandpa are working. But you'll see her later tonight''. That bottom lip quivers again and Ward gets on his knees in front of her, hands on her shoulder again. ''Elizabeth you know Mommy would be here if she could. Can you please wait for Daddy?'' She seems to consider this for a moment, cocking her head to the side exactly like him, it throws Grant for a second.
''I suppose that's okay''. She sits back on the bench, Grant loathes to leave her but one of the Shield agents walks into the office, gives Grant a nod. He'll be watching. Ward follows the Principal and sits in one of the dark polished leather chairs, he's only been in here twice. There's a camera in the corner of the room, it's purely years of habit that keeps him from looking at it. Principal Fields is in her late forties and does not like Ward.
After only meeting him twice he can only come to one conclusion, she's intimidated. If Skye were here she'd tease him for the thought.
''Mr. Ward I called you here today because as you know this school has a stritct policy against violence''.
''I'm aware''.
''Earlier this morning Elizabeth Rose and a fellow student were involved in an argument that escalated when she hit him in the face''.
For a moment Ward is surprised, Ellie has never been prone to violence not even as a baby. But they are kids who don't understand the concept of ''you can't always get what you want''. He assumes it's either because the other child had something she wanted (which he rules out because Ellie is not a selfish child.) Or she was being teased and fought back. If that's the case Skye is going to have to come in here and calm him down.
''She hit the other child? That doesn't sound like my daughter''. He can tell by the look on the other woman's face that she hears that response a hundred time a day and is not amused.
''Was Ellie being bullied? Does her teacher know what happened?''
Mrs. Fields removes her dark purple glasses and sets them on the desk, ''I'm afraid Mr. Ward the arguement was about you. That's all we were able to find out, Elizabeth Rose would not give us anymore details''.
His head is spinning, about him? Why? What would this random kid know about him, and why would it upset Ellie so much that she resorted to punching? Skye and Ward are teaching her that if someone is mean to her, tell a teacher. The same goes for someone hurting her, she's to run away and find an adult. At first Ward was hesitant on that, old childhood traumas coming back, as an adult he was trained to always fight back.
If you don't you're weak and spineless, have a greater risk of dying. But this situation isn't that extreme. It doesn't stop his old mentor's voice in his ear though, whispering that Ellie will be fragile just like him at her age.
Grant shakes off the ghost and turns his attention back to the Principal. ''Elizabeth will not be allowed back to school until Monday''.
''Wait you're suspending her for the rest of the week?''
''As I said Mr. Ward we have a very strict policy against violence''.
''She's five years old''.
''And she nearly broke another student's nose''.
He really shouldn't be proud about that but damn he is. That's his girl.
Ten minutes later he's got Ellie in her car seat driving back home, the radio on a low volume. Ward looks in the rearview mirror, she's staring out the window. ''Ellie why did you hit that other student? You know Mommy and I didn't teach you to do that''.
She sighs dramatically (something she picked up from Skye) before looking at him. ''I know Daddy but Jeffery was being mean''. She sniffles and wipes at her eyes, Ward leans back and pats her knee. ''You want to tell me what happened?'' ''No''.
The entire ride home she's quiet, when he unlocks the front door she runs into the house and goes straight to her room. He listens carefully and can tell she's changing into a different shirt. She comes into the living room two minutes later with the shirt Uncle Fitz bought her last month. Bright orange and covered in monkeys. She then throws herself on the pale blue couch takes her shoes off and curls up with one of the fluffy blankets.
Grant puts his keys on the hook, takes off his jacket, calls Skye who doesn't answer before finally sitting down next to his daughter. Who is looking everywhere but at him, ''am I in trouble?'' Her voice is so small and timid he finds it hard to be mad at all.
''Just tell me what happened Princess''.
''You promise you won't get mad?''
''I promise''.
''You won't brood like Grandpa says you always do?''
Ward fights off a smile she's too smart for her own good. ''Pinky promise''.
He sticks out his pinky and she curls it into her own, smiles up at him. It's really not fair that she's this adorable, he and Skye are going to be in hell when she's a teenager.
''Well I was coloring my letters like I always do and Jeffery sits down next to me and starts saying that his Daddy is better than my Daddy. Which isn't true because no one is better than you, you're the bestest Daddy ever. And then I said he shouldn't talk about my Daddy but he kept being mean and I''-
''You hit him''.
Ellie looks so smug it's hard not to laugh. ''Yup. Just like Grandma May taught me''. She clenches her fist fondly like it's made of gold. Grant shakes his head and makes a note to call May later.
''Princess you know you're not supposed to hit people''.
'''But Jeffery was being mean to you and he's never even seen you Daddy!''
''You should have told Ms. Rachel then''. Grant puts his arm across her shoulders and she burrows herself to his side. ''Remember the rule we talked about?''
''Never believe anything Uncle Hunter says?''
''Don't deflect you know which one I'm talking about''.
''Fine. If someone tries to hurt me go tell an adult''. ''Exactly. You're not allowed back at school until Monday though''.
He can see that Ellie does not view that as a punishment, she'll get to spend the rest of the week at the Playground. So he tries a different tactic.
''No TV or icecream until Monday, and no helping Aunt Jemma in the lab''.
Ellie loves to put on gloves and ''help'' Simmons with ''experiments''. It's probably the cutest thing Ward has seen, Simmons is even getting Ellie her own white lab coat for Christmas. ''But Daddy''-
''No buts you know the rules kid''. She spends the rest of the afternoon taking a nap and then pouting. By the time Skye comes home dinner is ready but Ellie is sitting at the table across from Ward, glaring at him. Not touching her food, god she's like him in so many ways he wonders how Skye puts up with both of them. The front door opens and Skye tosses her leather jacket on the couch.
''Mommy!'' Ellie runs from the table and hugs Skye's legs, who kisses the top of her head before looking over at Ward. ''Hey babe''. ''Hey''. After picking Ellie up she walks over to her husband and kisses him, keeps a hand on his shoulder.
''Ellie Daddy told me what happened at school today''. The little girl narrows her eyes at him like he's personally betrayed her.
''You know you're not allowed to hit people''. ''I know Mommy, Daddy already said that twenty eight times today''. ''Good then next time you'll remember''.
After Skye finally convincing Ellie to eat, it's bath time and then off to bed. Ward is cleaning up the kitchen when he senses movement behind him, he turns and there's Ellie soaking wet hair and matching teddy bear pajamas. Bright pink fuzzy socks on, the stuffed pig Bobbi bought when she was first born clutched tightly in her hand. ''I'm sorry I was a mean girl to you today Daddy''.
He's trying to hide the emotion in his face again when he crouches down in front of her. ''You weren't. It's okay to be upset Princess''. He leans into her ear so Skye can't hear and says,
''just between you and me, thanks for sticking up for me kid''. She's beaming (and yes he's probably going to pay for that later) and kisses his cheek. ''Tuck me in! We have to tell me the Mermaid Story!'' Ellie can't fall asleep unless Ward tucks her in, turns on her mokey night light, checks for monsters and tells her the story of the Little Mermaid. Skye takes pictures every night while trying not to cry.
Half an hour later she's asleep in her My Little Pony themed bed, thumb in her mouth. Ward tucks the blanket closer to her, kisses her on the forehead, ''goodnight Ellie Rose I love you''.
He's turning off the main light walking away when her tiny voice calls out, ''love you more Daddy''. it's still a shock to him that someone so small can render him such a helpless emotional mess. He's smiling like a mad man tears in his eyes when he walks into the bedroom and Skye has just gotten out of the shower. She's shaking her head at him, ''and here everyone thought I had you wrapped around my finger''.
Grant doesn't respond just takes her in his arms and gives her a long kiss. ''What was that for?'' He shrugs. ''I missed you''. Skye runs her fingers down his stubble and kisses his jaw, ''show me how much''. He grins and lowers her onto the bed, kissing his way up her throat.
Much later in the night Skye makes a grab for his hand in the darkness of the room, he turns and can just make out her figure lying next to him. ''Ellie told me what happened''. ''I took TV icecream and the lab away from her until Monday. She can't go back to school until then''.
''Good. God I still can't believe she punched someone''.
The laughter he's been fighting all day erupts in full force and soon Skye is joining him, her head on his shoulder.
''Our daughter who cries when you kill a bug literally almost broke someone's nose''.
''In her defense she was defending my honor so''.
Skye's caresses his cheek, ''I'm not too mad at her for that''. When Skye and Ward first started dating Shield was not very happy about it, despite letting him back onto the team and redeeming himself. Skye did indeed punch a lot of agents if she heard them saying awful things about Grant.
''We mad one hell of a kid Ward''. ''That we did''.
''You want to try for another?''
Grant can hear the slight hesitancy in her tone, why was that even a question? He'd have ten children with Skye if she wanted. She's given him everything and more, the best life he never thought he'd have. Skye is the love of his life, she can have anything she wants. Before the nerves can eat her alive Ward shifts so he's hovering above her and kisses the space between her eyebrows.
''Let's start right now''.
''I love you Grant''.
He kisses her slowly the way she likes, ''I love you so much Skye''.
Ward has the most perfect life.