You Were A Perfect Illusion
Ward never enjoyed eating outside. That's the first thing Skye thinks of when she's seated out on the patio of a small restaurant three weeks later. The Hydra agent who was willing to strike a deal with Shield, Ward and Garrett in exchange for his freedom and protection from Coulson if something goes wrong. Phil is so desperate for the two men he would have agreed to anything. The agent kept getting spooked and putting it off, long enough that May lost interest.
He reached out earlier this morning and here they are, Skye is going to meet with him while Bobbi and Trip are close by, watching. Trip is across the street and Bobbi is seated inside, her back to the window. Skye orders a water and wonders if Grant really did after all detest eating outside. It could have been just a Specialist thing but she's seen Bobbi and Trip do it without a problem, so maybe it was just Ward.
''Target approaching, Skye you're up''. She sees the Hydra agent coming out of an black Honda, sunglasses and red ball cap on like he's undercover. He walks cautiously over to Skye constantly looking over his shoulder, when he makes it to the table Skye can see his hands are shaking. She takes a sip of water as he takes off the sunglasses, grimaces against the bright Oregan sunshine. ''Is it safe here?'' He asks.
Skye can almost feel the nervous energy rolling off him, how he twitches in his seat. He can't be older than twenty three, still a round baby face and rosy cheeks. Dark red hair that sticks out a thousand different directions, Skye doesn't have to have any super spy skills to see the gun tucked into his jacket. She'd be afraid to perhaps if she was betraying Hydra, they would not show mercy like Coulson would.
If they find out about this meeting they will kill him and although Hydra is a sore spot for Skye she isn't going to let this man be harmed. ''Yeah we're safe, no one is going to hurt you here''. There's a small sigh of relief before he's gulping down the last bit of her water and slapping his sunglasses on the table. ''So you have information on Grant Ward and John Garrett''. ''What's your name?'' Skye folds her hands on the table and cocks her head.
''We're not here for that''. His green eyes search the area again, still frantic. ''Look I can promise you that Director Coulson isn't going to let anything happen to you, and neither will I okay? So just tell me everything you know''. A waitress comes by and the man, Jeff is his name, orders a coffee. ''Garrett is dying''. ''We're aware of that''. ''He doesn't have a cure''. Good. ''Okay. What else?''
''I know he's looking for a specific Shield agent, but I don't know her name''. She hears Bobbi's sharp intake of breath over their coms, doesn't have to be looking at Trip to know he has tensed up. Skye can only assume it's her but doesn't voice that. John could be looking for anyone in Shield, perhaps it's May or Simmons, could be Jemma since Ward's attempt at crossing her off failed. But if it's not and it is Skye, why?
She knows he wasn't exactly happy when he found out she and Ward were married but they aren't together anymore, why would he care now? ''Where are they?'' Jeff takes a gulp of coffee and looks around, ever paranoid. ''Look I need assurance that this area is secure''. ''I already told you''- ''You don't know what I'm risking! You don't know this Ward guy alright? He's scary. He will kill me if he finds out I'm here''.
This almost makes Skye laugh. Because there are many things she could use to describe Ward but scary is not one of them. All she can think of in this moment is a few years ago late at night when she woke up to an empty bed. It was snowing hard at the time well below freezing, and she found her husband shirtless on the middle of the porch holding a small bundle in his arms, covered by one of the blankets hanging off the back of the couch.
Grant risked becoming ill to rescue a small puppy that had wondered onto their porch that night, apparently he heard it howling and scratching on the front door. They were going to keep it but Skye was pregnant at the time and they just didn't have the room for both a dog and a baby. It only stayed in the house for a few days but Skye would come home from work to find Grant laying on the floor with the dog, playing with it like he had all the time in the world.
It was the cutest thing though, a german shepherd that Fitz named Monkey, he and Ward for those precious three days coddled and loved that dog like it was a real human child. They found a good home for it and while Grant was sad for a few weeks, it was the right choice. It's one of those memories Skye pulled out when she needed to smile, but now it's all tainted. Bitterness is the only thing that follows her and Ward around these days.
''We're not going to let anyone from Hydra hurt you okay? I promise''. ''You're not going to be able stop Ward if he finds out''. ''He won't''. Jeff finishes his coffee and rubs his hands together. ''Where are they?'' Her phone vibrates and Skye lifts it out of her pocket, it's a message from Kebo asking what she's doing. It's ignored and Skye slips it back into her pocket, looks up and freezes. Bobbi curses quietly and Trip grinds his teeth together.
''Hey Skye''.
Ward is sitting at the table like he's been there for a very long time, arm slung across Jeff's chair who looks like he's about to be sick. His face is pale his entire body is shaking and all Skye can do is stare. Think about the last time she saw Ward at the house the flowers, she has to call upon May's training to avoid thoughts about the backyard and cold dark hospital rooms. ''How did he know we were going to be here?'' ''Jeff had to of set us up''.
Trip and Bobbi begin arguing while Ward is just wearing a calm expression almost smirking as he looks at Skye. He observes that it seems she hasn't been sleeping well, she's too thin. May's training is evident in the muscles in her arms, now that she's sitting in front of him he can really look at her. Back at the house all he could think of was her pain and everything they'd been through in those four walls, he didn't focus on anything else.
He wants to compliment her on the haircut, how beautiful she is. But has to stop himself, he'd probably be slapped again. He can tell she's trying to even out her breathing either at the surprise of seeing him there or the terrible things she said to him back at the house. Kebo yelled at him later for it, that he shouldn't of told Skye they would be able to fix things, that's what set her off.
But honestly Grant still can't justify why he mentioned it. He knows deep in his bones Skye will never love him likes she once did, never trust him. Their life their marriage is over, she was right there is no fixing this. ''What are you doing here?'' Skye sees Ward's eyes travel from her to Jeff and his expression turns blank. ''Well when your wife goes out to lunch with another man you can't help but be curious''. If at all possible, Jeff grows even more nervous.
''I am not your wife anymore Ward''. ''Skye''- ''I'm not your wife because my husband never existed. The man I loved was nothing more than a cover, you're nothing to me Ward''. If his words effect him (they do they do of course they do) he doesn't show it. Instead he just shakes his head and says, ''everything between us was real''. All she responds is, ''could have fooled me''. Jeff starts sweating and Grant directs his attention back to him.
''Come on Jeff did you really think I wouldn't find out?'' ''You can't touch him Ward, he's in Shield custody''. Skye didn't hear Bobbi approach but suddenly the other woman is sitting next to her, across from Ward who doesn't even blink. If they expect him to intimidated, it's not working. ''And what's your point? You really think Trip is going to be able to stop me?'' ''You won't make a scene in public''.
''Oh Morse you really don't know me at all''.
Bobbi begins attempting to calm Jeff who either looks like he's going to jump up and run, or have a stroke. Grant isn't listening to any of it, not Bobbi, not Skye who's trying to talk to him about how wrong this is. That he can't hurt Jeff. What she doesn't understand is Jeff betrayed John, he is now the enemy, he doesn't get to live. ''Alright let's play a game of everyone shuts up and Garrett gets what he wants.
Jeff we're going to take a little ride, Shield is not going to be able to protect you, they knew that the second you called them. Do you really think anyone at this table cares about you?'' Grant doesn't have to be looking at Skye to know she's frowning at him. Bobbi pulls out a card he figured she would but it hurts nonetheless. ''What kind of monster are you Ward? What the hell did John Garrett do to you?
What kind of man tears apart lives like this? Do you even care what you've done to Skye? She was your wife and you lied to her for six years straight, you tried to kill your best friends, god knows how many others you've killed. Coulson is going to hunt you down and kill you along with John''. The words sting. Does she honestly think any of that was fun for him? That he enjoyed lying to Skye? That he wanted to hurt Fitz and Simmons?
That it brought him pleasure to have Skye love him so much, much more than anyone ever had before, only to turn around and stab her in the back? Have her look at him like she does now like he's the worst person imaginable. It's a price he's had to pay, and that's what Ward does. Always. No matter what happens he's always paying for something. It started when he was a child and hasn't let up since.
He looks over to Skye whom he can tell is trying not to cry. That's another thing he's always doing it seems, hurting her. But her eyes shift suddenly to the right and he watches as this overwhelming sadness enters her face. It's a look he recognizes well. He's got one eye on Morse and the other on what has Skye's attention and his heart sinks. A woman two tables down is lifting her baby out of it's stroller and hugging him to her chest.
Smiling brightly as she cradles him, kissing the top of his blonde head before passing him to his father. Who wears the same expression, full of awe and love at the baby in his arms. Over the years Grant has caught Skye doing this whenever they went out. He still hates it, a reminder of everything they couldn't have. Not too long ago he could wrap and arm around her in comfort, say something in the hopes to ease her pain.
But he can't do that anymore. She's alone in her suffering and so is he. It's all his fault. Ward wipes it all away and gives Morse a smirk, ''Coulson doesn't scare me''. ''He should''. Bobbi looks over to where Trip is sitting across the street, the other man gets up and walks away. Grant knows he is calling Phil who will more than likely send in the Calvary. If he wants to get out, now is the time to do it.
Skye looks back over to Ward who shifts slightly and they all see Jeff jump up like someone came up behind him and screamed. Skye can only assume Ward has pulled a gun on him. ''Grant don't do this''. Skye finds herself saying, only because May is telling her in the com to do whatever she has to to get Jeff out of there alive. And what's the way to do that? Play on Ward's weakness, her.
If Ward has any kind of reaction to her using his first name she can't tell. Instead he acts like he didn't even hear her. ''Alright Jeff get up, slowly''. Jeff looks over to Skye with so much fear in her eyes it's alarming. Before she can even process what she's doing Skye finds herself between Jeff and Ward. Shielding him from her husband who looks midly amused. ''What are you doing Skye? Move''. ''Not going to happen. I'm not going to stand by and let you hurt him.
You want to kill him? You're going to have to go through me first''. It's the perfect card to play, Ward isn't going to touch her. There's a twitch in his left eye and Skye looks down to find she was wrong a second ago, Ward didn't pull a gun on Jeff. He took the one Jeff had in his jacket. Skye looks up at the man who used to complain when she left toothpaste in the sink or her hair on the bathroom counter, who loves pumpkin pancakes and being woken up by warm kisses.
''Skye don't''- ''make a choice Ward. Him or me''. He could laugh, she's only said that to him once and it wasn't Jeff standing here behind her either. He chose wrong last time. Ward sighs and fights the urge to smooth out the worry lines in Skye's forehead like he used to. He can't deny her anything and he knew the second he walked over to the table this was how it was going to end. John isn't going to be happy.
''Tell Phil this was a good play''. Bobbi looks at him confused even though they both know she is not. ''What are you talking about?'' Ward looks down at Skye sadly, ''sweetheart they used you as bait''. Skye waits for Coulson or May to object but they don't and then she understands. They weren't sure if Ward was going to show up but if he did they had the perfect thing to disarm him with. Her. Coulson knew exactly what he was doing.
''What the hell are you doing?'' Kebo appears literally out of nowhere and brings this relief to Skye, this lighter air she breathes in. Ward is always better when Kebo is around. ''Kebo I told you to wait in the car''. ''Yeah and you left me in there with no water or air conditioning. I could have died''. ''You're not a child''. Kebo looks over to Jeff and shakes his head, ''man you knew he was going to find out. What were you thinking?''
''Who are you?'' Bobbi asks and Kebo ignores her completely. ''Skye why are you standing so close to Ward? Oh my god did I interrupt something? Wait if you two are about to kiss don't do it until I get out my phone so I can record it''. Ward rolls his eyes and Skye slaps Kebo's jacket. ''I'm kidding relax and stop glaring at me. Anyway Ward come on, let's go. Let Jeff go before he pisses himself''.
''Kebo he was going to betray John''. ''Who doesn't have to know you released him''. Skye watches Ward process this, he looks hesitant. ''I can't lie to John''. Ward's tone is void of emotion but she sees Kebo soften just a tad. ''Why not? You did for six years, didn't tell him you were married''. Skye slaps him again but after a beat Ward let's Jeff go. Who looks as if he's going to cry. ''Don't ever let me see you again''.
Grant tells him steel in his voice and Jeff nods, glances at Bobbi before taking off in a run. ''You're not getting out of this Ward''. Bobbi threatens and both Grant and Kebo laugh. ''And who's going to stop me? I know you won't make a scene Morse''. Ward's eyes go back to Skye who has been silent throughout all of this, her focus is back on the baby two tables down. Kebo's hand is on the back of his jacket but he can't stop looking at Skye.
Who turns back to him after a moment her face hard as stone, ''you were right Ward. You are not a good man''. And without looking at anyone leaves the patio, hands stuffed into the pockets of her jeans, going to join Trip in the car a block away.
That numb feeling is back in his veins. She's right.