Is It Too Late To Come On Home Are All Those Bridges Now Old Stones?
''This was such a bad idea''. Kebo is sitting on the floor in the cock pit while Ward is on the stick, Kara is in the seat next to him. ''We should of stayed in Mexico. I could still be drinking a magarita on the beach right now but no. Ward decides to play hero to his ex-girlfriend who couldn't care less about him, left him for dead not once but twice''. ''Hey the second time I didn't give her an option. Those Hydra agents would of killed her''. Ward comments.
''She deserves it. Look I know you have some weird relationsip with her, the kind where she takes and takes and you get nothing in return but when will it end? Ward when are you going to finally let her go? Do you think saving her is going to make her take you back? You swoop in like some kind of Prince Charming and she fall for you again? You and I both know if she was going to ever forgive you she would have done it already, it's been a year''.
Kara places a soothing hand on Ward's shoulder and it relaxes him a bit. ''It ends after this. I just want to make sure she's safe Kebo''. ''Sure you do. Skye doesn't deserve anything you've ever done for her, she shot you. In my book someone should return the favor''. ''That's enough Kebo. Drop it''. Kebo recognizes the edge in Ward's voice and shuts his mouth. Ward locks Skye in a box and focuses on the route back to the Playground.
He won't think about how Skye looked at him in that hallway. Like she used to. Like he meant the world to her again, that for a fraction of a second they were still so in love and nothing ever mattered. He was there and she was safe, it was them against the world. And then she was taken from him again, vanished right from the air. ''You wanna take the stick?'' Ward asks Kara who looks away from the clouds to smile at him. ''I can teach you, come on I think you'd like to fly''.
She teases him for a few minutes more and then her voice turns serious. ''Grant Shield makes me nervous. I know that you want to find Skye and I'm fine with that but''- She pauses when he covers her hand with his. ''I'm not going to let them hurt you. I promise''. ''For a long time Shield was my life and then they bertayed me. Is our plan still intact? Even though Skye is involved now?'' Ward glances behind him to see if Fitz or Hunter are listening in.
''Nothing about our plan has changed''. Kebo scoots a little closer to Grant and says, ''but what if it puts Skye in danger?'' ''It won't. For once one of my plans doesn't involve her. Look after we find Skye and get her back we move on to Bobbi. Simple. Kara gets her revenge and we can go wherever we want''. ''And what do you get out of all this Ward? Like Kebo said if Skye was going to forgive you don't you think she would have by now? Do you think the team ever will?''
Grant doesn't answer for a long moment. What does he get out of saving Skye? Besides the obvious. Coulson doesn't trust him, he's just using him to get to Skye. When they make it back to the Playground no one is going to treat him like the agent they all thought he was. When Coulson told him Skye was taken he just reacted, she was in danger and he had to save her. Didn't even have to think about it. Skye whistles, he comes running.
Maybe Kebo was right, maybe some small part of Ward believes that if he continues to try and prove to Skye he's the man she thought he always was, she'll forgive him. Ward knows that she will never love him, that part of his life with her is over. He's accepted it, learned to live without her. Maybe that's why he's doing all of this, to earn her trust back. ''I don't know''. It's an honest answer, could Shield ever forgive him for his sins?
When they make it back to the Playground Ward tucks a gun into the back of his jeans, Kebo does the same. ''I know that look Ward, you've got a plan''. ''I do''. ''Care to share with the class?'' Kebo and Kara stop in front of him. ''Not yet, too many ears''. They walk down the ramp with Hunter and Fitz and come face to face with May. Her stone glare fixed on Ward. ''What the hell are you doing here?'' ''Good to see you too, didn't Coulson tell you? I'm here to find Skye''.
''Like hell you are''. Gonzalez comes up beside May. ''He is. Coulson told me''. ''And why would Phil recruite you?'' Grant gives her a smile, ''I think we both know the answer to that question''. ''You three will be accompanied by gaurds at all times. You even think about making a move and we will shoot first ask questions later''. ''Was that supposed scare me? You and your little Shield buddies are nothing. Whatever leadership you think you have here Gonzalez is a lie''.
The older man takes a step closer to Ward. ''If I were you I'd keep your mouth shut''. Grant gives him a smirk, ''if you were me''- ''I wouldn't have betrayed my entire team for a mad man. I wouldn't of ruined the woman I loved for John Garrett, and I sure as hell wouldn't of joined Hydra just because he told me to. You are a weak man Grant Ward and I pray you take one foot out of line just so I can have the pleasure of shooting you''.
The Playground is silent. Kebo's hand is brushing the back of hus gun, waiting for Ward to respond. But he doesn't. Because in his mind everything that Gonzalez has said is true. Grant should have been a better man to Skye, a better friend to his team. May leads all of them into Coulson's office without a word. Grant is walking past Fitz when he hears him whisper, ''Gonzalez is the one who put the hit out on Skye. He's the reason for all of this''.
Ward takes this in. Looks around the office. May, Gonzalez, Bobbi, Coulson and Hunter and a few other agents are spread out around the room. Kebo and Kara are huddled close to Ward, he shifts so he's in front of them. Blocking them from any kind of danger. Why would Fitz tell him that? Grant looks at him but Fitz is ignoring him. His eyes fixed on May. And why was Gonzalez hunting Skye? What does he want with her? And why was she taken in the first place?
Coulson refused to tell Ward anything when he asked. What exactly is going on here? What has Ward gotten himself into? He listens as May and Gonzalez drone on and on about the teleporter Hydra is tracking (what they don't know is Ward is doing the exact same thing. All he's waiting for is a location.) ''Coulson why exactly did you bring him here?'' Bobbi asks, not bothering to hide her disgusted look as she glares at Ward.
''Because of him we found the teleporter''. ''Then why is he still here?'' ''Because I can find Skye''. ''And why are you the only one who can do that?'' Bobbi asks, it's Coulson who answers. ''Because Ward isn't tied to any organization, he can go places and do things we can't. Once he finds Skye our deal is at an end''. ''And then what?'' May wonders aloud. ''We'll cross that bridge when we get to it''. Kebo snaps his jaw together and everyone pretends not to of heard it.
After an hour the meeting is over, Coulson has given Ward full clearance to do whatever needs to be done to find Skye. ''You were hunting Skye''. Grant says as Gonzalez passes him, no one misses the look in Ward's eyes. Full of fire. ''Yes I was''. ''Why?'' ''Nothing you need to concern yourself with''. ''Oh I beg to differ''. Grant towers over the other man, hands resting at his sides. ''I'd be very careful Ward''. The guards have their guns trained on his back.
''Oh no Gonzalez you need to be careful. When I get Skye back you're not going to lay a hand on her''. ''Or what?'' The older man takes a wide step backwards when everything about Ward in this moment screams danger. ''We all know I'm not above killing Shield agents. You touch her and I'll shoot first and ask questions later''. Kebo pulls him out of the office before anyone gets the wrong idea. When it comes to Skye Ward doesn't exactly think straight.
''Do I have to remind you Skye isn't your girlfriend anymore? You can't just go around half cocked and threaten anyone who might be a danger to her. Especially when they have guns pointed at you!'' Ward throws off Kebo's hold and leads him and Kara into a dark empty hallway. Those guards that were supposed to following them are nowhere in sight. ''Look something else is going on here, something about Skye that no one wants to tell me''.
''Boss they're not going to tell you anything because they don't trust you, especailly if it involves Skye''. ''I know. I have a plan, I know how to find Skye''. When Ward tells them what it is, Kebo does not approve. ''No. Nope not happening. We need to think of a better plan''. ''There is no other plan, I have to do this''. Kebo sighs loudly. ''You going after Skye alone is the stupidest idea you've ever had. Actually no scratch that every time you're with Skye is stupid''.
''Kebo don't start''. ''Boss she could kill you''. Ward shakes his head, ''no she won't''. ''And how do you know that? I'm coming with you''. ''No you're not. You and Kara need to stay here, we're still after Bobbi and you two need to contribute your part of the plan''. Kebo throws his hands up and paces the hall. ''If you do this I hate you''. ''I'm fine with that''. Grant looks at Kara and places a hand on her cheek. ''You can do this, you'll be safe here. Kebo will protect you''.
She leans into his touch before responding. ''Just be careful okay? I don't want to lose you''. Ward smiles at her, ''you won't. I'll be fine''. He turns to walk away and she grabs his hand, ''after you find her and bring her back, promise me we'll go somewhere with a beach''. Kebo doesn't even try to pretend like he's not watching this exchange. ''I promise, when all this is over we'll go somewhere Shield will never find us''. Kara hugs Ward and watches him disappear.
Kebo leans against the wall and chuckles at Kara. ''What are you laughing at?'' ''Just the fact that you're in love with him and he has no idea. Some Specialist he is, right?'' Kara's eyes widen. ''Is it that obvious?'' ''No''. She looks back to where Ward was a few seconds ago and sighs. ''It would never work out between us''. ''If you say because of Skye I'm going to scream''. ''But it is because of her Kebo. He's still in love with her''. ''But they will never be together again Kara. Skye hates him just like the rest of Shield does''. She chews on her lip, unsure.
*
Skye lays on her bed, legs curled under her. The pillows her are softer than the ones at the Playground, so are the sheets. It's a comfortable bed. But it's empty, too big too much space. All beds seem to be that way these days without Ward in them with her. He's alive. He has to be. She wasn't hallucinating he was with Coulson, helping find her? Why? How is he alive? Skye read the detailed reports on his death, saw the pictures. He faked his death, but why?
How? It shouldn't surprise her really, Ward is nothing if not a survivor. He beats the odds, it's how Garrett trained him. Did he fake his death to get away from Shield? Because she told him about the team Coulson planned to strike him down with? Or was it to just escape her? Skye quickly rules that out, if Ward wanted to be free of her he wouldn't have to fake his death to do it.
There's a soft knock on her door, Jiaying enters the room. ''I brought you some tea''. She hands Skye the cup and takes a seat on the edge of her bed. ''Thanks''. Skye drinks without really tasting it. ''Do you want to talk about it?'' Once Skye calmed down from the shock of seeing Ward she escaped to her room. That was hours ago and she hasn't come out since. ''Hydra came after Cal and I, I was running away turned a corner and found out Shield was there''.
''When you arrived you kept saying he was alive, who?'' Skye takes a breath. ''Shield was there to protect me, Mom, Ward was there too''. Jiaying is surprised. ''But I thought you said he''- ''I thought he was dead. I saw report after report, pictures of his body. I don't understand. He faked his death but I don't know why. If he wanted to run away from Shield he could of without all of this drama. Without''- ''Putting you through the torture of thinking he was dead''.
Jiaying mutters, finishing Skye's sentece. Skye nods, ''yeah''. ''Sweetheart, do you still have feelings for him?'' ''No. But he was apart of me once, I think I'm justified to be a little upset when I find out he's dead and then he's not''. ''I'm not judging you if you do. Take your father and I for example, when we lost you I thought it would tear us apart. But it didn't, it made us stronger. I thought those feelings we once had for each other would vanish when you were taken from us. But somtimes a horror in a relationship doesn't always mean the end''.
Skye wipes her eyes. ''I see what you're trying to do and it's not going to work. Cal didn't lie to you, he didn't try to kill your friends and then claim he still loves you. I will never forgive him for what he did''. Jiaying brushes a stray hair away from Skye's face. ''I don't know Grant Ward but from what you told me, this John character seems to of led him astray. Brain washed him, maybe Ward isn't entirely to blame for all the bad things he's done''.
Skye scoffs in the middle of drinking her tea. ''Are you saying that Ward killing people wasn't his fault? John didn't pull the trigger and make him do it''. ''But John did load the gun. So tell me Skye is it right to hate the gun or the man behind it? Because it sounds to me like your hatred shouldn't be directed at Ward, but at John who made him that way. I'm not saying the things Ward has done is alright because it's not, but he doesn't sound like a cold blooded killer to me''.
''So what does he sound like to you?'' Jiaying gives her daughter a small smile. ''A broken man who asked for love his entire life and was never given it, until he met you''. At this a few tears drip onto her cheek and Skye brushes them away. She has flashes of Ward's smile, his lips on her neck. The look on his face when he told her about his family, how cruel they were to him. How desperate he was in Vault D to make her believe that he was never loyal to Hydra.
Skye sits up when she hears some kind of commotion going on outside. ''What's going on?'' Both her and Jiaying walk outside to see everyone gathering in the court yard. The night is dark, a few lanters are lit but Skye can't see with the crowd that's starting to form. Jiaying pushes her way through and at the sight of her they all part like the red sea, Skye trailing after her. ''What's going on here?'' Jiaying arrives at the heart of the problem before Skye.
Lincoln and Gordon are standing in front of a man, he's tall. Dark shirt, leather jacket. Gun in a holster, looking as if he's going to set the world on fire. He gives Jiaying a smile that's dripping venom, every cell inside her body is screaming to have caution. Whoever this man is, he's screaming dangerous. ''Can I help you?'' ''How in the hell did you find us?'' Lincoln asks, who the man doesn't even awknowledge. ''I'm looking for someone''. Jiaying feels Skye at her elbow, and then feels her freeze. Her sharp intake of breath.
''Grant?''
Skye just stops. Stops breathing, thinking. Ward is standing before her looking like some kind of predator. At the Afterlife. How did he get here? What the hell is he doing here? ''Skye''. And then his expression softens like it always does when he says her name. ''You found me''. Is all she can think to say in this moment, and he smiles at her, full of adoration. ''Told you once I always would''. No one speaks as they stare at each other.
It's Raina who breaks the spell Skye and Ward have created. ''This is where we've come to die''. Jiaying looks sharply at the other Inhuman, then back at Ward. Who hasn't taken his eyes off Skye. Was Raina right? Is Grant Ward going to be a danger to them all?