You're Just A Page Torn From the Story I'm Living
''You said you wanted to talk, so let's talk''. Daisy says when it is just her and Ward alone, everyone else filing out of Vault D per her request. She's ignoring the expression on his face, no longer full of longing but of guilt. She has a flash of Hive's smile and his cold hands on her skin, his controlled low tone that now send shivers down her spine. Ward looks as if he's thinking the same thing, his hands twitch at his side like he wants to comfort her somehow. Which makes no sense to Daisy because what happened between them meant nothing.
They were a comet across each other's skies, only coming once in a lifetime and never to be seen again. Sometimes late at night Daisy would fall asleep thinking of the taste of his kiss and maybe just maybe if she had gotten to him sooner none of this would have happened. Maybe they could have ended up like Skye and Grant, in love and at peace with themselves. Daisy envies them and all the happiness they found in each other. Ward clears his throat, he has no idea what to say to her. An apology is hanging off his lips as she takes a seat and faces him,
''Why did you cut your hair?'' ''What?'' ''Last time I saw you it was long''. She runs a hand through it before letting her hand fall into her lap. ''I'm here for whatever information you want Coulson to know, that's it''. He nods and sits on the cot, ''just like last time''. She doesn't respond and the silence stretches on and on. ''You're different than I remember''. He says, studying the gray of the floor under his feet. ''I'm not here to''- ''You're bitter, and it has nothing to do with me''. Daisy forgot how well he is at reading people.
''Yeah, guess I am''. She crosses her legs at the ankle, her thoughts drift to her parents and she attempts to hide her emotions. But the pain is obvious in her eyes and Ward cocks his head to the side, studying her. ''You told him the truth, about everything''. She doesn't have to ask who he's talking about, Hive. She told him about her parents, about how she always felt so lost in the world even after Shield took her in. ''I am so sorry Skye''. Daisy winces, ''it's Daisy''.
Ward looks at her with his warm eyes and says, ''you'll always be Skye to me''. She brushes that comment off because the last thing she wants to do is go down that road. ''Look do you have any intel on Hydra or not?'' He sighs softly, ''no''. ''Then I guess we're done here''. But Daisy makes no move to get up. ''I never wanted any of this to happen''. Ward tells her a few minutes later as he begins pacing the cell. ''I never wanted you to be hurt. And what Hive did to you''- ''It wasn't your fault Ward''. He shakes his head, not accepting her words.
''It was still my body''. ''You had no control over what he was doing''. ''But I was there''. ''What do you mean?'' Upstairs in Coulson's office everyone watches as Daisy leans forward in her chair and Ward stands at the very edge of the barrier to take in all of her. ''I didn't leave, I was there through it all and I couldn't stop it. I couldn't stop that monster from hurting you, from destroying all those people. Shield wants me dead, maybe I should let them''.
Ward is genuinely surprised when he sees how upset this remark makes Daisy, her eyebrows crinkle together and she's frowning at him. ''Hive paid for it all, you weren't in control Ward. You couldn't stop him''. ''I have other crimes to atone for''. Ward thinks of John Garrett, his betrayal, Fitz and Simmons, what he did to Bobbi. And how he broke something in Daisy, even if she denies it he knows he played a role in the way she lives her life now, an Ice Queen.
''At one point in time I would have agreed with you, but not anymore''. The small amount of shock she registers in his face makes Daisy take a deep steady breath. ''Ward you said that someday I would understand. And I do, I swear I do''. Panic jumps onto his skin so quickly it throws them both, he backs away from her like she's burned him. In Coulson's office Grant pulls Skye tightly to his side and she kisses his cheek, wraps her arms around him. Finally.
All Ward can think in this moment is what in the hell happened to her that was so bad she finally understood him? What demons has she seen in the time that he's been away? He sees Skye with her long hair crying openly at him as he holds her wrists, hurling insults at him, she's so angry she's shaking. All he ever wanted was for her to see his side of things, that all he was trying to do was save the man who saved him. It wasn't personal, but it was it was it was.
Daisy is seeing the same day, the mask that Grant Ward wore finally coming off and at the time she thought of him as a monster. But that couldn't be farther from the truth. He was an abuse victim who never got the help he needed. Dedicated his entire life to a man who brain washed him into being the perfect solider, and when that man was gone Ward didn't know what to do with himself. How could he? He had been conditioned to follow orders, couldn't function without them.
It's no wonder he lost it for a moment. And Shield didn't bother to help him, they encouraged him to keep attempting to try and kill himself. Coulson tried to send him back to his abusive older brother, of course he escaped. He was terrified. And when he finally made it out of the wreckage from his past, from Garrett and Shield left him in, he found a life for himself. Away from it all with Kara. Someone who cared for him, cared about him so much. Shield took that from him too, dragged him back into a life that he hated.
As if that wasn't enough May was responsible for Kara's death, the one person in the world who stood with Ward when no one else did. Who gave him a support system he never had before. It's no wonder he wanted revenge for what happened, if Daisy is being honest she would have done the same thing. Grant Ward is a victim, not everything he has done is entirely his fault. She understands that now, all of that hate and anger with him has all but faded.
''I didn't want that for you''. Ward says, his voice low and controlled. Daisy offers him a bitter smile, ''I know. But I get it Ward, I understand how Garrett was able to sway you so easily, I understand loyalty above all else''. He searches her eyes carefully, takes in the shadows resting underneath them. He truly is baffled by her confession, and his thoughts take a sharp turn left. Raina's voice comes back to him, ''The world is going to change, and when it does she could be yours''.
What happened to Daisy? His brain is a little fuzzy so he can't remember every conversation between her and Hive, but he doesn't remember her mentioning what happened with her parents. Just that she doesn't have them anymore. Is that what she meant when she said she understood loyalty above all else? Something to do with her mother and father? ''Um anyway, so you don't have anything for us? Hive didn't have a plan B?'' ''Not that I'm aware of''. ''Good, that's good''. Her leg starts shaking and he remembers it as a nervous habit.
''I'm sorry I hurt you''. Daisy looks at him sharply, knowing he isn't just talking about what Hive did to her. ''I'm sorry for it all, that I allowed Hive to brain wash you''. ''I already told you that wasn't your fault. And as for the rest of it, I wasn't the only one brain washed Ward. You were too''. Daisy watches him absorb what she's just said, his hands start shaking. ''Garrett was a monster, he made you into a gun. I don't blame you for it anymore''. ''You don't?'' ''No''.
He's staring at her like he's never seen her before, like she's entered into a different light and he doesn't understand her reasoning. ''If anyone in this room needs to be apologizing it's me. I lied to you when I said I was happy I shot you, I wasn't. I hate myself for it, I'm sorry Ward for how we treated you, how I treated you. You needed help and we didn't give it you. I'll regret that forever''. Honestly he expected hostility, hate and anger in this conversation.
Ward never imagined he would hear any of this from her. ''I don't know if I can ever forgive you but I want you to know that I don't hate you. And what happened with Hive wasn't your fault, I hope one day you realize that''. He has no idea what to say to her, for the first time in years she has rendered him speechless. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect Daisy to be so open and honest around him, thought those days were long dead and buried.
Daisy isn't exactly sure why she's telling him all of this. Maybe she's just so tired of hating him. Of holding onto that grudge from so long ago, from another life where they were all very different people. She clears her throat and looks around the room, ''I can talk to Coulson about getting you into a bunk. You probably hate it down here''. ''I'm fine''. She shrugs, ''I'm sure Grant would spring you''. At the mention of his counter part Ward smirks.
''At least in one world we got it right''. Is all he says, remembering the feel of her lips crashing into his. Her smooth hands in his hair. How at one point in time she trusted him with everything she had and he destroyed that. Burned all of their potential to the ground. Daisy chews on her bottom lip and nods, ''yeah. Guess they're the lucky ones''. A thought comes into both of them, not entirely unwelcome. If Skye and Grant can find their way back to each other, can they?
For a brief moment Daisy closes her eyes and Ward watches her silenty. Drinks in her beauty like a starving man. He can no longer deny it, he loves her, he always has. If Grant and Skye can find that love why can't they? If Skye could accept Grant with all his ghosts, can Daisy do the same with Ward? Or is there too much distance between them? Too many years and miles that they can't cross? Maybe a small part of her still hates him for everything he's done.
''If I could go back and change it, I would. I would of killed Garrett the second I met him''. Daisy opens her eyes and stands. ''We have that in common''. Is all she says as she walks to the stairs. He hates that she's leaving so soon, did he say something to upset her? ''Dasiy''. She stops in her tracks, something inside her is whispering that Ward is saying the wrong name. Perhaps she can only be Skye around him. ''Whatever happened with your parents, I'm sorry''. ''Me too''.
She leaves him once more, giving him time to process their conversation at length. She doesn't hate him, she understands. Ward never expected that from her. He thought he lost her forever, that she would never again be in his reach or even stand to look at him. It's a breakthrough of some sort, one he didn't know he wanted until it was right in front of him. Hope spreads inside his chest and even though he tries to fight it it's no use. Maybe one day they could get it right too, maybe one day she'd forgive him for his sins.
It's exactly an hour later when the door to Vault D opens again. Ward half expects it to be Daisy and he rises from the cot. It's Skye, but he's not disappointed. She's smiling at him and he gives her one back. ''I wasn't going to say I told you so, but I so did. I told you she didn't hate you''. ''Yeah I'm still processing that''. Skye lifts the barrier and hands him a plate of food and a bottle of water. She has a spare pillow and blanket tucked under her arm and places it on the cot.
''Do you need anything else? If you want out of here all you have to do is say the word. Grant and I have a safe house prepared and ready to go''. She tells him, occupying the seat Daisy used. Ward glances uneasily at the camera and Skye assures him that only one is on and Grant and Kebo are the only ones monitoring it. ''You don't belong in there Ward, you're not a criminal''. ''I'm starting to believe you''. She gives him another dazzling smile. ''Good''.
Ward hears a shuffle as the heavy steel door is opened, quietly. Almost as if someone doesn't want to be heard. Skye is swiping across a tablet not paying attention and a figure comes down the stairs. ''Skye''. He warns, she looks up just in time. ''Duck!'' He yells just as a shot rings out. The bullet hits the barrier of his cell and ricochets off, hitting a wall. Skye rolls off the floor as another bullet flies past her, aiming for Ward. She looks up and sees a man with a rifle in his hands. Skye does not have a gun of her own.
''Open the cell''. The man is clearly a Shield agent, not one that she recognizes. ''Not happening buddy''. Skye says, placing herself directly in the line of fire, right in front of Ward. ''Open it and I won't kill you. That son of a bitch deserves to die''. ''You do realize that if I open it, he's going to kill you right? So really if you think about it, I'm saving you from a painful death''. The agent aims for her head, Ward screams her name, and with a wave of her hand the bullet stops in mid air. She gives the man a smile, ''guess you didn't know I'm Inhuman''.
Before she can gloat some more he runs down the stairs and open fires, none of the bullets touch her. The gun is empty but he still uses it as a weapon, swings it around to strike Skye in the temple. She rolls out of the way and kicks him in the gut, the rifle goes flying from his grip. ''What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you trying to kill him?'' Skye asks as she blocks a punch for her nose. ''That's Grant Ward, he's Hydra''. ''And?'' He doesn't respond and manages to land a hit to the side of her face.
The fight doesn't last very long, Skye uses the metal chair as a weapon and it's working extremely well. She would have wiped the floor with him if not for one rookie mistake on her part. She gets distracted. Ward starts pushing against the barrier of his cell, a weak attempt to try and escape. He's yelling her name, fear plain in his tone. If Skye could roll her eyes she would, she is fully capable of bringing down a grown man just fine on her own.
But she glances back at him at the wrong time and pays for it. The chair meets her ribs twice, as well as her forehead and she goes down. Sees stars behind her eyelids. The agent is on top of her, the rifle back in his hands. ''You're a stupid woman''. The gun is about to meet her full on in the mouth and Ward is yelling her name louder now, when an arm wraps around the man's neck. Dragging him off of Skye and onto the floor. He's in a head lock, his face red from lack of air. His knees scraping against the floor desperate and bloody.
Grant's hold tightens as the room catches on fire. Just as the man begins going limp in his arms Grant releases him. He slumps to the floor with a groan, attempts to get up but is met with Grant's foot in his spine. ''If you even think about moving I'll kill you''. Kebo has gun trained on the man, the fire dies down and Grant looks at his wife. ''You okay?'' She nods and he walks over to her, checks her injuries. Frowns at the blood on her face. Strokes her cheeks with a tender slowness, anger swimming hot in his eyes.
They both look over to Ward who is equally as angry, telling Skye to get him the hell out of this cell so he can kill whoever that man is. ''We need to find out if he's working for someone or if he did this on his own''. Grant tells Kebo to put him in the interrogation room, Mack comes down the stairs and helps him. Daisy and Coulson come in as well just as Grant is taking Skye in his arms and strokes her hair. ''Are you sure you're okay?'' He asks her. ''I promise I'm fine. You worry too much, just because I had two kids does not mean I can't kick ass''.
He smiles and kisses her nose, ''that's my girl''. Skye and Daisy share a look as Grant whisks her off to Simmons. Yes she'll stay with Ward to make sure nothing else happens to him. The only question is why did the agent attempt this? Did he have a pesonal vendetta against Ward? Was he working with someone else? Is Ward in danger here? If so, Grant and Skye may have to break him out sooner than expected. Daisy meets his worried gaze across the room.
Yes she'll protect him. Until the end of the line.