Better
Title: Better
Author: Diane
Pairing: Grant Ward/Skye
Rating: Teen Rated
Disclaimer: I don't own a thing!
Spoilers/Warnings: This takes place after episode 1.06 “F.Z.Z.T.”.
Summary: She looked down at the floor and whispered, “I can't help wondering if you would've done the same thing had it been me in her position.”
Making his way towards the makeshift gym area where he was hoping to burn off some steam, Ward paused when he heard a sniffling sound coming from behind the closed door of Skye's bunk. He'd witnessed first-hand how emotional she had been earlier when she'd thrown her arms around Simmons and hugged her tightly after his and the young scientist's impromptu skydiving adventure so he wasn't particularly surprised to hear her crying now. The day had taken a toll on all of them.
Without thinking about what he was doing, Ward lightly knocked on her door and several seconds passed before she slid it open. Before he could say a word the brunette beat him to it.
“Please tell me you're not expecting me to work out right now,” she said, taking in his usual training attire.
“What? No... that's not... I was just passing and I, uh... I just wanted to check that you were okay.”
“Oh. Sorry,” she mumbled.
“So, are you okay?” He didn't fail to notice the redness around her eyes and the faint tear tracks on her cheeks.
“I'm doing better,” Skye said. “What Jemma did... I-I still can't get my head around it, you know. And you jumping after her and saving her...” She looked down at the floor and whispered, “I can't help wondering if you would've done the same thing had it been me in her position.” Turning, she walked away from him and sat down on her bed.
His eyes widened at hearing her say something like that. “You're a part of this team, Skye, so yeah, I would've done the exact same thing.” Running a hand through his hair, he walked into her small bunk and closed the door behind him before asking, “Do you seriously think so little of me that you'd believe I'd just let you die without at least trying to save you?”
She could hear the hurt in his voice and slowly raising her head, her gaze locked with his. “No,” she replied softly. “I don't. I just thought after what I did...”
Ward released a quiet sigh. “I don't hate you,” he finished for her.
“I kind of hate me.” The surprised look her SO now wore resulted in a crooked smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “I mean, I sold you guys out for somebody who ended up not deserving it. I thought he was different.”
The silence that followed and the fact Skye was, once again, staring at the floor gave him the opportunity to surreptitiously check her out. Her hair was piled up into a messy bun with a few loose tendrils framing her face. She wore a pair of grey shorts that looked like they may have once been a pair of sweatpants together with a dark purple vest top which left her arms bare. The only other item she had on was a pair of fuzzy, rainbow colored knee-length socks.
“I know I've said it before but I really am sorry,” Skye said, unknowingly breaking into his thoughts.
Ward nodded. “I've given you a hard time when the others have started easing up and—”
“It's okay,” she cut him off. “You were my SO and what I did hurt you the most, especially after you had stuck up for me with Coulson. You trusted me and I... I betrayed that trust.”
“I'm still your SO,” he told her as he took a seat beside her. Nudging her shoulder with his bicep, he added, “You're not getting rid of me that easily.”
The playful tone she heard in his voice made her sigh with relief. It was on the tip of her tongue to tease him back but instead she found herself saying, “Good, I'm glad.”
“I guess I'd better get going,” he said a few moments later. The urge to touch her was growing and it was best if he left now and put a safe distance between them. “I was hoping to burn off some energy on the treadmill before I turn in.”
“Um, okay... or if you wanted to you could maybe hang out in here and watch a movie with me.”
The only way they could both comfortably watch a movie in her bunk was to lie together on her single bed and while Ward knew he should really tell her goodnight and make his exit, there was something very appealing about staying in here with her for a while longer, even if at the same time it would be torturous. After everything that had happened earlier he didn't particularly want to be alone. Plus, he figured that maybe this would be a way of showing her he meant it when he'd said he didn't hate her for what she had done. He couldn't help still feeling wary towards her but, at the same time, he knew they needed to move forward.
“You don't have to—” Skye started to tell him.
“No, I, uh... I'd like to stay,” he interrupted.
Smiling shyly at him, she brought her legs up and scooted over on the bed and made room for Ward to lie down beside her. She handed him the remote for the TV situated on the wall opposite them. “You can choose,” she said, “but no chick flicks.”
“Right, 'cause that's exactly what I was about to pick for us to watch.”
Her laugh turned into a yawn and shifting down into the bed, she rested her head against his chest. “Ward?” she said sleepily.
He froze for a moment at their new position but, instinctively, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “Yeah?”
“Thanks for coming in here and checking on me.”
Carefully leaning forward, Ward managed to grab the corner of her comforter from the bottom of the bed and he pulled it over the both of them which had Skye snuggling into him even further. He suddenly felt bone tired and it didn't take long for his eyes to close. Giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze, he murmured, “You're welcome.”
Fin