Secret
Title: Secret
Author: Diane
Pairing: Grant Ward/Skye
Rating: Teen Rated
Disclaimer: I don't own a thing!
Spoilers/Warnings: An AU ficlet set some time into the future.
Summary: “It's been over a month,” he said, cutting her off, “and still nobody knows that we're married. I just... I don't know if I can do it any more.”
Ward sat on the side of his bed, his elbows resting on his bare thighs. He sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair. Shifting slightly, he turned his head and glanced at Skye who was lying on her front and was still sound asleep. The covers had slid down to her waist which afforded him a very nice view of her creamy olive skin.
Looking at the clock on the nightstand, he noted that it was just after 3am and that they only had a few more hours alone together before they needed to be back on the Bus.
“You think too loud,” Skye mumbled as she opened her eyes and regarded him. “What's wrong?”
“I thought you were asleep.”
“I was faking it,” she told him, a half-smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. “I thought maybe you'd have a creative way of waking me up.”
“Is that so?” Ward teased back.
“Uh huh...” Reaching out her hand, she laced her fingers with his; running her thumb back and forth along the white gold band he wore which matched her own.
His gaze locked on the movement and his chest suddenly felt tight.
“So, why are you awake this early? I was sure last night would've worn you out.”
He sighed again. “Why do you think?”
“Grant, I—”
“It's been over a month,” he said, cutting her off, “and still nobody knows that we're married. I just... I don't know if I can do it any more.”
Skye's eyes widened. “Do what?”
“Lie.”
She breathed a quiet sigh of relief. “I don't want to lie either but...”
“But what?” he prompted when she didn't continue. “Skye?”
She felt the sting of tears behind her eyelids and she tried to blink them away before they had a chance to fall.
“Do you know how hard it is having to remember to take my wedding ring off after we've managed to snatch a few hours together let alone not even being able to wear it on a chain around my neck in case it's used against me when I'm on a mission?”
“Of course I know,” she said, withdrawing her hand from his and grabbing the sheet to pull over herself. She'd always felt comfortable around him when she was sans clothes but she didn't want to have this particular conversation while lying in front of him naked and feeling even more exposed. “Do you really think I enjoy lying to our family?”
“No, I don't,” he told her, his voice soft. “I just don't understand why you want us to keep it hidden. I mean, it's not like they don't know we're dating.”
Skye swallowed past the lump that had formed in her throat. “They're going to think we rushed into it,” she began. “That we were being impulsive and didn't give it any proper thought. Hell, they'll probably assume we were drunk or something. AC's going to be wearing his disappointed face which I really hate seeing, especially when it's directed at me.”
Ward smiled. “It's been a long time since he's been disappointed in you. Now, me on the other hand...”
Pushing back the covers, she crawled towards him and straddled his thighs, crossing her arms behind his neck. “You've more than proved yourself, baby,” she said, nuzzling her nose against his.
It was a little under three years since Ward had rejoined the team and the newly reformed S.H.I.E.L.D. and he had done everything that had been asked of him to prove to them – and to himself – that he wanted to be the man they had initially thought him to be. While he'd always hated talking about himself, it had actually been his suggestion to start having therapy to deal with his traumatic childhood and, of course, his dysfunctional relationship with John Garrett.
Things hadn't been easy, not that he thought they would be, but the team had at least given him a chance. Skye had been the toughest on him but after the way he had betrayed her, he hadn't blamed her in the slightest. Despite working together, he'd given her her space and hadn't forced her into spending any time with him. In fact, he'd kept himself to himself and stayed holed up in his quarters at the Playground so that he didn't encroach upon her downtime either alone or with the others.
After a while, she'd started inviting him to participate in simple things such as watching movies with her, Trip and FitzSimmons and he'd almost felt like crying when one evening, a couple of months later, she'd stood in the doorway to his bedroom with the Battleship box in her hands asking if he wanted to play.
From there, things had progressed even further to the point where they'd now been dating for seven months and married for almost two and he still felt like pinching himself most days to make sure this wasn't all a figment of his imagination.
“Where'd you go?” Skye asked, combing her fingers through her husband's hair.
“Uh... nowhere,” Ward replied. “Just thinking.”
“You think too much,” she whispered, leaning in and brushing her lips over his own, drawing back before he could deepen the kiss.
Cupping the back of her head, he directed her face towards him again and he kissed her hard, the tip of his tongue teasing the seam of her lips until she parted them for him.
“I love you,” he told her several minutes later when the need for air had become too strong to ignore.
Skye's hold on him tightened upon hearing his declaration. “I love you, too.”
Gently brushing aside an errant lock of her hair, he said, “I didn't marry you to keep it a secret, Skye. I married you because I love you and I want everyone to know it. For them to know we've chosen to be together and are committed to each other.”
Her heart swelled in her chest and she practically beamed at him. “You always know just what to say.”
Ward scoffed at that. “Yeah, right. I've never been much of a talker but when it comes to you... it's a different story.”
Popping a kiss onto his lips, she caressed the side of his face. “Getting married in Vegas is such a cliché though.”
The two of them had been sent on an intel gathering assignment just outside of Vegas and since they had managed to finish the job sooner than expected, she'd managed to convince him to cut loose with her and have a little fun. Having a little fun had somehow turned into Ward proposing to her and within a few hours they were married at a small chapel and then making good use of the bed (and a few other surfaces) back in their hotel room.
He tried not to laugh. “I guess it is, but I thought that – if you wanted to – maybe later on we could have a proper wedding.”
“You mean me in a white gown and you in a tux?”
He nodded. “I think it'd be pretty weird if it was the other way round.”
Skye swatted his shoulder. “Smart ass.”
Laughing, Ward captured her hand in his and brought it up to his lips, kissing her knuckles. “Sorry, I couldn't resist.”
“You really mean it? About us having a proper wedding with our family present.”
“Yeah. What do you think?”
“I think it's perfect,” she told him, capturing his mouth and pouring everything she felt for him into the kiss; moaning at the feel of his slightly calloused palms rubbing up and down her back.
“So, about us telling Coulson and the others?”
“We'll tell them when we get back later this morning,” Skye mumbled in between kisses.
Ward felt like a heavy weight had lifted off of his shoulders. Of course, he still had to face his boss but as long as he had Skye by his side he felt like he could face anyone or anything. “So, what do you feel like doing while we while away the next few hours, Mrs Ward?” he asked, flashing her a smile.
She raised one eyebrow while a smirk tugged at the corners of her mouth. “Hm, I think I'd be better off showing you rather than telling you,” she quipped, placing a hand in the center of his chest and pushing him backwards onto the bed.
Fin