Chapter One (Wings of an Angel)

(Three Years Into the Future)

"Death, I have a request for you."

Ward nodded, looking at the massive, black-clad angel of death looming in front of him, "Sir?" he asked, rubbing his wrist. "What is it?"

"I know you normally deal with the souls of the wicked, but this case isn't one."

"Then why are you asking me, sir?" Ward asked. "What's the case?"

"I know it's rare for a Reaper of Death like of your level, but you're the only one available at the moment. But you are to ferry a soul to the Netherrealm, to neither Heaven nor hell. Don't goof this up."

Ward frowned, "Grim, sir, why would I mess this up?" he asked. "I haven't messed up in the past three years."

Ward could've sworn that the angel of death was smiling underneath the cover of his skull-like mask and black cloak. "You'll see, Death. You'll see." Grim laughed. "Just do your job like you know how to and don't mess this up. You know the consequences of messing up, don't you?" he asked, his demeanor changing to an icy tone.

Ward gulped and nodded as the angel of death disappeared with the rustle of feathers. What exactly was he to do? It scared him, despite his position as one of the two second-in-command Reapers. There was him, Death, and another angel, Light.

Light was the one responsible for the good souls and ferrying them to Heaven. Ward on the other hand, was responsible for ferrying the souls of the wicked to hell.

The Grim Reaper was the angel of death in charge of them, taking his orders from God. Ward commanded a legion of angels beneath him, the same for Light. He'd never thought that any of this would ever happen to him.

As he stretched out his black wings and lifted off into the sky, the memory of what happened to him three years ago drifted into his mind. The day he was killed.

(Three Years Ago)

The explosion ripped through the Hydra complex without warning. Ward tried to run from the speeding flames, seeing Skye at the end of the hallway calling out for him.

"Skye!" he screamed. "Skye!"
"Grant!" she screamed back, unable to move from fear.

He tried to escape the flames, but another part of the building exploded, the flames engulfing him.

The life faded from him the the blinding flames roasted his skin. This was the end, he was to die a fiery death. Payment for all of his sins. Death.

As his vision was consumed by the red-hot flames, he heard Skye's fading cry.

"Grant! No! GRANT!"

Blackness overcame his vision as he greeted death personally. And that was to be taken quite literally.

Ward's vision came back to him as fast as it went. But he was in an empty space. There was a man kneeling beside him, a white mask covering his face and a long, black cloak covering his body. And it could've been just a trick of the light, but Ward could've sworn that long, black wings protruded from the stranger's back.

"W-Who are you?!" he stammered, jolting up and crawling backwards.

The stranger laughed, "Not a concern now, son." he said, his voice deep and raspy.

"Where am I?"

"Between Heaven and Hell." the stranger replied. "You're dead."
Those two words took Ward by surprise, "I'm…. Dead?"
The stranger nodded, his wings rustling behind him, "Killed by an explosion. No injuries. Instant death. Half of your face is horribly burned though, don't think your left eye will ever work again."

"Why am I here?! Who are you?!"
"You can call me Grim."

"Grim? As in the Grim Reaper?!"

"That would be me." Grim replied.

"W-What do you want from me? I thought that I was dead?" Ward asked.

"You are, but I believe you could be the next one. You have the qualifications."

"The next what?" Ward asked.

"The next Death."

(Now)

Ward blinked into a new location, seeing that he was standing in a hospital room. It wasn't until he saw the all-too-familiar man walk into the room and collapse by the bed, that he realized who he was here for. He looked to the ghostly figure lying unconscious in the bed. He froze. Skye.

Ward's heart tore in half as the heart monitor started beeping rapidly, registering no heartbeat. Skye was dying. He sensed it. A gunshot wound to the side, actually two of them. Hydra must've gotten to her. He clenched his fists, if only he had been there to take the bullets for her.

Coulson looked up, tears in his eyes, "Skye? Please… Don't leave…"

Ward stood completely still as med agents rushed into the room and tried to bring the young agent back.
"What the hell is this?!"

Ward looked to right beside the bed, seeing a ghostly image of Skye, staring at complete terror and him and the scene. Her soul. It was her time.

"W-Who are you?!" she stammered.

Ward forgot that he was wearing a mask to keep his reaper image. And that his black wings were spread out behind him.

"I'm dead, aren't I?" Skye asked, backing up. "I died from the gunshots. You're some kind of angel, aren't you?"

Ward remained silent and only nodded slightly, remorse filling his gut. There was no way that he could lead Skye to her final resting place. He couldn't let her die, but this was his job. He had to.

"You're here for me."

Ward backed up, his wings pressing up against the wall, "No, I can't." he muttered. "I can't."

His voice, despite being low and raspy, struck chord with her, "Just who are you?" she asked, sensing something familiar.

"Death. And I can't do this." he said. "I can't let you die." He shifted his wings, "I can't. I'm sorry. You can't die now." And with that, with the rustle of feathers, he disappeared.

"What?" Skye asked herself.

The heart monitor started to return to normal and she felt herself being called back to her body. She had survived her brush with death. Death himself.

But she was supposed to die, but Death himself couldn't bring himself together to take her. Something seemed off, familiar, about the angel that called himself Death. But why?
And what consequences would her survival entail? She was supposed to die, but was allowed to lie. Something was up with Death.

Author's Note: I don't own AoS, Marvel does New story! And I promise more will be explained in chapters to come. I made Grim an angel of death in this for the sake of the story. Skye was 'killed' by a Hydra attack but allowed to live by Death, by Ward. What will happen now? Keep reading and PLEASE favorite, follow, and/or review! ~AwakeAndAliveSpartan.