Wood splintered beneath the ax as it fell towards the ground. The soft thump as the split halves hit was soothing for Ward, mindless. It was familiar. He'd been out of prison for almost three weeks; a Hydra team had broken in and forcefully removed him from his cell. Of course, he beat the crap out of them as soon as he was clear of the walls and escaped (who knew what they wanted him for) but he wasn't about to actually turn himself back in. If he was in prison, he couldn't repent and at this point that's exactly what he wanted to do. He just needed to figure out how to do it first.

Setting the ax aside, Grant scooped up the freshly cut wood and turned towards the cabin he'd built years and years ago as a shelter against the harsh Wyoming winters. It had been in pretty bad shape when he found it, but he'd managed to get the whole place at least functional again. It would need weatherproofing to survive the winter, but if it came to that he could do what he needed to pretty quickly. It was more comfortable in the summers without it.

He'd barely taken a step when a rather loud yowl echoed out from somewhere in front of him and he was on his back. The wood he'd been carrying lay scattered around him, some pieces still rocking slightly from the force of the drop. Blinking, he turned his head to try to determine what had just happened- and found himself face-to-face with a black and white cat.

What the hell is a cat doing this far out? He blinked at the feline, which blinked back at him calmly, tilting it's head a bit in response. For a long moment, he just stared at the cat like it was a contest, the cat staring back as it's tail flicked around.

Finally, Grant blinked and shook his head, glancing around at the scattered logs. Without thought, he reached for the closest log and shifted it into his arm, then grabbed another. A mew from the cat still sitting in front of him stopped his hunt for wood though. Clearly the animal wanted attention, but Ward really didn't have a free hand. And he wasn't exactly a cat person. Well, not usually. Where did this cat even come from? The same question from before echoed through his head, but the animal was sitting in front of him all the same so where it came from probably didn't matter much.

He stared at the creature for a moment longer before pushing himself to his feet and heading for the cabin, leaving the remaining logs scattered across the ground. He'd deal with them in a minute, once he dealt with his guest. Cats weren't his favorite- they all seemed to hate him. But this one seemed significantly friendlier than every other cat he'd ever met, so maybe this cat wouldn't be so bad.

Opening the door to the cabin, he dropped the logs near the front where the remaining pile was stashed and turned back towards the outside. Sure enough, the cat had followed him to the door and was currently brushing passed his legs to get inside. He didn't even bother arguing, just went back outside to get the rest of the wood. If the cat wanted to come in, he wasn't going to try to stop it. Plus, the company would be nice. Last time he'd been alone in the woods, at least he'd had Buddy for company.

Dropping the remaining logs with the rest, Grant dropped into one of the two chairs in the room and held his hand out. Almost immediately, the cat sauntered over and sniffed at his fingers before rubbing against his legs happily. His fingers gently began scratching at the back of the cat's head, a smile breaking across his face as the cat mewed happily. This cat was definitely far friendlier than any cat he'd ever met before.

His fingers slid along her neck, catching on a cord as he moved them through the cat's hair. Grant was careful to try to lift the cord away, figuring it was a collar with owner information; if this was his cat, he'd definitely want her back. But the cat decided to roll over and offer him its belly before he could reach the end of the cord. Which was when he learned two things: a) the cat was a girl, and b) the cord wasn't a collar. It was a necklace. A necklace he recognized almost immediately. He would never admit it under any circumstances, but he'd spent a little too much time staring at Skye's chest more than a few times. It was her pendent that hung around the cat's neck- the white one that tended to fall in and out of her shirt. It had hypnotized him the first time they met and he was pretty sure it would be impossible for him to forget it, ever.

"Skye?" asked Grant quietly, eyes going wide as he stared down at the cat. All she did was mew and blink up at him with wide, brown eyes. If he hadn't been a dog less than two months ago, he wouldn't believe it was possible. "What happened?"

Again, all the cat did was mew and look at him expectantly with her belly still exposed. Grant remembered he hadn't really been thinking clearly when he'd been a puppy, more concerned with things like socks and his own tail than what people around him were saying. Skye probably wasn't thinking any more clearly.

"Right, can't talk," sighed Grant. Gently, he reached down and carefully picked Skye up off the ground, hoping she wouldn't scratch him in the process. She shifted unhappily, fur standing up a bit until he set her carefully in his lap. Once there, she settled almost immediately, dropping into his lap and sprawling out. He chuckled a little and scratched at the back of her head gently. "Comfortable?"

All Skye did was purr. Well, the cat he suspected was Skye. It was always possible the cat was just a cat, but he wasn't sure how a cat would end up with a necklace that looked identical to that of his former teammate. Especially since he'd gotten a up-close look at it as a puppy. It was probably a good thing Coulson didn't know he'd spent a lot of time laying on Skye's stomach. He wouldn't be alive now if the man did.

Looking down at Skye, Grant tried to figure out what to do. If she was here, the others couldn't be far behind. Or maybe she'd escaped from captivity? Could someone have kidnapped her and she managed to get away after they turned her into a cat? No, how she'd ended up like this wasn't actually that important. What was important was that he get her back to the others and they change her back. But he didn't have any clue how to even find the team, much less how to get Skye to go back with them.

One of Skye's paws batted at his hand suddenly, drawing his attention back to the feline in his lap who was currently on her back. She blinked up at him curiously, head tilted to the side as she blinked in his direction. Grant felt his heart melt.

When he'd been a puppy, he'd felt safest with Skye. And if Skye was here, with him, then maybe that's what had brought her to where he was hiding. How she'd found him was an entirely different question, one he wasn't going to face right now. And if Skye found him as a cat, the others would probably find them, too. It would be best for him to wait here with Skye, then escape when the others caught up with him. He could pull it off, right? He'd done it before. Besides, the risk was worth it if Skye could get back to normal.

"Skye, you are going to get me thrown back in prison, again," remarked Grant with a sigh, scratching beneath her chin lightly. She just purred louder and flexed under his hands. He almost laughed; she never had fully understood the effect she had on him. Her paw brushed his hand suddenly, claws retracted as she reached out to wrap her little paws around his wrist. It was like a hug from a cat. A touch of a smile tugged at his lips. When she nuzzled his palm a second later, the smile bloomed over his face. He wanted to hug her. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. It would serve you right if I just took you and ran. Teach you not to come after wanted men."

Skye paused in his lap, blinking up at him in confusion. Her little ears twitched slightly, her tail joining in to hit at his stomach. Okay, no running. She'd kill him if he didn't do everything to get her turned back into a person. Plus, if the team ever caught him, they'd do worse. Especially Coulson. Nope, no running.

"Alright, we'll wait for them to show up," assured Grant gently, scratching along her chest softly. "And if they don't show up in the next week, I'll see if there's a way to track them down. Deal?"

All Skye did was purr happily and close her eyes in bliss. Right, cat brain. She was probably lost in her own mind at the moment. He remembered all too well how that felt; it had actually been nice.

Settling back in the chair, Grant began humming a little as he continued to rub Skye's chest. When she finally rolled over and fell asleep in his lap, he just settled back to do the same. A nap didn't sound like a bad idea at all.

Something woke him. It was the first thing that crossed Grant's mind as he found himself diving instinctively for the floor, rolling a bit as he went so he could pop up in a defensive position. Something was moving around his apartment and things were breaking. He needed to be prepared to defend himself, he needed to-

Grant froze, crouched in the middle of his living room, and blinked at the sight before him.

Dishes were scattered on the ground, broken, along with several pans. All of which had been knocked off the counter, where they'd earlier been sitting out to dry. A counter now being inhabited by a cat. Specifically, it was the cat he knew as Skye.

A groan escaped Grant as he slowly pushed himself to his feet, dusting himself off and shooting Skye a look. She just flicked her tail and let out a small mewing noise before stretching out along the counter in the sun. "You know Skye, if you wanted to lay in the sun, you could have just laid on the floor."

Skye's only response was a mew and second tail flick, as if to say she didn't care. Which she probably didn't. After all, she was a cat. Grant didn't exactly remember thinking like a person when he was stuck as a puppy after all.

Kneeling, Grant began carefully picking up the pieces of the shattered plates while Skye watched him from above. Her paws hung over the edge of the counter as she silently observed him like a queen watching over her country. It was almost frustrating.

Crossing to the door, Grant dumped the fragments of the dishware to the left of the front door and threw some soil over it before turning back into the house. At which point he nearly tripped over Skye as she wove her way between his legs, mewing happily and clearly asking for affection. It was enough to make Grant groan.

"Apparently being a cat doesn't stop you from being temperamental," muttered Grant as he knelt down to pet her. Skye purred happily in response and pressed her front paws to his knee. Chuckling, Grant gently scratched beneath her chin. "Or demanding."

Mewing once more, Skye hopped back and headed for the door outside. She sniffed the air for a moment before padding out like the forest was her kingdom. Then again, she probably thought it was.

Shaking his head, Grant stepped out too, heading for the treeline to relieve himself. He should probably bathe too while he was at it. He'd built a large wooden tub years ago when Garrett had left him out there. It had taken some time, but he'd managed to even figure out how to heat the water without lighting the whole thing on fire. It wasn't the best system and it usually took a bit for the water to heat, but it was better than a freezing cold dip in the creek.

Stepping behind a tree, Grant unzipped his pants to do his business. He'd lost track of Skye, though he wasn't really worried. If she'd made it to him, then she'd be fine. Besides, she probably wouldn't go far. He'd let her run around for a bit while he gathered water and-

"Meow."

Grant nearly jumped out of his skin, cursing as warm liquid slid down his leg. Great. Wonderful. Now he definitely needed a bath.

Groaning, Grant glanced around, expecting Skye to be chasing a butterfly or something else cat like. A glance around the clearing though showed no sign of his four legged companion. Alarm rushed through Grant momentarily before a second mew drew his eyes down. Which was when he noticed Skye staring up at him from behind the tree he'd just been peeing on. It was also when he realized that she could clearly see him hanging from his pants and, okay, he knew she was a cat right now, but she was still the woman he was in love with.

Quickly, he shoved himself back into his pants, ignoring the fact that his pants were now wet, and tried not to blush as he turned towards his cabin for the bucket he used to carry water. A bath wasn't really optional now and it was just too cold for the creek right now. Behind him, he could hear a light pitter-patter that had to be Skye following him back. He really, really hoped she wouldn't remember what just happened.

Stepping fully into the cabin, he snatched up his bucket and spun to head back out, nearly tripping over Skye as he exited. She just mewed and hopped back up onto the sunny counter to lay down. Grant hesitated a moment over if he should leave the door open or shut before closing it. He was going to draw water, start a fire, then get very naked. He didn't need Skye seeing that, even if she was a cat.

As always, it took about ten minutes to fill the tub with enough water to bathe in, though it warmed pretty fast given he started the fire before he added any water to the tub. The stone suspended over the fire kept the wooden tub from burning but transferred the heat well enough that the water got at least warm. Again, better than an ice bath in the creek.

Shucking off his clothes, he climbed carefully into the tub and tried to relax into the water. He knew the whole 'bathing in warm water' thing was a luxury, but damnit, when you live in the woods you're entitled to a few luxuries. Besides, it kept him from getting sick.

He'd stolen all the soap from every cabin in a 15 mile radius years ago, so he at least had that. It was helpful at times like this, when he actually needed to wash off and not just get himself wet. Plus, well, he had to admit that he really, really liked taking baths. It wasn't something he ever advertised, but being submerged in warm water somehow just helped him relax. Leaning his head back, he let the warm water sooth his muscles and body, just enjoying the feeling.

A sudden splash and startled yowl sent Grant shooting up in the water, eyes darting around in search of the source of the noise. His eyes immediately darted down when he felt something hit his knees, gaze locking onto the soaked cat who was currently trying to climb back out of the wooden tub. Skye somewhat resembled a drowned rat as she tried to climb from the tub, her paws latched over the edge of the tub.

If she hadn't looked so miserable, Grant would have laughed. As things went, he shifted his place in the tub and gently picked Skye up out of the water, holding her to his chest. Immediately, she settled down a little, eying the water like it was something evil. Well, so much for his bath. "Alright Skye, I get it. You want attention. If I put you on the step, do you think you can wait there while I wash off?"

Skye mewed in return and he had no clue if she actually understood what he said, but he placed her on the stair he used to avoid standing on the hot stone anyway. Immediately, she began to shake in an attempt to remove the water from her fur. It was actually a little adorable the way her fur stuck up in so many directions.

Shaking the thoughts from his head, he quickly grabbed the soap, carefully turning his back on Skye and standing to quickly wash off. She'd already seen him once- she didn't need to again. It was at that exact moment that Grant suddenly remembered that he'd left Skye locked in the cabin.

Immediately, his head snapped towards the cabin where the door was open a crack. He'd definitely shut that door and he knew it stayed shut when it was shut. That was a safety precaution he'd been careful to ensure. Had she managed to open it somehow? Or was someone in his home?

Quietly, he set the soap down on the edge of the tub and snagged up the towel he'd left sitting on a ledge along the tub's lip. He stood as quietly as he could from the tub, carefully stepping out over the edge and onto the platform. Then there was a yowl.

And Grant promptly found himself on his back, in the dirt, with Skye staring down at him from her place on the step. Her fur was up, tail folded under her body and an angry look scrunching up her face. A very angry look. The way she was sitting actually looked like she might pounce on him.

"Shit," muttered Grant, slowly sitting up. He could feel mud sliding down his back, the dirt mixing with the water that was still on his skin. His towel lay a few inches away, leaving him bare and open to everything, including Skye's angry gaze. Geez, how many times was she going to see him naked today?

Standing carefully, Grant grabbed his towel and tossed it back towards the tub before creeping towards the cabin. It wouldn't do him much good anyway. The few times he'd been forced to fight in a towel, he always lost it halfway through the fight.

He snatched up a large branch halfway to the cabin, gripping it like a club as he approached the cracked open door. No noise was echoing from inside, but that didn't mean someone wasn't hiding in there. Garrett had done that once- snuck into his cabin to reinforce the need for him to clear the building every time he entered. His eyes dropped to the ground momentarily, scanning for any footprints or other signs of intruders. However, there was nothing obviously disturbed on the ground except where Skye had clearly padded away from the house. Again though, that didn't mean anything. Grant was pretty sure May could get into the cabin without leaving any marks. Though he admit, he really hoped it wasn't May; fighting her naked sounded really, really awkward.

Shifting the stick around so he had a better grip, Grant took a deep breath and pushed the door to the cabin completely open in one rapid move, ensuring it hit the wall and anyone hiding behind it.

No noise echoed from behind the door and almost immediately, his attention shifted to the rest of the room. There was almost nothing inside the small room furniture wise. He'd set up a fireplace that could double as a cook surface or a heating surface, a bed, and a basin and counter space along the back. The cot was empty beneath it and the only other furniture was a camp chair he'd stolen when Garrett first abandoned him out there. No one was hiding in the cabin and nothing was missing from what he could see. Not that he had a lot that someone could take, but still.

Closing the door again, Grant headed back towards the tub. Skye was still sitting on the step, apparently appreciating the warmth from the fire that was coming up through the stone. She looked happy enough anyway. She didn't glare at him when he approached at least.

This time, Grant was careful not to step on Skye as he stepped back into the tub, snatching up the soap and running it over his skin. "Even as a cat, you cause trouble Skye."

She just purred happily in return.

Shadows stretched towards the house as Grant started up a fire in the outside pit. It wasn't cold enough yet that he had to use the inside fireplace, which was a relief. It was easier to cook in the outdoor pit, particularly because he cooked a lot of venison, bird, and fish. Tonight, it was fish he'd caught earlier in the day and stashed in a cooler he kept in the creek near by. Keeping food fresh had proven the hardest thing he'd faced living in the woods, but there were ways he'd discovered that worked well enough.

As soon as he was out of the tub, he headed for the cooler where the fish was being stored. It only took a few minutes to gut the fish, something he preferred to do at the river so he could easily wash his hands when he was done. Fish guts smelled horrible.

A cord was strung up outside the cabin on which he hung the fish as soon as he returned to the site. It would remain there to dry until he was ready to throw it over the fire. Skye eyed the fish as he brought it back, her head raising slightly from her place in the cabin window.

He threw open the door again as soon as he'd hung the fish, letting her back out if she wanted out. Not that she couldn't apparently open the door herself. But hey, he should at least give her that option.

Turning to the fire pit, he poked at the wood a little with a metal rod, shifting the wood around slightly to encourage the flames. Sure enough, Skye appeared at his side after a second, mewing and rubbing against his legs in search of affection. Affection Grant gave her, scratching behind her head as requested. She purred happily for a few moments before wondering away, probably to chase birds or something similar.

Grant let her wonder off without a word. She'd found him before; she could do it again. He wasn't sure how long she'd been wondering around the woods before she found him, but he was pretty far in and wherever she'd come from couldn't be that close. He would have noticed something like that within a thirty mile radius.

A few minutes after Skye wondered off, Grant began to hear a strange noise like shuffling. He froze for a moment before little, irritated mews began to reach his ears. Mews that definitely belonged to Skye- he already knew what her mewing sounded like. Turning, he expected to find her chasing some insect or another. What he found instead almost made him laugh.

Skye was watching the hanging fish intently as it swayed slightly on it's hook. It was pretty normal for the fish to sway a little; light breezes were pretty common and those would cause the swaying. Swaying which had very clearly caught Skye's attention. He could see her head following the swaying motion, waiting until the fish was at it's lowest. Then, she would crouch and pounce up, attempting to catch the swaying fish. Every time, she fell short of course, causing her to let out a little mew of irritation in the face of her adversary.

It was funny to watch, which he did until one mistimed jump sent Skye tumbling onto her back. Her yelp of frustration was enough to finally get him moving to collect the fish. Letting the dead creature tease her probably wasn't nice, anyway. She'd taken such good care of him when he'd been a puppy after all, the least he could do was keep the fish from teasing her. "C'mon Skye, let's make some dinner."

Immediately, Skye's ears perked up as he collected the fish and carried it to the fire. With practiced ease he inserted the metal pole he used to suspend his food over the fire and proceeded to drop the fish above the flames. Burying the fish in hot embers was a good option too, but tonight he'd rather roast it. It would be better for Skye in the long run.

Settling back before the fire, Grant reached out for Skye where she was sitting in front of the fire and carefully lifted her onto his lap. She let out a small, irritated mew but otherwise didn't fight it. Instead, she pressed further into his lap and curled up, eyes locking onto the fish hanging over the fire.

"It'll be done soon, Skye," assured Grant as he settled in to carefully watch the fish. Skye didn't respond, just continued to watch the fish even as he began to softly pet her fur.

They stayed like that for a while, Grant leaning forward to carefully turn the fish every once in a while but otherwise not moving. It was relaxing. He'd felt Buddy's absence strongly since he returned to the site, though it had eased a little the longer he'd stayed (it helped when he finally stopped waking up and calling for the his friend each morning). Skye's appearance though was filling that void in a way Grant hadn't expected.

When the fish's scales began to darken and the body sag, Grant carefully lifted Skye from his lap and hoisted the pole off the fire and onto a separate set of supports. It helped keep the food from becoming overcooked and ensured the fish wouldn't end up in the fire once he started cutting into it. He set another plate under the fish just in case it came loose and hit the ground (it had happened once, years ago, and Grant had never forgotten it) and began to cut carefully into their meal. Scales crumbled as he carefully removed the skin from a portion of the fish before dislodging the stake and carefully checking it for bones. He didn't want to learn how to preform the animal Heimlich on the fly, nor did he want to accidentally kill Skye with a fish bone. Coulson would murder him if he did.

Satisfied the fish was cat safe, Grant set the plate of fish on the ground in front of the fire. Almost immediately, Skye pounced on the food like a starving animal. Which, well, he realized she might be. It hadn't even occurred to him earlier that Skye might not have eaten since being shifted into a cat. Suddenly, he felt very guilty for waiting this long to give her food.

"Sorry Skye, I didn't even think about you being hungry," apologized Grant, the guilt weighing in more than it probably should. She hadn't been acting hungry after all, though he should have thought of it.

Skye didn't really pause in her eating, though the way her tail flicked said he was forgiven. Or maybe she was flipping him off in her kitty way for making her wait for food. It really was very hard to tell.

Scraping off more scales, Grant carefully cut his own piece of fish and dug in, making sure there was enough left in case Skye wanted more. He wasn't honestly sure what the feeding protocol was for cats. He knew it was a bad idea to let an animal just eat because they could make themselves sick, but he didn't like the idea of Skye being hungry either.

In the end, he never had to make the call. She ended up leaving a bit of her fish behind, not so much that it could be considered wasteful really but enough that it was clear she was done eating. When she began purring and rubbing against Grant's legs again, he didn't hesitate to pick her up and set her in his lap after lifting up his plate. She mewed happily and settled in, curling into a ball and laying her head down with the clear intention of sleeping.

Grant didn't argue, just settled back into his chair to finish his meal and enjoy the quiet company.

Something wasn't right.

It was the first thing that crossed Grant's mind as he found himself suddenly awake in the middle of the night. Waking suddenly for him wasn't uncommon, but normally it was from a nightmare or some memory his mind decided to haunt him with. This wasn't like that though. His whole body was on high alert, adrenaline spiking through his body. It was his reaction to an impending fight.

Against his arm, Skye shifted in her sleep. She'd hopped up on the bed and curled next to him almost the moment he laid down in preparation of sleep. In the end, she'd taken up residence in the crook between his arm and chest, curling into a ball of fur and falling asleep almost immediately. It had helped him sleep honestly, right up until that moment.

Careful to keep his breathing even, Grant let one of his eyes open slightly in hopes of catching sight of whoever or whatever had woken him. Some part of him hoped it was just an animal outside. It was rare but occasionally a dear or bear or some other living creature would wake him rummaging around in the surrounding forest. He'd mostly gotten used to those noises early on, but occasionally something strayed too close and he would be startled awake.

However, this time he knew he wasn't so lucky. Almost immediately, his gaze landed on the shadowed figure perched in his camping chair. Part of him actually thought, for a split second, it might be Garrett. The man had snuck into his cabin more than once when he was younger to train his situational awareness. Well, that was the reason he'd always given at least. Grant thought the man just liked scaring the crap out of him in the middle of the night.

"I know you're awake. Stop pretending otherwise."

Any thoughts of visits from his dead SO flew out of Grant's mind immediately as the all too familiar voice of his former team leader cut through the room. Coulson might be keeping his voice low, but Grant would recognize it anywhere. Shit. Of course the team had found him. He'd been expecting it.

Opening his eyes completely, Grant began to slowly sit up, careful not to disturb Skye where she lay. Her ears never even twitched, though her tail slapped his chest as he moved as if to say 'knock it off'. Immediately, he froze, half propped up on one arm. It wasn't like he was in a good position for a fight anyway. Besides, from what he could see, Coulson didn't appear armed. Or at least, he didn't have a weapon out.

"Don't wake her," ordered Coulson quietly, motioning with one hand for Grant to stop moving. "There's no point in it."

One of Grant's eyebrows rose uncertainly as he stared at the man. "She's going to wake up as soon as you pick her up."

"Who said I was going to pick her up?" asked Coulson, settling back in the chair. "She seems happy enough where she is."

What? Grant couldn't help the confusion that settled in his mind. This was making absolutely no sense. Why wouldn't Coulson pick up Skye? He was there to take her back to the Bus and send him back to prison, right? "So, what, you're going to sit in my cabin and stare at her until she wakes up?"

"That would take all night," dismissed Coulson, shaking his head a bit. "And I'm not here to bring her back to the Bus right at this moment, though I should." Leaning forward, he met Grant's eyes with his own steady gaze. "I came to check up on her and to make it clear to you that she's to be allowed to come back to the Bus as soon as she reverts to her human form."

"Wait, what?" asked Grant, confusion settling in. "I don't get it. Why wouldn't you take her back?"

"Because she sought you out for a reason," replied Coulson simply, though the unhappy look that crossed his face said he clearly didn't like the fact that she had. "Just like you did when you were a puppy."

Grant winced at that reminder. "It's a comfort thing."

"I get that," assured Coulson, though the unhappy look seemed to settle further on his features. "For whatever reason, she feels safer with you. Maybe it's because you went through this already, maybe it's some lingering attachment from back when we thought you were trust worthy." Grant winced at the venom in that comment, glancing down at Skye sadly. "But for whatever reason, she ran from us and sought you out. And apparently, she's been harboring your location for at least a week. I found photos of this cabin and you stashed on her computer and time stamped from a week ago."

"I didn't escape by will," stated Grant firmly, his eyes rising back to meet Coulson's. "Hydra took me out of my cell by force."

"Yet, you didn't turn yourself back in," remarked Coulson as if that was exactly what Grant should have done, which it admittedly was.

Taking a deep breath, Grant let his eyes drop back to Skye again, a small smile forming on his lips as she rolled over in her sleep and butted her head against his chest. "I want to repent and I can't do that in prison. I just haven't figured out how to do it yet. But I wasn't loyal to Hydra, ever. I worked for them for John, not because I believed in the bullshit they were constantly spewing. John was dying and Hydra had promised a cure as long as he was loyal to them. I went along with it to help him. He'd given me a second shot at life; I figured I owed him whatever it took to give him that same chance."

Coulson nodded once, sighing unhappily. "Well, he clearly taught you well. This is an impressive setup given you've only had three weeks."

"This wasn't done in three weeks," corrected Grant quietly, carefully shifting so he could sit all the way up. His arm was beginning to hurt and Skye didn't look like anything short of a massive explosion was going to wake her. "It took five years to get it this way. The cabin alone took almost three months to build alone."

"Five..." The shocked tone in Coulson's voice said it wasn't the response he'd been expecting. Then again, how could he be? It wasn't like Grant had ever discussed how Garrett had trained him prior to him joining SHIELD. The shock turned to a curse a second later, something apparently clicking in Coulson's mind. "When did you meet Garrett."

It was a demand for information that Grant admittedly didn't want to give. He'd never told this story; never discussed how Garrett had trained him with anyone. But then again, maybe it was time he did. If he could get the words out. "When I was fifteen and sitting in juvie looking at potential adult charges for arson and attempted murder."

"On your family?" guessed Coulson, bracing his elbows on his knees.

Grant nodded once, his own eyes remaining on Skye as he spoke. "My brother." Gulping a little, Grant forced the next words out. "John dumped me out here right after he broke me out of Juvie."

"At fifteen," stated Coulson quietly. "He just left you in the woods. Did he train you first? Leave you with any supplies or anything?"

"A dog named Buddy," replied Grant quietly, closing his eyes as his best friend's name left his lips. "He left us out here and told me he'd be back in three months. It was more like six."

"And he didn't train you first," clarified Coulson quietly. "Just left you out here, alone, to fend for yourself."

"Yeah," confirmed Grant quietly. "He started training me a little when he showed back up six months later, but he never stayed for longer than a month and I didn't leave for five years except to take what I needed from the surrounding cabin. The most John ever brought me was a gun, bullets, and occasionally food. There was a jacket once, actually. For the winter."

Coulson cursed quietly and Grant dared to glance up at the man. His former boss had his head down, the palms of his hands pressed to his eyes in clear frustration. Or maybe it was exasperation, it was hard to say. "You never had a chance, did you?"

"John gave me a chance," corrected Grant, his brow furrowing a bit. "He gave me a second chance to do something with my life."

Sighing, Coulson shook his head a bit and stood. "That isn't what I meant, Grant. We'll discuss this more when Skye is back to normal. I expect you to return her to us when that happens and expect you to come back with her."

Grant gulped a bit, looking up at his former boss uncertainly. "Sir, I can't fix any of this if I'm in prison."

"I never said anything about prison, Ward," pointed out Coulson as he turned and headed to the door. "I'll see you again in a few days, when you bring Skye back." Then Coulson walked out before Grant could respond, shutting the door behind him firmly enough that it wouldn't blow back open.

A heavy breath left Grant's lungs as soon as the door was shut, his body relaxing to the point where he almost collapsed on top of Skye. It was only his strength that kept him from crushing the cat-bound woman. It was with great care that he settled back down next to her, closing his eyes in an attempt to silence the memories running through his head. Despite the fact he hadn't really moved, there was an exhaustion that seemed to rush through Grant. Some echo that made sleep appealing even as his mind was running a mile a minute.

I need to focus on something else. Skye maybe? The thought of the hacker seemed to help slow the rush of thoughts, replacing the memories of Garrett and everything he'd done with memories of Skye and everything she'd done. It helped calm his mind, his nerves, everything. It was like a soothing balm that helped lull his mind back to sleep.

Mewing woke Grant the next morning to his chagrin. Despite what he displayed, Grant was not a morning person. He hated mornings. It was his least favorite time of day. Yes, his dreams were usually disruptive and unhappy and he was always glad to wake from them, but when they weren't, Grant usually preferred to be asleep. Like last night, when he'd been having a dream about Skye and a lake.

And of course, the real Skye had to wake him up.

Lifting his head, he looked over the edge of the bed to find the cat version of the woman he loved blinking up at him with wide, kitty eyes. Her tail was swaying back and forth as she stared expectantly upwards like he was somehow supposed to know what she wanted him to do on sight. Which was basically impossible given he didn't speak cat. The thought she might want out crossed his mind, though a glance at the door told him she'd somehow magically managed to open the door again and escape. He really needed to figure out how she was doing that; it wasn't safe for the door to be open. Well, okay, admittedly they were in the middle of the woods, but still.

"Skye," groaned Grant, throwing off his covers and flinging his legs over the edge of the bed. "What is-"

Something squelched beneath Grant's foot, causing him to immediately retract it as if he'd been stung. Truthfully, he found himself almost afraid to look at what was laying beside his bed. Maybe his theory about Skye needing out had been true, but the door was open so he somehow doubted it. Then again, when he'd been a puppy, he hadn't had the sense of mind to find a good place to go pee.

Taking a deep breath, Grant carefully looked down, expecting a pile of excrement on the floor in front of him. What he found was actually a bit worse. Apparently, Skye's cat brain wasn't above killing as she normally was. The dead bird laying beside his bed was proof of that.

"Really Skye?" groaned Grant, glancing at the cat. She just looked proud though, like she'd achieved something good by dragging a dead bird inside. Okay, he had to admit, it was kind of impressive. Gross because he didn't like stepping on dead things, but impressive. And then something crossed his mind, a fact he'd heard about cats at one point. They would sometimes bring dead things into their homes as gifts. They left it for the people they loved or cared about.

Sighing, Grant offered Skye a smile and carefully picked her up into his lap. She mewed a little, but didn't scratch or try to harm him. In fact, as soon as he set her down, she settled into his lap and pressed her head against his chest in a request for affection.

He didn't hesitate to gently scratch behind her ears as he glanced back down at the dead and now squished bird. That was going to be a pain to clean up. Glancing back at Skye, he shifted his fingers to scratch beneath her chin. "I think I should nickname you trouble, Skye. Regardless of if you're human or a cat, you manage to always cause some."

Skye just mewed happily.

Grant hadn't expected Skye to be much of an outside cat, particularly because she really wasn't interested in being outside as a human. However, she proved him wrong very quickly, following him around all day as he went about his daily tasks. Never once did she try to go back inside, even right now when he was trying to catch them something to eat.

Of course, he had spare food that he kept in case he had an off day, but he'd rather feed Skye something fresh. The jerky just wasn't that great. Even if she was a cat and probably didn't care, he'd still feel bad if he didn't at least try to catch them something fresh.

Turning away from the pond in front of him, Grant scanned the surrounding rocks for some sign of his feline friend. She'd been sunbathing next to him for a while but eventually grown bored and wondered off. Not that he was really surprised; even as a cat she didn't really seem to have much patience.

Glancing around the pond slowly, he finally spotted Skye jumping after the small insects that lived around the pond. Honestly, the little gnats were annoying as hell, so Grant wasn't going to be heart broken if she got rid of a few of them. It was kind of cute to watch her jump after them regardless, from the way she crouched with her tail raised and flicking to the look on her face when she jumped after them. His eyes tracked her as she hopped up onto a rock chasing a particularly large horse fly, her eyes intent on the insect as she readied herself to pounce. Grant realized a second to late her folly, hopping up just as she leapt off the rock after the bug.

And crashed right into the creek the fly had taken off over.

Scrambling along the bank, Grant paused right in the spot where Skye had been just a second ago and nearly fell over laughing. Skye was standing in the middle of the creek looking a cross between horrified and angry. Frantically, she started lifting her paws as if she was trying to escape the water, even going so far as to try to jump to avoid touching it any longer.

Grant quickly stepped into the water, lifting her free of her apparent nemesis and setting her back on the warm rock she'd been sunbathing on earlier to dry. She didn't move as soon as he put her down, eyes locked on the creek like it was her loathed nemesis. It was almost funny, but Grant knew he should probably finish up quickly all the same and get her back to camp. Preferably before she fell back into the water; apparently it was a habit of hers.

Putting two of the fish in his cooler and re-submerging it, he quickly gutted the third fish he'd caught and put it on a metal hanger-like thing he used to suspend his fish so they could dry. Grabbing the rest of his gear, he whistled slightly to catch Skye's attention. She stared back at him, fur still dripping but at least a little bit dryer than it had been before. "Come on Skye, let's get you away from the creek."

She just mewed happily at the idea and quickly padded away from the creek to where he was. He waited until she was right next to him to start down the path back to his camp, Skye following and attempting to catch the fish's tail as they walked. Apparently, she'd forgotten about her wet fur or at least stopped caring. Or she was just happy to be away from the creek.

Seeing her so carefree and happy brought a smile to his face. He hadn't felt this at peace since he woke up naked in her bed after shifting back from being a puppy. It was nice to have the company too, even if that looming sensation that it wouldn't last hung over his head.

Grant shot up in bed, his body tense and adrenaline pumping through his body as a scream cut through the room followed closely by a loud thump. His body hummed with energy that nearly sent him bolting from beneath the covers into an attack position, eyes scanning the room in search of whatever had startled him from his sleep. It took half a second for him to realize Skye was missing from his bed and another to realize his blanket was missing as well. Which seemed like a really, really unlikely coincidence.

Peering over the edge of the cot, Grant almost breathed a sigh of relief as he spotted a very human Skye laying on the floor of the cabin. She looked startled to say the least, eyes blinking up at him in marked disbelief. Then again, it would probably take a few seconds for her to actually figure out what was going on. He remembered being completely confused about what was happening when he'd done his mysterious transformation.

"Skye, are you alright?" asked Grant gently, sliding carefully from his bed to kneel beside her. He should probably be embarrassed by the fact that he was only in his underwear, but it was something he forced out of his mind pretty quickly. She'd seen him in less over the past two days.

"What- where am I? What am I doing here?" demanded Skye, her eyes darting around the room nervously She winced a second later, one hand rising to her head. "Why does my head hurt? Did you drug me?" The last comment was coupled with an angry, distrustful look.

Signing, Grant stood again and offered her a hand up. "No, I didn't drug you, you found me. Also, you dropped a dead bird right where you're sitting this morning, so you might want to stand up."

"I did what?" asked Skye, though she took his hand all the same. Carefully, he helped her up from the ground and guided her to the edge of the bed. "Why would I drag a dead bird in here?"

"Because you were a cat at the time and apparently giving dead animals to people is something cats do," explained Grant with a faint smile, careful to advert his gaze when the blanket Skye had managed to wrap herself in when she fell off the bed slipped a bit. Immediately, he turned to a bag beside his bed and fished out a clean shirt. Or, well, as clean of a shirt as could be found in the woods. He offered it to her without looking. "Here."

He felt her snatch the fabric from his hand, waiting a few seconds before he dared to glance back. She looked pale and shaky, sitting on his bed with his shirt on her shoulders. Not that he blamed her; he remembered his own rude awakening. Moving away from his bag, he grabbed one of the water bottles he kept filled the cabin and offered it to her.

She took it without a word, gulping down about half the bottle before setting it aside. "What the hell happened. Why am I here- is this that cabin you've been living in?"

"Welcome to my old home," replied Grant, coming back to sit carefully beside her. "And you're here because you showed up here about two days ago as a cat."

"A cat?" asked Skye, one of her eyebrows rising in disbelief for half a second before it apparently began to come back to her. At that point, she groaned and buried her face in her hands. "The lab. That weird device..."

"Turned you into a cat just like it turned me into a dog," confirmed Grant with a sigh. "Of course they wouldn't have just one copy."

"I still don't get what use it would be," muttered Skye, rubbing her eyes. He guessed she was probably sore and maybe having some issues adjusting to being human again.

"Do you really want me to break down why turning an agent into an innocent looking animal would be useful if they could make sure the agent retain their original mindset?" asked Grant with a raised eyebrow.

"Point," sighed Skye. Her body sagged against his slightly, head landing on his shoulder. "So you've been taking care of me?"

"For the past two days at least, since you tripped me walking into my camp," replied Grant with a smirk.

"I tripped you?" muttered Skye, her brow furrowing for a moment before a grin slid across her face. "Wait, I remember that. You ended up on your back."

"Yeah," chuckled Grant, carefully sliding his arm around her waist. "Wasn't the only time either."

"Gotta admit though, you looked pretty good naked in the middle of the woods," stated Skye with a smirk.

"Of course you'd remember that," groaned Grant, dropping his face into her shoulder. "I was really hoping you wouldn't."

"You remember taking a shower with me?" asked Skye, though her words were more a statement than a question.

Grant felt his cheeks heat. "Yeah."

"Then think of it as payback," replied Skye simply. "Fair is fair."

"True," admitted Grant quietly, lifting his head from her shoulder. He had to admit, he'd expected her to try to beat the crap out of him once she was back to being human and flee, not sit there discussing her cat-dom with him. "Why aren't you trying to beat the crap out of me and flee?"

"Too tired," replied Skye, yawning slightly and pressing her head further against his shoulder. There was a long pause before she added: "Plus, I trust you not to hurt me."

"Really?" asked Grant, surprise momentarily overwhelming him. That...that hadn't been expected.

"I trust you not to hurt me," repeated Skye, emphasizing the 'me'. "That doesn't mean I trust you in general or even as a partner."

"But you trust me not to hurt you," stated Grant quietly, shock and awe apparent in his voice. "I never would dream of hurting you, Skye."

"If you wanted to, you could have done it pretty easily while I was a cat," pointed out Skye quietly. "Instead, you took care of me. Fed me and tried to keep me safe. Even fished me out of the water. Did you know it's hard to swim as a cat? I think it's the fur."

"It would explain why they don't like water," muttered Grant quietly, his arm shifting around her waist to hold her closer for a moment. He wouldn't be able to do this long; he was pretty sure most of this was some side effect from the transformation. Plus, he'd have to take her back to the bus soon and then get sent back to prison. Still, it was a step towards showing Coulson he was serious about undoing what he did wrong. He'd be willing to go back to prison, if only to prove he was being honest now. It might not help ultimately, but it was something.

"Any way we could go back to sleep?" muttered Skye, her voice starting to soften. "Really tired and I've gotta get back to the bus tomorrow."

"Coulson wanted me to bring you back once you were human," murmured Grant, reaching up to run a hand through her hair.

"He can wait until morning," insisted Skye around a yawn. "Sleep time."

"Sleep time," agreed Grant with a chuckle, carefully shifting them around so they were laying back on the cot. Skye was pretty much on top of him, but he wasn't going to argue. This was probably the last time he'd get to hold her for a very long time, if not forever. "Just don't run off tomorrow without me, please. I promised Coulson I'd bring you back and I intend to keep that promise."

"You know he's gonna send you back to jail, right?" asked Skye, curling close against his side.

"I know," confirmed Grant, drawing her as close as he could and pressing his face to her hair. "But a promise is a promise and I'm done breaking those. I'll bring you back like he asked, then he'll send me off to prison and I'll stay there until Hydra decides to force me out again."

"Maybe we should just keep you at the Playground," muttered Skye, her voice starting to waver as she slipped towards sleep. "Might be safer."

"Maybe that's what he's planning," countered Grant softly, letting his own eyes slide shut. He'd probably wake up in the morning with Skye trying to arrest him after whatever lingering effects from the transformation wore off, but at least he'd have the memory of tonight. And hey, he finally got to find out what it felt like to hold Skye. It was better than he could have ever dreamed.

"When did you talk to AC anyway?" asked Skye, her head lifting slightly as if his words were just now completely sinking in.

"Last night," replied Grant, lifting a hand to slide his fingers through her hair. "He was looking for you but decided to leave you here. Figured you came to me for a reason."

"No clue why," muttered Skye, laying her head back on his shoulder heavily.

Grant shrugged a little, not having an answer either. Still, a smile tugged a his lips as a thought occurred to him. "Well, look at it this was Skye: at least you didn't wake up cuddling Coulson."

The laugh that left Skye's throat was the best thing Grant had ever heard.