Hi guys, so this is our new Skyeward fic. It's going to be a lot darker than our previous stories, and if you're a Coulson fan or a Skye/Lincoln shipper, this is NOT the place for you. We will not be held responsible for any hissy fits from either groups of fans (should Lincoln have any). Let us repeat, this is not a Coulson or Lincoln friendly fic.

However, if you're here for lots of lovely Skyeward, some fluff, some smut, and later on, some FitzSimmons, then stay, grab a drink, and have a seat.

We hope you enjoy the ride! :)

Important note for this fic:

- Ward did not torture Bobbi or Simmons! 33 acted alone, because really, we can't even address the BS that was that storyline.

This fic is a collab with WelshWitch1011.

Sun's Coming Up Too Early My Valentine

"Seven minutes..."

The words tumbled from her lips on the tail end of a pleasured gasp, and she arched her back as his mouth found her neck once again. Threading her fingers through his hair, Skye grunted as her back was slammed against the wall, although not hard enough to cause her actual pain.

His fingers worked quickly and deftly at the zipper of her hoodie, and his right hand slid beneath the hem of her vest top as his left secured her to the wall, fastened to her hip. As he pressed closer to her, the swelling at his groin becoming more evident, she threw back her head and whimpered, all the while grinding against him eagerly.

"Shhhh," he murmured, pausing in his task of trailing kisses along the length of her throat and bare collarbone only long enough to rest a finger against her lips. Skye panted hard, her hands drifting to press against the hard plane of his chest, and she hazarded a smile despite the very real danger of imminent discovery.

"Where's the fun in that, Grant?" she breathed in reply, rising onto her tiptoes and nipping at his bottom lip.

Clasping her arms tighter around his neck, she murmured against his lips as he hoisted one of her legs up around his waist and ground harder against her. The action pulled a high-pitched, needy whimper from her that caused him to chuckle against her mouth.

"You know, Skye, we could just move this to your room," Ward gasped, pausing to catch his breath.

His hand swept over her breasts, dipping into the cup of her bra, and he felt her shudder as she too struggled to regulate her breathing.

"Daisy," she corrected him, a half smile on her face as she practically launched herself at him to initiate another searing kiss. Her head slammed back against the wall as he dragged his lips down her neck, and she bit down on her bottom lip as he paused at one particular spot and began to swirl his tongue around her skin in languid circles.

"Whatever you say... Daisy," he snorted derisively, although his smile was not unkind, and as her hand landed gently against his cheek, he inclined his head and kissed the centre of her palm in a tender gesture.

"You gonna leave me hanging, Grant?" she retorted, cocking her head and finding herself grateful for the chance to catch her breath, which proved to be a short lived reprieve as Ward's hand slid into her leggings and beneath her panties in response.

"Fuck," she gritted her teeth, resting her forehead against his and grasping at his shoulders as she writhed against the frantic pace of his fingers against her clit.

When she couldn't stand his taunting any longer, Skye grabbed the string of Ward's sweatpants and tugged at it insistently. He moved further into the cradle of her hips, letting out a quiet moan of his own when she pushed down his pants and boxers in one fluid move, freeing his erection.

He made short work of her leggings but didn't bother to remove her panties, instead choosing to simply nudge aside the scrap of black lace and slide his member straight into her slick core. Ever obliging, Skye wrapped first one leg around Grant's waist and then the other, and he cupped his hands underneath her rear in order to support her weight. Feet no longer touching the ground, Skye rested her back against the wall of the training room and sighed as he pushed deeper inside her.

Seconds later, she bit down on his bare shoulder in order to silence herself when he began a slow in and out rhythm that sent warm liquid pooling between her thighs.

"Four minutes," Skye hissed as she examined her wristwatch over Ward's shoulder, still mindful of the increasing likelihood that their tryst might be discovered by the next pair set to spar in the gym.

"Can you not do that?" Ward panted, stilling and letting his forehead rest against her temple, a teasing smile blossoming on his face as he added, "sucks the romance right out of it."

Skye grinned, her eyes affixing on his as she arched a dark eyebrow, "This isn't romance, Ward."

Not fazed by her response, Grant shook his head, leaning in closer as he sought out her lips, "Yes, it is."

He kissed her teasingly, tracing his tongue over her lower lip and then pulling away again. Skye slid her palm up his cheek, her thumb caressing the clean shaven line of his jaw in a tender gesture that blatantly disagreed with her previous statement.

"Shut up," she insisted, crashing their lips together once again in a hungry kiss, and whimpering as their hips began frantically moving against the other, and her body met his, thrust for thrust.

Skye groaned, hardly caring any more about the prospect of discovery as she pushed herself harder against Ward, forcing him deeper inside her.

"Close, baby?" Ward teased, his voice husky and his breath warm against her earlobe. His teeth grazed her skin and she whimpered, nodding her head in reply as she found herself unable to speak.

With one strong arm still fixed under Skye's rear, Grant pushed her sports bra up to her neck, exposing her breasts and allowing him to dip his head in order to fasten his lips around her left nipple. Skye panted as Ward's tongue lapped insistently at the sensitive bud, and she let loose a cry that was louder than she had anticipated when she felt a familiar warmth building between her legs and in the pit of her stomach.

"Don't... stop..." she hissed, slamming her eyes closed and gripping Ward's shoulders tighter. In response, his thrusts grew firmer and more frenzied, and he grazed his teeth slightly over the peak of Skye's nipple, smiling against her skin as her entire body grew tense and he felt her walls beginning to flutter around his length.

She came with a loud cry of his name escaping her lips, and Ward hurriedly raised his head and kissed her hard, muffling her drawn out yelp. Spurred on by the sound of his name tumbling from her and the sensation of her muscles clamping down around him, he followed her over the edge a few hurried thrusts later, subduing his own moans of pleasure by sucking down on her shoulder as he released inside her .

The couple stilled their movements, each still holding on fiercely to the other as they gasped for air, trembling hands caressing and tracing warm skin. Carefully, Ward released her from his grasp, allowing her to stand on shaking legs as they rearranged clothing and tried to look as inconspicuous as possible. He watched her tug down her sports bra, and she rolled her eyes as he reached out to help her, letting his fingertips wander the curve of her breast whilst his eyes greedily drank in the sight of her naked flesh.

On impulse, Skye leaned up to kiss him, although this time fuelled by something other than purely desire. Her fingers weaved through the short dark hair at the nape of his neck, and she smiled as he nuzzled his nose against hers before planting a kiss on the tip.

"Guess I should get back to kicking your ass, now," she goaded, laughing as he snatched a final kiss and then released her from his embrace. Stepping back from her, his dark eyes never leaving her face, he crooked his finger at her in a 'come-hither' gesture and smirked that infuriating smile that she had somehow strangely come to love.

"Bring it, baby."

Chuckling, Skye tightened her sloppy ponytail and gestured for Grant to move back over to the mats that had been laid out and yet quickly abandoned for their training session.

"Are you sure you're ready, Rookie?" she taunted, poking her tongue out at Grant mischievously as he pretended to appear affronted by her barb.

His playful retort was poised on his lips when the door of the training room was flung open and Bobbi sauntered in, Hunter striding in her wake with his duffel bag slung over one shoulder. Both were dressed for a workout and, as Mockingbird sneered in abject disgust in Ward's general direction, Skye realised that their session had undoubtedly come to an end. She let out a barely audible sigh, her heart sinking just a little as she realised that it was time to go back to the cleverly upheld pantomime that she and Ward were acting out, where they were neither lovers nor particularly firm friends.

Ward glanced between the newcomers and Skye, disappointment seizing him as he quipped, "Guess it's time to hit the showers, huh boss?!"

Skye bobbed her head, practically biting the inside of her cheek as she caught the blatantly suggestive glint in his eyes.

"We'll pick this up tomorrow, Agent Ward."

"Yes, ma'am," he replied, grabbing up his towel and water bottle, and openly staring at Skye as she did the same. His eyes ran over her figure as he snapped open the top of his bottle and then downed a large mouthful of the now warm water.

Bobbi threw her bag down beside him, intercepting his gaze and planting her hands on her hips. She had of course not detected the affectionate expression on his face, and had instead intercepted his appreciation of Skye's lithe yet pleasantly curvy figure.

"Give it up, Ward. That ship has well and truly sailed," Bobbi sniped, folding her arms across her chest as Ward threw his towel over his shoulder and strolled past her, arrogant swagger in tact despite her jibes.

Unable to resist, and with a smile twitching at his lips, Ward bent his head and caught her attention, "Oh, that ship's gone down, Morse. All the way down."

Blinking in confusion, Bobbi watched Grant retrieve his belongings and, after a mock salute in Skye's direction, slip outside the gym and into the corridor. The glower on Bobbi's face was enough to sour milk, and Skye pointedly kept her gaze fixed to her gym bag as she scrambled to stuff her towel and hoodie inside.

"I don't know how you can stand having that asshole touch you," remarked Bobbi, tilting her head as she watched Skye suddenly fumble and drop her bag onto the ground, spilling its contents at her own feet. Cursing, Skye stooped down and began shoving items back into her duffel, shooting Bobbi a small smile as she moved to help.

"Wh-what do you mean?" Skye inquired, pointedly avoiding Bobbi's gaze and hoping sincerely that the red blush rising up the apples of her cheeks could be mistaken for a product of exertion.

"Combat training," Bobbi clarified, shaking her head and blowing out a breath from between puffed out cheeks, "I'm telling you, Daisy, I'm surprised you've managed to stop yourself from putting two in the middle of his smug face."

"Those aren't my orders," Skye replied, finally meeting Morse's gaze, which contained a level of unparalleled hostility that caused her heart to skip a beat.

Skye stared down suddenly at her wrist as Bobbi reached out and curled her fingers around the younger woman's arm.

"Don't let him get to you, Daisy. You know as well as I do that he can't be trusted. The only reason he's here is because Coulson felt guilty for what happened. That parasite should have killed him, he should be dead now. FitzSimmons dragged that Hive thing out of his ass because Coulson wanted to sleep at night. But Ward doesn't deserve your pity, and he sure as hell doesn't deserve your friendship."

"Ward and I aren't friends," Skye insisted, tugging her arm free and glowering at Bobbi, "but it was my call to bring him in to the Caterpillars, and he's proving himself..."

Bobbi interrupted her with a wry smile and a gust of laughter that made Skye halt in her tracks.

"Please, Daisy. We all see how he looks at you, it makes me want to vomit. He may be loyal to you for now... but can you honestly say he's loyal to S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

Skye pretended to ponder the query for only a moment before she hoisted her bag up onto her shoulder and glared at the Specialist.

"I don't know, Bobbi. I guess you're the expert on that."

Skye strolled out of the gym, ignoring the thunderous glare Hunter shot her with aplomb.

"Save it, Hunter," she snapped, letting the door slam closed behind her with a resounding crash that aptly displayed her rage.

Exchanging dark looks as the door was left swinging in Skye's wake, Bobbi and Hunter moved over to the training mats and, still dwelling on their mutual hatred of the man who had succeeded in dividing the base, begin their usual training routine with just a touch more venom than normal.

x-x-x

Grant fumbled with the lock on his door, attempting to ignore the fatigue that was clouding his mind as he struggled to slide the key card into the mechanism. He groaned and rolled his eyes as the red light on the side of the machine once again winked at him, denying him entrance to his own sanctuary, and ensuring that it was becoming increasingly more likely that he would run into yet another agent who hated him as he was forced to loiter in the hallway.

Although he was certain he deserved their black looks and muttered threats, and as many insults as they cared to throw at him, he was fresh from his latest session with his therapist, and he was bone weary. He hated talking about the thing that had invaded his flesh and rendered him a murderous puppet, perhaps more than he had ever detested reliving his childhood, or the abuse he had suffered at Garrett's hands, but his psychiatrist never seemed to be satisfied until he had been reduced to a quivering emotional wreck on her couch. His most recent appointment had been no different, and Grant could still feel the dried tear tracks that stained his cheeks, making his skin feel as though it had grown tighter against his cheekbones.

Gritting his teeth as he grew frustrated with the lock mechanism, he swiped the card one final time and was relieved to see the light flash green. He opened the door with mounting unease as he detected the presence of another inside the room. His senses seemed to come alive all at once, and he stilled his hand on the door handle as he steadied his nerves.

The last thing he needed was Coulson breathing down his neck for not being able to control his powers, which could be destructive to say the least. However, as his eyes swept the dimly lit room and halted upon the figure stretched out on his bed, he breathed a sigh of relief, finding himself powerless to thwart the smile tugging at his lips.

He closed the door behind him with a gentle click, locking it behind him for good measure - a habit he was loathed to admit he had adopted since returning to the Playground. There were just too many people he assumed wanted him dead for him to risk taking chances, except for the woman smiling back at him, who was quite possibly the only person he implicitly trusted any more. It was an ironic turn of events, given their turbulent history together.

"Whattup?" Skye greeted him, blushing slightly at her quip, which harked back to a time long past.

Ward shrugged off his jacket and tossed it onto a nearby chair before removing his wallet and phone from his jeans pocket, and then placing them next to each other on the dresser.

"You don't need to check up on me, Skye," he said, his tone not unkind as he turned to meet her gaze. Both confused and slightly irritated by his assumption, Skye shrugged and gestured to the night-stand, where a plate with a metal cover sat waiting for him, along with a can of soda.

"I wasn't. I brought you dinner since I figured you wouldn't have had a chance to eat yet. I just... I thought you and I could spend some time together."

Ward finally spotted her laptop and the bag of chips nestling on the bed next to her, and he closed his eyes as realisation and regret washed over him in perfect sync.

"But... I can go if you'd rather be alone. No big deal," she muttered with a small shrug, and he knew from both her tone and her body language that it was indeed a very big deal.

As Skye brushed past him, heading towards the door, Ward spun around and captured her hand, which he drew into his chest quickly.

"Stay," he murmured, swallowing hard as he added, "please?"

Nodding, although somewhat more subdued than she had been when he had first entered the room, Skye moved into Ward's arms and embraced him. Surprised but pleased, Ward pulled her into his chest, his hand cupping the back of her head as he leaned down and brushed a kiss against her crown.

"Tough day?" Skye inquired, doing her best to keep her tone light and breezy, although Grant could easily tell that she had grown tense by the way she kept shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

"No more so than usual," Grant replied, sighing and beginning to rake his fingers gently through to the ends of Skye's hair. It was growing at an astounding rate, already well past her shoulders and snaking down her back in thick, glossy waves. He much preferred it to the close cropped style she had sported when he had first returned to S.H.I.E.L.D.; it made her seem not only younger and softer around the edges, but also somewhat more carefree.

"How was therapy?" she pressed, arching an eyebrow as she drew back in order to evaluate him with just a single probing look. Ward cowed immediately, his fingers tightening on her back and a sudden darkness crashing across his features with alarming speed. He found it much harder these days to lock down his emotions, as though the thing that had squatted inside him had picked and chipped away at his carefully constructed armour until it had been decimated. His lips twitched and he sucked in a harsh breath as he attempted to replace the mask of the Specialist, but it seemed that his errant emotions just wouldn't comply these days. Sometimes, when he was in Skye's presence, he was half convinced that this was only a good thing; at others, he feared that one day it might cost him everything that he had come to hold dear.

"Hey, it's okay," Skye soothed, reaching up and touching his forehead, "we don't have to talk about it yet. Just... One day, when you're ready."

Ward swallowed hard, drawing her hand back towards his lips and kissing it repeatedly. He interwove their fingers tightly, his thumb brushing her wrist, and he watched in evident surprise as she placed her free hand to his chest and swept her palm over the firm muscle and bone beneath his shirt.

Her mind flashed back to images of him strapped to a metal table, his agonised cries piercing her ears as Fitz and Simmons, clad in bio-hazard suits, worked on him with evident duress. No trace of the creature, or indeed even the hint of a scar, marred Ward's skin now, almost as though his entire body had been made new again. His mind, on the other hand, was proving more difficult to heal.

"Skye... don't," he said darkly, not wanting to follow her down the path her thoughts had taken.

Skye blinked rapidly, allowing her gaze to tick between his face and the plate of food she had stolen away for him.

"You should eat something. Then maybe we can watch a movie?"

Stroking his fingers down her cheek, he bobbed his head in ready agreement. "Sounds good. But... won't they be looking for you?"

Shaking her head, Skye allowed him to fold her into his arms, and she rested her forehead on his chest with a contended sigh that surprised even herself.

"I don't care. I... I thought I'd stay here tonight, if that's okay with you?" she smiled teasingly, fairly confident that Grant was not about to protest against her sleeping in his bed. She sincerely hoped he wouldn't anyway, or the fact that she'd already set her toothbrush down next to the sink in the adjoining bathroom would prove highly embarrassing.

Ward appeared startled at the suggestion, his eyes widening infinitesimally. Slowly, he nodded, although the hopeful expression spread across his face wavered.

"Are you sure?" he checked, unable to help himself from reaching out and tucking an errant strand of hair behind her ear. Skye beamed in response, leaning into the warmth of his fingertips.

"Of course I'm sure," she scoffed, arching a brow as though daring him to challenge her. However, still the pragmatist, Ward took a deep breath and quelled his own desire momentarily.

"What about Bobbi and Hunter?"

"They're not invited," Skye replied, chuckling as Ward let out a sigh and rolled his eyes, although his apparent annoyance was clearly feigned.

Her arms looped around his neck and Ward slid his hands around her waist automatically, pulling her closer despite the troubled expression playing across his features.

"Why are you risking all of this for me, Skye?" he asked, glancing at the as yet untouched plate of food and then the laptop she had managed to sneak into his room. Taken aback by the question, Skye shook her head, suddenly finding herself uncharacteristically lost for words.

Contemplating her developing feelings for Grant Ward made her head spin, yet despite all that had transpired between them, and the pain they had both caused each other, she knew one thing to be true; she now understood. She knew how this abused and battered young boy came to be the man that had betrayed her. She understood that cruelty and evil had followed Ward for all of his days, even until his untimely demise, which in itself had been totally devoid of mercy. Now, with the option to start over again, Skye wanted to give him the chances that had previously been denied to him. And if she had somehow managed to fall in love with him once again, perhaps it was just meant to be. They were alike in so many ways, and Skye was all too aware that it was only the natures of the influential figures in their lives that had made that vital difference.

Almost choking on a desperately formulated response, Skye finally lifted her gaze to his.

"Because I'm not giving up on you this time. Maybe I think you're worth the effort?!"

She slid her fingertips around the back of his neck and pulled him closer until their lips were almost touching, and yet still Grant appeared uneasy.

"There's a darkness inside me, Skye."

Her lips ghosted his, and she allowed their foreheads to meet.

"There's a darkness inside us all, Grant. I feel it coiling up inside of me sometimes, and I wonder if it's part of me... like my dad... like my mom. You don't know how they all looked at me when I got my powers, like I was dangerous, like I was a monster."

Ward clasped the back of her head and held her closer, her words pricking at his heart.

"You could never be a monster, Skye. I think you're... spectacular," wisps of a smile tugged at his lips as he recalled watching her unleash her powers for the very first time.

Skye smiled a self-conscious smile, preferring to turn the conversation back onto Ward once again.

"Stop questioning this, Grant. I'm here because I want to be and if they find out, we deal with it. I'm not going anywhere so get used to it. This isn't about sex for me..." she grinned, striving to lighten the moment, "although I was totally hoping tonight could be a 'Netflix and chill' kind of deal."

Consenting to a genuine smile, Ward bobbed his head in agreement before leading Skye over to the bed by the hand and watching as she settled herself back against his pillows. Her fingers were soon dancing across the keyboard of her laptop as she searched for something to occupy their time, and their thoughts; something that would keep the darkness at bay for them both for just a little while.

"Eat up," Skye coaxed, eyes still glued to her screen as she gestured wildly with one hand towards the plate, "or your mush will get cold."

"You make it sound so appetising," Grant replied, shaking his head as he gingerly lifted the lid off the plate and frowned at the unidentifiable brown goop that greeted him.

"Simmons cooked," Skye said, almost apologetically.

"At least I know it's not just me she's trying to kill," he returned, lifting a forkful of the chilli to his lips and then chewing and swallowing with a wince.

Skye nodded absently, her lips twisting into a frown as she replied through a sigh.

"Except for Lincoln. They're besties right now. At least, until she finishes up that cure and he can go home and quit being a freak," she continued bitterly.

Clicking on a romantic comedy with a slightly devious grin, Skye opened the bag of chips and shoved her hand inside with the most dramatic of rustles. She felt the bed dip beside her as Ward moved closer, and she blinked as she turned and found herself almost nose to nose with him.

"You're not a freak," he replied patiently, for perhaps the thousandth time that week alone. "Lincoln's a fucking idiot."

"You hate him, anyway," Skye scoffed, laughing as she fell back in his arms and they arranged themselves against the headboard.

"Maybe," Ward grunted, displaying absolutely no remorse over the fact. A frown creased his features, and the distaste was evident in his tone. "I don't like thinking about... you and him."

Skye sighed, laying her head on his chest and glancing up at him with a reassuring and yet vaguely teasing smirk.

"Ward, seriously, Lincoln and I lasted all of five minutes. I mean, literally..." she grimaced for effect, poking him in the ribs and watching as a characteristically smug smile appeared on his face at her inference.

"Can we please just watch the movie, now?" Skye grumbled, tossing her hair over her shoulder and sighing.

"I'm here with you..." she murmured softly, lifting her head and leaning up into a kiss as Grant obliged by craning his neck, "and that's exactly where I want to be. So let's just pretend to watch this probably crap-tastic movie so I can get into your pants, 'kay?!"

A rumble of laughter vibrated beneath her cheek, and she smiled contentedly as she felt his hand curl around her hip. His breath drifted across the shell of her ear and she shivered in delight.

"Well, when you put it like that..."

The next ninety minutes passed by in a blur of whispered affirmations and warm skin against skin, and neither one of them regretted a single second.