I know I'm late getting to the party, but I had to write this out. It wouldn't leave me alone. This is my first Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. story, so tell me what you think.

Suffice to say, I will be changing some things. Some more than others. Oh, this is an AU of Season 2.

Disclaimer: I do not own Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. or any of the characters therein.

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The light of the screen haunted her; no matter how she sought to ignore it, her mind refused to allow her to rest. Skye angrily and bitterly snapped the bedsheets away and stomped towards the computer at her small desk. It was the same, just as it always. Every night - and when she could secretly find time during the day away from prying eyes - she had to look at it, look at him. It was infinitely better than the haunting picture of Donnie Gill that threatened to drown her.

The pixelated image of Ward met her gaze, and she slowly pulled her laptop towards her: she walked back to her bed, thoughts of sleep vanishing from her mind. Skye curled her arms around her knees and watched the live feed to Vault D. Her sense of time drifted and inevitably, so too did her mind, catapulted back to better days before everything broke around her because Hydra was full of Nazi-loving scumbags. That included Ward and Garrett. Skye still didn't understand, and she tried and tried to figure it out. After the shock wore off and after she was able to even think about Ward without crying, she decided to get to the heart of the story. But as far as Coulson and May were concerned, the only story to tell is that Ward was a traitor and under the orders of Garrett, who they called other words, betrayed them and nearly killed Fitz and Simmons.

Skye had tried - oh, how she had tried! - to accept that version of events, but the truth mattered to her. The Rising Tide had wanted to spread the truth, dig until it was uncovered, and that was ingrained in her. What followed was a secret search into Garrett and Ward, anything that she could get her hands on, but there was hardly anything. Especially on Ward. Not even into his childhood from his rich family; it was like he had never existed to them. That told her far more about his family than she felt comfortable admitting, but she needed to know more, to understand! Her erasure of his identity before she had learned the truth came back to bite her - if there had ever been anything to find - but in comparison to Ward, there was a lot more on Garrett that she dug up.

Most of it were things she already knew, how Garrett was a brilliant Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. trained by Fury himself, and the details of his injury through which he became the first Deathlok. What had really interested her were the mandatory, annual psychological evaluations about Garrett that S.H.I.E.L.D. administered. Skye had been forever fooled by Garrett and the worse thing was that she had liked Garrett - liked him a lot! The charm and humor of who she had considered a good man were undeniable and riveting, and she had been relieved to read that the Psychologists graded him as a tremendous social influencer. Reading further through years-worth of evaluations, she learned of Garrett's apparent resentment towards S.H.I.E.L.D. that no one did anything about and how his charm and extroverted persona were defense mechanisms to conceal the rage that he felt.

Always, without fail, in each evaluation after Garrett became Ward's S.O., Ward would someone enter the conversation - usually brought up by the monster or Psychologist. It was apparent and sickening how Garrett would brag about Ward and Skye often slammed her computer shut in bitter rage before she could resume her research. Through reading what she could find, she sometimes thought she could understand why Ward followed Garrett, since they had been on so many missions together, but every time she contemplated it, she always cried.

It also forced her to wonder how blind S.H.I.E.L.D. and even Coulson were to miss what was right in front of them for years.

Unable to keep thinking about Garrett, while keeping the live feed of Vault D, she pulled the video on Ward's psychological evaluation that was conducted weeks ago. Watching the scene once again, Skye sighed as the S.H.I.E.L.D. Doctor sat across from a restrained Ward.

"We're going to start with simple word associations, Mr. Ward."

"One potato, two potato, then?" Ward's raspy voice was sarcastic, and she continued to feel amazed that he knew sarcasm and could pull it off well; more of him that he had hidden from her. "How fun."

"Something like that. Tell me the first word that appears in your mind. For example, I might say 'Day' and you might say- "

"Pointless."

"Very well… Knife."

"Wound."

"Gun."

"Shot."

"Agent."

"Tool."

"S.H.I.E.L.D."

"Incompetent."

"Hydra."

"S.H.I.E.L.D."

"Woman."

"Skye."

"Man."

"Target."

"Coulson."

"Fool."

"May."

"Bitch."

"Skye."

"Peace."

"Fitz."

On the screen, Ward's sigh was audible. "Monkey."

"Simmons."

"Fitz."

"Sunlight."

"Warmth."

"Fire."

"Deadly."

"Betrayal."

"Common."

"Murder."

"Employment."

"Ophelia."

Ward reacted, a tenseness entering his frame, "Monster."

"Alfred."

"Monster."

"Garrett." On the screen, Ward paused for several moments, and the Doctor leaned forward with more insistence. "Garrett."

"Savior."

"Christian."

"Satan."

"Thomas." Again, Ward didn't answer and the Doctor forcefully repeated, "Thomas."

"Done."

The deadly tone in Ward's voice, in spite of watching the word test before, still incurred shivers in Skye; she had never heard him sound that way, not even during the Berserker Staff. His reaction to his brothers told her that the stories about his family were never falsified; they were monsters, just as he had called his father and mother.

She exited the video and reread the S.H.I.E.L.D. Psychologist's recommendation again: Subject displays a deep penchant for violence, fueled by endless vicious rage and a lethal skill set beyond that of any prior patient. The subject's pathological rejection of authority stems from unresolved childhood trauma, which has left the subject profoundly emotionally-damaged. Childhood trauma and emotional scarring have led the subject to dissociate and compartmentalize beyond healthy boundaries. The subject conceals much from my ability to gather a working picture, and there is more to the story. To understand and rehabilitate, the subject should begin immediate therapy. If therapy is successful - and it is my personal belief that, while a tremendously long process that could last years, treatment would succeed - the subject has the potential to be reformed and enter society as a contributing force for good. Still, until then, permanent incarceration is advised.

Skye blinked and focused back on the pixelated image of Ward in Vault D, and she saw what she always did. Ward was still and only moved around to work-out; he usually sat on the bed, staring at the wall. However, as she had noticed, Ward would frequently turn his head about 45 degrees to the right and stare; sometimes, he even seemed to be talking but Skye was never sure.

Eventually, as she usually did, she became antsy; she swallowed as Donnie Gill's image began to pound against her skull, and quickly hacked into the S.H.I.E.L.D. cameras. Only hesitating a moment, she set the cameras on a loop from the past fifteen minutes and left her room. Doubt was heavy in her mind, but the image of Donnie Gill was becoming more persistent; she needed to talk to someone and right now, there was only one person who she could think of who wouldn't judge her or be disappointed in her reaction.

The Playground was empty and Skye wondered at the lax security, but she realized it was because S.H.I.E.L.D. was so undermanned. Finally, when she arrived at Vault D, she stood frozen for several moments. Gathering her courage, she typed in the code and entered, softly going down the stone steps. The energy barrier greeted her and she stood there, rethinking what she was doing, but she impulsive switched the barrier to transparent before she could regret it.

Ward stared back at her, eyebrows raised; he didn't say anything.

"I have the cameras on a loop," she tried to meet his eyes. "Nobody knows I'm down here."

"This is new," he observed dryly, face a mask of boredom.

Skye frowned, the stark change stunning her. What happened? Since when did Ward conceal his emotions and thoughts from her? When she had first come down to interrogate him to get information about Hydra, he had been an open-book and the worst part was that she hadn't seen a monster. Only a desperate man who claimed to love her. The problem was that she hadn't wanted to see that; she wanted to believe him to be nothing more than a family-betraying monster. Now, as she stared at him, Skye couldn't even get a read on Ward. This what she had wanted, but now that it was out of her grasp, she missed the openness and it brought new sorrow, and to distract herself, she observed this new version of him.

The beard on Ward's face still seemed alien and it made him look more dangerous. Adding that to his immense size and power drawn into his body, it forced her to think. Since his imprisonment, Ward had beefed-up a lot and he looked so much stronger. It was strange because she knew that he was fed terribly and she had looked at the live feed many times. Sometimes, he wouldn't even eat the food served. How did he gain so much muscle, and why does he look more in-shape than when he wasn't imprisoned?

"Coulson trying a new tactic, Skye? First, Fitz and now you. It's not going to work. Not unless I allow it to. I'm done playing. Fitz opened my eyes."

"I don't know why I came down here," she muttered. "Would you prefer Fitz? You saw what you did to him firsthand. He's different because of you."

"It's not my decision who comes down to talk to me." Ward's eyes shone with intrigue, "You don't know, do you?"

"Know what, Ward?"

"What Fitz did when he came down here."

"He got you to talk about brainwashing. About Donnie Gill."

"Nobody gets me to talk about anything unless I want to talk. Do you know what he did? How he 'got me to talk,' Skye?"

Skye suddenly felt unsure although she tried to keep it from showing on her face; she didn't know what he was talking about. "What are you talking about?"

Ward nodded knowingly, "Coulson didn't tell you. Of course, he wouldn't. He isn't telling you a lot, is he?"

"Tell me what?" She demanded, "What did Fitz do?"

"Fitz and I talked." Something crossed over Ward's features but she didn't know what it was. "I was happy to see him. It made me realize some things."

"You don't deserve happiness," she snapped. "You deserve to rot down here for- "

"I gave him, both of them, a fighting chance. They survived. You know it. You all know it."

Skye took a step back, "This was a mistake. I don't know why I came down here. I thought- "

"You want to understand," Ward shrugged carelessly. "Perhaps you miss me."

"You don't know that," her face went red with anger.

"You really don't know how they train us, do you? Of course, Coulson wouldn't tell you. He's doing a lot of that, isn't he? All he cares about is keeping the benevolent image. I'm a Specialist, Skye. I kill, infiltrate, seduce, gather information, and so much more. At the Academy, all Specialists learn many skills and among those are skills usually reserved for shrinks. John taught me better than some of those instructors."

At the mention of Garrett, and how easily Ward could talk about that monster, Skye's ire erupted. It didn't help that she felt the weight of Donnie Gill bearing down on her. "You lied to us! You murdered Koenig! And Hand!"

"That's what you're mad about? Hand? Koenig was an idiot, but Hand was a bitch; she deserved it."

"You can't murder people, Ward!" Skye swallowed and desperately tried to ignore the image of Donnie Gill in her head, the phantom feeling of holding the gun and pulling the trigger, the thunderous force erupting through her mind at the echoing gunshot. "That's what monsters do!"

Ward raised his brows and a bark of laughter escaped his lips; the sound was so foreign that Skye froze. "I'm done trying to win you over. Fitz made me realize things. Maybe you'll understand bluntness. No more, what is it, kids gloves."

"What are you- "

"Only monsters kill, Skye? Really? What is it you think that May does? Tripp? Even Coulson? What does S.H.I.E.L.D. do? They kill! They murder. What do you think you'll be doing?" Skye hoped that Ward didn't see her flinch, but she knew he saw everything. "All Agents kill and that's how they get paid. Murder means employment in this world. Why else are mercenaries so sought after? You've entered it and you chose to stay. You could've walked away, started a new life. You could've helped me and John, and then we would have- "

"I wouldn't help monsters, Ward," she interrupted in disgust. "That's what people like you- "

"Look who you've been helping these past months, Skye. Everyone's the same. To be part of this life you chose to stay in, you need to learn a lot. You still have a long way to go. All the progress that you think you've made is insignificant. Coulson and May won't be honest with you, but I will."

"You're Hydra," she shot back angrily. "You nearly killed Fitz and Simmons! You gave Fitz brain damage!"

"They're alive, aren't they?" Ward finally reacted and it was disconcerting; his eyes were dark and he glanced to his right for a moment. "I know exactly what I did. Fitz reminded me more than you ever could. But they're alive. Not dead."

"You dropped them out of the Bus!"

"Yet they're alive. For some reason, that seems to never click in any of your dense skulls. Has it ever crossed your mind why you're still alive? Why any of you are? Coulson? May? FitzSimmons? Tripp? If I'm such a monster, shouldn't I have crossed each of you off a list? Believe me, it would have been easy. But you're all miraculously alive. Those are some rigged odds, Skye. The numbers don't add up when one of the parameters is that I'm a monster."

Skye's lips parted and she shuddered before she shook her head. "You're manipulating me, changing the narrative to- "

"I could have killed any of you anytime I wanted." Ward stared at her intently and Skye stiffened, for she suddenly understood that he was telling the truth. "You've wanted to know the truth your entire life, well here's the truth about this: I had so many opportunities that I can't even remember them all, and my memory is long and great. FitzSimmons are alive because of me." Ward whirled around and he began to pace back and forth; he looked like the ultimate predator, muscles tight and coiled. "John, he wanted them dead. Ask yourself something, Skye: If John wanted them gone, why are they still alive? Why are any of you alive? I held a gun to May's back and she was none the wiser but I decided not to pull the trigger." Ward's hand came up to his throat, a flash of dark rage crossing his face. "My weakness came back to haunt me. Never again."

Skye could barely breathe, "You drowned- "

"They locked themselves in there. Did they tell you that?"

"They were trying to escape from you!"

"Maybe. I could have tried to override the lock, but I didn't. I could have put a bullet between their eyes the moment I saw them instead of chasing them, but I didn't. Why didn't I do that, Skye? Either of those options? Ask yourself. Go ahead."

"You- you cared," she whispered, for it was the only thing that made sense; the realization was blinding.

Ward's eyes shut briefly before they opened. "Yes. I cared."

Skye leaned forward in desperation; she needed to know! "Then why did you do it? Why did you do all of it?"

She watched as Ward looked to his right, staring at the wall for what felt like an eternity before he answered. "John needed me."

Disgust filled her at the same answer he continued to tell her. "Was it worth it?"

"No," his raspy words surprised her - and to her inward dismay, gave her hope. "It wasn't. For years, I waited for Hydra to leave the shadows but when the moment arrived, there was no happiness. I've never cared for Hydra even though they cared about me. Everything I did was to help John and when I finally did what I swore to do all of those years ago, it wasn't how I thought it would be. John, he went insane. The GH-325, it fucked his mind. He wasn't there anymore, not the John I knew." The pure sorrow and regret in Ward's voice stole Skye's breath and she realized once again that Ward wasn't unfeeling; he felt deeply, no matter how wrongly. "I don't understand. It worked on Coulson; it brought him back from death," his gorgeous eyes locked onto her and she swallowed. "It saved you, but… why not John? I did what I needed to, but it brought nothing but chaos. No peace. I saved John only to ensure the loss of his mind. Now you hate me. Everyone hates me. Fitz tried to kill me. May wants to- "

"What?" Skye gasped before she angrily snarled. "You're lying! Fitz- "

"You can find the video," Ward sounded tired. "When he came down earlier, he drained the oxygen out of the cell. That's what he did. I had no air to breathe. That's how he 'got me to talk' about brainwashing."

Skye blinked in disbelief, not believing him for a second. "Well, then you know how Fitz felt after you- "

"Yes. I do know. I deserved it, but he couldn't go through with it. Part of me wanted him to."

"You're lying," she shook her head. "You're just trying to manipulate me."

Ward only looked at her, "You think you know everything, just as everyone else does, but you're the only one who is open enough to learn. I've been trying to- "

"I read your S.H.I.E.L.D. evaluation. You lie as easily as you breathe. You're like- like Loki. Coulson said- "

"Coulson is a fool, Skye. He doesn't know anything. He thinks he has it all worked out in that head of his, but his understanding is just like his self-declared sympathy: Nonexistent."

"Coulson is a better man than you or Garrett could- "

"Why are you here?" Ward interrupted with a tilt of his head. "You came here for a reason. It wasn't to understand. I've already tried to explain it to you, but you're unreceptive. What is it? What happened?"

Skye's chest tightened as Donnie Gill haunted her; she squeezed her eyes shut, feeling overwhelmed. "Nothing. This was… a mistake."

"You came for a reason, Skye. Whatever's wrong, you recognize th- "

"I don't need you, Ward," she hissed. "I shouldn't have come down here. I can handle it. Without you."

"Don't be like them, Skye," her eyes widened at his raspy words. "It's killing you; that's what the training does. It's conformity and until you resemble what they want you to be, you will always be a failure."

"Speaking from experience, Ward?" Skye snarked angrily; she wrapped her arms around her chest because his words sounded too much like the truth.

"I know you, Skye."

"You know nothing."

"They're trying to turn you into May." Ward tilted his head, "That's who they have you with now. I can tell. She's your new S.O."

"May's not my S.O." Skye swallowed, bitter that this asshole made her feel such emotions, made her want to understand. "I haven't picked a new S.O., but I know what I must do. I'm an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D."

"And where will that get you? A blood-soaked ditch? What happens when you meet someone like me out there?" Ward's eyes were mesmerizing and she was unable to look away. "You don't want that. You haven't seen the worst of man. You think you have, but you haven't. I would crush you if you meant nothing to me. You have never encountered a true monster. Only assholes."

"Describing yourself, Ward?" Skye rushed out, trying to keep those too-truthful words from affecting her. "You're pretty good at it."

"I'm the best. And you've come to me. Why?"

"I don't know!" Turning away from him, Skye questioned everything; Ward's words echoed in her mind. "I can't talk about it to anyone. May… is May. She'd preach control. Coulson, he'd be disappointed, and he's been… acting strangely; he's not the same. Tripp would report everything to Coulson. There's no one who- who I can talk to. Fitz is… he's not there, and Jemma's gone. Because of you!"

"Tell me what happened, Skye," Ward's words were soft, gentle. "You know why you came down here. You know why you came to see me. I can help you. I'm the only one."

Skye swallowed and her hands shook; her heart raced rapidly and the tears were thick. "I- I killed someone."

When she turned back around, Ward looked sad, but not surprised. "I was wondering when you would."

"What?" She demanded, enraged. "You- you knew?"

"That's what they do. That's how it works. As an Agent, you kill people, regardless if you're a Specialist or not. It's, what do you call it, a rite of passage. You think Coulson hasn't killed people? He has. Quite a few, actually."

Skye breathed heavily, tears leaking out of her eyes. "I just… I pulled the trigger. And then Donnie Gill fell; he di- didn't get up."

Ward's eyes softened and Skye welcomed it even though she shouldn't. "They never tell you how easy it is to pull the trigger, to kill. I'm sorry you were forced to make that decision."

"But I shouldn't have made it!" Tears blurred her vision and she hastily wiped them away but they were replaced just as quickly. "I- I chose wrong. And I can't take that back. It's permanent. Donnie Gill's dead because of me."

"I'm sorry, Skye."

"What- what do I do? How do I…?"

"You accept it. You can't change it. As you said, it's permanent. Men have been killing each other since humanity's birth. Murder wouldn't have a name if it wasn't common. That's what people do. They die, and whether that death happens at a different time than what was originally supposed to happen, it doesn't matter because death is inevitable."

"It didn't stop Garrett!"

Ward ignored her, "A lot of the time, people believe they can kill someone, but until they're confronted by that opportunity, they honestly have no idea. I didn't know until I was in that situation."

Skye stared at him, not even attempting to hide her emotions because she'd fail. She also ignored his perverted outlook on life; although, it made some sense. "How- how old were you? When you first killed someone?"

Ward stared at her silently before sighing. "Fifteen. I was fifteen-years-old."

"Fifteen?" Skye blinked, her horror leaving her just as quickly as it appeared. "You're lying. It would've been in your file- "

"It was a test," Ward interrupted, eyes looking through her; it was disconcerting and a little bit fascinating. "John liked tests. I didn't know who he was, or what he did. I didn't care. I didn't want to know. Because then it would have humanized him. My hands, they didn't shake, and I blew his brains out. John was proud of me, and his pride smothered my remorse."

"My hands shook before I fired, but I got him," she whispered, arms wrapped around her stomach before what he said clicked. "What? You- you knew Garrett when you were… fifteen?"

"He saved me. From my family and myself."

"No," she shook her head, a seed of hysteria blossoming in her mind because what if he was telling the truth? It would be beyond anything that she had ever concocted in her mind. "That's- that's not true. You're lying. Again. It's what you're best at. Garrett became your S.O. at the Academy. I read your file before I erased everything."

"You think that S.H.I.E.L.D. knew everything? They didn't know about Hydra. They didn't know about a lot. They didn't know how many moles Hydra planted in their upper ranks. They still don't know," Ward shook his head in disappointment. "There are still traitors in S.H.I.E.L.D., but Coulson's too naive to see it."

Skye swallowed and she ignored the part about traitors; she yearned to understand, to know about what happened between Ward and Garrett. "But Garrett was your S.O.."

"He was always going to be my S.O., Skye. Everyone wanted to be my S.O. after I broke the Academy. I was a prodigy, they said. The best since Romanoff. Frankly, I'm even better. John set it all up and he became my S.O. just as we had designed. All of the recruits already had some kind of deal in the works, had it worked out who their S.O. would be. Corruption was mired in S.H.I.E.L.D., and it's still there. It was never just Hydra. Why else would you be allowed in the field?"

"I passed the tests!"

"You passed nothing, Skye. You're the Director's favorite and his willingness to disregard the standard tests will get you killed. If you did pass the tests, then they were drastically dumbed down."

Feeling insulted, she grit her teeth, "I'm not a prodigy like you, Ward, but I'm a hard-worker. You betrayed everything- "

"See, you do- don't get it. I was loyal to John. Only John. I never gave a damn about S.H.I.E.L.D. or even Hydra. To betray something, that means one's loyalties have to change. Mine never did; they were always to John."

"You betrayed me!" The tears swam in her eyes and she cursed herself for showing him weakness. "You betrayed the team! Fitz and Simmons!"

"And when you betrayed the team, all you got was a slap on the wrist."

Skye leaned forward, disbelief coursing through her. Had he really just compared their situations? "You're insufferable! And delusional! Insane! Why are you this way, Ward? The Ward I knew wasn't- "

"I did play a role, the perfect, model S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent, but that wasn't who you were attracted to." Ward interrupted harshly and Skye froze; the anger in his tone was authentic, tangible. "John put me on the team to learn about Coulson, how he was resurrected because Fury plays fucking favorites. That's how it all started: Fury. He started it when he abandoned John to die, and refused to let Coulson enjoy the afterlife."

"That doesn't- "

"I gained everyone's trust, but you were different. You weren't like everyone else; you were human. FitzSimmons talked about shit that was almost always useless to me, but you were different. You actually wanted to… know me, understand me - and I hope that hasn't changed. Nobody besides John ever wanted that. When I showed you glimpses beneath the role I played, you loved it. You didn't like the oblivious, by-the-book agent. You liked me."

"You could have been so much more!" Skye snapped, feeling the grief prickle her heart; she hated that he was right. "You could have been anything; you- you're like the Renaissance Man. Why did you choose this life? Why did you betray us? Betray me?"

"John needed- "

"Enough about Garrett!" She interrupted loudly, angrily; she knew he was going to mention that bastard. "Out of all the men I've ever met, I hate him the most! And you're right behind him!"

"But everything's about John, Skye. That's what it boils down to," Ward inhaled slowly. "I made the decision based on what I thought to be best. Just as you did with Donnie Gill. We have to live with the decisions we make. It's all we can do."

Skye's mouth was dry and she swallowed thickly; she tried to regain control of the conversation. "I hate this. I hate you, and I… I hate myself. Will I… will I have to ki- kill again?"

"Yes. You chose this life, Skye. This is what it entails. That's why they're trying to turn you into someone just like May." Ward inhaled slowly, "It gets easier, you know? To kill. It's like sex; you get better with pract- "

"I don't want it to be easier! Maybe you and everyone else are okay with killing people, bu- but I'm not!"

Ward suddenly smiled at her words and she was taken aback at the genuineness shining in his gorgeous eyes. "Good. There's the Skye I know. You're a good person. The best. I'm not a good person, but you are. Don't be what they're making you, what May and Coulson are trying to turn you into."

"No. May's been… she's been helping me," she said and hated how weak it sounded.

The snort that escaped Ward was unthinkable and she stared in absolute shock at the amusement on his features; it was clear to see even with the beard. "She's turning you into her. Do you know why May is the way she is? Do you know why she's ice-cold May? Why she's the Calvary?"

Skye blinked and took a step back; something in Ward's expression scared her. "I already know. She rescued- "

"That's what they'll tell you. I know what really happened, not the bullshit I told you on the Bus."

"Unsurprising," she muttered. "You lied."

"I've always known. John told me."

Skye grit her teeth, "And why the hell would I ever believe something that Garrett told you?"

"Because it's the truth. May murdered a young girl."

The word floated in the air and Skye felt nothing but disgust. "You're sick, Ward. This is- "

"I have nothing to lose by telling you this, Skye," his words silenced her. "I'm telling you this to benefit you, to let you see the truth about the world you've entered. Do you want to kill children? You can look into it, hack whatever you want to get the truth. If I'm wrong, you can tell everyone how much of a waste of flesh I am, and how you guys keep the monster chained in the basement. You'll solidify the hatred they all feel towards me, especially May. If I'm right, then you'll understand. After all, May is cold. It takes a cold bitch to murder a child."

Skye suddenly remembered his past, and tried to get away from the topic of May; she would research it, find out what she could, just as she would look at the tapes to see if Fitz had drained the oxygen out of Ward's cell when he came down to Vault D.

"That's how Thomas died, isn't it? Your- your brother?"

Ward froze and his face was unreadable; he stared at her and the searing heat of his eyes was in no way diminished by the energy barrier. "Thomas… he died because I was weak. Christian tore me down; his words were in my head and they kept getting louder and louder. My parents made it worse. My skull was going to burst and it was… so painful. I tried to save Thomas. I tried so hard to… to get him the rope, but I was weak. I swore never to be weak again. John helped me and built me into a man. I'm not that scared, pathetic kid anymore."

"And you- you owed him a debt?" She demanded incredulously, "Because he taught you some lessons?"

"It's more than that. I owed him everything, my life. He pulled me out of hell- "

"And into a new one!" Skye exploded angrily, "Why can't you see that, Ward? You were nothing to him. Just- just a weapon."

"He was proud of me," Ward stared at her. "I know what you think. But you're wrong. You don't know anything about John or what he felt. I knew him for half my life. I'm well aware when I'm being manipulated, which is what you and everyone else has been doing since I've been down here, but John never manipulated me. I knew him better than anyone. He was proud of me. He cared about me."

Skye swallowed and bit her tongue; she would get more information if she played along, but it was so hard! "You loved him."

Ward glanced to his right again and he seemed to stare at something, but before she looked to where he was staring, he responded. "He was my father when no one else was. He believed in me when no one did. He made me a man and my life became infinitely better because he was in it. Yeah… I loved him. You should draw parallels."

"My relationship with Coulson is nothing like yours was with Garrett, Ward."

"Really? You want to be an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., but your capability to process logic is failing you. You don't know what happened to your family - and I will still help you with that - and you grew up unloved and unwanted. My family were monsters- "

"I see you take after them."

She immediately regretted her words at the look on his face. Ward had become motionless, but his gorgeous eyes burst with teeming rage. There was a horrifying tightness in his body, a sense of barely controlled power and aggression and violence that conveyed a pure threat more than any spoken words. Skye had wanted to hurt him - just as he had hurt her - but what she said felt like it had surpassed what he had done to her; it felt unholy.

"I'm- I'm sorry," she whispered, swallowing. "I know how you feel about your family. I shouldn't have- "

"But you meant it," his words drained the breath from her lungs; he looked hollow. "You- you don't know what they did. You only have a vague idea, a guess. You never saw the evidence of their… fucking lessons. The scars and burns faded. You know what I did to you, and your emotions amplify your response and takeaways from the events. Your perception… is true in your eyes. You think I'm like my family, like… Christian."

Skye instinctively shook her head, "No! I… I know what happened- "

"No, you don't," Ward's eyes locked onto hers. "S.H.I.E.L.D. never knew the severity of… of what happened. How would you know if they didn't? I never told you. Only John knew everything."

"And Gar- Garrett helped you?" She wondered softly; the relationship between the two had incurred so much horror and trauma but it was terribly fascinating.

"He was the only one who ever did. John set me straight and I got away from my family. John was all I had."

"Maybe my relationship with Coulson is… is similar to what you and- and Garrett shared," she whispered, swallowing thickly. "You're right. There are… parallels. Coulson brought me into a new family."

"I'm sorry I ripped your family apart," he stared at her sadly and honestly, she didn't care if he was lying or not; it felt so good to hear before those words actually set in.

"You didn't think of us as family?" Skye whispered, trying to conceal how much that hurt. Even though it should have reassured her, the fact that Ward was an unfeeling monster, it made her feel worse.

Ward's eyes closed, "When I think of family, I remember flames, knives, screams, the sound of flesh smacking against flesh, taunting, starving, bones breaking, torture, and the well." When his eyes opened, he looked so tired he seemed lifeless. "You should take it as a compliment that I didn't think of you and FitzSimmons as family."

Skye couldn't even describe the horror she felt; it was worse than she had imagined! At St. Agnes, she had heard stories of abused kids, but Ward's experience made those seem very tame. She knew he was telling the truth; she could feel it. Things were beginning to make sense - in a very messy way.

"And… Garrett pulled you away from that?"

"After I tried to kill Christian."

The floor was swept from under her and she felt frozen in place until reality crashed down with the force of Thor's hammer. "What? You… you tried to…?"

Ward actually looked a little proud. "I tried to burn down the house. I knew he was inside. John said he was impressed by what I did."

Skye's eyes shut tightly as she desperately tried to fathom the scenario. "I- I don't understand."

"How could you? You didn't have Christian as a brother. You should be on your knees in thanks." Ward smiled with no amusement, "I'm convinced he's Satan. Which makes my decision to use fire to kill him ironic."

"So… you- you didn't kill him."

"He got out, and I was caught. Sent to juvie where I was going to be tried as an adult to get the maximum penalty. My life was over, but John rescued me. He pulled me out. He believed in me. No one's screwed with me ever since I met John."

"And you were fifteen," she whispered and ignored how Ward failed to see that he had been screwed by Garrett. "You knew Garrett for- "

"Half my life. He was always there for me. I would have died for him. Without thought. I would have taken his place, the position that S.H.I.E.L.D. put him in if I could have. I did everything to help him, and even when I succeeded and got the GH-325, I failed. It all went to hell." Ward's eyes lost their focus. "And now he's dead," he mumbled. "I killed him. I shouldn't have… left him alone."

"Isn't it better that he's dead?" Skye dared, trying to keep her own feelings towards Garrett from echoing in her voice; she was more than relieved that the monster was dead, but seeing Ward look so broken tugged at her. "He went insane, you said. He wasn't there anymore."

"I would have fixed it," Ward's eyes refocused and they honed in on hers. "If he didn't die, I would have fixed him, healed him. I'd do something. But… he didn't make it."

Something gnawed at her, the way Ward was speaking, and it took her several moments to understand it.

"You- you don't know how he died," she whispered in realization. "You don't know."

Ward noticeably stiffened, "How did he die? Who killed John? Was it Fury?"

Skye backed away, "I- I shouldn't- "

"Tell me, Skye!" Ward's raspy voice rose and the way he stared at her, eyes burning with desperation, seized her. "I need to know. What happened? You know, don't you?"

"It's not my place- "

"Skye, if you tell me how John died, who killed him, you never have to speak to me again." Ward's eyes were wide, almost animalistic in the need to know what happened, and Skye could barely breathe. "Please. I've answered your questions honestly. I told you when I met John. I told you about Christian. I've given you info about Hydra. Tell me what happened to John; you never have to tell me anything else."

Skye couldn't look away from Ward and she swallowed; she knew she should leave but something wouldn't let her. "They thought he was dead after Mike crushed him, but he wasn't. He wouldn't stay down," she looked away from Ward, away from the hopeless rage on his face. "He created a new body out of Deathlok parts and just as he was finished… Coulson found him."

"Coulson?" Ward croaked and she jerked her head back, finding his eyes wide, unseeing; he didn't look responsive to reality. "It was… him? He killed John?"

Not saying anything, she felt the scars on her stomach flare in pain; she crossed her arms across them, trying to hold her tongue, but she failed. "Coulson told us about it. Garrett was vaporized by the thing we found in Peru. The 0-8-4." The way Ward tensed was a warning but she didn't heed it; the memory of nearly dying under Garrett's orders was too loud. "There was nothing left of him except a puddle of blo- "

"Stop!" Ward hissed and squeezed his eyes shut. "When I get out of here, I'm- "

"Going to do nothing," she answered warily. "You can't escape. It's hopeless. When will it end, Ward?"

"It never ends," he snarled, pacing back and forth, rage drawn through his body; his eyes were nearly black. "That's what you have yet to understand. This life, it takes and takes until you have nothing left to give. You're going to repeat the cycle endlessly until death. That's what it means to be an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Coulson, that… damn selfish bastard, won't tell you. I don't want you to die. Get out of this life while you still can, Skye, because it's not for you. When I get out, I'm going to bring everything crashing down on Coulson's head."

"You're not going anywhere," Skye refused to acknowledge the sadness that truth brought. "You're stuck down here. Don't you get it? There's no- no happy ending. No redemption."

"Darth Vader got redemption. Why can't I?"

Skye stared at him uncomprehendingly for several seconds; it was unthinkable, his reference. "Di- did you just make a pop-culture reference?"

"I'm not as unknowing as you think, Skye."

"And you just did that to manipulate me!" She felt her fingers curl into fists, "That's what this entire conversation has been, hasn't it? An elaborate, beyond-my-comprehension lie!"

"You want a real-world reference?" Ward was vibrating with raw aggression; she noticed the scars on his wrists vividly and she swallowed, looking up at his eyes. "How about Romanoff? Do you know what she did before she was S.H.I.E.L.D.? She was a KGB operative, a seductress stealing America's secrets and giving them to the Soviets. She killed a lot of people, and the rumors about her and who she was are sci-fi. Yet Barton was pulled in by her cleavage and as they say, made a different call. If Romanoff can get redemption, I should. Coulson was key in Romanoff's acceptance, but now, his emotions about me are clouding his judgment."

"No, you're lying. That's all you do!"

"Not once did I lie. I promised you that I woul- "

"I'm sorry if I don't believe that. If I never will," Skye hissed sarcastically. "All the lies you told on the Bus are affecting my memory. Then add the betrayal into the mix and- "

"I thought you would understand," he whispered, eyes dark and sad. "Out of anyone, I thought that you would understand what I did, why I did it. You should have, but you didn't. You were horrified. You still are."

All of the progress she felt she had made in understanding Ward abruptly vanished. "How delusional are you, Ward? Why would I ever understand you following a monster?"

Ward actually glared at her and she was too stunned to react before he spoke. "John wasn't a monster. You never knew him. Don't you get it, Skye? You would have done the same!"

"I would never follow a monster - and yes, Garrett was the biggest of them all!"

"You haven't seen enough of the world to distinguish a good man from a monster." Ward leaned closer and the energy barrier sparked erratically but he didn't even react, only peering at her intently; she couldn't look away. "I followed my father just as you're following the one you found in Coulson. If Coulson asked you to do something, you would do it. Just as I did for John. You should have understood why I did what I did, but… I overestimated your capability to- "

"You overestimated a lot!" Skye snapped, "You would have been better off shooting me."

"I could never do that," he said it with such finality that she froze. "You mean too much."

"Why- why do you even care about me? You love me, but why? Why would I ever believe you?" She didn't even care that her misery and anguish were tangible; she wanted to know the truth. "Why, Ward? Why me?"

Ward stared at her and she finally saw the desperate man who said he loved her. "You've given me peace when I thought there to be none. You repel my rage, even with that damned Asgardian shit in my veins. You stop the pain, and keep my demons from consuming me. You give me faith that good exists in this world, and hope that the world isn't doomed by man's nature."

Skye's heart rate only increased even further at his words and she swallowed, breathing heavily; it was too much and she felt no control! "I have to get out of here," she stumbled back, trying to get away. "This was a mistake."

"Well, I think we've made good progress," Ward said softly but she heard him, and she hated the hopefulness in his tone; she hated the fact that he was right even more. "This is the first time we really talked about anything. Things that actually have substance. You finally listened and asked the right questions."

Skye hissed between her teeth, "The only right question is, why do I even bother with you?" Before anything else could be said, she turned the energy barrier to opaque and stomped out of Vault D, hands shaking, mind ringing with so many emotions and questions.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Grant stared at the impenetrable energy barrier for several moments before he closed his eyes and almost sagged. It had been a long time since a conversation had emotionally worn on him; first the damned Psychological word test weeks ago and this. Normally, he was infallible, but Skye, as she always did, had the tendency to see past his masks. Skye, Thomas, and John. They were the only ones who ever cared about him, loved him. Only one remained because of his mistakes and Grant was damn sure that he would do whatever it took to keep her alive, to right the wrongs he had dealt her.

"I can see why you like her, Romeo." Grant slowly turned to his right, unsurprised to see John leaning against the wall, military boots tapping against the stone. "She's feisty and doesn't take shit. I bet she was a good fuck, huh?"

Grant clenched his jaw, sitting on his bed, keeping his eyes on John. "I wouldn't know."

John blinked owlishly and looked so disappointed; he hated seeing that expression. "You didn't even fuck her? What's wrong with you, son? Whenever I saw her on Phil's plane, she kept shooting those 'bedroom eyes' at you."

"It didn't… I don't know."

"I know. I've always known. You're soft, kid. Always have been. You couldn't even shoot that damned- "

"Leave Buddy out of this," he hissed, the memories of that horrible day surging past his compartmentalization. "He has nothing- "

"He's got everything to do with this, son! He represents your weakness - and so does this girl! You were too weak to pull the trigger! I was forced to show you what happens when you care for something and disobey me. Every time when you get sentimental! You didn't fuck her because you're soft; you didn't want to hurt her."

"Skye's different," he responded half-heartedly. "She'll understand; she'll help us."

"It's been months. She hasn't helped you yet; she wants you dead. Didn't you hear her?" John's voice softened and Grant was drawn in. "Come on, son. She's a weakness. Let her go. Kill her when you get the chance. Look what she's done for you: Only encouragement to kill yourself. She hates your guts. Sure, she's a pretty thing, but you can always replace her." John chuckled heartily and the familiar sound was so welcoming. "When you escape, you'll get yourself a new girl. A better one. This Skye weakened you, son. You lost yourself, and I saw it happening when you couldn't. It's why I had Quinn shoot her. It killed two birds with one stone. It got Phil to look deeper into the GH-325, and it reminded you of what's important, who's important."

"You shouldn't have done that," he whispered, fists clenched tightly. "Skye never had anything to do with- "

"She was going to ruin you! With the game on the line, you were going to choke because of her! I couldn't let that happen. I needed you, son. You were the only one who I could trust. You always have been. You're my Trojan Horse, my soldier. But this girl smoothed out your edges, fucked you up. I was going to lose you, and I couldn't let that happen. Not to my golden boy."

"Skye almost died- "

"Who cares? You're hooked on this girl; she's blinded you. How many girls have you fucked, son? I lost count after fifty. And you didn't even fuck this one. What's so special about her? Why are you so hooked?" Grant didn't answer, looking away from John, but the words continued. "And this nun is who gets to you. Unbelievable."

"I'm sorry, John," he whispered. "I was weak."

"Not you, son. Your heart. Your heart was weak, and the heart's deceptive, especially about a pretty girl. The heart wants what it wants, but you gotta overpower that. All you gotta do now is cut this girl out. Kill her. You'll be better off. She's Phil's now, anyway. She'll never be yours." Grant looked back at John, the words loudly echoing in his mind. "Remember what I've always told you? A man can have anything if he's willing to sacrifice. Get rid of the girl. Cut her out, son."

Grant shook his head, "I can't do that, John."

"That's not a weakness, is it?"

The words surged forward and tore at his soul and he felt the overwhelming urge to submit, but Grant controlled the tremors ripping through his body. "You shouldn't even be here. You're a ghost. A figment of my imagination."

"She's a weakness." John snapped, and the familiar glint in his eyes robbed Grant of his breath. "I'm thankful that Phil vaporized me or whatever this girl of yours said. I'd hate to see you this way. It's pathetic. I didn't raise you to sulk, to serve these weaknesses of yours like a Choir Boy! You're pathetic!"

"I still did what I had to. I chose my path."

"And where did that get us? Apparently, I'm a dried puddle of blood in that damn lab, and you're locked up tighter than a virgin's asshole!"

Grant grit his teeth, "I'll get out. You know I will."

"What's stopping you, Romeo? If you put your mind to it, you'd be out by now. You know the base, the layout. You memorized it when they brought you here. Yet something - or actually, better yet, someone - has stopped you."

"Skye," he whispered.

"Winner!" John hooted exaggeratedly; it underlined the anger in his tone. "A man will only change for a girl; it's how it's always been. You almost changed, son; she nearly corrupted you, but you held strong. I would feel proud of you if you didn't fail with ice-cold May and the science geeks. You could have easily killed all three of them. You should have! Your failure is what got you here!"

"I know. My… my head wasn't in the game."

"Excuses! I didn't raise a pussy, son. I raised a man. Your weakness with the science geeks cost you! Your ass wasn't in gear and your engine sputtered when facing May. Pathetic! You're lucky you aren't kicking daisies with me."

Grant flinched, "Don't say that. Please."

"I'm gone, son," John's tone changed and it was gentle; he hated it. "We did everything right, but you can't beat the house. We tried."

"This wasn't how it was supposed to be," he whispered. "The GH-325 was supposed to fix you, not break your mind. We were supposed to leave Hydra and start a private security gig. Maybe mercenary work."

"I don't know what the fuck you're talking about. I was gonna retire."

"I would have changed your mind. I thought that… that Skye would come around and she'd be with us."

"Your head was always in the clouds. I doubt you'll stop anytime soon. Sometimes I wonder why I ever bothered with you. I clearly wasted my time. You're still that weak kid- "

Grant's eyes flashed and he jumped to his feet. "I'm not that kid! Not anymore! I hate having the memories of him; he was pathetic. If I didn't value my own life, I'd somehow kill him."

John smiled proudly and Grant felt such relief at the familiar expression. "Now I remember what I saw in you. When I found you, you were that weak kid, but now, you're a man. The most dangerous man I've ever met. You must avenge me, son. I created you, so become Frankenstein's monster. To make it easier, have the girl if you want, I don't care, but kill Phil. Hell, kill ice-cold May while you're at, and the science geeks. Make up for your weakness. The kid tried to suffocate you. By the way, excellent performance. You would have fooled me if I didn't know you could hold your breath for almost five minutes. They all hate your guts. One tried to kill you. When will it happen again? What if the next one's not as soft as the stuttering kid? Kill them before they kill you, son."

"Skye would never forgive me," he said softly. "Her and I, we… we made good progress earlier."

"Don't worry about her. You'll find a new girl- "

"I don't want a new girl, John!" Grant stared at him, refusing to back down. "I've tried to get rid of… of this weakness, but I can't."

"That's a habit with you, son. It's disappointing."

"You're not going to change my mind on this. Don't bother. I have a different angle."

John glared back at him before shrugging, "You're the one alive. What angle?"

Grant was quiet for a moment, "Skye's father. I can use him. I don't know what he is, but he's useful."

"Interesting." John perked up, eyes glinting. "How? Work your magic, son."

"He must be pissed that Skye's working in S.H.I.E.L.D. and is in the reach of Hydra." Grant's mind recalled everything he had ever suspected, "Skye's mother, I know was murdered by Hydra and you remember the rumors about Whitehall?"

"He experimented on gifteds to extend his own life. I wish I thought of it, but that bastard got to it first. Malick once said he took the life of an immortal woman for himself and left her broken body to dogs. I never knew if that son of a bitch was lying through his teeth; he's good."

"But I'm better. I believe that one of the gifteds he experimented on was… Skye's mother. It's why her father, who might be another gifted or something else, has been on a rampage ever since, but he recognizes that S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra are the same so he doesn't discriminate."

"Smart man. Why doesn't this girl of yours have a gift? She get the recessive gene or something?"

"I don't know," he frowned in consideration. "Skye's shown no negative effects to the GH-325. In fact, she seemed… better after, besides the obvious regeneration."

"There's a word for that, son: Bitch."

Grant glared at him, "I don't care what Skye is, or who her parents are. None of that matters. She matters; that's it. Her father's rampage is because he lost… his family. It's the only thing that makes sense. Skye's the 0-8-4; she was stolen by S.H.I.E.L.D., but she had no protection. Her father wasn't there and neither was her mother. When Whitehall was doing his experiments, as the rumors say, it was around this time. Her father was trying to rescue his wife but failed. Maybe there's something else, something I don't know, but it makes sense. If I can get Skye out of S.H.I.E.L.D., take her with me, convince her to meet her father, then everything might fall into place. I'll talk to him, tell him what S.H.I.E.L.D. has done to Skye, and then her father will turn his gaze to this base and kill everyone, including Coulson and May. Skye will blame her father, renounce him, and- "

"Fall right into your arms, Romeo. I don't approve of the girl, but the plan has promise. Damn, son. I'm proud of you. You're my true son, not of body but soul."

Grant felt a weight ease from his shoulders; he knew it was irrational, to talk to a ghost of his mind, but it was his peace right now. John knew him better than anyone, always had. While he had hoped Skye would come to know him in ways that surpassed John, he knew he still had to wait. Feeling John's pride in him, he knew that sooner or later, he would be free from this damn cage in which Coulson, the murderer, had locked him.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Well, that's all for this one! I hope that you enjoyed it, and please leave a review to tell me what you thought. It would really help me out. This story will mainly be about Ward because I thought he was definitely the most fascinating character after he was revealed to be Hydra. It was a brilliant characterization. After that it's Skye. Everyone else is bland and boring, honestly. Predictable, or they eventually get so far from their characterization that they become unrecognizable.

**I did think it kind of strange when Skye, a person who has been obsessed with truth her entire life, folds over and seemingly accepts that Ward's a treacherous monster unworthy of contemplation. It didn't seem to make sense with her characterization. Of course, I know she's grieving all that she lost and is super angry at Ward, and then add in the fact that she fell in love with him, it kind of makes sense. But out of anyone - except maybe Fitz - Skye would be the only one who wants the truth. That should NOT change. Because if you look at Ward logically - which would definitely be super hard for anyone at S.H.I.E.L.D., and I think Skye is the only one capable of looking at him logically if she puts her mind to it - none of his actions make sense. Skye joined the Rising Tide for that reason; she wanted to expose the truth to the world, which organizations like S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't want. As Ward said to Skye in this: "Those are rigged odds, Skye. None of the numbers add up when one of the parameters is that I'm a monster."

So Ward knows about how May killed a young girl in Bahrain. Fury would have definitely known and so would Alexander Pierce if he had wanted to know, which I'm certain that he would have. He would keep an eye on all upper-level Agents, especially Specialists since they are the most dangerous, lethal. There are five Hydra Heads at the time of Hydra's uprising: Pierce, Malick, Von Strucker, Whitehall, and Garrett. I find it very hard to believe that Garrett wouldn't know about May's killing of a young girl, and then he would absolutely tell Ward for manipulation ammunition if necessary.

Yes, the word test from the Psychologist is based on Skyfall and it's from where I got the idea. It shows how Ward thinks and just how damaged he is. There was clear evidence but S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't care - which I understand why they didn't care, but they could at least be honest with themselves and not claim a moral high ground as they so often did. And if it seems that S.H.I.E.L.D. is incompetent, it's because they are. Their failure to know about Hydra is unthinkable, unprecedented, incalculable, and egregious. In all the ways they were supposed to be a protective, espionage organization of humanity, they FAILED. Fury failed, Coulson failed, Hill failed, Romanoff failed, May failed, and every member of S.H.I.E.L.D. did, too. It's actually pathetic and forces the realization about how cunning and intelligent the members of Hydra were - and that definitely includes Garrett and Ward, for they are both some of the top dogs. Yes, in this, Thomas Ward was killed via drowning in the well. It honestly makes more sense that he's dead and explains more of Ward's emotional scarring.

And honestly, Skye's reaction to intentionally killing someone was very, very lacking. I mean, she was more concerned with Simmons being in Hydra then ending someone's life. So I played with that, where she believes that she can't talk to anyone about how terrible she feels for killing Donnie Gill, so she goes to Ward because there's no one else to whom she can talk/vent because Simmons isn't there. She doesn't want to disappoint May or Coulson, so Ward, in her mind, is her only option. Now, Ward's reaction is different because of what Fitz did. It opened her eyes, so to speak. He finally realizes that no one wants him back; Fitz could have murdered him. Ward deserved it, yes, but the realizations from that experience should change Ward's approach. So Ward goes for blunt honesty and hard truths and lays it out for Skye because no one else ever would.

**Add in that Ward is so fucked up mentally that he sees John Garrett's ghost all the time - like how Fitz was seeing Simmons - you get a different Ward. I honestly thought that they were going to have Ward see Garrett's ghost or something in S2; I thought that it would be a shared motif between Fitz and Ward, but they didn't. It would have shown how deep Garrett influenced Ward and perhaps why he betrayed the team. A missed chance, I think. Pretty much, Garrett is Ward's conscience. Pretty scary, right?

In this, Ward didn't kill Buddy; it actually makes more sense if Garrett wanted to control him, that Ward would refuse to attach himself to anyone or anything because he knows Garrett will put that person or thing down. Of course, Ward was incapable of killing any of the team when he should have easily been able to. I know that in Canon, Ward more than likely is the one who killed Buddy, but if Garrett was trying to prove that Ward can't get attached to anything, it's paradoxical because Ward was clearly attached to Garrett. Garrett was basically giving Ward permission to kill him, which would have been the last thing he would have ever wanted because Garrett wanted to live. It makes more sense and strengthens Ward's loyalty if Garrett is the one who kills Buddy. It pulls all control out of Ward's hands, so he pretty much doesn't have a choice. The only choice he knows is what Garrett wants, and even if he doesn't want to do it, such as killing Buddy or FitzSimmons, he knows that Garrett will do it - because he did it with Buddy.

I do think Ward was acting when Fitz drained the oxygen out of his cell; he was trained extensively by S.H.I.E.L.D. and Garrett. I can't fathom any scenario in which he doesn't know how to control his breathing and hold his breath for multiple minutes. It's also a great manipulation: using Skye's name, pretending to hyperventilate, saying the team is in danger. That forces Fitz to return the oxygen as Ward explains what he knows. Brilliant stuff (*slow clapping*), Grant Ward.

I think that's everything. If you have questions, feel free to ask. It would really help me out if you guys left a review; it lets me know what's working and what isn't. I appreciate it!

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