This is it, he thinks, it's time.

He can't keep it in anymore. It's literally killing him, having to restrain himself from saying those three words every single time he sees her. And he wants to tell her, badly.

He wants to let her know how he feels, how grateful, how lucky he is to have her there by his side.

God knows why she stayed. He doesn't.

He wants to be a good man.

The Grant Ward that Skye had fallen for.

The Grant Ward that Fitz believed in.

The one he wishes had been the only version of Grant Ward that had ever existed.

He has a second chance and he will not waste it.

He's never felt this way before. That weird warm feeling in his chest when he sees her. Or the goofy grin he knows is on his face when she smiles his way. Or the absolute, overwhelming feeling of affection whenever he even so much as thinks about her - and that's almost all the time.

Because he does love her. God, he does.

He loves her. He loves her he loves her he lovesher helovesherhelovesherhelovesher.

"I love you." He blurts out.

Shit. Well that's already out there. And this was so not how it's supposed to go. He had a speech and everything.

Good job, Ward.

Skye looks up from her laptop, that smile on her face, "I love you too, Grant."

She's the love of his life – his first. And he's absolutely certain, his last.