Disclaimer: I do not own Agents of SHIELD.

Ward felt exhausted just looking at the stone. It took everything they had to get their hands on it, and now they might have a chance. A chance to defeat Coulson and his Godforsaken team. He thought about all the people he had to lose to get here. He swore to them that he would win, and that's why this was necessary. It was necessary to lose thirty agents in an all out raid on Coulson's Headquarters and just for this one 084. He let a few tears slide down his face as he thought about the men and women he sent to their deaths. He prayed that they would forgive him one day.

Ward looked around at his base, thinking how far SHIELD had fallen. All they had left was this little hole in the wall and, like mice hiding from the cat, prayed that HYDRA would never find him and the survivors here. He'll admit that a bar isn't where he would look for the remains of SHIELD himself, and he hoped that Coulson had the same thought process. He knew the owner of the place personally and knew the man wouldn't give him up, but he couldn't keep himself from being a bit paranoid.

"Sir?" A female voice called. He didn't need to look to see that his dead girlfriend's younger sister was standing there. Sarah Palamas was never one to call him 'sir', so he already knew things were bad before he looked into those soft brown eyes. Her tan skin and dark hair made her a near clone of Kara, but there was a single difference. While Sarah had perfect skin, Kara had a huge scar on the left side of her face that she got from a trap meant for him. He hated the fact that he was desperate for people, that he couldn't even respect her dying wish of keeping her sister out of this very one-sided war.

"Yes, Agent Palamas?" Ward asked, turning to face the young woman. She was still in her tactical gear, and her face was covered in dirt and sweat still. Her pistols were in their holsters, but her rifle seemed to be missing, probably lost in during the fight. She looked like she was about to pass out just from standing there, but obviously she decided that her question was more important than a hot shower and a bed.

"Was it worth it, Sir?" She asked, her eyes begging for the answer. Nobody knew what was the mission objective, except for him. He tried to justify that with the normal SHIELD response. Nobody knew, so nobody could tell. While he trusted his people, he knew that they were all susceptible to brainwashing or threats to their families. It was why John always said to never have a family. He stopped that thought before it could continue.

"Don't worry, Sarah, if I'm correct, then help is just one little trip away. Now, get some sleep. You just have to trust me." Ward pleaded with her. He felt like he was talking with Kara's ghost when she smiled like that. It was half exhaustion, the other half amusement. And she even had the nerve to chuckle like her.

"Boss, I don't think anyone here doubts that you could do anything but help us. You've been SHIELD since you were fifteen. You survived Coulson's torture and didn't give them anything. Even Captain America eventually succumbed the brainwashing. You don't have anything to prove, boss. Just don't do anything stupid while I take a nap." She responded, giving him a meaningful look, before walking away to find a bed.

"I hope you don't count this as stupid," Ward thought outloud as soon as she left. He took off his tactical gear and took a hot shower, knowing full well that this could be the last one he had. He thought of the reports of the damn stone, thought of all the people who vanished as soon as they touched the stone. he thought back to the theory that Doctor Reed had about the stone teleporting them to another dimension. Of course, nobody had tried to confirm that, or at least tried and returned. But Ward was confident that he could be the first. And he refused to let anyone else risk their lives for his small hope.

He hated to think that this was where they were. His last hope resided in the small stone taking him somewhere to get help. He closed his eyes as he couldn't think of any other route. HYDRA had won. They had the Avengers, they had all the resources, and soon they would have helicarriers with the targeting system to take out all the resistance left in the world. He had maybe another month before they were dead from those new helicarriers. He felt so helpless that it made him sick. But as he put on his best suit, his nice shoes, and his aviators, he looked at the stone. If he could use this to find people that were also SHIELD, maybe then they could find all the reinforcements that they needed and he could beat Coulson.

He looked at the note he left his agency, describing what he planned on doing, telling them to keep their heads down. And if worst come, and he wasn't back in time, to wear the face mask and keep resisting. With everything in place, he took a breath and grabbed onto the rock.

He had never felt anything like it. The closest thing Ward could compare it was the first time skydiving. Then, he could at least rely on John Garrett to grab him if his parachute did fail him. Now he had no parachute, and no one to rescue him. He closed his eyes, trying to remember his resolve. He remembered John's coming to his house to say he had been selected to join SHIELD early, if he so wished it. He remembered Kara's smile. He even remembered Skye's smile before Coulson had given her the stupid drug. God, how he wished he could go back and save her from that fate.

He finally felt solid ground under his feet, after what felt like hours of falling. He felt his knees hit the ground. He felt exhausted as he looked around. He recognized the area and felt a brick fall into his stomach. This was Coulson's Headquarters. This was the Playground. He didn't need to look anymore, he knew there was no more escape. He heard voices coming from all around him. Maybe he could give them a fight worth saw everyone he had lost to get here and felt anger rushing through him like the berserker rage.

He looked around for a weapon, anything he could use, when he spotted the SHIELD symbol on one of the planes. He stared at the symbol for what felt like a lifetime. The stone had brought him to SHIELD. The stone had directed him to the place he wanted to go to. And suddenly, all the rage that he felt suddenly turned into pure joy.

He walked towards the voices as they grew closer. The exhaustion of the last couple of days setting in, his sunglasses not hiding the tears falling down his face. But he refused to bow his head. These were tears of joy, and he couldn't help but think that his SHIELD had a chance.

"Ward!" Coulson's voice dripped venom. His glare was pure hatred, but it hardly bugged him by now. Coulson had always hated him. It didn't surprise him that was no different in this world. He wondered what that meant for the Grant Ward in this world. But he didn't ponder long. He looked around and spotted SHIELD SWAT units stationed at all the corners of the metal corridor, and he finally spotted not only Coulson, but his whole Motley Crew.

"It's funny, isn't it Coulson?" Ward cried out. He felt hysterical. His torturer would be his savior. He could feel a bit of madness that he had gained from his time in Coulson's little dungeon.

"The only funny thing here, Ward, is how you think you could come strutting in here like you own the bloody place. But please, you murderous psycho, tell us what you think is funny." A british voice shouted through the place. Ward immediately recognized it as Lance Hunter, the mercenary whose only allegiance had been to money. Or at least, in his world that's what Lance Hunter had been. Here, he could be a dog watcher for all Ward knew. Well, maybe not a dog watcher.

"It's funny that no matter what world we're in, Coulson, you and me are never on the same side." Ward called out. He put his hands in his pockets, trying to conveny his control over the situation. More than once, his ability to bluff had saved his life. He was hoping his poker face would just one more time.

"What are you going on about now, Ward?" Skye's voice called from behind him. So they were surrounding him. He turned to face Skye, looking for the robot that used to be his rookie. But all that stood there was a strong woman. Someone he wished his Skye would have become. She looked so strong, with a fire in her eyes that he doubted even the Hulk could destroy. The hatred was shone through, but he for some reason, he couldn't help but feel pride. This was what his rookie could have been. The urge to run over and hug her was painful to ignore, but he did.

"I wish that I could talk to you. But I have a feeling you would try to kill me. Don't worry though. I'm not the Ward you remember." And he heard a couple of scuffs at his comment. He guessed the other him had said something similar to that. "I'm not even from this world. This dimension isn't mine. I'm looking for-" But before he could finish, he felt something hit him from behind. It was a ICER round. They used ICERs on him. And as he fell to the ground, he couldn't help but think that he definitely found the right people to help him save his world.

AN: So what did you guys think? Please comment and review.