Title: A Clear Path
Fandom: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Characters: Grant Ward, Skye | Daisy Johnson
Rating: PG
Length: 592
Content Notes: no warnings apply, spoilers for the end of S1
Summary: Grant Ward tries to change his path
Prompt: #100 : Choices



“We could leave” Ward said, out of the blue. Skye frowned. “What’re you talking about?” Ward sighed. This had seemed easier when he was practicing it in his head.
“Forget the rules, forget S.H.I.E.L.D. - just you, me and the open road.” Ward was done being an agent, double or otherwise.
“Like a vacation?”
“Like an adventure.” Ward wanted out. He was done being someone else’s weapon; their tool. He wanted Skye to come with him. It was because of her that he was done being the villain. Problem was, he wasn’t really cut out to be the full-on hero either.
“Would we be coming back?” she asked. Skye didn’t look like she was excited by the idea of leaving at all.
“No, it would be a fresh start, away from all this.”

“You want to leave the team? To leave Coulson?” Skye didn’t look happy at all. She had really made herself at home on the bus. She had become an important member of the team. Even after everything. They had all forgiven her for her betrayal with Miles. Ward had played up his disappointment in her back then. The only thing that had really upset him was Miles and his - existance. Not that he had the right to throw stones.

“We would be our own team.” Ward said. Disappointment settled in his gut. She wasn’t going to go with him. He knew it now. Skye reached out and touched his cheek, a sad look on her face. “I’ve finally found a family here Ward, I don’t want to leave.” He could leave without her or he could stay on mission and let events play out as they would. As he was supposed to. As he had been ordered. The path was clear.

He faked a laugh. “Got ya” he said. Skye took a step back. “What?”
“You thought I was being serious?”
“Yeah, I did. You never joke around like that.” Skye was right about that. The Agent Grant Ward that she knew was a boring stick in the mud. He was straight-laced and by the book. Some kind of cardboard cutout of the perfect S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Ward was so tired of pretending to be him.
“I guess you’ve been rubbing off on me” Ward playfully punched Skye on the shoulder. He wasn’t sure that she actually bought it, but it was unlikely that she would press him on it. Even unlikelier that she would guess the truth. That he wanted to leave because he didn’t want to hurt her. He didn’t want to betray the team. He had grown to like being a part of something bigger. Coulson was a good man. He wasn’t the kind of leader to leave a member of his team behind. It made Ward wonder if the callous picture that Garrett had painted of S.H.I.E.L.D., had been entirely accurate.

Ward gave Skye a smile and left the room. He headed to his bunk, turning his options over in his head.

He looked at the go-bag he had pulled out, just incase Skye had wanted to take off right away. Had he really believed that she’d go with him? How had he been so foolish? Maybe if he told her the truth. No, it was too much of a risk, for both of them. For all of them. He sighed and put the bag away. It had been a pipe dream. Skye wasn’t going to leave and he wasn’t going to leave without her. He would complete the mission. God help them all.