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Grant paced in front of the door that led to Coulson’s office. Back and forth and back and forth and shit, shit, shit…why was this so hard? This shouldn’t be this hard. It was one simple question. One simple, life changing question. “Fuck.” Grant cursed. “Okay, you can do this. Just go in and ask him. Simple, easy, and straight to the point.”
He stopped pacing and faced Coulson’s door. “You’re a grown man. Get it together Grant,” he muttered before raising his hand and knocking swiftly.
“Come in,” Coulson called.
Grant opened the door and cleared his throat. “Excuse me sir, is now a bad time?”
Coulson looked up from the paperwork he was working on. Grant tried to swallow the lump in his throat. His hands were sweaty and shaking. He’d probably laugh at himself if he wasn’t so damn anxious.
“What is it agent Ward?”
Ward stuck his hand in his pocket and gripped the velvet ring box. He’d been doing that a lot lately. It calmed him. “I need to ask you a question,” he began nervously. “Involving Skye.”
Coulson narrowed his eyes. “What about her?” He sat back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. Grant took a few steps forward until he was right in front of the older man’s desks.
“Um, I was hoping-I mean I thought that um,” Grant cleared his throat and started again. “I was wondering, maybe uh-if ah-”
“Spit it out agent,” Coulson snapped.
“Phil leave the boy alone,” a third voice cut in. Grant froze. He turned to see May walking into the office. She shut the door and flashed him a smile. This was it. This was how he was going to end. Without being able to say goodbye to the people he loved, to Skye. May and Coulson were going to murder him and hide his body.
“Continue Ward.” May encouraged as she took a seat on the couch to the left of Coulson’s desk.
“I-uh what?” Grant looked from May to Coulson back to May several times trying to figure out what game they were playing at.
“You were about to ask Phil for our daughter's hand in marriage,” May explained.
Grant’s mouth dropped. “How did you-”
“I’m going to stop you right there Ward. I know everything. You should know that by now. Phil,” she turned her gaze to the older agent. “You knew this was coming. Stop glaring at the boy, he’s a nervous wreck already.”
Coulson sighed. “Fine.” He sounded more like a child than the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. He gestured with his hands for Grant to continue.
“Agent Coulson, I love Skye. She is everything to me. I honestly don’t know what I would do without her. I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I promise to love and cherish her every day. I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life. May I have your daughter’s hand in marriage?”
“I guess,” Coulson muttered.
“Phil,” May chastised.
“Okay, okay,” Coulson said in surrender. “Yes, you may have my daughter’s hand in marriage.”
Grant left out a breath of relief. He felt a giant weight lift from his shoulder. He couldn’t stop the wide smile that spread across his face.
“Thank you sir,” he said. He offered his hand, which Coulson shook. “This means the world to me. And I know it will meant the world to Skye. She won’t admit it, but I know she wants to be married before the baby comes.”
And the moment was broken. Coulson’s smile fell and his grip tightened.
“What did you say?” Coulson asked slowly.
Grant’s eyes widened and it dawned on him. They didn’t know Skye was pregnant. It was still early and she wasn’t showing and shit. Grant pulled his hand from Coulson’s and took a wobbly step back.
He looked at May for help.
“Run.” She said simply.
And he did. He took off so fast, he probably left a trail of smoke in his wake. He wasn’t fast enough, however, to miss Coulson screaming that he was a dead man.