Chapter Text
Skye comes back to consciousness but it doesn’t bring her the kind of relief she aches.
She finds out pretty easily how much it hurts to breathe. The way her lungs and ribs scream every time she takes a breath. They’re definitely broken. She keeps her head hung low, letting her hair cascade to hide her bruised face. Maybe if they think she’s still in blackout mode they won’t bother to find another body part of hers to use as a punching bag.
Slowly testing her wrists against the restraints, she finds that she still cannot make them budge. That’s a problem.
There is no way she can use her powers to free herself. Its the kind of technology that blocks inhuman abilities. Realization dawns on her. Skye isn’t the first inhuman they’ve captured. Fear begins to bubble in the pit of her stomach. She hasn’t had contact with her team since hours ago. Her only source of communication device smashed to smithereens. She can’t be sure how long ago it was because she lost track after the first twenty-four. She figures that’s the ugly part of slipping into blackness. Time escapes you.
She easily fixes her eyes on her captors through the loose strands. Two males. Quite frankly, Skye thinks they both look like idiots. It angers her to know they have the upper hand.
She thirsts for the moment she’s able to rip them apart limb by limb. She never gets the chance.
Gun fire erupts outside the door. Becoming a SHIELD agent meant that you can’t sweat the small stuff. Guns, icers, and bullets are of second nature to her. They don’t scare her half as much they should. The sharp ringing is like music to her ears. They’re here. They finally came for her.
Her thoughts of freedom being so close get caught off by the harsh stinging at the back of her scalp. Her neck snaps backwards as large, sweaty palms grip her hair, “You little bitch. The second they come into this room, they’re done. You won’t get a goodbye.” Laughter erupts from her lips and the man raises his hand to punish her.
The only exit in the room, gets kicked in faster than she can blink. The bullet in his brain comes even quicker. The blood splatters across her face and she feels like removing all the contents from her stomach. Skye’s not sure if its a response to knowing her team was incapable again or its the fact that he still comes for her. He had lost the privilege to act as her protector long ago but she’s not complaining.
“Callahan, make sure there are no other threats in the vicinity.”
His large hands grip the side of her face gently, his amber eyes surveying the damage that’s been done, “You’re okay. They can’t hurt you anymore.” Ward’s hands move away from her face to the metal traps surrounding her wrists. As the last latch comes unfastened, the familiar buzzing in her veins return. All her pent up frustration and all the pain she’s in every time she dares to bat an eyelash, is sitting at her fingertips demanding to be heard.
Callahan, Ward’s most trusted right hand man, clears his throat, “The base is secure, sir.”
“I’m bringing you home.”
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Skye’s breaths are uneven and short measured.
She fights to regain control of her own lungs. She reaches out across the bed to find its empty and lacks the warmth she desires. She wonders if the time spent with him was just apart of her imagination. The way her body aches answers that for her.
It wasn’t.
Another endless night where her dreams are plagued by men who had used her as a personal dummy. All for leverage on a damn manuscript for a project Fitz and Jemma had created. She doesn’t blame them. It wasn’t their fault. They are two of the worlds most wanted scientists and engineers. She’d be more concerned if organizations weren’t after their work.
Skye thought she was mentally strong. That the anger would help her push through the reality that was the situation. She didn’t count on the fact that pretending to have it all together got old, quick. She also didn’t count on the fact that nightmares didn’t go away because she wished them to be banished. They would allow her out when it was satisfied it ripped away all her senses. And if Skye couldn’t get away from the darkness. she’d might as well stay with a piece that gave her comfort.
“Another nightmare?”
She nods, “I woke up and you weren’t here.”
He climbs back into bed on his side closest to the door. She supposes its a specialist thing. The gun on the nightstand and the knife hidden just below the mattress speaks volumes. He could never be too safe. "I had to use the bathroom.“
“I’m sorry. I..I just over reacted again.”
She realizes this might be suffocating at times, but ever since he had found her she can’t seem to be able to sleep without him by her side. She knows the last time she saw him, they had fought. It was a nasty fight. When wasn’t it? He was a traitor. He was a murderer. He was the love of her life and it killed her the way he could work under her skin so easily. Usually, it gave them a few days of not speaking before Ward was right back in SHIELD’s face causing trouble.
Yet, here she is.
She craves the security his arms give her when she closes her eyes. She ignores the way he bites out the threats against her team for being so careless. The promises he whispers in her ears that he’ll never let anything like that happen to her is enough to erase his negativity. The careful way his hands glide over her healing sides to tuck her against him like she’s his anchor.
“No you didn’t. You have every right to feel the way that you do. Stop questioning that.” he pauses to fix the blankets she had thrashed around before waking, “If I wasn’t in the bathroom, and you couldn’t find or get a hold of me, you know Callahan’s number.”
“You should let Callahan sleep once in a while. He deserves a break.”
“He’s a big boy, Skye. He can handle the interruption especially if its you.”
“Fine. You deserve to sleep as well. Does that answer suit you better?”
“Actually it does. You worrying about my security too much might give me the wrong message.” he feigned wounded, giving her his best puppy eyes.
“One hydra husband is enough for me.”
She lays her head on his chest, his large hand wrapping itself in her hair tracing small patterns on her scalp. She doesn’t want to take her eyes off of him. Just because he tells her to stop questioning it or the fact that she’s afraid he’ll decide she isn’t worth the trouble, doesn’t mean she’ll stop.
“Please don’t ever leave me.”
The corners of his lips curve up and she swears he never looked more at peace.
The steadiness of his heartbeat luring her back down in a calm slumber, “I promised you I never would.”
He places a soft kiss on her forehead, “Nothing is going to change that.”
She’s asleep within minutes.