Correcting the Path

Disclaimer: I own Avery, Alyssa and perhaps some of their backstory.

Spoilers: AU now, read A Second Chance at Redemption first or you'll be lost...

The team stood watching as the groundskeeper peeled the paper from the engraving on the Operations Wall of Valor. Once he was gone it was Skye who let herself trace the name first, a final tribute and goodbye to a mere girl that had changed their lives.

Agent A. Ward

The name laid under the SHIELD emblem, blazing for all to see the sacrifice and death Avery sustained in the line of duty. For while she became Syvera of Asgard, her life as Avery Ward had ceased upon leaving their world. Skye let the tears in her eyes fall because she never imagined being a mother or finding someone to be with and Avery had given her proof that it was possible. She'd only know the girl for a mere three days but already she felt as if she'd never recover from the loss.

"We won't forget her." Ward's voice carried and Skye turned to find him a few feet away. The team seemed to have left them to mourn the loss. "I won't forget what she did for me, not even for a second."

Skye shook her head, "she knew from the first moment that she could die but she still did it anyways. She knew she could possibly change things so she's never born but…she sacrificed herself for us, why?"

"Who knows why," he moved to stand beside her and gently reached down to take her hand. "What matters is that we don't screw up our second chance." He smiled and gently reached up to clear away the tears on her cheek. "Have dinner with me tonight."

"You're asking me on a date?" She met his eyes, "is this because of Avery or because…"

He took a step closer and leaned closer to whisper in her ear. "I'd kiss you right now but seeing as we're at my old school…" he pulled back and smirked at her, seeing a smile cross her face.

"Alright then Agent Ward, I'd love to go on a date with you." She pointed at him, "just no mission attached got it? Dinner and dinner only so if something happens you'll ignore it and just sit in your chair."

"You have a…" before he could talk a voice called out to him.

"Grant Ward?" They both turned to see a tall well-built man walk over, he looked like a marine crossed with Captain America if Skye had to give any details. He wore his hair short but the glasses were the geeky give away. "Well I'll be damned, I thought the next time I saw you I'd be staring at your name instead." He paused when he saw Skye, "if it isn't the girl who took most of HYDRA down. Daniel Perez and you are?"

"Agent Skye Zale," she held out her free hand and he took it. "Level 1 CS-Specialist."

"How can you be a Computer Specialist Specialist? Is that even a term?"

Ward chuckled and looked at Skye, "not quite a specialist yet, still a rookie field agent but you'll get there."

"Especially since I have a very patient and loving SO." She smiled at him before turning back to Perez. "So, have any stories about Ward here from the academy days because I am dying to hear about his rookie days."

Perez laughed and pointed at her, "oh do I have some stories for you. There was this one time his first year that he went on a date with this girl…"

"I don't think she needs to hear about this." Ward quickly interjected but Skye put her hand over his mouth and nodded.

"Please continue."

Perez laughed before continue, "complete disaster this guy, spills food and drink all over her. Mind you she was fifth year operations student so wiped the floor with him, he's never lived it down. Speaking of girls, you still in the game or are you playing for the other team? I mean I'm cool with either but man, Dillon from our third year, he's teaching here and let me tell you he is looking for a little no-strings attached type of thing."

Skye busted out laughing and her hand slipped from his mouth, she covered her own. "Oh Ward." She shook her head as she laughed and he rolled his eyes, folding his arms as she had her giggle fest. "That is so…I can't wait to tell Fitzsimmons and May, oh…" she pointed and nodded at him. "May will never let you live this down considering you guys had your," she made quotations with her fingers, "little 'no strings' attached deal going on. Maybe I should ask her…"

Ward put his hand over her mouth as his arm went about her, "Skye, I will personally make you do 200 pull ups if you don't stop."

Her eyes got wide and she nodded as he removed his hand. "Okay, I can stop."

He kissed her head, "why don't you go find Simmons and see what she can do for tonight."

"Right, our date." She smiled at him and looked at Perez as Ward let her go. "Nice meeting you Agent Perez and I look forward to future communications."

She slipped away and Perez whistled, "man you have yourself a catch there, where'd you find her? Communications Academy? Some base somewhere because I need to go shopping."

"Actually it was in the back of a van in Los Angeles during a mission. She hacked SHIELD and they hired her," Ward smiled as he watched Skye and Simmons through the window. "I took her as my rookie and she's changed my life…they both did." He let his gaze float to the wall where Avery's name laid.

Perez followed his gaze and saw the name, "so you're the guy in the video…are you saying you're HYDRA?"

"No," Ward quickly answered. "I have no loyalty to them, not anymore. I was stupidly mislead and I paid for it a lifetime ago. Now my loyalty is to Skye and our team."

"All for a girl…I have to say that takes guts, turning on everything for a girl."

"She's worth it."

Skye looked at herself in the mirror of the bathroom, it wasn't fancy but it wasn't her normal every day wear either. She'd chosen the outfit he'd met her in and wondered if he'd remember her wearing it.

"Well that's as good as it's gonna get so he'd better like what he sees." Skye exited the bathroom to find Ward leaning against the wall across from it. "Hi…"

He smiled as he looked her up and down, "just as beautiful as the day we met."

"So you do remember…"

"That you were wearing that exact outfit, yes although the only thing missing is the bag over your head."

Skye chuckled and smiled at him, "so where are you taking me?"

"I tried to convince Coulson to let me take you to Paris but he just asked if I wanted to pay for the mileage out of my own budget. We'll just have to settle for this nice Lebanese place in Midtown Manhattan."

"I've never actually tried Lebanese food."

Ward smiled at her, "I actually like it so I'll share some of my favorites with you."

Midway through the meal Skye sat listening as he explained his childhood from the misery under his brother to the burning of the family home when Garrett rescued him. She grasped his hand a quarter of the way through the story and he focused on her when things seemed to get tough.

"There's a difference now." Skye spoke softly, "you have a family now and we aren't going to make you do anything you don't want to do."

Ward put down the glass of water he held, "I know that."

"And I'm here for you," she squeezed his hand and placed her other on top of their clasped hands as a smile graced her face. "Like you said, we shouldn't waste a second chance."

"Are you ready to go?"

She nodded, "yeah, it was good." Ward waved for the check and quickly paid before pulling her chair out for her. "So, back to the Bus huh?"

"Not if you don't want to do something else." He placed his hand on her back as they walked towards the exit of the building. "Do you want to see or do something?"

Skye thought before smiling and nodded, "we're here so I want to walk through Central Park."

"Moonlit stroll through Central Park it is." He smiled at her and Skye took his hand, holding it as he waved down a cab. He turned back to her and found her smiling. "What?" Shaking her head Skye lifted up on her toes and kissed him, hand going to his cheek before pulling back to smile.

A/N: I couldn't help but make a little fun of Ward and I do believe there was probably awkwardness after being trained by Garrett.

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