In the Shadows

Chapter Four

A/n: For the purpose of the story, this chapter will pretty much only be about Ward and Melanie, it takes place a few weeks after the last chapter. 

Season Two, Episode Six: A Fractured House

Ward's POV

Coulson had been the first person to visit me in the days after I had been locked up in the dimly lit cell. He spent every day in the chair across from me for weeks trying to talk to me, waiting for me to give him any information, but I refused. I stayed silent, the only words I uttered were along the lines of 'I will only talk to Melanie'. 

Regardless of how many times I said that the woman was the only person I would speak to, Coulson didn't relent, he didn't give in to my request, and now I knew why. I had seen the look on his face when he entered the room and put the shield back up to halt me from telling Melanie what I knew. He was scared. 

It was more than just fear I had seen on his face, though. Guilt. Coulson knew exactly what I was about to tell Melanie, he knew the effect it would have on her. He felt guilty for not telling her sooner and he was scared about what would happen in the aftermath. If she knew, she would never forgive him, and if she did, things would still never be the same. 

Since Coulson had interrupted our conversation, I hadn't seen Mel and there wasn't a single doubt in my mind that she had been instructed to never come down to the cell again. It had become quite lonely, though I would never admit that to anyone, and the silence seemed inescapable as I waited for Melanie to come down here again. I hadn't realized it before, but she was the one thing I looked forward to while locked up in this dingy cell. 

A small sigh escaped my mouth as I heard the door up the stairs creak open. I didn't bother turning toward the sound as I sat up in the bed, tucking my legs in a criss-cross position, trying to act as unbothered as possible. "If you're down here to threaten me, Coulson, it won't work." My tone was dry as I spoke. 

"Such a warm welcome, maybe I should come back another time?" The familiar voice of Melanie spoke, causing me to whip my head toward her, my eyes widening. She looked worse for wear. Her hair was messily tied up in a bun but the pieces that weren't tied back clung to the skin of her neck and face, baggy clothes shrouded her body, the smirk on her face looked forced, and dark circles rimmed her eyes which looked devoid of all emotion. 

"You're not the visitor I was expecting," I spoke slowly, my eyes drifting to the security cameras on the ceiling. 

She nodded her head slowly, looking down at the ground as she walked toward the shield that separated us, only looking up at me again once she was a few inches away from it. "The team is off base on a mission and Coulson is talking to your brother." 

"Why is Coulson talking to Christian?" I questioned, the hair on the back of my neck standing on end at the mention of my brother. 

"They're negotiating a deal to get you off this base, at least that's what I got from Skye." 

"I assume the deal isn't going to keep me out of chains?" She simply nodded her head, causing a sigh to come from my mouth. Of course, I knew that at some point, Coulson would decide to send me somewhere more secure, somewhere worse, but I never thought that it would have to do with my brother.

"That would be my assumption."

"So, why are you here?" My eyes scanned over her worn appearance. "Too sick to tag along?"   

"I'm going to elect to ignore the dig at my appearance." A small smirk curled onto her lips as she raised an eyebrow. "I wanted to come to see you and I couldn't risk Coulson interrupting us. We needed some alone time to talk."