It runs in the Family

Compromise

***

"How's he doing?" Y/N asked quietly, walking into the lab.

"I'm fine, thanks for asking." Ward replied shortly, clearly the effects still hadn't worn off.

"The question is are you fine?!" Simmons bellowed, running up to her to inspect her neck.

"Yes, I'm fine." She replied, backing away. She could see Ward's head go down after noticing the bruising he had left on her neck. Walking over to him, she tried to put her hand on his shoulder to comfort him. Only for him to get up and walk out of the room.

"Now that he's gone, we wanted to talk to you." Fitz said anxiously.

"About?" Y/N replied curiously.

"About you know, the secret." Simmons added, "Have you told him yet?"

Anxiety began to creep up, "No." Y/N replied, "Not yet, soon."

"You have to tell him, Y/N." Fitz blurted.

"I know, I will when the time is right." Y/N promised, "But for now, we should finish the mission. We still have to get the staff back." The three of them walked back to the briefing room to meet the rest of the crew.

"Nice of you guys to finally show up." Ward snarked at the three. Y/N's head went down a little, keeping her silence as she glossed over the information in front of her.

"This is where the last piece of the berserker staff is said to be found." Coulson pointed out to her, "We are en route to the location as we speak."

"How are we planning to obtain the staff, without touching it?" Skye asked, "And these guys still have an advantage over us with their super strength and all."

"I've already touched it, so I vote that I go in." Ward proposed, "Solo."

"I completely disagree." Y/N replied, "Not only should you not touch the staff again, but you do not need to go in solo."

"Y/L/N, I'll be fine." Ward quipped, "How much more can it affect me?"

"It's an extraterrestrial, we have no idea how much effect it could have using it again, Simmons?" Y/N pleaded to her friend.

"She's right, Ward." Simmons added.

"I agree." Coulson continued, "We don't do these missions alone, we are a team."

"I say we all go in." May intervened, "And we bring a certain asgardian with us to wield it."

"How can we trust him after last time?" Ward said, his tone frustrated.

"We can't, but it's our best shot." May replied.

"Agent May will take point on this mission, am I clear?" Coulson asserted.

"Clear." they replied in unison.

~1 hour later~

Everyone was quiet on the flight to Ireland, which was to be the location of the last piece. Y/N did not feel like talking to anyone after the countless times she had been embraced already today. No one else dared to break the silence. As they all exited the plane the silence was still eminent. They all prepared for the attack that could be coming.

"You grab the staff for us, and you better not run." Coulson spoke, finally breaking the silence. He was of course talking to the asgardian.

"If you try to, May will break all your limbs." Fitz warned, getting a laugh out of Y/N.

They all cautiously walked into the church, assessing the surroundings, the surpassing silence that overtook. It was too silent, Y/N thought. They observed for a distance as the asgardian approached where he sensed the piece of his staff to be. Just as he was about to reach for it, he was impaled in the chest from behind. Before they could react to what was right in front of them, they were attacked from behind too. Y/N fought off the ones for Skye and Fitz-Simmons telling them to go help the asgardian. That wasn't even the worst of it. What she didn't expect was there to be another wave of attackers, but these ones to be enhanced. She didn't quite realize until she was thrown to crash through a couple church benches. Before they could attack her again, she grabbed the ICER from her thigh holster, knocking her assailants out.

"Ward!" She shouted, tossing her ICER to him, noticing his was empty.

In a swift move she made her way back to him, trying her best to disarm the others before they could use their strength to their advantage. That's when she saw how she could beat them. It was a risk she wanted to take to protect them, even if it hurt her. Jumping to disarm the next attacker, the one who held the now complete berserker staff, she kicked it out of her hand. Y/N ran to grab the berserker, despite the pleas for her not to from behind. With no hesitation she grabbed it with her hand. The effects were great, she could feel the anger sear through her body. She knew she would have to focus on fighting if she wanted to make it through.

~Back at the Hotel~

She didn't remember much that went on in the fight after that. She just remembered the end where all of the attackers were on the ground. She remembered as Coulson approached her, and she almost gave him a black eye return. Luckily he gave everyone the night off so she had time to process what she had done to herself. The anger still flowed through her, now turning into more feeling angry at her. The wound that wasn't even closed before regarding her mom's death was rapidly gushing through. The guilt that she couldn't bring herself to tell Coulson the truth. Sitting on the edge of the neat made bed, she slowly sipped the stiff drink she poured herself, her hand shaking slightly. Y/N almost didn't notice Ward sitting right beside her.

"You should've let me do it." Ward whispered softly.

"I know your past. You don't deserve to relive it." Y/N replied, "I don't understand how you did it. All of it flooding back is going to drive me mad."

"What is it reminding you of?" Ward said, putting his arm around her.

Y/N looked at Ward, the tears starting to fall, "I haven't told anyone yet, but my mom died a couple of weeks before I joined the team."

"Diane died?" Ward frowned, "Y/N I'm so sorry."

"It's fine." Y/N tried to smile, "She was ready when the time came."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there." Ward said in a guilty tone.

"Don't be." Y/N reassured putting her hand to his face, "You couldn't have known." She looked at her partner once more, contemplating if she should tell him the other thing she had on her mind. When she looked at him she remembered how much she trusts him, and that it was time. "There's something else." She whispered.

"What is it?" Ward looked at her confused.

"I shouldn't have lied all these years, I'm sorry." Y/N muttered, "But I've known who my father is."

"Who is it?" Ward asked.

Y/N looked up with him, lip trembling and all scared of his response, "Coulson."

She could see the frazzled look that went up on his face, "Are you positive?" Ward replied.

"100%."

"Does he know?" He continued to ask her questions.

"No." Y/N frowned, "I haven't had the courage to tell him. What if he doesn't want me?"

"From what I know about Coulson, living with him, I don't think that's what he would think." Ward reassured kissing her head, "But take it slow, do it when you're ready."

Y/N looked up at him, gazing into his eyes. She smiled, even though the anger and guilt still infiltrated her mind. Cupping his face, she pulled him into a soft kiss, the embrace being matched on his side. They were still defining their relationship again, but the five years were flooding back too. She couldn't forget their history and how she felt.

"I still love you." She spoke after breaking the kiss, "I know it's been two years since we ended things, but I do. I love you."

"I love you too. I can't forget the way I feel for you. Ever." Ward smiled, pulling her into another kiss, "And hey, we can be angry together for the next ten years at least."

"Shut up." Y/N laughed, silencing his lips with her own. The past cou[ple of days were indeed trying on their relationship, but they were willing to work it out.

***